I was recently travelling, and out of airport boredom began playing with phone apps for AI image generation. I discovered that the “Microsoft Designer” app – available for phone and PC – produces very, very different results from the “CoPilot Designer” website. It feels rather slow. but the results can be spectacular for character rendering. I have not yet experimented with source imagery, action shots, etc. And it operates on the “daily limit” method rather than OpenArt’s “monthy pay subscription”.
Haflings on Parade:
So I was initially experimenting with ideas for a future all-halfling party for when Solasta 2 is released. I was just playing with character concepts, and settled on the following rough outlines for a set of halflings who grew up together in an orphanage as refugees of the Sorak War. Not strictly related, but all from the same small village. Idea is to run with “a halfling-eye view of the world”
That led to the following set from Designer:
Team Lead:
Halfling fighter woman, team lead. replacement Mom
“Dragonlance painting of a young halfling woman adventurer. She is Sicilian. age 22. 3’2” tall. plain face. Stout athletic build. Short curly brown hair. Brown eyes. Expression of bemused approval. Easy stance wearing leather armor. White shirt. Simple headband tied around her forehead. Brown pants. Leather boots. Short sword on one hip, dagger on other.. hands on her hips“
“Dragonlance painting of a confident young halfling woman adventurer. She is Sicilian. age 22. 3’2” tall. plain face. Stout athletic build. Short pixie-cut brown hair. Brown eyes. Bemused smile. Easy stance leaning left. wearing reinforced leather armor hauberk. White shirt. Simple headband tied around her forehead. Brown pants with stitched sides. Leather boots. holding a spear in one hand. her other hand is on her hip.“
Troublemaker:
Halfling archer rogue man. wanderer. cynical joker.
“Dragonlance painting of a cynical young halfling archer. He is Sicilian. age 20, 3’6” tall. lanky build. Long black hair. Easy smile. Brown eyes. wearing leather armor and holding a short bow at ease. Green shirt. Brown pants. Leather boots. Leaning lazily against a tree and sizing up the viewer with a cocked head. brown sicilian hat. chewing a strand of wheat“
Something funky happening with his bow-string, but nothing you wouldn’t occasionally see with any AI. And fixable.
Paladin
Halfling paladin man, upper-class. idealistic. naive..
“Dragonlance painting of an idealistic young halfling paladin. He is Sicilian. age 20, 3’6” tall.. wide face. Light skin. Burly. stocky build. Strong. Neat dark blonde hair tied back. Small goatee. Smiling Brown eyes. Expression of enthusiasm. wearing a chainmail shirt and greeting the viewer with style. Blue cape. White shirt. Black pants. Leather boots. Short sword on his belt.“
Sorcerer/Warlock
Halfling warlock (dream) woman. dancer. psychic. enchanter. free-spirited artist. very ADHD
“Dragonlance painting of a free-sprited young hobbit sorceress warmly greeting the viewer. She is Sicilian . age 20, 3’ tall. stout dancer build. Long curly black hair. Green eyes. Wide smile. wearing a green headscarf, a leather vest over a white shirt, a flowery green skirt. Leather sandals.”
So then, having just revisited the Hero and the Kat for the statues in the last episode, I gave them a run. Note: I did tweak the descriptions between the variations here – mostly switching between “Larry Elmore fantasy”, “Clyde Caldwell fantasy”, and “fantasy”. See if you can tell which is which.
Roland
“larry elmore painting;;a french paladin standing heroically with an easy smile,age 50,noble,strong,muscular,haggard face,broad chin,dark blonde hair,blue eyes,goatee,wearing simple tabard over well worn platemail,friendly smile. full length view’
Kat
“larry elmore painting;an italian rogue woman smirks mischieviously at the viewer. age 30, short black bob hair, beautiful, slender fit build, wearing black leather armor, sassy stance, know-it-all look. full length view“
Falcon
“larry elmore painting;;spanish duelist man,age 32,small spanish goatee,dark-skinned,wiry build,scars,worn leather armor,facial tattoo of falcon,unkempt long black hair,relaxed smile,confident stance. full length view“
Tess
“larry elmore painting;;cockney half-elf woman looking distantly at the horizon, age 30, ranger, pointed ears, long black hair covering right side of her face, buzz cut on the left side, mystic tattoos on her face, leather armor, saffron cape. full length view“
And finally, I had let it give the Raccoons a try!
Marty
“larry elmore painting; A teenage alabama cleric greets the viewer. He is age 19, 5’10”, heavyset build. He has curly brown hair, wide face, and stubble. He is wearing a white tabard with a stylized owl symbol and chainmail armor over a brown gambeson. Leather boots. He has a flanged mace strapped to his belt.. full length view“
Svetjana
“larry elmore painting;;A teenage swedish warrior girl poses heroically with a longsword. she is age 18, 6’3″, 180 lbs. braided short blonde hair. flashing blue eyes. muscular build with well-defined muscles. Wearing a long scale-mail shirt, a leather belt, red mini skirt, leather greaves, and leather boots. full length view“
Hans
“larry elmore painting; A short dwarven rogue observes the viewer with a mischevious smirk. he is age 19, 4’6″, fantasy dwarf. swedish. Short, stout, and stocky. wide shoulders. short stumpy legs. Strong, unkempt shoulder-length auburn hair braided back, thin beard, no moustache. black studded leather armor, brown shirt, black pants, black leather boots. He is standing leaning against the wall and cleaning his fingernails with a long dagger.. full length view“
Winny
“larry elmore painting; A teenage swedish woman looks at the viewer with a sly sarcastic grin. she is 18, 5’4″, 100 lbs. skinny. limp auburn hair. thin face. freckles. green eyes. She is wearing a simple black cloak over a frumpy black dress, and a worn black witches hat, leggings, and black boots.. A sparrow perches on her hat brim. She is holding a twisted wooden druid staff… full length view“
Overall, to me these are some *spectacular* results. Definitely worth playing with for character generation/source images at minimum.
Leave a Reply