Trias

We don't want to deceive players, so yes, we use AI generative art as a tool for the game art.

Here's a brief explanation of why and how we use it:

We are two people working on the game: one artist and one programmer. As the game artist (the one writing this), I don't have strong illustration skills, so I find AI generated art extremely useful as a starting point to compensate for that limitation. I then refine, edit and correct the sloppiness of the image generation.
Without AI or a significant art budget, this game would be nearly impossible for us to create, due to the nature of the game, where card art reflects equipped items and its heavy reliance on a large number of card illustrations.

This is an example of using AI as a tool rather than as a cheap shortcut:

Let's put this into numbers: Right now we have 33 cards. With 5 weapon variations per card, that becomes 165 unique illustrations (33 × 5). At a conservative estimate of 4 hours per illustration, that's 660 hours of work. At a modest freelance rate of $30/hour, the total cost would be around $19,800 (660 × $30).

What the Game Is About

Trias is a roguelike deckbuilder inspired by the classic card game War.

Battle enemies using elemental cards, steal their cards, equip them with powerful items and build game changing skill combinations as you progress through different taverns and inns

Steal Your Opponent's Cards

Capture enemy cards through the elemental combat system and add them to your collection.

Every battle is an opportunity to strengthen your deck, discover new abilities and shape your strategy for the challenges ahead.

Equip Cards and Change Their Appearance

Items increase the card power.

Each equipment changes the card's artwork, allowing your creatures to evolve visually as they grow stronger throughout the run.

Build a deck that is both powerful and uniquely yours.

Create Powerful Skill Synergies

Every card can possess unique abilities.

Combine effects, trigger chain reactions, and discover unexpected interactions between cards, equipment, and elemental matchups.