New ChatGPT plugin for RPG Maker MZ lets you auto-generate NPC dialogue

Japanese free game development team kotonoha* has released the official version of the ChatGPT_APIMZ plugin for RPG Maker MZ. By combining this plugin with the OpenAI API, users are able to implement ChatGPT generated dialogue into games created with RPG Maker MZ.

RPG Maker MZ is an RPG creation tool for PC that was released by KADOKAWA in August 2020. Recent titles in the RPG Maker series have also included the ability to use plugins. Users can create their own plugins as well as use those created by others.

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI that uses the company’s large language models. The service can be used via a web browser, or it can be implemented into your own programs by using the API. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including having the AI answer questions or assigning it instructions to carry out.

ChatGPT_APIMZ is a plugin that allows ChatGPT to be used in RPG Maker MZ. It lets you use the AI to generate character dialogue and reactions. Ever since ChatGPT was first released, many users have thought of different ways that the technology could be used in games (related article). The ChatGPT_APIMZ plugin is another of these explorations into using AI within the medium.

In the demo video for the plugin, the NPCs do not have set lines of dialogue. They are only assigned a name, role, and some other attributes, upon which ChatGPT then automatically generates their dialogue. For example, in the case of the girl who stands by the entrance of the village, settings that define her character include the fact that she is a seven-year-old girl, her favorite food, and the manner in which she speaks.

When the player speaks to the girl, ChatGPT receives an instruction to tell the player the name of the village. The AI then generates a line of dialogue that provides this information while also being based on the settings assigned to the girl. As the dialogue is being automatically generated, each time you talk to the girl, her response is different.

The plugin can be downloaded from kotonoha*’s official site (instructions for using the plugin are available in Japanese only), but an OpenAI API key is required to use it. Please note that if you release a game while your API key is still registered to it, there is a risk that it may be leaked to third parties who could attempt to use it. In order to avoid this problem, it is recommended that when releasing your game, you either set the API key on the server side or implement a function that requires the player to input their own key.

kotonoha* have developed over 13 free games, including RPGs and mystery visual novels. Their plugin has already started to be used by other developers, and one has uploaded a video showing an in-development game that includes interactions with the AI. We can likely expect more games in the future that use AI in this way.

Written by. Marco Farinaccia based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-04-21 10:52 JST)