Thomas McAuley:
UI/UX Designer & Visual Strategist
Embracing AI in the Design Process
AI/Generative Assistance
Shortly after ChatCPT 4.o hit and immediately worked its way into every aspect of our culture, a wise designer said—
AI won’t put designers out of work.
Designers who embrace AI will.
In a world where AI is often viewed as a disruptor, I see it as an invaluable tool that amplifies my creative potential and expands the boundaries of game design. Unlike many designers who view AI with caution, I have embraced it as a powerful ally in my workflow. By integrating AI—primarily MidJourney and ChatGPT—into my design process, I can streamline idea generation, enhance visual creativity, and build upon a foundation of advanced technology to produce unique, engaging game visuals.
Brainstorming and Ideation
One of the most time-consuming aspects of game design is the early conceptual phase, where ideas are still raw and undefined. Here, AI serves as my creative collaborator. By using tools like ChatGPT, I can rapidly brainstorm concepts, refine story elements, and explore unique gameplay mechanics. This accelerates the creative process, giving me a wealth of ideas to draw from as I move toward design and prototyping. ChatGPT helps organize my thoughts and challenges my concepts, making sure every idea is thoroughly explored.
Enhancing, Perfecting, and Isolating Elements
Once AI generates an initial visual, I draw upon my expertise in industry-leading tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to refine, adjust, and perfect each element. AI-generated images often need fine-tuning to fit seamlessly into a game’s visual language. This can include removing artifacts, enhancing color and detail, and isolating elements to be used as standalone assets. From character sprites to background textures, I ensure that every asset meets the high-quality standards expected in the gaming industry.
Generative Art as a Starting Point
MidJourney provides me with a versatile platform to generate initial artwork, which serves as the foundation for my designs. Rather than replace traditional methods, I use MidJourney to quickly create starting visuals that capture the aesthetic I want to achieve in each game. These generative images become the springboard for further customization, allowing me to quickly visualize complex environments, characters, and assets. By leveraging AI to initiate visuals, I can experiment with various styles and settings at a much faster pace, setting the stage for a unique and immersive player experience.
Constantly Evolving with Al
AI is not a replacement for creativity but a tool that enhances it. Every day, I discover new ways to incorporate AI into my game design process, whether it’s generating unique textures, building dynamic UI elements, or conceptualizing new characters. The result is a workflow that is faster, more flexible, and more innovative, allowing me to deliver visually captivating and immersive experiences to players.
Why This Matters for Game Design
Incorporating AI allows me to keep pace with the rapidly evolving gaming landscape. It’s a tool that empowers me to go beyond traditional design limits, producing high-quality, engaging visuals that resonate with today’s players. By marrying AI’s generative capabilities with my experience in graphic refinement and animation, I am able to create video game art that is both cutting-edge and artistically rich.