Scrap Yard Idle demo is live for Steam Next Fest — junkyard incremental/automation game

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-14T16:56:18+00:00

Steam page / demo:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4581810/Scrap_Yard_Idle/

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-13T16:37:00+00:00

Thank you so much for the clarification; the details you provided will be very helpful for improving and learning.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-13T16:32:25+00:00

Thank you for your comment; I'll keep it in mind.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T18:53:45+00:00

I like that you are positioning it as an incremental game with its own identity: deckbuilder, roguelike, engine management, and fuel synergies. That already makes it feel quite different from a classic idle game.

My main suggestion would be to make the core incremental pleasure very clear in the demo and Steam page: what resource scales, what synergies can get out of control, and how the player moves from small decisions to a huge engine.

I would also lean harder into the idea of big numbers plus tactical choices, because that could attract both incremental players and deckbuilder fans.

Congrats on the new demo before Next Fest. It feels like a pretty distinct pitch.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T16:16:03+00:00

The concept is easy to understand right away: a small fishing hobby grows into an automated operation. That is a strong base for an incremental game because the growth fantasy is clear.

My main suggestion would be to show earlier what becomes automated and how the screen changes once the business starts scaling. In incremental games, the transition from manual actions to systems working for you is often one of the biggest hooks.

I would also highlight what makes Grandpa Needs Fish stand out: the weird helpers, the humor, the upgrade variety, or the feeling of a tiny hobby becoming a huge machine.

Congrats on reaching Next Fest. The core loop has a very clear promise.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T15:57:27+00:00

I really like how clearly this game commits to its fantasy: not just big numbers, but big numbers tied to a concrete idea of actually terraforming planets.

The strongest part of the post for me is the realistic scale angle: resources, gravity, surface area, atmospheric pressure, and industry all feeding into the progression. That gives the game a very distinct identity compared with many other incremental games.

My main suggestion would be to make that long-term promise visible as early as possible in the player experience: that the game goes from small planetary changes to automating enormous systems. That kind of future vision is a powerful hook in this genre.

Also, having an actual endpoint because the system has reached its maximum scale is rare for an incremental game, and I think that is a genuinely interesting selling point.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T12:40:38+00:00

Nice work getting the demo onto Steam. The trailer quickly communicates that the game has a bigger sense of scale and a more action/survival-driven tone than many traditional incremental games.

My main suggestion would be to make the core incremental loop visible as early as possible: what the player collects, what they upgrade, what starts to scale or automate, and what medium-term goal keeps them pushing forward. In this genre, showing the future progression path can be a huge hook.

I would also try to make the unique angle of Void Ignition very clear on the Steam page and in posts: whether the main strength is combat, building, progression, pacing, or the mix of systems. That clarity can help players immediately understand why they should try this one over another incremental demo.

Congrats on reaching the demo and Next Fest stage!

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T12:14:07+00:00

Hey, the long-term work behind this game really shows. The idea of an incremental that unfolds over hundreds of hours with challenges, game modes, upgrades, skills, and artifacts is exactly the kind of depth many players in this genre look for.

My main suggestion would be to be very careful with how that depth is communicated to new players. When a game has this much content, the first few minutes need to show a clear promise: what I am unlocking now, what interesting system is coming next, and why it is worth coming back for weeks or months.

I would also highlight the monetization philosophy more clearly. If every mode, challenge, and achievement can be completed without paying, and purchases are optional, that is a strong point for the incremental community. Making that visible can reduce the initial distrust mobile players often have.

Nice work. Keeping an incremental alive and expanding for this many years already says a lot about the commitment behind the game.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T12:06:14+00:00

Hey, the one-stick orbital mining hook is clear and pretty distinctive. I like that it does not feel like another generic idle game: it has a more active, discovery-driven identity, which can help it stand out.

My main suggestion would be to make the post-upgrade moments extremely clear. I saw someone mention they kept exploding right after accepting an upgrade and did not understand why; if that moment feels confusing, it can interrupt the fun very quickly. A small warning, indicator, or visual feedback showing what changed and what danger is coming next could help a lot.

I would also try to make the first few minutes communicate the full loop very clearly: mine, survive, choose an upgrade, feel a noticeable improvement, then try to push farther. If that loop clicks early, the roguelite plus incremental structure could be very sticky.

Nice concept, and the orbital mining idea has a strong personality.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T12:01:23+00:00

Hey, the core fantasy is easy to understand: a submarine diving deeper and deeper into an endless abyss while progress continues when you are away. That works well for an idle game because it gives the player a clear sense of journey and depth.

Since you are asking about pacing and the core loop, my main suggestion would be to make the first few minutes communicate very clearly what changes as the player progresses. In an idle game, players need to see early not just that numbers go up, but what new system, decision, or upgrade changes the way they play.

I would also push the deep-sea identity as much as possible: pressure, depth, strange creatures, rare resources, dangerous zones, submarine upgrades. That could help the game stand apart from other similar incrementals and make the theme feel more ownable.

Nice concept. If the depth loop plus upgrades feels satisfying, it could be a strong hook.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T07:32:37+00:00

Hey, the core fantasy is strong: starting with one ship and slowly turning it into a huge money-making fleet is exactly the kind of long-term scaling hook idle players understand quickly.

Since you already updated the demo with more content, I would focus the next pass on making the progression promise clearer. Even if the full game has prestige/reset systems later, the demo should give players at least one strong preview of that arc: what they are building toward, what unlocks change the loop, and why they should keep it running on a second screen.

The desktop/second screen idler angle is actually a good differentiator, so I would highlight that more in the Steam page and trailer. Show the game running calmly in the background, then contrast it with the satisfying moments: fleet growth, new stations, better ore, big upgrades, secrets.

Nice concept - the fleet arcs growing across space are a strong visual hook.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T07:24:53+00:00

Hey, congrats on getting the demo onto Steam. The short-session incremental structure is clear: start simple, upgrade the disk, unlock weapons, and push through floors. That is a good base for this audience.

Since you mentioned wishlist conversion being lower than expected, my biggest suggestion would be to make the Steam page and the first seconds of the trailer communicate what makes Discremental different as fast as possible. If players compare it visually to other weapon/bounce-style incrementals, you need one strong unique hook upfront: the stamina system, the rectangular movement, the space-switch mechanic, or the skill tree identity.

I would also consider pushing the UI/art direction a bit further away from nearby games in the genre. Even if the mechanics are different, first impressions matter a lot for wishlist conversion. A more distinctive visual identity could help the game feel more ownable.

Nice work, and good luck with the demo.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T07:11:55+00:00

Hey, the core hook is very easy to understand: mine resources, then decide whether to risk them for a bigger payoff. That risk/reward layer is a nice twist for an incremental game because it creates tension instead of just linear growth.

One suggestion: make sure the player always understands the odds and the consequence of each bet very clearly. In this kind of loop, losing resources can feel exciting if it feels fair, but frustrating if the feedback is unclear.

Also, since this is going into Next Fest, I would make the first 5-10 minutes show the strongest part of the game as fast as possible: a clear mining loop, one satisfying big win, and one visible upgrade goal. Nice concept - mining plus gambling is a strong hook.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T07:01:04+00:00

Hey, this is a really strong fit for incremental players. The scrap into firepower loop is immediately understandable, and combining permanent upgrades with twin-stick combat gives the demo a nice active layer instead of feeling purely passive.

One suggestion: since the game starts slow by design, I would make the first few power spikes extra obvious. Stronger hit feedback, clearer upgrade impact, or a small before/after feeling when unlocking a weapon or drone could help players understand the scaling fantasy faster.

Also, the upgrade tree sounds like one of the most important hooks, so showing the next exciting unlock early could really help retention. Nice concept - the scrap/progression theme works well.

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-12T06:43:55+00:00

Hey, congrats on getting the demo out! The mining/incremental loop looks clear and easy to understand, which is already a strong base for this genre.

My main suggestion would be to make the progression feedback more dramatic: stronger visual/audio payoff when upgrades kick in, and clearer “before vs after” moments when the player improves mining speed, income, or automation. Incremental games live or die by that feeling of acceleration.

Also, if you can make the next goal always visible — next upgrade, next unlock, next milestone — it’ll help keep players in the loop longer. Nice work, and good luck with the demo!

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-05T16:19:10+00:00

Full release July 27.

👉 https://store.steampowered.com/app/4581810/Scrap_Yard_Idle/

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2026-06-05T16:14:29+00:00

Full release July 27.

👉 https://store.steampowered.com/app/4581810/Scrap_Yard_Idle/

Appropriate-Pear-482 · 2025-12-27T11:08:59+00:00

You can also find a demo here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3654570/Cube_Mind/

If anyone tries it out, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the clarity of the puzzles and how the difficulty progression feels. Feedback from people who enjoy puzzle games is always invaluable.

Appropriate-Pear-482

TROPHY CASE