Aesthetic Driven Development: Choosing Your Art Before Making a Game

Summary

In this talk, Vladimir from Cold Wild Games shares their journey of adopting 'aesthetic-driven development,' focusing on creating appealing art before game mechanics. He discusses how their studio shifted from conventional game development to prioritizing art to attract an audience, experimenting with various art concepts to gauge feedback. By validating their ideas through Twitter and engaging the community, they found a style that resonated with players, eventually leading to a successful early access launch. The talk highlights the importance of combining art, experimentation, and audience feedback in indie game development.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on aesthetics first can help attract an audience before full game development begins.
• 🎨 Experimenting with art styles and posting on platforms like Twitter can gauge audience reactions and inform the development process.
• 🖌️ Working as a small team allows for faster decision-making and finding a shared passion for the project.
• 🖥️ The process of creating art for a game should also consider practical aspects, such as how easy it is to produce and its suitability for the game genre.
• 💬 Audience feedback on platforms like Twitter can be used to validate art choices and help refine the game's aesthetic direction.
• 🔑 Setting constraints on art, like resolution and complexity, can ensure you don't overextend yourself and focus on achievable goals.
• 🕹️ Art style can impact gameplay, especially in terms of screen space, complexity, and user experience. It's important to find a balance between the two.
• 🌍 Expanding on aesthetic concepts like maps and ships can add exploration and trading elements to the game, further engaging players.
• 💡 Iterating on trailers and updates with feedback from the community can increase visibility and lead to more wishlists and attention for the game.
• 🎯 Organic marketing, such as sharing artwork and game updates on social media, helped Cold Wild Games attract attention without spending much on ads.

Q & A

What is aesthetic-driven development, and how did Cold Wild Games implement it?

Aesthetic-driven development is an approach where the focus is on creating art first before building the game. Cold Wild Games implemented it by creating appealing visual art and sharing it on social media to gauge audience reaction before developing gameplay mechanics.

Why did Cold Wild Games shift to an aesthetic-driven development approach in 2019?

The studio shifted to aesthetic-driven development because their previous approach, which focused on building prototypes first and then designing graphics, was not generating enough sales or sustaining the studio. The new approach allowed them to build an audience based on appealing art before committing to a game concept.

How did the art-first approach help Cold Wild Games with their marketing?

By focusing on creating appealing art first, the studio attracted attention and gathered feedback from audiences on platforms like Twitter. This allowed them to validate their ideas early and generate interest in the game before it was fully developed, leading to better engagement and wishlists on Steam.

What role did social media play in Cold Wild Games' development process?

Social media, particularly Twitter, played a key role in gauging audience reactions to the art. Cold Wild Games used platforms like Twitter and tags such as 'pixel art' and 'gamedev' to post images and receive feedback, which helped guide their decision-making process regarding the game’s style and direction.

What were the four criteria used to evaluate the art created during the process?

The four criteria were: (1) Both developers had to like the art, (2) the audience's response on Twitter (likes, retweets, and comments), (3) the feasibility of creating the art with their available resources, and (4) the compatibility of the art with potential game designs and genres.

What was the baseline for measuring the success of the art on social media?

The baseline for success was the usual response Cold Wild Games received on their earlier tweets, which typically garnered under 20 likes, 1-2 comments, and 1-5 retweets. Any post that exceeded this baseline was considered a potential success.

How did Cold Wild Games handle the balance between aesthetic appeal and gameplay design?

Cold Wild Games carefully considered how the art would affect gameplay. For example, the complexity of the buildings in the art affected their decision to limit the number of buildings on screen to avoid overwhelming players. They also considered the limitations of their screen space and ensured the gameplay would still be enjoyable.

What challenges did Cold Wild Games face when choosing an art style?

One of the biggest challenges was finding a unique and memorable art style that matched their vision for the game. The team struggled with ensuring the art was not only visually appealing but also distinct and replicable enough to create a cohesive world for the game.

Why did Cold Wild Games eventually decide to make a Steam page before fully developing the game?

The decision to create a Steam page early on was a strategic move to gather wishlists and build an audience before the full game was released. This helped Cold Wild Games generate early interest and receive feedback on their concept, making it easier to attract attention and gauge potential sales.

What advice does Vladimir offer for other developers who want to follow an aesthetic-driven development approach?

Vladimir advises developers to set clear art constraints to streamline the process, such as limiting the resolution of sprites or focusing on specific genres. He also suggests that, while long experimentation can increase the likelihood of success, it can also increase costs, so balancing time and resources is crucial.