Overhauling the Graphics for my Indie Game

🐝 Wishlist Dewdrop Dynasty on Steam!
► bit.ly/WishlistDewdrop
I've been working on my game for almost 3 years now, and I think it's time for a graphics update. From tiles and props to dinosaur bones and new locations. It's time to make this game look less like Minecraft and more like a Metroidvania.
Social Media ------------------------------------------------------------
❤️ Check out my Website! goodgis.fun/ ❤️
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✦ Discord - / discord
✦ Twitter - / gooodgis
✦ Games - firith.itch.io/
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:32 Visual Overhaul
1:18 The Challenge
1:51 Tile & Background Art
2:54 Adding Lore and Props
3:24 New Boss Fight
4:02 Goodbye Old Mechanic
4:28 Improving Particles
4:45 Menu/UI Update
5:12 What's Next?
5:50 My Secret Project
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I've been on a quest for over the last 2 years to release my first major commercial game. It's a lighthearted 2d action/adventure Metroidvania called Dewdrop Dynasty. Think Hollow Knight but with Ocarina of Time Mechanics and a lovable world and characters from Paper Mario. If you've ever thought to yourself "How to make a video game" or "How to release my first indie game" then follow along on my quest as I try to complete mine.
#Gamedev #Programming #Godot #devlog

[@Goodgis]

Check out my new Website: goodgis.fun/ ❤

[@shroomzscythe8684]

Suggestion about the difficulty: make the higher difficulty have more petals

[@Clinkety]

@Goodgist At the moment, the pixel art graphics do not behave like they should. For example, at 0:33 and 3:19, the edges of the sprites are rotated which should not be possible due to the limited resolution in the past. The camera should also move in steps of whole pixels instead of units, and so should the characters. The stretch effect at 2:46 wouldn't be possible on older systems, either. Everything should just move per pixel. Improving this aspect would really improve the look of the game.

[@tbhandrew5857]

@@Clinkety You're asking he removes visual polish for the sake of making it look older?

[@mrbobb1610]

@@Clinketystupid idea

[@Clinkety]

@@tbhandrew5857 The game has a lack of visual polish, not the other way around. At the moment, it just looks like a game with pixel art assets, not like a pixel art game. The pixel art would look so much better if it was handled with more care like a real 8-bit or 16-bit game. For example, a modern game like Celeste also makes Madeline snap per pixel, and that makes the pixel art look way better.

[@ruzgaryazici8165]

I think locking the camera in place is correct choice when there is a boss fight. It makes it so much more easier to understand, react and enjoy a boss-battle in my opinion

[@deathpie24]

Imagine mega man with a free camera Unless you have a large arena, fixed cameras make sense Could also pull a kirby with a camera that follows you but is static when you get hit or locked in a fight

[@toastedjam1470]

Wizard of legend has free cam in the bossfights and it makes it feel really frantic and it’s sort of weird to get used to especially when I come back to the game after a long break

[@SonicCraft]

when in doubt make it a settings->gameplay option

[@dengamleidiot]

I HIGHLY AGREE!! A boss needs to be watchable at all times. It needs to feel different, special, from the rest of the game

[@-RandomYoutuber--]

yeah if it wasn't locked in place the fight could be very confusing

[@Al3x_is_here]

I love the overhaul so much! It looks awesome. It’s really inspiring to see dewdrop improve so much, and it gives me so much inspiration for my own projects. I am sad to see the ammolings go, though. I really liked that idea :( Rip ammolings 2023-2023

[@Lemonman11]

yes, i was really looking forward for the ammoling idea

[@Samiho]

yeah, ammolings looked really cool

[@zelos666]

I have to agree, the Ammolings are such a great idea and give so much personality to the bosses. It's like each one having their own unique pet, kind of like the weapons in Mega Man, Devil fruits in One Piece or like a partner Digimon. I think they shouldn't be removed, they just need another design pass and play a way more pivotal role. No disrespect to the rest of the game, but I honestly think a world build around these Ammolings sounds like it would be extremely interesting and unique.

[@Lemonman11]

@@zelos666 yes, i mean that would make the game really unique

[@pixelamerica6601]

I'm a simple man, I get a notification for more dewdrop dynasty, and I click

[@rock4459]

Me ++

[@JuhoSprite]

Goodgis dropped? Say no more

[@user-bb3lz5xo2k]

Agree

[@ahiruppoi]

the overhaul to the starting area is just so good

[@VengefulSpectre]

You’re my favorite dev to watch Goodgis! You definitely have the personality for a KZbin creator! The game is looking good and I know it’ll continue to improve. I hope your family is doing well and hope your enjoying every moment of being a dad.

[@Joao_BC]

Dude, i played the demo, and i got a lot of things to say. -1: one of the giggest issues i had was that you couldn't dodge right after you shoot, so game doesn't feel responsive and you end up felling like you took damage for no reason. -2 the bird enemy is really anoing to hit, since you can't shoot in every direction(wich i like) you can hardly hit the berd, so when keeps getting closer, you can't really hit him -3 the snake rat enemy has too much presicion(at least in my opinion) só when you get hit by the venom, you get slighly knocked back, and get hit right after because moved towards you and you couldn't escape. -4 the Last one is that i think your ammo should recharge imedeatly, Just like celeste. The parkour ends up being slowed down a lot, and its really annoing when you hit the groud, the enemy is charging at you, and you have to wait for your ammo to reload whithout being abble to do anything Don't get me wrong, i really liked the game, but these things really hindered my enjoyment. I hope you are doing well, and i hope the game ends up being great

[@SomeHumbleOnion]

Holy hell man these visual changes are STUNNING! It's like night and day, keep it up!

[@Goodgis]

Aww, thanks dude! I'm trying my best. :D

[@AnEmortalKid]

Holy hell just the parallax change made it like night and day.

[@jackssparrow1232]

I started watching devlogs for creative inspiration, but your videos aren't as general as the others. Don't worry! This is a good thing. This feels more real, not with all the other logs saying 'I nearly finished my game, but I don't like it so I am reworking all the bosses'. No. Your video is really... real. I love your commentation and the way you express the information. Carry on!!!!!!

[@austincrook5304]

The new backgrounds add so much character to the area, it’s insane. Especially the pumpjack thing

[@patlajanec]

Looks much better now. Can you also add some sort of landmarks to the map? Like the windmill or the giant bones. It's much easier to picture where everything is in your head when looking at a map that has these sort of locations mapped out instead of having just the outlines of every room. (Like how Hollow Knight has stuff like Cast-off Shell, Mantis Village or the bridge before Palace Grounds represented visually in some way on the map itself.)

[@JuhoSprite]

God damn, these new pixelart sprites and tiles u showed look crazy good. So glad yall did a whole rework on everything, it looks so much better now!

[@strawberrys0da714]

Seriously, every time you release a devlog of this game it looks better and better. The changes you made to the background are GORGEOUS!

[@squanistthepixelartguy]

I can't wait for this game to come out. Each video it looks 10x better than the previous.

[@otherlego]

the game looks so good! really can't wait for it to come out. keep up the great job

[@JonnyBriers]

the art style is so good and the improvements you made make a huge difference, nice work

[@sasquatchbgames]

Yes!!!! Been waiting for this. Changes look great my man

[@guythatisgoofy]

It looks so beautiful, keep up the good work!

[@nemene8585]

Game looks sooooo much more finished with these additions, good job!

[@goodpuppii]

I love the new visuals! Dewdrop Dynasty is looking great! And your devlog has been a real inspiration. Keep it up.

[@Mr.GrassHopper1]

Your just an amazing person, I’ve been waiting for the game since like I guess a bit more then the start and I won’t stop waiting till the end of time

[@therezi8101]

I played the demo when it came out and i really loved it, i think this game has so much potential! and i love the polish you put in this episode :)

[@hamzahgamedev]

This looks Awesome .!! The amount of creativity you showed in making the difficulty selection seen is insane 😍😍 Learned so much from this for my own open world game. Thanks for the amazing content 🙌

[@autumnshade84]

I really enjoyed this devlog. I found it very inspiring to see your growth and the games growth. It made me really want to sink my teeth into my own projects. All the best with the continued development! Excited for the outcome when it’s ready!

[@tripik426]

This looks so amazing dude! I'm absolutely pumped for this

[@vidvad]

Amazing work on the backgrounds. It makes the game much more alive, I agree!

[@premedlynx]

Nice video! Can't wait to see how the game comes together as a whole.

[@Balnor]

Nice devlog. I'll go wishlist it. The overhaul looks really good.

[@Pika782]

Ive missed your videos so much i rewatched your old ones!

[@TheLetterIsH]

The new look is really cool. I love the lore related stuff in the background, especially when they're animated. Brings life to the game xD

[@CitrusArchitect]

These updates look so great!!! I like that you didn't sacrifice your simple pixels but instead turned to other tweaks that make the game more distinct. I didn't even know there was parallax, bringing up the brightness on the backgrounds was such a good choice, it looks so much cooler now!

[@fadiismael5630]

Looks really good! The game looks a lot better now. Keep up the good work.

[@ducktoes5515]

I love this idea of this game. I hope you make more games in the future like this because if that happens, I’ll buy them so many times no matter how much they are because these ideas are really great. Wish I had ideas like that. But I love this video sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!

[@timesnewrman]

Good job! Will look forward for playing this game :D

[@maxrdev703]

I love the graphics improvements, dewdrop continues to look amazing! I really liked the sound of ammolings but i do understand if they don’t make it in. It won’t change anything massive but they seem super cool!

[@VrVeggie124]

I can’t wait for the full game!

[@Bag_of_toasters]

I have to say you are one of my favorite game dev youtubers. And you are also the reason why i started learning programming.

[@astropolski]

I really like the zoomed out fixed camera thing for boss fights. It gives the player all the information they'd need at all times. Which imo improves UX. Alternatively you could use a lack of visual information as a intentional mechanic or boss attack that covers parts of the screen or covers stuff in smoke. Whichever.

[@Selrisitai]

Agreed. I think if he wants to do one or the other, he needs to design the boss fights to work within those parameters _specifically._

[@HiyabEmha]

just saw this in my recommended but now I want the game so badly. Keep up the great work!

[@snakoi]

I think for metroidvanias the most important thing is by somehow rewarding the player no matter where he goes. Doesnt matter if its a boss, item, new enemy, new area, or just some money or lore. Never make a Player feel like he wasted his time by going somewhere. Also maybe add some fun object in each area that make the movement area unique like one has some ropes, the other falling platforms, the other bouncepads etc. Really amazing progress on the game though👍

[@eduardolechner3442]

It looks amazing! Congratulations on the results. Redoing some of the work seems tiring, but it's worth the effort.

[@mikekafei]

Your advice of blocking out a map seemed so simple but it's exactly what I needed to hear to reinvigorate my motivation for my metroidvania project and get the groundwork for creating levels. Thanks

[@tetsukraus7880]

Always enjoy your dev logs, great video! I really liked the boss design, a prospector kind of western beetle, maybe having his miner crew throughout the zone can build on the mechanics of dealing with explosives. Maybe the dynamite could break softer parts of the walls or floors, which could be a theme of the area with destructible paths or cave ins. I’m just spitballing but having an environmental mechanic like that being slowly introduced in the area could bring extra tension towards the showdown with that armored little beetleboy.

[@tuberkidd7149]

Exicted For Your Game Brother ! Keep Up The Good Work.

[@rookrac7068]

Those simple changes really helped the game look more unique I love the art style and I can’t wait till it comes out 👌

[@lucasBarjas]

I loved the "what's next" part. The new scenarios are turning out great. The colors really help to assert in which area you're in. I specially enjoyed the purple one, with the contrasting green background. The combination of green and purple reminds me of green goblin and the hulk, it's a great palette.

[@personismaybe0610]

It’s so nice seeing you upload again.

[@everythingguy8422]

This game just gets better and better and I love it. Great Job Man

[@Goodgis]

Thanks so much!

[@mkrichey1]

Great work on the overhaul!

[@wellhellotherekyle]

Looking great. Keep up the good work, guy!

[@HeathTheCoder]

Those visuals are looking AWESOME!

[@valen5188]

paper mario + hollow knight sounds like the best type of game someone could make

[@eftysugar]

looks great! i do hope you keep the ammolings, I think it would make the game much better as players could use many different playstyles, and they could also be used for different puzzles Eg.having to burn wood with a fire ammoling, or wash away sludge with a water ammoling.

[@funky_pepe]

genuinely exited for this game, keep it up o7

[@obvbeans]

nice vid i always watch ur videos when they come up keep it up!

[@MDevlog]

Nice Video! The visual changes made the game look amazing, especially the background changes. I can see that there is a vertical parallax effect on the background layers and it looks really good. Can you give me a simple description of how it works?

[@nesraspongx58]

i finished half of the video, finished the demo, and returned, and man i just wanna say great job with the overhaul man it's amazing to see and refreshes my eyes in such a great way

[@Junk1234.]

Thank you Goodgis this series has inspired me to make my own Metroid-Vania.

[@thestickbug1848]

It's looking amazing! Keep up the good work, I can't wait to see the final product of this amazing game! well done

[@iam2ku4u]

Nice work on turning things around. I know what you mean by working on a project for a long time, but you're doing a great job. I'm working on a game as well, but having a full time job makes it a challenge. Either way, I look forward to your success and playing your game!

[@MaximumSpice]

Love it man, looks great!

[@clayjar7636]

As someone trying to get into game development it's really inspiring seeing how far you've come with your own game!

[@quot3e]

First Time seeing your game and tested out the demo and it was awesome. So looking forward playing the finished Game!!

[@cryptorcd9352]

I'm glad you are just overhauling backgrounds. They needed more polish, but to me characters are already perfect lol

[@mrbigh36]

oh boy, dewdrop is looking fine!!! great updates!

[@Goodgis]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@BlackPanzerYZ-pq9nd]

Goodgis your channel is awesome. It inspired me a lot to further get into gamedev. I am finally releasing my own game after 2 years of hardwork.

[@duecedude8467]

Hey man graphic look great. Can't wait for this game to come out

[@badradish2116]

your game looks amazing. huge fan. will wishlist.

[@BakaBrosEnt]

Your game is looking super cute man! Looking forward to playing it!

[@eer2050]

Looking great! Definitely getting this once it comes out

[@Goodgis]

Thanks so much!

[@FoxerGaming]

You should make Bonsai Beetle's sticks of dynamite flash white a few times before exploding to indicate to the player that the dynamite is about to explode.

[@Greenbean1yt]

This looks awesome keep up the great work

[@kadetory4430]

Looks way better now! Definitely agree with pushing ahead and mapping out the areas before doing any more polish. There's always a temptation to keep improving and polishing, but the game will never get finished doing that. Plus, the further into development you get and the more of the world and game you flesh out, the more you might decide earlier systems/locations need to be overhauled or redone entirely, so any polish spent on those parts becomes wasted time. Good luck!

[@modley_the_m_guy]

No. Frickin'. Way. This is so beautiful!!!! I knew the "graphics update" would be pretty good from what you posted on twitter, but HOLY GOD this is not what I expected! Can't wait for 2024, keep up the good work Firith Studio!

[@Glare108]

Fantastic pixel art!!

[@xoduk]

I've seen a couple dev logs for this game but just decided to wishlist and play the demo and the game really impressed me. I haven't done much but I got into game development about 3 years ago and have ever since found myself playing many more indie games and this one felt amazing. I hope to see more about this game in the future and the 2024 release date after all the time you've already put in makes me feel like the game will be complete (unlike modern AAA games) and find its place in my favorites as many other amazing indie games have already.

[@billlll3146]

Bro the idea of ammoling's actually sounds good, I really hope they get added within the final game.

[@thatguystar817]

I love this lmao about the difficulty settings, you should make it one single flower, when 2 pedals are taken off, the difficulty rises, and vice versa

[@Gnomable]

The new graphics look great!

[@ArenSpace]

100% lock the camera for boss fights, the last thing you want is a readability issue for fights that require a ton

[@TheOnlyBlob]

love that this game is getting made i'd love to see the bosses have cool boss rooms like bonsai booms boss room being filled with crates of TNT

[@stateflower3213]

A DEWDROP DEVLOG LETS GO

[@badradish2116]

the screen freeze works GREAT, the camera def needs to keep the boss in view at all times

[@atbguy]

Looks great keep up all the good work!

[@astropolski]

Looking better, good changes dude.

[@mattiaslaserskold137]

I really like the new tilemaps with large recognizable entities. Feels like the environment has a history

[@coreymatthews5210]

This is looking great! Nice progress! I personally love the ammolings thing as it reminds me of the Castle Crashers companions. I understand the balancing could be a head ache but that could really ramp up with a side quest of an ammoling rancher that asks you to find them on your adventure. finding them all could open a secret boss with a god tier ammoling as a reward. Like finding all the armor in Mega Man X then getting the Hadoken.

[@Thechocolateking644]

This stuff is so good keep up the great work

[@Icie145]

man you improved alot on this! I love it! ❤

[@Goodgis]

Oh thanks!

[@GameFavorites]

The visual improvements are awesome

[@st.altair4936]

This game looks so fun to play already!

[@daviderizzo08]

keep working man. this is a beautiful project. i raccomend you to use locked camera for boss, it makes easier seeing the whole screen (sorry for my bad english)

[@sinistarman]

keep at it goodgis, you got this! us game dev's gotta stay motivated for our projects!

[@snark567]

Looks good. A lot of people don't realize this but even just tweaking the colors a bit can massively change the feel of the game and improve the visuals.

[@OliverBeebe]

new graphical changes are looking awesome!

[@mr.willson5809]

tbh before this i wasn't excited for the game, but now I REALLY AM

[@user-oe3kz8ww7d]

Everything looks so awesome!!! I’m lost for words… literally. I have nothing else to say.

[@RighBread]

Looking awesome, man!!!

[@ScopeCrepe]

Thanks Righ! ✌

[@Zejoant]

Ngl i love the simple artstyle of this game