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AI assisted graphics: Character modeling
As a fun little prototype, I wanted to see how much work would it be to use AI character design and graphics as much as possible for a 2.5D point and click style game.
Echoes of Somewhere
An experimental freeware 2.5D adventure game featuring AI-assisted graphics.
Each episode within the series offers 1-4 hours of classic point-and-click gameplay, featuring a self-contained story.
What is this about?
How it all started
Updates
Development Blog
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Magnific AI
The lower resolution background images for the game are upscaled with Magnific AI to massive 4k+ resolution.
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Using ChatGPT for code (city hall part5)
Using ChatGPT to help program a camera controller for a new location comprised of only one ultra-wide image.
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Project update week #46
I have now been working on this project for 46 weeks. Posting an update every week. But this week was a bit different!
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City hall scene exterior 3D modeling (city hall part 4)
This scene is a bit different from your basic scene, as it has a lot of traffic and a functional maglev system. So this is actually a replacement scene for the maglev station when you travel to the city hall.
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Particle based traffic (city hall part 3)
The city in the game is meant to be full of Particle based traffic and the city hall exterior scene is the first scene where this is on full display. The same traffic will also be used to liven up the travel screens.
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Upgrading old Midjourney generations
Some of the game locations were made with midjourney V4 back in the day. And it has an aesthetic I love, but I recently stumbled upon ways to upgrading old locations all within Midjourney to make them a lot better!
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Sub Surface Scattering
Quick sub surface scattering solution with Unity URP shader graph.
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Cloth Sim
It was always my goal to use cloth sim on the character. The hair, the small pouch and the jacket just screamed to be made dynamic.
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Using Midjourney editing tools (city hall part 2)
Sometimes these locations require more art direction. More specific features. In these cases, a lot more work is required. Here is a breakdown for how to use Midjourney editing tools to direct the image generation.
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AI voiceovers
For the voiceovers of Echoes of Somewhere I will be doing a hybrid solution: some voiceovers will be real humans, some will be AI and some will be handled by Apple’s text to speech tech from the 90’s.
News
News on AI
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Steam’s stance on generative AI: The AI paradox
For the longest time there has been murmurs that Valve has been rejecting games with generative AI content from their Steam store. Let’s take a look into it!
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The Adventure Game Hotspot Podcast
I was recently interviewed on the Adventure Game Hotspot podcast. We talked about Echoes of Somewhere and the potential and the limits of using AI for game production.
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Premortem Games interview
A really interesting gaming news site, PreMortem Games posted and interview about Echoes of Somewhere.
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Article on Adventure Game Hotspot
A website focused on covering adventure games, Adventure Game Hotspot, , wrote an article about Echoes of Somewhere. The piece is very interesting as it includes reactions to the game from the adventure game developer community.
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a16z shoutout
Echoes of Somewhere was briefly featured in a recent Andreessen Horowitz blog post about AI in games.
In the media
Media Reactions
PC Gamer
The project convincingly shows how an individual artist with limited resources can use these controversial, questionably ethical tools to punch above their weight when developing a game.
80 Level Talent
A massive 2-part breakdown, describing the pipeline behind the project, discussing the process of creating characters and environments using artificial intelligence.
Meet the
The Developers
We are working on this on our free time, so this is our hobby. There are no milestones or deadlines.
Jussi Kemppainen
AI, Art, Story & Design
Lauri Konttori
Story consultant
Bjørn Jacobsen
Audio consultant