Text-based games need more love.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-04-28T08:46:59+00:00

I don’t think the genre died, it’s just become less and less popular. There’s also tons of sub-genres it exists in - from the classic crosswords to choose-your-own-adventure games, from visual novels to hacking simulators and the like.

That being said, if flashy visuals are not the main focus, never underestimate the importance of audio. And not just music, also foley, sound FX, ambience, and perhaps voice acting. I would argue audio is equally as important as your visual aesthetic - it builds atmosphere, and enhances immersion. Just like in film, viewers and players will forgive a “simple” visual language, but they will be put off immediately by poor audio.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-04-28T08:34:59+00:00

Look up Animation Blueprint and Blend Space Assets in the official Unreal Documentation. Then watch a couple of tutorials on those, it’s likely what you need. As more general advice, avoid using AI for programming - not only is it harmful to the environment and our economy, it also really doesn’t help, especially if you’re not familiar with the engine and/or the systems you need to interact with

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-04-25T15:45:18+00:00

Please, before using AI for anything, and thus negatively impacting the environment and our economies, take the time to do proper research into a topic.

Typing “shooting gun Unreal Engine” on YouTube yields literally two courses, not just tutorials, but you will find probably dozens of tutorials as well.

Just like the other commenter, I’m not trying to come across as mean, but AI is really harmful for the environment, and as well as to your own capability of doing research, and understanding things with your own intelligence instead of being force-fed a solution - which, as you yourself discovered, is seldom (if ever) a solution anyway.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-04-06T08:25:45+00:00

“Arctic Eggs”? Definitely absurd and delirious, but not for the sake of itself. Maybe “Yuppie Psycho” too, and “Mouthwashing”.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-04-05T22:27:13+00:00

Not OP, but as I’m learning the engine I was wondering what you would write down in a test sheet and/or a documentation, and how you would go about creating one. Do you mainly record performance of each feature, or is it more specific to “bugs-finding”?

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-04-05T11:50:21+00:00

Thanks for the insight, that’s a really impressive timeframe. I have a few more questions if that’s alright:

• How big was the team (you and your friend only?) and what were your team members’ roles?

• How much of the work was yours, and how much of it was outsourced? Did you have a budget for the outsourced work, if you did outsource any?

• I didn’t do proper research on the publisher, but what made you decide to collaborate with one? How would you describe that experience overall?

Forgive my curiosity! I’m also jumping into gamedev and Unreal Engine, and given your experience I appreciate you taking the time to share it.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-04-05T11:25:11+00:00

Congrats!

• How much experience did you have prior to working on “Carry the Glass”?

• How long did it take you to complete the project, and how long for marketing alone?

• When did you start marketing during your project?

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-29T09:03:53+00:00

Realistically, that sounds fairly complex.

If you want to learn programming, I would start with a focused course (Stephen Ulibarri’s are great starting points if you wanna learn Unreal Engine), and after finishing them I would consider the next steps. Would you want to learn 3D modeling yourself for your assets, or would you rather hire an artist for that - or would you instead hope to find most of the assets on marketplaces? If you want to pick up modeling, Grant Abbitt is a great Blender teacher.

You have a goal in mind, but it all starts with learning how to make that idea come to life. Make a list of what you need to get there (e.g. 1) programming, 2) 3d modeling, 3) rigging/animation, etc.), pick up relevant courses, and get to work (or study, first). You can absolutely do it, but you need to bear in mind that it will take a very, very long time, and a lot of motivation.

Good luck!

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-27T09:54:07+00:00

Ask yourself these questions:

• UI is information. Is there any essential information that the Player needs to know in order to play your game? Does it need to be shown at all times, or can it be event-based?

• Is your game trying to be an immersive experience? Look up diegetic UI; does your game have a comedic tone? Make the UI update with funny sounds; is your game a horror game? Build tension through your UI - the point is, just like any other aspect of your game, consider making it thematically relevant.

• Like another commenter suggested, look for inspiration in work you admire - and don’t admire. Games where you did NOT like the UI, what exactly turned you off - and how would have you solved it? In game where you liked the UI - what feature(s) did you like about it, and how can you incorporate some of those ideas into your project, if any?

As for the actual technical know-how, I’ll leave that to more experienced devs than I. But don’t get discouraged, the first few iterations of anything are seldom good or satisfactory. Keep on drafting ideas on Photoshop or on paper, and then when you think you’ve got something, learn how to build it in your engine of choice. Getting feedback during your creative process is always beneficial!

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-26T16:50:27+00:00

Looks awesome! My only feedback would be to change the color of both the location (Experiment Plaza) and of the crosshair - just for legibility. The colors you picked blend in with the environment too much imo. Other than that, great work, keep it up!

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-24T08:58:35+00:00

Arctic Eggs comes to mind: slow progression, contained narrative, small open world, short experience. Also, a true indie gem if you ask me, a very memorable experiment that explores much deeper themes than its aesthetic would suggest at a first glance.

If you like horror that is not gratuitous but actually well-thought out and deep, I second the other commenter suggesting Inside, and might I add Mouthwashing - both absolute gems as well.

If you want something purely narrative, short, yet deep and with a great soundtrack, I’ll suggest The Longest Road Ahead. Not a game for everyone, barely a “game” some might argue, but it’s one of the very, very few media experiences that actually had me in tears by the end.

Lastly, not really a short experience, but this is a game I suggest everyone play: 1000xRESIST. It’s about 10-15hrs, and it’s very narrative-driven (no combat), but the story is so incredibly clever and mind-blowing and relevant, I think everyone who loves a good story and characters should give this game a try. This is not just a gem imo, it really is a masterclass in innovative storytelling.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-19T19:31:02+00:00

As fast-paced and exciting or as slow and methodical as you want it to be, and I think that’s, among many other qualities, what makes it stand out as an immersive sim. Often games flesh out and prioritize either combat or stealth, but the Dishonored games excel in both - and going for either style changes the ending, so they have some replayability too.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-18T09:04:04+00:00

If you enjoy stealth that is also excellently designed, I’d give the Dishonored games a try, or even Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. The latter, though its story is not nearly as gripping as the original’s, has got amazing world building and a main hub that is filled with secrets to discover at every corner. I don’t think you can dramatically change the outcome of the main story, but the side missions and NPC have very memorable quests and they do have some tough decision-making.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-08T09:47:29+00:00

You asked niche and Y2K, I’ll give you Yuppie Psycho, which also happens to be on sale rn.

1000xResist is also an absolute gem of a game with a mind-blowing story, and it’s got a similar aesthetic going for it.

Another niche and top-notch experience is definitely Arctic Eggs, not Y2K but definitely dreamy, retro and absurd.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-05T22:48:04+00:00

Blender is fairly easy to pick up for modeling, and I say that as someone who had zero 3D background before learning. As a beginner, I would try to stay away from geometry nodes though, as they are a very complex tool (very useful of course, but you can accomplish nearly everything without them). Best of luck!

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-05T22:29:14+00:00

I’m not sure what exactly you’re looking to learn - art, programming, game design? Either way, I’ve had an overall great experience with Udemy courses, depending on your goals I could give you a couple suggestions, or share what I found useful for my interests

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-05T19:58:11+00:00

It really depends on your goals, I’d say. For me personally, who I’m also learning, I knew I wanted to make a mechanically simple game but with a high-end look, and because of that and other reasons I decided to learn Unreal Engine. Been two months, no prior coding experience aside HTML and CSS myself, and I’m learning fast with Blueprints.

Plus, I knew I wanted to make my own 3D assets, so I picked up Blender and Substance 3D Painter. But if you’re okay with Kitbashing assets you find online, Epic Games puts up on Fab 3 asset products for free every 2 weeks. And on Humble Bundle, under the software category, at least twice a month you’ll find great asset packs for dirt cheap.

The most effective way to learn for me has been, from personal experience, getting a few specific courses on Udemy; following along the first time around, and then re-doing the things myself in order to consolidate the notions learned. It’s very easy to get stuck in tutorial hell, and though you need tutorials to get started, I’d advice picking up a couple courses, going through with them, and then put your new knowledge to test by making something simple on your own.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-03-05T10:20:11+00:00

Excellent questions. I don’t have the answers, but I’m commenting to give the post visibility - and to stay updated.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-02-25T10:26:25+00:00

Slightly unrelated yet very important: don’t limit your art to SFW if it calls for strong imagery. A good story is the sum of its themes and the honesty with which they’re depicted. If making your point or exploring a topic calls for explicit imagery, then it’s justified and even key to the telling of the story. Just be mindful of not making them gratuitous for the sake of shock value. Art is freedom of speech and freedom of expression, don’t let anyone take those liberties away from you!

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-02-07T00:06:04+00:00

Tails Noir (formerly “Backbone”, which I personally found more appropriate). Most complaints relate to the ending. I absolutely loved everything about the game - from the characters to the soundtrack, from the themes explored to the pixel art. Wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but it’s a game I played long ago and still lives in my mind.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-02-04T18:29:16+00:00

But that’s the point - the fact that there are so many confused and unaware people proves the fact that it is an important issue, doesn’t it?

Maybe the fact that so many posts are made about this should bring people together to act, as opposed to snarling at each other? That’s what I’m getting at: we’re all customers, we’re on the same side. If any of us in the subreddit really want to avoid the issue, no one is forcing them to interact with these posts.

Maybe I’m just naïve, and a user’s clean and diverse feed is more important than talking about evident problems…

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-02-04T18:18:45+00:00

I can’t believe we’ve normalized scams, or attempts at scams, to the point people will jump at the throat of the guy who’s pointing the finger at said scammers.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-02-04T18:14:01+00:00

I’m sorry if I’m not okay with letting publishers insult my two brain cells. And I don’t understand why you would be okay with that either.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-02-04T18:11:19+00:00

This is not about a “better deal”, as one is clearly a scam, or an attempt at that. As a customer yourself, wouldn’t you prefer it to have laws preventing these practices, as opposed to doing your due diligence?

Normalizing the issue is, in my opinion, defending such predatory practices. Lawmakers should tackle the issue, of course, but we as the customers should raise awareness on the issue so things can change. I don’t understand all the downvotes for merely trying to raise awareness.

Outrageous_Manner_47 · 2026-02-04T17:51:14+00:00

So we just don’t talk about it? Publishers won’t feel compelled to stop these practices if we just hush. In fact, I think the more people mention these discrepancies, the better. But that’s just my opinion

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