by tlaero » Mon, 16Jan25 20:58
Wow, Taylor. I just looked at your images. They're very nice. Do you realize that the first Keeley game had 215 images in it, and most of the backgrounds were stock footage? What you've shown here is over 600 images with rendered backgrounds. You're off to a seriously good start.
Your ambition is getting in your way, though. Don't try to make the most expansive game ever on your first try. Make something short and enjoyable, learn from it, and then use that learning to make something a bit longer and a bit more enjoyable. Learn from those experiences, and the feedback you'd get from people who play your finished games, and use all of that to make your next game.
People loved my "Getting to know Christine," but it was my 3rd (kind of my 4th if you include the Amy thing I did) game. I couldn't have done GtkC without the experience and confidence I got from those previous efforts. People seemed to like Dreaming with Elsa even more, but it was seventh. And now, 5 years and 7 games later, I'm finally able to do a game with 1360 pages and 1560 images. I definitely couldn't have done Redemption for Jessika without all the experience I've built releasing and getting feedback on the previous games.
Aside from one amazing counterpoint (BEW), the "start slow and build up" approach is how most people do almost everything. I highly recommend it.
Alternately, here's something to consider. Over the years, I've seen a number of people come here and say "I'd like to make a game, but I don't have the artistic skill. Can someone do the art for me?" I'll bet there are 5 people reading the lagoon right now who would kill to have you do art for their game. Look at the "Corrupting the Priestess" thread in Sexy Games. I haven't tried the game yet, but pyorgara says in the first page that he was working with an artist and she had to stop. Play his game, see if you like it, and if you do, send him a PM suggesting you do the art for his next one. Similarly, before he found Syl, Super was in the same boat. And, though I'm drawing a blank on the names, I can think of many other people who have come looking for an artist.
Maybe your path to success is similar to Mortze's. Do the art for a writer/programmer, learn from the experience, and then branch out into your own games on the side. Or maybe you should approach Wolfschadowe and do some of the rendering for BEW. He'd love to get images more quickly.
All these suggestions limit your creative control on the process, but that's okay. Work on subsets of games, experience the process of finishing, shipping, and taking feedback on them, and build your skills toward making your own ones.
Whether or not you ever make this game, I hope you continue to work in this space. Keep at it.
Tlaero