The author describes their journey towards creating a versatile image generator that can be used to create custom civilization sprites for Age of Empires II lobbies. They used various techniques, including machine learning and Control Net with Zoe Depth Estimation, to refine the outputs and get consistent results while still being imaginative. The author also explores other possibilities, such as creating new sprites in the original style or using the generator for concept art or level design workflows. They conclude that these models are surprisingly versatile and could be used in future games to seed user-generated lore or internal development.
https://www.engine.study/blog/modding-age-of-empires-ii-with-a-sprite-diffuser/