The Eerie 'Event[0]' Asks You to Talk With a HAL-Like Space Computer
"What would you say to a computer if your life depended on it?"
Today, Ocelot Society revealed the first trailer for its upcoming game, Event[0]. It merges the evolving technology of artificial intelligence and natural language processing into a futuristic plot that leaves the player alone on a space station, save for an all-powerful computer system. With a gameplay that combines a gorgeous 3D world with text-based interface, Event[0] looks to be a stunning debut.
Paris-based Ocelot evokes the best of A.I. science-fiction with Event[0]: it begins with the player waking on what seems like a retro-futuristic spaceship or station, trapped. A lone computer console — and the A.I. that lives within it — is the player’s only hope of escape. The game’s simple premise is asking players how they can convince the A.I. to help them escape. The official description goes like this:
In a world where the humankind has embraced artificial intelligence, you are stranded on an abandoned spaceship. Event[0] is a game about building a personal relationship with a machine. You type messages into a computer, and Kaizen answers. As in any relationship, you experience gratitude, disappointment, and sometimes jealousy.
The most apparent thing about the A.I., named Kaizen-85, is its ability to replicate and respond to the player in a “natural” way. That means Kaizen will respond to a person’s normal way of speaking, and derive intuitive meaning based on a natural input, than say a formal computing language. Likewise, Kaizen will generate a natural response to the player, as opposed to something that might be akin to “robot-speak.”
The game functions like a hybrid between a 3D adventure game, and the old text-based adventure games from the 1980s, like King’s Quest. Players explore a fully function 3D world, modeled that looks straight out of Ridley Scott’s first Alien film:
The main gameplay however, looks to take place on these various terminals:
Players are expected to ask Kaizen specific requests like unlocking certain doors, or respond to Kaizen’s questions and build a relationship. Kaizen’s “emotional” state will affect how he reacts to the player, and if it becomes jealous or friendly depending on the player has interacted with it, its willingness to help you escape could also change.
Event[0] looks like an ambitious project, and the A.I. concept at its core feels pioneering. By asking the player to invest themselves in forming a relationship with an artificial intelligence, Event[0] could be a glimpse into a world that’s only a few years away from our own.
Event[0] comes out in September. It’s up for pre-order.
