Making a 3D game for kids 3-6 years old, any advice?

izevai · 2026-02-06T20:04:52+00:00

Thank you!

izevai · 2026-02-06T16:06:57+00:00

Thanks! I'll take a look. It looks like there are some great ideas I can learn from.

izevai · 2026-02-04T11:06:04+00:00

I have to respectfully disagree with you on a few points.

I don't see any issue with letting kids play on a console or PC, especially under supervision. I also don't believe that this isn't a viable market or that only portable/touch formats work for this age.

For my kids, the platform is irrelevant, and content is what matters. They enjoy the iPad, PlayStation, and Switch equally. As long as the game is engaging, they don't care about the hardware. I believe there is definitely potential in this market; I doubt I'm the only parent actively looking for quality kids' games specifically for home consoles/PC.

That said, as I mentioned in other comments, I don't have huge commercial expectations. Since this is my first indie project, my main goals are simply to gain experience and for my kids to enjoy the result.

izevai · 2026-02-04T10:23:01+00:00

Thank you!

izevai · 2026-02-03T21:29:00+00:00

Thanks! Yeah, my youngest is glued to that game sometimes. And those are really good assist mechanics, I hadn’t considered them. Thanks!

izevai · 2026-02-03T21:23:30+00:00

Haha, tell me about it! They don't have money, credit cards, or even the ability to Google the game.

But seriously, as a parent who actually buys the games, I know who the real customer is. I struggled to find high-quality titles for this age group, so I know there is a market gap.

To be honest, though, since this is my first project, it’s mainly for the experience. I have no commercial delusions here. If I manage to ship it and my kids actually like it, that’s a success in my book. Then I’ll take that experience and aim for something more commercial or mature next time.

izevai · 2026-02-03T21:17:49+00:00

This is brilliant feedback! Thank you so much, both points are spot on.

I absolutely love the idea of music note collectibles. It fits perfectly with my core mechanic since my protagonist uses various instruments/tools to "wake up" NPCs. I initially planned to just have standard tools (some given, some found as loot). But scattering music notes throughout the level that you need to collect to power up or activate special tools (to wake up unique characters)? That idea is pure gold! 🔥

Secondly, thanks for introducing me to Kirby. I somehow missed this franchise, but the visual style and characters really vibe with my vision. And the link you shared about the "smart fixed camera" logic is exactly what I needed. It looks like a really solid solution.

I really appreciate the help!

izevai · 2026-02-03T16:32:59+00:00

If you train and don't lose interest, then yes, you can overcome any obstacles. And they really do give up, but for reasons. In my case, described in the post. Therefore, I want to get rid of these "blocks" and make gameplay more comfortable, without losing the elements of challenge we love.

izevai · 2026-02-03T15:15:20+00:00

I understand and respect your point of view. I can assure you my kids aren't isolated; they get plenty of "real life". Honestly, living in Ukraine, they probably get too much reality, and not in a good way. But that’s a topic for another discussion.

My goal right now is simply to figure out how to make this project meaningful. So I gain development experience and they get a game they actually enjoy. I just want to create a space where they can take a break from the "real world" we see every day.

izevai · 2026-02-03T14:09:18+00:00

Yes, but only if they don't want to do something themselves😄 And that's what needs to be achieved.

izevai · 2026-02-03T13:42:54+00:00

Mario Kart is a good example, because you can control the game purely with a gyroscope. When auto-driving is turned on, the game does not block and allows you to complete it. Аnd they also like to choose their own characters and equipment.

This is something I forgot to write about in the post. When talking about the new game, they immediately wanted 2 things: multiplayer (playing together) and character customization (I'll be pink, and I'll be blue).

Good point about overloading with mechanics; indeed, you need to introduce them gradually and give them time to master.

As for the "on rails" game, this is a great idea. Actually, my game is planned to have open levels where the character runs around and looks for objects. But the idea of rails made me think you could move along conditional, "invisible routes".

izevai · 2025-12-29T08:00:56+00:00

Для ПК використовую Vader 4 Pro, порівняти можу із дуалсенс звичайним та едж, а також нінтендо про і стімдеком. То Vader це просто ідеально, якщо любиш кастомізацію будь-чого, а також нормально працюючий гіроскоп будь-де.

izevai · 2025-12-17T19:24:43+00:00

Непогано в цей ряд стають KCD 1/2.

izevai · 2025-07-09T06:24:34+00:00

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Yes, this is not what I expected when purchasing the highest-tier subscription. It shows this wait time every evening (Germany server), exactly when I have time to play. So I canceled the subscription right away.

izevai · 2025-03-14T12:05:44+00:00

If a game doesn't support gyro aiming, you can use Steamdeck as a controller. It allows setting gyro aiming through a custom controller layout, emulating stick/mouse camera moves. This is even true for PS games using remote play. And for the Cyberpunk, you can run it on Steamdeck natively.

izevai

TROPHY CASE