Vahid earned his questions and we get some more juicy background. The hdour gets more dangerous every time he's even mentioned.
I'm not a big fan of the AI portraits. I understand the desire to have pictures of the characters in the game but I just find so much about current AI-generated art problematic. It doesn't help that the default style looks somewhere in the uncanny valley of photo-realism and 'I've got an airbrush and I'm going to use it!'
I feel very much the same way about the art style -- I try not to use a lot of "style of artist" prompts to avoid at least a little of the ethical ambiguity in the area, but the 'default' AI artstyle is a little underwhelming.
How do you feel about the environment/landscape shots?
Shohreh Aghdashloo's double's casting as Parvati is fine by me.
Baraz looks a little like Mr. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. (I am big fan of the Marlowe novels by Raymond Chandler and this actor popped up in the 2022 film.)
As for Baraz, the image I used for reference was not Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, but Ving Rhames, and the image itself didn't end up looking like him at all, which I generally prefer -- I like them to feel like new people rather than fancasts.
Regarding the pictures, I have to say I really like them.
As one of the poor souls plagued by aphantasia, they are a great help, as I'm not able to imagine them myself. Plus it shows how you imagined them, as you wouldn't chose a picture that isn't fitting for your own Imagination.
As for the main Characters, I do fully understand that you don't like the AI pictures of them, as it is incredible difficult to make it create something that fits every detail one has decided on before. I tried using AI to create a character picture for one of my pen and paper characters, a dwarvern monk from a monastery that follow the way of the dragon. So even without me being able to create an image in my mind, there where many details I knew I wanted him to have that were just impossible to get the AI to get right.
Awesome -- I'm glad they help so strongly to help visualize the action. I think for the PCs I will do a bunch of different versions and see what feels best/what we end up with. The Vahid version was cool, but wrong in so many details (for example, I definitely think of Vahid as dark-skinned, not brown), so it's hard to accept them, but it's fun to see what the AI comes back with.
Vahid earned his questions and we get some more juicy background. The hdour gets more dangerous every time he's even mentioned.
I'm not a big fan of the AI portraits. I understand the desire to have pictures of the characters in the game but I just find so much about current AI-generated art problematic. It doesn't help that the default style looks somewhere in the uncanny valley of photo-realism and 'I've got an airbrush and I'm going to use it!'
I feel very much the same way about the art style -- I try not to use a lot of "style of artist" prompts to avoid at least a little of the ethical ambiguity in the area, but the 'default' AI artstyle is a little underwhelming.
How do you feel about the environment/landscape shots?
I get along better with the landscapes for the most part, perhaps because they're less all in the one style.
Agreed on both counts here.
Shohreh Aghdashloo's double's casting as Parvati is fine by me.
Baraz looks a little like Mr. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. (I am big fan of the Marlowe novels by Raymond Chandler and this actor popped up in the 2022 film.)
I do like how the Ustrina masks came out.
I love me some Chrisjen. :)
As for Baraz, the image I used for reference was not Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, but Ving Rhames, and the image itself didn't end up looking like him at all, which I generally prefer -- I like them to feel like new people rather than fancasts.
Big agree that "The hdour gets more dangerous every time he's even mentioned." It's a great way to build tension!
I like the pictures. I like the landscapes and the more fantastic NPCs more than the more normal character portraits. (The ustrina came out great.)
First of all, I'm finally up to date once more :)
Regarding the pictures, I have to say I really like them.
As one of the poor souls plagued by aphantasia, they are a great help, as I'm not able to imagine them myself. Plus it shows how you imagined them, as you wouldn't chose a picture that isn't fitting for your own Imagination.
As for the main Characters, I do fully understand that you don't like the AI pictures of them, as it is incredible difficult to make it create something that fits every detail one has decided on before. I tried using AI to create a character picture for one of my pen and paper characters, a dwarvern monk from a monastery that follow the way of the dragon. So even without me being able to create an image in my mind, there where many details I knew I wanted him to have that were just impossible to get the AI to get right.
Awesome -- I'm glad they help so strongly to help visualize the action. I think for the PCs I will do a bunch of different versions and see what feels best/what we end up with. The Vahid version was cool, but wrong in so many details (for example, I definitely think of Vahid as dark-skinned, not brown), so it's hard to accept them, but it's fun to see what the AI comes back with.
I like the moody and flavorful images. I care not so much for a precise depiction. I find the more vague images the best. Please continue.
I would have voted for Pad to stay. But as always it's a tough choice. On a real table I would encourage to stay together.
So let's see. Pad going with Anwen would help her navigate the Delve but also add some more risk.
Anwen alone is a lower profile, that said, her brash behavior might get her in trouble without a cautious voice on her side ...
Tricky, maybe I should have Pad come alone anyways...
Ok, Pad goes with Anwen, final answer.