The Rumour Thread

[Clan's Cynic]

I doubt GW are using AI in their artwork yet, just because they seem like the kind of company to be paranoid they'd be caught in a copyright/trademark minefield when legislation inevitably starts turning in the direction of it. 

[Asbestress]

Spoiler

On the topic of art, does anyone here know the artist who did this Cities artwork (and the Imperial Guard and Admech Codex and the Slann art etc.)?

I absolutely love this style and would love to see if they have any more artworks not for AoS/40k

[Hollow]

7 minutes ago, Baron Klatz said:

Likely none of it was AI. People are just scaring themselves into seeing it everywhere nowadays. I saw at least 3 Cubicle7 threads with people saying they were AI art only for the artists to step-in and prove they painted them.

So I just asked Chat GPT. 

Has Games Workshop used AI in the creation of it's recent artwork?

I do not have access to Games Workshop's internal processes or information about their use of AI in creating their artwork. However, it's worth noting that the use of AI in art and design is becoming increasingly common in various industries, including video games and entertainment. AI can be used for tasks such as generating textures, landscapes, and even character designs. Games Workshop may or may not have incorporated AI into their art creation process, but it is possible that they have experimented with it or plan to do so in the future.

 

Do you think it would be a good idea for Games Workshop to use AI in the creation of future art work or gaming material?

 

As an AI language model, I do not have opinions or beliefs, but I can provide information on the potential benefits and drawbacks of using AI in art and design.

One potential benefit of using AI in the creation of artwork and gaming material is that it can automate certain tasks, which can save time and reduce costs. For example, AI could be used to generate terrain and landscapes, or to create complex textures and patterns. This could allow artists and designers to focus on other aspects of the creative process, such as conceptualizing and refining characters and storylines.

On the other hand, some may argue that using AI in art and design could lead to a loss of human creativity and originality. While AI can generate impressive results, it may lack the nuance and unique vision that human artists and designers bring to their work. Additionally, there may be concerns about the potential for AI-generated content to be used for malicious purposes, such as deepfakes or propaganda.

Ultimately, the decision to use AI in the creation of artwork and gaming material is up to Games Workshop and their creative team. It is possible that they may choose to incorporate AI in some capacity, while still relying on human creativity and vision to bring their games and stories to life.

 

Inconclusive lol.

Although I did get it to create example Army Books for all 20 ToW factions, including rules and background short stories. I'm also currently putting them together in Photoshop with AI-prompted Midjourney artwork. Something that would have taken me weeks/months has taken me a few hours. I'll show the finished example projects soon. 

[Draznak]

9 minutes ago, Asbestress said:

On the topic of art, does anyone here know the artist who did this Cities artwork (and the Imperial Guard and Admech Codex and the Slann art etc.)?

I'm not 100% sure but I'd say it's the work of Johan Grenier, a French artist who has mostly done covers for BL novels (notably Gotrek in the Mortal Realms).

 

For AM and AdMech covers, it's Lewis Jones. He has a completely crazy style of his own, which perfectly captures madness and darkness of 40k !

[Snarff]

9 minutes ago, Draznak said:

notably Gotrek in the Mortal Realms

Those artworks are all so good. Ghoulslayer is great, Blightslayer and Gitslayer are amazing and Soulslayer is phenomenal.

[JackStreicher]

28 minutes ago, Clan's Cynic said:

I doubt GW are using AI in their artwork yet, just because they seem like the kind of company to be paranoid they'd be caught in a copyright/trademark minefield when legislation inevitably starts turning in the direction of it. 

It wouldn’t work well anyways. The Art GW required is very specific and novel. Most current AI Models will fail at trying to replicate such art on a high level of quality.

[NinthMusketeer]

The problem with AI 'generated' art is it isn't the AI generating the art, it's the AI assembling a piece strictly from artwork created by humans. Which is to say AI pieces are essentially made from material commonly taken without the artists' permission, and once the law catches up that isn't going to look good in court.

[Hollow]

I've created an AI in wargaming thread so as not to derail the rumor thread. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Hollow

[Baron Klatz]

41 minutes ago, Hollow said:

So I just asked Chat GPT. 

Has Games Workshop used AI in the creation of it's recent artwork?

I do not have access to Games Workshop's internal processes or information about their use of AI in creating their artwork. However, it's worth noting that the use of AI in art and design is becoming increasingly common in various industries, including video games and entertainment. AI can be used for tasks such as generating textures, landscapes, and even character designs. Games Workshop may or may not have incorporated AI into their art creation process, but it is possible that they have experimented with it or plan to do so in the future.

 

Do you think it would be a good idea for Games Workshop to use AI in the creation of future art work or gaming material?

 

As an AI language model, I do not have opinions or beliefs, but I can provide information on the potential benefits and drawbacks of using AI in art and design.

One potential benefit of using AI in the creation of artwork and gaming material is that it can automate certain tasks, which can save time and reduce costs. For example, AI could be used to generate terrain and landscapes, or to create complex textures and patterns. This could allow artists and designers to focus on other aspects of the creative process, such as conceptualizing and refining characters and storylines.

On the other hand, some may argue that using AI in art and design could lead to a loss of human creativity and originality. While AI can generate impressive results, it may lack the nuance and unique vision that human artists and designers bring to their work. Additionally, there may be concerns about the potential for AI-generated content to be used for malicious purposes, such as deepfakes or propaganda.

Ultimately, the decision to use AI in the creation of artwork and gaming material is up to Games Workshop and their creative team. It is possible that they may choose to incorporate AI in some capacity, while still relying on human creativity and vision to bring their games and stories to life.

 

Inconclusive lol.

Although I did get it to create example Army Books for all 20 ToW factions, including rules and background short stories. I'm also currently putting them together in Photoshop with AI-prompted Midjourney artwork. Something that would have taken me weeks/months has taken me a few hours. I'll show the finished example projects soon. 

It’s too late for the hobby. Even the List-building is being made Obsolete. No AoS army can match the TK Bloodbowl army.

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Baron Klatz

[Matrindur]

41 minutes ago, Baron Klatz said:

It’s too late for the hobby. Even the List-building is being made Obsolete. No AoS army can match the TK Bloodbowl army.

Clearly the 990/2000 points Seraphon list that went 7-0 in a 5 game tournament won against them so they can't be unmatched ^^

Edited April 22, 2023 by Matrindur

[Nezzhil]

1 hour ago, Draznak said:

I also hope there will be a preview of the upcoming kits outside the launch set.

 

Preview after preview, we'll end up being right ! 😁

 

Absolutely logical (thanks to the leaks).

 

I'm afraid that's a rather optimistic prediction... SoW Gallet + incarnate is a safe bet. At least a new COS mini seems to me the minimum too. But a FEC tease... seems too early to me.

 

Intrigued by this preview... Unveiling the new season seems a bit early but why not.

 

By Sigmar, you're not the only one !

AoS preview is 1 hour and a half, the longest preview of all the Warhammer Fest, and that's a lot of time

[Nezzhil]

1 hour ago, Draznak said:

I also hope there will be a preview of the upcoming kits outside the launch set.

 

Preview after preview, we'll end up being right ! 😁

 

Absolutely logical (thanks to the leaks).

 

I'm afraid that's a rather optimistic prediction... SoW Gallet + incarnate is a safe bet. At least a new COS mini seems to me the minimum too. But a FEC tease... seems too early to me.

 

Intrigued by this preview... Unveiling the new season seems a bit early but why not.

 

By Sigmar, you're not the only one !

AoS preview is 1 hour and a half, the longest preview of all the Warhammer Fest, and that's a lot of time

[Ogregut]

8 minutes ago, Nezzhil said:

AoS preview is 1 hour and a half, the longest preview of all the Warhammer Fest, and that's a lot of time

It also incorporates a Q&A session. I'll imagine the actual preview will be 45 mins to a hour long as per normal preview shows. 

[Asbestress]

29 minutes ago, Ogregut said:

It also incorporates a Q&A session. I'll imagine the actual preview will be 45 mins to a hour long as per normal preview shows. 

That's still "normal preview show" amount of time and (hopefully) content, but just for AoS.

I really hope it's a big one and not 45 minutes of Gallet.

[Segersgia]

3 hours ago, Asbestress said:

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I mean, apart from the funky magic effect I don't see how anything in this artwork (or any of the other Seraphon art) was made with AI.

Edit: To add to that, a lot of recent-ish (read: 2020-now) art looks quite similar to this Slann one (Admech/Imperial Guard Codex covers come to mind).
Seems to be just a new (and very talented) artist they've brought on with a more detailed/realistic but still messy/"older" Warhammer art feeling style.

Edit-edit:

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To add to the "style" thing, I absolute love whatever this person does and wish I knew who it was. My personal favourite is the big DBC artwork on the first few pages of the Core Book.
Some of the artwork (like that aforementioned DBC one) has this cool "fading-out" effect, where things in the foreground are incredibly detailed and overall just amazing, but as you get further into the background it gets more sketchy/silhouette-y feel (most likely to save time/not have to make hundreds of detailed faces/things), but for some reason I just love it!

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P.S.: if anyone knows who this artist is, I'd really like to know!

If I'm not mistaken, both the Slann piece and the painting of the Dawnbringers look to be made by Thomas Eliott, who has done a lot of artwork in recent years.

Also, I want to bring to mind, that these are definitely handmade digital paintings. Eliott also did this piece of Celenar.

Spoiler

Digital art has a lot of cool tools and brushes that can mimic almost any surface and texture, and this includes those wacky magical effects. If you're experienced, you know how to do this.

In fact, I would speculate that them magical effect took reference from oil stains and soap bubbles. If you look closely and long enough, you notice those weird patterns on it.

[Hollow]

As an Art School graduate with a degree in Design, and as a professional designer who uses the entirety of the Adobe design suite on a daily basis, there are several aspects to recent GW works that clearly have used AI elements. Considering Photoshop itself has integrated AI software for textures and materials, means that AI is already a part of a lot of creations, It is only a matter of degree. The fact that no artwork is attributed also helps. 

 

 

[Asbestress]

36 minutes ago, Segersgia said:

If I'm not mistaken, both the Slann piece and the painting of the Dawnbringers look to be made by Thomas Eliott, who has done a lot of artwork in recent years.

Also, I want to bring to mind, that these are definitely handmade digital paintings. Eliott also did this piece of Celenar.

  Hide contents

Digital art has a lot of cool tools and brushes that can mimic almost any surface and texture, and this includes those wacky magical effects. If you're experienced, you know how to do this.

In fact, I would speculate that them magical effect took reference from oil stains and soap bubbles. If you look closely and long enough, you notice those weird patterns on it.

Out of reacts for the day, but thank you!

I knew his artstyle was familiar when Broken Realms came out, never realized he also did stuff for Heresy/Specialist Games.

And yeah, I thought it took inspiration from oily/soapy water, but didn't know whether it came from a tool in art software or some wacky traditional art technique.

[RocketPropelledGrenade]

44 minutes ago, Hollow said:

As an Art School graduate with a degree in Design, and as a professional designer who uses the entirety of the Adobe design suite on a daily basis, there are several aspects to recent GW works that clearly have used AI elements. Considering Photoshop itself has integrated AI software for textures and materials, means that AI is already a part of a lot of creations, It is only a matter of degree. The fact that no artwork is attributed also helps. 

 

 

I think it doesn't help that what "AI" is in this context is poorly defined and even more poorly understood in most usage.

[Hollow]

I think there might be a bit of a misunderstanding here. I don't think the artwork is being completely created by AI frameworks such as Midjourney, using prompts. I do think there are some AI program elements being used though. 

[RocketPropelledGrenade]

Just now, Hollow said:

I think there might be a bit of a misunderstanding here. I don't think the artwork is being completely created by AI frameworks such as Midjourney, using prompts. I do think there are some AI program elements being used though. 

That's more or less what I meant--most people hear about stuff like Midjourney and think that is everything the word means, or they think it includes stuff that doesn't even exist, or other nonsense. Not saying that about anyone here specifically, but it is common in many places on the internet, and helps warp the discourse and understanding of these tools.

[Hollow]

Indeed. I do not think Games Workshop has employed Skynet to make Seraphon Art. 😅

[KingBrodd]

5 hours ago, The Lost Sigmarite said:

My guess is Summer -Seraphon and Season of War, Autumn - Cities and FEC, based on the AoS roadmap shown. I filled the 3 mystery books of the timeline with what is more logical based on Whitefang rumours, leaks, rumour engines and GW reveals. 

After that, we enter Winter 2023 and that's where the roadmap stops. So here, we enter the domain of bigger speculation and rumours, with no official information to hang on to. By then, if we follow what I wrote above, all the current BTs will be upgraded for 3rd Ed. And it's generally in winter that GW starts the end of edition narrative campaigns that end in spring of the following year, and with a new edition a few months later in summer. That's what they did with Broken Realms and Arks of Omen. 

My guess here is, and I'm basing myself primarely on Whitefang rumours and my pattern-seeking brain. Winter 2023, GW announces the next narrative campaign. The Eye of Chotec blows up, Incarnates go wild, I don't know what the fluff's gonna be except that it's going forward. Release a series of books, with the obligatory accompanying plastic characters. 2024 comes up, continue the campaign. According to Whitefang, Kurnothi are somewhere in the pipeline, release them alongside a second version of Sylvaneth BT (?). Release the "other Destruction factions that would get something... later" (same, according to Whitefang) with a Warclans v2 BT ? Or separate IJ or Bonespitters BT ? Release another bunch of heroes, tease the main antagonists of the new edition, announce it and prepare for summer 2024.

What's difficult to predict is BTs. New minis we know thanks to Whitefang, new BTs, we don't know because we have 0 clue how those rumoured minis will be integrated. 

(Sorry for big edit the message got send prematurely).

I want all of this so badly. Especially a new Narrative Campaign, build us up to going to a new Realm, with Kurnothi maybe getting an update lets move to Ghyran.

In regards to Destruction I reaaaaally hope its for either Ogors, Ironjawz or Bonesplitterz.

[Beliman]

Just to point it out: AI generated material don't have any IP rights (they are not made by any human) and because of that, they are not under the umbrella of explotation rights.

That's something to take in mind for big companies that want to use some AI creations, unless they use them in countries that didn't sign any IP rights.

[The Lost Sigmarite]

5 minutes ago, KingBrodd said:

I want all of this so badly. Especially a new Narrative Campaign, build us up to going to a new Realm, with Kurnothi maybe getting an update lets move to Ghyran.

In regards to Destruction I reaaaaally hope its for either Ogors, Ironjawz or Bonesplitterz.

We have 8 realms, we've explored Shyish and Hysh last edition and Ghur this one, that leaves material for 5 new realms. We know informations (detailed maps I mean, and big heaps of written lore) about all the remaining realms except Ulgu and Azyr. We explore 1 or 2 realms each edition. That leaves enough room to expand the lore while keeping some stuff in reverse to keep the interest of fans.

Next realm to be explored ? I have no clue. Depends where the story will go after Era of the Beast. I just think that one day (could be in 1, 2, 3 editions away) Azyr will be invaded by Chaos and we'll get to fight there to defend it (or conquer it, depends who you play). Maybe the Chorfs will build a great machine that will pierce Sigmar's magical protections and allow Chaos into Azyr ! 

[KingBrodd]

1 hour ago, The Lost Sigmarite said:

We have 8 realms, we've explored Shyish and Hysh last edition and Ghur this one, that leaves material for 5 new realms. We know informations (detailed maps I mean, and big heaps of written lore) about all the remaining realms except Ulgu and Azyr. We explore 1 or 2 realms each edition. That leaves enough room to expand the lore while keeping some stuff in reverse to keep the interest of fans.

Next realm to be explored ? I have no clue. Depends where the story will go after Era of the Beast. I just think that one day (could be in 1, 2, 3 editions away) Azyr will be invaded by Chaos and we'll get to fight there to defend it (or conquer it, depends who you play). Maybe the Chorfs will build a great machine that will pierce Sigmar's magical protections and allow Chaos into Azyr ! 

Im hoping we go to Ghyran as narratively Chaos Duardin could be like Isengard from LOTR.

Burning and pillaging the Everqueens forests for industry driving Kurnoth and the Kunorthi out and into the sunlight, who battles against the Sylvaneth daily in Ghyran? Beasts of Chaos.

As the fighting intensifies around Greywater Fastness the brand new Cities of Sigmar march out to defend it, as all hope seems lost as a combined force of Chaos Duardin and Beasts of Chaos set fire to everything, who comes marching out of said fire but Grimnirs children. The Fyreslayers have come to war.

This means new Kurnothi models for Sylvaneth, an update for Beasts of Chaos, Wave 2 for Fyreslayers and the release of Chaos Duardin!!