The Unity Asset Store and My Opinion!

[galacticglum]

Hello everyone!

I'm a young indie game developer currently working on a game that I will be submitting to Steam Concepts (and then later Greenlight). I've recently be reading about how games that use assets from the Unity Asset Store are horrible games and get down-voted. I would completely disagree with this and here is my reasoning.

In my opinion I think that it's fine to use the Asset Store as long as you make the assets match and make it work with your game not just plop it into your scene. If you buy a player model that matches the art style of your game then by all means use it! Yes, other games may be using the same model but chances are, other games aren't using exactly the same environment models, props, etc.. Plus, it's not that hard to edit the model's texture or change a little bit of geometry in a 3D modelling software (minimal 3D modelling skills required).

I think it's alright to use assets if you put time and work into making it play nice with your game, I think it's NOT alright to plop assets into your scene and call it a day. It's shoddy practice to buy templates and NOT edit a single thing. I think it's alright for example artists, or game designers, to buy a template and then change the art, and make it suite their needs but I don't think "asset flips" are good, and I don't condone them.

If you're buying 3D models from the Asset Store that will play nice and then doing all the level design, lighting, design, etc.. by yourself (like me) then that's awesome and your game shouldn't be banished because you used models from the Asset Store even when everything is original.

As I'm developing my game I'm picking out assets that I'm going to be using, I've started planning how I'm going to change them and I'm spending ridiculous amounts of time finding assets that match my game. In my opinion, I think that's alright and that's what I'll be doing for my game.

Thanks for reading!
You don't have to agree with me, after all I'm just a 13yr old boy. What do I know?

Feedback/advice is appreciated, or just tell me what you think!

[Radical Left Lunatic]

Personnaly i feel like games should have 100% original content including assets however i do realize that this my be an un obtainable goal to reach unless you have a team of experienced people to help you with your game. I would honesly not even try to put your game on steam now, you would have a better chance if you uploaded it to a site such as gamejolt.com and see how people receive it there before moving on to steam green light. If people like your game on game jolt chances are they will buy a more complete version on steam as well. I found your argument sound enough and i agree somewhat with you claim but like i said, if people are going to get serious then they should consider 100% original content. No one ever said the models or art had to be great looking, just look on steam. There are tons of games that are successful with blocky low polygon models that anyone can learn how to make and animate with only a few hours of tutorials and effort. Original sound is the hardest to make and the same rule that applys to art and models does not apply here. The human brain is willing to accept poor model quality so long as it is consistent, this is not the case for sound. Crappy sound is always going to sound crappy. In your game aim for what you think is realistic to make and then work your way up from there, dont be looking to create the next big MMO or open world RPG. Start with somehting small like a platformer or maze game. Sure those games are not very fun but they are much smoother to make. Making games through anything even unity requires a high level of math and computer science if you really want to make anything good, you can slowly obtain this knowledge through hardwork and dedication and after many years attempt your dream game that you had planned ahead of time with a detailed and well designed game document. This is how to be a successfull one man team game programmer(but really though, having a team to work on it with you is the best way to go about it).

[Tito Shivan]

People complaining about games using Unity assets have usually the wrong concept of the time and effort it really takes to model & texture stuff.

[tmwfte]

I'll just leave this here: http://store.steampowered.com/search/?publisher=Digital%20Homicide%20Studios

[Commander Makara]

I agree.

Such ineexclusive content used as a placeholder until it is later developed further is the correct approach.
Without such, coding can be held up awaiting assets.

In my experience, good programmers are rarely good 3D artists, music composers or such.
_________________________________________________

引用自 tmwfte：

I'll just leave this here: http://store.steampowered.com/search/?publisher=Digital%20Homicide%20Studios

From what I see, the general opinion is that these are broken unentertaining products. The presence or otherwise of Unity Stoore Assets does not seem to be a factor in the reasoning mentioned in reviews.

[※Tapu Lele※]

引用自 GalacticGlum：

Hello everyone!

I'm a young (13yr old) indie game developer

You don't have to agree with me, after all I'm just a 13yr old boy. What do I know?

"What do i know?"

I bet you just discovered the Unity Asset store.

[Duckilous]

引用自 .:SkyFrog:.：

引用自 GalacticGlum：

Hello everyone!

I'm a young (13yr old) indie game developer

You don't have to agree with me, after all I'm just a 13yr old boy. What do I know?

"What do i know?"

I bet you just discovered the Unity Asset store.

Calm down mate, let's not make this conversation any uglier.

[Commander Makara]

Bear in mind, Valve started out using all manner of royalty-free and pub domain assets.

[Lily]

引用自 Commander Makara：

From what I see, the general opinion is that these are broken unentertaining products. The presence or otherwise of Unity Stoore Assets does not seem to be a factor in the reasoning mentioned in reviews.

The games aren't bad because they use unity assets, the games exist because of unity assets. If digihom had to actually put an effort into their products, they wouldn't have dozens of them littering the Steam store/greenlight.

Assets aren't bad in and of themselves, but they're easily abused.

[Commander Makara]

引用自 Gustave5436：

引用自 Commander Makara：

From what I see, the general opinion is that these are broken unentertaining products. The presence or otherwise of Unity Stoore Assets does not seem to be a factor in the reasoning mentioned in reviews.

The games aren't bad because they use unity assets, the games exist because of unity assets. If digihom had to actually put an effort into their products, they wouldn't have dozens of them littering the Steam store/greenlight.

Assets aren't bad in and of themselves, but they're easily abused.

I disagree.

If the UAS assets were not available, there's plenty more (and of variable quality) content easily obtainable regardless.

[galacticglum]

Well, In regards to some peoples posts. I'm not creating the next MMO, or a large scale RPG and trust me I've heard of Digital Homicides, some of you are recommending other quality sites for 3D models but what you don't get is how hypocritical you sound. Other games may be using the sames assets as you, right? Regardless of what storefront you use. Yes, it is true that the Asset Store is more popular but that doesn't stop people from using Turbo-squid or the likes.

I'd also like to add on that some peoples replies are trying to advise me and although I appreciate it I'm highly skilled in programming for my age. I've been programming for approximately 6 years! I am creating a game engine (for fun) and I do stream the development process if you doubt me and(or) want to watch me. I have thoroughly planned this game out and have started programming it a while ago. I hope to post the game on Steam Concepts soon.

At some point, if my game is well-received I WILL hire a professional 3D artists to do some art for me but at this stage I just need to get a working beta.

[hi friends]

If this is coming from 13 years old like really, I seriously can't wait what you will become in future.

In a good means, I mean.

[galacticglum]

@nekonekoGryphus It indeed is and I hope to post my game soon! That reminds me, I forgot to mention my twitch account (my twitch account is GalacticGlum). NO MORE ADVERTISING from now xD

[chiefputsilao✖️ping]

i don't personally think you're 13yo as your opening statement seems to come from a very articulate person (of perhaps higher age of learning).
nevertheless, good luck on your endeavor.

[galacticglum]

@chiefputsi Please, watch my twitch broadcasts (just go to past broadcasts). I'm just a highly intelligent 13yr old! https://www.twitch.tv/galacticglum

[Marble]

引用自 GalacticGlum：

In my opinion I think that it's fine to use the Asset Store as long as you make the assets match and make it work with your game not just plop it into your scene. If you buy a player model that matches the art style of your game then by all means use it!

More often than not, this is impossible because most assets you want will be done by different people and therefore have a totally inconsistent art style when thrown together. Regardless of how much time you put into choosing.

Using existing assets is fine for teaching yourself to make games, but selling projects like that as finished products I personally disagree with. On Steam especially, this sort of thing is met with extremely harsh criticism, where using the excuse of your age and being solo won't work.

Unity's asset store is the equivalent of inserting clipart into a Word document and trying to pass it off as your own art, as far as I'm concerned.