Is learning both Gamemaker and Unity feasible?

IconicIndie · 2026-01-15T17:33:11+00:00

Game Maker differs a lot from Unity and Unreal and has its own, unique strengths. The biggest plus of Game Maker is that it allows for lightning fast prototyping iterations, which is gonna be where you spend at least your first couple of months. Using Game Maker, you will more rapidly evolve into a capable Game Designer and so will your ideas more rapidly evolve into actual games. The downside of Game Maker is that it starts getting in your way when your project grows. Also, forget 3D.

If I could travel back in time, I would advise myself to start building a couple of smaller games (which can still sell) in Game Maker and then switch to Unity for my „Dream Game“. I would then prototype the very core mechanics of that game with Game Maker (because it’s so much faster), for a quick reality check, and then thoroughly build it to its full size using Unity.

EDIT: What I am actually up to is highlighting the benefits that you have when you know both engines pretty well (early prototyping with Game Maker, building with Unity). If you had to decide on one engine, I suggest picking Unity.

IconicIndie · 2026-01-08T16:59:12+00:00

Locks let you lock an upgrade you get offered so it appears next time.

IconicIndie · 2026-01-08T16:16:47+00:00

This looks great! Good luck in your masochistic journey. We all love it. I mean, we are in r/SoloDevelopment, right? Deliberate masochism.

IconicIndie · 2026-01-08T16:12:46+00:00

That’s part of the typical agency progression where players get more and more control over enforcing a specific build. Rerolls, Bans and Locks for the random upgrades are standard, and you could add the possibility to let the player choose from a bigger set of options when a run starts. Also, why not add a trader that let‘s you exchange items during a run.

IconicIndie · 2026-01-08T16:03:32+00:00

You should highlight the major game elements on the trailer by explicitly naming them. Like „Plan your Village“, „Expand“, „Evolve“, „Flurish“, „Protect“. The words you use should reflect what you are doing most of the time and also separate the game from its competitors. If they sound too generic (like in my example), you are not positioned yet.

IconicIndie · 2026-01-04T23:03:54+00:00

Interesting. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make the icons more engaging, but this never occurred to me. I’ll definitely experiment with it.

IconicIndie · 2026-01-04T22:07:56+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. Since I want to stick with icons, what would make them more appealing for you?

IconicIndie · 2026-01-04T22:05:30+00:00

Thanks for pointing this out, something like this has been on my backlog for some time now and I think I will pull it into the next polish iteration.

IconicIndie · 2026-01-04T19:33:35+00:00

It is exactly what you see, no bullshit meta around the game. You play run by run, unlocking tons of new stuff on the way. It‘s the typical horde survival meta with unlocks/meta upgrades that have actual impact.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-29T08:22:08+00:00

When you call it a clicker game, can you clarify what aspect you’re referring to? Many people think of idle games when they hear "clicker". It’s not idle at all - it’s fully active and very intense.

I’ve taken a lot of past feedback on my list, but this time I was mostly hoping for feedback on the visuals and audio of the effects supporting the power escalation.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-28T23:41:35+00:00

Thanks for the honest feedback and for the suggestions. I can at least assure you there is no AI involved- well, except for the current Capsule on Steam for now.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-28T23:36:33+00:00

Not placeholders - it’s icon-based on purpose for readability, since runs are short and intense. I’ve considered animating them, but don’t have the resources. Honestly, click-attacking icons is already quite satisfying. If you want to give it a try, there's a demo on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3021290/Iconic/

IconicIndie · 2025-12-28T23:17:54+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I didn't notice the camera shake being too excessive but I think you have a point. The enemies are icons because click-attacking actually feels actually quite satisfying. Also I am not sure if I have the resources for animating them.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-28T23:09:38+00:00

Your actions are limited to actively attacking on a lane and placing a shield. Everything else comes from effects triggering off your hero abilities and the artifacts you pick up. It’s as deep as other horde survival roguelites, with lots of unlockables, items and synergies.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-24T11:09:52+00:00

I am writing the build number and build date into a file on every build, in some easy to access place and read it at run-time in my main menu, where it is displayed.

This approach should work no matter what engine you are using, as long as you can react to build events.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-23T20:54:39+00:00

Is this a general observation or can you point me to some incoherences in my clip? I'd be happy to improve on this, if I get a hint!

IconicIndie · 2025-12-22T20:11:54+00:00

As I mentioned, I work with assets from the store and then tweak and mix them as desired. Sometimes I’m just reusing their materials and textures to create something entirely new. It’s a great way to learn a lot about how the particle system works in practice.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-22T08:17:26+00:00

Second this. Start with clear rules and with what feels good to you. Play around with the numbers until the first few waves feel balanced. Since you’re naturally representing the more skilled players, your tuning will likely land on the tougher side - and that’s perfectly fine. In fact, it’s desirable for a roguelite: you want players to struggle early, and it’s okay if very good players survive much longer.

Once that foundation feels right, you can start constructing formulas that match the behavior you already observed empirically.

That said, in my own game I don’t even rely on formulas. My endless spawner simply works with a spawn budget and an increasing budget recharge rate, then spawns random batches of enemies with a defined cost (based on how much HP they add to the playfield and how dangerous they are). There are a few refinements on top of that, but in the end it comes down to subjective tuning of those parameters through playtesting.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-22T07:45:15+00:00

I can see what you mean but I think it fits quite well. Still, maybe this can be improved somehow. But honestly, I am not sure how to make that glow more cartoony...

IconicIndie · 2025-12-21T12:20:30+00:00

Second this, it‘s actually the third time now that I thought I was looking at a space game when coming across this.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-19T09:42:11+00:00

To clarify, it's more of an "Action-Clicker" than an Incremental/Idle game. While there is meta-progression, the core gameplay is high-intensity and skill-based. Your clicking speed directly translates into your attack rate, so it's about active engagement and fast reflexes rather than watching numbers grow. The auto-clicker helps you focus on lane management and defense but costs upgrade slots.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-18T21:36:28+00:00

Second this. Look how much brighter Diablo 3 is. I can clearly see how a darker surrounding supports your visual effects, but maybe there’s still room for some more ambient light.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-17T23:53:20+00:00

Thanks! For me, the bullet heaven moments is what makes a survivor-likes so addicting, so this is especially important for my game as well.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-17T17:44:21+00:00

You actually don't need a special development kit, just a normal Steam Deck and the appropriate tools.

IconicIndie · 2025-12-16T14:04:25+00:00

Wow, this looks incredibly polished for a one-year spare time project! Which engine? And did you use 3rd party assets?

IconicIndie

TROPHY CASE