Auxuman launches alpha test for Auxworld’s AI-generated games

Auxuman said it has launched its alpha test for its Auxworld platform for automatically generating and customizing single-player games using generative AI.

Negar Shaghaghi, CEO of Auxuman, said in an interview with GamesBeat that the company is learning insights about AI that are useful.

Auxworld is built on Auxuman’s procedural game engine that allows for the creation of dynamic, player-influenced worlds.

The Auxworld platform is moving away from a text-to-game platform and focusing more on a game that is informed by any kind of custom input from a gamer. So it gives people a few choices for options and then gives them a game instantly, without having to think too much about it.

“This is a model that has worked really well for social media, like TikTok. Instead of asking you what kind of content you want to see created, it’s going to put something in front of you and then you can pick and choose how to modify it and customize it,” Shaghaghi said.

She said that game engines used today are based on years-old technology that doesn’t allow for fast iterations or incorporating user preferences or feedback in real-time. Auxworld’s procedural game compiler augments the Unreal Engine to respond and act based on input to create endless procedural from any input and create more engagement with players.

The platform is available in a limited setting for now as a free download via the Xsolla payment platform.

When it comes to people wanting to create game experiences, Auxuman found out that there are typically two kinds of users. One group knows exactly how they would design a game and others who want to have some agency and influence on the game without the burden of creation. While most UGC creation platforms focus on making production pipelines faster and easier, Auxuman saw an opportunity in letting the game designer (or studio) set creative constraints and users who just want to consume diverse content related to that intellectual property to have influence through their preferences at the point of consumption (play).

Some users might have a bad case of writer’s block, unable to type anything into a textbox for the AI chat. For those users, more guidance is necessary.

“Language is a form of expression and there are multiple ways that people can express themselves,” Shaghagi said. “So basically, what we’re really trying to capture through language is some kind of input, some kind of preference. And that was that was interesting for us.”

Auxworld wants to combine the creativity of people, social media expression, and AI tools for game creation. Auxworld gives people a kind of familiar game world and then allows people to change most of the things that are in it.

“What’s fun is that every time you go in, the world is different and your objects are different,” she said.

The world and gameplay can be compiled in many different ways based on users’ preferences. This creates an opportunity for brands and intellectual properties that want to move into UGC the same way that brands are incorporated in social media without having the burden of the cost and marketing needed to pull off one-off experiences with low longevity. 

She said the team found that smaller creators are embracing the tech because they can use the AI tools to create amusing games and compete better with the larger livestreamers. While other AI game startups are creating tools for professionals, Auxworld is targeting a mass market crowd.

Meanwhile, the company is also working with Oorbit on AI-based games generated from text prompts for play on LG TVs. The company is also going to work with brands and music labels. The company has raised $1.7 million to date and it has seven people.

The game is available to download on the website and is already available. It’s a single-player game now and we’ll build a network on top of it,” she said. “We’re getting really good feedback.”

She added, “We wanted to gather data quickly and we’ve been gathering insights. Our next plan is to make this game into multiplayer, which is going to make it super fun.”

So far, most of the players who are trying out the alpha test are looking for a calm and chill experience, Shaghaghi said.

“I think what people are enjoying is the balance between easing into the game and then having some high stakes situation,” she said. “These are people who are looking for fun and not wanting to think about it too much. The game is super easy to get into and doesn’t have a big learning curve.”

Players are typing in prompts such as “Game of Thrones with Zombies” and seeing what the game will generate.

“You don’t need massive skills. We’re diversifying the audience, going after people who are not necessarily gamers,” she said. “They’re coming because they’re fans of music or they find an immersive experience that they can experience, like in pop culture but with a different dimension.”

There are a lot of casual women gamers, often around 17 years to 24 years old.

“I am really excited to share everything that we’ve learned,” said Shaghaghi. “A lot of the games aren’t out yet and there is not much data.”

Originally appeared on: TheSpuzz