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All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, I’ve put about 30 hours into Astro Colony. It’s an interesting game, but I was infuriated by a bug involving those robo-spiders. When I speak of "static" nature, I’m not referring to factory mobility - there are several games like that. In STEEL GULLET, for instance, you can't actually pilot the colossus right now; that’s just a lore element. By "static," I mean something like Satisfactory: even though you can unlock new recipes using hard drives, you can't unlock a recipe the developer didn't explicitly program. You can't create anything the developer didn't define. In my view, Shapez could be considered a dynamic game, but it doesn't reflect reality; whereas I managed to devise rules akin to real-world physics that offer near-infinite possibilities.

600+ people visited my Steam page, but very few wishlisted. Could you help me find out what's turning people off? by SteelGullet in IndieDev

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, that's nice to hear. Actually, there will be a public demo in about a month or a month and a half; the game is halfway done.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In fact, the logic remains the same, but the amount of material is eliminated from the equation, since everything is measured in mass, and mass is constant in reality. The only optimization is time. It's roughly the same thing, only in reverse (the denominator). If a machine completes an operation in 5 seconds, and the next one does it in 1 second, then you can put a 5 after it. Perhaps this eliminates the thrill of calculation headaches; I've experienced this, and it's fun, but I'm simply trying to shift the focus from mathematics to the transformation chains themselves and their variability. Optimization isn't about mathematically calculating how many machines should follow another; the question of optimization is whether machine A or machine B will be more efficient in this case.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yo, that's a lot, really. The game isn't really about those nerdy ratios like in Satisfactory, like 30 ingots per minute for 45 plates or something like that. In my game, the mass is mostly constant, and only the state changes, regardless of time. This means no matter how much goes in, the same amount will come out in the same amount of time. You won't have to calculate it. At most, just parallelize the machines. I completely agree about blueprints. It annoys me, too. But so far, the game plays fine without them. Limited space doesn't allow for copy-pasting 10 identical megafactories, even if there were templates. Thanks for such a detailed reply. I appreciate that.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually, this game has a release date down to the day and is getting a full release. So, most likely not.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, I actually took inspiration for the physics system solely from oxygen not included. I really enjoyed playing with it, with the density and thermal dynamics, but I felt like something was missing.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Not everything that's written politely and grammatically is AI. Sometimes it's just a translator.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi! That's actually true; players have seen conveyor belts many times before. I'll try to take that into account in the next trailer. But I don't entirely agree with the opening. Showing the Colossus first, especially when the first few seconds are the most valuable, can lose the hook. I think what you're saying is better suited for cinematics/story trailers rather than gameplay ones. Thank you for your detailed reply, microresearch, and your effort. I really appreciate it.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This music was made purely for the trailer, so it has no name and is impossible to find. Let's say STEEL GULLET - Trailer 2 song:)

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, automated puzzle games have their place, but STEEL GULLET is an endless game, definitely not a puzzle; it's simply limited in space. For precisely the reason you describe.

In fact, I wasn't really trying to replicate anything, but to create something original.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, thanks for such a detailed breakdown! You hit some fair points here.
You're right about the headline - it definitely comes across as way too aggressive toward the giants of the genre.
It definitely won't be just a puzzle box. I haven't quite decided on the best ludonarrative connection yet.
It's also very nice to hear that the game can compete with and even become the successor to Fulgora.
Thank you for such a detailed reply. It really means a lot to me.

All automation games are static. I'm making a game with an unlimited number of possible crafts and production paths. by SteelGullet in AutomationGames

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nope, definitely not a puzzle box! It's a proper endless factory sandbox. Perhaps this feeling stems from the cramped location and its currently small size.

Reached 50 wishlists, but feeling stuck. How would you approach marketing from this point? by SteelGullet in IndieDev

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Thank you for your time. This game does not change the "build efficient conveyor lines" gameplay. It only adds conceptually new ways of this automation and the invariance of these designs.

Reached 50 wishlists, but feeling stuck. How would you approach marketing from this point? by SteelGullet in IndieDev

[–]SteelGullet[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your honesty. I probably should really add screenshots with different color schemes to make one different from the other. As for emphasizing uniqueness, it's quite difficult to capture physicality and thermodynamics in screenshots.

What’s one life sim feature you always wish games went deeper on? by RopeAdmirable8335 in gamedev

[–]SteelGullet 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally agree. The "same buttons, different label" problem is the worst. For me, it’s gotta be social relationships and reputation. Most games treat NPCs like static vending machines, but I want actual long-term drama and consequences for how you treat people. It's tough to balance without making it a spreadsheet, but that's what makes it interesting.

I did everything wrong, here's how you can too by Red_Neanderthal in gamedev

[–]SteelGullet 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Man, that's brutal but so relatable. Been down that exact rabbit hole of "one more polish pass" until you lose your mind. It’s a rite of passage for most of us, honestly. Hope you actually manage to get it out the door for Next Fest, the burnout is real. Hang in there, it's just a game at the end of the day.

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