ENnies To Ban Generative AI From 2025

The ENnie Awards has announced that from 2025, products including content made by generative AI will not be eligible for the awards.

Established in 2001, the ENnies are the premier tabletop roleplaying game awards ceremony, and are held every year in a ceremony at Gen Con. They were created right here on EN World, and remained affiliated with EN World until 2018.

The decision on generative AI follows a wave of public reaction criticising the policy announced in 2023 that while products containing generative AI were eligible, the generative AI content itself was not--so an artist whose art was on the cover of a book could still win an award for their work even if there was AI art inside the book (or vice versa). The new policy makes the entire product ineligible if it contains any generative AI content.

Generative AI as a whole has received widespread criticism in the tabletop industry over the last couple of years, with many companies--including D&D's owner Wizards of the Coast--publicly announcing their opposition to its use on ethical grounds.

The new policy takes effect from 2025.

The ENNIE Awards have long been dedicated to serving the fans, publishers, and broader community of the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) industry. The ENNIES are a volunteer-driven organization who generously dedicate their time and talents to celebrate and reward excellence within the TTRPG industry. Reflecting changes in the industry and technological advancements, the ENNIE Awards continuously review their policies to ensure alignment with community values.

In 2023, the ENNIE Awards introduced their initial policy on generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). The policy recognized the growing presence of these technologies in modern society and their nuanced applications, from generating visual and written content to supporting background tasks such as PDF creation and word processing. The intent was to encourage honesty and transparency from creators while maintaining a commitment to human-driven creativity. Under this policy, creators self-reported AI involvement, and submissions with AI contributions were deemed ineligible for certain categories. For example, products featuring AI-generated art were excluded from art categories but remained eligible for writing categories if the text was entirely human-generated, and vice versa. The organizers faced challenges in crafting a policy that balanced inclusivity with the need to uphold the values of creativity and originality. Recognizing that smaller publishers and self-published creators often lack the resources of larger companies, the ENNIE Awards sought to avoid policies that might disproportionately impact those with limited budgets.

However, feedback from the TTRPG community has made it clear that this policy does not go far enough. Generative AI remains a divisive issue, with many in the community viewing it as a threat to the creativity and originality that define the TTRPG industry. The prevailing sentiment is that AI-generated content, in any form, detracts from a product rather than enhancing it.

In response to this feedback, the ENNIE Awards are amending their policy regarding generative AI. Beginning with the 2025-2026 submission cycle, the ENNIE Awards will no longer accept any products containing generative AI or created with the assistance of Large Language Models or similar technologies for visual, written, or edited content. Creators wishing to submit products must ensure that no AI-generated elements are included in their works. While it is not feasible to retroactively alter the rules for the 2024-2025 season, this revised policy reflects the ENNIE Awards commitment to celebrating the human creativity at the heart of the TTRPG community. The ENNIES remain a small, volunteer-run organization that values the ability to adapt quickly, when necessary, despite the challenges inherent in their mission.

The ENNIE Awards thank the TTRPG community for their feedback, passion, and understanding. As an organization dedicated to celebrating the creators, publishers, and fans who shape this vibrant industry, the ENNIES hope that this policy change aligns with the values of the community and fosters continued growth and innovation.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

I fear for that point where AI would be indistinguishable from a human work.

I hope for that point where it far exceeds human work! The point of tools is to be better than what we can do without tool.

It doesn't preclude humans from doing things. Using a car, or maybe even a bike, I am going much faster than Usain Bolt will ever run. He can still be lauded globally for being the quickest-running human. Same with a crane and people liftwing weights.

To me, a competition on human doing creative things forbidding the use of AI the same as having a cycling competition banning bikes with little motors in them. The point isn't to determine what can be done in matter of speed, but what humans can do. I wouldn't be surprised if they were competitions for painters not allowing photoshopped submissions.

 

[J.Quondam]

"Poison their work"? Curious - what do you mean by this?

And what is "Glaze & Nightshade", in this context?

'Poisoning' means attaching bad metadata (or corrupted data) to an input text or image in order to confuse the training of the AI. Artists use software like 'Glaze' and 'Nightshade' to poison the images they post online, in order to corrupt an AI that attempts to train on those images.

A crude form of poisoning would be posting a pic of a dog but labelling it "cat". Purpose-built poisoning software is much more sophisticated than that, of course, usually corrupting the image data itself in subtle ways that a human can't detect but that can befuddle an AI trainer.

 

[CleverNickName]

'Poisoning' means attaching bad metadata (or corrupted data) to an input text or image in order to confuse the training of the AI. Artists use software like 'Glaze' and 'Nightshade' to poison the images they post online, in order to corrupt an AI that attempts to train on those images.

A crude form of poisoning would be posting a pic of a dog but labelling it "cat". Purpose-built poisoning software is much more sophisticated than that, of course, usually corrupting the image data itself in subtle ways that a human can't detect but that can befuddle an AI trainer.

And the assumption is that people will then update AI to avoid these types of "poisoning," and so other people will have to update the methods of "poisoning" to keep defeating the AI, and they'll go back and forth forever. It could end up being another Ads vs. Ad Blockers situation.

 

[LordEntrails]

There is nothing about the technology that is inevitable, as plenty of defunct technologies lie forgotten on the ash-heap of history, this is no different.

But it won't be. AI is indeed here to stay. Even Gen-Ai is not going away. The type of Gen-AI we are talking about here is very limited, and for use in fantasy RPGs you make some good points later on I will talk about. But, the technologies will not be going away.

AI (gen and non-gen) are quickly becoming core to many very large industries. Like space, communications, intelligence, business analysis, aeronautics, defense, banking, and all types of engineering. Thinking about only he impact or viability to the entertainment/art industry is ignoring 95% of the usage.

If you pay attention to the gen-ai news, they are already moving away from image generation towards video generation in an attempt to disrupt yet another industry for their own personal gain.

"They"? Sure, the public ones the media likes to talk about are moving away from image generation. But like I said, all those industries I mentioned above are not moving away from Gen AI. Most are not using it for image generation, but they are investing billions of dollars and untold hours into AI. The technology is not going away, but it will probably not be used the way this forum talks about it.

That means that for anything other than generic fantasy, you are simply better off working with an artist that actually knows what they are doing.

Absolutely, I've tried for some of the niche RPGs I play and the image gen AI's are practically useless. They are also currently near useless for doing things like top down tokens and battlemaps. But I don't think that's not for lack of data (tokens and maps), it just that such use has not been identified as a consumer desire so the they have not been trained to do this.

I'm not opposed to the concept behind this new ENnie awards rule. (lets keep the awards to humans, not computers). But it has been implemented horribly. It's not enforceable because their is no reliable way to make the determination. And they haven't even said how they might make such determinations. That tells me that they did this simple as a CYA and are going to reply upon the mob to determine, and lynch, anyone who supposedly submits a work with AI in it. Therefore I'm opposed to the rule.

 

[Gradine]

Only when you are willing to work with the real human element will your argument gain traction.

The problem is the argument (and the entire general drive behind Gen AI "art") is that it is foundationally centered upon the removal (or at least major de-emphasizing) of the real human element.

 

[Umbran]

The problem is the argument (and the entire general drive behind Gen AI "art") is that it is foundationally centered upon the removal (or at least major de-emphasizing) or the real human element.

Actually, that's separate from my point.

 

[Gradine]

Actually, that's separate from my point.

Sure, but the one helps inform the other.

 

[Art Waring]

But it won't be. AI is indeed here to stay. Even Gen-Ai is not going away. The type of Gen-AI we are talking about here is very limited, and for use in fantasy RPGs you make some good points later on I will talk about. But, the technologies will not be going away.

Well, I never said it was going away altogether, I said that nothing (save for death I guess, even taxes are avoidable for the mega-rich) is inevitable. Beta-Max tapes, although superior to VHS (500 lines vs 240 lines in VHS tapes), were once thought to become the dominant media cassette, they are now forgotten and obsolete. It can still exist and no longer be relevant to current discourse (just look at NFT's).

AI (gen and non-gen) are quickly becoming core to many very large industries. Like space, communications, intelligence, business analysis, aeronautics, defense, banking, and all types of engineering. Thinking about only he impact or viability to the entertainment/art industry is ignoring 95% of the usage.

Well, where exactly are these wonderful technologies then? Where is your proof that these things are in fact generative-ai and not just being lumped in with the words "ai" in order to lump everything under the same umbrella? There are multiple types of ai, everything from narrow ai (focused on specific tasks), to those with more broad applications. You will have to be more specific as to exactly what you are talking about here.

Not to mention that we are specifically talking about generative ai with regards to publishing ttrpg's, which has nothing at all to do with hypothetical tech that is still in development. We are talking about gen-ai that is here right now, not what they are promising you at some undetermined date. Empty promises from techbros don't carry relevance to publishing.

"They"? Sure, the public ones the media likes to talk about are moving away from image generation. But like I said, all those industries I mentioned above are not moving away from Gen AI. Most are not using it for image generation, but they are investing billions of dollars and untold hours into AI. The technology is not going away, but it will probably not be used the way this forum talks about it.

Again, I am trying my best to stay on topic, which is to address the use of gen-ai in publishing ttrpg's, specifically for the Ennies. This will stray into other topics not covered by this thread. I would prefer to stay on the subject of publishing, and not on hypotheticals.

Absolutely, I've tried for some of the niche RPGs I play and the image gen AI's are practically useless. They are also currently near useless for doing things like top down tokens and battlemaps. But I don't think that's not for lack of data (tokens and maps), it just that such use has not been identified as a consumer desire so the they have not been trained to do this.

I agree, mostly, except for the whole "consumer desire" thing. They are throwing things at the wall and hoping they stick. I don't think that focusing specifically on making tokens or maps will improve gen-ai in any way. Again, gen-ai cannot achieve specificity nor can it understand context, which is very important when you are making a legible map (just ask any cartographer).

I'm not opposed to the concept behind this new ENnie awards rule. (lets keep the awards to humans, not computers). But it has been implemented horribly. It's not enforceable because their is no reliable way to make the determination. And they haven't even said how they might make such determinations. That tells me that they did this simple as a CYA and are going to reply upon the mob to determine, and lynch, anyone who supposedly submits a work with AI in it. Therefore I'm opposed to the rule.

Yeah I get what you are saying, but think about it from their perspective. They are trying to find answers to this problem because it is a very new problem facing ttrpg publishing. Nobody really knows how to enforce it yet, and so long as there are bad actors willing to lie about it there will always be problems with gen-ai in the industry.

So far they have discussed showing your work (proof via sketches and progress), which so far I think is one of the best possible solutions (so far). However, this has its own inherent problems. Fore example, a lot of art was made years before gen-ai ever existed, many artists were not (at the time) in the habit of keeping that many older "rough sketches," especially digital artists.

As a freelancer you are typically going to have sketches and WIP's because as a client you need to see those things, as a solo artist with no one to report to this becomes more difficult.

Furthermore, the "mob/ lynch" crowd already failed in this respect. If you remember, some youtube influencer guy who I would rather not name accussed the cover artist of the new dnd book of using gen-ai, and it backfired spectacularly. The artist showed his proof of work, and the matter was dropped, and I don't doubt that influencer lost some credibility in the process. When you make accusations like that, there are going to be consequences, especially if you just throw your opinion out there without any kind of proof.

 

[Art Waring]

"Poison their work"? Curious - what do you mean by this?

And what is "Glaze & Nightshade", in this context?

A simple web search can show you that Glaze & Nightshade are tools developed for use for artists that are trying to protect their artwork from data scraping their work without consent, credit, or compensation.

You run your artwork through these applications, that are made for and provided to artists for free, and they subtly modify the work to become "poisoned." The poisoned work then gets put into a dataset and it will start to corrupt the dataset with enough poisoned works, eventually leading to a model collapse, or more often the case, the model spits out gibberish as it can no longer discern anything of use form the poisoned works.

Look it up its pretty interesting stuff. The tools are still relatively new and they are still working to develop stronger tools for artists.

 

[dragoner]

Never had use for AI in my stuff, art I was mostly before it all happened, and for writing it was useless. It's not very good at hard sf, imagine that. lol