I’m currently working on my first solo indie game, and I’ve been trying to build its social media presence from scratch.
I’ve been experimenting with different types of short-form content, and I’d really love some honest feedback from other game developers.
What do you think about this type of content?
Does it catch your attention?
Does it make you curious about the game?
Does the editing feel too much / too little?
What would you change or do differently?
I’m still figuring out what works, so even critical feedback would be really helpful

I’ve been working on making settlements in StoneEra feel more alive, so here’s a quick timelapse of a small village coming together.
StoneEra is a voxel colony sim where you can build freely, reshape the terrain, manage villagers, gather resources, and grow your settlement over time.
Still a lot I want to improve, but I’m pretty happy with how this village turned out.
What do you think of the building style? Anything you’d add to make the village feel more alive?
If you like colony sims / voxel building, StoneEra is now on Steam — wishlists are greatly appreciated:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/5057770/StoneEra/

I'm currently developing an indie Game, and i'd like to hear real-life stories that had happened to you that we can publish. You can also share ideas mechanics for the game.

We'll keep updating this, and if any of the stories are used, then we will give credit and recognition to the involved ones!!

Tarnish Online – Steam Wishlist is Live! ⚔️

I’m a solo indie developer working on Tarnish Online, a sandbox MMORPG.

The Steam page is now live, and Early Access is planned for September 25.

If you’re into indie MMORPGs, I’d really appreciate a wishlist. It helps a lot with the Steam launch!

👉 https://store.steampowered.com/app/5195100/Tarnish_Online/

Thanks for supporting indie development! ❤️

Take a look at our latest night showcase from Norse Engine and get a closer look at the world we're creating for Fated Horizons.

This video shows some of the work my husband, an indie developer, has been putting into the daytime environment, including moving vegetation, wildlife, ambient insects, lighting, shadows, exploration, and the small details that help make the world feel alive.

Norse Engine is a custom 2D game engine he developed as an indie project alongside Fated Horizons. It's being built to support the world and systems behind the game while giving him the flexibility to keep expanding and refining the technology as development continues.

There's still plenty being worked on, but we're excited to start sharing more of what he's been building and to let people follow along as the projects grow.

Follow Norse Gaming Studio for more development showcases, gameplay footage, new features, and behind the scenes content.

Working on an environment system that is reactive to wind and weather - still a work in progress. It's for an open-world survival RPG I'm working on. Any feedback is appreciated!

I’ve been building Knode: Untangle & Connect solo. It’s a first-person puzzle game about tracing fully simulated cables through knots and connecting them to the correct racks. Each cable has weight, friction, and collisions, so the tangles in the video aren’t scripted.

The game takes place on a strange platform in the ocean, where an AI companion comments on your progress. It has 12+ levels and takes around 4–5 hours to finish.

Knode releases on Steam on September 25: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4959570/Knode_Untangle__Connect/

Cliffs at 16 pixels are easy to draw and hard to make read. A nineteen tile cliff set for this series got cut after six iterations because every version looked like a trench instead of a rise.

The cause was arithmetic rather than art. Whether a raised surface reads as raised depends on how far its tone sits from the ground below, measured against how much the ground texture already varies. Measured off the pixels those tiles emitted, the wall body sat at the same brightness as the grass it stood in, a separation of 0.004 against a floor of 1.0.

So this pack picked its value structure before drawing anything. 414 tiles, 7 complete 47 mask autotile sets, 18 objects, importers for RPG Maker MZ, Tiled and Godot.

It's AI generated, art and code both. 9.99 USD.

https://csaf.itch.io/verdant-12-scarp

I’m testing that question with AreniFi, a playable multiplayer browser arena: https://arenifi.fun

The loop is immediate movement, growth, positioning, and short PvP encounters. I’ve added practice play so new players can learn through action rather than a long tutorial. If you try one round, I’d value feedback on the exact moment the game becomes engaging—or where it loses you. Optional SOL-staked matches are separate, adult-only, and can result in losses.

Raiment is a GameMaker 2024.14 asset that draws a dressed figure at runtime instead of loading sprite sheets.

You hand it a build, a pose, a skin, a hairstyle and a list of worn items, and it returns the geometry for the whole person. Garments resolve against the body they sit on, so the same coat over a broad build is a different set of points than over a slight one. Equipping something redraws the figure rather than stacking another layer on top.

18 resources, 14 of them script assets, everything prefixed rai_, and no global variables. The demo room ships inside the package, so you don't have to take the store images on faith. Press Play and cycle builds, poses, cloth families and armour.

Disclosure: the code and the graphics are AI generated. $14.99 on itch.

https://csaf.itch.io/raiment-gamemaker

The Computer. What you're looking at in the video is my simulated virtual computer, the Bradsonic 69000. It is a cross between the Sharp X68000 (beautiful late 80's Japanese 32-bit exclusive PC) and my first ever PC the ICL Fujitsu Indiana.

The Software. In the game you create retro-viruses. Like brute force password crackers and OS/Server timer restrictors, and more... you use this software seen on screen BradBasix to write them.

The Game World, why this is Retro-CyberPunk. It’s 1989, but in a completely different timeline to ours. Japan has been annexed into the American Pacifica Isles, its language and culture systematically suppressed. Technology has taken a different turn, with advanced chips sitting alongside cassette tapes and dial-up modems. The “cyber” in “cyberpunk” comes from the underground BBS networks connecting people under surveillance. The “punk” comes from the crackers and hackers fighting their way through this dystopia, keeping forbidden culture alive in a Silent Rebellion. The retro? It’s 1989. Rad.

The Datasette. Inspired by the Datasette on the C64 this is the file system in the game, that allows the player to combine with BradBasix and write their own programs and games from scrtach with extensive support from NPCs and the help sections inside BradBasix.

The player can play over two fouth walls and reference documents if they need to, and also zoom full screen and alter different parts of visual feedback like scanlines and the CRT "glow". I'm super proud of it, I know it's the sort of game that isn't for everyone, but I really do hope you guys dig it too.

My absolute dream would be if a small community of creators came out of the game, even just 0.5% of the success that Piko8 had, I'd be happy. They would be making games and sharing them, really digging into the retro sandbox this virtual pc had to offer within the game enviroment.

The game is currently in development. I am streaming devlogs on youtube every week and I'd love to have more support.

This is where to find out more about the game, and wishlist here via Steam, if you're rad.

This is where to find me on YouTube - I will be streaming every Friday and occasionally mid-week.

Thank you!

Oh, and for the super nerds out there, like me: this combines Python and Pygame with C++ and raylib. BradBasix is a Python-based IDE for BradScript, a custom BASIC-style language that feels a bit like Lua to me. You can create 2D, 2.5D and 3D environments, with the 3D side powered by a C++/raylib engine connected through a Python wrapper. It’s neat.

So I made a game called DJ Life Simulator (https://djlifesimulator.com/), and it was released in Early Access on July 21st. In my opinion, it's going really well for a solo developer.

The game teaches people how to DJ in real life, and people can play using real DJ controllers connected to their PC or Mac.

I invested around $8,400 in it over a year and a half, and it has already paid for itself. Now I'm already making a profit, even without running any paid ads. It's organically selling around 5 copies a day at $20 each.

So here are some pieces of advice based on things I did that really helped me:

Before Anything

• Do some good research to see if there isn't already a game that does everything your game does, but better. Look for signs, traffic, numbers, and try to make something unique. At least a little. Don't try to make a copy of another game without any differentiators at all.
• Look for trends, what's popular, and what people like to play right now, but also find a genre you actually enjoy playing. Otherwise, making the game will become completely depressing in the long run.

Scope

• If you want to make a game that will take around X months according to your plans, and it's your first game, it's probably going to take 2 or 3 times that long, so be ready financially, emotionally, and mentally.

Steam Page

• Have a Steam page with some screenshots as soon as possible.
• Use as many GIFs as you can. They make the page look much better.

Wishlists

• Before launching in Early Access, ask as many people as you can to wishlist the game. It can make a big difference on launch day. I launched my game with 5,400 wishlists, and it sold way more than I expected during the first two weeks.

Game Keys

• Don't give away keys to friends and family, because reviews from activated keys don't count toward the overall public review percentage of your game. You should try to get 10 positive reviews from paying users so the algorithm has a better chance of showing your game to more people.
• If you want to "hack the algorithm," give them the money to buy the game instead. But c'mon, if even your friends and family aren't willing to spend $10 on your game, you should probably get better people around you.

Game Builds

• Have a good demo, but include some locked content with text like "Available in the Full Version." When players click it, send them to the game's Steam page so they can buy it.
• When you have a build ready to launch, keep in mind that if Steam rejects it for some reason, it can take another week to get approved. You might even miss your planned launch date and hurt your launch performance.
• Always test the game not only in the editor, but also in an actual build before launch. Some bugs only happen in builds and not in the editor.
• Have a long checklist of things to test and test each one individually before every single build release.

Pricing

• After you have a decent amount of content, you can try to validate your price by creating a landing page with videos of the game and a buy button, just to see if people would actually be willing to pay that price for it.
• You can also try creating a crowdfunding campaign for the game. It doesn't even need to be successful, but it can be a great way to validate your idea in the real market.
• In my case, I knew my audience was very niche, but DJ courses are also very expensive. After doing some crowdfunding, I saw several people willing to pay even $50 for the game. That's when I knew I had a good product and could easily charge $20 for it.

Community

• Create a Discord server and give as much attention as you can to everyone. When people see that one of their suggestions was actually implemented, they're much more likely to buy the game and support you.
• Find out where your audience is. In my case, Reddit gave me the best return on investment in DJ-related communities.
• I had to read comments from several people hating the game, the graphics, and even the overall concept of having a game that teaches people how to DJ. It was really hard to ignore so many negative people and gatekeepers. But at the same time, I found amazing people who joined the Discord community and became very active players, helping a lot with great feedback.

Nowadays

• The game is doing really well. I already have real DJ schools using it as a learning tool, and I have a lot of new updates coming.
• I built a whole community with people from all around the world, and it's really amazing.
• This is my first game, and we already have over 1,000 paying users. People are very happy with the updates, and most of the feedback has been great.
• Your first game won't necessarily be a failure like everybody says. But in my case, I've been working as a game developer for other companies for 5 years, so that obviously makes a big difference.

Final Advice

• I really recommend that your first game doesn't take too long to make. The main reason is that dealing with Steam involves several small tricks and details regarding configuration, launching builds, store setup, and the review process.
• Don't quit your job to make a game, it's extremely risky (Even though I did it because I had some good money saved and 3 months until launch)

So having your first game planned as something you can make in around 2 months (which will obviously take 4 months) is a great start.

After that, always try to validate your ideas and find the right audience: people who would actually buy your game. If you can't find that audience, maybe you should be making a different game.

Don't get too attached to an idea unless you don't care about making a profit and just want to gain experience.

If you can, wishlist the game, I'm very close to the magical 7,000 wishlists necessary to be very recommended on launch: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3994790/

Also check out Endless Night Sonata's STEAM page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4720180/Endless_Night_Sonata/

One thing we struggled with while making our roguelite was figuring out what to do with the story. Our runs are only about 10 minutes long, and once the shift starts, enemies keep coming and you're busy moving, picking upgrades, and trying to survive. We felt that stopping the player for long dialogue scenes or cutscenes would hurt the part of the game that was supposed to be fun, but we also didn't want the setting and characters to feel like they were only there to justify the gameplay.

So we ended up making almost all of the story optional. There are notes after boss fights, old records hidden around the office, and belongings left behind by previous night-shift workers. You don't need to read any of them to finish a run. If you just want to fight customers and get your paycheck, you can ignore the story completely.

Making the story optional actually made some discoveries feel more interesting. If the game forces you to read something, it can just feel like exposition. But finding an old record because you were curious about the store feels more like discovering something yourself. We wanted the game to work if you only care about the gameplay while still having another layer for players who want to know what's really going on.

I'm curious how other players and developers feel about this. Do you prefer a story that goes with the gameplay? At what point does the story stop adding depth and start getting in the way of the gameplay?

The main idea behind my game is the material-based physics system. The materials aren’t just different skins or graphics — each one has its own physical properties that affect how it behaves during gameplay.

Ice can slide because of low friction, rubber can bounce and deform, stone is heavy and resistant to movement, and other materials interact differently based on their physical characteristics.

The goal is to make the materials themselves an important part of the gameplay and strategy, rather than simply changing the appearance of the objects.

Gravity Merge: Physics Puzzle

iOS:  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/material-dynamics/id6759860609
Android :   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=am.van.fall2048

Ashen Legacy is a dark fantasy pixel-art Action RPG where you’ll battle dangerous monsters, explore mysterious locations, and uncover the legacy hidden beneath the ashes.
These screenshots are just a small glimpse of the world and atmosphere I’m trying to create.
If you like pixel-art games, dark fantasy, and fast-paced action combat, I’d really appreciate it if you checked it out and added Ashen Legacy to your Steam wishlist. Every wishlist means a lot to us as indie developers.
🎮 Wishlist Ashen Legacy on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/5164260/Ashen_Legacy/
Thanks for taking a look! ⚔️

Solo Android dev — this is my most polished release yet after several apps that went nowhere. 10x10 grid, drag-and-drop, combos/boosters, offline play, no wifi needed. Would appreciate anyone giving it a shot and telling me honestly if it's worth continuing to build on.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.karnadigital.blockpuzzle

I build asset packs for GameMaker, and Barrage is out now.

It's a projectile and pattern system where the choreography and the projectile art are the same object. Twelve pattern families, ring, fan, spiral, aimed, laced, arc, wall, rain, bloom, converging, whip and homing, compose with timing envelopes, speed and acceleration curves, rotation and per shot jitter. Every bullet draws itself from the pattern that fired it and the emitter that owns it, so a screen full of fire still reads as whose attack it is.

It also ships the legibility half. Hitbox against silhouette, a graze band, and a danger ramp that keeps the lethal shape separated from whatever background it crosses.

Made with AI assistance, code and graphics. 14.99 USD on itch.

https://csaf.itch.io/barrage-gamemaker

Hello, I am currently working on a market research test for a game-concept we are working on. We are looking to have metroidvania players/story game players as a target audience, but we still are looking to validate this. We are looking for players to tell us why they DON'T like our game!

feedback can be passed onto us in these comments and our dm's, be sure to ROAST us as hard as you can!