AI Policy

The use of generative AI in a creative industry is fraught. The impacts of this new technology are not yet well-understood, and policies governing its implementation and usage are nascent.

As an independent games designer, I am a maker in a creative industry. I seek to create games that inspire players to make their own tabletop experiences, and to use miniatures and accessories from the full universe of makers and manufacturers. I care about supporting other makers, and being part of a rich and sustainable ecosystem of designers, artists and entrepreneurs.

I cannot tell where the technologies and global policies are headed, but I wish to publish a draft statement about the principles that will govern my personal use of generative AI in the context of Planet Smasher Games.

Planet Smasher Games Draft AI Policy (Dec 2023)

The summary of my draft policy is:

I may use generative AI tools during the prototyping and development process, but will not directly use their output in my final game products.

  1. I will not include text or artwork created using generative AI tools in any game I release as a physical product, either batch-produced or print-on-demand.
  2. Games I release as “Early Access” prototype games and in an “Open Beta” phase may contain artwork created using generative AI tools.
  3. Artwork created using generative AI tools will be attributed as such, either in the text of the work, or nearby to the image.
  4. I may use generative AI tools as part of my creative process, for example as a way of triggering my imagination.

This policy is a first draft, written in good faith and with the best information I have here at the tail end of 2023. I reserve the right to be smarter tomorrow than I am today.

Where have I used content created using generative AI tools already?

  • The holding image for Berserker, a nascent game idea that is in a pre-prototype stage, was created using Midjourney.
  • The cover image for The Floor Is Lava, a prototype game, was created using Midjourney.
  • During the process of writing Hobgoblin, I created images using Midjourney which I used to trigger my imagination of Rotvarlden, when I needed inspiration to kickstart my creative process.
  • To create the masthead image for this webpage.