Quote from: jhkim on September 18, 2024, 02:14:31 PM

Quote from: Nobleshield on September 18, 2024, 10:15:15 AMThe only reason I can see for pursuing the brand is because it's "the brand".  There are way too many people who will know/want to play "Dungeons & Dragons" but if you mention an OSR game they look at you like you're speaking Greek; they have no idea what they are, why they should be playing "an old game" (instead of the most recent edition), etc.

I know locally I'd probably have a MUCH easier time finding players if I wanted to run modern D&D than to say I'm running OSE/BX/C&C/insert retroclone here, because people don't know what those things ARE and when you mention it it feels more like "let's play an obsolete version of the game that you have to find online, not the current version that's fully stocked at the game store you can just grab off the shelf"

There are many people who play a brand simply because of that network, even if they know about other games and might even prefer some other games.

Very true. I had to drop Warmachine when my local group faded away and I wasn't in the mood to go find a new one since I was getting into X-Wing Miniatures at about the same time.

Playing a popular game smooths out a lot of issues, like finding players/GMs, getting ahold of the books and accessories, etc, etc.

There are games with tiny budgets that have far better art direction than 5e DnD. It's incredible how they will just put out anything. In the core book.

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 18, 2024, 08:05:59 PM

Quote from: Nobleshield on September 18, 2024, 07:16:18 PM

Quote from: M2A0 on September 18, 2024, 07:04:46 PM

Quote from: Nobleshield on September 18, 2024, 09:47:52 AM

Quote from: M2A0 on September 18, 2024, 08:28:46 AMWhat page in the Nu-PHB is that on? I went to the Sorcerer & Dragonborn section, don't see anything resembling that pic.

148 it looks like, right before the JonBenet Ramsey Loli-looking wild magic halfling (gnome?) sorcerer.

Ok, my bad. I was looking for a Dragonborn Sorcerer, not the Aasimir Draconic Sorcerer.

That really does look like a FtM situation going on there. I fucking hate identity politics so much, thankfully the pendulum is swinging.

the worst part is according to the artist that was something she added in her own. Not part of the brief.

But WotC's editors saw it and approved it...

Ergo WotC can't wash their hands from it.

wotc art editors for the last 20 years have been asleep at the job more than they ever actually do anything. They glance at the piece. "Is it vaugly humanoid? Yes? Pass!"

And even TSR had problems with artists pulling stunts. I've talked at length about one 2e artist who made extensive use of movie stills as his models. Another was using comic books as reffs. Even Pallasium had that problem once.

Quote from: Omega on September 19, 2024, 08:53:55 PM

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 18, 2024, 08:05:59 PM

Quote from: Nobleshield on September 18, 2024, 07:16:18 PM

Quote from: M2A0 on September 18, 2024, 07:04:46 PM

Quote from: Nobleshield on September 18, 2024, 09:47:52 AM

Quote from: M2A0 on September 18, 2024, 08:28:46 AMWhat page in the Nu-PHB is that on? I went to the Sorcerer & Dragonborn section, don't see anything resembling that pic.

148 it looks like, right before the JonBenet Ramsey Loli-looking wild magic halfling (gnome?) sorcerer.

Ok, my bad. I was looking for a Dragonborn Sorcerer, not the Aasimir Draconic Sorcerer.

That really does look like a FtM situation going on there. I fucking hate identity politics so much, thankfully the pendulum is swinging.

the worst part is according to the artist that was something she added in her own. Not part of the brief.

But WotC's editors saw it and approved it...

Ergo WotC can't wash their hands from it.

wotc art editors for the last 20 years have been asleep at the job more than they ever actually do anything. They glance at the piece. "Is it vaugly humanoid? Yes? Pass!"

And even TSR had problems with artists pulling stunts. I've talked at length about one 2e artist who made extensive use of movie stills as his models. Another was using comic books as reffs. Even Pallasium had that problem once.

The fact that they suck at their jobs isn't an excuse, neither is it that others do too.

And that's even granting you they are asleep at the wheel, I somehow doubt you could pass a "heteronormative" drawing that appeals to the male gaze.

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 19, 2024, 10:08:37 PMThe fact that they suck at their jobs isn't an excuse, neither is it that others do too.

And that's even granting you they are asleep at the wheel, I somehow doubt you could pass a "heteronormative" drawing that appeals to the male gaze.

I've seen much worse get a pass. Much worse. Stuff grade school children would have noticed. Why didnt these jokers?

Quote from: Omega on September 23, 2024, 04:22:05 AM

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 19, 2024, 10:08:37 PMThe fact that they suck at their jobs isn't an excuse, neither is it that others do too.

And that's even granting you they are asleep at the wheel, I somehow doubt you could pass a "heteronormative" drawing that appeals to the male gaze.

I've seen much worse get a pass. Much worse. Stuff grade school children would have noticed. Why didnt these jokers?

Because
the Artists are in their club
the art promotes their ideology
the Artists belong to a protected category
they SUCK at their jobs.

Found the 2024 PHB in the high seas, it's a fucking mess of okay to good memberberries art mixed with terrible ideological pushing stock photo looking art.

That an indie publisher gets art that doesn't quite mesh together gets a pass due to budget, obviously Hasbro doesn't get the same.

Why does the WotC art look like bad AI renderings?

And when do we get a Cheech & Chong buddy orc movie?

Quote from: Spinachcat on September 30, 2024, 04:57:59 AMWhy does the WotC art look like bad AI renderings?

And when do we get a Cheech & Chong buddy orc movie?

Becauase it probably is.  It looks like some random DeviantArt level art commission for an MMO character (and I've gotten those done that look better than this shit), not at all professional art like I'd expect in a professional for-sale product by the "industry leader".  Seriously 90% of the art in the 2024 PHB looks like something some rando would commission for their RP character in WoW or something from an indy "comms open" artist on social media.

Quote from: Nobleshield on September 30, 2024, 07:53:19 AM

Quote from: Spinachcat on September 30, 2024, 04:57:59 AMWhy does the WotC art look like bad AI renderings?

And when do we get a Cheech & Chong buddy orc movie?

Becauase it probably is.  It looks like some random DeviantArt level art commission for an MMO character (and I've gotten those done that look better than this shit), not at all professional art like I'd expect in a professional for-sale product by the "industry leader".  Seriously 90% of the art in the 2024 PHB looks like something some rando would commission for their RP character in WoW or something from an indy "comms open" artist on social media.

Why should they do more when the paying customers clearly don't care?

The only people complaining about AI art use are people who were never going to buy WotC's product in the first place. If their art didn't suck many here still wouldn't buy it due to WotC's politics and the utterly mediocre mechanical content that isn't a significant change over the 2014 content (as one reviewer described, like 3/3.5/PF there will probably be years of hybrid use of 2014/2024 content together and its actually required presently as the DMG/MM updates aren't out yet).

Many small time publishers are also using AI art because its one less expense when just breaking even is a challenge... so AI art as filler doesn't make WotC look any worse than its competition, but they'll have the edge in a professional looking cover (which they will pop for), name recognition, and the networking effect.

In short, there's presently no monetary incentive to bother with better than AI art. WotC being all about maximizing profits makes art decisions accordingly.

The problem isn't D&D using AI for their art, its that for ages they've been making bold statements about not doing that, when they were doing it all along.

I gotta say this forum is refreshing and feels like the forums of old. 👍

Glad you're enjoying it. It pretty much IS a forum of old, having been founded in the early 2000s.

Quote from: RPGPundit on October 02, 2024, 10:08:28 PMGlad you're enjoying it. It pretty much IS a forum of old, having been founded in the early 2000s.

Yeah, but the open free form is lost on other similar aged forums, most bending the knee to the oppressed and butt hurt for no reason people.

Good point.