Stance on Assets

In game dev, especially indie, "asset flip" gets thrown around a lot — sometimes fairly, sometimes not.

Here's where I stand.

What I avoid:

Buying an entire pre-made map and dropping it into the game unchanged.
Using store-bought characters or other key, story-critical elements without modification.

Why? Because those are the soul of the game. If the heart of your world is someone else's work, it's not really your world.

Using paid assets as props, set dressing, and background elements.
Placing them carefully, adjusting materials, tweaking details, and making sure they match the style, mood, and tone of the game.
Combining them with original art so they blend seamlessly into a unique experience.

It's efficient, it respects the player's immersion, and — bonus — it supports the asset creators who put time into making quality resources.

Good assets, used thoughtfully, aren't a shortcut. They're a way to free up more energy for the parts of the game that matter most.