An Artificial Intelligence Hallucination of a Dream...

Introducing "Realm of Fire: The Ember Expanse," a unique collaboration between the human subconcious and artificial intelligence that redefines the boundaries of art and retro technology. Born from an artists dream of an burning world amidst the ruins of vaporwave corporate desolation, this project invites you on a journey to explore the "Ember Expanse," a realm born from human subconcious and AI interpretation where the remnants of a once-thriving corporate empire whisper tales of the occult, ambition, greed, courruption, and downfall.

"Welcome to The Ember Expanse, a realm seared into existence by the confluence of faerie fire and the ashes of a forgotten corporate world. Here, brutalist skyscrapers pierce the skyline, rising like monoliths from seas of flame, while strange machines glide through the air, shadows against the firestorm. This is not a world deserted, but one that feels as though it should be; a corporate hellscape selectively scorched, where rooms untouched by flame stand eerily pristine, their corporate sterility a sinister reminder of what once was. Amidst this desolation, magic lingers, a faint pulse of the occult vibrating through the embers. The Ember Expanse is a sanctuary for those lost to despair, a hiding place for souls seeking refuge from a reality too harsh to bear. It's a realm of lost hope and forgotten purpose, a testament to the resilience of those who dwell within, defiant in the face of oblivion."

At the heart of "Realm of Fire" lies a pioneering venture into the experience of Multi User Dungeons (MUDs), reviving the classic text-based adventure game format to serve as the canvas for this fiery dreamscape (you can download the SMAUG MUD resouces generated by this project here). What began as an experiment to see how closely AI could interpret and recreate the vivid imagery of a human dream has evolved into an eerie yet fascinating collaboration between the subconscious mind and digital intelligence.

"Realm of Fire: The Ember Expanse" is not just an exploration of a dystopian vision; it's a testament to the creative synergy between the human psyche and AI's boundless potential. Every aspect of the project, from the narrative to the graphics, has been co-crafted by this partnership, offering a glimpse into a world that is as hauntingly bizarre as it is mesmerizing.

This is a realm where the lines between the imagined and the created blur, where the digital meets the dream. Join us on this unique adventure as we delve into our shared dream and discover what lies beyond the flames. It is 2024, where art meets AI technology in an exploration of a realm forged from faerie fire and dreams.

The Artistic & Technological Process for this Project...

• >>>   Human subconscious thought - "a dream"
• >>>   Human waking rememberance of another realm
• >>>   Dall-E 2 (create baseline image of the subconcious realm to form a graphical style guide)
• >>>   OpenAI (create text based style guide from DALL-E 2 generated images + then create world element descriptions)
• >>>   OpenAI wrote SMAUG MUD "area file" (creating a complete and explorable AI generated text based world including locations, creatures and objects you can download here or check out some documented encounters within the software here)
• >>>   OpenAI (create optimised prompts for text to image from various elements of MUD)
• >>>   Easy Diffusion (create graphical depictions of world elements which you can view here)
• >>>   Blockchain (let the AI decide which chain to mint to + mint the creations + descriptions to blockchain)

Do You Want To Know More?

The artist Tengushee has been working on his Endless Chronicles project for 30 years as of 2024. It is deeply emersive work incorporating many multi-media elements and spanning art, music, poetry, literature and games. It is something that Tengushee describes as "happening to him" and it is strongly implied he believes that the world he is presenting through art and media is real - something he experiences day to day both in dreams, and in the real world. If you wish the explore the chronicles further please visit the website, or in the context of this "shard" click through to the Wiki page for the Realm of Fire... and fall down the rabbit hole of Faewave.

Encounters in a Retro-tech Nightmare...

The Smaug Multi-User Dungeon (MUD) system served as the foundation for crafting "The Ember Expanse," providing a tangible digital canvas for artists and AI to collaborate. Originally released in the early 1990s, we repurposed the software to facilitate this unique dynamic experience. The SMAUG system enabled the artist and AI to delve into the immersive environment they collectively envisioned, fostering exploration, interaction, and engagement with their crafted nightmare. You can download the resource files generated for this project here.

Screens from within the Ember Expanse...

The Exhibition - The Ember Expanse Collection...

Welcome to the threshold of imagination and generative art where each exhibit is a digital echo of a dream, stitched into existence by an AI muse. The gallery is a spectral collection of embers and apparitions, of guardians cloaked in the remnants of a cyberpunk vaporwave dystopia. Here, the artworks are fragments of a feverish human dream made real by AI, they depict a corporate world consumed by mystical flames, each piece a silent narrative that entices the bold to look closer, to delve into a realm where fae fire dances on the edges of reality and the dream state. Click an image to visit the NFT collection.

Additional materials from the Ember Expanse Project...

Venture further into the enigmatic and perilous world we have crafted with our curated selection of extra content. Each piece is a carefully crafted echo of the Ember Expanse, designed to draw you deeper into its mysteries and dangers. Here, secrets await those brave enough to explore the shadows and flames. Engage with caution and curiosity, for each download promises to enhance your journey through this volatile realm where for you danger and wonder intertwine in equal measure. If you wish to spread the word about this project we have resources available here.