Can AI code Flappy Bird? Watch ChatGPT try

In this intriguing experiment, the author challenges Chat GPT to create a Flappy Bird video game without writing any code themselves. The process begins with setting up a Unity game project and adding AI-generated art for the background and bird. Chat GPT provides scripts for the bird's movement and camera follow, but issues arise with the bird flying off-screen and the need for player interaction before the game starts. The game's physics, obstacle pipes, and scoring system are all scripted by Chat GPT, with the author focusing on design elements. A game over screen and high score system are added, with some initial errors corrected through collaboration. The video concludes that while a non-coder might not yet be able to fully utilize Chat GPT for game development, the experiment showcases promising progress in AI's ability to assist in coding and game design.

Takeaways

• 🎮 The experiment aimed to create a Flappy Bird game using Chat GPT to write all the code, without any manual coding.
• 📝 A six-step plan was outlined to develop the game in the Unity game engine, starting from setting up the project to adding game mechanics.
• 🐦 The bird character was given life with a script that made it flap its wings and move to the right, with a camera following its movement.
• 🚫 A problem arose where the bird flew off the screen, which was addressed by adjusting the camera and background setup.
• ⏸ The game was designed to wait for the player's first click before starting, ensuring the bird doesn't immediately fall to the ground.
• 🖼️ AI-generated art was used for the game's assets, including the background, bird, and pipes, based on rough sketches provided by the user.
• 🔄 The original plan for the pipes was to move them from the right at a constant speed, but it was corrected to have them stationary with the bird moving towards them.
• 🕹️ The bird's movement was adjusted to rotate up and down based on its direction, instead of spinning around.
• 🏆 A scoring system was implemented, with points awarded when the player passed through the gap in the pipes.
• 🌳 The addition of a ground element was decided upon to provide a sense of forward movement and to serve as an obstacle.
• 🛑 A game over screen was created, with instructions to stop player input and bird movement upon collision with pipes or the ground.
• 🏆 A high score system was added as a second curveball, which after a minor error was corrected, successfully retained the score between rounds.

Q & A

What was the main challenge the user faced when creating Flappy Bird with Chat GPT?

The main challenge was that the user couldn't write any code themselves and had to rely entirely on Chat GPT to generate all the code for the game.

What was the first issue encountered with the bird's movement in the game?

The bird was flying off the screen, which was a problem that needed to be fixed by having a camera follow the bird as it moved to the right.

How did the user handle the mistake with the background setup?

The user acknowledged the mistake as human error and made a quick adjustment to correct the issue with the background.

What was the solution to prevent the game from starting immediately upon loading?

Chat GPT wrote code to delay the movement until the player clicked at least once to flap their wings.

How was the game's art created?

The art was generated by AI, with the user providing rough block out sketches and AI filling in the details for the background, the bird, and the pipe obstacles.

What was the initial misunderstanding about the movement of the pipes?

Chat GPT initially planned to move the pipes from the right to the left at a constant speed, but the user pointed out that the pipes should remain stationary while the bird and camera move to the right.

What feature was added to the bird's movement that was not part of the original design?

The bird was given the ability to rotate based on whether it was moving up or down, which added a more realistic tilting effect to its flight.

How was the scoring system implemented in the game?

The scoring system was adjusted so that the player receives points when they pass through the gap in the pipes, rather than incrementing before reaching the pipe.

Why was a ground added to the game?

The ground was added to provide a constant sense of forward movement and to serve as an obstacle that the bird could crash into, signaling the end of the game.

What was the issue with the game over screen initially?

Initially, the game over screen would appear, but the player input was still being received, allowing the bird to jump up even after falling to the ground. This was corrected by disabling player input when the game over screen is reached.

How did Chat GPT handle the request to add a high score system?

Chat GPT provided the necessary code to implement a high score system, but there was a simple error that caused the high score to not be recorded correctly. After the user pointed it out, Chat GPT corrected the error and the high score system worked as intended.

What was the user's overall assessment of using Chat GPT to create a game with no coding knowledge?

The user concluded that while it's probably not feasible for someone with no coding knowledge to use Chat GPT to make a game currently, the process is promising and they plan to repeat the exercise with more complicated game types in the future.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Creating Flappy Bird with Chat GPT

The video begins with the creator's intent to challenge Chat GPT to develop a Flappy Bird game without writing any code themselves. They provide a brief description of the game components and receive a six-step plan from Chat GPT to create the game in Unity. The first two steps involve setting up a game project and adding background and bird art. Step three is about scripting to animate the bird's flapping motion. An issue arises where the bird flies off-screen, leading to a request for code to have a camera follow the bird. A mistake in the background setup is acknowledged as a human error. The video shows the game waiting for the player's first click before the bird starts moving. AI-generated art is used for the game's graphics, and the creator focuses on design while Chat GPT handles the coding. Step four introduces obstacle pipes and physics for collision. A misunderstanding about pipe movement is corrected through a dialogue with Chat GPT. Unexpectedly, the bird's animation flips, leading to a request to rotate the bird based on its movement direction. Step five implements game over and scoring conditions. The creator appreciates the ability to focus on design while Chat GPT writes the code. A ground is added to the game for a sense of forward movement. Step six is about setting up a game over screen, which initially has an issue with player input still being received after the game ends. A high score system is added as a second curveball, and after a simple error is fixed, the high score is retained between rounds. The video concludes with the creator's optimism about the potential of AI in game development.

05:02

🎮 Overcoming Challenges in Game Development with AI

The second paragraph dives into the challenges faced during the game development process with the assistance of Chat GPT. Initially, the game over screen's functionality had a flaw where the bird could still jump after falling, which was illogical. Chat GPT provided a solution to stop the camera and movement upon the game over screen's appearance. A coding error caused the game to malfunction, but Chat GPT promptly apologized and offered a correction. With the error resolved, player input is now correctly disabled at game over. The creator then introduces a high score system as an additional feature. Despite a simple error in the scoring function, Chat GPT quickly provided a fix, leading to a functional high score system that saves between rounds. The video ends with the creator reflecting on the potential of AI in game development, noting that while someone without coding knowledge might not be able to make a game with Chat GPT just yet, the progress is promising. They express intent to continue experimenting with more complex games in the future.

Keywords

💡AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the video, AI is used to generate code for a video game, demonstrating its capability to perform complex tasks that typically require human intelligence.

💡Flappy Bird

Flappy Bird is a popular mobile game that involves a bird character that the player must navigate through gaps in a series of pipes. The game is used in the video as a project for AI to recreate, showcasing the AI's ability to understand and generate game mechanics.

💡Chat GPT

Chat GPT is an AI language model that is capable of generating human-like text based on the prompts it receives. In the context of the video, Chat GPT is utilized to write code and generate art for the Flappy Bird game, highlighting its versatility in content creation.

💡Unity Game Engine

The Unity Game Engine is a widely-used platform for creating and developing video games. It provides a suite of tools that facilitate the game design process. The video script outlines a six-step plan to make Flappy Bird using Unity, indicating the engine's role in game development.

💡Script

In the context of video game development, a script is a piece of code that defines how certain elements within the game behave. The video discusses writing scripts to give life to the bird character and to implement game mechanics, emphasizing the importance of scripting in game functionality.

💡Camera Follow

Camera Follow refers to a game design technique where the camera automatically adjusts its position to follow a particular object or character, such as the bird in Flappy Bird. The video mentions writing code for a camera to follow the bird as it moves, which is crucial for creating a dynamic gameplay experience.

💡Obstacle Pipes

Obstacle Pipes are elements in the Flappy Bird game that serve as challenges for the player to navigate through. In the video, the AI is instructed to create and position these pipes, which are essential for the game's difficulty and progression.

💡Game Over Screen

The Game Over Screen is a feature in video games that appears when a player's character dies or fails to meet the game's objectives. In the script, the AI is tasked with creating a Game Over screen for Flappy Bird, which is an important aspect of providing player feedback and ending the game session.

💡High Score System

A High Score System is a common feature in games that records and displays the player's best performance for comparison and competition. The video involves adding a high score system to Flappy Bird, which adds a layer of replayability and challenge to the game.

💡Player Input

Player Input refers to the actions or commands given by a player through various game controls, such as buttons or touchscreen gestures. The video discusses disabling player input after the Game Over screen appears to prevent further interaction with the game.

💡Art Generation

Art Generation in the context of the video refers to the process of creating visual assets for the game using AI. The AI is fed sketches, and it fills in the details to create the background, bird, and pipe art for Flappy Bird, demonstrating the potential of AI in artistic creation.

Highlights

Chat GPT is used to create a video game without the user writing any code.

The game chosen for creation is Flappy Bird, with a six-step plan outlined by Chat GPT.

A Unity game engine is used for the project setup.

Art for the game is also generated by AI, based on rough sketches provided by the user.

The bird character in the game is given life through a script written by Chat GPT.

A camera follows the bird as it moves to the right in the game.

The game does not start immediately; it waits for the player's first click to initiate movement.

Chat GPT corrects a mistake regarding the movement of the pipes, which should remain stationary.

The bird's movement is adjusted to rotate based on whether it's moving up or down.

Game over and scoring conditions are implemented with precise control over when points are awarded.

A never-ending ground is added to the game to provide a sense of forward movement.

A game over screen is set up to appear when the player collides with the pipe or ground.

Player input is disabled when the game over screen is displayed to prevent further bird movement.

A high score system is added to the game, with scores retained between rounds.

Chat GPT provides step-by-step instructions and code for all game elements, including the high score system.

The process demonstrates the potential for AI to assist in game development, despite some errors and need for correction.

The user plans to repeat the exercise with more complex game types in future AI models.