Shar Dundred
Hosted Project: LoA
- Joined
- May 6, 2009
- Messages
- 6,393
Legends of Arkain Series
23rd February 2026
Ladies and gentlemen,
today I bring you a bit of a longer newspost.
First:
You have made your choice. First, Veln will embrace his past before abandoning it.
Once that section of the path has been finished, Veln will abandon his past and you will see where that takes him.
And perhaps... there is another... Skywa-- Wrong text.
The poll has been fairly one-sided from the beginning. Considering who this is
Work on the next chapter is going good. The terrain is mostly done.
You are going to a fun place!
Stay tuned!
Now on to the second part of this post:
It has been over eleven years since I have first posted Arkain on this website - back then it was naught but a little map development thread.
For me it has been even longer since the "actual" start of the project was two years earlier before it went on a two year hiatus. That was in 2012. Oh dear.
A long time has passed and many things have changed since then. I am on the way to my fourties now and still here, the world has gone through interesting times.
The world we live in today is very different from what it was like back then. Much has changed, society has adapted, relations changed and new technology was introduced.
Some of you may already suspect where this is going, bear with me a bit before scrolling down.
Arkain has always been an important project to me and it still is. I have always been very set in my ways, I still am really, though I am willing to adapt if deemed necessary.
1.29.2 for example has been a blessing for Arkain. We all know Blizzard has screwed up on multiple instances with their patches, but this one has been used for Arkain for
many years now and I am very satisfied with it.
I have toyed with the idea of moving to newer patches over the years but always discarded it and I think there is no need to change that at the moment. I'd be interested
to hear if many of you use newer versions but that's not what I wish to talk about here.
One core aspect of Arkain is and has always been: I am the driving factor. I design all the maps, I write all scripts and dialogues, I create the tech trees, abilities, items, etc.
@Kasrkin has been a vital point in discussing the lore and adjusting things and his aid as a tester has been invaluable.
Several model creators such as @Rhapsodie, @r.ace613 or @johnwar and many others, too many to name them all here, have edited or created resources for Arkain which I am
incredibly thankful for. Their work, as well as Kasrkin's and my own have made Arkain what it is today: A wonderful universe to dive into and to enjoy.
And we will KEEP GOING. There are many great creations and events still ahead of us!
I am not sure if I will still be here in ten years but that was also the case ten years ago and yet here I am! And so is my co-director @Kasrkin!
Now, there have always been things that I have not been able to do or to organize people to do it for me. And this is where I want, no NEED, YOUR input. The opinion of the active Arkain community, whether you play yourself, read the posts in the forum or watch it on YouTube, not of someone who has nothing to do with Arkain and just wants to make a statement for the sake of their own ego.
As you are aware, I have categorically refused to use some tools other projects are making regular use of; such as AI voice.
Because a part of me is still in 2012, where it all began, wanting to do things myself or not do them at all. Make things right by yourself or not at all. But the world has turned since then. I got older and have more responsibilities now than I had back then.
To get to the point:
I find myself wondering these days if my categoric refusal to use AI is slightly outdated.
There are many things AI cannot or should not be used for very clear moral and social reasons - and due to quality too if we are being honest. Companies should not replace their art departments with AI. But we are talking about a fan project here, freely accessible to everyone with no employees losing any jobs.
To be clear: The creative process of creating WarCraft content & lore for Arkain will continue as it always has no matter what. I would never trust an AI to correctly comprehend a single chapter or, god forbid, WRITE one. Or a short story. Or anything that establishes actual canon.
I am also opposed to the idea of using AI for 2D art. Use AI art to show that something else is AI-generated, fine, but not AI art by itself.
At the same time, however, there is the possibility that AI might expand the overall experience - maybe not within the campaign but without.
AI is capable of many things these days and it is a tool - a tool that is being abused by many people out of sheer laziness.
Properly used with care and restraint as well as patience and skill, its power could perhaps be fully utilized in a way that does not harm but enrich.
No AI slop, no, quality assurance and, I have to say it again because let's face it that is a big factor, patience.
Before anyone panics, I must clarify: This is NOT a decision I have already made.
I would not ask for your input if I had made the decision already, I would just say it and accept the consequences.
Some of you may also think I am making an ant hill into a mountain - perhaps so, but to my knowledge the topic has been controversial in online communities.
I have set up a poll - and I ask that you treat this topic with respect and sincerity.
This is just a look at general opinions within the Arkain community regarding the matter.
If the poll i. e. ends up favoring AI, I might experiment around with it, share the result and see that I do not want to use it anymore.
I might also still decide that I prefer not to use AI for the time being but it gives me a general idea how you, the community, view the topic.
Whatever the case, I will, of course, as always, act with restraint and discipline.
Here are the options you can vote for:
1) Use AI freely, i. e. also inside the campaign for voice acting
2) Use AI but limit its usages to outside of the campaign such as songs
3) Do not use AI at all
4) Either way is fine
Click here to cast your vote.
Should you wish to discuss this matter or elaborate your opinion, use the Round Table of Arkain.
It may be a passionate topic for some of you, I understand that, yet there is no reason to insult other viewpoints.
I am positive that the Arkain community will remain civil and talk about this topic like any other without any inflamatory language.
I am looking forward to reading and seeing your opinions!
Ladies and gentlemen,
today I bring you a bit of a longer newspost.
First:
You have made your choice. First, Veln will embrace his past before abandoning it.
Once that section of the path has been finished, Veln will abandon his past and you will see where that takes him.
And perhaps... there is another... Skywa-- Wrong text.
The poll has been fairly one-sided from the beginning. Considering who this is
Work on the next chapter is going good. The terrain is mostly done.
You are going to a fun place!
Stay tuned!
Now on to the second part of this post:
It has been over eleven years since I have first posted Arkain on this website - back then it was naught but a little map development thread.
For me it has been even longer since the "actual" start of the project was two years earlier before it went on a two year hiatus. That was in 2012. Oh dear.
A long time has passed and many things have changed since then. I am on the way to my fourties now and still here, the world has gone through interesting times.
The world we live in today is very different from what it was like back then. Much has changed, society has adapted, relations changed and new technology was introduced.
Some of you may already suspect where this is going, bear with me a bit before scrolling down.
Arkain has always been an important project to me and it still is. I have always been very set in my ways, I still am really, though I am willing to adapt if deemed necessary.
1.29.2 for example has been a blessing for Arkain. We all know Blizzard has screwed up on multiple instances with their patches, but this one has been used for Arkain for
many years now and I am very satisfied with it.
I have toyed with the idea of moving to newer patches over the years but always discarded it and I think there is no need to change that at the moment. I'd be interested
to hear if many of you use newer versions but that's not what I wish to talk about here.
One core aspect of Arkain is and has always been: I am the driving factor. I design all the maps, I write all scripts and dialogues, I create the tech trees, abilities, items, etc.
@Kasrkin has been a vital point in discussing the lore and adjusting things and his aid as a tester has been invaluable.
Several model creators such as @Rhapsodie, @r.ace613 or @johnwar and many others, too many to name them all here, have edited or created resources for Arkain which I am
incredibly thankful for. Their work, as well as Kasrkin's and my own have made Arkain what it is today: A wonderful universe to dive into and to enjoy.
And we will KEEP GOING. There are many great creations and events still ahead of us!
I am not sure if I will still be here in ten years but that was also the case ten years ago and yet here I am! And so is my co-director @Kasrkin!
Now, there have always been things that I have not been able to do or to organize people to do it for me. And this is where I want, no NEED, YOUR input. The opinion of the active Arkain community, whether you play yourself, read the posts in the forum or watch it on YouTube, not of someone who has nothing to do with Arkain and just wants to make a statement for the sake of their own ego.
As you are aware, I have categorically refused to use some tools other projects are making regular use of; such as AI voice.
Because a part of me is still in 2012, where it all began, wanting to do things myself or not do them at all. Make things right by yourself or not at all. But the world has turned since then. I got older and have more responsibilities now than I had back then.
To get to the point:
I find myself wondering these days if my categoric refusal to use AI is slightly outdated.
There are many things AI cannot or should not be used for very clear moral and social reasons - and due to quality too if we are being honest. Companies should not replace their art departments with AI. But we are talking about a fan project here, freely accessible to everyone with no employees losing any jobs.
To be clear: The creative process of creating WarCraft content & lore for Arkain will continue as it always has no matter what. I would never trust an AI to correctly comprehend a single chapter or, god forbid, WRITE one. Or a short story. Or anything that establishes actual canon.
I am also opposed to the idea of using AI for 2D art. Use AI art to show that something else is AI-generated, fine, but not AI art by itself.
At the same time, however, there is the possibility that AI might expand the overall experience - maybe not within the campaign but without.
AI is capable of many things these days and it is a tool - a tool that is being abused by many people out of sheer laziness.
Properly used with care and restraint as well as patience and skill, its power could perhaps be fully utilized in a way that does not harm but enrich.
No AI slop, no, quality assurance and, I have to say it again because let's face it that is a big factor, patience.
Before anyone panics, I must clarify: This is NOT a decision I have already made.
I would not ask for your input if I had made the decision already, I would just say it and accept the consequences.
Some of you may also think I am making an ant hill into a mountain - perhaps so, but to my knowledge the topic has been controversial in online communities.
I have set up a poll - and I ask that you treat this topic with respect and sincerity.
This is just a look at general opinions within the Arkain community regarding the matter.
If the poll i. e. ends up favoring AI, I might experiment around with it, share the result and see that I do not want to use it anymore.
I might also still decide that I prefer not to use AI for the time being but it gives me a general idea how you, the community, view the topic.
Whatever the case, I will, of course, as always, act with restraint and discipline.
Here are the options you can vote for:
1) Use AI freely, i. e. also inside the campaign for voice acting
2) Use AI but limit its usages to outside of the campaign such as songs
3) Do not use AI at all
4) Either way is fine
Click here to cast your vote.
Should you wish to discuss this matter or elaborate your opinion, use the Round Table of Arkain.
It may be a passionate topic for some of you, I understand that, yet there is no reason to insult other viewpoints.
I am positive that the Arkain community will remain civil and talk about this topic like any other without any inflamatory language.
I am looking forward to reading and seeing your opinions!
