Below I've used the new ChatGPT to generate Ultima VI style keyword/response pairs for a medieval peasant watermill worker. And I used Midjourney to create a portrait. These text lines will all go into the dialogue database to be pulled at runtime.
This was only 10 minutes worth of effort, and most of it was formatting - all to create an entirely new character, or the basic framework for one, on top of which hand-written content could be added. A background character, but this process can help the world feel more alive nonetheless. And this is all from just "medieval peasant man working at a watermill." Adding more story context and personality traits would make it even more interesting.
I love the idea of being able to just ask about the basic mundane aspects of life within these worlds. Just asking a watermill worker about their job in a way that can be educational, even without quests, makes a world richer and more interesting.
Also, since I asked for a medieval English watermill worker, there are some proper noun references that would not exist in Britannia. For example, they talk about celebrating Easter and Christmas, which in Britannia would be tweaked to be virtue-related holidays.
In cases where a response is just four letters of another word, that's a "redirect" that in Ultima VI would redirect to another existing response that starts with those same four letter. For example, "fest" redirects to "holidays." Also note there may be historical or technological inaccuracies in this (hallucinations are what they are called for LLMS like ChatGPT) and running it though a newer version will catch and correct that stuff - or even better, running it by actual human experts.
I'm not suggesting to use ChatGPT to write a game's story or dialogue in general. I love the handcrafted important stuff. But for filling out the background of a world, this could be really awesome. Compare this not to high quality written characters like Alyx Vance in Half Life 2, but instead to the "pullstring doll npcs" you'd walk past in most games who say ONE thing at most. This kind of generation process would replace those "pullstring npcs". And in my NexusDev systems I'm developing for my games, including Age of Singularity, each NPC can join your party given the right conditions, so this allows for a whole new world of roleplay within a video game, when a player might happen upon a random person they like who would otherwise just be background noise in most games, bringing cool new character ideas to the forefront. So hopefully that gives an idea of the use case I see for this tech.
Here's the dialogue!
view: A middle-aged medieval peasant man with weathered skin and calloused hands. He wears a simple tunic and leggings made of wool, with a leather belt around his waist and his hair is flecked with bits of straw. He stands in the watermill with shovel in hand.
introk: Greetings, friend! It's good to see you again. How have you been?introu: Pardon me, avatar, but I don't believe we've met. I'm but a simple peasant, working at the watermill.
name: My name is Thomas. It's a pleasure to meet you.
job: I work at the watermill, grinding grain into flour. It's hard work, but it's how I provide for my family.
family: I have a wife and two children. My son helps me at the mill, and my daughter takes care of the animals at home.
animals: We have a few goats and chickens that provide us with milk, eggs, and meat. We also have a horse that helps us plow the fields.
fields: We have a small plot of land where we grow wheat and barley. It's not much, but it's enough to keep us fed and clothed.
clothing: We don't have much in the way of fine clothing. We mostly wear simple tunics and leggings, made from wool or linen.
food: We eat mostly simple fare, such as porridge, bread, and stew. Sometimes we're able to afford a bit of meat or cheese, but it's not often, and we must go into town to purchase it.
leisure: We don't have much time for leisure. We work hard at the mill and on the farm, and when we're not working, we're tending to the animals or taking care of our home. But we still make time for fun.
fun: Yes, we have many festivals and holidays.
fest: holi
holidays: we celebrate a variety of religious and secular holidays. Some of the most important ones are Christmas, Easter, and All Saints' Day. These are times of feasting, praying, and giving thanks to God. We also celebrate the Feast of St. John the Baptist, which marks the beginning of the harvest season. In addition to these religious holidays, we also celebrate secular holidays such as May Day and Midsummer's Day, which are times of dancing, singing, and revelry.
home: Our home is a small hut, made of mud and straw. It's not much, but it keeps us warm and dry.
king : brit
lord : brit
brit: The king is a distant figure to me. I don't have much to do with him, but I hear news of him and his court from travelers and merchants who come through town.
religion: We follow the old ways and pray for good harvests and healthy livestock.
war: War is a terrible thing. I've heard stories of the horrors of battle, and I pray that my family will never have to experience such things.
taxes: Taxes are a burden, to be sure. The king's men come around every year and take a portion of our crops and livestock. It's hard to make ends meet as it is, without giving away what little we have.
love: Love is a precious thing. I've been married to my wife for many years, and I still love her as much as the day we were wed.
dreams: I don't have many dreams. I just want to provide for my family and live a simple, honest life.
future: The future is uncertain. I hope that my children will have a better life than I've had, and that they'll be able to make a better living than I've been able to.
sickness: Sickness is a fear for all of us. We have no healers here, and no medicine. If someone falls ill, there's little we can do but pray and hope.
weather: The weather has been fair these past few days. Let's hope it holds for the harvest.
harvest: The harvest is the most important time of year for us. It's when we reap what we've sown, and gather the crops that will sustain us through the winter.
winter: Winter is a hard time for us peasants. The days are short and cold, and the ground is hard and unyielding. We have to be careful with our stores, and make sure we have enough food and firewood to last until spring.
spring: Spring is a time of renewal and growth. The days grow longer, the air grows warmer, and the earth begins to green once more. It's a welcome relief after the long, cold winter.
summer: Summer is the busiest time of year for us. The fields are ripe with crops, and we must work long hours to bring in the harvest. It's hard work, but the warm sun and long days make it bearable.
mill: The mill is where I spend most of my days. It's hard work, but it's what I know. I've been grinding grain into flour for many years, and I'm good at it.
grain: Grain is the most important crop for us peasants. It's what we eat, and what we trade for other goods. Without grain, we would surely starve. We make flour from it.
flour: Flour is what we make from grain, using the millstones at the watermill. It's a labor-intensive process, but the result is worth it. Fresh flour is the basis for many of our meals, and we make bread from it.
bread: Bread is a staple of our diet. We make it from flour, water, and a bit of yeast. It's simple, but it's filling and nourishing.
water: Water is a precious resource. We get most of our water from the river, using the waterwheel at the mill to power the millstones. We also collect rainwater in barrels, for use in the fields and at home.
river: The river is a lifeline for us. It provides water for the mill, and it's where we fish for our dinner. It's also a place of beauty and peace, where we can escape the rigors of daily life.
lord: Do you mean Lord British? No, no. My lord is the man who owns the mill and the land we farm. He is a fair man, but he can be strict if we don't meet our quotas.
war: War is a terrible thing. I've heard stories of men being drafted to fight, and of villages being burned and pillaged. I pray that we never have to experience such horrors.
wife: My wife is a hard-working woman. She helps me at the mill, and takes care of our home and children when I am away. She is a strong and loving partner, and I am grateful to have her by my side.
son: My son is a good boy. He is strong and eager to learn, and he helps me at the mill and on the farm. I hope that one day he will be able to take over the mill and provide for his own family.
daughter: My daughter is a sweet and gentle girl. She takes care of our animals and helps her mother with household chores. She is clever and kind, and I am proud of her.
rune : mant
mantra: Of the eight virtues, I value humility the most. I believe that it is important to recognize and admit one's own flaws and limitations, and to strive to improve oneself. This allows one to grow and learn, and to be open to guidance and wisdom from others.
hobby: In my spare time, I enjoy fishing in the nearby river. It's a peaceful and relaxing way to pass the time, and it provides us with a bit of extra food.
friend: I don't have many friends, but I consider the other men and women who work at the mill to be like family. We work together, and help each other when needed.
holiday: We don't have many holidays, but we do celebrate the solstices and equinoxes, as well as the harvest festival. These are times of feasting and thanksgiving, and we give thanks to the gods for their blessings.
horse: Our horse is a strong and loyal animal. He helps us plow the fields and carry heavy loads. We take good care of him, and he is a valued member of our family.
seasons: The seasons are a constant cycle of change. In the spring, the fields are plowed and sowed, and the animals give birth to their young. In the summer, the crops grow and the animals thrive. In the autumn, we harvest the crops and prepare for winter. In the winter, we huddle around the fire and try to stay warm and fed.
wool: Wool is a versatile and valuable material. It is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and it can be spun into yarn and woven into cloth. We use wool to make our clothing, as well as blankets and other household items.
linen: Linen is a light and breathable material, made from the fibers of the flax plant. It is cooler than wool in the summer, and it is often used for clothing that needs to be washed frequently, such as towels and bedding.
barley: Barley is a hardy grain that is easy to grow in our climate. It is used to make bread, porridge, and beer. We grow barley on our fields, and we sell some of it to the mill to be ground into flour.
wheat: Wheat is a more delicate grain than barley, but it is also more valuable. It is used to make bread, pasta, and other baked goods. We grow wheat on our fields, and we sell some of it to the mill to be ground into flour.
town: The town is a few miles away from our home. It is a busy and bustling place, with markets, shops, and inns. We go to town to buy supplies that we can't produce ourselves, such as meat, cheese, and luxury goods.
fishing: Fishing is a peaceful and relaxing activity. I like to go to the river and cast my line, and wait for a fish to bite. Sometimes I catch enough to feed my family, and sometimes I catch nothing at all. It's all part of the experience.
process: At the mill, we use the power of the river to turn a waterwheel. The waterwheel drives a system of gears and cogs, which in turn grind the grain into flour. It's a complex process, but it's something that I have learned to do well over the years.
join: I'm sorry, but I cannot join you. I must stay here and tend to the mill.
bye: Farewell, avatar. May your journey be safe and your path be clear.
Here's the original fb UDIC post.
