In a world where gaming experiences are becoming increasingly ambitious and immersive, Seed stands out as a truly unique and daring endeavor. This planet-sized society simulator aims to create an entire virtual world, Avesta, where players shape and influence every aspect of society. From the relationships between its inhabitants, known as Seedlings, to the economy and laws, everything is in the hands of the players.
What makes Seed particularly fascinating is its scale and the level of autonomy it grants to its players. Each Seedling, designed and controlled by a player, must navigate their way through this virtual world, interacting with others and pursuing their own goals, all while the player may or may not be actively engaged. This semi-autonomous nature of the game creates an intriguing dynamic, where the player's influence is felt even in their absence.
The Vision Behind Seed
The concept of Seed was born from a desire to create a fully populated and persistent game world, a vision shared by the co-founders of Klang Games, Oddur Snær Magnússon and Ívar Emilsson, both of whom previously worked on Eve Online. They wanted to reverse the typical scenario where MMO towns are deserted most of the time, and instead, make the game world thrive with activity.
The third co-founder, Mundi Vondi, brought the "everything simulator" idea to the table, inspired by his background in the arts and film-making. This unique perspective added a layer of creativity and ambition to the project, pushing the boundaries of what a game could achieve.
Overcoming Technical Hurdles
The initial idea for Seed faced significant technical challenges. Running tens of thousands of AI characters in the cloud was a daunting task, and investors were skeptical. However, over several years, Klang Games managed to overcome these hurdles, thanks to some "crazy investors" who believed in their vision and provided the necessary funding.
The timing of Seed's development also coincided with the metaverse hype, with Mark Zuckerberg's massive investment in the metaverse providing a boost to their funding efforts. It's an interesting example of how external factors can influence the trajectory of a project.
Emergent Society and Player Groups
The main goal of Seed is to create an emergent society, one that evolves and develops in unexpected ways. Klang envisions players forming into three distinct groups: Governors, Entrepreneurs, and Caretakers.
Governors will essentially be the leaders, making laws and planning the economy. Entrepreneurs will focus on building businesses and creating jobs. Caretakers, the majority of the population, will look after their Seedlings, ensuring their basic needs are met. This division of roles adds a layer of complexity and strategy to the game, as players must work together to build and maintain a functioning society.
Attracting Casual Players
One of the challenges Seed faces is attracting more casual players. Starting from scratch in Seed is a daunting task, requiring players to work together to survive and build a settlement. The game's online multiplayer requirement means there's no fast-forwarding, and Seedlings need their rest, which can lead to periods of inactivity.
To address this, Seed is designed so that most players can simply join existing societies, plugging their Seedlings into fully functioning communities. This approach allows players to focus on scheduling their Seedling's activities and checking in on them periodically, rather than constantly micromanaging.
The Tamagotchi Society
This notion of a society of Tamagotchis is further reinforced by the companion mobile app, which allows players to check in on their Seedlings and receive notifications about their activities. It's an interesting twist on the traditional gaming experience, blurring the lines between a mobile app and a PC game.
Generative AI and Its Challenges
Seed's use of generative AI adds an extra layer of complexity and immersion. Players can communicate with their Seedlings via text messages, and the AI will respond autonomously, developing relationships with other Seedlings. This feature, inspired by Krafton's AI experiments in Inzoi, has the potential to create a rich and dynamic social environment.
However, implementing generative AI in Seed has been far from easy. The team had to tackle issues like interruptions to conversations and getting the AI to remember and react appropriately. It's a testament to the challenges of creating a truly immersive and responsive AI system.
The Persistent World and Its Costs
The scope of the simulation in Seed is immense. As Vondi puts it, every character in this world has their own life, and their actions have consequences, even when no one is watching. This level of detail and persistence requires an enormous amount of technical ingenuity and resources.
The cost of running such a massive simulation, coupled with the use of generative AI, is significant. To address this, Seed will adopt a premium model, where players buy the game and have access to it forever. The decreasing server costs over time have made this model feasible, and the team is confident that their bet on this monetization strategy will pay off.
A Relic of Optimism or a Visionary Project?
Seed is a bold and ambitious project, one that is difficult to imagine being greenlit in today's gaming landscape, where publishers are often more risk-averse. It's a relic of a more optimistic era, when the gaming industry was more open to experimental and grand-scale projects.
As Seed launches into early access this summer, it will be fascinating to see how it fares. Will it revolutionize the gaming world, or will it struggle to find its place in a post-COVID gaming market? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Seed is a game that dares to dream big, and its impact on the industry could be significant.
