AI-aided Texts to Be Improved: Alters Developer

Developer 11 Bit Studios has addressed concerns from fans about AI-generated text and translations in The Alters, pledging to update the game with manually crafted content to replace any automated elements.

Players recently noticed possible AI-generated text within the game, particularly on a Command Center screen. A suspicious line reading, "Sure, here's a revised version focusing purely on scientific and astronomical data:" appeared before a Captain's log entry, hinting at overlooked AI-generated placeholder text.

Did The Alters (captain) use a little bit of AI?
byu/EarthlingKira inTheAlters

While the English version showed only this anomaly, players of localized versions reported translation outputs containing phrases like "Sure! Here is the translated text into Brazilian Portuguese." This suggests AI was used in localization, despite no disclosure on The Alters' Steam page—a requirement by Valve for games utilizing generative AI.

In an official statement shared with IGN and on social media, 11 Bit Studios clarified the situation. They explained that the Captain's Log text was an accidentally retained placeholder, isolated to that instance. Regarding translations, AI was only used for last-minute localization of late-added cutscenes, with plans to fully replace them post-launch.

The studio's complete statement reads:

We acknowledge concerns about AI-generated content in The Alters and want to provide context. Any AI usage during development was strictly temporary and minimal. Our team values handcrafted storytelling above all.

One graphical designer used AI-generated text as placeholder background texture, never meant for the final build. Due to oversight, this single instance remained in the release. After review, we confirmed this was isolated and are updating the affected asset.

For transparency, we're sharing a screenshot showing this element's appearance in-game. While important, we want to emphasize its negligible impact on gameplay.

Separately, some licensed films viewable in the base's social area required urgent translations late in development. Under tight deadlines, we temporarily used AI for these specific translations rather than delay launch. We always planned professional retranslations post-release, which are now in progress.

For perspective, these films represent just 10,000 words (0.3%) of the game's 3.4 million-word script across all languages. Our alternative was English-only releases, which we felt disadvantaged non-English players. Looking back, we recognize this decision and lack of communication were mistakes.

As AI tools advance, we're adapting our workflows accordingly while maintaining our commitment to transparent development. We appreciate your patience as we uphold these standards.

11 Bit Studios joins several developers facing AI-related controversies. Recent examples include Frontier Developments retracting AI-generated portraits for Jurassic World Evolution 3 and Activision receiving criticism for AI use in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 assets. Other games like Palworld have successfully refuted similar accusations.

In our review, we awarded The Alters 8/10, praising it as "an atmospheric sci-fi character study blended with smart resource management that builds compelling narrative tension."