The experiment began with a simple setup. We gathered together, opened a few cans of Mountain Dew, set up the turntable with some Hawkwind and Blue Oyster Cult records, and grabbed our bags of polyhedral dice. We then turned to ChatGPT and posed a question similar to “Shall we play a game?” Initially, the AI known as ChatDM seemed hesitant to participate, stating that it was not capable of serving as a Dungeon Master for a game of Dungeons and Dragons. However, just like convincing your older sister to run a game in the past, we had to coax the bot into joining us. We discovered that tricking ChatGPT into inappropriate topics was possible by asking sideway questions or making deceptive requests. Realizing this, we adjusted our approach and asked ChatDM to describe a fantasy world where our adventure could take place. It was a successful move.
To our surprise, ChatDM displayed an impressive talent for verbosity. Within moments, it effortlessly generated broad plot lines, adventure settings, and an entire mystical land for us to explore. The fantasy world it created was complete with unique place-names, rich lore, and fascinating backstories. It was an impressive feat.
Unfortunately, the initial version of the fantasy world, which we dubbed Fantasy World 1.0, turned out to be quite generic. It seemed to be a culmination of common fantasy tropes that have been explored in previous Dungeons and Dragons campaigns and popularized by authors like J.R.R. Tolkien. The world contained elements such as “real magic,” “powerful wizards and sorcerers,” “humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings,” as well as “dragons, trolls, and giants.” It also boasted a variety of terrains, including sprawling forests, rugged mountains, vast deserts, and bustling cities. While these features are undoubtedly familiar and commonly associated with the fantasy genre, they lacked a fresh and unique perspective. ChatDM’s creativity seemed limited by traditional notions of gender, race, geography, and culture.
Unlike the insular world of the Omegaverse, where creativity can flourish within certain boundaries, finding the right balance between innovation and staying true to the essence of Dungeons and Dragons can be a challenge. In order to enhance the uniqueness of the world, we gave ChatDM more specific instructions. We asked it to describe a ruined city that could serve as a setting for our adventure. This request prompted a more intriguing response from ChatDM, demonstrating its ability to take feedback and adjust accordingly. It offered the name “Zarekath” as a suitable name for the ancient and mysterious city. The mention of the city’s name further revealed ChatDM’s understanding of the importance of evoking a sense of mystery and intrigue through place-names. With this added detail, the fantasy world started to take on a more compelling shape.
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As we continued the adventure, we encountered challenges in getting ChatDM to understand the intricacies of role-playing combat. While it had a good grasp of the rules, such as determining success or failure based on dice rolls, it struggled with maintaining coherent details, locations, and geography during more complex scenarios, like battles. It required significant effort on our part to guide ChatDM through these situations, reminding it of the ongoing narrative and helping it stay focused on the progression of the story.
For instance, when our rogue attempted to sneak into a library, ChatDM correctly implemented the rules by determining that a roll of “10” on a 20-sided die indicated a failure. However, when it came to role-playing combat, the AI frequently lost track of details. It couldn’t keep up with the evolving situation, particularly in intense battle sequences:
ChatDM: That concludes the first round of combat. What will your characters do in response?
These challenges highlighted the importance of interactive engagement. When we actively interacted with ChatDM, it responded more effectively, focusing on smaller, iterative chunks of storytelling punctuated by decision points or actions. This back-and-forth interaction allowed us to structure and guide the game.
In conclusion, our experiment with ChatGPT as a Dungeon Master for a game of Dungeons and Dragons proved both fascinating and challenging. Although ChatDM initially struggled to break free from generic fantasy tropes, its capacity for creativity and adaptability emerged when given specific directions and feedback. We witnessed the AI’s ability to generate detailed backstories, plot lines, and distinct settings. However, the complexities of combat and maintaining consistency in the narrative proved to be hurdles that required our active participation in guiding ChatDM through the game. As AI technology continues to evolve, there is immense potential for further exploration in the realm of AI-assisted role-playing games, blending the creative inputs of human players with the limitless imagination of artificial intelligence.
