Democratizing Game Modding with GenAI: A Case Study of StarCharM, a Stardew Valley Character Maker

TL;DR

This paper presents StarCharM, a GenAI-based tool that simplifies NPC mod creation in Stardew Valley, aiming to democratize game modding and foster a more inclusive, creative community.

Contribution

The paper introduces StarCharM, a novel GenAI tool that enables easy and customizable NPC mod creation, lowering technical barriers for players.

Findings

Players are excited to create personalized NPCs using GenAI.

Challenges remain in generating complex, rich content.

GenAI tools may increase diversity but could impact originality.

Abstract

Game modding offers unique and personalized gaming experiences, but the technical complexity of creating mods often limits participation to skilled users. We envision a future where every player can create personalized mods for their games. To explore this space, we designed StarCharM, a GenAI-based non-player character (NPC) creator for Stardew Valley. Our tool enables players to iteratively create new NPC mods, requiring minimal user input while allowing for fine-grained adjustments through user control. We conducted a user study with ten Stardew Valley players who had varied mod usage experiences to understand the impacts of StarCharM and provide insights into how GenAI tools may reshape modding, particularly in NPC creation. Participants expressed excitement in bringing their character ideas to life, although they noted challenges in generating rich content to fulfill complex visions. While they believed GenAI tools like StarCharM can foster a more diverse modding community, some voiced concerns about diminished originality and community engagement that may come with such technology. Our findings provided implications and guidelines for the future of GenAI-powered modding tools and co-creative modding practices.