Possible to create full game from just online assets?

Hi,

is it possible to create full PC game (light weight RTS or RPG) just from asset store/online assets? Since many of us are just programmers, the assets are mostly what stands in the way of creating heavy content games.

Do you think its possible to find all the assets for game that will fit together stylistically? I`m talking about both paid and free assets.

There are many asset packs on store that contain for example, space ship packs for 20Eur, but then you realize, those ships need to have weapons.
So you start looking for weapons, and you see that their are completely different style and dont match the previous found spaceships. Now here is the problem.

Have any of you done game made almost completely from downloaded assets?

 

I think you could do it, if:

1. You're willing to spend a decent bit of money
2. You keep things simple in a visual sense
3. You pick the right genre

Something like Synty Studios' Simple World would give you a huge range of assets to work with, with the added bonus of it being barely any better than programmer art... so if you had to create that one missing item, you could probably figure out how to pull it off. Granted, your game is going to look like the 15 million "----craft" / "Crossy ----" clones out there, but that's the price you pay for wanting a complete set of assets.

 

There is a reason why modern teams have more artists than programmers. IMO using downloaded asset packs is useful only for messing around or prototyping, not for production.

 

Indeed, but when you have no choice, what is better, make game at least with downloaded assets, even if it doesnt look very good, or dont make anything.

In worst case you can hire artist afterwards, like Rimworld developer did.

 

I made a light weight turn-based strategy RPG with probably 75% downloaded assets - and I mean everything, from the starter kits I used to the artwork to the music. Still, the 25% I did myself took almost two years to complete. Had to save time somewhere otherwise I'd have spent another six or seven years working on it. It's currently on Steam and doing better than I expected (but significantly worse than I dreamed!). There is somewhere between seven to nine hours of gameplay.

I imagine most single developers buy a fair amount of their assets - especially if you want to make something as complex as a "light weight RTS or RPG" (even a light weight one is a lot of work!). I know I it was for me - however, I have a DAZ license which opens a whole new world of 3d models that most people don't have access to so they are not nearly as common as things from the asset store. Plus the models themselves have nearly infinite possibilities of morphs. There are some cheaper alternatives as well. I think Morph3d is literally DAZ stuff specifically for games. In any case, try to buy assets that are easily to customize. And keep price in mind as well. While you might be less inclined to buy a more expensive model if you can buy a cheaper one that is just as good, the more expensive probably isn't as widely used and less likely to be noticed.

Avoid using free art for anything more important than grass and skies. Unless of course, grass and skies are important to your game. Watch some videos like Jim Sterling and he points out EVERY free model he sees. While your average casual gamer might not notice, you certainly don't want risk it anyway. No need to risk losing a sale because someone sees a monster that they've seen in a game they didn't like!

 

Thanks drawradley, very good info, I will take a look at Morph3D.

What is this DAZ license?
Also, would you share the name of game you have currently at steam?

I dont have sky or terrain, the game I work on is in space, while I dont need that many complicated assets or character animations, It will be pretty hard find any assets for it.

Example, you need ship, but the ship package doesnt come with turret. But when you buy/download the turret, it doesnt artistically fit to ship.... Or its modeled in way that turret cannot turn at enemy.

 

DAZ is a 3d model company that specializes in humanoid figures, clothes, etc but they do have a fairly large amount of other models... HOWEVER, they are intended for making 2d renders and need work to be suitable for a real time game (though hardware is quickly catching up and soon I'll probably be able to use them as is). Still, they have thousands and thousands of models. I've been collecting them for roughly 15 years now so I have a huge collection that probably no other indie developer will use.
http://www.daz3d.com/home
http://www.daz3d.com/indie-game-developer-license

http://store.steampowered.com/app/509910

 

I’m sorry, but I always thought that this question, when it does come up sometimes, is very strange. To me, it is a question like “Can I make a full length film by buying stock photos”.

Games are a multi-disciplinary medium, like film. Not only does one require coders, but one needs audio folk, 2d artists, and 3d artists.Why not try to assemble a collaborative team to make this game?

Besides, a dev who publishes a game using store assets is going to be put in the reputational bin as a shovelware developer that’s in it for the quick buck with the minimum amount of work.

 

I know, also its very "amateurish".

But its almost impossible to assemble team of strange people with various skills, communication and time barriers.
There are millions of threads on collaboration forums, everybody is looking for 3D artist, sometimes its funny, like waiting to win a lottery.

I had such an experience with several artists, it was really bad. They were either really un-experienced, or just didnt do anything at all....always having some excuses.

So in some cases, you either try to make a game with store assets or not make anything. I would rather at least TRY to make something.

 

Its going to be very tough to do it. I think it would take more work (on the part of the programmer to try and make the stock art look good) then just having an artist do it for you.

 

I guess you are right.

I dont think I will ever find person who is so enthusiastic that is not close friend yet he will stick with me making art for entire development process, but I can try to look for some artist on collaboration forums.

Maybe its worth a try.

 

Since my drawing and modeling skills are garbage, every one of my projects has been free from the Asset Store and Trimble's Sketchup Warehouse. So yes, it is possible, especially if you're willing to spend money on models and shaders. Don't forget you can modify the materials of objects very easily, so if you make a large enough collection of materials, you can make almost anything match. If you look in my projects, I always have a giant selection of textures and materials ready. That way, if I get a model and I don't like its coloring, I'll have a great chance that it will stylistically match.

If you're willing to spend money, this is a great place for models (along with the Asset Store): http://tf3dm.com/
They have free ones too, but most of them don't allow a commercial license. However every once in a while I'll find a free gem there.

While it's nice to have art skills, it is completely possible to make a game with only online assets.

 

Your best bet is to actually pay someone to do the art for you.

What you want to do is have less assets and one way you can do that is by following the old Turtles in time - with the footsoldier (recoloring the same model). You have the blue, red, and pink, etc soldier each with different personality, you can use the same model.

 

Seems to me it's closer to "Can I make a movie set at Willis Tower in Chicago starring Bruce Willis?". Both Bruce Willis and Willis tower are premade assets!

Look, as long as they are professional quality and your game is fun, no one will really care about where they came from. I have not heard one complaint from the thousands of people who bought my game - at least not about using art I bought - lots of other complaints, but not that one!

 

Except the trolls on Steam and Reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AssetFlip/

 

Asset flip is a whole different problems that give those of us who use assets as intended a bad name. But perhaps they would call mine an asset flip as well since many of the props came from the asset store and I used two starter kits as well. In any case, for future reference, when I say, "no one" I actually mean "no one less insane than me which is actually a pretty low bar (high?)- I never can tell. Do you go over or under the bar? Is it limbo or high jump?" but that is WAY too long.

 

The real question is the quality level you're asking about.

Can you? Yes.

Just don't run around telling everybody you're whipping up the next Skyrim and the beta starts in 60 days.

 

Saw this at Unite. It is HEAVILY dependent on Asset Store content. In the words of their CEO, "more than you could imagine" ... from the keynote description: "made in only 3 months, using off-the-shelf Unity 5.4 with assets from the Asset Store."

https://madewith.unity.com/theoutsiders

 

Scrolling down, it looks like a lot of the assets they used were workflow improvements though.

 

I don't remember the exact number but the CEO said they'd bought "50 or 60" or something along those lines.

Their philosophy was that it's always cheaper to buy something in case somebody already solved a problem they were facing. Worst case they'd lose a few bucks and some evaluation time. Best case they aren't reinventing the wheel.

 

Can you do it? Yes. See the steams stores Indie section, and listen to some game reviewers playing the bottom feeder Indie games complain about seeing the same assets over and over in these games very often.

Is it wise? Lets start with some bad examples:

Put this first because it supports one of my main point to make: No continuity between assets used. Of course there is much more wrong with the game than just that, and really, sometimes its just hilarious what these assets have been used for. But throwing comical and realistic assets together in a level WITHOUT a good explanation for it... yeah, that is not going to help.

Here we have an example where somebody bought premade assets and chucked it into his crappy low effort game in the hope that some nonsensical first few levels without any gameplay, but high productions values would make people think the game is actually worth the money asked for it.
Results are early "levels" that have ZERO point (no gameplay), don't fit in with the rest of the assets in later levels (which look not nearly as good as the spaceship interior), and run like trash (why am I not surprised the spaceship interior level is badly optimized?)

Because the bought character models would hide how pedestrian the rest of the game is. And just a skeleton, called bones, as a character in a beat em up? That would have been called lame in 1987, on the NES!

Not much to say to this one. The only thing that stands out is the actually quite long and elaborate opening cutscene (which still manages to have many failings included even though clearly most of the money went into it) and the ludicrous high price of 25$ for something which seems to be not even worth 5$ if we are honest.
The actual game is filled with stock and free assets from the interwebs, badly stacked onto each other, and with crappy aniamtions. That is not how to create a cool looking chariot from stock chariot, horse and greek warrior models!

There is literally nothing to say to this. Asset flip is to nice a word to describe it. Some Unity users think they can sell example games like its their own creation... or even something worth playing (its not... that is why its called "example")
There are more examples like this, but I think one is enough to make a point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnzN-3N_0xw&list=PLlRceUcRZcK0zAt8sV33ZsMCVlOgWjVoy&index=545
Because its one of the S***tiest asset clash games I have seen in a while. If you throw together your assets from multiple sources, at least get the scale right.

I have also seen a Jim Sterling Jimpression video about a game that literally just built a whole level into game taken from an asset package. Cannot find it anymore. Suffice to say, Jims only comment was "I have seen this level before! I played it in other games! Do they sell it as an asset package?"


The point I want to make is this: using bought assets and free assets from the web can be a good idea if you follow these basic principles:

1) Assets should match! Really, there is a reason bigger games need art direction. Yours does too.
Don't throw together a bunch of assets you got from different sources and hope for the best. Test if they match, scale them, change the textures or the model if needed, and get a different asset if you cannot do that.
Unmatched assets are the quickest sign that your game was thrown together from bought assets... which in turn will look like "low quality garbage game" to most people.

2) Don't chuck in assets just to show off! This is also true with your own creations, but its just as important with bought stuff. If that Sci-Fi level you bought does not fit into your modern day shooter... leave it on your Harddrive, and don't shoehorn it into your game just because it looks cool and you paid for it already.

3) If you have high quality assets, the rest has to match! Don't use high-poly models that look AAA like, and then aniamte them like a total noob. Don't use high quality weapon models and forget to put in sound effects, or use no visual FX!

4) Asset packages are meant as a starting point! Don't sell them as your full game, without any work on it whatsoever (besides adding a new title). Don't use a complete example level as a level in your game. Players will spot it. They will call you out for it.


I say you have these 2 options:

Get competent at fixing your assets... get somewhat competent at art!
If you want to lone wolf things, there is nothing you can do other than learning the basics of 3D modelling, texturing and animation. Just so you can fix that broken animation on the character you bought. Or that you can change the texture of an asset to make it fit your level.
Once you get better, there is a ton of things you can do with bought assets as soon as you invest some time into kitbashing and changing the asset. Skys the limit really.
Without any skill in these things... good look finding matching assets, and making them work in your game.

Get an artist. I know, its hard to find team mates as an low budget Indie shop or hobbyist. But if you cannot invest the time to learn art basics, and want your game to not use programmer art, or look like thrown together S***, getting an artist to help will make your life so much easier. Even if you DO end up using stock and free art to speed up the process, a competent artist will be able to take those raw diamonds and polish them to fit together nicely.

 

It would be interesting would be to see before and after shots of art assets that they used and to hear a general workflow that they used. I am using mostly using asset store models but I like to use Substance Designer and Substance Painter to change them up and make them more unique.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if they were just things like rock and tree packs for the visible assets, honestly. And that list there is by no means comprehensive. In their brief talk during the Unite keynote they also mentioned a few other things like Relief Terrain Pack and such.

 

In the longer breakout they said only a couple months ago the whole thing was graybox -- everything shown in the trailer (and they also demo'd live gameplay on-stage) was assembled in a handful of weeks. The live gameplay looked even better than the trailer they posted (ongoing lighting and FX improvements). They also gave us some closeups of the terrain and some of the ways they worked with the terrain assets. They did make some of their own textures with an in-house photogrammetry workflow of some kind (based on an Adobe beta product, I think he said).

They're using the much-maligned Unity terrain system, by the way.

 

My game is around 90% asset store models. I think the results so far are surprisingly solid. You can check out for yourself if you want:

https://forum.unity3d.com/threads/lurching-toward-early-access-players-needed-for-testing.439985/

 

I was wondering where you went.

 

Lol, yeah - had to stop foruming so I could actually get some work done!

Anyway, it's absolutely possible to get very good results using nothing but asset store assets. I'm a one man operation on a trivial budget, and honestly my game looks like a real game. There are rough edges, sure, but just check out the video in the link above. Just because there are asset flips doesn't mean you're making one, even if you're outsourcing almost all the art to the asset store.

The limits are in your time, skill, and creativity.

 

Thanks, this was nice showcase.

But those games you showed were really just some mix of kids wanting to try to create games with anything they can get their hands on. Many indie devs have years of experience with inde development and also professional full time work in real studios and know they cannot put garbage together and expect it to work.

But even if you are a professional, you can do nothing about reality that there are no assets for you game that can artistically work together.

 

They are rather extreme examples picked to showcase were people can go wrong when using stock assets.

Of course the devs of THIS examples... well, lets just say my good advice is probably lost on them... because they probably don't care about the quality of their games... and even if they did, they probably couldn't squeeze fixing the assets they got from somewhere to each other in the few afternoons it took them to cobble together these games.


But you do see problems like these pop up in bigger and/or better titles from time to time. In a smaller scale, sometimes just single assets, and of course, when the rest of the game is not total crap players might be more forgiving (and Jim Sterling might not cover you game unless you did something exceptionally good or different... if its not an exceptionally bad game, that is). But I THINK if you can prevent it by paying more attention to it, it will pay off.