Last Seen Online's Artstyle Change

• All AI-generated artwork has been removed.

• Statue puzzle has been reworked to be visually simpler.

• New Turkish community-created translation.

• New song by "Sunny Grey" during credits.

• New cover art by "Isabel Li".

• Minor bugfixes.

I changed Last Seen Online’s art style from realistic to cartoon. The intention was to remove all the AI art. This was a very hard decision. I want to acknowledge the many people who played and loved the first version of Last Seen Online, and I want to acknowledge how much of a tone shift it makes. When I have more resources, I want to return to the realistic style in a future game. Maybe in some extended version of Last Seen Online. The reason behind this change is not as simple as saying, “I am anti-AI,” because I am not. I’d like to tell you the story behind this change.

Before I was a programmer in front of a keyboard, I picked up the pencil and drew pictures. I struggled and struggled, but I loved drawing. I copied my favorite animes. I drew stories about zombies attacking the school. In class, I sketched sleeping students and teachers. I eventually hit a brick wall – and felt like my drawing skills wouldn’t improve. Sketching with a lead pencil on a notebook my entire life meant no experience with color. I continuously sucked at lighting and shadows. I was encouraged by teachers to join art competitions, where I lost. In college I was surrounded by actual, real, art students who were far more talented than me. I got discouraged, and I put down my pencil, lifting it up occasionally for a fun doodle, before becoming discouraged again.

More than a decade later, I developed my game Last Seen Online, which referenced a lot of the struggles I went through as a teenager. The game allowed me to display all the skills that I had built up to this point. I used AI art in the game.

(Read about "Changing Last Seen Online's Artstyle" on my substack.)