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[tametick]

pretty simple: enough so that the entire dev team can live off the sales of the game, above poverty level. so something like 20k in sales per member of the dev team

In that case Cardinal Quest fulfilled that requirement(after deducting costs for contractors et al), albeit mostly because the dev-team is just 1 person.

[Paul Eres]

then that might be another example (although it'd depend on if you want to count contractors as part of a dev team or not -- i would, but others don't). and as teegee said there are ds games with pixel art that continue to sell well; but i still haven't seen that many when it comes to pc games. if we count your game, there's still only a couple of examples of know of (the aveyond games would be another). so it still seems relatively rare

[tametick]

Going through my steam library and counting some of the games with pixel art or similar low-fi art (e.g. flash-style vector graphics):

Atom Zombie Smasher
The Binding of Isaac
BIT.TRIP RUNNER
Blocks That Matter
Chime
Crayon Physics Deluxe
Dungeons of Dredmor
Dwarfs?!
EDGE
Frozen Synapse
Gish
Puzzle Agent
Recetterar
Revenge of the Titans
SpaceChem
Super Meat Boy
VVVVVV

Pretty sure most of these are successful, and that's not counting games I have bought outside of steam.

[Paul Eres]

a lot of those are not what i would consider "pixel art" at all though -- for instance the binding of isaac and super meat boy are closer to vector art (regardless of whether it's actually vector or raster, it has the vector art style)

by pixel art i don't mean just low-res games, or big pixels, i mean using the traditional style of pixel art found in the nes/snes

of the ones you've listed, the only one i'd consider to use pixel art is recetear

[Arowx]

Just a quick update I've been working on Energy Island Conquest - Beta 2.3

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYeOV52wxq4
Play the game: http://www.kongregate.com/games/Arowx/energy-island-conquest-beta2

The Droid Armaments Corporation(TM) has taken over the world, humans are nearing extinction.

The human resistance is fighting back, thanks to genetic engineering and high speed 3D bio printing we can mass produce Marine Commando shock troops to take the fight back to the metal heads.

Meat boys attack!

Features:
Star wars laser blasts
Bollywood particle effect explosions
WASP high speed attack craft
Evil droid hover tanks
Nasty droid armoured turrets
Energizing power plants needed for the resistance

B4N

[kamac]

Fightning doesn't seem to dynamic 

But the project looks OK.

[bateleur]

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYeOV52wxq4

Ooh, I love the head-up display stuff there. What did you use for that?

(PS. You have 'Island' misspelled as 'Isaland' in a couple of places in the video.)

[Arowx]

Well I failed! 

My main problem is not trusting my own gut instincts, and also not working through my games to completion, admittedly this means compromise and lots of learning but that's how it goes.

I would recommend anyone starting out to go for very fast development release cycles, as the more products you can release and learn from the better you will be at development.

I went for a develop prototype and release on Kongregate approach to see what happens, but really I think you should aim for higher return portals, e.g. Apple, Android, as well as PC and Mac.  What you make is worth money.

Even people who look for free content on Kongregate ect, expect quality products so make sure you spend time polishing and refining before releasing to any community.

Good Luck

[Paul Eres]

so how much money did you make from your games? nothing? or less than your goal?

[CowBoyDan]

Sorry to hear.  I've been reading your post and trying your stuff from time to time.  I think the bigger problem was your games just weren't any fun.  I'm very sorry to say that.  the first one you posted, with the flying and the islands and stuff, the controls felt bad, I had no idea what I was doing or why (and I felt like that was missing).  I don't think it would have made any significant difference for you targeting mobile or other platforms.

In reference (from memory) to The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses, you need to start with a "toy" that's fun to play with and go from there.

Again, I am very sorry   I feel your pain bro.

[Maud'Dib Atreides]

i remember why i dont keep my devlog on this site...

people can be... surprisingly, brutally honest :\


..


(well I liked energy island conquest) 

[CowBoyDan]

My games suck too 

[Claw]

i remember why i dont keep my devlog on this site...

people can be... surprisingly, brutally honest :\

Brutal honesty is the most efficient way of learning what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong. You take that information, use it to your advantage and improve your games. It's probably the best part about these forums.

[CowBoyDan]

Or just get a girlfriend like mine.  She's not afraid to say my games suck.  (after several games I have yet to make one she liked, maybe the next one)

[Maud'Dib Atreides]

Or just get a girlfriend like mine.  She's not afraid to say my games suck.  (after several games I have yet to make one she liked, maybe the next one)

make one that sells for money so you can buy her clothes and stuff