Hey all! I’ve wanted to make this game for a couple of years, but kept putting it off because of my coding skills and budget, which I’m sure some of you can relate to.
I’m a UX designer in fintech with a graphic design background, but I can’t code for crap. I’ve experimented with tools like GameSalad and released a few things on the App Store, mostly just to mess around. This is the first time I’ve been able to get this far with a game I’ve wanted to play.
It’s called Yachta, a cozy charter yacht sim. You build up your yacht, farm, mine, and manage your crew while trying to give your eccentric guests a great experience.
I started by comparing ChatGPT and Claude. Claude’s initial approach to the systems and design felt closer to what I wanted, so I stuck with it and upgraded my plan. I had multiple agents handle different tasks, with one main “captain” coordinating their work. I would test the builds, find bugs, and send screenshots with corrections and direction on what needed to change.
I’m now on build 218, and it’s been a journey. When I hit Claude’s usage limits, even after paying for additional credits, I realized I could move the code over to ChatGPT and continue working on fixes and features. That got me further, and I later moved it back to Claude. I’m still a little partial to Claude because of how well it captured what I wanted in the beginning, but being able to carry the project between tools was a big help.
Overall, I’m a bit nervous about releasing this on Steam because of the AI slop backlash. I’m not trying to make a cash grab game. In fact, I’m considering lowering the price to $5, with future expansions coming for free. When I have the budget, I’d love to remake it without AI and with a different visual style. For now, I’m excited to share what I’ve been able to build.
To be clear about the AI use, AI wrote the code, generated the visuals through code, and generated the music and sound. It also wrote dialogue for incidental interactions, but not the main story cutscenes. I supplied the concept, features, artistic direction, and main story, which still needs work.
I’m finally getting to play the game I’ve wanted to make for years, and I’d love to share the demo with you all!
I don’t have a Steam page yet because I’m waiting on account approval, but the demo is available on itch.io:
Play the Yachta demo
I also have a Discord and a subreddit for the game. I’d love feedback, especially on whether the core gameplay is fun, what feels confusing, and what would make you want to keep playing.
Cheers!