This is what nighttime looks like in the game I’m developing… If I told you it’s a cozy game, does that seem off to you when looking at the image?

For me, this isn’t a minor question, as I’m targeting that audience. However, I fear that by presenting an aesthetic not directly associated with cozy games—which often feature pastel colors, etc.—I might lose those potential buyers.

(I’m not sure if I can post a link to the game without being penalized, but if I can, just let me know and I’ll add it. Thanks!)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3292520/Grandmas_In_Hell/

Release a demo for this little tower defense recently and most people turn it off very fast which I’m going to take as a big warning sign.

Question is why?

Does the game misrepresent what they’re downloading? They can see the graphics and the gameplay on the store so I would think they have an idea what they’re getting?

Is the tutorial insufficient?

Do people dislike Pac-Man style controls?

Anyone have any thoughts?

Hi r/IndieDev!

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After finishing the development of my game in Unity, it took me over a day to build it. This was my first time using URP, and this issue never happened when I was using the Built-in pipeline. I checked the logs and found that compiling shader variants was very time-consuming. I understand Unity automatically reduces the number of shader variants, but is there anything I can do during development to control the build time? For example, should I limit light sources, reduce the number of objects, or avoid certain assets (like dynamic grass)? Any advice? Appreciate!

Hi community, hope this is in line with guidelines:

Our indie game - AI Game Master - an immersive AI driven text adventure game is up on Product Hunt, and currently leading the boards!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/ai-game-master-dungeon-rpg

I urge to try the game (preferably with speakers on) as players are falling in love with it. But don't expect many polygons and explosions 😄

The Product Hunt launch also bears a promo code for more free play and significant discounts on subscriptions, so you're welcome to try it out!

Hope you like it!!!

Oded

https://walker-io.glitch.me/

Try to survive the longest!

My first game provided me with valuable experience in the media sphere and gamedev, and it also taught me important life lessons.

My experience of cyberbullying

Last year, a new episode of my previous game was released, and it received a lot of attention, particularly from yaoi fangirls (fans of gay pairings in media). The reason for their anger was simple: their favorite character wasn’t gay. For months before the release, they raided my social media accounts with demands to make one of the characters gay and pair him with the main character. However, I stayed true to the original story.

As a result, the yaoi fangirls launched a wave of negative comments on my social media, attacking me with offensive memes, sending me death wish messages filled with 18+ content with their favorite pairing. They even criticized the female characters who cared for the main character and lowered my game’s rating on Google Play from 4.9 to 1.0, using TikTok to rally more yaoi fans from other fandoms to join in the harassment. In their eyes, the game became garbage simply because the story wasn't gay.

But I focused on continuing the development of the game while trying to avoid any contact with fans (there were a lot of haters pretending to be fans). I made it a point not to react to their provocations at all.

The life lessons I get from cyberbullying

After a year, I wanted to leverage my unique experience — after all, not everyone can claim that videos showcasing them as a hated person have garnered hundreds of thousands of views — to create a new project.

Having observed the behavior of haters, the phenomenon of cancel culture, stalking, doxing, and my personal experience with mass cyberbullying, I realized just how amused people can be by online bullying. There are consistent patterns in this behavior, the truth is often obscured by sensational headlines, and countless random individuals join in just to be a part of a community.

A new game about cyberbullying

This led me to the idea of a game where players can anonymously fulfill their secret desires by anonymously poisoning another person's life — but only if they choose to do so. The game can also take the form of an anime dating simulator but with its unique twists.

https://preview.redd.it/086fm2tm5i1e1.png?width=900&format=png&auto=webp&s=cf4786cf906488ebc8d1df22a19097e1ff2c3c0a

This is how streamer Mio appeared, and you, as a player and her subscriber, must attract her attention at any cost, otherwise, you will regret it. Whether you choose to be a devoted fan, the ultimate hater, or someone trying to win Mio's heart is entirely up to you. I will offer numerous behavioral variations with the streamer, and try to add depth and realism to the game using my personal experiences.

So, what genre is this? You could describe it as a romantic horror exploring internet culture.

Features I can highlight:

• The ability to leave comments and send donations with questions for the streamer
• Earn money for donations in mini-games
• Give gifts that the streamer will unbox during live streams (your choices affect the streamer's reaction; if you hate her, she won’t appreciate your donations/gifts as she would from a fan.)
• Explore the Dark Web and its various possibilities (such as SWAT, doxing, leaks, etc.)
• Experience different endings

https://i.redd.it/wwgy8nfq5i1e1.gif

I want to ensure that as few individuals in real life as possible experience the cyberbullying I faced. I would prefer that people express their anger in games rather than take it out on real people. My goal is to turn my experience into something meaningful and spark conversations about cyberbullying and online behavior. Please note that I do not support cyberbullying of real people of any kind.

The page "I Hate My Waifu Streamer" is available on Steam. I'd appreciate if you add it to your wishlist if the idea seems interesting to you.

Thanks to anyone who read this and supported me with my game.

And whose headwear should be cheaper?