Virtual Beings Design Exploration: Where Art Meets AI

Imagine if you could interact with your favorite characters in a whole new way — talk to them, learn from them, and share experiences together. A Virtual Being brings new and wonderful dimensions to the characters we love (or have yet to discover), allowing the possibility of friendship for the first time. 

A Virtual Being is a digital character that can simulate human-like behavior and emotions. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including entertainment, education, and communication. In recent years, advances in artificial intelligence like GPT3 or synthetic speech have enabled us to create Virtual Beings with greater depth and complexity than ever before. 

At Fable, we've explored various design processes for creating Virtual Beings. In this below example — we explored a process that combines AI with traditional art and behavioral types to create characters that are beautiful, believable, and emotionally engaging.

Here's how we did it:

Defining the Personality Type & Backstory 

We start by defining the personality type of the character we want to create. We use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality assessment tool based on psychological research, to identify the character's strengths, weaknesses, habits, and likely career paths. This gives us a foundation for the character's behavior and helps us create a character that is both unique and relatable. Combining this with typical storytelling tools like backstory, character goals and motivations, we have a foundation for who this character is. 

Generating the Reference Image

Once we've defined the personality type, we use a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to generate a visual reference for the character. GANs are a type of machine learning algorithm that can create realistic images by training on a large dataset of images. We use this technology to generate reference images that combines features of real people and the desired aesthetic for the character.

For our tests at Fable, these real people also have the same MBTI personality type in common. In the below example, you can see how we used historical figures (all INFPs) as reference. 

Refining the Design with Artistic Magic 

We then work with a visual artist to refine the design of the character and give it a unique style. The artist adds their own creative input to the GAN-generated reference image & character personality, turning it into an animated character that is elegant, emotive, and sophisticated. We aim for a design that feels universal and memorable, with a stylized twist that brings out the character's personality.

Creating an Interactive Experience

Finally, we create an interactive experience and story around the character, whether through social media, games, or our own platforms. Audiences can engage with the character, learn more about their personality and motivations, and explore their world and their story. By creating an immersive experience around the character, we aim to create a deeper emotional connection with our audience.