Did The Alters Clone *Itself* with AI? Lore Oddities Spark Questions for 11 Bit Studios
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Players are questioning whether 11 Bit Studios used AI to generate some of the writing in The Alters, sparking debate about transparency and the role of AI in game development. 11 Bit has since confirmed limited AI use.
Alright, buckle up, because this one's a bit of a head-scratcher. 11 Bit Studios, the folks behind the morally challenging clone-management game *The Alters*, might have accidentally let the cat out of the bag regarding AI-generated content. And I reckon it's a fair dinkum mystery.
According to a recent report by Rock Paper Shotgun, some eagle-eyed players spotted some, shall we say, *unusual* phrasing in the game's lore documents. I'm talking stuff like an in-game mission log casually dropping "Sure, here's a revised version focussing purely on scientific and astronomical data". Sound familiar? That's practically chatbot 101, mate!
But that's not all! Another player over on Bluesky (remember Bluesky?) found a piece of dialogue that included the phrase "Sure! The text translated to Brazilian Portuguese is..." Now, call me old-fashioned, but when did in-game characters start prefacing their translations with cheerful chatbot greetings?
Look, I'm not saying 11 Bit Studios is trying to pull a fast one, but it certainly raises an eyebrow or two, especially considering Valve's Steam policies. Those policies *supposedly* require developers to disclose the use of generative AI. However, as Rock Paper Shotgun points out, the policy is so vague it's about as useful as a chocolate teapot. And as of the original report, there wasn't a peep about AI on *The Alters'* Steam page. (Update: 11 Bit has since confirmed a "very limited" use of genAI.)
Now, before we all grab our pitchforks and torches, let's pump the brakes for a tick. It's easy to get caught up in the whole "AI is taking our jobs!" panic. And let's be fair, the gaming industry *loves* to use the latest tech to shave off a few pennies. Still, translation and localization are actually creative pursuits, and dialogue choices can be *key* to understanding nuance in a game.
Remember, *The Alters* is all about the subtle differences between versions of the same bloke. Can a chatbot *really* capture that kind of emotional depth? I'm not entirely convinced.
And while I'm at it, let's not forget the wider implications, eh? Are companies just using generative AI as a way to trim costs and line their pockets? *The Alters* kind of touches on that thematically – the characters struggle with being treated like bots instead of living beings with a future. Spooky, right?
In any case, it's worth keeping an eye on this one. Generative AI is a huge conversation point, and the industry is clearly grappling with how (and if) to use it responsibly. We'll be watching closely to see how this all shakes out.
Tags: The Alters, AI, Game Development, 11 Bit Studios, Generative AI
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun