SyntaxBomb - Indie Coders

over 100 app programs games wargames, roguelikes, cardgames, boardgames, educational apps, art apps, animation, eetc... etc..

I have been busy updtaeing all my games, and have now been happy with all the final versions, I wont be updating them again.

https://roguelikemaker.itch.io/over-100-games-tools-roguelikes-wargames

That's a load of stuff you're generously giving away. Downloading, thanks 

great I hope you have fun with them thanks

Wow, that's really generous, thank you for sharing!!

nice to have people interested thanks

I want to be honest:
In my opinion you should not create _masses_ of games, but concentrate on some and polish them a bit.

No matter how good your games might be gameplay wise they lack a lot of visual appeal. I think many of your games "share" characteristics - so they are "similar games" with different skins/themes ...
Instead of creating the same game over and over - try to be a bit "longer" with one of the games, create proper images, create a framework for your HUD ... so you can have buttons which look like buttons, texts which proper align...
For now almost all of the games you posted about here in threads were more looking like prototypes. Become brave enough to advance!

As said in on of your last threads: play with alpha transparencies, use imagery with alpha channels so they can have smooth corners. If you paint your art - then use your "final result" only as a basement of your image. Add more details, add some shadows ... to keep time low, use backgrounds with some frame and a gradient ... place the gradient background on layer 1, your icon on layer 2 and the "frame/border" (maybe with an shadow "inside") on top. This way the borders can even cover a tiny bit of your icon - or shadows create an even more pleasant look.

Create basics for your game - and each game you create afterwards can simply reuse your once created technics (maybe the "border" of the button is then a bit more woodlike, or contains ornaments for a medieval game, or it becomes a metal one with 2x2px screws for scifi ...).
Instead of creating a 100 games, create 20 good looking ones (with the gameplay / depth you already offer and/or target for) - and all the upcoming 80 will look better too.
Same to say about sound (if sound / music is needed).

For stuff I do I always try to ... learn something new. So each time a new "technic" has to be learned (eg working with layers in your paint programme, creating a simple gui framework, ....). This will make your games become what they deserve to be : something reaching a wider audience, something people are interested to play already by looking at a screenshot, something which makes you advance too.


I saw in your last games that you needed big assets for your "cards" - if you cannot draw "big", then either play with the idea of 3d Rendering stuff, of photoshopping stuff together ... or simply adjust your game idea so that the visuals can be smaller. Other devs "trick" by doing the "low-res" approach but this wont work in your "all in one screen" thing (you seem to like a lot of texts on screen :-)). So come up with smart solutions to the skills you see underdeveloped for now.


If you are interested in it, we can of course collaboratively do stuff, I could help creating some visual stuff, or aid in "what needs to be done". But yeah, you need to be interested in it - and you need the "skills" to code the required stuff for it.
I also understand that you might not be interested in such stuff at all - simply "want to code the way I like it" ...
So take all above just as my personal opinion / view to your work.


bye
Ron

Ron, as always you speak wise sage guidance , I know I neglect graphics and sound, I do some games ok, but others need an update. I do coding for fun, I tend to revisit games from time to time, and fix some things, I have learned alot from all you guys. I could concentrate on a narrow number of games your right, But I tend to do what inspires me at the time. I cant work with anyone as it would feel like work instead of a hobby. but I will take your advice for the future and try to polish games better.

the main reason my graphics and sound are neglected I work to a rule of doing all my own to avoid copyrite, even when art says its free its not, instead its free for certain uses etc... If i do all my own stuff I can be free to distribute etc.. I have some art i have not done because Im sure of copyrite. even if you did work on a game I could not be sure i would be distributing legal art, I know your trustworthy but I have the rule for everybody, it just comes down to avoiding copyrite, and im not an artest, so graphics suffer.

I am not an artist either ... or ... we are all artists as code can be art too

I am also on your site regarding copyright stuff ... am afraid of such stuff too (paid for that lesson ... literally).

Yet you should eg try stuff like "inkscape" for some fine vector art (you then create your PNGs out of it). Vectors are good for "resizing". Also have a look at youtube about "kitbashing". Means you create little elements and then merge them together for a complete new thing. Just imagine you created a little "screw" image (or even vector). Now you just need to create a brownish box ... place some other brownish boxes on top (make them less wide -> wood planks!) and place your nails on it.
Need the nail again for a wooden sign? reuse. Need the wood planks elsewhere... reuse.
And even less "theme" specific: have a button designed? open up your vector (svg) image ... or other format your paint programme uses and simply change the colour. red button, green button, yellow button with green dots ...
Once you got the basic things set it is easy to "adjust" or "extend". It is similar to coding: create your framework and extend from there.

I am pretty sure: once you got a basic hang of it - or some cool "first created assets" ... you will start to like it - of course "abstract objects" are easier to draw than humans. So a "first aid" box is a simple red one with a cross on it (do not use a red cross - this is a trade mark of the red cross !). Yet it is rather easy to get a more "toonish/clipart" look with your assets. Yet it is still easy to "trick the eyes".
Just give it a whirl one evening ... but do not force it.


bye
Ron

yes I can see how vector graphics could be good, thanks Ron

Link seems broken.

I will upload it for you tommorrow, i deleted it.

Quote from: GW on March 25, 2022, 20:34:39
Link seems broken.

Over a 100 Games, Wargames, Tools, Apps, Utils, Roguelikes, Card games and tabletop games, Virtual Tabletops, RPGs, Animators, Educational apps, Hieroglyphic translator , Art Simulator , boardgames, Miniature wargame Randsomiser, experimental Programs. tons and tons of stuff.

ok I put it here for you , sorry Im late uploading . thanks for trying them out

https://roguelikemaker.itch.io/100-games-tools-apps-roguelikes-cards-rpgs

I would be very interested in this, if you ever feel up to reuploading it.  Loved your stuff ever since you first started releasing things on the Blitz forums.  Your games are fun and take me back to my childhood, when my brother and I would play traditional wargames and other such games for hours on end.

it may take me a while, I cant find it, but I updated some, so its out of date anyway, but after I finish a project im on I will see whats what, thanks swapie

When you do put it up, be sure to put it up so a donation (or pay what you want) can be made.