It’s hot. Let’s play some games.
And when I say “play some games”, I mean anything besides actually playing games. For now, let’s improve the mod for Brotato, with new experiences and resources.
Now, while there are many improvements to make the game even more “playable”. From supporting the new version of the game to implementing a menu to tweak A setting. There was something missing. Namely, my ability to do art.
I’m sure there is someone somewhere saying, “there is no such thing as bad art”. But there is such a thing as better art.
For example, a logo for the Steam Workshop to act as an icon for the mod, created by the code monkey writing this:
And a logo created as a commission from someone who actually has artistic talent and practice:
A bit of a difference, is it not?
And to “touch base” with “the zeitgeist in the room”, I’m also sure someone will point out that for a thing like this, we have many wonderful tools that, with the power of statistical analysis (or machine learning, if you will), can generate images based on a previous dataset, with a convenient text interface in the form of a prompt.
While that is true and those tools are great for prototyping or components in a pipeline of creation, I have not found one with the style of the game. Also, there wasn’t a “clear image” in my mind of what the result should look like. More, like, “how it should feel”. So, what do you do when you have a problem? You find a specialist!
So, what I’m trying to say with all of that is: pay your artists.