I turned my main menu into a kid's sketchbook

Last time I shared the gameplay of my game on reddit, a WW2 strategy game where the whole war is a kid's doodle. In the comments, someone suggested making the whole game feel like a kid's sketchbook. I loved the idea, so here's the first step: the main menu.

The game opens on a classroom desk. The sketchbook flips open (covered in stickers, of course), the menu is written on the left page, and on the right page the kid's army marches past in a parade, in step with the music. Everything on the pages is drawn in the same pencil style as the battles.

Some details I'm happy with:

  • the camera dives in and pulls back in time with the march
  • the buttons get scribbled in when you hover over them
  • the units in the parade are the real in-game units, just marching instead of fighting

Thanks again to u/BullyPlayed, and to everyone who left feedback last time. I'd love your honest opinion:

  • Does it feel like a kid's sketchbook in a classroom?
  • Anything that looks off or distracting?
  • Does the name "There Is a War in My Sketchbook" fit the game? Would you remember it?
u/Intrepid-Specific-78 — 8 days ago
▲ 51 r/Excalidraw+2 crossposts

Surrounded by hundreds of hand-drawn soldiers: my sketch-style WW2 defense game

I'm making a WW2 defense game solo. Your HQ is encircled and enemy waves come from every side, with no break between them.

You never click to build: reinforcements arrive on their own and land wherever your cursor is, so the whole game is about where you point.

I am considering on making it as an incremental game, with more unit types. I have a playable link if you guys are interested!

u/Intrepid-Specific-78 — 11 days ago

What would you want from a first-person Frostpunk-inspired survival game?

Hey everyone! I’m working on a first-person survival game inspired by Frostpunk, and I’d love to hear what fellow fans would want from that kind of experience.

I’m interested in exploring what it feels like to be a person trying to survive the cold, rather than managing the city from above.

What would matter most to you? Things like scavenging through frozen ruins, maintaining shelter and heat, managing scarce supplies, helping other survivors, or facing difficult choices where every option has a cost?

And what would make it feel distinct from a typical survival game?

It’s still early in development, so I’m curious to hear your ideas, including things you’d rather not see. What would make you want to play?

reddit.com
u/Intrepid-Specific-78 — 16 days ago
▲ 0 r/IndieGameDevs+1 crossposts

I made a co-op, first-person Frostpunk prototype in 3 days. Would you play this with friends?

Always wanted to be one of the people keeping Frostpunk's generator alive, with friends. So I made a quick prototype:

  • Throw coal into a heat tower by hand to keep everyone warm
  • Stay out in the cold too long and you freeze
  • A blizzard hits mid-night, 2 min warning to stock up
  • 2–4 player co-op in the browser

Very early, lots of placeholders. What would you want to do in a co-op Frostpunk?

https://play.unity.com/en/games/53975aa0-82a2-4214-8cd0-b793593c24aa/heat-tower-sandbox

u/Intrepid-Specific-78 — 18 days ago