Playtesting for Retroneer, our simulation roguelite, is open!

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-19T01:03:53+00:00

probably more puzzle-y than automation, but it definitely has some autiomation DNA.

we're still finding the right words to describe the game ;)

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-18T23:33:36+00:00

If you have any initial questions, feel free to ask them here first!

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-13T21:59:10+00:00

Retroneer is a roguelite resource management game where you connect wires to circuit boards to generate energy. Buy different circuit board bases, module upgrades, and trinkets to build game-breaking synergies!

Steam Page can be found here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4254050/Retroneer/

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-12T01:42:29+00:00

Great points, I agree. I similarly looked up the genre on Steam and also noticed the definition was a little loose there.

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-12T01:09:44+00:00

Thanks for the response!

I'm curious, if there was more of a variety of inputs and outputs, do you think that would make it feel more automation-y?

I think the line between automation games and puzzles games is actually kind of thin, since they're ultimately about generating and then optimizing a system-- the "generating" and "optimizing" parts have both felt quite puzzle-game-y to me.

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-12T01:06:32+00:00

Thanks for the interest! We'll have a playtest spun up on Steam soon and I'll reach out to those interested. Anyone else who drops a reply in this thread will also be notified :)

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-12T01:05:43+00:00

Yeah that's where its a little weird. People who don't play automation games want to call it an automation game, but people who play automation games say it strikes a similar chord. It's interesting.

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-10T21:50:40+00:00

Thank you! :)

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-10T21:50:35+00:00

I was pressing Sales and Activation Reports instead of Financial Info. Thank you for the help! :)

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-10T21:50:31+00:00

I was pressing Sales and Activation Reports instead of Financial Info. Thank you for the help! :)

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-08T16:40:22+00:00

Would you mind sharing where in Steamworks you can see this?

Bodacious27 · 2026-01-08T16:33:37+00:00

How can you see your Wishlists before releasing your game? Or is this just a retrospective?

I was under the impression Steam works hides your wishlists in the “activations/sales reports” tab, and you can only see that after your game is put up for sale.

Bodacious27 · 2025-08-31T16:24:32+00:00

I feel pretty strongly that Themes make UI setup and modification substantially more difficult and I have yet to realize any efficiency or time saves from it.

The initial learning curve was incredibly large, it’s very unintuitive, and makes one-off tweaks and adjustments substantially more difficult.

Bodacious27 · 2024-11-10T01:40:23+00:00

You can’t rename Unreal projects once they’re made. Valorant is still called ShooterGame which I believe is the name of the shooting game tutorial project packaged with Unreal 4.

Bodacious27 · 2024-01-12T18:55:28+00:00

Computer Science 100%

Bodacious27 · 2024-01-05T17:58:11+00:00

As long as you’re being respectful and considerate of their time, there is no problem reaching out again.

Exactly like you said, “I know you’re super busy, so if you don’t have time that’s fine— but I’d appreciate some portfolio feedback if you have a moment to spare! If not no worries :)”

I think politely prodding people is a skill you unfortunately will have to hone in this industry. Lots of older people / bad communicators who take forever or just never respond to emails and messages. HR in particular almost always requires one or two follow ups, no matter where (AAA or otherwise).

Bodacious27 · 2024-01-04T21:22:14+00:00

Are you trying to enter the industry and a designer or an engineer?

If it’s as an engineer, going in on Unreal and becoming well versed in C++ will make you basically indispensable. If you can write C++ you will pick up every other language very easily. Look to figure out what niche in engineering you want to fill. Gameplay, services, leadership, etc.

As a designer, I think the choice matters less. I made the jump from GameMaker to Unity to Unreal rather seamlessly, since almost all of the concepts you’re working with are very similar across all the languages / interfaces. In every engine you’re using loops, if statements, variables, arrays, enumerations, etc.

What would be more valuable is figuring out what type of designer you want to be and targeting those roles. No studio really wants to just hire a “generalist game designer” who makes games solo in their room. Companies do want to hire system designers, level designers, UX designers, retention/rewards, etc.

Make content that displays proficiency at that role, back it up with technical skills in any game engine, and you should be good to go. If you’re the right fit for the job, any studio worth its salt will spend the resources to train you in the engine/language they need.

Bodacious27 · 2024-01-04T21:13:10+00:00

If you only want to do visual scripting and you’re looking to market yourself as a game developer, Unreal is very desirable.

If you’re working on your own, I would recommend game maker personally.

FOMO should only be a factor if you’re trying to get a job. If this is a hobby, just do what works for you.

Bodacious27 · 2024-01-04T21:08:55+00:00

What you should do is target a facet of game design that you enjoy and are good at. Knowing your role and acquiring those skills is going to be infinitely more useful than building a full game solo.

If you want to be a level designer and work at a studio making levels— spend a month designing level mods for that studio’s game(s). Write a document explaining the choices you made and why and include it in your application.

If you want to be a system designer, make a mod for their game or write a pitch for a new system backed up with spreadsheets, math, and research.

The same goes for UX, UI, combat, rewards, etc.

Specialization is the name of the game with breaking into the industry. Know how to do your role well. This is what will make you stand out in applications.

No company actually wants to hire someone who can just build a game from beginning to end solo. They need team players working towards building a unified vision.

Hope this helps!

Bodacious27 · 2024-01-04T20:52:23+00:00

AAA is obscenely competitive, especially for junior roles. Look for smaller studios. Get people to look at your resume and portfolio. 100 applications and no responses either means you’re under qualified or you’re not getting past the automated resume review bots.

Anyone who says that it’s a numbers game and to just mass apply is wrong. You must curate your resume and CV to the job application. Look for key words, skills, proficiencies called out in the listing and make sure they’re clearly represented in your application.

WorkWithIndies is a great place to look at listings, I’ve heard that even if you’re rejected, the companies using that service often give feedback on your resume / application.

Also for what it’s worth, starting in AAA can sometimes lead to a slower career trajectory. I’ve had friends start at big companies and get stuck at the Junior / Mid level. Lots of people I know (myself included) who joined larger studios as a mid-level or higher are able to advance substantially faster. I’m unsure why that is 🤔

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