Generative Dialogue Systems for Games Full Syllabus

Module 1: Foundations of Game Dialogue Systems

• Role of dialogue in player immersion
• Static vs dynamic vs generative dialogue
• Dialogue systems in narrative games (e.g., Disco Elysium, Fallout, Cyberpunk)
• Challenges in game conversations
• Ethical considerations in AI dialogue

Module 2: Basics of NLP & Generative AI

• Natural Language Processing 101
• From rule-based to deep learning approaches
• Introduction to Transformers & LLMs (GPT, Claude, LLaMA, etc.)
• How GPT-like models generate text
• Prompting basics (zero-shot, few-shot, fine-tuning vs RAG)

Module 3: Dialogue System Architectures

• Finite State Dialogue Machines (FSDMs)
• Decision trees & branching dialogues
• Intent recognition & slot filling (traditional NLP)
• Generative vs retrieval-based systems
• Hybrid architectures (rules + LLM)

Module 4: Designing Effective Prompts

• Prompt engineering for game scenarios
• Maintaining tone, lore, and personality
• Using system prompts and role prompts
• In-context memory: simulating NPC memory
• Emotion, mood, and randomness control

Module 5: Context Handling & Memory

• Context windows in GPT models
• Memory tokens & embeddings
• LangChain-style memory handling
• Dialogue history management
• World-state integration with memory

Module 6: NPC Personalities & Dynamic Traits

• Defining personalities via prompt
• Emotion simulation (sad, angry, scared, joyful NPCs)
• Reactive dialogue (based on player action)
• Persistent personality evolution
• Memory: “last time you visited me…”

Module 7: Integrating LLMs with Game Engines

• Unity + OpenAI API (C# & Python bridge)
• Unreal Engine + GPT (Blueprints or Python plugin)
• Using Convai / Inworld AI SDKs
• Node.js backend to manage dialogue APIs
• Offline LLMs (LLaMA, Mistral) for privacy-based games

Module 8: Advanced Dialogue Use-Cases

• Quest dialogue generation
• NPCs generating side stories
• Procedural narrative generation
• In-game negotiation or bartering systems
• Voice + dialogue integration (TTS + LLM)

Module 9: Text-to-Speech & Voice Integration

• Using ElevenLabs, Coqui, or Replica Studios
• Voice cloning for unique NPCs
• Real-time audio generation from LLM output
• Emotion-infused speech synthesis
• Latency optimization tips

Module 10: Dialogue Evaluation & Testing

• Evaluating quality of generative dialogue
• Consistency, lore alignment, tone checking
• Automating tests with AI-assisted tools
• Managing hallucinations or lore-breaks
• Logging and feedback loops

Module 11: Safety, Censorship & Player Control

• Profanity filtering & tone moderation
• Avoiding unwanted outputs (safety prompts)
• Bias, ethics, and transparency
• Player feedback control (mute, redirect NPCs)
• ESRB ratings impact & compliance

Module 12: Multiplayer & Persistent Worlds

• NPCs remembering different players
• Server-side context management
• Dialogue syncing across players
• Persistent AI personalities (MMORPGs / Metaverse)
• AI agents in social spaces (VRChat, Roblox)