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Transforming Game Art with AI: 3 Key Strategies at RocketBrush Studio

January 23, 2024

At RocketBrush Studio, we're embracing AI as a part of our evolving toolkit to stay current with industry trends. This isn't just a technical upgrade; it's reshaping how things are done in the gaming industry. We find that incorporating AI in game development complements our traditional art creation methods, providing additional tools that help streamline some aspects of our work. For game developers, this means enjoying the benefits of cutting costs and saving time. At RocketBrush Studio, AI helps us streamline game art development processes.

It's worth mentioning that the AI-generated images we use are not a mix-and-match of existing art. They're unique, created through sophisticated mathematical models. This way, we respect copyright rules while pushing the boundaries of creativity.

1. Making reference and art style selection easier with AI

Choosing the right style and visual references in game art development can be challenging. It often takes a lot of time to get it just right. In this context, generative neural networks serve as an assistive tool, complementing our artists' skills by streamlining some process aspects. At RocketBrush Studio, we're using AI generated art to give artists a hand. They're now churning out references and foundational layers faster, especially when working on concepts and sketches.

One of our artists shared how using neural networks generated art in games has opened new doors for them. They start with a simple sketch and then let AI do its job, ending up with a range of character ideas that would've been tough to think up under normal time limits.

How to create AI generated game assets and characters

AI art in video games is not just about expanding our creative options; it also helps us stay on track with our clients' needs. For instance, in a recent project, we used AI to develop many different design ideas. These then acted as a starting point for more detailed work, ensuring everything perfectly fit the project's unique style.

But using image generation to create references doesn’t mean we throw out the old ways. We still rely on traditional methods like putting together reference lists with specific architectural styles and historical periods. This mix of neural networks and traditional skills fires up our creativity and helps our team refine their work just right. Sure, AI throws a lot of ideas at us, but the artist's expertise shapes these ideas to meet the specific style needs of our projects. Using AI for game assets can suggest a multitude of ideas, yet it's the discerning eye and skilled hand of the artist that refines these suggestions into polished, game-ready art. This combo of tech and human creativity makes what we do at RocketBrush Studio stand out.

2. Sketches and drafts: Blending traditional and AI techniques

The sketching stage is where old-school artistry meets modern image generation methods when we're working on game art. Our team is skilled at blending classic drawing methods with what AI can do. While we can generate game assets with AI, these initial outputs serve as raw materials that our artists refine and perfect through their skills and creativity. The result? Detailed, rich sketches that set the stage for our game art. Integrating AI art for games into our preliminary sketching process helps us to quickly gather diverse concepts, which are then meticulously handcrafted into final game art.

Kicking off with traditional sketches, then bringing in AI

Usually, we start with sketches. Our team initially kept it simple, focusing on the basic layout and color choices. These sketches might be just the starting point, but they're super important. They lay down the foundation for what's to come with neural networks.

Once these sketches are ready, they can be teamed up with AI. We feed them into the AI system with specific prompts, and that's when the magic happens. The AI takes these initial ideas and runs with them, enhancing them with textures and dynamic elements that would be tougher to pull off by hand.

Going straight to AI for sketches

There are other ways we do things. Some of our artists jump right into sketching with image generation. They give the neural networks detailed prompts and let them do their thing to create the initial concepts. The more detailed the prompts, the better the AI can match the artist's vision.

This way, we end up with many different AI-created sketches, opening up many possibilities. The process of using AI to create game assets provides a broad array of starting points, from which our artists select and refine the best ideas through traditional artistic methods. Our team goes through these, picking out the best parts and making tweaks to ensure everything aligns with the project's goals.

How to generate game assets with AI

Polishing up AI generated sketches with a human touch

In both traditional art creation and AI-driven image generation, the distinct impact comes from the artist's touch. Let's face it: AI-generated images don't usually hit the mark on the first try. They always require some adjustments — perhaps blending elements from various iterations, experimenting with color schemes, or fine-tuning the proportions.

But you know what? It's this fine-tuning part that shows how excellent neural networks can be as a helping hand. AI art in video games isn't there to take over the artist's job; it's more like a jumping-off point to spark more creativity. It's super helpful when you're stuck on an idea or dealing with complex, time-consuming tasks.

Take those projects with loads of intricate details, like some high-tech military gear or vast, elaborate landscapes. These can be daunting and waste a lot of time if you're doing them the old-fashioned way. That's where AI can step in and lighten the load, allowing our team to focus more on the creative side of things without getting swamped by the nitty-gritty details.

Mixing neural networks into our sketching process is like bringing together the best of both worlds — art and tech. It's a partnership where each part boosts the other, leading to more diverse and rich artistic results.

3. Boosting artwork details with AI

AI serves as an additional tool for identifying and correcting some issues, such as unwanted glitches and fuzziness, in our artwork. Its role is to support and enhance, providing suggestions that our artists may refine and integrate, ensuring a more polished and lifelike appearance in the final product. The integration of AI art in video games has also made it possible to explore more ambitious art styles and themes, by initially handling the complex rendering of such ideas.

Imagine you're working on some complex object or character. In our workflow, neural networks function as a supportive element, aiding with technical aspects that can be time-consuming. This collaboration allows our artists to dedicate more attention to the creative aspects of their work, blending AI suggestions with their artistic expertise.

AI assists in enhancing existing art pieces by highlighting and refining details. Our team uses AI's capabilities as a means to further develop their concepts, adding depth where needed while maintaining the artistic integrity of the original work. For example, a simple sketch can come to life with neural networks, getting deeper textures and lighting that feels right.

How to enhance AI generated game assets

Dealing with blurry images is another spot where AI in game art comes to the rescue. It sharpens the quality and helps rework the design, keeping it accurate to the original idea while fitting it to the project's evolving needs.

Mastering prompts for AI-driven game assets creation

A key aspect of integrating image generation into our art creation process is the effective use of prompts. These are carefully chosen keywords that direct AI, providing a framework within which it operates. They're like keywords covering everything from the type of objects and styles to the setting, the weather, and even the vibe or artistic influences we aim for. The skilful use of prompts is essential, but it's just one part of our broader creative process.

While our team utilizes AI-generated art to initiate concepts, it's important to note that this is just the starting point. The AI-generated ideas are further developed and refined through traditional artistic methods, ensuring a diverse range of creative outputs. It's super handy, especially when we need a whole array of unique concepts or want to quickly play around with different styles. We've found that being precise and thoughtful when setting up these prompts greatly affects how well the final art aligns with what we want.

How to generate game assets with AI in different styles

Of course, it can be challenging sailing. Sometimes, AI gets the prompts wrong, and we end up with something a bit off – like weird proportions or elements we didn't want. That's when we use 'negative' prompts. These are like friendly reminders to the AI about what we don't want to see in the artwork. It's a neat trick that helps us fine-tune the AI's output.

For example, we once needed a particular artistic style, and the AI wasn't getting it right initially. So, we kept tweaking the prompts and adding these negative keywords until the neural networks finally caught on. This superb blend of our creative ideas and the AI's tech smarts was superb.

And it doesn't stop there. Artists are constantly finding new ways to train the AI, showing it how to nail specific styles or develop different takes on the same object. It's a constant learning game, boosting what neural networks can do and pushing our team to new creative heights.

Conclusion

In the field of game art, it's vital to stay on top of tech trends to ensure cost-effective solutions. That's precisely what we're doing at RocketBrush Studio. While we integrate AI into our workflow for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness, we continue to value and uphold the traditional artistry that is central to game art development.

Interested in seeing how AI can transform your project? Feel free to get in touch at hello@rocketbrush.com. We're eager to collaborate and push the envelope in game art development, ensuring that each creation is visually impressive and embodies the forefront of technology.

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