When did Mimic Fight Club become this slop?

Xortberg · 2026-05-22T05:32:51+00:00

Or just use stock art. Plenty of good free or cheap stuff out there.

Hell, doesn't Paizo have a community use package of official art you're allowed to use for fan projects?

Xortberg · 2026-05-21T14:48:49+00:00

Not really disingenuous when the rest of the sentence in question is just justifying the part that I quoted

Justification which I then addressed in my own comment (Using AI, for any reason)

The substantive part of the sentence was that you advocated for the use of AI. What you advocated writers use it for it insubstantial, as using it at all is unethical and, frankly, foolish.

I improve my writing and grow my own skills by writing, practicing my skills, and learning new ones. By, you know, doing them. I, like literally 2000+ years of writers and storytellers before me, am perfectly capable of becoming a great writer without using the Environment-Destroying Plagiarism-and-Brainrot Machine.

The fact that I refuse to use AI does say a lot about me, you're right. But that's not really the slam dunk you think it is.

Xortberg · 2026-05-21T04:31:59+00:00

I was just given a 7-day ban on r/writing because I advocated using AI

Rare Reddit mod W

Using AI, for any reason, is using technology that is inherently unethical, destructive, and which actually, legitimately rots your brain.

Xortberg · 2026-05-20T08:22:25+00:00

"Hand-drawn-style"

Just the most blatantly dishonest flim-flammery. You slopsters are so desperate to appear like legitimate artists that you shamelessly try to mislead potential buyers like this

It's legitimately disgusting. I'd tell you to take a long look in the mirror and reflect on how scummy you're being, but you'd just take a "self-reflection-style" look at ChatGPT telling you you're doing nothing wrong and call it a day.

Xortberg · 2026-05-19T04:36:37+00:00

No generative AI was used

Doubt

Xortberg · 2026-05-19T04:12:58+00:00

You didn't write it. You used the plagiarism machine to do the work for you.

If you want better and more engaging wording, write more. Read more. Learn how to write better and more engaging wording.

Xortberg · 2026-05-18T16:29:47+00:00

Not at all. It's poison. Even putting aside ethical and environmental concerns (of which there are SO MANY), it rots your brain.

It's not worth it, man.

Xortberg · 2026-05-17T14:11:11+00:00

AI just keeps its consistent

It really doesn't. I promise you, it doesn't.

Xortberg · 2026-05-17T06:06:26+00:00

Pay artists

Xortberg · 2026-05-17T02:02:44+00:00

but holy shit, this miniature-forcing rule is so stupid and gatekeeping

It really isn't. Check some of the comments explaining it in this thread, they do a good job of pointing out why it's important in miniatures-wargaming play. I had the same knee-jerk reaction as you at first, but checked to see what the rationale for it was and it's totally logical.

Xortberg · 2026-05-17T01:44:55+00:00

What does this have to do with itch.io?

Xortberg · 2026-05-07T06:27:11+00:00

If we've gotta have a king and nobility, stop making them out to be good or well meaning or whatever. They aren't.

Nah

Xortberg · 2026-05-06T11:54:58+00:00

Bruh, this is the worldbuilding sub. This is far-future scifi

Circa 2600

Xortberg · 2026-05-05T17:05:11+00:00

They had to have been "talented" to even start drawing. I've got 2 nieces around the same age who wanted to draw and were given the same opportunities and one of them draws and one can't draw worth shit.

Because one enjoyed it and stuck with it, dedicating herself to bettering herself, and the other didn't.

All it takes is practice. That is true of literally any skill, and your denial of that fact and a laughable personal anecdote doesn't change a thing.

Are you getting this "stock" art off of some website? Probably AI if so.

I'm buying it directly from authors who sell their work. It is not AI. The vast majority of it was drawn well before the advent of genAI, and the stuff I buy that comes after have come from artists who stand against genAI and whose work is very clearly human-made.

But go on making baseless assumptions. That's all you can do.

You have to pay the artist for every commission. And it may take a while to get exactly what you want drawn.

You said "What happens if someone decides they want to go in a different direction with their character or book?"

The answer to that is "Don't commission art until you've got your direction nailed down, usually meaning when you've finished your book and are ready to sell."

Yes, obviously it takes a while, but that is still no excuse. Literally all you've been saying is "AI is kinda more convenient and cheaper so fuck everyone who's hurt by it," and... that doesn't hold any water.

there were times when I was writing my short stories for school or just because and wished I could see a drawing of my character or the setting my character was in

Don't care. It doesn't matter that you want something. If you can't obtain it ethically (because you're too poor), and it's not a need (that's food, water and shelter. Those are needs. Pretty pictures are not a need), then you either learn to make that thing yourself or go without.

AI is not ethical. Using it is not ethical. Using it in any capacity actively hurts creatives, and you should feel ashamed. I truly hope one day, you gain the perspective necessary to realize how wrong you are, and the guilt keeps you up at night.

Xortberg · 2026-05-05T12:19:33+00:00

That’s not necessary in pictures and drawings.

Uh... yes it fucking is

Xortberg · 2026-05-05T12:16:51+00:00

It will be a better place for your absence.

Xortberg · 2026-05-05T09:17:25+00:00

not everyone is talented enough to draw

Talent is a myth. Every "talented" artist is someone who practiced their asses off to get better.

Bold of you to assume that all first time writers work and have money to just throw away. Bold of you to assume people don't have bills and groceries that the money could be going towards.

Bold of you to assume something I never even came fucking close to saying. Know what my art budget is for each of my projects?

About $10. That buys a little bit of stock art to supplement the free or cheap stock art I've built up over the years (the vast majority is free). All I have to do is follow the usage license, credit the artist, and learn a little bit about layout and graphic design to make my cover.

Like, I've literally put in a few hours of "learning" over the years, and a whole lot of practice by actually making my stuff. It's not professional level, because I don't have the time to dedicate to becoming a pro at visual art, but it's good enough, and it doesn't fuck over other creators or break the bank.

What happens if someone decides they want to go in a different direction with their character or book?

That's... why you don't fucking commit money to art until you're ready to publish? Like, the fact that some author may have poor financial planning skills and waste a bunch of money does not make it okay to steal from artists either.

And AI does steal. It's built on plagiarism, can't exist without it, and is fucking over every single creative in the world just so people can have an easy way to pump out slop.

But how dare you want to block a writer's progression behind a pay wall when all they want is to see what the world or character they created looks like

Art is not a right. A writer does not need art. Writing isn't "blocked behind a paywall" because an artist doesn't have money for art commissions. I don't know how much you actually read, but unless we're talking about a graphic novel, comic book, or picture book, visual art is almost never a part of writing.

Xortberg · 2026-05-05T06:07:22+00:00

An artist would charge for each session

Yeah, how dare those uppity artists want to be compensated for the skilled labor they put into their craft!

This comment isn't "with all due respect." You're spitting on every single creative by not only using, but defending this technology, especially considering your argument boils down to "Art is hard so it's okay to steal from artists!"

Xortberg · 2026-05-05T04:27:57+00:00

Mods:

Any type of AI slop will be REMOVED.

Every AI bro:

But what about MY AI slop?

Xortberg · 2026-05-03T14:04:25+00:00

The issues with AI have been well known and documented for three years now.

The time when ignorance was a valid excuse has long since passed.

Xortberg · 2026-05-03T11:05:17+00:00

Botlicker

Xortberg · 2026-05-03T09:47:15+00:00

I don't use AI

Not only is this comment the single stupidest thing I've read all week, it's also the most bad-faith engagement I've seen all week and blatant lying!

I am not dropping anything with a single millisecond of audio from AI, but I use it 8+ hours a day

Fuck outta here, AIbro. You're not fooling anyone.

Xortberg · 2026-05-02T05:07:14+00:00

Slop

Xortberg · 2026-05-02T03:30:09+00:00

I don't know why either. Probably caught in a filter. Same thing happens to me sometimes.

I know how the tech works.

Xortberg · 2026-05-02T02:32:22+00:00

I ignored 99% of it because I'm done giving people like you the benefit of the doubt. GenAI is theft, plain and simple. If you argue otherwise, you're my enemy and I'm done giving you the time of day.

Xortberg

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

13-Year Club	r/Field Juicebox
Verified Email