this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2025
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Ban GenAI.
As RPG enjoyers, we have an obligation to support smaller creators that ensure the hobby isn't just DnD.
I'm afraid the result will be exactly opposite. A lot of smaller creators use AI in some form (some better, some worse), where one most probably won't ban D&D from community named "rpg" because, even with the hatred from non-D&D crowd, the interest is too big to not address it
If someone doesn't care enough about their product to actually do work on it, why should I care about looking at it? If I wanted to see AI generated slop, I'd go to one of the many megacorps that'll generate it for me rather than paying some guy on Itch.io.
That is right. But that is not what all AIGen stuff is. If someone creates a cool adventure but uses AIGen to make their fluff box sound like a radio speaker because they lack the skills to make it so, is that a not caring enough?
Nope, it isn't.
Cheaters should never be allowed to prosper. It undermines the entire idea that creative work is of value, and will inevitably lead to a day when artists are seen as as much of a piece of scum on someone's shoe as cashiers are.
I think we are way past the point when creative work is enough
So you're arguing so hard to replace artists because you already don't value them?
No. For one I don't believe it will replace artists. What I expect is that we will never be able to hold wotc, hasbro, etc to this standard. Which means they'll have an even higher advantage against one-person creators
The artists working for big ones will be using AIGen to speed up their work. Same as using search engines to find info and references
Creators for which the AIGenned cover is enough, won't commission a real artist anyway
I'm afraid that such rule here ( meaning we are social network, not the shop) would skew the scale towards the big ones - they'll be getting more coverage, even here
I'm thoroughly unconvinced by the argument that because giant corporations are doing evil things, the little guy ought to as well in order to "compete", and treating "AI" art as the only kind that will be posted either way.
I, for one, am not interested in "creators" who see generating fake art for their TTRPGs as some "necessary evil" on their way to making a quick buck. These people deserve to fail.
Wouldn't that mean that only those who are big enough to afford commissioning art (or not be afraid to lie about generating it) will pass?
Believe it or not, you can release written content without professional art. Used to be done all the time. Deciding you want to skip ahead in your progress as a publisher and use tools that have been built off the back of unconsenting contributors doesn't entitle you to someone's platform.
Yes, one can do that. But, probably because of how content ( in broad meaning) works, it's not being done. That's why I'm afraid such rule would mostly cut out the small-fries
What makes you say it's not being done? Where are you somehow finding a lack of content?
There's free tools, maps, oneshots, entire games with 1-2 page rulesets being posted online all the time that aren't utilizing AI. All for free. The TTRPG community is bursting with content.
Mostly stuff that is not fantasy and not a spaceship
I don't suppose I see all that is happening in modern+ RPG branch (niche?). But I do support a few creators on Patreon, I follow a few creators on DTRPG, I follow a bunch of blogs. And I see all walks of AIGen
That's why I'm more in "let downvotes tell the story" camp. Because in the end it's not the use of AIGen that makes a thing bad. It's the decision of the creator that "this is good enough". And without covering the bad stuff too, we are just sweeping it under the rug
Or willing to, y'know, use stock art or not include art, and damn the people who think TTRPG books only have value insofar as they have lots of new pictures.
I share the view that rpg content mostly does not need images. But I can bet it sells better and gets better reach when it does
I have personally found that art from fairytale stories that's too old to have copyright can be a fun way to fill in little margins and decorate things. There are some sites that make them available with an explicit "this is way out of copyright, you can use this for whatever you want but please credit us for supplying it"
That's great. And it should be encouraged. But what about modern+ settings?
Oh definitely, it's not a universal solution. Just figured I'd mention a less obvious option that has helped me out before
So... you have no concrete support except a gut feeling?
I have an example where I'm sure the dry presentation does a disservice to the content. For someone who does not care about AI vs no-AI, it will look less professional than the titles next to it. But I don't want to turn this into a vivisection of a particular example
Hence my calling out the "necessary evil" excuse.
I'm afraid it's not an excuse but the reality. Whatever the reason one does content for, whether it's additional income, trying to change career or just clout, without reach you don't have an audience. In order to have reach, someone has to choose to click on that link in the feed. I am sure that an image does help with that And stock art places often either have non-stock art pirated anyway, or there's nothing in there
Just because you generally need a cover image doesn't mean that it's good to support systems whose primary use case is to drive real artists into hiding.
Sure. But wouldn't such rule mean we dismiss also those who do bring something to the table but just try to get anyone's attention?
Not if they don't scam people to get that attention.
I'm afraid that's a very high bar ATM
It's meant to be a high bar forever.
"Generative AI" is a scam perpetrated by people who hate artists, while envying their capacity to create art, while also not understanding what art really is. Period.
I think https://piefed.zip/post/511096#comment_1614098 also addresses this point
Public domain or stock images combined with an afternoon of Gimp/Krita.
Had a friend who started with no experience and they managed to make some damn professional looking art for their playbook.
I'm afraid they are an exception to what is happening
This is indeed the thing, there is a long road between using an AI powered spell checker, and a full AI generated game.
Let's go further, if a volunteer uses their deepl subscription to translate an indie game they like (with the author's permission) , and do a manual review afterward. The kind of stuff you can sometimes do for your player, is it AI slop?
Exactly. I think that the issue is not black and white