I added a shield to protect players from the swarm. Players turned it into a battering ram. #indiegames #gaming

What’s the last game you bought, and how did it turn out? Did it live up to expectations, become a new favorite, disappoint you after a few hours, or are you still telling yourself you’ll play it “soon”? #gaming #indiegames

I added a magnetic beacon to control the swarm. Players started turning entire sections of the arena into plasma traps. #indiegames #gaming

Yesterday I asked gamedevs how they decide the price of their games. Today I’m more interested in the player perspective: what makes a game feel worth its price to you? Do you look at playtime, replayability, genre, visuals, reviews, uniqueness, overall vibe, or just instinct? #steamgames #gaming

I added exploding batteries as an emergency weapon. Players turned them into a boss deletion strategy. #gaming #steamgames

Gamedevs, how did you decide the price for your game? Did you base it on wishlist numbers, similar games, playtime/content, genre expectations, production quality, or something else entirely? #gamedev #indiedev

Utility items are always more interesting once players optimize them - slow them down and buy more time. #indiegame #gaming

How much market research do you actually do before committing to a game idea? Do you analyze genre demand, audience size, competitors, Steam trends, etc. beforehand, or mostly just make what you personally want to make and hope it finds players later? #gamedev #indiedev

I added a safety bubble to protect players… Players turned it into a bomb instead. #gamedev #indiegame #towerdefense

What was the hardest, most annoying, or most surprising feature/mechanic to implement in your game? Not the biggest feature. The one that unexpectedly turned into a nightmare. #gamedev #indiedev

I made a tower defense game where every night feels like an invasion. First Rogue Drone Night gameplay. Still heavy WIP. #gamedev #indiedev #towerdefense

Gamedevs with released projects: Do you ever go back and play your older games, or once they’re finished do you mentally move on and never look back? Wondering how this changes after multiple projects. #gamedev #indiedev

Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. I got completely cut off, dropped Safety Bubble and 2 Kabooms point blank, and hoped for the best. Moment before disaster...and the disaster. #indiedev #indiegame

Gamedevs with multiple projects: How did your expectations change after your first game? Did later projects make you more realistic about things like player counts, wishlists, retention, marketing, motivation, or development time? #indiedev #gamedev

Rogue Drone is a sci-fi survival tower defense game where you mine crystals, manage energy, build defenses, and survive nightly attacks. Your defenses fight automatically based on the preparation you made during the day. store.steampowered.com/app/4285020/... #gamedev #indiegame #towerdefense

Solo gamedevs working full time on their games without another job: How are you managing financially, mentally, and structurally long term? #indiedev #gamedev

Gamedevs, where do you draw the line between: “the game has a problem” and “the player just doesn’t like the game”? How do you filter feedback internally during development? #indiedev #gamedev

From bouncing red spheres to full swarm chaos. Prototype -> Playtest -> Release Gamedev is weird sometimes 😄 #gamedev #indiedev #indiegame

This update made survival 2x harder. #indiegame #gamedev

Anyone experimenting with reels/shorts for game marketing? Any interesting findings so far? Voice over vs pure gameplay? Subtitles? Facecam? Fast cuts vs slower clips? Short vs long? Also curious if different platforms prefer different styles. #indiedev #gamedev

“Start with a small game” is probably the most common gamedev advice. But what does “small” even mean to you? Interesting to hear both player and developer perspectives. #indiedev #gamedev #indiegames

Do you think an academic degree helps in making games or not? If yes, in what way specifically? #indiedev #gamedev

What if shooting your gun can kill you? #gamedev #indiedev

Outrun or Outsmart: what is your way? #indiedev #gamedev

Gamedevs - do you still want to make your “dream game” someday? If so then what’s stopping you from starting it now? And what kind of game is it? #indiedev #gamedev

Gamedevs, what’s the longest project you abandoned or canceled? What happened, and would you do anything differently today? #indiedev #gamedev

How many gamedevs here learned everything yourselves through projects, YouTube, docs, modding, etc. and how many came from an academic path? #indiedev #gamedev

Tried a small Swarm Me giveaway and got some players to play it. Thinking of doing more or maybe even a demo challenge. What worked for you with game giveaways? Any tips appreciated. #indiedev #gamedev

How do you define an “indie game”? Is it: - self-funded / self-published - small team - budget size - creative independence or something else entirely? Feels like everyone uses a different definition. Where you draw the line. #indiedev #gamedev

Solo devs - why do you choose to work alone? There’s design, coding, art, audio, marketing… it’s a lot. What keeps you solo instead of teaming up? #indiedev #gamedev

When did you realize you wanted to make games instead of just play them? #gamedev #indiedev

What was the hardest feature to implement to your game? #gamedev #indiedev

Game dev question: What were your expectations for your last game vs what actually happened? #indiedev #gamedev

When there are only two bosses left… and one still finds a way to sneak up and hit you from behind. Happens a lot in Swarm Me. #SwarmMe #indiedev #gamedev

Every time Unity does 95% off flash deals I end up inventing three new games I wasn’t supposed to make. Anyone else? #indiedev #gamedev #unity

How do you choose music for your game? Your own taste? Genre conventions? Player expectations? Mood first? Something else? #indiedev #gamedev

You can revive one old game and remake it properly with modern tech. What are you choosing? #gamedev #indiedev

Day 1 of poking the mysterious Steam visibility machine for ‘Swarm Me’ - after 24 hours - 30 impressions, 3 clicks, 10%. Tiny sample, but interesting start. Might share weekly updates if other devs are curious how this plays out. #gamedev #indiedev

How much should games explain non-core systems early, and how much should be left for players to discover on their own? Where do you draw that line. #gamedev #indiedev

How much should players influence mechanics and systems during development? Balance tweaks are one thing, but what about changing core systems based on feedback? Where do you draw the line between listening and losing direction? #gamedev #indiedev

Hit the Steam visibility round for Swarm Me today after the big update. 4 modes in now, lots improved, and now we see what 30 days of Steam exposure does. Curious and slightly terrified. #indiedev #gamedev

How do you deal with the fear of putting your game in front of the public? Do you ever hesitate because of being judged, getting harsh reactions, or showing something that is unfinished? Sometimes the hardest part of gamedev isn’t making the game, but pressing “share”. #gamedev #indiedev

Gamedevs, tell me one problem in your game you solved in an unexpected way that ended up making the game better. Those accidental genius moments. I know you have one. #gamedev #indiedev

I am about to use my first Visibility Round on Steam so need some tips :) What worked best for you? Did you pair them with discounts, major updates, festivals, livestreams? Any tips or surprises welcome. #indiedev #gamedev

Would you play a game outside your usual genre because a friend suggested it? What convinced you? #gamedev #indiegames #gaming #indiedev #videogames

For indie devs who tried both: How did paid marketing compare to free marketing for your game? What paid channels worked (or failed)? What free promotion worked best? What ended up being a waste of time or money? Would love to hear real results, not theory. #indiedev #gamedev

How long do you think I survived after this screenshot? #indiedev #gamedev

People say “just ship more games.” But does quantity really improve your odds, or is success mostly about better decisions: genre, marketing, community, and game quality? #indiedev #gamedev

When a system works in one game, do you reuse it in later projects or intentionally build something new each time? Why? #gamedev #indiedev

Has anyone started developing a game and abandoned it before releasing their first one? What made you stop? #indiedev #gamedev