Frequently Asked Questions

Last Update: 24.07.2024: Split the FAQ for 3D and 2D Assets. This is the 2D assets FAQ. For 3D assets FAQ, click here.

Please note that the Terms of Service take precedence over the information provided in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section. While I strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information in our FAQ, any conflicts between the terms outlined in the Terms of Service and the FAQ should be resolved in favor of the Terms of Service.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR 2D ASSETS:

Here's a list of all questions so that you can find the answer to the one you need, right away:

1. Are you selling ready-made AI-generations?
2. Are your assets that you're selling REALLY copyright safe? Are they legal?
3. What use of your assets is permitted? Can I use them for commercial projects?
4. Can I edit these assets for my game / visual novel? Resize, crop, recolor, paint over, etc.?
5. Can I use these assets multiple times, across multiple projects after my purchase?
6. Can I use these assets in my game engine, or to make my own assets?
7. Can I use these assets for NFT / crypto projects?
8. What other things should I not do when using your assets?
9. Do I need to credit you in my creative project?
10. Why do you pack backgrounds into .rar archives? How to unpack them?
11. Why was the classical and impressionist series removed? Why were the GUI packs removed?
12. I bought something that was removed.
13. I can't find backgrounds that I need in your catalogue. Can I request them?
14. Can you make backgrounds for my game only? 
15. Will you inform me when the requested pack is ready?
16. How likely is it that another person makes a game with the same pack that I want to buy?
17. Are you planning to ever use these packs yourself?
18. Are there any rules regarding the timing of the sales?
19. Why was my comment removed? Why was I blocked?
20. Why was the rating and comment section disabled?! How can I contact you?
21. Why are you charging for art that’s made with an AI-engine? Shouldn’t it be free?
22. The download link is broken! What should I do?

And here are the answers to all questions listed above:

1. Are you selling ready-made AI-generations?

No, I utilize an AI engine to create a foundation image which I then modify. I sell the modified image, not the initial generation. Nevertheless, I retain full ownership rights for both the generation and the edited image, rendering this distinction inconsequential. For those of you who are curious what's the difference between an AI generation and my background, check out this link - it's an itch.io post where I explain the modifications that I am making.

(left - AI-generated image; right - my background for sale)

2. Are your assets that you're selling REALLY copyright safe? Are they legal?

Yes! I am extremely serious about respecting copyrights.

All my assets that use AI, are made with a paid engine that places a strong emphasis on respecting copyrights. It strictly prohibits the upload of copyrighted pictures or photos into its image base. Furthermore, all images generated through this engine are considered new and exclusive creations that belong to me. Therefore, I hold the freedom to modify and subsequently use these images as I see fit, including selling.

3. What use of your assets is permitted? Can I use them for commercial projects?

You can use my assets in your free and commercial creative projects, such as (but not limited to): visual novels, sound novels, text adventure games and other plot-driven games, as well as your manga, comics, artbooks and videos. You can also use the assets to make print-and-play games, board games, and merch related to your creative project, provided that they're part of some larger composition (you add artistic effort to the project rather than making the asset the main base).

To make sure that your creative project doesn’t fall into the range of forbidden use, please check the Terms of Service, Section: Forbidden Use of Assets.

4. Can I edit these assets for my game / visual novel? Resize, crop, recolor, paint over, etc.?

Yes. You have the flexibility to modify and tailor my assets to seamlessly align with the specific requirements of your creative project.

5. Can I use these assets multiple times, across multiple projects after my purchase?

Yes. You can utilize my assets for multiple instances across the creative projects listed above, without the need for additional purchases. 

6. Can I use these assets in my game engine, or to make my own assets?

No. It is strictly prohibited to resell my assets or include them, along with their download links, in game creation engines, software applications, websites, apps, stock image galleries, digital asset galleries, or any other projects that involve the sale or distribution of digital assets to third parties. This restriction also applies to projects that allow third parties to utilize the assets for their own creative projects. Also, please refrain from creating your own assets using my provided assets, as this activity is considered competitive and strictly prohibited under any circumstances.

7. Can I use these assets for NFT / crypto projects?

Please note that my assets are not to be used for creating NFTs or included in projects intended for sale in cryptocurrency markets. Please refrain from using them for these purposes.

8. What other things should I not do when using your assets?

Please refrain from disseminating my assets or distributing the download links associated with them to any third parties. This encompasses the prohibition of uploading said assets or their download links to torrents, file hosting services, sharing websites, or any other similar platforms.

Additionally, it is important that you do not claim my assets as your own work or assert exclusive rights to the assets you have purchased. It is essential to understand that anyone who purchases these assets will have the same rights to use them as you do.

9. Do I need to credit you in my creative project?

Crediting is appreciated but not mandatory. However, it is important to note that you should not claim that you have created the assets yourself. 

10. Why do you pack backgrounds into .rar archives? How to unpack them?

Backgrounds are packed to facilitate bulk download. You can unpack them with free software such as WinRar. But newer versions of Windows help you unpack .rar archives even without WinRar. Right click on the archive and choose "unpack to...". Make sure to choose a location that you can find. I also suggest to unpack directly to a folder that you've created earlier to avoid unpacking twenty images on your desktop.

11. Why was the classical and impressionist series removed? Why were the GUI packs removed?

I have been creating game assets since 2019, and my technique has significantly improved over time. As a result, I realized that the classical and impressionist series were not so good and so, I decided to discontinue them and instead create new backgrounds that reflect my enhanced skills.

Regarding GUI packs, the situation is a bit different: those sets had lots of redundant elements that creators weren't going to use anyway (such as config screens and  buttons), but they didn't have elements that were needed instead (such as blank versions of buttons). So, they were discontinued as well.

12. I bought something that was removed.

It is important to note that it is your responsibility to download all purchased assets within two weeks of your purchase. I cannot guarantee that the assets I am selling will always be available on this shop, as I may remove them at any time. Therefore, I strongly advise you to download and save the assets promptly to ensure you have access to them in the future.

14. I can't find backgrounds that I need in your catalogue. Can I request them?

Yes, you can do so using the requests thread (you will find the link to it on my profile). Please post in the main thread, don't create new posts especially for your request as it's easier for me to reply to everyone in just one thread.

15. Can you make backgrounds for my game only? 

I don't take personal requests for three reasons.

First, I don't have a good payment system set in place yet.  Second, even though it looks like I can make really any background, I have limititations too. I do lots of general requests, and some are really problematic, even though they seem simple at the first glance. Often, I need to remake a pack three times to make sure that it looks good, and sometimes, I'm not happy with the final result even then. 

Second, dealing with unhappy clients is something that makes me really nervous so, I'm not eager to take personal requests.

And third, prices for personal packs would need to be at least a few times more expensive, for the commission to be profitable for me. Right now, my income comes mostly from repeated sales, not singular ones. If I spent 5 hours making a pack that later earns 150$, it's profitable. But if I spend 5 hours making a pack that earns me 10$, it's not profitable.

16. Will you inform me when the requested pack is ready?

I can’t update creators about the release of packs requested, as there are really lots of requests and comments, and answering everybody takes a lot of time. For this reason, it's crucial that you follow my profile after having your request accepted, and that you regularly check new releases, as well as the whole catalogue, to make sure you don't miss it. 

17. How likely is it that another person makes a game with the same pack that I want to buy?

There's always such a possibility, because anyone can buy these packs. If you want a pack that hasn't sold too many copies, I suggest buying the newest ones. You can check the release date (and the ratings) by clicking "More Information" beneath the purchase buttons.

18. Are you planning to ever use these packs yourself?

Sometimes, I am tempted to, hahaha. But no, packs that are listed here for sale are all for you. I'm not going to use them for my projects. I'll make new ones, tailored specifically to my own project.

19. Are there any rules regarding the timing of the sales?

I try to make bigger sales around important dates (e.g. Christmas, Easter, First Day of Summer, etc.), and smaller sales by the end of the month. Additionally, I strive to make occasional sales for the less popular packs each month. The yearly sale is available all year long.

20. Why was my comment removed? Why was I blocked?

Reason 1: You were impolite. I have neither time nor patience to deal with rude, unfair comments. If you have a problem with AI art, my shop isn't your place to be in. 

Reason 2: You bought backgrounds and you've returned them. I auto-block users who do so to prevent situations where someone buys my backgrounds over and over again, and tries to return them again. So please, make mindful purchases!!!

Reason 3: You did something that otherwise harmed my asset shop. Please note that any fradulent activity meant to undermine me will be immediately reported to itch.io.

21. Why was the rating and comment section disabled?! How can I contact you?

The internet is raging against AI-art. As a result, I'm being hated nearly every week. And frankly speaking, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of coming back home after a long day at work, and seeing your unfair ratings and nasty comments.

I know that I am doing things right, and I am tired of always having to explain myself to everyone. So, to prevent further abuse, I disabled both the rating and the comment section. Sorry. My shop's page is not a platform for spreading hatred or engaging in disrespectful behavior. It is important to maintain a respectful and positive environment for all users.

In the event of an emergency, you can still reach out to me through the requests thread (link on my profile). However, I would like to emphasize that any comments that question the legality of my shop or attempt to intimidate my clients will be promptly deleted without response. Additionally, any profiles involved in such behavior will be reported to itch.io. 

Live and let live.

22. Why are you charging for art that’s made with an AI-engine? Shouldn’t it be free?

For those who genuinely want to understand my perspective instead of simply criticizing me, I would like to provide a list of my reasons:

• Costs. I actually pay for the engine, and that's not a small amount at all. AI services are costly and the more you use them the more they cost.

• Generating takes time. Sometimes, a lot of it. Just because you can generate something quickly doesn't mean that it's going to be good. Most of AI-made art sucks and doesn't meet basic quality standards for distribution and sale. So, more often than not, I spend hours in front of my computer, generating, rejecting, choosing, etc.

• Editing takes time. I don't sell ready-made generations (like you all seem to think), I edit everything to make sure backgrounds look uniform (check out a sample comparison here). This doesn't just mean changing resolution and applying painting effects, but also fixing light, contrast, color, etc. This, again, can sometimes take hours (and a lot of skill, a person from the street with a phone app wouldn't be able to do it).

• Publishing takes time. Once the images files are ready, I have to name them, pack them, create preview images, upload, add descriptions, tags, etc. This, too, takes time. Time that I could choose, to make my own games, you know.

• I bring value to the table. My assets can be used across several creative projects (even commercial ones), and people buy them to make better games, videos, etc. I help people save a lot of time on making background art and money, too (freelancers charge 50$ for 1 background, and monthly AI art engine subscription isn't cheaper). 

• I pay attention to the legal aspects. A lot of people posting backgrounds here use AI engines without even checking the licenses of the programs that they're using. And unfortunately, so, so many AI engines don't have a single information about what can be uploaded into their image base and how the generations can be used. Just because something can be downloaded freely doesn't mean that it's ok for commercial use. By buying my backgrounds you can be free from these worries, as I did the homework for you.

• I allow broad commercial use. Again, I see a lot of confusion among asset makers, regarding permitted use. Some release everything for free but then restrict commercial use, others want attribution but won't state how it should be given, and there are also those that release paid versions without saying a word about permitted usage. All these are red flags for me. And in my shop, there are no such surprises - commercial use terms are clearly described here in the FAQ and the Terms of Service.

And the most prosaic reason of all:

• It is my art. AI-generated, sure, but still mine. If you want to use my art in your game, it's fair that I get my cut in form of your one-time payment. Why, because, I spent time making assets that in turn help you make a better game. It is thus fair from my point of view that I price the assets instead of releasing them for free.

23. The download link is broken! What should I do?

Please leave me a comment in "Your Requests" asking to fix the download files. Please make sure to indicate the pack with the broken link. I will fix it within 3 days. If it's not possible for me to upload the correct files within this timeframe (I face a lot of problems with upload due to poor internet speed), please leave an email so that I can send you the backgrounds.

Thank you for your attention!

Rachel Chen