sorry for the delay, i haven't been playing much. i don't know who neera was mixed with anymore, this was a while ago. the last imoen was a personal air brush study.
Thank you Squiros ♥
Decided in 2026 to update her I think she turned out great
For your consideration, I present a minor hijack/sidetrack to my own work.... I think it could complement some of the truly excellent creations in this epic thread....
For your consideration, I present a minor hijack/sidetrack to my own work.... I think it could complement some of the truly excellent creations in this epic thread....
I think that’s really harsh. The original art is still available, for free. So what if a few gamers choose to modify it to match their own needs or interests? And distribute that for free too (by law AI art cannot be copywrited).
There is some serious thought and creativity, and I do mean *human* thought and creativity, that goes into these renders and alterations. Have you argued with an AI? They’re actually really stupid. There is an *art* to getting them to do what you want!
For so many of us, describing a thing in words is far more accessible than trying to hand paint, or even use more traditional CG tools.
Personally I love the flexibility this gives *me as a gamer*. I can render my own characters in a style and look I like, that will be unique to MY playthrough of the game.
And yes, I’m well aware of the drama with all things “AI”. My wife is a professional designer, she has sold her art, she has a BFA from an Art and Design college. She worries about where all this is heading. And yet she isn’t shy about using AI and AI tools in her projects. We live in complicated times, and this won’t be going away.
You must see the difference between professional graphic designer helping herself with AI and complete noobs using AI without any shame? If not then i pity your wife
@ErykEryk no I think you completely misunderstand the point. Just in the last week my wife was laughing with a friend over a ridiculous story and she used an AI to do a quick render of a superhero battling an evil garbage can, and plumbers being chased by exploding toilets.
Because it’s all in FUN! She was goofing around and did something she and her friend shared a good laugh over. I believe she even created a cheesy theme song.
What the current AIs do is put simple tools in the hands of everyone. Including those of us who have absolutely no artistic talent otherwise.
So first of all, it is no replacement for fine art. But it does mean when I create a new character for BG I can get a fun render in a matter of minutes I can use for MY character in my playthrough. Even better, I can storyboard or even animate parts of the adventure. Purely for the fun of it. I can breathe life for the character in a way that appeals to me. If the AI does something I don’t like, I can tweak the description and try again. If it still fails to get it right, I can try again or give it up, no biggie.
In the end, I have not created a masterpiece. But I HAVE breathed some new life into a loved character that may have only really existed in my head before.
Second, yeah it’s going to cost some jobs. That stinks. But just like blacksmithing, or type setting the job market is always changing. I spent 33 years as an air traffic controller, during that job I figured it was pretty stable. NO computer could do my job (specifically tower controller). Now I’m not so sure. Current controllers may face job obsolescence. Or at least major changes. That is the way of things.
You don’t ever have to like it. But I promise you’ll be seeing a lot more of it. I think it’s normal all of us will see changes in a lifetime we don’t always like. I’m 62 and have seen a lot of them. This is not one I’m going to worry about, for now.
You must see the difference between professional graphic designer helping herself with AI and complete noobs using AI without any shame? If not then i pity your wife
Shame should be put on the aggressive people who spill their filthy thoughts on internet forums over totally trivial, not-life-and-death matters
@Isandir - i really like your original baldurs gate like portraits. The Vihane with hands is a very good one. Dont you have it without the scepter (staff) in the back ?
I want to use it as fighter/mage, because it is hard to find a goos portrait for a half-elf/ elf. (Maybe blue clothes should be better but i not found any portraita close to what i want).
I think we're all gamers talking about a game, and something fun we can do that will enhance our experience. And it is available to *anyone* who is interested enough to pursue this.
Now it is fair to say there are concerns. This will cause earthquakes in certain career paths. And really, in enough that it will ultimately touch ALL of our lives. But this is gamers and a game. I would have never hired an artist to do the renders I do. Literally no one lost a penny.
Every time I put up a new update and show my wife (again, an artist with a Fine Arts degree) I hear her groan with a "what did you do now?". But it always becomes "that is so cool!" at some point. I think we can have mixed feelings about it.
Well, I'll give it a try, then. If any mod thinks it's a blatant disaster to the art out there, so be it. I guess they can delete the posts then.
Anyways, I gave Google Gemini a swift kick in the evil 72 times over a period of 4 days or so. I know, I know, I prompted it to try and create something that resembled the original Baldur's Gate 1 art, and apparently the AI has its own definitions of that. So be it.
But I think they turned out pretty. Some might look more Balder's Gate-esque than others, some might look like Manga, but overall the AIs are getting more clever, I'd say. Sure, there are remnants of stupidity in the renderings, like misplaced stuff and displaced body parts, but I find these acceptable:
Comments
Decided in 2026 to update her I think she turned out great
Imeria
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https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/90566/reinventing-the-bg-portraits/p1?new=1
Nice!
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On the other hand, it fits BG1 Style portraits quite well.
Jason Manley, female Assassine;
(Mostly brighter and sharper face)
... and Elven Swashbuckler (?)
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Baldur's Gate 1 "I used the Siege of Dragonspear portrait for the main game and expansion"
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Baldur's Gate 2
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You must see the difference between professional graphic designer helping herself with AI and complete noobs using AI without any shame? If not then i pity your wife
agree 100%
Because it’s all in FUN! She was goofing around and did something she and her friend shared a good laugh over. I believe she even created a cheesy theme song.
What the current AIs do is put simple tools in the hands of everyone. Including those of us who have absolutely no artistic talent otherwise.
So first of all, it is no replacement for fine art. But it does mean when I create a new character for BG I can get a fun render in a matter of minutes I can use for MY character in my playthrough. Even better, I can storyboard or even animate parts of the adventure. Purely for the fun of it. I can breathe life for the character in a way that appeals to me. If the AI does something I don’t like, I can tweak the description and try again. If it still fails to get it right, I can try again or give it up, no biggie.
In the end, I have not created a masterpiece. But I HAVE breathed some new life into a loved character that may have only really existed in my head before.
Second, yeah it’s going to cost some jobs. That stinks. But just like blacksmithing, or type setting the job market is always changing. I spent 33 years as an air traffic controller, during that job I figured it was pretty stable. NO computer could do my job (specifically tower controller). Now I’m not so sure. Current controllers may face job obsolescence. Or at least major changes. That is the way of things.
You don’t ever have to like it. But I promise you’ll be seeing a lot more of it. I think it’s normal all of us will see changes in a lifetime we don’t always like. I’m 62 and have seen a lot of them. This is not one I’m going to worry about, for now.
Vasculio and others - don't stop, please! It's fun and useful!
Shame should be put on the aggressive people who spill their filthy thoughts on internet forums over totally trivial, not-life-and-death matters
edit: anyway Rodrian said everything there is to say, it's pointless to argue with a concrete wall.
I wish you all not artifical future and bright days ahead
Enhanced with stable diffusion AI;
... and slightly older / more mature;
... and a bit older;
I want to use it as fighter/mage, because it is hard to find a goos portrait for a half-elf/ elf. (Maybe blue clothes should be better but i not found any portraita close to what i want).
Now it is fair to say there are concerns. This will cause earthquakes in certain career paths. And really, in enough that it will ultimately touch ALL of our lives. But this is gamers and a game. I would have never hired an artist to do the renders I do. Literally no one lost a penny.
Every time I put up a new update and show my wife (again, an artist with a Fine Arts degree) I hear her groan with a "what did you do now?". But it always becomes "that is so cool!" at some point. I think we can have mixed feelings about it.
Anyways, I gave Google Gemini a swift kick in the evil 72 times over a period of 4 days or so. I know, I know, I prompted it to try and create something that resembled the original Baldur's Gate 1 art, and apparently the AI has its own definitions of that. So be it.
But I think they turned out pretty. Some might look more Balder's Gate-esque than others, some might look like Manga, but overall the AIs are getting more clever, I'd say. Sure, there are remnants of stupidity in the renderings, like misplaced stuff and displaced body parts, but I find these acceptable: