Can AI code Flappy Bird? Watch ChatGPT try

candlesan
23 Mar 202307:26

TLDRIn this intriguing experiment, the creator challenges Chat GPT to develop a Flappy Bird video game without writing any code, relying solely on the AI to generate and adjust the script. The process involves setting up the game project, creating art with AI, and addressing various coding issues such as camera movement, obstacle physics, and scoring. Despite some initial errors and unexpected challenges, Chat GPT adapts and provides solutions, leading to a functional game with a high score system. The video showcases the potential of AI in game development and hints at future possibilities for non-coders.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 The user attempted to create Flappy Bird using AI-generated code without writing any code themselves.
  • 🎮 The AI provided a six-step plan to build the game in the Unity game engine.
  • 🐦 The bird character flew off the screen due to an initial coding error.
  • 📸 A camera script was needed to follow the bird as it moved to the right.
  • 🚫 The user had to correct the AI's mistake regarding the movement of the background.
  • 🔄 The game was designed to wait for the player's first click before starting.
  • 📊 The AI generated code for obstacles and physics interactions.
  • 🎨 The game's art was created using AI, with the user providing rough sketches.
  • 🔄 The bird's movement was adjusted to tilt based on its direction, not spin around.
  • 🏆 Scoring and game over conditions were implemented with AI assistance.
  • 📉 The game over screen initially allowed player input, which was later corrected.
  • 📈 A high score system was added, with some initial errors in the logic fixed by the AI.

Q & A

  • What was the main challenge in creating Flappy Bird using chat GPT?

    -The main challenge was that the user did not write any code themselves; they relied entirely on chat GPT to generate and correct the code for the game.

  • How did the user ensure that the bird did not fly off the screen?

    -The user asked chat GPT to write code that would have a camera follow the bird as it moved to the right, preventing it from flying off the screen.

  • What was the human error made during the setup of the game?

    -The human error was made when setting up the background, causing the bird to fly off the background initially.

  • How did chat GPT handle the request to delay the game's movement until the player's first click?

    -Chat GPT provided code that delayed the movement until the player had flapped their wings for the first time, adhering to the user's main rule.

  • What was the unexpected behavior of the bird after implementing the obstacle pipes?

    -The bird started flipping around instead of tilting up and down as intended, which was not part of the original design.

  • How did chat GPT respond to the user's request to rotate the bird based on its movement direction?

    -Chat GPT agreed with the user's suggestion and provided the code to make the bird tilt up and down based on its movement direction.

  • What additional game element did the user decide to add after the original plan was completed?

    -The user decided to add a ground to the game to provide a sense of forward movement and a never-ending surface for the bird to interact with.

  • What issue arose after implementing the game over screen?

    -The issue was that the player input was still being received after the game over screen appeared, allowing the bird to jump even after falling to the ground.

  • How did chat GPT address the problem with the high score system?

    -After the user pointed out the error, chat GPT acknowledged the mistake and provided a corrected version of the code, resulting in a functional high score system.

  • What was the user's overall assessment of using chat GPT to create a game?

    -The user acknowledged that while it's not yet feasible for someone with no coding knowledge to use chat GPT to make a game, the process is promising and they plan to try it with more complex game types in the future.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Creating Flappy Bird with AI Assistance

The narrator describes an experiment where they attempt to create the game Flappy Bird using AI (chat GPT) without writing any code themselves. They follow a six-step plan provided by the AI, which includes setting up a game project, adding art assets, writing scripts for the bird's movement, fixing issues with the bird's flight, and implementing game mechanics such as collision detection and scoring. The AI also generates the game's art assets. The process involves troubleshooting and refining the game, with the narrator and AI working collaboratively to address issues and improve the game.

05:02

🚀 Finalizing the Game and Adding Features

The narrator continues the process of creating Flappy Bird, focusing on the final steps such as implementing a game over screen, adding a high score system, and ensuring that player input is disabled after a collision. They encounter and correct a coding error that prevents the game from running and adjust the scoring logic to award points when the player passes through the gap between pipes. The narrator reflects on the potential for non-coders to use AI to create games and expresses interest in exploring this further with more complex game types in the future.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Chat GPT

Chat GPT refers to an AI chatbot that is capable of generating human-like text based on the input it receives. In the context of the video, it is used to create a video game without any human coding, demonstrating its ability to write scripts and solve problems within the game development process.

💡Flappy Bird

Flappy Bird is a popular mobile game where players control a bird that flaps its wings to fly between pipes. The game is known for its simple mechanics and challenging gameplay. In the video, the user aims to recreate this game using the AI's capabilities, focusing on the core elements like the bird's movement, pipes as obstacles, and scoring system.

💡Unity Game Engine

Unity is a widely-used game development platform that allows creators to build and deploy games across various platforms. It provides a suite of tools for designing, animating, and scripting game elements. In the video, the user sets up an empty game project in Unity to follow the AI's instructions for creating Flappy Bird.

💡Scripting

Scripting in game development refers to writing code that dictates the behavior of game elements, such as the bird's flapping wings or the pipes' movement. The video highlights the AI's ability to generate these scripts, which are then copied and pasted into the game project to bring the game to life.

💡Camera Follow

Camera follow is a game design technique where the camera automatically tracks and moves with a specific object, such as the player character. In the video, the user asks the AI to write code for a camera that follows the bird as it moves, enhancing the gameplay experience by keeping the bird in view at all times.

💡Art Generation

Art generation in the context of the video refers to the creation of game assets like backgrounds, characters, and pipes using AI. The user feeds rough sketches into an AI tool, which then generates detailed game art. This process showcases the AI's versatility in assisting with both coding and artistic aspects of game development.

💡Physics

Physics in gaming involves simulating real-world physical interactions, such as collisions and movements. The video mentions hooking up the physics for the pipes, which means programming the game to recognize and respond to collisions between the bird and the pipes, leading to the game's end condition.

💡Game Over Screen

A game over screen is a visual element that appears when a player loses or completes a game, signaling the end of the current play session. In the video, the AI provides instructions and code to create a game over screen, which is an essential part of the game's user experience, indicating when the player's session has concluded.

💡High Score System

A high score system tracks and displays the player's best performance in a game. In the video, the user adds this feature to Flappy Bird, allowing players to see their top scores and compare them across play sessions. The AI's role in implementing this system demonstrates its ability to adapt to new requests and enhance the game's replayability.

💡Player Input

Player input refers to the actions taken by the player, such as button presses or mouse movements, that influence the game's outcome. The video discusses disabling player input after the game over screen appears to prevent further interaction with the game, ensuring a proper end to the player's session.

Highlights

Chat GPT is used to create a Flappy Bird video game without any pre-written code.

A six-step plan is devised by Chat GPT for making Flappy Bird in Unity game engine.

The bird character in the game initially flies off the screen due to a coding error.

Chat GPT provides a solution to have a camera follow the bird as it moves to the right.

Human error is acknowledged when setting up the background, leading to a quick adjustment.

Chat GPT writes code to delay the game's movement until the player's first click.

Art for the game is generated by AI, with sketches fed into a program called Mid-journey.

Chat GPT's instructions for pipe movement are corrected to have pipes remain stationary.

The bird's animation is adjusted to tilt based on its movement direction instead of spinning.

Chat GPT assists in implementing game over and scoring conditions.

The scoring system is fine-tuned to award points when the bird passes through the pipe gap.

A ground is added to the game to provide a sense of forward movement.

Chat GPT provides detailed instructions for setting up a game over screen.

A coding error is found and corrected by Chat GPT, disabling player input after game over.

A high score system is added, with initial issues resolved by Chat GPT.

The high score is retained between rounds after the error is fixed.

The exercise demonstrates the potential of Chat GPT in game development, despite some errors.

The process allows non-coders to focus on design while Chat GPT handles the coding.

The experiment suggests future possibilities for AI in creating more complex games.