Designing My Cozy Fantasy Game | Crimson Hollow Devlog #0

In this video, I will be sharing my progress and plans for my fantasy game, Crimson Hollow. Please share any questions or suggestions below.
Crimson Hollow
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Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/24...
Discord: / discord
Instagram: / crimsonhollowgame
Website: www.crimsonhollowgame.com/
Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=63972238
Email: [e-mail]
My Art
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Linktree: linktr.ee/courtneyquinones
Instagram: / courtneyquinones
Website: www.courtneyq.com/
KZbin: / @courtneyquinones
Music
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/ @gwriterstudio
Musician's Patreon: / gwriterstudio
Chapters
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00:00 Hello World
00:36 Intro
01:34 About
02:14 Progress
07:00 Future
#devlog #gamedev #unity #cozygames #rpg

[@kudooo270]

Please don’t feel pressured to produce consistent Devlogs in tandem with game development. You’ve got something wonderful here,

[@dungeonsofkards]

totally agree, a indie game that will blow people minds.

[@geoatherton5214]

I agree as well! I’m blown away by the myriad art, design and coding skills on display here, and the superb story telling presentation of this dev log. You are doing amazing work, enjoy it and preserve your health to make it sustainable! Subbed. Rock on and looking forward to seeing it come to life.

[@jc-aguilar]

100000% agree

[@RottenSkull]

@@dungeonsofkards ?! its just a simple crafting game…

[@RandomNoob1124]

@@RottenSkull😂😂😂

[@philldev]

As a programmer, I am always so jealous of artists. This is looking so cute!! Can't wait to see where it goes :)

[@WW_Studios]

As a filmmaker, I think that programming is black magic LOL

[@Bassalicious]

As a former audio engineer I struggle with both programming and visual art, but it's always fun to try out and learn new things. Making games is hard but really fun and I am super grateful for all the people sharing their game-deving wisdom for less experienced devs like myself to learn more effectively. :) Since I started dipping my toes into game development I started to realise how underappreciated the amount and complexity of the different skills required really is.

[@ebmpingu]

you barb 🤧

[@f2p37]

I agree art is impossible

[@sodaflavored8507]

Yes, but I think being a programmer is the most important thing in games. You can always buy assets. Plus, not everyone can be a good programmer. It takes complex thinking skills and knowing how to build off of things. Artists can use tutorials, but tutorials isn’t the best way to learn. It could send one through a tutorial rabbit hole and doesn’t teach you any actual skills. If you don’t know how the code works, when it breaks or needs tinkering, it can be truly difficult.

[@baconberries8097]

Damn this might be the most legit indie devlog I've ever seen. All this progress in 2 months?! You must have fantastic work ethic that I could only dream of.

[@RomyIlano]

it's so good!

[@TheRealMartinLausa]

Just a little suggestion: Maybe slow down the snow particles falling from the sky, when they're falling too fast it seems as if it's rushed or fast paced. Slowing it down a bit might help achieve that calm cozy feeling you're aiming for, allowing the viewer to slow down and admire the ambience every now and then. The same could go for the smoke coming out of the chimney. I really love your work so far, keep it up!

[@ZenitsuKunn]

i agree!

[@SinclaireArtist]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@danielvrsek8370]

Same for the smoke from chimney

[@CartoonCoffee]

Your game is absolutely stunning! Hades, Studio Ghibli, and Animal Crossing was a brilliant combination of inspirations.

[@realdevfrog]

Art and UI looks incredible! Keep up the great work :)

[@crimsonhollowgame]

Thank you Frog! Your Devlog #0 was such a huge inspiration to me.

[@vece_calls]

I am loving this interaction lmao

[@juh8270]

For some reason I can't stop thinking in Hades with this art style

[@hyrkanegoat]

Hoping the UX will be as good

[@OkiSmokey]

The UI is honestly my favourite part! I’m currently taking a game design class and ui visuals have been soooo hard for me to wrap my head around but the ones here look absolutely stunninggg

[@SirKyleLewis]

The artisitic direction you have chosen is phenomenal. It is cozy and vivid yet brings so much moodiness and emotion with it. Whatever story you are writing along with it is sure to shine. It is refreshing seeing a relaxing game set in the winter/snow biome. I feel like I don't get to see it a lot and it is ALWAYS my favorite. I am extremely excited to follow your journey.

[@globox-dev]

Wow! The visuals are stunning. I look forward to seeing your progress in the future. 🙂

[@saschakuhness6731]

Honestly insane what you have achieved on your own thus far and I'm very excited to see where this goes. Absolutely loving the art style and mood of it all!

[@sesalie80]

So you’re designing and programming and building the entire game by yourself? Congratulations! That takes a lot of dedication and talent. Looking forward to seeing more progress.😊🎉

[@Nounsi_Dev]

As an indie dev myself, i really struggling with the visual aspect but this video really motivates me. Goodluck on your journey

[@FreakyGamma]

As a self proclaimed struggler of UI creation, damn this looks so good!

[@CollCaz-2]

i am feeling a bit jealous of your skills... please don't give up on this and good luck!

[@Caerph1lly]

You started this in February?!?! This is amazing! I can't wait to see more!

[@abhishek.rathore]

I love the art style. Being so skilled at art and code is such a great combination. Can't wait to see more of Crimson Hollow.

[@PAGMAOnline]

I really like how it is stylized as well as the minimalist UI design. As a coder who has been using blender for the past 3 years it is cool to see more people use art and coding.

[@ffdhehrehf]

This looks absolutely fantastic, big fan of the art style you've conjured. I am really excited to see you progress on this and learn about the story!

[@davedev27]

this is beautiful and inspiring. thanks for uploading this!

[@chameleonedm]

You are a very talented artist indeed! One thing I may mention as a word of caution is that I don't really see a good "hook" for the game from a gameplay perspective, you may have one and haven't mentioned it as yet but I think it's an integral part of any commercial project Great work so far, I look forward to seeing the outcome

[@varden8518]

I wanted to say the same. I'm myself creating a game and will start a devlog in the future, but I'm a programmer and not a artist so the gameplay part is what bother me in your game. It's beautiful and it's normal to start with what you already master (the art side of the game) but the feature you want to implement are not gameplay. What the player will have to do ? Is it a stardew valley game ? you talk about apothecary, is that what the player will be doing ? collecting items to make potion ? Wath will be the fighting mechanic ? etc... I'm sure you already have ideas in that matter, but it's not less important than the graphics, and without purpose, as beautifull your game will be, it will not be interesting. sorry if I don't express myself correctly or sound too grumpy (if it's a word...) english is not my first langage. Keep up the work and I will follow your devlogs ^^.

[@TOXWORKS]

yeah, there's a difference between a game and a digital diorama, this project seems to fit the latter

[@Siocain]

This looks so cool! The theme and art style are right up my alley and I am excited to see what's to come :D

[@Exeggutive]

The art style is amazing! Can’t wait to see more.

[@Vegarcade]

This is SO cool!! Did you learn to code or are you learning as you go along? I feel like that's what is holding me back the most.

[@crimsonhollowgame]

Thank you! Learning as I go. There’s quite the learning curve but I’m having a good time ☺️

[@arnvonsalzburg5033]

​@@crimsonhollowgame awesome! Any books you would recommend? 🙂

[@konnokyo]

@@arnvonsalzburg5033 There are so many. But generally speaking, I would stick to tutorials to the specific things you want to do on youtube/skillshare. Having someone explain it is way easier than reading up on it.

[@LarixMontis]

This looks SO good! I love it when people are passionate about what they do.

[@CoreyFarr]

This is absolutely gorgeous! Love the concept and the art is incredibly unique and iconic. Please keep the devlogs coming!!

[@sparklepiss9141]

I love the all orthographic perspective games coming out, this looks so beautiful

[@mushykins]

I love the unique visual style! It already feels so alive. I can’t wait to see more 🥹💖

[@AleksandarDaGr8]

Oh wow your artwork is so incredible! This has some amazing potential and Im really excited for you! I hope you get it done and its all you ever dreamed of

[@nanovortex4736]

The art is so stunning! I love the look of it! I can't wait to play it!

[@dred_dreamr]

This game sounds incredible! I always loved this style of gameplay, and your unique art style is to die for.

[@charlvanniekerk8009]

I find it incredible that even from such an early start into the game you have such a detailed idea of what you want and *all* of the skills you need to achieve it. Your art style is incredible and combined with your talent for programming, animation and a myriad of other things this is sure to be an astonishingly well made game. I cant wait to see how it progresses. Instant follow!

[@learningcurve7308]

This is incredibly gorgeous and i'm genuinely in awe, I wish you all the luck and patience for Crimson Hollow !!

[@-nj]

Holy crap your art is amazing. I cant wait to see this project grow!

[@David-Bernal]

What an incredible art!!! Keep going, it looks awesome. Good luck

[@HoisinDuckWrap]

This is actually stunning! Idk how to describe how this makes me feel. Its so good!!!

[@krithit8616]

your art has such a cozy feel, i hope you keep it up coz this looks amazing already

[@poisonvicky]

Omggg! 😭 I haven't drawn in months-- but somehow, just by watching your DevLog, gave me such a boost to pick it back up! (THANK YOU FOR THIS!❤) I also can't wait to see how your game progresses! It already looks quite wonderful! Loving the art style so much! 🤩

[@CheetahAnimations]

the artstyle is lovely, can't wait to see more 😍

[@jasemkhl217]

Your art is absolutely amazing, wow

[@byleth0726]

You clearly put lots of passion and love in this project. It looks great!

[@alidaster]

That was a magical experience... How this world looks..

[@altermunmis]

The game's art is amazing! Keep it going!

[@Smabverse]

YO, this game looks absolutely stunning and it's crazy how you pulled all this off in like two months 💪❤️

[@mikailkopuz8488]

i love watching these videos where we see the progress from beginning to end. Please take your time as much as needed and dont hurry to produce videos for us. i think i speak for many guys here: we are willing to wait for this wonderful project

[@senaustun4380]

wow already cant wait to see this through with you :D as an artist and programmer myself you are someone ı really look up to. Cant wait to see more of ur devlog and ım checking the site out as soon as ı have free time :3

[@shawon265]

The artwork is gorgeous!

[@varunvarma6028]

Wow, I'm blown away by your game design skills and your artistic talent! It's amazing to see what you were able to create in just two months. The attention to detail in your artwork is really impressive. It's clear that you have a passion for what you do and put a lot of hard work into making this game a reality. I can't wait to see what you come up with next. Keep up the great work!"

[@jolicaveau3394]

Wow it's amazing so far ! Can't wait to see the evolution ! Good luck ✨

[@peakakupo]

As a student myself closing my semester in multimedia programming & design. I was debating if I should go for it on my own. I hadn’t seen any indie devs I could relate to, until today. I’m glad I was recommended this video and your work. Looking forward to your future dev logs and progression on your game. And my journey to start as well.

[@neilmarkcorre5524]

Wow, first of all, Fantastic progress so far! The art style is on point - it's consistent, the elements don't fight each other, and just pleasant to look at. Would love to see more of the mechanics to see how it would stand out compared to the other games of this genre and/or theme, but the art style itself - I think - is enough to be unique. Again, job well done! 😁 Definitely going to follow the progress of this project - good luck!

[@QuietestKris]

This is incredible. I'm so glad I found this! Congratulations on making your dream real:)

[@wukerplank]

Such a beautiful style! You're on to something truly special. Can't wait to see more!

[@TESkyrimizer]

Man the art direction and cohesion is insane. The other guy said it best: as a programmer and middling artist I am in awe 😮 actually even your website looks better than mine 😅 knowing how to use React and CSS doesn't help with being terrible at UI/UX in my case

[@epicbluemouse]

I was sitting here thinking "The art style reminds me of Hades.." and then almost immediately afterwards you mentioned Hades as your art inspiration! :D I always struggle with UI design and wanted to say that yours just looks so lovely. Wonderful job and I can't wait to see more!

[@RavensKiss]

This looks incredible! Beautiful artstyle and the atmosphere feels cozy. Looking forward to seeing more.

[@emilyh4998]

This is so cool! I’m obsessed with your art style. This game looks right up my alley. Can’t wait to learn more! ❤

[@Smulenify]

My first thought was "the art reminds me of Hades"-- absolutely stunning!

[@thewalkerwalks]

I love cozy things. ESPECIALLY when it's fantasy. I can't wait for the Spooky and mysterious Story of this game😮

[@saadat7703]

Everything so far sounds incredible and the designs are enchanting! Can't wait to see as it takes shape

[@littleEvsoko]

It's so incredible that you did this all by yourself! Thanks for sharing the process!

[@MStemmm]

It's so refreshing to open a devlog and hear a feminine voice for once 😭 This looks fantastic and I'm so excited to follow along!

[@Tensleif]

I'm really interested in your background, like how did you gain all this knowledge to start creating a game on your own? I'm insanely impressed by indie devs.

[@thertc204]

This is extremely impressive stuff! Great work and best of luck as you progress!

[@chazk.official873]

Looks stunning! Excited to see where this will go, please do take your time and enjoy every process of this. As a programmer myself i always love watching passionate devlogs such as this one.

[@leahwilson9152]

You started designing this in February??? Damn that’s soo much visual development so fast

[@Simon-ik1kb]

Your art looks fantastic. However, I'm not sure if this is the best way to start developing your game. It's a lengthy process, and many changes are likely to occur. You may need to scrap or rework a significant portion of the art you've created so far. It might be more beneficial to focus on developing the game mechanics, create a working prototype, and then work on the assets. The video is well-done, but it primarily showcases working in Photoshop and discussing game features. I hope you won't lose motivation and will concentrate more on the actual game and gameplay, rather than just importing assets into your Unity project. I wish you the best of luck and patience with this project, and I look forward to more videos. Subscribed.

[@F1NEk]

Im with you on this one. Art looks great, but other than that it feels like there is no understanding on what this game is suposed to be from gameplay perspective. When you start making inventory system straight from the photoshop, it feels like you don't actually know why you need an inventory system in the first place.

[@clairealex2945]

I don’t think it’s necessary to do all the programming first and only creating the art later. Many game studios have a more agile and flexible environment where teams go back and forth between concept art, creating assets and game mechanics. There’s no “one way” of doing things. I think the key to not losing motivation is doing the things you’re excited for, and for her that’s obviously creating art.

[@user-tj9gj2wx5d]

Agree on everything and glad someone wrote this because I was thinking about the same almost the entire vlog. It was proven many times that a game doesn't necessarily need to look great to become a phenomenal. But with so many systems planned it definitely must be well designed in terms of game mechanics.

[@ninetailskwami]

i can't agree. this is an indie game, not a corporate project. corporate might want to do things in their little textbook ways but that's how we get repeatedly boring and uninspired games from that development process. the idea that a game has to only end up with one type of result or be made one type of way is not only ridiculous but anti-art and story. when i think back on all the games i've played and loved, a point-and-click stancs out to me. see i've played a lot of games with "fun mechanics" but good mechanics only offer temporary fun- then i played a point-and-click with stunning pixel art and a short, heart-warming story. that's the game i remember still. of course there are video games with both great mechanics and story. but at the end of the day a game can be simple and still be an enjoyable way of consuming a story. what ACTUALLY makes good games, and why the best ones are indie, is that the dev is actually passionate and creating something to express something true and creative from their heart. when you start as an artist, the programming is GOING to take a backseat- that is completely fine if the final result is a story the dev wanted to tell in a format that makes the story enjoyable to interact with. also, it seems no one really listened to the video as she clearly explained planned gameplay that seems just as interesting to me as something like stardew valley, its just the beginning of development., yeah, making detailed assets might seem like a waste of time at first becayse of all the redoing you constantly do in game development, but if you think your time will be well-spent trying to get an artist to do less art you will be stuck here forever

[@user-tj9gj2wx5d]

​@@ninetailskwami you probably think we're trying to attack the project or the creator, but we aren't. I'll try to explain. Imagine that a person wants to build a car of their dream. As someone who drove a car they know how they want it to look, sound, feel, how fast it should accelerate, etc. They know nothing about how the cars work, how they are built, how safety systems work, etc. But they're an artist and know 3D modeling, and are very passionate. So they start to draw concept arts, make 3D models of the car, and read about car manufacturing in the meanwhile. Do you think they will succeed? Yeah, they might make a car, maybe even a decent one. One that might catch interest of some people because of its unique design, feel or something else. But you know it won't be anywhere near of something an expert in the car manufacturing area could make. If you think similarly to how I think then you know that's because of experience. (Yeah, I'm simplifying the process of making a car a lot here, but I hope you get what I'm trying to say.) I don't know why you've decided that best practices when developing a game is "a corporate project". The thing is, when you're playing a game you only see and interact with a pretty looking shell. 2D sprites, 3D models, text, user interface elements, etc. An interface between you and a web of systems of many purposes, the game. Games are different, but usually most of the things happen under the hood. Even such a simple game like Tetris has to have clever randomization logic so that the player gets the ➖ shape at least once after some amount of shapes so it feels fair, carefully chosen value for how fast the speed of a shape falling increases over the time so that the game doesn't feel too easy but also not too hard, etc. If this game wants to be Stardew Valley, but with it's own world and story, then it's extremely important to do the invisible part right. Stardew Valley may look simple, but it's not an easy game to make. Save system (you have to keep track of everything happening in the game world), progression system (current quests, tasks, goals, etc), dialogue system (different dialog options based on story progression/seasons/relationship status/what's present in the player's inventory, etc), day/night cycle, crafting, farming, cooking, and many, many more. It's easy to not think about all of those when you're just a player, because that's what games are about. If you're a game developer, the reality is that at some point you have to sit down and think about how you're going to make something work. Boring, but very important. There is 1 more thing. The thing is called legacy code. Programs are often evolving creatures. They change, adapt, improve. Some parts get removed, some forgotten, some change into monstrosities which nobody wants to touch. The more time and effort a developer puts into designing these parts of a program (game systems), the easier it is to maintain them. Their experience is also a significant factor. It's ok to not waste a lot of your time designing game systems if you know for sure that you will not be updating or changing your game. On the other hand, if you think your game will be evolving and some things are not final (which is almost always the case), it's best if you prepare a plan before you start writing code. If you won't, over time you will realize that every subsequent game update takes more and more time to prepare and publish, it gets harder for you to change something without breaking something else, and the worst - it's not fun anymore to work on your game.

[@magwaran]

It is amazing how much you've done in such a short time. I love your art style and hope to see more of your progress in the future

[@pedroparreira1695]

This is beautiful. Beautifully hand painted art. Well done!

[@e_buffturtle2037]

Your art is beautiful but that also makes it so dangerous. I’m very artistically inclined and I chose pixel art as my medium, one problem with my game is that I keep making assets sprites rather than actual gameplay mechanics. I find this issue really slows down development time because instead of focusing on the task at hand, I rather draw a different table or crate. I’m also left with another problem where I would have so many different asset sprites that I feel obligated to use /implement them in the game because of how much time I spent creating the art. Some of these assets wouldn’t even work mechanically in my game so I would have to scrap them. Remember, it’s ok to kill your darlings. Good luck!

[@Entikai]

Like Mark Brown said, gameplay is not a pillar of a game, it's the foundation that other pillars stand on.

[@Tatulak]

The visuals are stunning, you are a skilled artiest! I will just beg you to be careful about the mechanics Since there is many harvest moon-likes currently, would be nice if you come with something that makes your game unique (besides the art)

[@noxabellus]

what

[@astroik_]

Wow! I absolutely love the concept and design so far! You’re doing incredibly with this game!! 😃✨

[@SheBeast-OG]

Love this! Can’t wait to see where it goes

[@user-eq3pu9jj7f]

I'm not trying to be negative but if you go art heavy first, you probably won't make it that far. you should focus on gameplay mechanics if you really want a good game. do greybox development first then try to add art otherwise you end up with interactable art not a game.

[@government_authority]

It's really a collection of assets thrown into a game engine. Looks pretty, might come to be considered "finished". If "finished", it would be the boring farming and crafting with exceptionally few features, compared to other games. There's no reason for it to be a game. I wish her best, but there's so so much more needed alongside fancy art.

[@Grendaiser3]

it looks so so cool!! and for just a couple months time the progress is really amazing, looking forward to seeing more of your work!!

[@juliasutton8634]

This looks so cute and cozy! I love your art style

[@annadoub]

oh my gosh, so happy this video popped up for me to watch, this looks so beautiful

[@AIAdev]

Loving how this is coming along! Cant wait to see more

[@Oscar08814]

I've been playing games almost all my life and seeing this creative process now adds another dimension to love them even more, now not only is the game something incredible but also the journey that is creating it with all those small details, enjoy this process, it's looking great! (Also your narration is sooo relaxing)

[@danielamr6226]

You put sooo much work in this projekt and it already looks wonderful. Can't wait to play it.

[@phoebemedina5506]

so interesting! looking forward to see more of crimson hollow progress in the future :) (and I hope the journey of this devlog brings you a lot of joy!)

[@Brianjkd]

Really nice work. The art style is one of the nicest I've seen in a while.

[@kaiju1031]

this definitely seems like something for me, excited to see more!

[@jeffs_r_us7166]

This is like magic to me. I wish you all the best!

[@Boshieba3D]

This art style is beautiful!!! Can't wait to follow along with your development!

[@Katrein]

This is so cool! Take your time and enjoy the process 🥰🍄

[@anaibrahim4361]

We have a lot to learn from you, so keep up the excellent work. It's incredibly encouraging that you're using your skills in the arts to inspire game developers.

[@jianggenesis]

This looks great! Looking forward to seeing the progress.

[@chickybro_]

I am already so impressed and very excited for you and this game. The idea of a devlog is amazing. Can't wait for more!!!

[@radioisactive7590]

This looks amazing so far!

[@rospeedpaints]

Wow this artwork is amazing, well done nailing the theme and atmosphere! Looking forward to seeing the future of this project, keep us updated!!

[@juriwho697]

keep up the good work, really amazing cant wait to see the other devlogs. Just remember to don't rush cause good work takes it's time

[@yeadude1000]

this is looking beautiful! its intrigued me a lot even by just seeing this first devlog!

[@violettiplady3113]

This is so awesome. And your doin it alone!

[@swaibafaisal8916]

This is amazing! I’m so exited that something this cool is being brought into the world😊

[@novemberaddams2779]

Good luck on making the game! We'll all be looking forward to it once it releases in the future, the concept and art looks very good. ❤

[@SadTown99]

Thanks for sharing! Looks awesome so far, keep up the great work & always take short breaks when overwhelmed 😊

[@Noyasparx]

This looks amazing. I wish you the best of luck!

[@benhillman8384]

Looks really nice - the handcrafted art absolutely shines.

[@JxCUBx]

Wow, this looks incredible. LOVE the aesthetic! Can't wait to see more!

[@dungeonsofkards]

Every detailed you explain until now just blow my mind. Amazing work. Keep working.

[@heedbun]

This is beautiful!! You’re doing a phenomenal job. If you nail down the gameplay this will be a hit for sure