For most, weekends means two days off work with some much-needed R&R. But for game developers, it’s also a time during which they get to show off what they’ve been working on. I am of course referring to Screenshot Saturday, which involves tweeting screenshots with the #ScreenshotSaturday hashtag. Screenshots which I will be critiquing some of every single Tuesday, in Speculating Screenshots.
Different screenshots from different developers, all working on different games. Some are very much a WIP, while other are from titles rapidly approaching release. These tweets do all have one thing they in common though, which is that they feature actual screenshots (or at the very least, mockups), animated or stills. So without further ado…
Lord Murder's Minister of Defense, War, (in her war room of course) #pixelart #screenshotsaturday pic.twitter.com/o8JeI3fSBk
— Heroic Games (@HeroesMustDie) March 7, 2015
Untitled (@HeroesMustDie)
Remember, no fighting in the war room! That goes double for the fella in the creepy black outfit and the… person with that funky hairdo.
Mock up view from inside "the photon" https://t.co/HfEaD26a9A #screenshotsaturday #pixelart #indiedev #shmup pic.twitter.com/YV8Jdc1UF1
— Daniel Lyons (@planckpixels) March 7, 2015
Infinite Cosmos (@planckpixels)
Holy pixellated picture, Batman! Well, probably because it’s a screenshot of a mobile game, meaning it’s meant to be viewed on a smaller screen. That said, how the heck does he navigate it? Those in-flight controls look… odd.
#gamedev #pixelart Pirate rpg pinball still in development (lots of playtesting and engine stuff) #screenshotsaturday pic.twitter.com/GxWbGlKZeZ
— castpixel (@castpixel) March 8, 2015
Pirate rpg pinball (@castpixel)
How’s that for a genre mash-up, eh? Pirate pinball with RPG elements. Yup. I don’t even know where to begin, but I do love how crazy the concept is!
Each stage has a sub-boss and final boss. The headless horseman rides. #screenshotsaturday #indiegamedev #indiegame pic.twitter.com/QM49VDc9id
— Esperware (@esperware) March 7, 2015
Anathema (@esperware)
From crazy to a few months early: ladies and gentlemen, the headless horseman rides… in March! Last time I checked, all things spooky were supposed to appear around Halloween, ya know? But with such a funky screenshot, I’ll allow (and include) it.
Hectic Crazy Dungeon pinball! Blitzkeep 1.1. We're working on a huge and exciting update. #screenshotsaturday pic.twitter.com/lHf97Qpi4z
— Flint Games (@flintgames) March 7, 2015
Blitzkeep (@flintgames)
More pinball? You bet! This one looks more like the dungeoncrawler-esque sort though, with pirate involvement being highly unlikely. Also, something about a huge and exciting update, because, teasers.
You can now play Dystopixelia! First version readyy! #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #indeidev http://t.co/U3p6AkddsR pic.twitter.com/rXDMm8CTYQ
— KvantPant (@kvantpant) March 7, 2015
Dystopixelia (@kvantpant)
“Obey”? NEVER! And neither will what I assume is the protagonist, as she’s already made for the nearest exit by way of fire escape. At least, I’d like to think that’s what’s going on. Maybe it isn’t. Maybe it is.
