I guess they wanted skill-based matchmaking (SBMM)

Dope! I'm curious about the architecture. What language and UI framework are you using? Is the interface web based or natively rendered with something like D2D? Cpu only? For first paint and fully loaded at 70ms on the PC spec: Were these cold or warm launches, and what initialization tasks are included before the application is considered fully loaded?

There's a pattern with these anti-AI absolutists: call everything "slop," insult anyone who disagrees, then hit block after getting the last word. I've refused to use AI in my own games, yet apparently even discussing the difference between automation and authorship makes me an "AI cultist." This hostile, gatekeeping attitude is part of what makes tools that lower barriers to entry so appealing. You can't even find common ground on where ethical boundaries should exist, then wonder why the industry is embracing the very technology you despise. You aren't changing minds. You're driving people toward the opposite end of your ideals. Exactly why I once was "Anti-A.I", but not anymore.

Also: to clarify, "A.I programming assistance" doesn't mean having AI write your entire application. Having AI configure DirectX library linking, manage NuGet dependencies, includes, code commenting, or update stacks like Avalonia's packages instead of doing that tedious work manually is assistance. I don' want confuse automation with authorship.

I brought up textbooks, published algorithms, and open source because you called AI programming assistance "theft" without explaining what was stolen. I was illustrating how programmers have always relied on external resources, NOT equating AI training with human learning. That's your strawman.

You're arguing with a strawman. I never compared AI to humans, defended its training practices, or claimed AI output can't be slop. I'm not even an AI enthusiast. I asked a specific question: how does AI programming assistance automatically constitute theft? Insults aren't an answer.

I asked how AI programming assistance equals "theft". I never said I used it or where/how I used it, yet we have a "slop" allegation. Programmers like me have learned from published algorithms, textbooks, and open-source material for decades. Is that theft? AI training rights are a separate debate. We can discuss without insults

And what exactly makes A.I programming assistance "theft"? I've spent many many many years writing my own code, all of my games are my own code. So I'm curious, what makes A.I programming assistance "theft"?

I wouldn't be surprised if valve engineers were already using A.I assistance. Tons of engineers use it silently, even some of the grandstanders.

This is not a true to form representation, although I understand the argument. If we're discussing a game's "ingredients," that includes its engine, programming language, source code, and every tool used. If AI is the only thing requiring disclosure, this isn't about ingredients. I'm no AI evangelist. I've seen plenty of fake engineers prompt their way into producing polished turds. But there's a massive difference between that and experienced engineers using AI to eliminate tedious, repetitive coding tasks. AI art disclosure is a separate discussion, where legitimate concerns about theft exist.

It's because ppl have a poor understanding of how things really work.

A.I doesn't work that way. You can't prompt to replace a great engineer. A.I is a tool. Generating code isn't the same as engineering software. The real expertise is understanding how systems work, recognizing their flaws, and refining them into something genuinely reliable and polished. And no, this isn't a defense of pseudo engineers who do larp as expert engineers thanks to A.I.

Precisely!

Games make money to make more games to make more money to make even better games🔁

I'm part of the lucky devs that have had experience building custom rendering Engine's before A.I became a thing. A.I can build you a rendering engine, but can't touch the level of efficiency that an experience developer can output. This is one reason I don't fear Vibe Coders.

They do it every year and yet, it still sells very well. 😵‍💫I can usually still find joy...

That's just the COD way 😂

I made money for years going all the way back to the early 2010s selling software services, art, etc... and I'm not mad about the shift. Same thing happened when more tools became available for anyone to create many different types of games, apps, website builders like Wix and Squarespace, etc... To me, this is nothing new. I remember when stacks like Xamarin became popular making it easy to develop cross platform apps. Or apps like Substance Painter making it easier for some to become 3D texture artist. Same old story. I'm just lucky enough to have seen all of the shifts to be used to adapting.

This inspired some confidence for me to post a tool I've been working on mainly for personal use. Keep it up!

The reset starts with Indies doing ambitious things