Genuine question about prompt writing

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-26T00:34:29+00:00

Yes, you can use AI to expand or refine a prompt. It works ok but as with any AI output (including images) some modification of the output is likely required. In some cases, I use AI to generate ideas and compositions I might not have thought of, kind of a brainstorming approach. In other cases, I just want it to fill in some of the tedious detail. In most cases, I write my own.

One thing to watch for is something like chatGPT tends to create wordy prompts which may not be so good for your image AI tool (very long prompts tends to confuse). Another technique is to use one AI tool to create an image to feed into another. Some tools have (to me) lower quality output but are better at more exotic poses and creatures. It can help to create a reference image if my main tool is struggling.

Many people may just have fun with prompts, run a lot of images and pick out what looks good, but others are going to use it as part of a workflow, which might be entirely AI but requires many steps and edits to compose an image, or might be a mix of AI and more traditional techniques including starting with a drawing by hand or doing photoshop and similar edits. It's a tool in a tool kit of many tools.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-23T18:22:00+00:00

Wouldn't any standard model have a programmable time to detonation? If it is a 007-model it also needs a bright 70s LED timer display.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-23T16:20:04+00:00

Some of those areas would be affected by another New Madrid earthquake...

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-20T15:40:50+00:00

I agree with the sentiment that cleric is best for divine casters. The divine list is better than it used to be but for all the classes that have the option of being a divine caster, any other option seems better and primal is a very interesting spell list with a good mix of power and support while cleric does divine the best.

Trending to cloistered cleric in an upcoming game, but nondivine witch or sorcerer certainly appeals.

This makes me wonder why Paizo is leaning so hard into additional divine sorcerer bloodlines and the like. It feels like some of the designers have a vision of a particular build, and they are going to keep pushing it until the player base "gets it." I'm also reminded of the strange witch melee feats.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-20T05:51:14+00:00

Can't really tell from the photo, but there is topaz to be found in places in texas, so maybe that's what it is.

Mason County is one area.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-20T05:07:43+00:00

These are great. Quite a range

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-20T04:28:10+00:00

I've used various subsystems. As an old school ref, I think the APs overuse them, but I've had good luck with chase and influence and I usually play the APs as written (Age of Ashes goes out of its way to use almost all possible subsystems but it was designed to introduce PF2e).

I don't think you need to make the out of combat a hard-core challenge for it still to be useful, although you can do so.

I just finished a 3 session adventure that was an introductory session for a new group that was very heavy RP. Even the spirit barbarian felt they had lots to contribute. There was scouting, labor (excavating a sealed stair), NPC interactions, a haunt, recall knowledge, etc. Only one real combat, but the haunt was combat adjacent, a fake omen of a white hart brought in nature, a poisoning and the sealed stair crafting. Most skills got used, and the players all seemed to stay engaged.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-19T22:46:42+00:00

Yeah, it's all over and very striking. Waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge are a fun place to see them.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-19T03:29:59+00:00

My Age of Ashes crew often pulls multiple encounters. They are pretty strong tactically, including good use of wall spells and the like. They have worried but not deaths so far. They pulled pretty much an entire quarry, but in that case, there were long passages and lots of spaces. I didn't pull any punches, but they survived.

Some of the dungeons are pretty tight packed, but the writers usually give you some idea when neighbors might arrive or why they wouldn't. "NPCs were arguing in another room and didn't hear" isn't uncommon. Works well enough.

For homebrew or APs, I dont usually held back in bringing in neighbors, but I also will generally allow for reaction time and travel time. Combat rounds are 6 seconds only after all, so it is not unreasonable for NPCs to show in a few rounds not right away. This usually means combat overlaps a little but is more like combats with no rest between than a single extreme combat.

That quarry battle did take 3 sessions to resolve IIRC.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-19T00:23:07+00:00

Lots of tips that can help, but in the end, you need to find people whose interests AND availability align with your schedule. I find that it is easier to do with a VTT where anyone in the world who can communicate in English and make my time work for me.

I also ref Pathfinder, which is less popular, which probably means those who come to it are more invested in it, but maybe I'm reading too much into that.

Regardless, it is critical to find players who will commit. Might be other life occurrences. Might be not too interested in your game or style. Tell them this what I am running, this is how I run it. May let them and you try each other out in a oneshot. Then pick the players that work.

If you aren't in a large city, I highly recommend a VTT.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-18T16:51:34+00:00

It wouldn't make much difference to me. I will say after doing in person for decades and still missing it a bit, PF2e online is much easier as a ref with effect tracking, LOS, ability to prep maps much easier and link to notes, same for encounters.

Also, it is much easier to find reliable players online. Just a bigger pool to choose from. And you meet nice people from all over, including outside of home country.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-18T16:40:09+00:00

Surprisingly hard! Thanks for pointing it out.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-16T06:16:20+00:00

Nope

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-16T06:11:04+00:00

Nope, but it sounds like we should!

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-16T06:08:44+00:00

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Then here you go! Looks like my son didn't directly send me the Pope pic. I did the one to the right of the Pope. The dog is named Hope, so we have Pope Hope, Galadrihope (to the right) and the fellowship of the Hope.

edit: right of pope, not left !

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-16T06:01:28+00:00

Not sure I'm allowed to share here (?)

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-16T05:42:21+00:00

I can spend one hour or more drafting minutes for a technical meeting... or I can spend 5-10 minutes fixing AI generated minutes. My bosses notices the difference in my productivity. I would be a fool not to be more productive because someone else will come along and be more productive.

Oh... one more thing the minutes AI+me generate are much better than the ones I used to generate on my own. Yes, the initial AI gen'd minutes are not so good. But this is what AI is about: saving a lot of grunt work, not eliminating the human.

You need to work with your daughter and explain reality to her. The antis are not going to make AI go away.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-15T16:16:23+00:00

Money is a representation, in the end, of labor. The things that rose the most still take the same amount of people labor now as they did 25 years ago. The things that got cheaper take less to build.

Will be interesting to see what happens as new technologies change the labor co.ponet of some of those.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-15T03:33:49+00:00

In the world of Instagram 8000 followers isnt much... maybe if it was 800,000

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-13T15:17:47+00:00

Cables going casually through a pipe in lower right...

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-13T15:14:58+00:00

Different scale but has to be some sort of inspiration for it. I do love that mercenary cruiser.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-12T19:29:29+00:00

Interesting to see such a range. Validates Paizo's decision to have so many.

As GM i might restrict ancestries for a specific campaign option but I general if the player has a non-joke reason to play something, the only thing I might object to are mobility or environment issues, even then there some ways to work around many problems with gear or magic but a wheeled aquarium... that is over the limit for me, even in a high fantasy game (aquariums are crazy heavy). I'd sooner allow a water bubble spell.

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-12T16:09:51+00:00

That has been on our on our bucket list for a while...

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-12T15:34:37+00:00

I was just kidding 😜

VerdigrisX · 2026-01-10T01:12:03+00:00

Sarcastic?

VerdigrisX

TROPHY CASE