u/ErikPostScript

Sorry for the delay. This experience reminded me that I can't squish more than I already designed the banner to handle without making things unpleasant. So to feature more cards, the desktop and mobile banners have different cards, bringing our total number of cards featured to 15! Unfortunately, I was unable to fit 3 cards that were volunteered.

Here is the list of TCGs that made the cut based on first come first serve.

Desktop Banner: Sidus Proxyma, Cyclemental, Gnobbler’s Revenge, Spirit Masters, ScriptBattleTCG, Patrol: A Coloring Card, Universe Of Cards TCG, Endeavour TCG, Fantastic TCG, Omentide TCG

Mobile Banner: Four Seasons, Dinosauria TCG, It Takes A Village, Mooks, Flipside

Hey, guys!
Since we have the new "No AI" rule, I figure this is a good time to update the banner and do some aesthetic housekeeping on this subreddit, which I acknowledge I should do more often.

If you would like your card(s) featured on our banner, please share your cards in the comments here. I'll include as many as possible, and don't forget to mention your TCG's name so I can give you credit. The banner cards will be rotated, so feel free to submit new cards even if you're already featured.

Image requirements: Decently high resolution image from a straight angle. No tilted looking cards. Any level of art is welcome. (I understand if there is a bit of tilt. It can be hard to get a perfectly straight photo.)

The names of the TCGs will be listed in a sidebar widget under the rules.
I will try to include as many as possible. When I am in the process of creating the banner, I will edit this post to indicate that submissions are closed. When I have time to rotate in new art, I will make a new post. Due to dimension restrictions, spots on the banner will be first come first serve because we want the cards featured to have legible art.
Remember: No AI art is allowed. We only want art done by artists.

This is going to be my last post about the new rule and the new subreddit. I want you guys to understand why I made the choices I did because I understand some think I made choices due to hate, favoritism, or pushback. People think I am choosing sides with HTCGs. But the truth is, I do not moderate this community because I like HTCGs.

When I was a minor, I met a person who groomed me, trafficked me, and abused me. He had me do SW to fund his HTCG idea, had me front it, and had me illustrate it. He would tell me I drew too slow and my art wasn’t sexy enough. So I had to use the money I earned from SW to pay artists to make illustrations for his HTCG too. Eventually, he had me pay for an AI subscription so he could generate art. Honestly, AI was a relief to me. But overall, I don’t care for HTCGs and they’re rather traumatic for me in general. It’s why I couldn’t care enough to actively cultivate a discord server for the community and why I let people use AI for so long.

So why did continue moderating this subreddit and make the decision to ban AI here and create a new subreddit to minimize the potential for people pushing for AI here? I do it for the kids. We have a lot of minors here. I know you are all teenagers at least, but that’s a kid to me. I know from personal experience that there are predators in the HTCG space, so I moderate it because I am hypersensitive to signs of predators. Even if it’s an underdeveloped trait and the person may not be actively out to groom people, I’m more prone to noticing it than the average person. I chose to ban AI and make a space for it to minimize the chances of it being pushed for here because this space is for those kids I want to protect. I think about the kids coming home from school and working on their art and getting their work drowned out in the feed because someone is posting AI. They're not getting the attention they deserve for their hard work.

I’m not drawing a line in the sand for the sake of HTCG politics and making people happy. I’m doing it for the kids who want to show their art, develop their craft, and refine their game mechanics. They deserve to have the positive experience with art and HTCGs that I didn’t get to have. If you want to continue fighting me on this, go ahead, because you’re basically fighting to ruin the space I’m trying to curate for minors who deserve a future better than my reality. They deserve a space that helps them thrive.

I was talking to my brother about the new rules, and while he supported banning AI for this community, he rightfully pointed out that AI is here to stay and we can't actually stop people from using AI. He recommended creating r/AIHomemadeTCGs so that we can direct everyone who uses AI there and keep our community truly homemade without the risk of AI users attempting to force their ways upon us because they want a place where they can post. By creating the subreddit myself, we don't have to worry about two rival communities, which we know can become a problem considering how heated comments become regarding this topic.

So if you are an AI user and insist upon it, please join r/AIHomemadeTCGs and post there instead. However, if you are only using it for art, I recommend using placeholder art that isn't AI so that the post qualifies to be posted on r/homemadeTCGs, because our subreddit is already established with a community.

I hope this resolves the issue for those hurt over the new rule and provides everyone who wants a truly homemade TCG space with peace of mind because AI users now have their own place and do not need to infringe on ours.

Use and promotion of AI is forbidden. The enforcement of this rule will largely be user driven. If you see someone using or promoting AI, report it. I will review all removals. Do not abuse this or I will have to allow AI on the subreddit again (due to practicality, not due to support). It is impossible for me to monitor all art that is posted, but because you guys are taking the initiative to report AI art and writing in customized reasons to take down a post featuring AI, I am giving you the official option.

EDIT: Please note that the rules includes promoting AI as forbidden. This means that comments promoting AI can result in you being banned. Comment at your own risk if you are against this choice.