Crittark Saga - Agot ARR of a Vale Clansman (Now with narration)

[Ran Miller]

Another great chapter. Mara certainly has different appearances though. Sometimes she looks like a crazed zealot. From this entry in her diary, I suppose that fits. Excellent artwork as usual, especially the smiling Weirwood.

It is surprisingly hard to keep the AI art consistent... Also in-game, between the pics - she broke mentally coz of a minor event I didn't include and also got sick! So in my mind, she went full bananas.

That is how I see her - a failed peasant rabble leader who has seen all her friends die, now so desperate she abandoned her gods and joined a group of people she has nothing in common with... basically a crazy old hag in the making!

 

[Ran Miller]

Pov 014 Colianne the Ovenmistress - 'New Blood Pilgrimage'

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[Chac1]

Thanks for the new chapter. Was this a pilgrimage or a recruiting trip?

It is surprisingly hard to keep the AI art consistent... Also in-game, between the pics - she broke mentally coz of a minor event I didn't include and also got sick! So in my mind, she went full bananas.

Perhaps one of the reasons I like the Mara character is sometimes I go "full bananas" too.

Anyway, she's no longer your problem now.

As for consistency with AI art: yes, quite the issue. There are some platforms that have promised such consistency but I have not seen good examples at least in the free versions.

Finally, is the game creating the names of characters? Or is that your imagination at work? Ryella Pridespur is a great name. (And the art doesn't make her as plain as you make her out. However, I have found AI art has difficulty creating "plain" features.)

 

[Ran Miller]

Thanks for the new chapter. Was this a pilgrimage or a recruiting trip?

Perhaps one of the reasons I like the Mara character is sometimes I go "full bananas" too.

Anyway, she's no longer your problem now.

As for consistency with AI art: yes, quite the issue. There are some platforms that have promised such consistency but I have not seen good examples at least in the free versions.

Finally, is the game creating the names of characters? Or is that your imagination at work? Ryella Pridespur is a great name. (And the art doesn't make her as plain as you make her out. However, I have found AI art has difficulty creating "plain" features.)

It was a pilgrimage, what is a recruiting trip? I have never seen the option of having a recruiting trip... (!)
My guy is not religious, so I made it a worldly pilgrimage and had the traveling option to recruit local talent - I assume this is why so many joined.
I was sad Mara left, she was quite the character, but it was a fitting end to her mini-story arc.

About the AI-Consistency, most of the time I like that it is not consistent actually. I like how it sometimes takes things into new directions I did not consider... and with the barbershop I can make the In-Game character look more like the AI depiction - I have done it more with the Unwin story than with the clansmen - for some reason, it really nails them this time. Maybe I just got better at describing them lol.

No, I come up with the nicknames. It's one of my favorite things to do... I do it for all my knights as well, but if I show them all... it will just be an endless stream of introductions lol. I sometimes ask chat-GPT to come up with 10 nicknames for inspiration, rarely good ones, but often a kick in the right direction.

I will attach an unused picture where I think the AI nailed Pridespurs plain-ness;

I think she even has a mole about her eye? Now in my head, she does, and it's those little things the AI makes me think about that I love using it for.

 

[Ran Miller]

Pov 015 Lyn the Greedlyn - 'At Least A Plan'

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[Lord Durham]

Well, after a bit of a marathon session, I've finally caught up. Thanks to @Chac1 for recommending this in the Fundamentals of AI Art Generation thread. I like the 'fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants' method you're taking with telling this tale. Lots of twists and turns. No one is sacred. Probably sucks to lose an interesting character, though. Lots of good lines, too. I had a real chuckle with Berdys the Blamed (or Balmed in the accompanying picture) being "thrown under the wagon." Nice play on a common phrase.

The presentation is wonderful. It has a real graphic novel feel to it. Using Power Point was out of the box thinking. I'm curious. Exactly what Mods are you using?

 

[Ran Miller]

Well, after a bit of a marathon session, I've finally caught up. Thanks to @Chac1 for recommending this in the Fundamentals of AI Art Generation thread. I like the 'fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants' method you're taking with telling this tale. Lots of twists and turns. No one is sacred. Probably sucks to lose an interesting character, though. Lots of good lines, too. I had a real chuckle with Berdys the Blamed (or Balmed in the accompanying picture) being "thrown under the wagon." Nice play on a common phrase.

The presentation is wonderful. It has a real graphic novel feel to it. Using Power Point was out of the box thinking. I'm curious. Exactly what Mods are you using?

Thanks for the compliments! Really glad you like the 'fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants' method, it's the one thing I fear will alienate people because it makes the story somewhat disjointed. Other then the usual subjective things like the writing, the AI art and the overweighted spleling mistkes. So it doubly warms my heart you specifically mentioned that!

Balmed... yes... my typing is horrid sometimes. >.<

Mods Used (major ones);
Agot
Agot: Minor House Flavor
Agot: House Founders
Agot - Dynasties Modifiers
Agot: Immersion
Agot - Armies of Westerose (+ Remastered)
Rui: Character Unofficial
Better Murder

I also attached the .json file you can import as a playset. Note that not all mods should be active, some minor ones I am still waiting on updates but left them in the playset. Basically use at your own risk, but a good place to start.

 

[Chac1]

I liked Jacene's song: who knew Syrona had married such a ladies man? (Or is all that fiction?)

Thanks also for the insights on the mods you are using. More than I had known.

It was a pilgrimage, what is a recruiting trip? I have never seen the option of having a recruiting trip... (!)
My guy is not religious, so I made it a worldly pilgrimage and had the traveling option to recruit local talent - I assume this is why so many joined.

Well, I can see my attempt at humor fell flat there. Having never played this CK3 modded version, I was just attempting a jest. Many new recruits for the plot was definitely the result.

No, I come up with the nicknames. It's one of my favorite things to do... I do it for all my knights as well, but if I show them all... it will just be an endless stream of introductions lol. I sometimes ask chat-GPT to come up with 10 nicknames for inspiration, rarely good ones, but often a kick in the right direction.

Great nicknames. If you have a character editor I see how you can then insert those into the game.

I will attach an unused picture where I think the AI nailed Pridespurs plain-ness;

I think she even has a mole about her eye? Now in my head, she does, and it's those little things the AI makes me think about that I love using it for.

The mole under her eye gives her quite the striking and mysterious quality. In my opinion she is far from plain but now that she is a married woman I had best keep my opinions to myself.

I've been reading some of your stuff, what's your process btw? I like that you also add music... I was experimenting with AI narration, but it costs too much... although the results were quite interesting;
https://whyp.it/tracks/227626/seaborn?token=auCEx - A Sermon
https://whyp.it/tracks/227627/lord-crab-01?token=PfNOA - A clueless Arborian Lord.
https://whyp.it/tracks/227628/thirsty-dwarf-partial?token=oIj9w - A Lusty Follower.

Going back to some early threads of conversation, I tried these audio tracks but couldn't get anything to play. Did you take the audio down?

Thanks again for this series and the latest chapter.

 

[Ran Miller]

I liked Jacene's song: who knew Syrona had married such a ladies man? (Or is all that fiction?)

Well... he was lusty and a wealthy lower noble... (high stewardship) so I'm pretty sure he was quite the ladies man.
If you liked him, you will love the 'Karene Wiltwood the Seer of the Golden Leaves' (POVs 25-26) one of the rare moments I actually giggled while writing.

Great nicknames. If you have a character editor I see how you can then insert those into the game.

I do not have a character editor, there is a small mod that just allows you to give nicknames to anyone - and I abuse it.

Going back to some early threads of conversation, I tried these audio tracks but couldn't get anything to play. Did you take the audio down?

Oh poop, it seems where I chose to upload it already deleted it.
I never messed with audio files so I don't know where to even post them lol.
I will try to attached the smaller ones to this post while I figure out where is the easiest to post them...

Edit: I upload the sound files here;
A Sermon
A Shady Character
A clueless Arborian Lord.
A Lusty Follower.
Also updated the OG post where I mentioned them.
By the looks of it, this site wont delete them after 5m lol.

 

[Ran Miller]

Pov 016 Ryella Pridespur - 'My First Excellent Command'

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[Chac1]

Well that is a mixed result for Crittark and his clan. We will see how he meets the challenge next time.

By the way, I have nominated you @Ran Miller as the Best Character Writer of the Week. This is one of the four weekly awards that we offer to writers in AARland. You may want to check that out.

And now some loose ends from earlier...

I remain interested in the great art work on display in this AAR. You are actually getting pretty good consistency with how some of the characters are drawn, especially Crittark. Are you paying for Chat GPT's visuals or is this a free version? Are you using any other programs to touch up the AI results? Personally, I have not seen anything like this AAR on the forums in my short time here. Perhaps others could weigh in on this. Perhaps you have the very first truly graphic novel AAR here.

 

[Lord Durham]

A good news/bad news kind of day. Crittark has his victory, and even if it was against peasant rabble, his men gained experience and the beginnings of a reputation. It was a shame to lose the land, but I'm sure something better will come along.

And I echo what @Chac1 said. The consistency in the graphics are amazing. They really add to the overall presentation.

 

[Ran Miller]

By the way, I have nominated you @Ran Miller as the Best Character Writer of the Week. This is one of the four weekly awards that we offer to writers in AARland. You may want to check that out.

Thank you! This is quite an honor... not really sure what to say!
I am ashamed to admit I'm not much of an ARR reader myself... every time I actually sit and read I get 'the Itch' and boot up the game.
I used to read ARR's while commuting or when I had free time not next to my PC - sadly (?) those times are getting rarer.
So I cannot comment on the abysmal sad state of things that the likes of me are nominated.

I remain interested in the great art work on display in this AAR. You are actually getting pretty good consistency with how some of the characters are drawn, especially Crittark. Are you paying for Chat GPT's visuals or is this a free version? Are you using any other programs to touch up the AI results? Personally, I have not seen anything like this AAR on the forums in my short time here. Perhaps others could weigh in on this. Perhaps you have the very first truly graphic novel AAR here.

Yes, I do pay for the Pro Version of Chat GPT. I think its worth it for the other things it provides, there are much better options. I will shout out openart.ai, which was the browser based Ai generator I got the coolest things out of during my trial. But paying for two of these seems redundant. Not to mention that if I am to throw more money on this hobby - It would go towards AI narration.

A good news/bad news kind of day. Crittark has his victory, and even if it was against peasant rabble, his men gained experience and the beginnings of a reputation. It was a shame to lose the land, but I'm sure something better will come along.

And I echo what @Chac1 said. The consistency in the graphics are amazing. They really add to the overall presentation.

Yes.. lots of ups and downs in his story... and many curve balls... I'm actually surprised where the story took me... (spoilers, he does get landed in his lifetime - something I was not planning, as I love to be an adventurer, it feels more intimate)

 

[Chac1]

Not to mention that if I am to throw more money on this hobby - It would go towards AI narration.

I have to say, those AI narratives were also quite good. How expensive is it to use such a voice generator?

If I ever make an audio version of my AAR is it possible to do so without breaking the bank?

 

[jak7139]

Read all of this just now. It is very good and I'm glad the AAR Showcase highlighted it!

Not sure if you've ever played it, but the backgrounds of your images look like something from Mount & Blade: Warband.

 

[Ran Miller]

I have to say, those AI narratives were also quite good. How expensive is it to use such a voice generator?

If I ever make an audio version of my AAR is it possible to do so without breaking the bank?

Depends how good you want it to sound... i seem to have lost my notes from when i did my research, and my memory is just baaaaad...
So anywhere between 500$ annually, to 15$ monthly... but tbh it seems the Ai voice industry is somewhat in a limbo atm.

 

[Ran Miller]

Read all of this just now. It is very good and I'm glad the AAR Showcase highlighted it!

Not sure if you've ever played it, but the backgrounds of your images look like something from Mount & Blade: Warband.

lol I sure did, actually I spent more time playing Prophecy of Pelnor - one of the best mods ever made for an anything.

As for the backgrounds, it was not my intention... it came organically... its one of the default options on power point that contrasts the least with txt...
You think this is how the M&B guys came up with it?

 

[Ran Miller]

Pov 017 Lyn the Greedlyn - 'Darklyn Times'

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Errata: Thanks to @Chac1, I am now fully aware the 2nd paragraph of the first page repeats on the 2nd page. There is no other paragraph that should be there instead, I just repeated myself like the fool I am. Taking it out is not worth the effort, as the slide will just look worse with just one somewhat anemic paragraph in it. I also can't find any related pictures to fluff it up - so I will just take the quality hit and explain myself in case someone else notices.

 

[jak7139]

Another frustrating moment for the clan. At least none of your followers died during it.

As for the backgrounds, it was not my intention... it came organically... its one of the default options on power point that contrasts the least with txt...
You think this is how the M&B guys came up with it?

Warband was made well before AI art became a thing (2010). I just thought your backgrounds were reminiscent of it. Like this, with its hand-drawn, black-and-white style:

 

[Chac1]

I understand Crittark's frustration. Seems too often that folks who follow the rules get left in the dust.

Perhaps this is foreshadowing to tell us Crittark might break from that philosophy in the future?