No AI BANNED... within 48-hours of sharing this project! [KICKSTARTER]

[Rye Alboa]

That’s right, kicked out of an online UK gaming community within 48-hours of sharing this project… But I think it’s a great project!

UNVERIFIED SIGHTINGS – A new 5.5e Monster Manual [KICKSTARTER]

UNVERIFIED SIGHTINGS is my first 5.5e (inc. 5e) compatible Monster Manual. This book will be full of Cryptid Creatures , Folklore Monsters, Mythological Beasts , Lords of Legend , Gaming Adversaries and Challenges from my own Imagination. ‍

I’m looking to launch the project at 4pm (GMT) this Thursday (6th August 2026) - I hope you all can join me!

FOLLOW LINK: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rye-alboa/unverified-sightings-5e

If you'd like an advanced look at the campaign and the opportunity to give me your feedback, please check out the 'Feedback Link' below:

FEEDBACK LINK: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rye-alboa/unverified-sightings-5e?ref=2kx76u&token=d64d801b

Please keep in mind that this campaign is currently a work in progress, and I still have a few additional sections to complete before it's ready to go live this Thursday! Items such as:

• Extra Monsters & Foe Examples;
• Additional ‘Project Add-Ons’ to complete; and
• A larger section on the 'Create your own Monster' Reward Tiers.

I'd love any advice on how to make this campaign more exciting, and how to make the book bigger than I've already planned. Are the stretch Goals all they can be? Do I need celebrity endorsements? Whatever the project needs, please feel free to give me your insight and I'll aim to respond to everyone as we go. However, please keep in mind that your comments are live and everyone will be able to see your posted thoughts (just FYI!).

Thanks for making it all the way through this post. There is so much going on behind the scenes here at Alboa HQ; and taking a couple of minutes to draft this post out has been a wonderful change of pace!

All the best, thanks for all your incredible support in this amazing industry, and of course please follow and back UNVERIFIED SIGHTINGS to help bring this project to life!


Cheers ~Rye
RYE | ALBOA.COM

 

[Morrus]

hat’s right, kicked out of an online UK gaming community within 48-hours of sharing this project… But I think it’s a great project!

Not really a thing to boast about. Why were you "BANNED"?

But I am happy for you that you think your project is great.

However, please keep in mind that your comments are live and everyone will be able to see your posted thoughts (just FYI!).

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Rye Alboa]

Not really a thing to boast about.

Usually you’re not wrong… but then sometimes you’ve just gotta highlight what no one else can, and see where the tide takes you!

Why were you "BANNED"?

Now that is the big question!… and I’m gonna highlight that you asked before going into this… so belt up… and try not to groan too loudly... takes a deep breath.

Spoiler:

AI accusations

I was accused of using:

1. AI art on this project - There is no AI art.
2. AI video on this project - There is no AI video.
3. AI creation tools on this project - Forget Adobe Photoshop, even my Washing Machine has AI built into it now… but again nope.

Oh… and as a bonus…

4. I was accused of linking AI to Discord in order to automate responses - I mean, I clearly have the prose and verse of Hemingway himself… but is that even a thing? ​

In truth I recon the mod took offence to a polite indication that creators usually believe project backers deserve more than ‘someone else’s guess’ at publishing & shipping costs… and my jokes, I suspect that my jokes were way too funny (or frequent).

Realises that you don’t need to specifically take a deep breath before typing… frantically or otherwise

Hey… but it does make for a ‘punchy’, ‘catchy’ and somewhat rememberable headline. Take the win!

 

[Morrus]

Yeah one of the big issues with AI isn’t just the AI itself, it’s that everybody now thinks real things are AI! Lots of artists constantly having to prove their work is real by showing sketches and the like. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must be.

 

[J-H]

Some of the rewards being listed as 1Nr is a bit hard to interpret (non-standard way to say 1x).
A breakdown indicating what sorts of CRs and types of monsters are included... ie
CR 0-5 20
CR 6-10 44
CR 11-15 36
CR 16-20 50
etc.
This will help indicate how useful it's likely to be.

I've always had the thought of doing some of the cryptids from the old stories of Paul Bunyan. Did you happen to include them?

 

[Dire Bare]

Yeah one of the big issues with AI isn’t just the AI itself, it’s that everybody now thinks real things are AI! Lots of artists constantly having to prove their work is real by showing sketches and the like. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must be.

I agree . . .

But I'd love to see some sketches and/or artist credits before backing this one. The art really, really looks like all of the AI-slop infesting Kickstarter projects right now. As does the art on the OP's prior Kickstarters . . . which also seem to come out a suspiciously fast pace.

It sucks, but we've certainly gotten to the point where creators not only need to pledge "No AI" but bring the receipts as well . . . at least for me to comfortably back a creator I'm not already familiar with.

 

[Rye Alboa]

Some of the rewards being listed as 1Nr is a bit hard to interpret (non-standard way to say 1x).
A breakdown indicating what sorts of CRs and types of monsters are included... ie
CR 0-5 20
CR 6-10 44
CR 11-15 36
CR 16-20 50
etc.
This will help indicate how useful it's likely to be.

I've always had the thought of doing some of the cryptids from the old stories of Paul Bunyan. Did you happen to include them?

Hi J-H – Huge thanks for checking out my U.S. campaign, I really appreciate it!

1. 1Nr. Vs 1x: I got you. Listing items as 1 Nr. will be coming from my QS/Construction/Commercial background. I can absolutely go though and change these out for 1x. That does make complete sense away from that sector.
2. CR table breakdown: That’s a great idea, and I’ll enjoy bringing that together.
3. Paul Bunyan: I’m embarrassed to say that I had never hear of this character before just now. A quick google has led me to order a couple of James Stevens’ books. Adding a ‘pushmi-pullyu’ version of a “Bee-squitoe” (in all but name) sounds like great fun!

Thanks again J-H, as a fresh pair of eyes is always super helpful.

 

[MGibster]

Not really a thing to boast about. Why were you "BANNED"?

It's kind of the best thing since Steve Jackson Games getting raided by the Secret Service.

 

[Rye Alboa]

Thanks Dire Bear, you are a certified legend by the way!

But I'd love to see some sketches and/or artist credits before backing this one.

I could include a tonne of my sketches and line art pieces really easily, as I’m planning on doing as much creature art as I want myself. That should be fun, and I should include a dedicated section on a good number of the artists (inc. bios etc.) that I’m intending to use – that should be a great addition to the campaign.

or artist credits before backing this one.

Just as an FYI the sample UNVERIFIED SIGHTINGS PDF (on the KS page) does include credits to all the artwork included within it. I’ll be adding more example creatures as I go through the campaign – so please do keep checking back.

The art really, really looks like all of the AI-slop infesting Kickstarter projects right now.

It would be really helpful if you could drop me a direct message with which image(s) you’re concerned about. I’m 100% certain on them all, no question… but I’m clearly missing something with the current AI slop aesthetic.

My take on what I’ve seen is that AI images are very ‘wispy’ and almost ‘granular’. I’m not seeing that in any of these pieces, but I may be missing something. Maybe I need to start playing around with these agents everyone is talking about... instead of avoiding them!

As does the art on the OP's prior Kickstarters . . .

Don’t worry yourself, all of those were worked on well before AI images were really a thing.
(But if you can, maybe flag which campaign worries you in that direct message?)

. . . which also seem to come out a suspiciously fast pace.

And here I was thinking about speeding up!

To put your concerns there at ease, CODEX ARCANA (a unique spell and magic creation system for 5e/5.5e - and I guess my latest release) took almost 2-years to complete… I’m embarrassed to say that’s almost a year longer than I intended. Things like the various Playtests, Tariffs, new v.5.5.e rules, choosing to double the books 1,000 unique spell descriptions to over 2,000+, Tariffs (again), and then securing the necessary additional artwork… all worked to stretch out that period more than I wanted.

But I do try and keep myself busy.

It sucks, but we've certainly gotten to the point where creators not only need to pledge "No AI" but bring the receipts as well . . . at least for me to comfortably back a creator I'm not already familiar with.

I’m with you on this one more than ever!



Huge thanks Dire Bear for your comments above, I’m a huge advocate of viewing everything that you’re working on from a Backers perspective and I’m worried I’m missing a beat on this one. Please do, if you’ve got time, drop me that note highlighting the artwork you have concerns over. I'd really appreciate it, and may try and adjust things going forward.



Thanks again Dire Bear (you’re a legend!).

 

[Rye Alboa]

It's kind of the best thing since Steve Jackson Games getting raided by the Secret Service.

I had no idea about this at all!

I immediately Googled it and then realised that I was reading the below from a 'AI Overview" on google! :

"Steve Jackson Games raid by the U.S. Secret Service—which infamously mistook the GURPS Cyberpunk manuscript for a "handbook for computer crime"—led to a landmark lawsuit and helped inspire the creation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation."

This is epic sauce… how come this hasn’t ended up in multiple shows as the season finales ‘cliffhanger ending’?

Reality wins again!