I’m making an indie game. The last thing I’m focused on is the graphics. Nobody gives two shits if the game looks dated or not. The most important factor is how the player FEELS.
I want my players to feel like they are a master strategist as they make their way through my levels. I try to back this feeling up with some good music I’m having made for the game. The artist I’m working with has played a few levels just to get and idea of the vibe I’m going for.
I know there is more to it than that but I’m just one dude and if I’m going to spend the time, I’d rather make it fun than pretty.
Totally agree. A flashy light show will only keep people’s focus for a hot minute, but good core gameplay will keep players engaged for so much longer. Just look at dwarf fortress, lol.
I would say It Depends. I play almost exclusively indy games and yes AAA graphics aren’t what I’m expecting.
But some indy games just look like the dev threw the sprites together in less than half a day and it can be offputting. Dated can be ok, but rushed and butt ugly… Hell I almost skipped Rimworld way back when because the visuals looked so lazy.
The gameplay has to be really freaking fantastic to cover that up. In Rimworld’s case it was.
Mine looks like very early sega right now but that’s kind of the vibe I’m going for. I know what you mean though. The game is only in alpha but before I release it (if ever, it’s been years now 😅) I plan to spend a couple hundred on an artist to update it and clean it up more.
I’m still actively developing it but the shitty part is that the game might only be like 4 to 6 hours long despite all this time I’ve put into it. So I’m not even sure if I’ll charge money for it with such a low amount of content available to the player.
It’s very much a passion project so the goal was never to make a profit on it anyways. This is a story I want to tell and the game is my canvas.
I’m making an indie game. The last thing I’m focused on is the graphics. Nobody gives two shits if the game looks dated or not. The most important factor is how the player FEELS.
I want my players to feel like they are a master strategist as they make their way through my levels. I try to back this feeling up with some good music I’m having made for the game. The artist I’m working with has played a few levels just to get and idea of the vibe I’m going for.
I know there is more to it than that but I’m just one dude and if I’m going to spend the time, I’d rather make it fun than pretty.
Totally agree. A flashy light show will only keep people’s focus for a hot minute, but good core gameplay will keep players engaged for so much longer. Just look at dwarf fortress, lol.
I would say It Depends. I play almost exclusively indy games and yes AAA graphics aren’t what I’m expecting.
But some indy games just look like the dev threw the sprites together in less than half a day and it can be offputting. Dated can be ok, but rushed and butt ugly… Hell I almost skipped Rimworld way back when because the visuals looked so lazy.
The gameplay has to be really freaking fantastic to cover that up. In Rimworld’s case it was.
Mine looks like very early sega right now but that’s kind of the vibe I’m going for. I know what you mean though. The game is only in alpha but before I release it (if ever, it’s been years now 😅) I plan to spend a couple hundred on an artist to update it and clean it up more.
I’m still actively developing it but the shitty part is that the game might only be like 4 to 6 hours long despite all this time I’ve put into it. So I’m not even sure if I’ll charge money for it with such a low amount of content available to the player.
It’s very much a passion project so the goal was never to make a profit on it anyways. This is a story I want to tell and the game is my canvas.
Battlebit is a good example of this for me - graphics are super basic but it’s fun af and they get the important parts right.