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Originally posted by Ethnic duck: The monsters are also generated by a neural network. This is especially noticeable if you look closer at the head of the Mud Raptor(pet), it is also visible on the small pets. Also decorative elements like cabinets.

If most (I can't say all, probably) sprites were generated by AI, then modified by an artist, it doesn't mean that AI is not visible everywhere.

Just stepping in here to correct some statements.

Our artists have used "photobashing" to create assets in the game. With this technique, an artist can create a starting point by combining photos, 3d-models and hand-painted images, then paint over it and modify it to their needs and designs. The materials used are fully licensed and purchased, or free to use when credited correctly, which we do. This technique is very common, especially in the games industry, where it is usually one of the first things digital artists learn when getting started.

There are a handful of cases where our artists have utilized generative AI instead, in a limited way. An example of this would be the current loading screens. Some of the starting images in them were created with generative AI, but all of them have been modified by our artists to create the final version.

However, the sprites mentioned here do not use any AI. They are all fully handmade, and most of them (like the mudraptor) were made well before any generative AI models were even available for use. Perhaps the texture compression in the game engine has created some artifacts which could nowadays be interpreted as "looking like AI"?

We have not used any neural networks to create assets, and in the handful of cases where AI has been utilized, it was done very minimally by our artists to create a basis upon which to build on.

In any case, the next Barotrauma update will actually include new, fully handmade loading screens to replace the ones that utilized some AI generated parts.

I hope this clears things up!