Oh you are so kind! I loved your game too, I really hope you continue to expand it.
Yeah I mean, I feel like this game has so many moving parts that work together, that I had to fit it all together to give the particular atmosphere and ‘vibe’ that I felt it needed. Things like the intro animation, was kind of done alongside the other work, I like to compartmentalise aspects of design to seperate instances of the game, there were so many worktrees it felt a bit clumsy, but the approach seemed to work.
I was honestly halfway through the jam, and considered giving up because it didn’t feel like it worked, and I basically evaluate based on folders and compilations of different visual choices to evaluate eachother. I was essentially AI vibe maxxing, but in a specific way where I was still in control, but I was open to shaking it like a magic 8 ball and see what comes out. Anything the AI could not understand, would be where I start opening up the files and trying to edit them. I consider all the art placeholder, but the art direction 80% complete.
Sound design and UI are probably where most of my strict effort went, I wanted to solve the almost impossible-seeming cohesive HUD, I went through as many font and spacing and padding specificities that the AI was hopeless at natively. I decided that a considered eclecticism is the most intelligent way to solve this problem. It’s still not there, but I am most proud of how I tried to make the game as accessible as possible, but with also the potential for the skill ceiling to be high.
I basically use the same approach to creative problem solving with all media, but this is just me applying it to AI.