RetroDECK
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XargonWan
Rekku: The RetroDECK Mascot
Rekku the RetroDECK Mascot
Sstill needs to be designed
User Nattergalen is looking into it.
Rekku Ideas
- The characters animation rig should be made in such a way as they are swap-able as different outfits.
- 3/4 view, facing the user. Something recalling old retro style character portraits (see Xargons examples).
- The inspiration is retro gaming and the main RetroDECK Colors: blue, violet and black.
- She is a genie with cyborg / robot features.
- Instead of the eyes she got two dot matrix like screens that are showing her emotions.
- Her ears are pointy like an elf.
- She should be expressive and able to be slightly animated to simulate speech with mouth, eyes etc...
- She should come out of a game genie style game cart.
Rekku functions
- Rekku should guide you in your first install.
- Rekku should guide if you you want to remove RetroDECK.
- Rekku should guide if you when you upgrade.
- Rekku should guide you in the Configurator and it's functions.
Configurator
- The users should be able to not to use Rekku if they don't want.
- You should also just be able to turn off her voice (text noise) but still use Rekku.
- Rekku should be able to swap outfits via the swap outfit system in the Configurator: https://github.com/XargonWan/RetroDECK/issues/859
There are many problems with this 😩 I was tempted to just walk away and quietly unsubscribe from this thread after seeing your post. But we had a discussion on some other threads, and I was interested by this mascot design, so I feel I have to at least write a constructive critique before leaving.
By creating and posting this pack of generic genAI artwork, you probably felt like you were strengthening the visual identity for Rekku/RetroDECK. It really feels like you are full on your own research and are getting closer and closer to what you really want (many examples are now really convergent in the same rendering, design, style, art direction, shading, etc...) and the artist who will have to take charge of the execution will just have to "artwash" the AI gen you did... Outch.
One or Two AiGen images here was already "cringe", but I could understand it as mistakes and random trial and error. However, a full pack of them going in the same type of finishing, style, and art-direction is problematic. As an artist, part of my enjoyment and motivation is to create and contribute to projects that didn't have a visual identity in the past, giving them a "face" and giving them a visual identity (like I did for Peertube in 2017). Here, you took the creation away, you took the visual identity already. Bravo, you took away all the fun this task potentially had for any artist contributor...
Not to mention the big underlying ethical issue here: as you know, AI gen tech was built on downloading and training on thousands of my artworks without my consent, 20 years of my career online. Not even speaking about ecology or the governance of the entities who produce that, that I really have hard time to understand how FLOSS contributors can still use that.
So, all in all, trying to attract volunteer contributor artists by prototyping to this point with AI gen art, is first making the work not interesting at all on a creative and artistic point of view (I'll NEVER be a AI gen artwasher), and second an ethical no-go for me.
There are many problems with this 😩 I was tempted to just walk away and quietly unsubscribe from this thread after seeing your post. But we had a discussion on some other threads, and I was interested by this mascot design, so I feel I have to at least write a constructive critique before leaving.
By creating and posting this pack of generic genAI artwork, you probably felt like you were strengthening the visual identity for Rekku/RetroDECK. It really feels like you are full on your own research and are getting closer and closer to what you really want (many examples are now really convergent in the same rendering, design, style, art direction, shading, etc...) and the artist who will have to take charge of the execution will just have to "artwash" the AI gen you did... Outch.
One or Two AiGen images here was already "cringe", but I could understand it as mistakes and random trial and error. However, a full pack of them going in the same type of finishing, style, and art-direction is problematic. As an artist, part of my enjoyment and motivation is to create and contribute to projects that didn't have a visual identity in the past, giving them a "face" and giving them a visual identity (like I did for Peertube in 2017). Here, you took the creation away, you took the visual identity already. Bravo, you took away all the fun this task potentially had for any artist contributor...
Not to mention the big underlying ethical issue here: as you know, AI gen tech was built on downloading and training on thousands of my artworks without my consent, 20 years of my career online. Not even speaking about ecology or the governance of the entities who produce that, that I really have hard time to understand how FLOSS contributors can still use that.
So, all in all, trying to attract volunteer contributor artists by prototyping to this point with AI gen art, is first making the work not interesting at all on a creative and artistic point of view (I'll NEVER be a AI gen artwasher), and second an ethical no-go for me.
I'll have removed the pocs, it was just some Xargon made on the fly I just added them to the issue. The goal was never to have artwasher but have something unique. If we felt that was our path, we could use an AI generated mascot from the get go and not create an issue about it at all.
But feedback noted and they have been removed.
They where based on the vroid model Xargon made.
Hi, Sorry for joining the discussion this late -- after agreeing to work on RetroDECK's mascot a long time ago, family and work kept me busy and I totally forgot about this until now.
How is the mascot design going at the moment? Do you still want my help?
Hi, Sorry for joining the discussion this late -- after agreeing to work on RetroDECK's mascot a long time ago, family and work kept me busy and I totally forgot about this until now.
How is the mascot design going at the moment? Do you still want my help?
Do you want to? :D
Well there has only been several ideas floating around and it's has not been a priority, as we want it to happen organically. We are very busy with 0.10.0b.
Some of our ideas has been:
- RetroGenie concept above.
- We have also talked about a Robot Cat in the past.
- We also talked about a combo of both an animal cyborg genie :)
We can chat about a vision and would love your input and ideas.
We also had this idea:
https://github.com/RetroDECK/RetroDECK/issues/859
XD
Of course! I would love to help as long as the opportunity is still open!
Do we have to adhere to the Genie/RoboCat ideas, or I can try something else?
Do we prefer the mascot to be more human-like, or more furry-oriented?
Where should we discuss the mascot design, and to share my work-in-progress?
Here are some thoughts:
If we use the Genie idea, we inevitably run into the problem of being a derivative of Shantae (purple hair + genie).
The Cat robot idea is too generic.
I do have an idea of using a shark girl because of GameShark XD
As for the "Unlock system", I think we should take the cost and expertise into consideration. This kind of work is very expensive to make and maintain, and certainly needs a very capable 3D artist. Maybe it is out of scope for a FOSS project without huge commercial backing to do that sort of thing.
For now, I think we can focus on getting the core design ready, then perhaps a few variations for versatility.
Here are some thoughts:
If we use the Genie idea, we inevitably run into the problem of being a derivative of Shantae (purple hair + genie).
The Cat robot idea is too generic.
I do have an idea of using a shark girl because of GameShark XD
As for the "Unlock system", I think we should take the cost and expertise into consideration. This kind of work is very expensive to make and maintain, and certainly needs a very capable 3D artist. Maybe it is out of scope for a FOSS project without huge commercial backing to do that sort of thing.
For now, I think we can focus on getting the core design ready, then perhaps a few variations for versatility.
Of course! I would love to help as long as the opportunity is still open!
Do we have to adhere to the Genie/RoboCat ideas, or I can try something else?
No not at all we are open to suggestions.
Do we prefer the mascot to be more human-like, or more furry-oriented?
We are open to suggestions.
Where should we discuss the mascot design, and to share my work-in-progress?
Discord is the most active and the wiki has the latest social links:
https://retrodeck.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
Here are some thoughts:
If we use the Genie idea, we inevitably run into the problem of being a derivative of Shantae (purple hair + genie).
The Cat robot idea is too generic.
I do have an idea of using a shark girl because of GameShark XD
It's funny, but Gawr Gura will not come after us then? XD
I think some of the team members prefer a more humanoid, but we can discuss it together.
As for the "Unlock system", I think we should take the cost and expertise into consideration. This kind of work is very expensive to make and maintain, and certainly needs a very capable 3D artist. Maybe it is out of scope for a FOSS project without huge commercial backing to do that sort of thing.
Regarding the unlock system idea.
We want as many people as possible the opportunity to remix the mascot if that is ok. Someone will make a vroid model or a pixel version. The goal of the unlock system does not have to be a 3D model, it could be pixelart. The way we thought was just a repo where people can contribute things if they want to. Very foss, freeform and open. It's also just a long term crazy idea and not something that is huge priority :)
The idea was from vintage Japanese Princess dress-me-up games.
For now, I think we can focus on getting the core design ready, then perhaps a few variations for versatility.
But I personally like the GameShark idea.
As the new version of RetroDECK is turning it into more of a plattform that "gobbles up/builds" various components.
OK, I will start working on some sketches in my free time. Maybe I can start with one humanoid and one furry so you can compare.
Also, I think a pixel art version is cheap enough to carry out a mix system. I'm experienced with pixel art, too.
I will post my WIP here and also on Discord. Which channel should I post in RetroDECK's Discord?
creations and translations but you need a role for that just type in general and I promote you
AND HUGE THANKS
You're welcome! I will post in general as soon as I get something ready, then we can continue from there. :)
You're welcome! I will post in general as soon as I get something ready, then we can continue from there. :)
Also this is also now how we describe RetroDECK:
RetroDECK is a powerful all-in-one retro gaming platform designed for handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck, full Linux desktops, Linux HTPC setups, and Linux-based PC consoles such as the Steam Machine. Delivered as a self-contained Flatpak app, it gives you everything you need for retro gaming right out of the box, no manual setup required. By integrating a wide range of components such as emulators, game engines, ports, and built-in tools, RetroDECK brings all your favorite games together in one streamlined, easy-to-use package.
We wanted to showcase that is it just not Emulation.
Got it.
Can't reply to you in the Creations-Translation channel at the moment because I don't have the permission. It's weird for me to just post something random in General. I can wait until I actually drew something to show for.
Got it.
Can't reply to you in the Creations-Translation channel at the moment because I don't have the permission. It's weird for me to just post something random in General. I can wait until I actually drew something to show for.
I think I fixed it.