Milo Comes Out to Play at TED Talk

[Logan Westbrook]

Milo Comes Out to Play at TED Talk

Lionhead Boss Peter Molyneux says that Milo & Kate is equal parts psychology project and cloud-based AI.

At his TED talk in Oxford, UK, this week, Molyneux showed off his virtual boy Milo to the public for the first time since E3 2009. He described mediums like TV or film as a "sea of blandness" and said that with Milo he wanted to "introduce a new revolution in storytelling."

The demo that accompanied the talk, which was played by an assistant, saw Milo exploring his garden, learning to skim stones, and confiding in the player after being told off by his parents. Molyneux said that Milo & Kate uses psychological techniques to make Milo seem real, and that the software can control the smallest facial elements, like blushing or the size of Milo's nostrils, to give the player subtle cues as to how Milo is feeling. "Most of it is just a trick," he said, "but it is a trick that actually works."

According to Molyneux, what we've seen of Milo & Kate so far is essentially the tutorial, and that once this section is done, the game opens out considerably and the player is able to explore the environment more freely. "There are lots of adventures - some of which are quite dark," he said.

Molyneux stressed the impact that the player has on Milo's development and personality, and said that every experience should be unique: "No two people's Milos can be the same," he said. "You are actually sculpting a human being. Some of the things you are doing will change the course of his life." Most interesting of all though, is that Milo's brain isn't on a disc, it's on a server, which means that when you interact with him, it's not just your Milo you're making smarter, it's everyone's.

Despite all the back and forth last month about whether Milo & Kate was a tech demo or not [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101744-Microsoft-Milo-Just-a-Tech-Demo-UPDATED], Molyneux says that there are currently no plans to release it.

Source: BBC [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10623423]



Permalink

 

[Cabisco]

Ahhh Molyneux I really do like you, even though you've made me think things are so much better than they are I never feel your trying to trick me, it's just that you love what your doing.

Shame about Milo and Kate though, I would have really been interested in seeing that and trying it for myself.

 

[Loonerinoes]

"There are lots of adventures - some of which are quite dark," he said. - if anyone other than Molyneux said this, I'd nod my head and say: "Well, aight, whatever you say, but I doubt it's gonna happen any time soon, if at all."

But because it was *him* who said it with probably his typical PR enthusiasm, the first thing I think of at the words 'dark adventures' with little kids well...eh...I might as well stop right here. Suffice it to say, this is how his 'enthusiasm' (that is frequently being cited as excellent for PR) backfires horribly, when taken out of context by evil people and dirty minds.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

If there's no plans to release it, then get rid of it. All I see it as is a waste of resources. Teasing us with a tech demo is not anything that people want to be done, and what is the point of saying all these things Molyneux, when your probably over promising, and you can't even deliver this thing to us. (I mean that in the sense that we aren't going to get Milo, not that he can't keep his promises)

Calumon: But I wanted to hug them! : (

 

[Woodsey]

I'm just going to wait for someone to turn this into normal-human being speak, as opposed to

"ZOMG ALL MA GAMZ R GNA BE AWSUM WEN DEY CUM OUT BUH WEN THEY DO EVR1 R DISPOINTED" Molyneux-bullshit.

 

[Trivun]

According to Molyneux, what we've seen of Milo & Kate so far is essentially the tutorial, and that once this section is done, the game opens out considerably and the player is able to explore the environment more freely. "There are lots of adventures - some of which are quite dark," he said.

Despite all the back and forth last month about whether Milo & Kate was a tech demo or not [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101744-Microsoft-Milo-Just-a-Tech-Demo-UPDATED], Molyneux says that there are currently no plans to release it.

Hold on, if there's a tutorial and it's got various sections and so on, beyond what we've already seen, surely that means there must be an intent to release it, whether as a game or something else interactive, somewhere down the line. I love Peter Molyneux to bits, my dream is to work under him as a developer, but seriously, he's just going in circles with this. And so is everyone else involved in Natal (I will NOT call it 'Kinect'!) and with the Milo and Kate project.

Personally, I'd love to see it released as a game, it would be so interesting to play through it and intract with Milo on a realistic basis and would serve as a great example of just what else the system could be used for in the wider field of video games. Imagine if we could see this technology implemented in the next Mass Effect, for example. Playing the game using a traditional controller, then using Natal as an option for talking to characters, their responses being determined not only by what you say but how you as a person and player react, your own facial expressions and body language, and so on. Now that would shut the haters and skeptics up, and serve as a great example of the technological capabilities of Natal.

Not to mention, Milo and Kate could have various real-world applications too. I can see it being used in fields like psychology, or perhaps using that same sort of system to create scenarios for practical psychological applications. For example, what if the police had a similar system to train them in hostage negotiation techniques, or how they'd deal with interrogating prisoners? Or perhaps it could be useful in universities, as part of the practical course for psychology students? There are so many possibilities left untapped that could really show the full extent of the Milo program.

Long story short, I think this really should be released as a game, but more than that, used for it's practical applications outside gaming. Regardless of whether or not it will be released to the public, Microsoft and Molyneux's team have come up with something really useful and special with Milo and Kate, and because people aren't considering the wider picture, it's just going to end up going to waste if they aren't careful.

 

[Trivun]

If there's no plans to release it, then get rid of it. All I see it as is a waste of resources. Teasing us with a tech demo is not anything that people want to be done, and what is the point of saying all these things Molyneux, when your probably over promising, and you can't even deliver this thing to us. (I mean that in the sense that we aren't going to get Milo, not that he can't keep his promises)

Calumon: But I wanted to hug them! : (

Hmmm, I wouldn't say get rid of it, Jack. I point you in the direction of my previous post, if you can stomach the minor Wall'O'Text. In that I detail some of the real-world practical applications of the Milo technology, whether the game is released for us or not.

Oh, and Calumon? Hugs are good, but chocolate coated sprinkled doughnuts are even better . Also, sorry to disappoint you, but Team Alice > Team Calumon . I'll admit, it's close though...

 

[Disaster Button]

Shame it may nto be released; I would really like to play this game.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

-Snip-

I clap my hands to your points. This must be used somehow. If Molyneux is to be believed, then this could become an AI system that learns through experience. Sounds rather similar to what Molyneux wanted in Black and White. We can hope he's perfected it this time, and by the sounds of it, he has, however, we can't take his word for it.

The Milo Engine. Has a nice ring to it.

Calumon: Tiny Psychic Vampires? But we have Cookies and cake and Play all day!

 

[Timbydude]

What? How can you attest to the benefits of this cloud-based system if no one's playing it?

This seems a lot like Molyneux's pre-release hype for Fable, only this time he can't be held to his words.

 

[_Janny_]

So why did they even bother showing us this project if they don't intend to release it? I get it that Molyneux thrives on attention and praise, but this is just ridiculous.

@Trivun: Awesome post; I love the idea of using the technology they're developing for psychological tests and whatnot. Sounds fun (and potentially psychologically scarring).

 

[JoJo]

They're probably just using this project to test out technology and to get the know-how of making a game with realistic interaction like this, but the game it would finally be implemented in would likely contain lots of people rather than just a child and a dog. Think how immersive games like "Fable IV" or even "Fallout 5" with this sort of tech!

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

This has gotten me so curious now...I liked the potential of Milo from the start, it seemed to show that all this new technology could actually revolutionise things in some way. Just think of all the possible applications if the system is perfected!
Sounds like a lot of info for something that's never going to be released...I am severely disappointed.

C'mon, Peter, make it happen! I believe in you!

 

[Jamash]

This part of the article struck me as very interesting:

"His mind is based in the cloud," he told the audience. "As millions of people use it, Milo will get smarter."

Does this mean that as more and more people use Milo, he will become corrupted and change from an innocent naive A.I. into an evil snail crushing monster?

If the internet has taught me anything, it's that when you allow the public to influence anything anonymously the trolls will corrupt it, and I can easily imagine trolls buying Milo and constantly abusing him 24/7 to turn him into a jaded, paranoid mockery of his intended self.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

At his TED talk in Oxford, UK, this week, Molyneux showed off his virtual boy Milo to the public for the first time since E3 2009. He described mediums like TV or film as a "sea of blandness" and said that with Milo he wanted to "introduce a new revolution in storytelling."

Oh sure, because Peter Molyneux's own attempts at 'storytelling' aren't the kings of blandness? Fables 1 and 2 are among the most generic RPGs I have ever played. This guy doesn't even pretend to be humble anymore.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Ok this is really god damn creepy. I just cannot take it any more. I have a deep, almost irrational, fear of interactive AI. It's just wrong. That's why I joined the Cult Mechanicus.

 

[VanityGirl]

Why wouldn't he release this as a full game? It seems like it would be fun to play.
Oh well, it probably wouldn't live up to the hype anyway. I mean this is Molyneux and he is known to sort of... hype things.

 

[Mr. Grey]

Reading all of that reminded me of a game... it was called Hey You Pikachu! [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_You,_Pikachu!]

This one however sounds more serious and capable of greater things. I question the moral standards though, what people are capable of on a bad day... this thing, Milo, sounds more and more like a Tamogatchi. What happens to the poor little S.O.B. when you abandon him for the next game? Is he still on or can you shut him off? If you can shut him off and save your status, then what's the point of the whole thing? Oh, you screwed up on cheering him up because you misread a signal? Reset! Oh you missed his birthday because you were too busy with real life? Reset! Had a bad day and felt like beating the snot out of him? Reset!

The thing I'm driving at is... it's not real. No matter how much you try to sell that it is, Peter. What this is capable of will never overcome that. Even if it should do so, you basically created SkyNET and what it has learned from the average human means we're all screwed. So thanks for that.

I'm not dismissing its capabilities. I'm dismissing his notion of its humanity.

Personally, I'd love to see it released as a game, it would be so interesting to play through it and intract with Milo on a realistic basis and would serve as a great example of just what else the system could be used for in the wider field of video games. Imagine if we could see this technology implemented in the next Mass Effect, for example. Playing the game using a traditional controller, then using Natal as an option for talking to characters, their responses being determined not only by what you say but how you as a person and player react, your own facial expressions and body language, and so on. Now that would shut the haters and skeptics up, and serve as a great example of the technological capabilities of Natal.

As much as I would love that... I don't see it working for the case of immersion.

It would have to have something flashing right before a conversation or else they'll be reading you as shorter than your character or sitting in an invisible chair and think that you're crazy. Unless they're already sitting in a chair, in which case of you standing they'll think you're being rude. Then there is the case of dialogue, are you choosing from the wheel or talking to the NPC? If you're talking, then I'll assume they've either created or employed a program that tracks your speech and writes the response for the NPC to read and then respond. But then you can't have it talk back properly because it has fixed dialogue from the voice actor or it's busy thinking up a response which takes quite a few moments of your time. Even then it might not even understand you and assume you insulted it or just flirted with it.

"Capture that point!"
"But captain, we're on the battlefield, save that for when we're in your quarters!"

It'll also come off as something robotic which works for Geth, but not for the other races. Maybe the Volus, but that's because they take a deep breath between most of their sentences. Then there's the cost to add this program through licensing or time producing it, all for a small feature in the grand scheme of the game and even then the time to get it to work perfectly could be a decade and they killed its chance this year. Not to mention the delays necessary to fit it in, the actors having to work with said program to capture their pitches and tones, then the actors will ask for more money since they are now virtually replaced by said program.

And if you're choosing from a wheel... then why are you needed to show your facial expression since that's already been picked out with the response's tone? It just doesn't seem all that necessary.

I'm sure they could figure out a workaround - such as hiring a completely different company to make said program - but having to develop something for something that's being sold as an accessory is a tad bit unnecessary. Especially with the price of said accessory and even if that were to drop, I still don't see it as feasible. If it became mainstream in every console then they would take the time to do so.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

The world will ruin Milo, with it's pelvic thrusts and generally asshole-ery.

 

[Jared]

It was nice to see Milo was able to come out and play agaiN! And still in use.