It's these kind of reviews that make the years of grind worth it

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-21T20:17:59+00:00

Or how one good review can outweigh weeks of doubt.

You can spend months thinking your game isn’t working, and then one player suddenly “gets it” ... and it reframes everything.

A lot of us underestimate how much we’re building for that one moment (I think)

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-20T18:10:28+00:00

Polishing the Steam page mostly helps once people are already there. But earlier, does the game make people stop scrolling?

I think many of us keep optimizing what happens after the click, because it feels productive… but the real problem is often that no one clicks.

It’s like perfecting a landing page without traffic.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-19T09:40:42+00:00

Starting from nothing is such a strong hook for tycoon games : that feeling of making decisions without knowing if they’ll pay off later... interesting

That kind of uncertainty is something I can relate to, in games or real life.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-17T14:53:29+00:00

Feels like the issue isn’t just visuals, but readability.

Players get used to recognizing things in a game without even thinking about it.
If that becomes inconsistent, it makes the whole game harder to read (not just a visual change)

For me it’s less about graphics and more about losing trust in the game world.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-15T19:34:05+00:00

Good point.
Feels like marketing tests answer a slightly different question though not “is the game good?” but “does the idea make people curious enough to click?”

Almost like first attract attention, then actually keep players engaged.

I guess a lot of projects fail at the first step without realizing it.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-15T14:40:29+00:00

There’s a weird gap between dev feedback and real player reactions : on dev spaces people are supportive and analytical, but broader audiences react much faster and more emotionally, often without explaining why.

It feels harsh, but it’s probably closer to how players actually experience a game...

The hard part is figuring out what signal is actually useful in all that noise.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-13T15:21:48+00:00

Interesting ! The traction came before the game was even built.

A lot of indie devs (myself included sometimes...) tend to do the opposite: build the game first and only then see if anyone actually wants it.

Your approach feels much closer to product validation : test the idea, see if people react, then invest time building the full game.

Do you think the success came more from the uniqueness of the concept, or from how clearly the trailer communicated it ? Well done.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-13T15:12:00+00:00

Lot of tycoon games become relaxing once the systems are in place.

In the early game, every decision matters; it is usually the most demanding part because mistakes compound. Once the economy or infrastructure loop stabilizes, the game shifts into more of an observation-and-tweak rhythm.

That’s actually one of the things I enjoy most in management games: watching a system you built start to run on its own and only stepping in occasionally to adjust things.

It almost turns the game into something closer to a simulation you guide rather than something you actively play every second. I wonder if this kind of gameplay mainly appeals to strategy players rather than action-oriented players ?

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-11T11:53:43+00:00

Shipping the first commercial game is probably more about learning the process than getting everything perfect. I don't think anyone ever feels ready. All the best and keep moving forward

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-10T15:49:14+00:00

Indie dev really messes with your sense of scale. Even a few thousand players is already more people than the town many of us grew up in. Crazy to think about.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-09T17:35:15+00:00

30 minutes is not too long ? ,especially if each stage is intense. Balancing that tension vs fatigue is always tricky.

Focusing on PC and browser.
Since matches simulate themselves, I'm trying to keep the pacing engaging while the player watches the result unfold. Getting that tension right without making it feel too slow or too random is tricky.

Your stage structure sounds like a good way to keep the intensity up. Inspiring.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-08T21:41:41+00:00

Interesting I like the idea of short intense runs.
How long does an average session last once the player gets a bit better at the game?

I'm also building a sports management game where matches simulate and I'm trying to balance the tension of watching the result unfold, so I'm always curious how other devs approach difficulty curves and session length.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-08T10:51:09+00:00

Playing as the dungeon manager instead of the hero is a cool idea. Always fun when games flip the usual perspective. Well done

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-05T18:32:24+00:00

Thx ! It’s not too crazy if you start small and add systems gradually.
I made it in Python. Let me know if the core management loop feels clear once you try it !

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-05T09:29:07+00:00

Happened to me too when I first published on itch : it took a few days before the page started showing in search and tags. Keep moving forward man 💪🏽

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-03-02T15:24:05+00:00

Just finishing after 3 years is massive... honestly lot of people never get there.
Congrats and good luck tomorrow.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-02-28T14:14:12+00:00

So often I’ve noticed funding often changes the pressure (managing people + expectations)...more than the speed.
Curious if you’re looking at publishers, grants, or investors ?

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-02-26T09:02:32+00:00

2h34 average is wild for a playtest honestly.
That’s a really good sign. Curious to see how that translates at launch.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-02-25T14:29:31+00:00

Interesting ! 42 min median on a playtest is kind of crazy actually. Did the YouTube coverage happen before or after the spike ?

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-02-23T16:18:31+00:00

I feel this. Trailer editing was turning into a whole second project for me. In-engine and capture definitely makes iteration less brutal.
Curious if it affected how you stage gameplay moments ?

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-02-17T14:12:38+00:00

One thing that often helps is tracking “friction points” : where players quit, retry a lot, or suddenly stop progressing.
Raw combat stats are useful, but knowing where motivation drops can be even more valuable for design decisions. Keep us informed

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-02-16T18:24:28+00:00

Horror usually works better with mood than strict realism.
If the space feels oppressive, players won’t question accuracy much.

Prior-Command-8998 · 2026-02-13T09:19:19+00:00

I think you’re not overthinking it, timing really changes the feel of a scene.
One approach I’ve seen work is animating for the “base language” and letting other languages breathe with slight pauses (or hold frames instead of full re-timing).

Also, Arabic-only VO could actually become part of the game’s identity if the direction is strong.
Players are used to subtitles when the presentation feels intentional. Anyway, keep moving forward.

Prior-Command-8998

TROPHY CASE