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– How common is it for different developers to end up building similar games?
– Do people usually stop when that happens, or keep going anyway?
– What’s considered respectful in this kind of situation?

It's pretty common to see different devs making similar games. For instance, I see multiple devs are making survival games in FB groups I've joined and I don't think they'd stop cause because of that. Who knows if the end result would be the same .... if they completed the game that is.

In this situation, we'd just support each other cause we're fellow devs.

Do you have examples of your work?

Barshen Beasts

IMO AI is here to stay. Not only because it is good enough for some people, but also because it's costy to pay artists to make the art.

The trend which could burst is companies making AI based products. This sounds like dot com bubble to me.

I'm not saying I agree with those though but it is what's happening currently.

I think what is copyrighted is the character design (Pacman and the ghosts) not the game mechanic.

My suggestion is to make levels whose difficulty starting from beginner to hard then allow players to choose which level to play. This way newbies could start by playing easy levels while hardcore players could jump straight to hard levels.

I choose 1.

What do you recommend to generate ideas?

Playing multiple games is my recommendation. They could give you new ideas for mechanics you could add to your games or even make new ones.

Another way is to join discussions in Discord channels. Some members would post question or open discussion about game idea or mechanic in certain channel and you should join in and share your thoughts. Read what others posted and you could get new ideas.

Fire Leaf Water

Hello. If you're offering music, can you show us some of your music work?

I prefer to release demo to get feedback from players. 

I've been working on Fire Leaf Water for some time, here is a screenshot:

 it’s been hard to find a simple way to do that

Of course, a complex system couldn't be simplified that easy.

Though it's not the tool or code that you need, it's how to make each choice interesting and how to make multiple various choices.

Hi there. If you are offering services, you should offer it in community of a jam such as this one. Of course you could offer it this section of forum also.

Just want to let you know I have been trying to create a game but not good at anything.

Well, that game is your start. Resume the progress and complete the game!

1. To  get training and minor stipend during my game development for the company ?

It depends on the company but you'd better off training yourself. In game development, that is.

2. Selling could be done or what ! If so which company do you prefer ?

I don't think there is any company looking for game ideas to purchase.

3. Any letter format you have used for success of the deal ?

I don't think it matters because of #2.

4. I also need a share in it , So I might be asking more ( I am confused , Has I think my idea can make enough money for the company ! )

Sorry to burst your bubble, an idea is not enough to make money for anyone. Even if the idea has been implemented and been made into a game, there are still long way to go to make enough money.

5. Or should I ask enough people to join in developing my game and start working on it , excepted to make a trailer to present to investors so we can get a bigger and better cut with employment to few many people from then on !

I believe you should make the game first before presenting to investors or anyone for funding.

So get ready to get your feet wet in game dev.

I have made plenty of pixel games. What kind of game are you trying to create?

Fire Leaf Water

Do you think rain (and other weather effects like fog, wind, storms...) help build atmosphere and immersion, or do you sometimes find them annoying or unnecessary?

It depends on the context. If the game has rain, fog or storm etc for decoration, it might interfere gameplay inadvertently such as having heavy rain in run n gun while there are shots which look almost similar to rain drops.

OTOH those effects are great or even necessary to show direction of blowing wind if there were strong wind blowing player and objects.

What place should generative AI have in indie game development?

I want to say that it could have a place but on second thought maybe it couldn't. I admit it can help devs to visualize things and generate stuffs to assist development however I'm afraid it could make devs addicted and be lazy. OTOH if the devs tried to say draw images or concepts for their games themselves, it will train their brain to think and visualize.

Do you think we should avoid using AI in game development when possible? Or embrace it as part of the creative process?

It's hard for me to accept the latter because using generative AI means not being creative yourself.

I think the only reason to use generative AI in game development is to make prototypes in faster time. But even so, using crappy self made stuffs is still possible for that.

Well, before answering the dilemma you've asked, you need to answer this question:  what is the main focus of the game?

If the focus is gameplay, then make the system to support gameplay first then add story later. This is bottom up technique.

If the focus is story, then make good story first then make gameplay system to support the story. This is top down technique.

Sorry ZombieMedic, you can't attract anyone with just vague texts like that. You need to elaborate your ideas better with images and game description. 

IMO daily rewards will become a must if the impact is big to gameplay and there's no better way to replace the impact. IOW player will become dependent on the rewards to optimize their gameplay and thus become addicted or the daily reward become labor.

To avoid this, the daily reward should be reduced to just good enough to earn but not too impactful.

No. It's not sacrifice which makes someone be remembered but it's the impact they've made to the player.

Fire Leaf Water

Please show us your music work.

I prefer to make what I really love. Make no mistake, following trend isn't as easy as you thought. You need to study the trend, how to actually create the game and how to make it fun and of course to actually create the game. 

 OTOH creating a game that we really love, although it may not be easy, it is easier to do cause we love the game.

So the question is "follow the trend with the risk of that it's not something we like" or "make the game we love with the risk that others might not love it too"?

And there's another issue to deal with: visibility. Following trend has the risk of others doing the same making our game buried. OTOH making the game we love also has the risk of low visibility but could have good visibility if it's attractive.

TLDR, each choice has its own risks.

Fire Leaf Water

I rarely play RPGs cause they are mostly long and it's hard to pick decent ones. Still, these are the ones I recommend to you:

Reflection of a Fallen Feather

Theia : The Crimson Eclipse

Star Story 1

I'm kinda split about this. I understand the benefits of having smart AI for NPCs in open world game but at the same time, I know the disadvantages of that.

I'll start with this: stupid AI although, as the name implies, is stupid, is actually a smart way for players to help player telling which NPCs are important and which aren't. NPCs who talk like a robot is not interesting and usually not important and players would avoid them. With so many NPCs, figuring which ones are important and which aren't, players have less NPCs to consider.  That's an advantage with stupid AI.

That being said, that advantage is for games in which NPCs aren't the main focus. If you are making game in which NPCs are the main focus and talking to them is the main gameplay, then yes, smart AI is essential.

Ruvor Rush

Simple platformer about collecting coins. However, there's a catch: there are two coin types, you could choose which type to collect but once you do, collecting one type earns score but collecting the other will reduce your score.

Post jam version has been released, you can get it in the first post above.

The new version has two modes each with its own boss set and final boss, and its own paths.

It also gives money bonus for defeating a boss without getting hit.

Get it while it's fresh!

What would you add / change to make the game fun and enjoyable which would make you the player want to open and play it constantly?

I'm not player of this kind of game however I know how this game is played. My major gripe with people aspiring to make such game is they never specify the goal which is important. For your concept, you mention becoming leader of community which unfortunately not quite clear.

So my suggestions are :

1. Specify in detail the goal of the game. Ex: Leader of community, specify how big the community should be, what the community should have to be called thriving.

2. Make alternate goals which alter gameplay. Ex: find hidden spring and construct structure to share the water from the spring. Or construct settlement for people living in distant places.

Fire Leaf Water

Why would you want to win a game jam? not saying it's bad thing but you need good reason.

OTOH I'm not sure if I could ever win a game jam again especially if the rating is based by participants' vote.

That's why I'm participating in game jams to increase my dev skill and to express myself.

 what factors do you think contributed?

Years ago, I've created Crime Buster and Contra : Locked 'n' Loaded and some youtubers play them. I believe this is because there weren't many youtubers that time and fan games could easily get noticed.

However, when I've decided to create original IPs, I had to ask youtubers who offer to play games for free in their channel. There were plenty of them a decade ago but recently it's so rare to find such youtubers.

Who played it and are they very open to playing smaller, less popular games?

For now, I'll have to wait for youtubers who ask for games to be played for their channel.

Interesting concept but couple things aren't clear for me:

1. Who is the bad guy here? White lady or villa owner or both?

2. How does player actually solve White Lady's murder? only by collecting her body parts? I think there should be more.

3. Is the main gameplay similar to FPS (shooting enemies etc) or first person walking simulator (no shooting but lots of walking and finding stuffs)?

4. Continuation of #1, what is the failed state of this game?