The article discusses an interview with environment artist Chenrui ZENG about the game AFK Arena, emphasizing the importance of hand-drawn art in game design. ZENG acknowledges the influences of Tim Burton and God of War on the gameâs aesthetic while expressing optimism about AI's potential to enhance the creative process. He views AI as a valuable tool for reference and inspiration rather than a co-creator. Furthermore, he highlights an upcoming global art contest by Lilith Games, encouraging artists to design characters from the game.
Over the years, I've experimented with AI and 3D tools, but in the end, I still think hand-drawing is the most important. Understanding how a piece of art is created and how long it takes is crucial for determining the value of any assistance AI can provide. AI for me isn't a co-creator.
It should be seen more as a search tool that quickly finds references and inspiration, enhancing efficiency, but it can't replicate the human intuition that shapes a scene's soul. How we're infusing our personal understanding of scene concepts, thematic settings, player needs, and our own aesthetic and experience... these are what retain the emotional warmth of the artwork and connect with players on a deeper level.
Looking ahead, I'm optimistic about AI streamlining technical execution, freeing us to focus on what truly matters, such as the emotional resonance and narrative depth. And I hope that these technologies become extensions of our creativity, not shortcuts, to help us building universes that feel breathtakingly vast.
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