Games With a Strange Style?

[bob123]

Since I am no kind of graphics artist, I was thinking: would people still pay for a game with a strange style? For example: A game with all the graphics made out of simple photoshop filters,graphics made out of sticks,or a retro arcade graphics game? I think some would,but Im not sure if this would be put onto protals,etc.(platypus did tho?) Any opinions? Or could anybody suggest some other mehtods of getting art without hiring a artist(doubt it :p)?


Thanks

[bodgey]

I think Platypus was made by an artist and I think it took a lot of work. Same goes for Ultratron and other retro looking games by Cas so I don't think just using a strange style makes it much easier to do.

Bojan

[svero]

Depending on how well the game and art meshes a very stylistic game might actually be a nice marketing hook, rather than something getting in the way of sales.

[bob123]

Yes,I was thinking about this too,but I have no money to hire a artist,so.....um....any solutions?
edit: Just saw svero's reply,yes,maybe it can help sales if well done,maybe...?

[soniCron]

Yes,I was thinking about this too,but I have no money to hire a artist,so.....um....any solutions? Uhm...get a job? ;)

[bob123]

I cant :P.Has anyone here maybe done a partnership with a artist,and split profit?

[TimS]

Has anyone here maybe done a partnership with a artist,and split profit?

This is the route I'm going at the moment... but with NO profit, (no game to sell) it's pretty easy so far. If you're going to go this route you're going to have to know the person pretty well and be in close proximity, I'd think.

[Gilzu]

Yes,I was thinking about this too,but I have no money to hire a artist,so.....um....any solutions?
edit: Just saw svero's reply,yes,maybe it can help sales if well done,maybe...?

Pencil Whipped (http://www.avault.com/pcrl/demo_temp.asp?game=pencilwhip) is a game that 100% of its graphic is mad out of scanned pencil drawn characters. I think it was nominated/awarded by the IGF.

Anyways, I don't really know if the developer had the same problem as you, but you must admit, he made found some nice innovative solution...

[Artinum]

You could also take a look at Androkids for some scanned in doodles!

[cliffski]

apart from the icons, I did all the art for Democracy. Pick a game style that doesn't involve lots of art you can't do.

[Davaris]

Has anyone here maybe done a partnership with a artist,and split profit?

Don't waste your time trying to get an artist to work for free. You'll have to learn to do everything yourself.

[steve bisson]

Uhm...get a job? ;)

find a talented artist who wants to express is art trough your game. You will have to give him a lot of artistic freedom if you dont want to pay... a lot of artist will work for free if he or she as the freedom to create and is not under a lot of pressure about what he or she will come up with.

i myself worked for free on several projects as long as it did not involved too many restriction in style i was happy doing so.

[kolka]

Pencil Whipped (http://www.avault.com/pcrl/demo_temp.asp?game=pencilwhip) is a game that 100% of its graphic is mad out of scanned pencil drawn characters. I think it was nominated/awarded by the IGF.

Anyways, I don't really know if the developer had the same problem as you, but you must admit, he made found some nice innovative solution...


I liked the screenshots but cannot download Pencil Whipped!! Where else can i download it???

[Mark Sheeky]

Paperball also uses the pencil drawn approach but the excellent use of them shows that even a game with a graphical gimmick needs to do the graphics well. "Zig" uses retro style wireframe graphics but adds lots of modern presentation. There are no easy options... Don't mistake retro graphics or "stylish" graphics for poor graphics. It's best to learn to draw (or do a text adventure!).

Mark

[Anthony Flack]

But if you do, you'll only have to apply the same rigorous standards to improving your prose style...