Hey all,
This is adapted from a challenge a game dev friend and I have done elsewhere, putting it here as well too after bugging RT. Here's how the Capsule Art Design Exercise goes:
THE MAKING:- Pick a game idea that you aren't actively developing. Then do the following:
- Write down ONE genre for it (along with up to ONE subgenre) and a 1-2 sentence summary of the game
- Create a Steam capsule for your game, which:
- Is a Main Capsule (1232px x 706px) (Steam dimensions, weird, we know) or Vertical Capsule (748px x 896px) (you can do both if you want)
- Prominently includes the title of the game and no other text
- Is safe for work!
- Is created by you and not by AI!
NB: Don't worry too much about art 'quality'. This is about communicating an idea in capsule form.
CAPSULE ART REVEAL (8/23)- Reveal your capsule!
- Guess the a. genre, b. subgenre if you think there is one, and c. 1-2 sentence pitch. of the other capsules
- Critique constructively on genre-clarity of the capsule if applicable.
- NB: Don't critique artistic quality/merit without artist's permission
- You don't have to make a capsule to guess, but it'd be cool if you did!
The Impress.com Capsule Browser (https://impress.games/steam-capsule-asset-browser) is a great place to check out capsule art for similar games on Steam!
Here are a couple examples I've done of the first one we did and the one we're guessing for right now somewhere over on Discord.
roguepi_workup.png
capsule_challenge_what_knight_have_been_main.png
one does not simply "have ideas"
I should write an idea generator for this that people could spitball off of. A handmade game-concept generator like Mom used to make. (Not really, but she raised me on DOS. She could've if she'd put her mind to it!)
i think i have mine. gonna give it a couple days to percolate. i might just be addicted to making hypothetical capsules by now
posting to remind myself to have something ready for this sunday sunday SUNDAY
Quote from: RT-55J on Wed, 2026 - 08 - 19, 03:47 PMposting to remind myself to have something ready for this sunday sunday SUNDAY
u better
not quite Sunday yet but YOLO, enjoy the adventures of IRENE THE INSOMNIAC
capsulechallenge20260823_irene_the_insomniac.png
So the note here is, try to guess the intended GENRE, SUBGENRE (if any) and basic pitch.
I'll attempt the same. After a day or two we can hit that spoiler reveal (Not seeing a way to do spoilers on here otherwise it'd be more efficient for us to just write our guesses out, then click the spoiler and react to how right or wrong we were.)
Looking forward to seeing RT's and anyone else's!
I'm assuming that's for a run-based psychological horror metroidvania where you have to balance your sanity meter to determine how far into/away from the nightmare world you are while exploring.
unfortunately this weekend has been pretty busy for me, so i haven't drawn anything yet, but i'll see what i can do within the next hour or so
okay i got something half-done. i have a couple things this evening, but i'll post what i have before going to sleep
genre: platform fighter
subgenre: sports
pitch: dodgeball, but with a stage that works like breakout so the platforms on your side fall away when the ball hits them
also this is rad
impressive accuracy
[me silently stalking this thread for precious ideas (,im an idea vampire, an ideapire)]
does that mean if we want u to make games for us we just have to post capsules of them here
as long as it's something i could do on the super nintendo, yeah maybe
ok reveal time
IRENE THE INSOMNIAC
3D PLATFORMER / HORROR
Irene, a woman nearly always unable to fall asleep, finally takes sleeping pills and finds herself haunted through dreamland by nightmarish creatures.
i did it again this might be my best yet
capsulechallenge20260903_missing_astoria.png