Sontayo

joined 4 hours ago
[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world -1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

I did notice it hard to miss. I figured it works as a built-in disclaimer: if the AI artifact in the title bothers you, you'll know right away this game might not be for you. The cover stays as is until I move away from AI visuals entirely. If you're genuinely curious it reads Dungeons & Diagnoses. The second ampersand is just the AI doing its thing.

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world 6 points 2 hours ago

I want to thank everyone in this thread for the honest feedback. I hear you on the AI art — I understand it's not just an aesthetic preference but a matter of principle for many of you. This conversation genuinely helped me realize the issue runs deeper than I expected. I acknowledge the problem with AI-generated images — that's fair criticism. But I'll also be honest about something else: my native language is Ukrainian. If I had replied to you in Ukrainian, or posted this thread in Ukrainian, none of you would have understood a word — and I suspect most of you wouldn't have gone out of your way to translate it either. AI is what makes this conversation possible at all. I'll be more transparent going forward. Appreciate the patience.

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

The game text itself is fully written by me in my native language. AI helped with structuring and translating it into English and the other languages. So the writing, ideas, and story are entirely mine. Thanks for being understanding about it.

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Fair point. My English isn't great so I used AI to help phrase things properly — but the thoughts and decisions were mine. Guess I should have mentioned that too.

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

Yes, absolutely — if I ever get the chance to work with a real artist, reworking the art is something I genuinely want to do. It would make the game feel the way it deserves to. And Linux release is on the roadmap! No exact timeline yet, but it's planned. Thank you for the kind words — means a lot even if the game isn't quite for you right now. Maybe one day it will be

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

That's actually a fair point. I'll keep it in mind for future updates. Thanks.

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago (6 children)

You're right, I don't fully understand the depth of it. I know it's about artists whose work was used to train these models without consent or compensation — and that crediting the AI tool doesn't address that at all. I wanted to make games — it's something I genuinely care about. But I'm a solo dev with no budget, and hiring an artist simply isn't an option for me right now. AI was the only path I found that made this possible at all. I understand that doesn't make it okay for everyone, and I'm not trying to pretend otherwise.

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (12 children)

You're right, I should have mentioned it upfront. The visuals were generated using Nano Banana Pro. I understand that's still a sensitive issue for many people and I respect that.

[–] Sontayo@lemmy.world -1 points 4 hours ago (14 children)

Yeah, the images are AI-generated. I work alone and I'm not an artist, so this was pretty much the only realistic way to get something decent-looking

 

Dungeons & Diagnoses — a fantasy therapy sim where your patients are cursed heroes, dark lords, and burned-out adventurers Hey everyone! I just released my first indie game and wanted to share it here. The premise: you're the kingdom's only psychotherapist. Patients arrive convinced they're cursed, haunted, or marked by fate. Your job is to listen carefully, spot contradictions, and figure out what's actually going on beneath all the fantasy drama. A guard paralyzed by fear calls it a curse. A rogue on a self-destructive spiral blames a hex. A hero who can't stop taking on impossible quests says it's prophecy. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. Gameplay:

Branching dialogue to gather symptoms A handbook system to compare diagnoses Drag-and-drop prescriptions Multiple outcomes — wrong diagnosis can ruin lives or unleash chaos

It blends dark humor with genuinely emotional storytelling in a cozy medieval setting. Made in Godot, free to download (name your own price), still in early development. 🌍 The game is available in 8 languages: English, Ukrainian, German, French, Portuguese, Czech, Simplified Chinese, and Russian — so hopefully most of you can play it in your native language. ⚠️ Transparency note: the game's visuals are currently AI-generated. The text was written by me in my native language and translated with AI assistance. This is a solo early-access project and replacing the visuals with hand-drawn art is part of the long-term plan. Feedback is very welcome — especially on writing, pacing, and whether the diagnoses feel fair. 👉 https://sontayo.itch.io/dungeons-diagnoses