How to Use AI Art to Create Amazing Animated TCG Cards!
TLDRThis video tutorial demonstrates how to harness AI art to craft animated TCG (Trading Card Game) cards, inspired by Hearthstone. The creator shares a step-by-step process using AI tools like 'me journey' for image generation and 'motion leap' for animation. From generating fantasy-themed images with dramatic elements to refining and animating them for a game-ready card, the tutorial offers insights into a fast and efficient workflow. It also covers adding visual effects, adjusting animations, and integrating the final assets into game development software like Unity or Unreal Engine, promising a quick creation of numerous cards for game enthusiasts.
Takeaways
- 🎨 AI Art can be used to create assets for video games, such as animated TCG (Trading Card Game) cards.
- 🛠️ The video demonstrates how to create a Hearthstone-inspired card with animation and sound effects using AI-generated images.
- 🖌️ AI text-to-image tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion can generate images for card designs.
- 🌌 The creator used keywords like 'fantasy', 'dramatic background', and 'atmospheric' to generate a fantasy card image with a dramatic look.
- 🔍 After generating images, variations can be created or the same seed can be used to refine the image further.
- ✂️ Photoshop was used to remove unwanted elements like lighting from the generated image to prepare for animation.
- 📏 Techniques such as 'Find Edges' and 'Control I' were used to enhance details and contrast in the image.
- 💡 Adding a glow to certain parts of the image, like the horse's head, helps create better separation and visual interest.
- 🏹 The video shows how to animate parts of the image, like the sky and clothing, using the Motion Leap app.
- 🌠 Visual effects and overlays, such as lighting and fire, can be added to enhance the animation and make it pop.
- 📚 The process is efficient and can be used to create dozens of cards quickly, making it suitable for game development.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of the video?
-The main purpose of the video is to demonstrate how to use AI art to create animated TCG (Trading Card Game) cards, inspired by Hearthstone, complete with animations and sounds.
What are the alternative sources for obtaining images for game assets mentioned in the video?
-The alternative sources for obtaining images for game assets include creating them yourself, buying from stock photography, or generating images using AI text-to-image tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, or Stable Diffusion.
How does the video creator suggest generating the initial image for the TCG card?
-The video creator suggests using a text-to-image AI like Midjourney to generate the initial image, using keywords such as 'fantasy', 'dramatic background', 'dramatic lighting', and 'atmospheric' to achieve a desired look.
What software is used to animate the image in the video?
-The software used to animate the image in the video is Motion Leap.
Why does the creator remove the lighting from the image in Photoshop?
-The creator removes the lighting from the image in Photoshop because they want to add animated lighting effects inside Motion Leap instead, to avoid having the motion of the lighting be static in the final animation.
How is the subject of the image made to stand out more in the video?
-The subject of the image is made to stand out more by using techniques such as 'Find Edges' with a filter, inverting the selection, adjusting opacity, and using masking to apply changes only to certain parts of the image.
What is the source of the card frame used in the video for demonstration purposes?
-The card frame used in the video for demonstration purposes is sourced from Hearthstone, but the creator also mentions other platforms like graphicriver.net and behance for finding or purchasing card frames.
How does the creator ensure that only certain parts of the image are animated in Motion Leap?
-The creator uses anchor points and Aquas in Motion Leap to define the areas that will be affected by the animation, and also uses a freezing option to mask areas that should remain static.
What visual effects are added to enhance the animation in the video?
-Visual effects added to enhance the animation include lighting, fire for the weapon, and overlays like rain or snow. The creator also experimented with adding smoke in the shape of the horse.
How can the final animated card be integrated into a video game?
-The final animated card can be exported in high resolution and then integrated into a video game using game development software like Unity or Unreal Engine. The card can be added with text and other dynamic elements within the game's environment.
What additional software is mentioned for creating effects and the intro for the video?
-DaVinci Resolve is mentioned for creating the intro and adding effects to the video. Other tools like After Effects are also suggested for further enhancement.
Outlines
🎨 Creating AI-Generated Hearthstone-Inspired Cards
This paragraph introduces the video's focus on using AI to create Hearthstone-style cards for video games. The speaker discusses the process of generating fantasy-themed images with AI tools like Midjourney and Motion Leap, emphasizing the efficiency and creative potential of AI in game development. The video promises to demonstrate how to animate and add sound to these cards, potentially inspiring viewers to create their own games with AI-generated assets.
🖌️ Editing and Enhancing AI-Created Art in Photoshop
The speaker details the process of refining the AI-generated image in Photoshop. This includes removing unwanted elements like lighting effects and adjusting contrast and colors to improve the image's visual appeal. Techniques such as 'Find Edges' and 'Control I' are used to enhance details and create a dramatic look. The paragraph also covers adding glow effects to separate elements and using the Dodge tool for additional contrast, aiming for a high-contrast appearance between dark and light areas.
🔄 Adding Animation and Motion Effects with Motion Leap
This section describes the use of the Motion Leap app to animate the AI-generated image. The speaker explains how to use anchor points and Aquas to define areas of motion, ensuring that only desired parts of the image move, while others remain static. The process involves fine-tuning the animation to make elements like clothing flow naturally and adding visual effects such as lighting and fire to enhance the card's dynamic appearance.
🚀 Finalizing the Card Design and Integrating into Game Development Software
The final paragraph outlines the steps to complete the card design and prepare it for integration into game development platforms like Unity or Unreal Engine. The speaker discusses adding a frame to the card, possibly sourced from stock photography or free resources, and suggests using DaVinci Resolve to create an intro animation. The video concludes by highlighting the efficiency of the AI-based workflow for creating multiple game cards quickly, offering inspiration for those interested in game development.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡AI Art
💡Hearthstone
💡Animation
💡Midjourney
💡Motion Leap
💡Photoshop
💡Keyframes
💡Glow
💡Stock Photography
💡GraphicRiver
💡DaVinci Resolve
Highlights
AI art can be used to create assets for video games, such as animated trading card games (TCG).
The video demonstrates the creation of a Hearthstone-inspired animated TCG card using AI-generated images.
AI text-to-image tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion can generate custom images for game assets.
The process begins with generating a fantasy-themed image using descriptive keywords for a dramatic look.
Variations of the generated image can be created using the same seed or by creating variations in the AI tool.
Photoshop is used to refine the image, such as removing unwanted lighting effects for animation purposes.
Contrast and color adjustments are made in Photoshop to enhance the image's visibility and appeal.
Glow effects and Dodge tool are used to create better separation and contrast in the image.
A frame is added to the image, which can be sourced from various online platforms like GraphicRiver.
Motion Leap is used to animate parts of the image, such as the background, without affecting the main subject.
Anchor points and exclusion zones are set in Motion Leap to control the areas of animation.
The animation process allows for fine-tuning the movement and flow of elements like clothing.
Visual effects and overlays, such as lighting and fire, are added to enhance the card's appearance.
DaVinci Resolve is used to create an intro video for the card, which can be integrated into a game.
The workflow using AI tools and animation software is efficient, allowing for rapid card creation.
The video provides a simple workflow example, but other software can be used for more complex effects.
The final animated card can be exported in high resolutions like 2K or 4K for use in game development.
This method of creating animated TCG cards is fast and can be used for creating large quantities of cards.