When to Use Asset Packs Instead of Kitbashing: A Retrospective
Asset Packs vs. Kitbashing: A Postmortem from Goblin Factory Games
At Goblin Factory Games, we recently shipped our first title, “Caverns of Chaos.” It was…an experience. Now that the dust has settled (and the bugs are mostly squashed), we’re doing a deep dive into what worked and what didn’t. One recurring theme? Our asset integration strategy, or lack thereof.
We quickly realized early on that we couldn’t afford bespoke art for every asset. The decision was either asset packs or kitbashing. It sounds simple, but it quickly became our biggest challenge.
The Siren Song of Kitbashing
Initially, kitbashing felt like the obvious choice. The promise of unique designs, tailored exactly to our vision, was incredibly appealing. We envisioned a world brimming with originality, distinct from the cookie-cutter aesthetics of games that rely too heavily on pre-made asset packs.
What we didn’t fully grasp was the sheer effort required to maintain visual consistency when pulling assets from disparate sources. We ended up with a “Frankenstein’s monster” effect in some areas. Textures clashed, poly counts varied wildly, and the overall aesthetic felt… disjointed.
The Allure (and Limitations) of Asset Packs
Asset packs, on the other hand, offered a tempting solution to our consistency woes. A curated collection of assets, designed to work together seamlessly, seemed like a foolproof way to achieve a cohesive visual style.
The problem? Over-reliance on asset packs can lead to generic environments that lack a unique identity. We found ourselves struggling to inject personality into our levels, often feeling constrained by the limited options within a single pack.
Finding the Sweet Spot: A Step-by-Step Approach
So, how do you navigate the treacherous waters of asset selection? After many painful iterations, we’ve developed a more strategic approach:
Define Your Aesthetic: Before touching a single asset, nail down the overall visual style you’re aiming for. Collect reference images, create mood boards, and establish a clear understanding of the game’s aesthetic.
Document Everything: This is crucial. Write down your aesthetic choices, preferred color palettes, and target poly counts. Create a style guide that everyone on the team can refer to.
Strategic Asset Pack Selection: If you opt for asset packs, choose them carefully. Look for packs that align closely with your defined aesthetic and offer a good balance of variety and consistency. Try to limit yourself to as few distinct packs as possible.
Kitbashing with Purpose: Don’t abandon kitbashing entirely! Use it strategically to create unique focal points or to fill in gaps in your asset library. But always prioritize visual consistency. Modify textures, adjust poly counts, and ensure that kitbashed assets blend seamlessly with their surroundings.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate: Keep everyone on the team in the loop. Share your style guide, discuss asset choices, and provide regular feedback. Avoid stylistic drift by ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
A Cautionary Tale: The Case of the Mismatched Mushrooms
Let me give you a concrete example of where we messed up. Early on, a junior artist decided to add some mushrooms to a forest scene. Seemed harmless enough. But he pulled a free mushroom model from a random online source. The result? A hyper-realistic mushroom with 40,000 polygons sitting next to low-poly, hand-painted vegetation. It stuck out like a sore thumb and wasted valuable time to fix later on.
This highlights a critical point: even small inconsistencies can derail the overall visual experience.
Level Up Your Workflow: Document and Conquer
Our biggest takeaway from this project was the critical need for better documentation. Trying to remember why we chose a particular texture or why we tweaked a specific model was a nightmare. We wasted countless hours backtracking and re-evaluating decisions that should have been clearly documented from the outset.
To avoid repeating these mistakes, we’re now using a shared journaling tool to document all our design choices. We track everything from initial concept sketches to final asset tweaks. This allows us to easily access aesthetic decisions when integrating new assets, ensuring that everything aligns with our established visual style. We can even share screenshots and examples of what to avoid.
Keeping the whole team on the same page has never been easier.
Ready to ditch the “Frankenstein’s monster” effect and build a truly cohesive game? Start documenting your asset decisions today. Streamline your asset decision documentation and keep your team on the same page.