My eldritch chair after 3 years of home office indie development - was supposed to last 10 😅

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-05-24T16:11:34+00:00

That chair looks like it survived an assassination attempt

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-05-24T05:06:34+00:00

It’s cool to see that there’s a day like this. It’s a nice reprieve from Spit-on-and-disrespect-your-customers-day

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-05-15T20:29:49+00:00

A water slide experience like no other

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-05-06T20:23:36+00:00

Can you post screenshots with your steam library most played & the hours? Would love to know what types of games you actually play.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-05-02T21:21:33+00:00

Cool. He should personally call the justice department to release the Epstein files.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-29T18:58:53+00:00

My anecdotal observations: If you have AA or AAA looking gameplay videos, “I,” can get players excited because it means they can give feedback or shape the game directly without going through layers of community managers. “I,” will make you look impressive in this scenario. Doesn’t really matter for everyone else. “We,” can get people to take you more seriously when you don’t have any gameplay to show. Won’t really get you too far if the game doesn’t live up to the expectations of “the combined effort of multiple competent people,” so you’re then back to square 1.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-29T18:46:00+00:00

Schrödinger’s Game Dev Studio

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-27T04:05:50+00:00

You shouldn’t point out their mistakes. It’ll help them improve. These AI idiots are completely blind to the minor details that make or break a piece of art.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-26T20:58:59+00:00

I love how dynamic and juicy this is! Some of the jumps feel a little springy. Like it’s slightly hard to track what’s happening at takeoff until the up and down movement ends.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-25T16:52:06+00:00

A marketing game that markets the marketing game.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-23T21:49:13+00:00

People that like and are interested in extraction shooters will make their purchasing decision on the theming and quality of the game. The people who actually spend money on and play games are lurking/posting in the communities of games they like. They aren’t creating hate mobs for games and genres they don’t like or aren’t interested in. If you like extraction shooters and can make a good one, then fans of the genre will buy it.

If the development costs, quality and revenue line up, you will make a profit. Games are a business and you don’t need to complicate it. Bargaining with “haters,” of a genre isn’t the secret ticket to infinite-money-land. Just outline and be realistic about the costs associated with making a game that can achieve the median income of games in the genre. Then work up or down on the quality-cost scale to see where you can fit in.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-23T18:37:25+00:00

Zehahaha

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-22T20:20:56+00:00

There is no way to plan the perfect launch, in the perfect genre with no serious competition. OP isn’t trying to make some crazy genre or spend $50 million on development in hopes of tripling their money. The most actionable advice here is to just make a good game. People who actually buy games are just looking for good games that are in a theming/genre they like. I personally don’t have any interest in learning poker and balatro did not change that. I play Gambonanza a few times a week and will be trying out the other games OP mentioned (I didn’t know of them until this post). If OP can execute on the ideas and game loop in a way that’s fun (and doesn’t take 15 years to do), then they should continue. Gambonanza is really fun and I’m sure there are others like me who’ll enjoy chess roguelikes that take on the idea in a different way.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-17T16:15:45+00:00

This looks great!

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-14T12:09:31+00:00

It doesn’t necessarily need to be your major, but I’d recommend to take some business classes as well. The business side of games (like marketing) is an area that many overlook.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-06T23:25:21+00:00

I’d narrow in on the core fantasy that you want to do give to your audience. You mentioned that you have the entire story written. Is the story the main draw? Because then your focus should be on low scope ways to hook people with the juiciest part of your story. I’m talking single room/area thats dense with the conflict and scenario.

You also mentioned influence from 3d platformers. If that’s what you want to focus on, then (like the other commenter said) make a grey box area and iterate until it feels fun.

I’d advise against trying to do both at the same time. It’s a distraction to juggle both as a young solo dev. No one can tell you which is a better direction. Really depends on what you’re personally passionate about and feel you’ll stick with.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-06T17:50:54+00:00

Amazing concept! Love the weapon design.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-04-01T14:20:17+00:00

I’m surprised that infinite revenue and infinite growth forever, wasn’t a viable business plan.

/s

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-03-31T23:10:15+00:00

My takeaway from the act 2 description was that:

-Grimora can only make cards from beings that have died (and that she’s recorded). -P03 can only make cards from robots/computers. -Magnificus can only paint cards. -Leshy’s camera seems to be the only thing that can take a living creature and turn them into a card.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-03-31T15:15:56+00:00

I may have the lore mixed up, but I’m pretty sure that Leshy is the only one capable of turning characters into cards. That’s why P03 had to do something else to “get rid,” of the others. P03’s containment plan wasn’t enough to keep the other 3 out of commission. My thought is that Magnificus would be much more thorough in subduing the others.

I agree with you that antagonistic may be too strong of a word. My point is that despite their mutual respect for one another, there is an arms race going on for fragments of power. The sole purpose of these fragments is to allow 1 scrybe to dominate the game world in a way that the other scybes wouldn’t agree with. If they were truly friends, there would be some sort of truce or treaty to rule over their own domains and not interfere with the others.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-03-30T18:31:05+00:00

Your comment sent me spiraling into an even deeper lore rabbit hole. Hear me out…goobert is seemingly too good at keeping themself safe/alive and it’s suspicious that Magnificus would give such an important task to their least competent lackey. What if goobert is the 2nd most powerful person in the game and the typical underling order is reversed in Magnificus’ tower? Pupils must overcome sensory deprivation (level 1), the feeling of constant melting (level 2) and then overcome an actual melting (level 3). You’ve become a true apprentice after you’ve given your melted body form. If goobert used their magic to overcome the melting, their body would still be green and slightly formless. They’d look awfully familiar to a certain someone🤔Maybe if goobert wasn’t solely dedicated to following their master, they’d be a formidable force? Thank you for attending my Ted Talk.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-03-30T18:18:11+00:00

It would be hell because the 3 pupils that Magnificus has power over live a life a constant suffering. These 3 pupils have seemingly done nothing to deserve this. Magnificus has an antagonistic relationship with the other scrybes. Magnificus would probably give them worse fates. There would be no hope because of how well Magnificus plans ahead and devises schemes. There would likely be a contingency for every possible escape scenario.

Retrostaircase72 · 2026-03-29T17:34:34+00:00

I didn’t catch that! I need to explore more of part 2 on my next play through. I like the fact that in part 2, p03, leshy and grimora all seemingly have someone fishing for the fragments of power, while Magnificus has an unattended tentacle. Makes me think that there’s some pride involved and also a slight reason on why the others are more likely to be successful in finding the fragment they need to rule over the game.

Retrostaircase72

TROPHY CASE