How do you guys feel about re-using tiles for games?

[sleepy_sealion]

Been taking some time to work on tiling - and part of me was thinking of going back to a game I uploaded months ago and use the new tiles instead of the default ones (due to styles mismatching between over world chars and the default tile set) - but at the same time I would like to try some other projects, but I'm unsure how lazy that would be if I used the custom tiles for more than one project?

So I'm kind of curious how you guys feel about seeing the same tile sets (or rather re-using) tile sets for projects?

 

[Poryg]

In my wallet there's just not enough cash to pay for brand new tilesets for every new project. Case closed for me. Can't judge others, since I can't do better myself.

 

[bgillisp]

SSI got away with it for 4 years with the Gold Box games with minimal changes, and Wizardry recycled many of their assets. I'd say it's just fine.

 

[Meike]

It's fine.

The only issues I would have is if you reuse your playable characters. Like you can't have Harold in one game and then in the next game have 'Harry' and they are supposed to be totally different people. Also, if your tiles don't fit the theme or feel of the game. A dark gritty game can't reuse the tiles from a cutesy harvest moon style game you made previously (without edits).

Otherwise, I couldn't care less if all your games were made from the RTP or from the same custom tilesets.

That and, I think most of us here will be reusing our tilesets...

 

[Kes]

I'm using the same tiles in my current project as in the last one - but I'm editing a lot of them so that they don't look exactly the same. I'm also mapping them slightly differently as well. There are a few different ones, but they are tiles I didn't use last time. So obviously I think it's fine.

 

[Sharm]

I used to wish that AAA companies would do that more often so we could get more games faster. Yeah, that was a long time ago. Now that the only ones really using tiles are indies, I wonder even more why this isn't a thing. Art is expensive and takes a lot of time to make! Reusing is efficient and isn't going to make your game less quality, especially if you are constantly expanding your art and refining stuff that isn't quite up to snuff.

 

[Storyteller-Hero]

It's not RPG Maker but the Avernum series has done relatively well as a game series that reuses tiles and graphics.

It goes to show that if the substance itself is good, it doesn't matter if the aesthetic is recycled.

 

[Prescott]

If they fit the aesthetic of your game, then yeah, go for it! Very few people are going to care about or even notice you reusing tilesets if they fit the game and there's more substance to the game than the tiles alone.

If you had a very traditional Japanese setting and all of your art had a painted look to it, and then tried applying that to a sci-fi space opera, that definitely wouldn't work. Always keep the overall idea of the project in mind, and what you want to convey to the player with the art. If it's not right for the game, I wouldn't use it.

 

[VisitorsFromDreams]

Majoras Mask is almost all recycled assets and its the bees knees, go for it.

 

[sleepy_sealion]

I'm okay to just end it with - If Majora's Mask did it, then it's Ok. Because that is a good answer on its own. But I guess it really isn't such a huge deal then, as long as they fit to the games theme/world. Thanks for your opinions.

 

[Kaeki]

If it's in the same realm/universe I reuse my tilesets. Having a tileset already helps on effort you can put towards other part of your game like the music or story. With small edits and rearranging the mapping it doesn't look too bad Like other's said, other games do it and games turned out okay.
Hey your game could take place on another part of that world or a distant planet across. They are your creation after all

 

[Aesica]

Recycling assets is great if you're on a budget. And even if you're not in many cases. I recycled a few from some of my previous projects (very few, because they were crap assets to begin with) and plan on doing so with any future projects as well. I see no reason to reinvent the wheel every time.

 

[Kupotepo]

@sleepy_sealion, It is fine to reuse a tileset. Except be consistent with style of story settings sci-fi or middle ages fantasy.

Remember is not about tileset much as the gameplay. It will be determined by your player has fun or not. I think you already know what I am talking about. I just remind you that so.

 

[dragoonwys]

Reusing tile sets is absolutely fine as long as it matches the style or theme of the game you are making. ^.^
I personally wouldn't be remaking the same 'potted plant' tile for every game I make that has a generic potted plant. In fact, if all your games are of similar art style, I would suggest just adding more to your original tile set so that it gets more versatile as time goes on.

 

[TheMutantSpaceDancer]

it's fine as long as you make them look different enough

 

[Finnuval]

what dragoonwys said

 

[FluffexStudios]

Recycled assets are definitely okay to use and a great way to budget your product as long as they are being used correctly (i.e. minor edit to color, changing lighting, change rotation). But do note that more recycled assets = less likely that your game will stand out.

 

[JosephSeraph]

I mean, people have been reusing the same RTP for almost 2 decades, so

 

[Wavelength]

It's fine, as long as you don't re-use very "identifiable" assets (like the centerpiece of a map) between two games which are supposed to have very different settings.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

As long as those assets fit the game, why not.. This is especially true if you're doing a game series set in not so distant timelines where it wouldnt make sense that everything suddenly changed.. You can also always change them a bit (mix and match some, map a bit different etc) and that could make a lot of difference