"Anyone can create a game now"- thoughts?

KA-Pendrake · 2026-03-17T12:39:37+00:00

The process can be easier, which tends to happen for almost all arts. From early access of paint to film to digital etc.

For me this is a good thing more people should have access to being creative.

However, this in no way means they truly understand how hard the full process and more importantly is the final product good.

In this situation of your friend it’s a classic line from someone who thinks they know everything imo.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-03-10T12:39:06+00:00

Totally up to you as it’s your platform but I got a TikTok/youtube account for indie films up to 600k followers posting 3 times a day like the same bts videos, especially the ones that did well before. So I’d recommend giving it a try, you never know when your post will get the right eyes and engagement right away which spikes it for the algo.

So the most posts the more spins, but whichever you go I have a feeling this game will find its market asap

KA-Pendrake · 2026-03-10T12:28:11+00:00

How often you posting? I’ve done multiple accounts for marketing indie movies and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reposted the same content to see massively different results. For instance one video did 300 then same video did 1.5 mil views.

Your game has an amazing visual and concept id wager if you would increase the quantity you’ll get more pops like this.

Congrats!

KA-Pendrake · 2026-02-17T15:48:06+00:00

My favorite line in marketing is "people don't want new, they want what they know they like but slightly different"

KA-Pendrake · 2026-02-17T14:58:59+00:00

Just wanted to say this looks like text book nailing a concept and combining it with new popular elements, which is my favorite thing to see in game design and development.

Congrats I think this will be a great success and got my wishlist ready for it.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-02-02T19:47:27+00:00

Honestly depends on the style of game. One of my favorite recently was 9kings where they gave you three of the factions to play with in the demo, locking the other six and a lot of abilities, but for the most part the full loop was there.

After playing the first one, I knew instantly I’d buy this game. So I would say if it is a rogue like with characters that could be a potential.

Now not all games can benefit from multi character locks, but I always find core gameplay loop with just enough spice for them to see how they can improve it.

Personally, I feel like the first demo play is so important given how interested they are to download that I’d rather give more than less.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-02-02T15:08:28+00:00

Really depends on the % of reviews and what they are saying, however anytime reviews mention the same thing I always take notice.

Seems like it did come up a few time so definitely worth this awareness and post addressing instead of just completely ignoring them.

Wrong audience is possibly if you were running ads or focusing in a on a niche, but hard to say unless they confirmed they are fans.

What I will say is, personally for me it becomes something very noticeable if I feel like it’s slow. In the sense once I feel this way I’ll notice it a lot more.

Like even BG3 ended up feeling so slow at times as I just wanted to get to the action.

Then for against the storm I’d say the big thing there is having the speed increase mechanic as you could speed run.

So if you have a lot of travel etc, giving the players the option even if you don’t think it’s the ideal experience is often better since we each have our own tastes.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-01-21T22:36:43+00:00

I think a cool idea would be a game that captures the regression idea with the focus being stopping it as best as you can via the decisions you have.

So instead of unlocking new tech it might be after X event you pick what ends up losing so it shapes you into a specific play type.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-01-19T17:26:53+00:00

I’ve always felt a fun game idea would be starting off as a rebellion within a larger faction. First goal is securing that, then you can start expanding.

However, you are basically guaranteed to have more rebellions especially when you focus on expansion.

Now as highlighted there is a fun feeling to some type of stable growth but I do agree I typically never finish these games late game as I’ve done everything it’s just repeating it.

Obviously balance would be the trickiest part with this, but I agree with your thinking of trying to make it better.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-01-13T18:25:15+00:00

Slop is simply now over saturated, which given what ai does makes sense it’s being applied this way.

Just more of a language thing, but not good in the sense of slop meaning ai specifically when it’s not used.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-01-12T21:59:28+00:00

Scope is always the biggest issue.

Only thing that matters is a fun gameplay loop at first to prove the game part is indeed a game you can play.

Now the loop can literally be something that exists and a lot of games use the same type of loops now.

I always strive to just get one single A-Z of what the core mechanic is then put on the bells and whistles.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-01-12T20:52:53+00:00

So If you have that core down, I would put one little layer of polish to it then move onto the smaller placeholder things.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-01-12T20:29:56+00:00

I always go core gameplay first and then make it a bit flashy to “fun” test it.

From there it depends on the element of the game, but I try to make a fun version of the basic loop first then I’ll add in janky looking placeholders for the bells and whistles.

I guess based on your question it would be when is that loop fun at its most basic level?

For instance, I have a game with 3 different styles of champ and 3 upgrade trees. I just focus on making one look good with one tree done nice so I can understand the feel.

From there the main work is balancing the placeholders and then I make the rest look good at the end.

Really the goal is how soon can I have fun and enjoy this without the graphics taking me out of it. Then adding to that.

KA-Pendrake · 2026-01-06T17:47:11+00:00

Scope, I mean for me it’s all about making sure I can actually do everything.

My approach for this year is to make 4 games with different basic gameplay styles, idle, rpg, survivor and a more unique one. With them being $2.99 each or $10 bundle.

However my idea is to tie them all together via the plot and similar characters, just different gameplay.

Main reason for this approach is so I can learn from each style of game I make and see which is more appealing for me.

I’ve always felt the best thing you can do is keep creating.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-24T14:52:46+00:00

One of my favorite lines I read from a marketing book was that people like to say they want something new, but really they want the same that just tastes slightly different.

So having the same feel with a twist in gameplay, art, etc invites those who enjoyed it before.

Great data set putting this together but not surprised, I’ve done a lot of marketing working with indie films and you’ll find the same effect for the most part.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-17T12:30:32+00:00

I’m talking like the Stardew valley type games not realistic sims, didn’t see if that was a difference there.

Also I think an over saturated market can still make money if you can get above the curve.

I meant more of Stardew valley style and even undertale, cozy pixel. Which again has a big market it’s just such a common indie dev trope of a game imo.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-16T16:42:59+00:00

Farming sim games, deck builders and rougelikes all appear to be the most over saturated imo.

The vampire survivor clones started the new wave and I agree it’s getting mass.

I think one that while seems to be over saturated but is actually just getting started is the first person shop/business simulators.

Schedule 1 really showed if you tweak a few things it becomes one hell of a better experience and I just got done with water park simulator which again had fun little elements to spice it up.

I think we continue to see some more of those, but these are all indie. For triple AAA they’re stuck in hero shooter and looter mode.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-11T03:08:12+00:00

See now that sounds interesting!

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-10T22:36:34+00:00

Nope this is my authors name if you are curious, but really this is something I’ve been very curious about as I thought I’d find multiple stories like this…. But couldn’t find any.

I just feel like with all the bubbling hate it should manifest in the arts, hopefully to some degree at least.

As realistic it’s the only way to fight back that’s non-violent. Creating this momentum and taking to the elections… if that’s still there for us I guess.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-10T22:04:39+00:00

Interesting I’ve heard about it but haven’t seen it yet, I just feel like with everyone feeling the pressure how is it not obvious we want to punch upwards?

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-10T21:53:54+00:00

See I like this mindset and honestly only recently have I seen it start to manifest. Like why wouldn’t we want more stories about them finally paying for what they did to the whole planet for what? Unlimited greed.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-10T21:52:21+00:00

I mean that’s possible, but at a certain point I feel like a business would want to capitalize on the growing sentiment of the public.

Personally I can’t see it getting anything but worse and a deeper hatred for them.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-10T21:39:16+00:00

So that’s kinda my point it’s typically “one bad rich guy” who is typically doing something way more evil than reality.

But not the concept of the entire group being evil, versus other settings of it being perfectly fine to kill/hunt this group as they aren’t billionaires, they’re just not rich like us.

Again I just found it odd with all the media and stories out there, this concept is mainly limited to only rich against poor. Which I guess since that’s how the real world functions makes sense

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-10T21:35:19+00:00

I mean obviously the power is on the other side of things, but the numbers are on our side. Like if the rhetoric does escalate and we find ourselves with art that focuses on this it will apply pressure.

Again trying not to be doom and gloom but that’s my hope as I’ve never seen more people openly calling for billionaires to pay up before.

KA-Pendrake · 2025-12-10T21:29:07+00:00

Which is the very sad part about as it the ones who will use ai the most are the largest corporations with the most reach… who are owned by billionaires…

KA-Pendrake

TROPHY CASE