An AI Blog Post

So IRL I work in the IT.

AI is pretty hip and hot right now, and I can't go a day without a vendor, or a colleague talking to me about AI this or AI that.

I am pretty much a cool-aid drinking convert to the alter of AI makes things easier. But it still takes effort to get it to work right.

AI is in my view one of the enabling techs for this Atalantes Project.

I can build a prompt, provide some information then ask for some content and then modify it until it is what I want.

As an example I ran some AI and then had it summarise the "story so far" as a blog post. I am going to post it here then keep commenting:

The Birth of Atalantes: A Journey Through Time and Conflict

As the creator of the Atalantes campaign setting, I am thrilled to share the rich tapestry of history, conflict, and unity that defines this alternate world. Atalantes is a land where the echoes of ancient battles and the whispers of alliances shape the destinies of its people. This blog post delves into the early history of Atalantes, highlighting the arrival of various factions, their struggles, and their eventual unity.

The Arrival of the Tribes (180 BC - 150 BC)

In 180 BC, the North American Tribes, including the Wabanaki Confederacy, Haudenosaunee, and Oceti Sakowin, arrived in Atalantes. They settled in the fertile valleys and along the rivers, living in harmony with nature. Initial conflicts over territory and resources eventually gave way to trade routes and a period of relative peace.

The Celts’ Arrival (150 BC - 100 BC)

The Celts arrived from Europe in 150 BC, bringing advanced metalworking and agricultural techniques. They settled in the western regions of Atalantes and engaged in trade with the North American Tribes. While tensions occasionally flared, diplomacy and intermarriage often resolved conflicts.

The Picts’ Arrival (100 BC - 50 BC)

Known for their fierce warrior culture, the Picts arrived in 100 BC and settled in the northern regions. They formed alliances with both the Celts and the North American Tribes, recognizing the benefits of cooperation against common threats. Skirmishes occurred as the Picts expanded their territory, but these were often short-lived.

The Gauls’ Arrival (50 BC - AD 10)

The Gauls arrived in 50 BC, bringing a strong military tradition and a hierarchical society. They settled in the central regions of Atalantes and integrated with the existing cultures. Their arrival led to a power struggle, but their military prowess and strategic alliances helped them establish a dominant position.

Key Locations and Strategic Insights

• Valley of Echoes: Controlled by the Wabanaki Confederacy, this fertile valley is strategically important due to its abundant resources and natural defenses.
• Ironwood Forest: Inhabited by the Haudenosaunee, this dense forest offers excellent cover and ambush opportunities.
• Bison Plains: Roamed by the Oceti Sakowin, these vast plains provide a strategic advantage for their cavalry units.
• Stone Circle: A sacred site for the Celts, offering a strong defensive position and spiritual significance.
• Northern Highlands: Controlled by the Picts, this rugged terrain provides natural fortifications and a vantage point for monitoring enemy movements.
• Central Stronghold: The fortified settlements of the Gauls, serving as a hub for trade and military operations.

Unique Unit Types and Capabilities

• Wabanaki Canoe Warriors: Skilled in navigating waterways, these units can launch surprise attacks and quickly retreat.
• Haudenosaunee Longhouse Defenders: Experts in defending fortified positions, with strong defensive capabilities.
• Oceti Sakowin Cavalry: Highly mobile and effective in hit-and-run tactics, excelling in open plains.
• Celtic Druids: Providing magical support and healing, enhancing the combat effectiveness of allied units.
• Pictish Berserkers: Fearsome warriors with high attack power, excelling in close combat.
• Gallic Legionnaires: Well-trained and disciplined infantry, capable of holding the line and executing complex maneuvers.

Engaging Narratives

• The Battle of the Valley of Echoes: A pivotal conflict where the Wabanaki Confederacy defends their homeland against a coalition of Celts and Gauls.
• The Siege of Ironwood Forest: The Haudenosaunee’s strategic defense against a Pictish invasion, showcasing their mastery of guerrilla tactics.
• The Plains War: A series of skirmishes between the Oceti Sakowin and the Gauls, highlighting the mobility and resilience of the Oceti Sakowin cavalry.
• The Alliance of the Stone Circle: A diplomatic gathering where the Celts, Picts, and North American Tribes form a united front against the Gauls’ expansion.

Conclusion

The early history of Atalantes is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of its people. Through conflict and cooperation, they forged a land rich in culture, strategy, and adventure. As we continue to explore the world of Atalantes, we honor the legacy of our ancestors and the bonds that hold us together. Join us in this epic journey and may the spirit of unity guide us in the battles to come.

I wrote a prompt, then fed it and some dates and arrivals, the general location of Atalantes and nothing more into Copilot, then got it to produce some history, then I took that history and asked Copilot to write a blog post.

Some of it is trash for what I want, like the unit type stuff, some of the locations don't match the map, and I didn't give much information on the where of things. And some of it will likely make it into production.

I can change the locations with some editing, ignore the unit specialisation or anything else or use it to prompt something out of my own head.

The point of this post is to demonstrate how with a bit of information, and some Prompt Engineering I can have an AI assistant do all the hard work of starting things off, I can quickly work out what I don't like, then either delete it, change it or modify the prompt so it doesn't produce that type thing again in the future.

I can even use it to get Icons to put on the Map for capital settlements.

They still need work and are literally just the result of simple AI prompts:

A Stonefort for the Gauls.

A Celtic round house

Nomadic Tribe

Settled Tribe

These need work and need to be formatted and put into a form that Wonderdraft can use them, but that is just nerdery, I can do that, what I can do is draw, or work out how to put the right things together. I can however right an AI prompt like this one:

simple black and white line art icon of a typical Celtic home in 80BC, 50x50 pixels

So that I hope outlines some of the methodology behind the creation process. Nothing will take away the work of putting things on a map, in Wonderdraft, or ensuring that things work with whatever rules system I am aiming for, but the use of AI to augment my thinking, and to do a lot of the early framing of things, and also the art creation is fairly amazing. To me at least.