Shattered Codex — AI Usage Policy

Human ownership and responsibility

All architecture, product decisions, feature design, integration strategy, and final implementation decisions remain under human responsibility.

AI-generated or AI-assisted output is treated like code or content produced by any other development tool: it must be reviewed, validated, tested, and accepted before becoming part of a released product. The developer remains fully responsible for the resulting software.

Specification-driven development

Whenever practical, features are developed from explicit specifications, implementation plans, or documented requirements before significant code is produced.

AI agents may help execute those specifications, but the specification, expected behavior, constraints, compatibility requirements, and acceptance criteria define the intended implementation. This helps prevent AI-assisted development from becoming uncontrolled or purely prompt-driven development.

Code review and validation

AI-generated code is not automatically trusted.

Before release, relevant changes may go through:

• manual code review;
• architectural review;
• compatibility checks;
• runtime and regression testing;
• Foundry VTT and game-system version testing;
• integration testing with supported modules;
• review of logs and browser console errors; and
• real-world testing in development environments.

The amount of validation depends on the complexity and risk of the change.

AI agents and development tools

Shattered Codex may use AI coding agents and assistants as part of the engineering workflow. Agents may read specifications, propose implementations, write code, create tests, or analyze bugs. They operate as development tools under human direction.

Instructions, project conventions, architecture rules, and agent guidance may be documented in specifications, development plans, repository documentation, or files such as AGENTS.md.

Artwork and creative assets

Shattered Codex uses AI image-generation tools for specific visual assets distributed through its own channels. AI-generated artwork is currently used for promotional cover artwork for premium Shattered Codex modules distributed through Patreon and the Shattered Codex Download Hub.

AI-generated visual assets are also included directly in the content of SC - More Gems and SC - Relic Vault.

No individual artist is used as a visual reference for generating these assets. Prompts use standardized internal specifications intended to maintain a consistent visual direction, composition, and level of quality across Shattered Codex artwork.

Only materials owned by Shattered Codex or appropriately licensed for this use are provided to AI tools as reference material or context.

The use of generative AI for artwork is separate from the software development process described throughout this policy.

Foundry VTT AI Content Policy

Foundry Virtual Tabletop's current AI Content Policy permits AI-assisted software development, including AI-generated code, provided that the package author personally understands, can explain, modify, and maintain the submitted codebase. This requirement is consistent with the development process used by Shattered Codex.

Read Foundry VTT's AI Content Policy

Foundry's policy applies different requirements to prepared visual media such as generated images, illustrations, video, and similar assets. Because SC - More Gems and SC - Relic Vault contain AI-generated visual assets directly as part of their module content, these are currently the only Shattered Codex modules that do not meet Foundry VTT's AI Content Policy requirements for prepared visual media.

This limitation applies specifically to the generated visual assets contained in those modules. It does not mean that their software code fails to meet Foundry's requirements for AI-assisted development. All other Shattered Codex modules that do not contain this type of AI-generated prepared media are developed under a process intended to comply with Foundry VTT's requirements for AI-assisted software development.

AI-generated promotional covers used on Patreon or the Shattered Codex Download Hub are part of Shattered Codex's independent distribution and marketing. They are not intended to be submitted as marketing assets for an official Foundry package listing where doing so would conflict with Foundry's requirements.

Foundry's policy also preserves creators' ability to self-publish packages outside Foundry's official listing and marketplace, subject to the applicable Foundry licensing requirements. Shattered Codex uses independent distribution where appropriate.

Official Foundry listings and independent distribution

Shattered Codex uses two primary distribution channels depending on whether a module is free or premium.

• Free Shattered Codex modules are distributed through Foundry VTT's official package listing, where users can discover, install, and update them directly through Foundry.
• Premium Shattered Codex modules are distributed exclusively through the Shattered Codex Download Hub for Patreon members. They are not distributed through Foundry's official premium-content distribution infrastructure.

There is an economic reason for this distribution model.

Using Foundry's premium-content distribution infrastructure would introduce additional distribution costs that are not economically viable for Shattered Codex under its current pricing model.

This model keeps free modules broadly accessible through Foundry while maintaining sustainable pricing for premium content without passing the additional distribution costs on to Patreon members. It is a distribution and pricing decision, not a difference in the development, maintenance, testing, or support provided for those modules.

Patreon members can follow the premium module installation guide.

Transparency

Shattered Codex does not consider the use of AI tools itself to be a substitute for disclosure where disclosure is relevant. When platforms, marketplaces, partners, or agreements require information about AI usage, that information will be provided accurately.

The important distinction is between AI-assisted development and unreviewed autonomous generation. Shattered Codex products are AI-assisted where appropriate, but remain human-directed, reviewed, tested, and maintained.

Continuous support and maintenance

Shattered Codex is committed to maintaining active support for its modules regardless of whether a user is currently subscribed to Patreon. Users should not be left without assistance simply because they are not active subscribers.

Support is provided through the dedicated support channel in the official Shattered Codex Discord server. Support is offered on a best-effort basis for officially supported Foundry VTT and game-system versions. No specific response or resolution time is guaranteed.

Support includes, but is not limited to:

• investigation and resolution of bugs;
• help with installation and configuration;
• clarification of module features and behavior;
• guidance on how to use available functionality;
• compatibility issues related to supported Foundry VTT or game-system versions; and
• assistance identifying conflicts or unexpected behavior.

Patreon may provide access to premium content, early releases, or other subscriber benefits, but basic support for Shattered Codex modules is not treated as a subscription-only service. The goal is to maintain software that users can rely on and provide help when problems or questions arise.

Quality over generation speed

AI allows development to move faster, but speed is not a substitute for engineering quality. Features that cannot be adequately understood, reviewed, maintained, or tested should not be released merely because an AI system was capable of generating them.

Final responsibility

Regardless of which tools contribute to development, Shattered Codex accepts responsibility for the software it distributes.

AI is part of the toolchain. It is not the architect, maintainer, or decision-maker behind Shattered Codex products.