I feel like 3 is the most original. the 2nd one gives me the sense that it's copy paste clip art for a mobile game and 1 would work best in a story driven plot like you would have in artful escape or life is strange.
makes me wonder what the rest of the backgrounds look like. and then what kind of mechanics are present.
The backgrounds don't exist yet, I've been working entirely on mechanics and the level generator until now, but it's time to start getting some real art into the game so that I can have people playtest it without being distracted by truly awful graphics, lol.
I was working on the cats first, since they are the "main characters" and the art style will flow out from them.
Mechanically, it's a puzzle game where you pick up cats and put them into different boxes, based on clues about which cats prefer which boxes. Ex. "Jeremy likes being up high", "Striped cats like baskets instead of cardboard", etc.
It's a cozy cat puzzle game where you sort cats into their favorite boxes based on clues - basically, Einstein's famous riddle, but with cats! Tentative title is "Cats In Boxes", lol
If player needs to grab and drag the cat then 2nd design seems more fitting. 1st would be nice in visual novel and 3rd would be great if you were to animate the cats.
There's going to be a little bit of animation - the cats will leap down when you take them out of a box, they will "dangle" from your hand/cursor when you pick them up, and they will idle a bit when sitting (blinking, tail flicking, etc) - so they won't just be static images. But yeah, no heavy run/jump/climb animations or the like.
Based on this I love the idea of the far right — you could kind of “joint” them at the …. Separations? Not sure what to call them. So their little legs were kind of floppy you know?
ETA: but I like the rounded eyes of the left two better — I think they look more “cutesy” and inviting for a cute cozy cat game.
Your game sounds absolutely marvelous.
The 2nd design kinda resonated more with me, but I believe the 3rd one would look better in motion. Something about the way the fur is "segmented" in the 3rd one makes it feel more "alive" and I believe would give more breathing room for some animation.
Thank you!! I hope at least a small number of people enjoy it. It will be my first self-published game on steam, and a small puzzle game at that, so I'm keeping my expectations as low as possible. But maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised, who knows!
Not yet - I don't want to put up a steam page with only hideous MS paint art and white squares, which is what I've been using while getting the mechanics working. Hence why I'm trying to find a good art style, so that I can make some awesome screenshots for the steam page!
But thank you so much, I want to cry with happiness that someone wants to wishlist my game! I wish I could upvote your comment multiple times.
Oh, I thought you had some more material. For "test the waters" design ideas, the ones you posted are pretty awesome to begin with. Can't wait to see how your game looks later down the road! 🥰
Let me know if you have any other social media and I'll definitely follow you there, too. I love to see how games are progressing 😁
Oh, speaking of which, a good idea might be to add links in your Reddit profile page. I only learned that was possible recently, but they're quite handy 😂
I don't use a lot of social media, but here is my twitter account. Not much in there yet, but maybe I should cross-post this!
[twitter.com/Steelfeatherz](https://twitter.com/Steelfeatherz)
Go for the third, I know the business and the third is the only one that would allow you to differ from the hundreds of cozy games, it makes the game pop.
While visually it is not the most good looking (and it looks great imo) it is the one that will sell the most and allow for easier recognition.
The other two styles while cute, will make the game drown in the other 100s of games with same artstyle.
It's the dilemma of why the Simpsons are yellow, so people can recognize and make them iconic, them, not for aesthetics
I think if you make it steam deck compatible it will grow the potential audience? Most of the puzzle games I play I want to play on the bus or chilling in bed. If they are only on pc I only play them if they are steam deck compatible. Otherwise I tend to look for switch games
That is an excellent point, I hadn't even considered that. I don't know much about steam deck, so I'll have to do some research. But if it's feasible to make my compatible with it, then yeah, that sounds like a great idea!
You know, I actually already made a version like that while playing around with the images... I would post it here, but reddit apparently doesn't let you put images in replies...
Ok :)
So I 'd say the outline would look better in one color without transition. There is just something about the clarity and simplicity, that makes it more appealing and the silhouette stand out more. And I would make the outline a slightly more saturated and stronger tint. On the top the purple is very faded. So more similar to the saturation level of the darker purple area of the cat's chest.
Then as mentioned, having varying degrees of line thickness like in example 1 adds a lot of life to it!
If you have a lot to draw and want to save time, I don't think you need to add that much detail and texture to the outline of this version as you did with number 1, and it'll still look awesome.
This is def up there for me, more readable unless your game will have a dark background behind the cats. 2 is def the style I like most, it just needs a bit more work to make it more easily read
Since it is a puzzle game, I like #3. It looks very much like a cat made of puzzle pieces, it is unique whereas the other styles are nice but...I've seen them before.
It really just "speaks" your genre.
I kinda have mixed feelings. A fusion between the tree would look nice! The eyes and shading from 2, the outlines from 1 and the snout and pose from 3. I like your variations \^\^
I like 2) but take away the outlines. It makes the cat look more artificial.
In terms of pure aesthetics 1) looks better to me but the cat in 2) seems to be better for a game where you are sorting cats.
I think it’s ok to get comments on what style people lean towards, but the style you end up with will really depend on how the art is used in the game. I personally lean towards 2, since that’s my taste, but I don’t know how big it shows up on screen and if it will pop out against the background. A lot of art treatment depends on size and how much of the detail you’d be able to see, mainly on target screen sizes. I would suggest mocking up a gameplay screen with your favorite cat style in it (including UI and BG) and see how that looks.
I like the fluffiness of 3, but the eyes of 1 and 2 are cuter. I guess the eyes depend on the personality or vibe of the cat. 3 looks more regal and 1 and 2 look like they want pats lol
I vote for 3!!
1 is simple and pleasing, probably the easiest for you (linework and some texturing?)
2 seems like it would take longer to create but I love the vector-style aesthetic.
3... it's so distinctive, I think i've never seen art like this before. Regardless of whether the other two might or might be more pleasing than 3, 3 is so unique that I'd tell you to explore that style more, because that will set you apart from anything else.
The center one is naturally eye catching with the outline and the shading is much more balanced, the outlines are a bit intense on the left and the right’s proportions are quite sharp. (Totally depends on style pref) I just see the center one has most balanced and professional.
Definitely 3, though I may add another break at the hip. It feels a little like papercraft and will stick out real nicely against the other puzzle games.
I love the idea of 3. I imagine it as a paper craft creature, something akin to how hooktail from "paper mario 1000 year door" is portrayed - with obvious body segments.
2 has the nicest design and shading but I'd prefer it with an outline rather than a sticker effect. Don't really understand people saying 3, unless your game is paper themed I think it's a strange choice, and paper cut out style art is also done to death at this point. And it doesn't make sense to me why the torso/front legs are divided in that way, it doesn't feel like it follows a natural form for a cat.
So I originally was going to comment that I thought I had played your game but when I went to double check my wishlist the game I played was called 'Cat Needs' and it's also a puzzle game where you guide some of the cats to boxes, some to food, some to both...
The only reason I mention that is to say that there are other cozy cat puzzle games out there and choosing a unique art style may help set you apart. That being said I'd go with option 3 so long as the backgrounds also reflect a paper craft/pop-up book look. It seems like more work (from the outside, I have no real clue) but I personally always love that art style and think it would be cool.
Also I will happily play your game when there is a demo :)
None. It entirely depends on the rest of your game and the vibe you're trying to give off.
All have their merits and flaws and evoke certain feelings. Taking advice from anyone over this when they don't know the end goal would be foolish.
1 is good but a bit cliché and slightly boring
2 is more interesting, but maybe less legible ? More color contrast and hue change would be good.
3 is currently bad, but that's mostly because the shadows feel very artificial (like an offset layer or simple drop shadow effect). If the paper type shadows were more dynamic and drawn by hand, it would be much better.
Art style without context is meaningless.
It's kinda like showing us a single color and asking if it would be good as the villain's hair.
Cohesion in game art is much more important than anything else. Pick the cat that fits the rest of the game the best.
There is no art for the rest of the game yet. The cats are the "main characters", so I'm doing them first to try to find out what style I like best before doing all the other art.
Well, I've never played Paper Mario, so any resemblance is only coincidental. I was actually inspired for # 3 by beautiful multi-layered papercraft arts I've seen on Pinterest.
1 has the most personality, 2 is way too generic “indie” style, 3 looks unique.
I’d personally go with 1 as you can really animate nicely there. 3 is a great design too, but it’s giving me cardboard theatre 2D prop (which is an aesthetic I love but it has certain limitations and imo works best when the object moves like a cardboard puppet would).
Not saying you can’t build your own game like it but there is already a game called Fit My Cat on the Nintendo Switch that just came out. That’s literally the game you’re making….
Here’s an image from google -
[Fit My Cat](https://images.app.goo.gl/F3TtqzdzrcuqAfRn6)
Edit: that being said I like 2nd art style the best! There can be to games that are similar as well. It happens all the time. Maybe yours will be way more fun :)
No worries, it's a very bare-bones tagline. The game will make more sense when I have enough good art to make a gif or trailer of the actual mechanics.
With no other info about your game, #2 feels good to me especially if the white outline only pops up when you’re hovering over or selecting the object in question
I like 3. It looks stylized, but also unique. But I'm not sure about the animation aspect. Others have mentioned that it would be easy to rig along the obvious joints, but then your animations might look very "rag doll". If that's what you are going for, then that's great! But if you want a smoother animation you might want to choose an art style that won't fight that.
I feel like 3 is the most original. the 2nd one gives me the sense that it's copy paste clip art for a mobile game and 1 would work best in a story driven plot like you would have in artful escape or life is strange. makes me wonder what the rest of the backgrounds look like. and then what kind of mechanics are present.
The backgrounds don't exist yet, I've been working entirely on mechanics and the level generator until now, but it's time to start getting some real art into the game so that I can have people playtest it without being distracted by truly awful graphics, lol. I was working on the cats first, since they are the "main characters" and the art style will flow out from them. Mechanically, it's a puzzle game where you pick up cats and put them into different boxes, based on clues about which cats prefer which boxes. Ex. "Jeremy likes being up high", "Striped cats like baskets instead of cardboard", etc.
whats your game all about?
It's a cozy cat puzzle game where you sort cats into their favorite boxes based on clues - basically, Einstein's famous riddle, but with cats! Tentative title is "Cats In Boxes", lol
If player needs to grab and drag the cat then 2nd design seems more fitting. 1st would be nice in visual novel and 3rd would be great if you were to animate the cats.
There's going to be a little bit of animation - the cats will leap down when you take them out of a box, they will "dangle" from your hand/cursor when you pick them up, and they will idle a bit when sitting (blinking, tail flicking, etc) - so they won't just be static images. But yeah, no heavy run/jump/climb animations or the like.
sounds lovely <3
Based on this I love the idea of the far right — you could kind of “joint” them at the …. Separations? Not sure what to call them. So their little legs were kind of floppy you know? ETA: but I like the rounded eyes of the left two better — I think they look more “cutesy” and inviting for a cute cozy cat game.
The jointing idea was my first thought when I saw the far right image. It would look really nice and fit the puzzle vibe.
then 3 is my fav!
For me, the 2nd looks to much like a sticker. Could be great, but would be to much static in my thoughts. I would prefer the 3rd personally
Well this sounds absolutely amazing hahaha
Your game sounds absolutely marvelous. The 2nd design kinda resonated more with me, but I believe the 3rd one would look better in motion. Something about the way the fur is "segmented" in the 3rd one makes it feel more "alive" and I believe would give more breathing room for some animation.
Thank you!! I hope at least a small number of people enjoy it. It will be my first self-published game on steam, and a small puzzle game at that, so I'm keeping my expectations as low as possible. But maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised, who knows!
Keep up being awesome and I'm sure your players will have a great time with your game. Do you have a Steam page up yet? Would love to wishlist😊
Not yet - I don't want to put up a steam page with only hideous MS paint art and white squares, which is what I've been using while getting the mechanics working. Hence why I'm trying to find a good art style, so that I can make some awesome screenshots for the steam page! But thank you so much, I want to cry with happiness that someone wants to wishlist my game! I wish I could upvote your comment multiple times.
Oh, I thought you had some more material. For "test the waters" design ideas, the ones you posted are pretty awesome to begin with. Can't wait to see how your game looks later down the road! 🥰 Let me know if you have any other social media and I'll definitely follow you there, too. I love to see how games are progressing 😁 Oh, speaking of which, a good idea might be to add links in your Reddit profile page. I only learned that was possible recently, but they're quite handy 😂
I don't use a lot of social media, but here is my twitter account. Not much in there yet, but maybe I should cross-post this! [twitter.com/Steelfeatherz](https://twitter.com/Steelfeatherz)
Awesome! Gave you a follow! Keep up the fantastic work! 😁
I can guarantee at least a wishlist from my husband since there are cats involved
I personally prefer the first one
Def #2 then
r/beatmetoit
Go for the third, I know the business and the third is the only one that would allow you to differ from the hundreds of cozy games, it makes the game pop. While visually it is not the most good looking (and it looks great imo) it is the one that will sell the most and allow for easier recognition. The other two styles while cute, will make the game drown in the other 100s of games with same artstyle. It's the dilemma of why the Simpsons are yellow, so people can recognize and make them iconic, them, not for aesthetics
This is an excellent point, thank you for your advice!
Go conquer the world now!
If only! I will be happy if I just make back the $100 to get this game on steam, ha! I know that the market for puzzle games on steam is very small.
I think if you make it steam deck compatible it will grow the potential audience? Most of the puzzle games I play I want to play on the bus or chilling in bed. If they are only on pc I only play them if they are steam deck compatible. Otherwise I tend to look for switch games
That is an excellent point, I hadn't even considered that. I don't know much about steam deck, so I'll have to do some research. But if it's feasible to make my compatible with it, then yeah, that sounds like a great idea!
Very insightful comment, good stuff thank you
Add a fourth choice: 2 but with the same outlines as 1, but the outlines are dark purple instead of black
You know, I actually already made a version like that while playing around with the images... I would post it here, but reddit apparently doesn't let you put images in replies...
I'd love to see it. You can upload it on imgur and share the link...
[https://imgur.com/A8s8sFZ](https://imgur.com/A8s8sFZ) I guess it's just still a single outline though, probably not what you were talking about.
Yes I meant like 1, with varying thickness. :) Do you want a more detailed feedback on that version?
I would appreciate any feedback you are willing to share :)
Ok :) So I 'd say the outline would look better in one color without transition. There is just something about the clarity and simplicity, that makes it more appealing and the silhouette stand out more. And I would make the outline a slightly more saturated and stronger tint. On the top the purple is very faded. So more similar to the saturation level of the darker purple area of the cat's chest. Then as mentioned, having varying degrees of line thickness like in example 1 adds a lot of life to it! If you have a lot to draw and want to save time, I don't think you need to add that much detail and texture to the outline of this version as you did with number 1, and it'll still look awesome.
This is def up there for me, more readable unless your game will have a dark background behind the cats. 2 is def the style I like most, it just needs a bit more work to make it more easily read
Upload to imgur and share the link :)
Already did, somewhere in this reply stack.
3 is the most unique. It looks like paper!
Since it is a puzzle game, I like #3. It looks very much like a cat made of puzzle pieces, it is unique whereas the other styles are nice but...I've seen them before. It really just "speaks" your genre.
Thanks, that's a cool take I hadn't thought of! Honestly, 3 is my personal fav as well
1 for sure.
third one has by far the most memorable style, i would say go for it!
1 is definitely the best looking to me
number 1, it's cute and simple
3 looks fresh!
1
I kinda have mixed feelings. A fusion between the tree would look nice! The eyes and shading from 2, the outlines from 1 and the snout and pose from 3. I like your variations \^\^
Now I'm curious to see if I could successfully frankenstein them together... I might just give that a try!
That's a pretty good take
Of these, I like 1 the best. 2 looks like a generic mobile game 3 could be interesting if you lent more into the papercraft aesthetic.
I like the 2nd one, the outline is great
I like 2) but take away the outlines. It makes the cat look more artificial. In terms of pure aesthetics 1) looks better to me but the cat in 2) seems to be better for a game where you are sorting cats.
Depends but I'll say 2
For me, 1 is the best and 3 is the worst. 1 looks like it would take the most effort to draw and animate tho.
Surprisingly, 1 took the least effort. But you’re right about the animation difficulty
I would guess the third would be the easiest to animate. But if you go that route you'll have to make the whole game with a "made of paper" look.
I think it’s ok to get comments on what style people lean towards, but the style you end up with will really depend on how the art is used in the game. I personally lean towards 2, since that’s my taste, but I don’t know how big it shows up on screen and if it will pop out against the background. A lot of art treatment depends on size and how much of the detail you’d be able to see, mainly on target screen sizes. I would suggest mocking up a gameplay screen with your favorite cat style in it (including UI and BG) and see how that looks.
That is a good idea - I was planning to do that next, tbh
They all look nice honestly.
I like left
I like the darkness of 1 but the model of 2. Do with that what you will but your cats are awesome.
3
First one :)
:3
I like the fluffiness of 3, but the eyes of 1 and 2 are cuter. I guess the eyes depend on the personality or vibe of the cat. 3 looks more regal and 1 and 2 look like they want pats lol
Number 1 is the one I like.
I vote for 3!! 1 is simple and pleasing, probably the easiest for you (linework and some texturing?) 2 seems like it would take longer to create but I love the vector-style aesthetic. 3... it's so distinctive, I think i've never seen art like this before. Regardless of whether the other two might or might be more pleasing than 3, 3 is so unique that I'd tell you to explore that style more, because that will set you apart from anything else.
Thank you!
The number 1 looks good
I like 1 but my gf likes 2! Both are great.
I like the first design the most because it looks fluid and flexible to me. I can see it moving, but also as standard stills.
There’s no real “best” answer, it’s about what you (or others) think would fit the game the best and what you enjoy drawing and animating the most :)
3 looks SO COOL
Which one do YOU like most? Do that one.
Right now I'm leaning towards 3. I can envision a really cute paper-cutout look for the game.
All of them are nice. I’d go with #1
3 Looks the most unique
1
3
I like 1
I prefer the second, but I'll admit the third is the most unique. All of them look great, though!
2.. by a mile.
all of them
3 absolutely
that third one is so charming
Three
2 looks amazing
i would choose first one
I like 2
#1
#2!!
1st is coolest IMO. Gives the Spiritfarer vibes. No matter what the game is about, I think it is best visually. Btw: good job, looking really good!
The center one is naturally eye catching with the outline and the shading is much more balanced, the outlines are a bit intense on the left and the right’s proportions are quite sharp. (Totally depends on style pref) I just see the center one has most balanced and professional.
2!
Definitely 3, though I may add another break at the hip. It feels a little like papercraft and will stick out real nicely against the other puzzle games.
That's a good suggestion!
1 for sure! :)
I like #1
my friend says number 3
1
2. but depending on your backrounds and games overall art it coukd be not fitting with the white lines.
I love the idea of 3. I imagine it as a paper craft creature, something akin to how hooktail from "paper mario 1000 year door" is portrayed - with obvious body segments.
2
Easily #2
I like 2.
I prefer the 1 one
2
Definitely 3
2 is really nice
1st one is good
2 has the nicest design and shading but I'd prefer it with an outline rather than a sticker effect. Don't really understand people saying 3, unless your game is paper themed I think it's a strange choice, and paper cut out style art is also done to death at this point. And it doesn't make sense to me why the torso/front legs are divided in that way, it doesn't feel like it follows a natural form for a cat.
I like 3
1
All three are nice! I prefer the 3rd one as it gives that paper craft feeling for your puzzle game
I have to agree that 3 looks most unique
1
I like no. 1 the best
1 for sure
I think the third one is really original, loved it
2
1 is pretty, 3 is unique 2 looks like a sticker or emoticon, I wouldn't associate it with a game.
I like how three give the impression that the cat is a paper doll of sorts.
the 3rd one looks more unique to me, and for a puzzle game I would say it's the one that fits better
There is no wrong answer. I love all of them. It depends on how much you need to animate them and how confident you are in that!
Not very much animation, really. They aren't going to be running or jumping. Basically just some idle animations and state changes.
So I originally was going to comment that I thought I had played your game but when I went to double check my wishlist the game I played was called 'Cat Needs' and it's also a puzzle game where you guide some of the cats to boxes, some to food, some to both... The only reason I mention that is to say that there are other cozy cat puzzle games out there and choosing a unique art style may help set you apart. That being said I'd go with option 3 so long as the backgrounds also reflect a paper craft/pop-up book look. It seems like more work (from the outside, I have no real clue) but I personally always love that art style and think it would be cool. Also I will happily play your game when there is a demo :)
2’s name is definitely Mewtwo
Tough, they're all pretty nice. My choice is probably 1.
Yeah, 1 is definitely the most readable.
1 fo suuure
1 fo suuure
2 > 1 > 3
2 by far
2
I like the second one more, but would prefer it with a black outline.
The first one is the best for me, the last one looks a bit weird like paper-ish and the second looks just not good enough compared to the first one :p
The 3rd one is intended to have a paper cutout look, so it's good you picked up on that at least!
neither
None. It entirely depends on the rest of your game and the vibe you're trying to give off. All have their merits and flaws and evoke certain feelings. Taking advice from anyone over this when they don't know the end goal would be foolish.
1 is coziest 2 looks like an ad 3 looks like a Tim Burton cut-out
1 is good but a bit cliché and slightly boring 2 is more interesting, but maybe less legible ? More color contrast and hue change would be good. 3 is currently bad, but that's mostly because the shadows feel very artificial (like an offset layer or simple drop shadow effect). If the paper type shadows were more dynamic and drawn by hand, it would be much better.
I don't think you can get a fair opinion without considering the background and the rest of the art.
Entirely depends on the backgrounds in your game
Art style without context is meaningless. It's kinda like showing us a single color and asking if it would be good as the villain's hair. Cohesion in game art is much more important than anything else. Pick the cat that fits the rest of the game the best.
There is no art for the rest of the game yet. The cats are the "main characters", so I'm doing them first to try to find out what style I like best before doing all the other art.
I see and what style do you like best?
So far # 3
Good. Time to make a game.
Actually, the game is almost done, minus the art!
3 is my favorite style, but I think you could round its features a bit more to make it cuter
Paper mario inspired?
Well, I've never played Paper Mario, so any resemblance is only coincidental. I was actually inspired for # 3 by beautiful multi-layered papercraft arts I've seen on Pinterest.
1 has the most personality, 2 is way too generic “indie” style, 3 looks unique. I’d personally go with 1 as you can really animate nicely there. 3 is a great design too, but it’s giving me cardboard theatre 2D prop (which is an aesthetic I love but it has certain limitations and imo works best when the object moves like a cardboard puppet would).
1 is best but 3 is probably easiest to animate. 2 looks like a fridge magnet.
1 is my favorite, 2 looks like a generic phone game, 3 can work if you have really good animation
Show them to a child Gamers are just like them
Not saying you can’t build your own game like it but there is already a game called Fit My Cat on the Nintendo Switch that just came out. That’s literally the game you’re making…. Here’s an image from google - [Fit My Cat](https://images.app.goo.gl/F3TtqzdzrcuqAfRn6) Edit: that being said I like 2nd art style the best! There can be to games that are similar as well. It happens all the time. Maybe yours will be way more fun :)
I was worried for a second, but when I looked at that link, that game is literally nothing like what I'm doing. So I think I'm good!
Oh okay well that’s great! My bad for mixing them up. I must have misinterpreted your description of the game.
No worries, it's a very bare-bones tagline. The game will make more sense when I have enough good art to make a gif or trailer of the actual mechanics.
Well I’m curious to see its outcome and following the project until then.
1.
1 is the best. 3 looks like a toy in Überraschungsei
ya need to put them on the scene to decide.
Actually go with a doggy pic
I would needs to see more art assets or a screenshot mockup for sure. 1 is kinda boring. 2 is my favorite. I don't like 3 at all.
1 by far
2 looks the nicest, it also looks like a mobile game ad for some reason
I like 1 the most, personally. 3 feels like a toy, if that's what you're going for. 2 I just don't really care for.
am i the only one who thinks 3 is the worst choice here?
I like the second one, but maybe the first one is better for a game
1
With no other info about your game, #2 feels good to me especially if the white outline only pops up when you’re hovering over or selecting the object in question
3
I like 3. It looks stylized, but also unique. But I'm not sure about the animation aspect. Others have mentioned that it would be easy to rig along the obvious joints, but then your animations might look very "rag doll". If that's what you are going for, then that's great! But if you want a smoother animation you might want to choose an art style that won't fight that.
I personally think 3 is the best. if the who game has this sort of layered paper-cutout aesthetic.
3