Indeed, this art book is unintentionally the greatest argument against using genAI in the creation of art. It’s packed with great anecdotes about how characters were designed, references to other media that inspired the team, and some things the team wishes they could have done differently, and what got cut. It talks about how various artists from the UK collaborated with artists from Japan, having auditions in Japan which led to the legend himself, Takaya Kuroda, just showing up for an audition one day and obviously getting the part. Manga artists were also hired on the game and influenced not only how several characters looked, but also how they acted, and even contributed plot points.
That’s what the Vinckes of the world will never understand about art. It’s not a thing produced on a factory line, made to order. It’s a collaborative process between several individuals, each drawing on their own experiences in life, their own cultures, to create a shared vision. This happens from the very beginning of a project all the way to the end. That concept phase that Vincke and his ilk are so desperate to speedrun is a critically important part of the artistic process. That’s where the project finds its voice, where artists and creators come together to share ideas and decide what story they want to tell.