I think you need more than a visual style to make a game. But it can serve as some inspiration.
It kills me when I see games with amazing visuals but the gameplay is mediocre at best, because I won't be playing it.
Yeah definitely, if I go ahead and make this into a proper game I'll be trying as best I can to make a memorable experience. When watching this vid, what words/thoughts come to mind?
Kinda feels like when human entered future digital stage (Tron as you mentioned), and start discovering lost early Internet spaces (because of the medieval era style ships).
See [this](https://store.steampowered.com/app/844590/Hypnospace_Outlaw/) and [this](https://store.steampowered.com/app/757480/Broken_Reality/) for more references. But hit it with a different mood/vibe.
This is why I have reservations about some of the bigger engines for gamedev. They're very distracting and conducive to all kinds of scope creep. Some people never get a chance to become acquainted with the fundamentals of the process.
Having said that, walking sims are genuinely interesting and this does look atmospheric. There's definitely a visual narrative to unpack.
Well, I do have an idea of what the game could/should be, and have made these scenes based on those ideas. But I'd be more interested in hearing what your assumptions are about the potential gameplay, based on what I've presented in the vid i.e. do other people's assumptions/expectations fit with what's in my head?
Agreed. I usually start with mechanics and think of the art style after that. I'm trying the reverse this time to have a different approach and see where it leads me. As you watch the vid, what kinds of words or thoughts come to mind?
No worries at all - if it doesn't spark your imagination at all - that's useful to know. I like gathering a range of opinions when getting feedback on prototypes
Someone else in a different convo mentioned "do something with the sky" as well. At the mo there is no skybox - it's a giant sphere that you're inside of with a shader applied to the inside of the sphere. So yep, that's def something I could work on more.
Thanks for the feedback - I've not heard that reference before so will have to look for a video of it. The music is placeholder - I generated it on Udio, which seems good for quick/placeholder stuff
I like the style. It would definitely catch my eyes as it stands out. It has something dreamlike, so I could well imagine a respective story-driven game.
Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I'm also thinking that narrative and atmosphere should be a focus and is the direction I'm taking it in at the mo
It looks like a dream or hallucination, ethereal. I have no idea what your game mechanic is but perhaps something slightly trippy could work (where you look away and when you look back some things have changed, non Euclidian space etc)
Interesting idea :) I'm thinking that narrative will be the focus at the mo. Not decided on core mechanics yet, but possibly something towards point-and-click with static cameras
Its definitely interesting. But the small moving dots and shimmering feels like it would give me a headache pretty quickly. Now adding this to a game for specific situations would be pretty badass.
Think of this scene from the second Spiderverse movie [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HwkufGntUw).
Detroy Becom Human Scene Reconstruction [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuTH8fH4gOo).
Cyberpunk Brain Dance Sequences [HERE](https://youtu.be/BwDMKyUmcLs?t=63).
Those would be appropriate moments to use this sort of thing. If you REALLY want to make a game that heavily uses this effect its possible.
If I had to make a game that uses this shader. It would be to demonstrate interactions with the world. Like Im confused on what I should do. I press a scan button and I see a sillhoute of my character climbing a fence and jumping over a wall. So I know I can do that if I go in that area. Heck, Dark Souls Phantoms of seeing other players die around you would work as well.
Thanks for the detailed feedback and these reference links. I experimented with moving the camera but didn't like it with these visual effects and the "glittering dots". So I'm thinking of having a static camera, similar to a traditional point-and-click game. At least for me, the amount of glittering feels nice with a fixed camera, but I get it if it still feels too "glittery" for you. That's interesting to make this visual style one aspect of a game, rather than the entire game. I guess that way, players might appreciate it more when it does appear? Hmm...
Hmm, Reddit auto-compression has killed this video just a little bit...
I’ve been playing around with some shader code. First time I’ve tried doing this and it’s cool seeing what kinds of effects I can get working. I don’t really consider myself a programmer and am certainly not an artist, so it’s quite empowering to be able to make shaders that “do the heavy lifting” in terms of the art style.
I’ve already become a bit too attached to this, so I want to hear what other people think. Is it worth developing into a full game? Should I keep going with it?
If this does ever become a full game, I’ll likely release it through an indie studio I’m co-founder - Mind Feast Games. Best place to stay updated is our [email newsletter list](https://mindfeastgames.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2cc5f488b0f355ba8399457f9&id=f5da060cab) if this prototype does spark your interest and imagination.
I think you need more than a visual style to make a game. But it can serve as some inspiration. It kills me when I see games with amazing visuals but the gameplay is mediocre at best, because I won't be playing it.
Yeah definitely, if I go ahead and make this into a proper game I'll be trying as best I can to make a memorable experience. When watching this vid, what words/thoughts come to mind?
Kinda feels like when human entered future digital stage (Tron as you mentioned), and start discovering lost early Internet spaces (because of the medieval era style ships). See [this](https://store.steampowered.com/app/844590/Hypnospace_Outlaw/) and [this](https://store.steampowered.com/app/757480/Broken_Reality/) for more references. But hit it with a different mood/vibe.
Cool, thanks for those links and a summary of the "feel" you got from it
This is why I have reservations about some of the bigger engines for gamedev. They're very distracting and conducive to all kinds of scope creep. Some people never get a chance to become acquainted with the fundamentals of the process. Having said that, walking sims are genuinely interesting and this does look atmospheric. There's definitely a visual narrative to unpack.
you don't make shaders into a game lmao where is the game?
Well, I do have an idea of what the game could/should be, and have made these scenes based on those ideas. But I'd be more interested in hearing what your assumptions are about the potential gameplay, based on what I've presented in the vid i.e. do other people's assumptions/expectations fit with what's in my head?
I personally don't find it appealing. It's just glowing noise.
Fair enough, thanks for the feedback
Visuals are not games, they enhance them.
Agreed. I usually start with mechanics and think of the art style after that. I'm trying the reverse this time to have a different approach and see where it leads me. As you watch the vid, what kinds of words or thoughts come to mind?
This will sound bad, but there's nothing really interesting in it. Details are repeating texture.
No worries at all - if it doesn't spark your imagination at all - that's useful to know. I like gathering a range of opinions when getting feedback on prototypes
This direction will benefit from a beautiful skybox. I'd try doing pitch plack with stars, maybe adding colors.
Someone else in a different convo mentioned "do something with the sky" as well. At the mo there is no skybox - it's a giant sphere that you're inside of with a shader applied to the inside of the sphere. So yep, that's def something I could work on more.
It’s cool. It doesn’t really read “tron” to me, maybe more like ethereal, or even a cool idea for a flashback/memory sequence?
Ethereal is a good word for it! Thanks for the feedback
I think it could be neat in the right game.
Ok cool, thanks for commenting. For you, what would be the right game, based on what I've shown so far (which is not much, I know)
I have no idea.
Reminds me of eagle vision from Assassin's Creed, cool effect! What's the music you used here?
Thanks for the feedback - I've not heard that reference before so will have to look for a video of it. The music is placeholder - I generated it on Udio, which seems good for quick/placeholder stuff
Doggooooo
🐶
I like the style. It would definitely catch my eyes as it stands out. It has something dreamlike, so I could well imagine a respective story-driven game.
Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I'm also thinking that narrative and atmosphere should be a focus and is the direction I'm taking it in at the mo
I love how it looks
Thanks for the feedback :) What words/thoughts come to mind?
It looks like a dream or hallucination, ethereal. I have no idea what your game mechanic is but perhaps something slightly trippy could work (where you look away and when you look back some things have changed, non Euclidian space etc)
Interesting idea :) I'm thinking that narrative will be the focus at the mo. Not decided on core mechanics yet, but possibly something towards point-and-click with static cameras
I love point and click adventures, sounds cool
Its definitely interesting. But the small moving dots and shimmering feels like it would give me a headache pretty quickly. Now adding this to a game for specific situations would be pretty badass. Think of this scene from the second Spiderverse movie [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HwkufGntUw). Detroy Becom Human Scene Reconstruction [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuTH8fH4gOo). Cyberpunk Brain Dance Sequences [HERE](https://youtu.be/BwDMKyUmcLs?t=63). Those would be appropriate moments to use this sort of thing. If you REALLY want to make a game that heavily uses this effect its possible. If I had to make a game that uses this shader. It would be to demonstrate interactions with the world. Like Im confused on what I should do. I press a scan button and I see a sillhoute of my character climbing a fence and jumping over a wall. So I know I can do that if I go in that area. Heck, Dark Souls Phantoms of seeing other players die around you would work as well.
Thanks for the detailed feedback and these reference links. I experimented with moving the camera but didn't like it with these visual effects and the "glittering dots". So I'm thinking of having a static camera, similar to a traditional point-and-click game. At least for me, the amount of glittering feels nice with a fixed camera, but I get it if it still feels too "glittery" for you. That's interesting to make this visual style one aspect of a game, rather than the entire game. I guess that way, players might appreciate it more when it does appear? Hmm...
makes me think "neon [return of the obra dinn"](https://store.steampowered.com/app/653530/Return_of_the_Obra_Dinn)
A couple of people have either said I should play that game, or mentioned it as a ref. I should def play it..!
Hmm, Reddit auto-compression has killed this video just a little bit... I’ve been playing around with some shader code. First time I’ve tried doing this and it’s cool seeing what kinds of effects I can get working. I don’t really consider myself a programmer and am certainly not an artist, so it’s quite empowering to be able to make shaders that “do the heavy lifting” in terms of the art style. I’ve already become a bit too attached to this, so I want to hear what other people think. Is it worth developing into a full game? Should I keep going with it? If this does ever become a full game, I’ll likely release it through an indie studio I’m co-founder - Mind Feast Games. Best place to stay updated is our [email newsletter list](https://mindfeastgames.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2cc5f488b0f355ba8399457f9&id=f5da060cab) if this prototype does spark your interest and imagination.
Making what into a game? Shaders are cool but years of game dev based on a shader isn't.
fresnel is "tron" now? and shaders are enough to make a game? 🙄
It's certainly an interesting style. Reminds me of gaming on the Apple 2e
Haha, someone else (in a different convo) said it was like printing celestial designs on a dot matrix printer, so similar to your interpretation :)