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For PC.

You know, your post contains 2 different main points: AI usage and new RTS game concept. Unfortunately, you refuse to elaborate more on the latter which is a more useful discussion IMO. But fine, I'll play along.

do people generally accept AI-coded games? or are they often ignored/disregarded as slop regardless of the merits?

TBH, it's not easy to tell if a game is AI-coded or not. However, some ai-coded games have clear giveaways on being ai-coded. If people see those giveaways, get ready for backlashes.

People consider AI coded games and games using gen AI artworks as lazy work since the "devs" behind those games don't spend any effort in the creation process. Maybe those games do have merits but the AI stains are enough to keep people away.

Now allow me to ask you this question: you have lifelong passion for videogames, so why don't you use that passion to learn coding or at least learn to use an engine?

It's hard to say cause it depends highly on risk vs reward the game offers. If the risk is too much compared to reward, the game became not fun and too hard but OTOH if the risk is too few compared to reward, the game became boring and not fun. I didn't say exactly what risk and reward would be cause each genre has its own risk n reward.

For action games, the reward is feedback and physical reward from successfully "connecting" the action and the risk is the obstacle and hurdles obstructing player from performing the action.

Breaking Brod

IMO it would be better if the weapon and fruit also merge in visuals. Ex: Pinebomb = pineapple shaped like a grenade. It will be active when its crown is released.

Sawrian = Durian with sawblade on its skin.

I could summarize your #2 section into : easy to learn hard to master. 

I disagree with #1. You get players support AFTER the game is made. However even if a game has less support, it doesn't mean the game is bad or not perfect if you will.

I disagree with #3. There are some games which are great despite lacking music IMO. If you actually meant, perfect game needs juice, then I agree with you.

I also disagree with #4. I have played games with many levels but they all feel the same and I got bored. OTOH I have played games with limited levels but each level is unique and offer engaging challenges and I could play all of them without getting bored.

I agree with #5 but not in the way you've posted above. There are 4 player types based on Bartle's Taxonomy.

I've viewed your page but the game doesn't look like pinball at all, it's more like peg game in which you drop ball from top and watch it bounce off pegs until it drops to one of boxes below.

Ruvoroid

but because my dream game would've released at the same time as several other iconic indies

Please stop that kind of thought. Who would guarantee that if Hades weren't released at all while yours had been released at that time, your game would be huge hit?

Besides,  you're missing the elephant in the room : making a great game. Yes, that should be your focus right now.

Hard to say, I can only make smart guesses for the reason of lacking participants. I have thoughts that holidays are best time for game jams cause people have more time to make something for game jams.

However, my best guess would be youtube followers or viewers. GMTK Jam had 9000+ entries while Juniper Game Dev Jam had 3000+ entries. That's 9x and 3x more (respectively) than Ludum Dare which is held regularly. So yeah, probably reputation does have impact on participants number. 

Ruvoroid

Good work with trash bin and garbage demon. The latter reminds me to similar monster I've made for my game.

You know, if the above screenshot is your dungeon layout, I don't feel any claustrophobic vibe at all. The space is wide, ceiling and left and right walls are not visible and multiple torches give impression of large room.

Anyways, as for your questions:

Atmosphere vs. Gameplay:

I hate tight spaces cause it limits my movement. I prefer wide rooms which allow me to choose how I'd handle combat there.

Encounter Flow:

Well, making sure every room is filled with enemies is something I'd do in level design. OTOH dead space has nothing to do with enemies placement. It's more about map design instead.

Visual Narrative:

Personally, I don't care much about this cause most of the time, I'm busy fighting enemies and don't have time to observe walls, objects, furnitures or anything else for narrative. 

Is a truly adaptive, learning AI actually useful in game design, or is it a waste of resources?

It depends on the goal design of the game. If it's power fantasy, I believe dumb and slightly smart NPCs would be better to convey that.

If it's challenge, smarter NPCs could answer that.

The "Goldfish" vs. Narrative Balance:

I think the answer depends on how AI is learning or adapting if you will. If it's adapting while adhering to defined personality, it should be okay.

Spinner Speer

Here's my game:

https://darkbloodbane.itch.io/speer

Here's my game:

https://darkbloodbane.itch.io/speer

For me the acceptable amount of AI is when AI is used as assistant either in searching examples of working codes, checking for errors in the code or searching image or model reference. 

Whatever the AI assistant gives, the developer is the one doing coding etc.

I feel kinda dizzy but my game is progressing well. Basic movements are there, levels stuffs are there and enemies and reward are in also. I think it's 50% done. Title is not decided yet.

Just a choice which defines where to go next. 

I have found another linklike ,

AstroVender : It's a mix of linklike and survival. You need to find currency to upgrade your stats but you also need to explore the world in linklike style.

but his life changed when he met a stranger with whom he went on an expedition to the Mountain of the Moons

Why did this boy make such drastic life changing decision? getting hint or direction from a stranger sounds fishy. You need to make better reason for this adventure. Especially if the focus is storytelling and narration.

you cannot buy anything, so you have to also be careful with your resources thorugh your journey

So how exactly could player survive with depleting resources? IOW where and how player could find resources?

explore the areas for anything valueable or rewarding.

Player needs to survive yet they could spend resources to explore areas for valuables? 

Last but not least, you need to design the very basic mechanic of your game. Once you got that, the rest will be expanded from there.

Ruvoroid

Hello.

Can we hear some of your music work?

Can we hear some of your music work?

What if you unlocked special hidden spells and skills by doing certain things? Like taming 1000 wolves unlocks a special spell to transform into a wolf or summon a greater version??

The former is usually done in metroidvanias specially by exploring to find hidden stuffs. Mostly upgrades but some metroidvanias and RPGs hide hidden spells and skills also.

Though taming 1000 wolves would tire players and lose the addiction.

Ruvoroid

RPG is a complex game. It has multiple elements which could make it addicting.

The first and easiest one is numbers go up from levelling up. Defeating enemies yields XP which allows levelling up. With level up, player gets stronger and could defeat stronger enemies which yields more XP. Repeat the cycle.

The second one is story. More often than not, RPGs have story which starts simple but has many mysteries. As player progresses, mysteries unfold one by one. The reward from unfolding story is addictive or at least compels player to play longer. However, unfolding mysteries could also reveal more mysteries which extends the playing time.

The third one is skill and or spell unlock. As player gets higher level, more skills and or spells are unlocked compelling player to play longer to unlock more.

There could be more but those 3 are the ones I have in mind ATM.

Great! Try Coin Champion !

Would you like to play my games?

Ruvoroid

Ruvoroid

My big gripe with AI art users is that they don't bother checking if the art is good or not. That is another proof of lazyness.

It depends on the game. If the game is mid, I'd play it once then done. If the game is bad, I'd play and probably stop before it's done. If the game is good, I might replay it.

I wish the game would start in easy state (less fishes but very late shark) to allow me to learn basic stuffs.

Other than that, I like having upgrades to make it more enjoyable.

I was puzzled on what I can do and what to do at first. I could build hut and bon fire but that's about them.

I'm lacking materials and I couldn't find any clue on how to find those stuffs.

Ruvoroid

It's common thing for exploration and mystery games to have long play time. The time it requires for player to explore and unravel mystery is usually longer than action games. IOW those games are slowly paced.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about horror. Horror couldn't last long cause player would adapt to the atmosphere after some time.

Oh about your main question : my games are usually action games therefore they last for 1 hour at max. If it requires longer than that, I'd implement save system.