Using AI to illustrate miniatures: Slop or Not?

                                       

                                                   

This little scene was the final attempt I made. By this point I'd worked out how precise you had to be to get the results I wanted.

Over the last week I have undergone one hundred a sixty minutes of dental surgery, over two occasions, and spent some miserable days recovering. The treatment appears to have been successful and despite the cost I am hopeful that my long standing problems are now over. During my short period of convalescence (today) I discovered a strange app that offers the miniature enthusiast, or indeed toy affectionardo in general, the opportunity to animate their painted figures or toys with ease, all from a single photograph. The app is called Nauk Nauk if you are interested. Google it.

With little to do but fiddle around on a screen, I wiled away a few hours exploring what could be achieved with a little AI. Now I know the stuff gets a bad press and jolly right too. It has changed the internet forever and smeared its slop over nearly everything, most notably the morass that is Facebook. Misinformation is widespread and some of it so ridiculous you'd doubt the stuff even believable... but some people obviously (and against their better judgement, it seems) do. At the time of writing, the UK is experiencing all the drama and deceit of a political election which is making things worse. Our longstanding political parties are in freefall, after years of bungling, and we now have two equally extreme parties eager for our attention. Reform. And the Greens. Sadly, both are lead by some pretty unsavory characters... hang on! Surely this is material for a Warhmmer Scenario pack in the style of Orc's Drift or McDeath!?

I digress. 

So after a few hours of fiddling around I had managed to animate some of the photographs I've taken over the last few months and shared here. To be honest, I was quite amused by my efforts though many of them were hopelessly senseless and contaminated with the dreaded 'slop'. I'm sure you've clicked on a few of my efforts by now if the technology works here on Blogger.

The trouble is, AI is here to stay. It isn't going anywhere and it makes me wonder what it has in store not only for the hobby of miniature wargames but in our Citadel Miniatures/Games Workshop in the '80s and early '90s hobby in general.

Appallingly bad text seems to be a big part of it. Something you won't be seeing here. Yes, those spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are all mine. And they have been for all these years too. Though, I am not responsible for the walls of spam that clog up media like blogger. 

This was my first attempt. Not bad to start with but then the slop took over and confused the sword and whip. Slop indeed. 

Now I am all for the human element. As many of you dear readers have said, freeform writing is something that needs to be celebrated and cherished. None of us want to see (or read) more of that awful text guff that filters down to us all. Why are there so many lists? Endless adjectives and semi-coherent links. But photographs of enthusiasts' work?

Is that different? 

Is AI used to illustrate the models we are buying helpful or unhelpful if it makes it easier for companies to upload their products, especially with so many one-man-bands and small companies around our field of enjoyment? And, does it give us a different way of presenting and enjoying our own lovely old lumps of lead? 

It is interesting to note the GW has gone on the record to state that they are banning AI in their design process. Something that I whole heartedly agree on. Artificial intelligence is no replacement for a keen, artistic eye or voice. But as a tool to present something, very much like a photograph or video. Is that different? Can it be excused if the rest of the elements are all honest work? 

I don't doubt that the AI bubble will burst. The more you look into it, the less it appears it can actually do reliably. I had a right old hoot today asking AI who I was. I typed in 'Who is Orlygg?' and got some wonderfully incorrect responses with some saying I had died and others stating I was an alias of a completely different person. Of course, working in education we have had a few AI companies in showing off their technology. Including a woeful 'teacher' on a screen. The company had completely missed the point that 90% of learning is the relationship between the pupil, his or her peers and the teacher and the kids made fun of her by asking what the AI would do if they got out of their seats and messed around or fell over and needed a plaster. Or if their dog had died that morning. Or they had no lunch. The nice-lady-from-the-AI-company piped up at said that of course there would need to be an adult in the room too. 'What, the teacher then?' Chirriped a seven year old quite innocently. 

But I digress, again. 

Sorry. 

This Night Horror werebear came out alright. I think using tools like this are viable if they are used appropriately to bring out the character of a model or key event in a narrative wargame.

Is it wrong to combine AI with our beloved '80s fantasy-fare? Is it blasphemous? Will the long-dead grognards that went before us stir unsoundly in their tombs if we paint up a dwarf warrior and use AI to animate him for presentation or fun, even? Facebook certainly did. While working out how to upload these videos with my computer I shared my work on various platforms to see if I could get it working. One of those places was the Oldhammer Community FB page that I created all those years ago. Now, I don't have much to do with it these days. I was always happy to let others make it what they wanted it to be. But the repugnancy my video received there was quite surprising. No discussion allowed. Just deletion. I can remember a different time. A time when we talked about stuff that was new and intriguing rather than just reacting to it. But fear of change is real. And its hurts those of us whole are nostalgic for a time that no longer exists perhaps?

I saw my little videos as being tastefully done, as best as could be presented using the technology available. Was I being naive trying to capture the spirit of the models and the era they belong to using modern technology? Are the animations produced of my own models, paintjobs and scenery less worthy due to the form of media I choose to use? If I had painstakingly animated by Skeleton Horde models using lots of Blu-Tak and stop motion animation would I have been criticised just the same?

Well, I guess we are all going to find out soon! This technology is very much on the rise and more applications will be no doubt found for the clueless luddite at home to either tinker with or enrage themselves by. It is not going anywhere guys. I'm sure working in the classroom is going to put me in the forefront of it all. Kids love this stuff and they see the creative possibilities in it all. MFM's two boys loved seeing my models come to life and it made them all the more real. One of them even asked to paint up a figure and do the same. Is AI a possible new gateway into our ever changing hobby?

Am I wrong to toy with it? Maybe.

Did it make me feel better while I recovered from surgery? Definitely.

Is it something I'd use again on Realm of Chaos 80s? Probably not. 

I'm intrigued where this is going to go, especially with apps like Nauk Nauk out there. I know it is a tool for action figure fans and lego nuts but there is plenty of Warhammer on there, though mostly modern stuff. I very much doubt someone will go through the trouble of producing something specifically for tabletop miniatures but anything is possible I suppose. With us all spending huge amounts of cash on little lead men we aren't going to be stumping up the cash and investing in a start-up!

Anyway, I'm off to take my medicine and rest easy. I've got a stack of unfinished models to paint, research to continue and another interview to type up. See you all soon! Old Orlygg will be back to normal services soon enough.

What will the world be like when I do?

It is changing that fast!

And please don't be shy with your opinions about AI and wargaming in general. I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts no matter where you sit on the subject. 

I tried for ages to animal my beloved skeletons from the Horde. This was the best I could do. Jason and the Argonauts this is not.