caine's art makes me so insane. because he's an ai, but his art is his own. every adventure is different, all of them not generated mindlessly based on prompts, but rather by his own mind. because he's actually sentient, and can apply his own creative thought into it all.
i think, even subconsciously, that's why he never looked at the suggestion box until zooble prompted him to. because that would actually be what we currently consider ai "art"; humans prompting the ai to turn their ideas into art. that's why they're all so low effort; taking place in a single space, confusing and rushed, prone to little mistakes and inaccuracies. none of them have caine's own creative input added, beyond a few minor details.
i still think that caine is in denial about his own sentience, yet subconsciously protective of it. he tells himself that he's not a real person, that he's just an ai tool for the players to have fun, but when they actually try to use him for that purpose, he's upset. he doesn't want to be an ai tool. he wants to be an artist.
maybe another reason why he's so dear to me is because my own experiences with art feel incredibly similar to his. i've never been able to take commissions, or even requests. i find collaborations incredibly difficult, and feel genuinely hurt when someone tries to give me constructive criticism. i want my art to be mine, and mine alone. i want it to be a reflection of myself and my interests that i choose to share with others. but if anyone ever considered me talented enough to ask me to draw something they want, i'd...be completely unable to apply any of my typical passion into that.
he can't put it into words himself, but caine doesn't want to be used as a tool. he wants creative freedom. he wants to create his adventures, not just put the players' ideas into life. that's why it cuts so deep, that they enjoy their suggestions more than his adventures. it seems to reaffirm his role as just a tool for them to use. that the only worthy thing about him is his talent, not his creativity. not his ideas. not himself.
















