Low poly block out or high detail models for the marketplace?

Hey guys,

What would everyone value more when working on a new or even existing project on the marketplace, so if you're going to buy something in a 3d art marketplace what would you buy?

a low poly block out asset pack for early development?
or
A high detail realistic model/pack/environment?

Your thoughts please.

 

It depends on what kind of project one is working on.
Low Poly stuff would be easier and faster for you to make but has less demand than high detail packs, but high detail packs are available in high quantities already. So its up to you which demographic you want to pursue and what your skills allow.
Make a few sample pieces for both styles and put them up for free on the store, based on reviews you can judge what style you should continue.

You can also make assets with the same art style as a popular asset, people are always looking to expand their environment. e.g., Synty Studios makes great low poly stuff, you can see what pieces they are lacking and make those.

 

You're overthinking this and making the classic selling mistake of thinking there's such a thing as the best product. The truth is that there are markets for everything, and you have to study a market to know how to sell to it specifically.

There are principles that determine good products (such as whether they solve a problem, and what type and how big a problem that is) but no such thing as the best one.

I have sold various things online (asset store included) and if there's one thing I've realized is that all the data is there, in the marketplace. You can see the signs of a good product in the way it gets your attention, in the reviews, in the way it is presented and how well its problem-solving (or attractive) qualities are elaborated.

Likewise, you can always tell a bad product, in the glitchy or careless presentation, the confusion you feel when you look at it and its description, its lack of ability to get you excited about what it can do for you.

This is always the same, whether it's the asset store, Steam, or any other product or store. Months ago I went through hundreds of listings on Steam to find out what space games were or weren't selling, and I found absolutely nothing illogical, from a buyer's perspective, about whether a game was a seller or a dud. And I found that out of tens of small indie games, my only real competitors would have been less than I could count on one hand. And people tell you that selling games is a question of luck...

The other thing, the most important thing, is iteration. It doesn't matter where you start, what you need to do is put something out and get feedback, and build a community of people who will tell you what is wrong with your product. Getting negative feedback is actually hard, on my space kit Discord I have a weird reputation as someone who is always trying to squeeze out information about problems. I ask very detailed questions, I go on skype and watch people with some issue trying to solve the problem. I made a complete, ground-up revision of my space kit last year because I realized that there is really no such thing as non-coders who know what an interface is and how to use it.

If you really want to make an income with something, you have to prepare your nose (to smell where the problems and opportunities are) and dive right in, with investment of time and money. A good start is always a great thing (for example, when I launched my space kit, there was only one competitor, since deprecated, who hadn't done a comprehensive job). But I can see other products in different categories on there with high demand which are simply not all that great. I could easily out-compete them if I wanted to.

In short, the only question you need to decide is whether you want to sell low poly or high detail models. Synty sell low poly and do well, ManufacturaK4 sells very high detail stuff and does well. You need to ask questions like, which one is easier to do, and which has a wow factor? Maybe low poly models sell well in packs of 1000 objects, while one high-detail dragon can get the same revenue. What are you better at, or what kind of skill do do you have access to? etc.

I'm not a seller of art, but what I would do is find 5 or 10 under-served categories, create small packs for $15 each, pick the best-selling one, and make a big pack out of it. Build a community, ask your real customers what they want/need, repeat. The asset store will be always your biggest source of information though, since all the signals are there to read if you know what to look for.

 

I see no value in this thanks to the existence of ProBuilder.

I see very limited value in this thanks to the existence of Quixel. If you can make assets that would easily work with theirs while having roughly the same affordability that would be one thing, but I have seen too many asset packs that didn't fit in with anything else or were too expensive to consider that I simply can't recommend doing it.

 

don't ask and do your stuff you will see

 

I can very quickly create any low poly asset myself. That includes blocked out shapes.
So value of low poly building blocks for me is zero. There's also ProBuilder, like Ryiah said.

If I were working on a high-fidelity project, I'd look into Unreal 4, because it offers free quixel megascan access. And most likely would end up not buygin anything either.

 

There is a market for both. I wish there were more realistic assets since we make a realistic game.

 

Have you sorted the assets on the store by popularity? You can get an idea whats is selling.

I would buy a version if this one with more relastic graphics and interior could pay 100-150 USD for it (if its detailed interiors)

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/urban/japanese-street-170162

I get some Pearl Market vibes from it

Thats probably the only one that interested from the first page, and I wouldn't even buy it in its current form

 

Btw, there is not a single large boat with interiors on the store. For example a tanker, cargo ship, carrier etc. Just a tip on something you will be the first with.

 

One market area i see not being filled is Low Poly Synty like interiors, synty has great exteriors and limited castle interiors but i dont see any building interiors.

 

Thanks for all the responses I won't respond to each one individually but appreciate every comment.

@Billy4184 I think you must of read my question wrong. I just wanted to get a consensus of whether people value a low poly pack for early development or a high detailed pack for later down the development line to save time. I have been doing a lot of market research all many markets such as unity, unreal, gamedevmarket, turbo squid, ArtStation and CG trader. So don't be fooled that I'm thinking there is one golden asset, there isn't like you say. But I definitely agree with your final paragraphs about finding a community and asking them questions, I was planning to make a post once I've finished with the pack I'm creating atm to see what everyone thinks. Criticism is key for sure.

@MDADigital Thank you as always! The pearl market map video was a real inspiration on the pack I'm making at the moment, gave me a few things to think about. And you have a very good point about the large boat/tank, maybe a worth visiting and researching for my next project@

@Aseemy interesting you mention Synty, I've had a few responses on our forums or questions relating to them but your absolutely right that they lack some interiors, I think it would be a hard market (low poly) to reach but done correctly it's definitely doable