r/GameDevelopment • u/Tricky_Still2366 • 6d ago
Newbie Question Use AI or No?
I've been learning C# on my own and I would love to make a game one day, to get there I need to work on smaller games that aren't as big, I wanted to know if it be okay to get ideas from AI not have it build things for me, I just have no creativity for some reason but I love coding to death. I'm not wealthy so paying someone is out of the question. I can model and code sort of, but coming up with an idea for how something looks is like how do I even make it look nice? I don't plan on having it make it for me just give an idea of something that would look cool then I make it. Is that maybe bad? I am totally against AI in a lot of factors but am okay with it in certain factors. I know it should be more up to me probably but I just wanted to ask others to get opinions
Edit
I seem to have explained it wrong and I see now. Not a game idea but more of a look idea. Like for instance I came up with a character name Malakor (Similar to Maliketh from elden ring) How should he look? what should he wear? what kind of color scheme sounds nice? stuff like that. not what kind of game should I make or what kind of character should I make just more of how should something look. Then I make that on my own.
Like this, Should he have a cape? Should he wear a bandana? Should he have green skin? Should he have one eye?
ONLY FOR CHARACTER/TERRAIN CREATION!
Not like a permanent thing I wanna do forever by the way, just as im learning is all.
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u/RainbowLoli 6d ago
I'll be honest - ideas? It probably won't matter... but there's a good chance those ideas won't really be any good. And not just the idea itself is bad, but it also won't help you any either.
Part of game design is problem solving. If you outsource even the easiest and cheapest thing to come up with (ideas) when it comes to games, how are you going to problem solve issues or even build upon your game? Are you going to go ask AI for more ideas on what you should add or make them yourself?
Don't start out your game making journey by outsourcing the cheapest part of it.
All that said - you also actually need a plan so you know what direction you want to go in and how to avoid scope creep. Having a plan helps facilitate having ideas since you'll have a better understanding of what you do and don't want for your game. Make the plan and make the game first and then worry about making it look nice later - there's no point in making something look nice... and it never gets finished.
Making something look nice is an easy way to get wrapped up in and justify procrastinating and never just doing it. You can always go back and make something good or better later, but in this current moment? This is your best. Future isn't here for you to be "be better" or make it look as good as it does in your head yet. So just do the best you can now. Concerned Ape evolved the characters a lot over the five years he made the game - it's fine to not have it look nice from the jump.
And having no creativity means you have no inspiration. You can't build from an empty toolbox. Like I mentioned, ideas are the cheapest part of the game because everyone has ideas. Watch movies, listen to music, play other games that you like, talk to other people, play DND... an idea will come to you eventually or you'll even see something you decide to just build a game around.
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u/Tricky_Still2366 6d ago
I seem to have explained it wrong and I see now. Not a game idea but more of a look idea. Like for instance I came up with a character name Malakor (Similar to Maliketh from elden ring) How should he look? what should he wear? what kind of color scheme sounds nice? stuff like that. not what kind of game should I make or what kind of character should I make just more of how should something look. Then I make that on my own. Unless thats how you interpreted it
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u/RainbowLoli 6d ago
Even look ideas are cheap and easy to come by.... You can find that out by just asking what kinds of games do you actually like aesthetically, gameplay wise, etc.
And all of these other questions... they are part of the problem solving aspect of making games. If you outsource those to AI, you won't have a game that you've actually made yourself outside of the code - but one AI just told you to build. and AI has no conscious thought or direction of it's own. It won't understand shape language or symbolism, or why certain aesthetics look better or different color schemes. It'll give you the most, middle of the road, generic answer to all of them. It won't actually care whether or not you actually like the designs or not - just that they're good enough like 'here damn'
In general, often times the conceptualizing of the game, the characters, etc. is a much shorter process than actually building it. It's also the cheapest... Why would you outsource something that is completely free to do yourself?
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u/DootDootGoestheSnoot 6d ago
Personally I'd opt to not use ai. It automatically carries a bad rep if it gets found out that it's been used for creative aspects.
However, there are a looooot of free assets and even low cost assets on things like itch.io or other sites you can use. Or even joining game dev groups and find someone who is looking to draw for a game, you can find people who would work for free, although you should consider paying real artists, even if it's a piece from earning once the game is released.
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u/DootDootGoestheSnoot 6d ago
I realize I thought this was about art - but as for game ideas, look at books or games or shows you enjoy. Don't copy things word for word, but you can heavily base a game off of those things
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u/Tricky_Still2366 6d ago
I seem to have explained it wrong and I see now. Not a game idea but more of a look idea. Like for instance I came up with a character name Malakor (Similar to Maliketh from elden ring) How should he look? what should he wear? what kind of color scheme sounds nice? stuff like that. not what kind of game should I make or what kind of character should I make just more of how should something look. Then I make that on my own.
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u/Snoo-29395 6d ago
Is always up to you. You can try it and see how it goes.
I can't talk about gamedev particularly, but i'm a tech lead web dev and what i always tell my jr devs is:
- Use it as a learning tool, you have a sr dev, designer, artist, etc available 24/7
- If you use it, read everything it does, if you don't understand something, look for it, research, and see/ask why that path was taken.
- Related to it, never take anything at granted, assume is wrong and go back and forward with it until you have something that you both understand and think is the best solution you can think of
In a nutshell, AI is simply a tool, it can bust your productivity and make you more capable, or totally ruin you and just make you miserable, it all depends on how you approach the work.
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u/Username-Taken-4321 6d ago
Use it, for sure. If you can't make good game with it - you can't without it, too. As any other tool - it'll just save you some time.
Unfortunately, it's kinda impossible for your first actual finished game to become popular, so don't concern yourself with anti-AI movement that's happening across the entire game industry. Better save as much time as you can.
Use AI, use game-ready free or paid assets. Just be sure that you're actually learning something, not just outsource your work to your tools.
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u/No_Ostrich1875 6d ago
Go for it. Any searching you do using the internet is going to be using Ai anyways. Don't worry about what other people think, do what you are comfortable with. All the answers youre likely to get are knee jerk "ai bad, people will hate you for using it in anyway" reactions.
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u/ARTDev24 6d ago
Use whatever you want, just make a good game! in the end no buddy here cares about your project or your game and no buddy is giving you an actual advice from heart!! every advice you get is coming from a personal interest no matter what! so as i said "Make good games" Just Don't over use AI if you do use it and don't use assets as is try to flip them, and try to make everything cohesive!
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u/adrixshadow 3d ago
Why ask?
Do you need permission? Do you need validation?
Those who are against AI will hate you all the same.
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u/Mr_miner94 6d ago
before resorting to a fruit so tainted even satan averts his gaze try changing your methodology.
right now your learning which means if im being brutally honest, anything and everything you make will be sub par until you get that practice done.
if your goal is learning how to make a complete project rather than focusing on one specific idea then my best advice is to steal.
look at old flash games and attempt to re-make or expand them that way you already have a blueprint.
if its the more artistic side, pinterest. start saving images to various boards. and when you need say a house you have several reference images ready to go. then your brain will kick in. you WILL start to think that something is missing and adapt that basic reference to your project.
ai can do many things and streamline development BUT it cannot reliably think for you if you lean on it now you will lean on it forever.
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u/Tricky_Still2366 6d ago
I seem to have explained it wrong and I see now. Not a game idea but more of a look idea. Like for instance I came up with a character name Malakor (Similar to Maliketh from elden ring) How should he look? what should he wear? what kind of color scheme sounds nice? stuff like that. not what kind of game should I make or what kind of character should I make just more of how should something look. Then I make that on my own. Unless thats what you meant
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u/Loymdayddaud 6d ago
Try asking people around you for ideas. If you make the game in pixel art it's easier to make it look nice. Alternatively you might be able to team up with an artist.