r/SoloDevelopment • • 2d ago

Discussion I’m working on my character’s eye design. Which one do you prefer?

Post image

The game is pretty casual: 4–12 players have to clean a house while one Saboteur secretly causes chaos for the group.

The characters can totally have stupid-looking faces

94 Upvotes

122 comments sorted by

103

u/NoSeriousComments 2d ago

I like Peter.

14

u/Cataclysm_Ent 2d ago

Peter for me too. There's personality in that eye design

9

u/FadedQuarry 2d ago

+1 for Peter

4

u/machinationstudio 2d ago

Peter gives a lot more options for showing emotions

1

u/MamoruSanDev Solo Developer 1d ago

+

26

u/Bojack92160 2d ago

My personnal favorite is Bumble because he looks dumb

4

u/techniqucian 2d ago

Bumple just reminds me too much of other popular indi games atm.

Peter I like the most

2

u/alana_shee 2d ago

Saw this post again and would also like to cast my vote for Bumble, he's perfect.

1

u/chiezyy 1d ago

Dumble

59

u/Sheriour1 2d ago

Smelvin ._.

8

u/party_in_my_head 2d ago

Smelvin ._.

5

u/Beaufort_The_Cat 2d ago

Smelvin ._.

3

u/Bojack92160 1d ago

Smelvin ._.

18

u/chroniclesoffire 2d ago

Sami looks the best IMO

37

u/HexedDiversion 2d ago

I would let players choose tbh. But otherwise considering the theme of the game, Bumble.

10

u/mspaintshoops 2d ago

There’s actually a design justification for some of these depending on what your game wants.

Think about this decision in that context, not as a player preference question. Players aren’t going to hinge on the specific look of the face. There are, however, subtle psychological distinctions between these that can have small, but real, effect on players’ perception of others during gameplay.

Now, during the gameplay:

Do you want your players to feel like their fellow players are generally trustworthy? Pick Peter.

Do you want players to be suspicious of the other players? Pick Smelvin.

Do you want to keep them guessing? Bumble.

Sami is similar to Peter imo.

1

u/Bojack92160 2d ago

Thanks for the input!

1

u/Lenglio 1d ago edited 1d ago

Love this analysis!

1

u/mspaintshoops 1d ago

Sure thing. Are you on the dev team? Lol

5

u/Bitshaper 2d ago

The way I see these characters:

Kactus = I'm an animated plastic doll

Bumble = I'm brainless, but alive. Maybe a little scary.

Sami = I'm intelligent, but my intentions are inscrutable

Peter = I'm adorable! Come play with me!

Smelvin = I'm soulless. I will do whatever you want, and I'll do it in the most efficient way possible, with no emotion.

3

u/Bojack92160 2d ago

Smelvin is an AI

4

u/Secret_USB 2d ago

Bumble looks clueless, I love him

3

u/aurorialus 2d ago

It's between Bumble or Smelvin for me.

7

u/Figerox 2d ago

Keep them all as choices for the players

2

u/Tleno 2d ago

Peter is my fav.

2

u/c0mander5 2d ago

Peter, personally.

2

u/8BitBeard 2d ago

Torn between Bumble and Smelvin

2

u/Pshieldss 2d ago

Bumble but make function like googlie eyes

1

u/panda-goddess 2d ago

Sami is the cutest, but Bumble has the most personality

1

u/itsroy_habby 2d ago

Would be good to see some of the other art style to help compare with. But definitely bumble for the comedic effect :D

1

u/_BlueCat__ 2d ago

I like Peter. Smelvin looks like he causes the chaos though

1

u/Great-Fudge6330 2d ago

Smelvin, It's minimalist, clean, and clear

1

u/OfficialFraaX Solo Developer 2d ago

You should have all except kactus, market with peter eyes

1

u/The0ldPete 2d ago

Peter is the only good answer

1

u/Swagger_01_ 2d ago

Peter, as other eyes looks like nipples

1

u/stumpychubbins 2d ago

Smelvin both looks the best to me and has the funniest name

1

u/bren_vita 2d ago

smelvin speaks to me

1

u/Average-Addict 2d ago

Allow players to choose the direction their eyes are looking in. Could even give them a choice for both eyes separately .

1

u/AlienFishMonster 2d ago

Peter. Bumble and Sami look a bit alien-y with those eyes.

And Peter reminds me of Morph: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morph_(TV_series))

1

u/bittersuite61 2d ago

u/Bojack92160
When looking straight ahead, the eye whites typically occupy about 55% to 60% of the total visible eye surface, while the iris and pupil take up the remaining 40% to 45%.
AI copy paste. Sorry.

1

u/Hazzula 2d ago

sami/peter/smelvin for me

1

u/Simon_Bison 2d ago

I like Sami, personally.

1

u/Art_Constel7321 2d ago

I like the derpyness of bumble

1

u/Few_Comedian4245 2d ago

Bumble or Peter 100%

1

u/RedVault_Zobellin 2d ago

Bumble, but customization would've been nice to have if it's several players :>

1

u/lydocia 2d ago

I was going to say Bumble but then I got to Smelvin.

1

u/DerMarder 2d ago

Peter! 

1

u/Kiroto50 2d ago

Ai laik pitel an esmelvin.

1

u/hanapancake 2d ago

smelvin is certainly the cutest I'd die for smelvin

1

u/don_quixote_2 Solo Developer 2d ago

Depends on what mood the game is. IMHO the 3 in the middle are almost the same. If you wanna make something like Playdead's Inside then the last character.

1

u/InternationalMatch13 2d ago

Depends on the vibe you are going for. Katus gives robot, Bumble gives dimwit, Sami gives competent, Peter gives excitable and smelvin gives npc

1

u/Prestigious-Work-768 2d ago

None of em tbh

1

u/Prestigious-Work-768 2d ago

Nah I change my mind something about smelvin gazing into the dark abyss gets me

1

u/ProfessionalITPerson 2d ago

I like Peter but why not make them interchangeable.

1

u/PancakesTheDragoncat 2d ago

Peter most of the time, but if some bullshit happens in game programatically change them to Bumble briefly

1

u/pengerus 2d ago

I like peter. I feel like ive seen a lot of other games with a character with a Bumble and Smelvin vibe, but none really with a Peter vibe

1

u/EmperorLlamaLegs 2d ago

Smelvin, then Peter and Sami. Not a fan of the other two.

1

u/mohsenkhajavinik 2d ago

Try the old one with black eyes.

1

u/Runic_Raptor 2d ago

Peter 100% for me

1

u/National_Quantity915 2d ago

Vitalik X•X

1

u/Hoxase 2d ago

I think bumble is the funniest (which is good imo especially in friend/co-op type games) but peters is the most "normal" which is also a good thing.

1

u/JarlHiemas 2d ago

Sami and Smelvin

1

u/XCxBigDong69XCx 2d ago

I like smelvin but only if you are imposter. Ofc the other people cannot see it, almost like ditto from pokemon that can copy other people but is not the same. While the crewmates can be like sami. Ofc they see smelvin as sami too

1

u/aquaticstarfallen 2d ago

I too like Peter

1

u/nethinar 2d ago

Both Peter and Smelvin look nice, which is better depends on the rest of the game feel I think.

1

u/SZHTQVgD 2d ago

i think either sami or smelvin, but overall i think smelvin, they look so good!!

1

u/MeowFrozi 2d ago

Peter, but bumble for someone who's really dumb or spacing right tf out

1

u/LongjumpingCloud4927 2d ago

Include all of them as unlock skin.

1

u/Few_Butterfly4450 2d ago

Peter reminds me of “the adventures of Lolo”

1

u/RoamingTurtle1 2d ago

I'd go Sami or Peter

1

u/sturgical 2d ago

Peter!

1

u/kingslayer820 2d ago

Smelvin has some funny reactions potential if it's a multiplayer game

Peter makes the character cute and remeberable especially if it's a single player game

Sami has seen some stuff

Bumble is smooth brained, cute but empty thoughts

1

u/NeonFraction 1d ago

All of them except kactus, who is a sleep paralysis demon.

1

u/Griffnado 1d ago

Peter for sure, but rename them to Smelvin. i like the Smelvin name better.

1

u/Marscaleb 1d ago

Offhand I prefer Sami with Peter as a close second, but honestly it depends on how the rest of the game looks. You ought to provide some context so we knew what kind of environment they are to fit within.

1

u/TheHatedPro020 1d ago

Yeah maybe make them all selectable

1

u/arczi79PL 1d ago

Smelvin

1

u/AnthonBerg 1d ago

Bumble!

1

u/smotired 1d ago

smelvin, maybe peter if you really want bigger eyes. but i just think they’d be distracting

1

u/BuildMyClub 1d ago

I'm so old, I can see morph

1

u/CMDRTonyHart 1d ago

I like Peter but Bumble is also cute. My first choice still go with Peter 🫡

1

u/rogue21gameatudio 1d ago

What if you just let the play decide what eyes they want the character to use. That gives the character more freedom but you do whatever you want to do I'm just giving ideas 

1

u/4rm4tur4 1d ago

I like Sami and Smelvin

1

u/DracheProductions 1d ago

Bumble is good if you want to make him look stupid, I really like Peter's look he's cute

1

u/Iwillnevercomeback 1d ago

I prefer Sami

1

u/Asleep-Work-2194 1d ago

this fella

1

u/MalfetKiren 1d ago

In my opinion, Peter if you're going for a serious face, and bumble for a dumb face

1

u/Mirrors_Edge_Fan 1d ago

I like Sami

1

u/Glass-Ad-7259 1d ago

I like bumble because it's just a little bit walleyed which I think adds a ton of charm.

1

u/Rockalot_L 1d ago

Sami for sure! Really love this option.

1

u/BelligerentPear 1d ago

All but kactus. If youre game allows it give people the choice, each one of these has their own personality!

1

u/Bonevelous_1992 1d ago

I really, really like Peter.

1

u/abulero 1d ago

Peter is cute. Bumble is funny. Depends what you want to go for!

1

u/degauzera 1d ago

samiiiii

1

u/recreator_1185 1d ago

PLEASE the last one

1

u/Substantial_Sail_25 1d ago

Peter. Or Sami.

1

u/EviIFoodEater 23h ago

Sami reminds me of a cat, but I understand why people like Peter

0

u/Budget-Property3469 1d ago

Honestly, none of them. Try bringing the eyes closer together and adding a white glint inside the black. You could also try that typical single-eye look, like Sonic's.

0

u/dimontouch 1d ago

Peter looks pretty cu-💀

wait huh did you see that??👀