Cat Cafe Game

Art from the prototype

Long before the 3D game I am building now, there was a prototype: a 2D pixel game I lived in for quite a while. Everything on this page comes from back then — art I had an AI generate as a stand-in, so the systems would have something to push around. It was never real art, and it is definitely not what the finished game will look like.

I am keeping it because every piece is a trace of the road I took: which ones fell apart, which ones worked, and how long it took to learn what a cat cafe should actually feel like to play. One day the real game will look nothing like this — and that is exactly why it is worth keeping around. 🐈

Everything here is temporary art from the prototype. None of it is the real game's art. 🎨

People in the shop

The very first barista I generated — one look and you can see the camera tilt got baked into the sprite itself, so it was dropped before it ever reached the game.
The very first barista I generated — one look and you can see the camera tilt got baked into the sprite itself, so it was dropped before it ever reached the game.
The first player's walk cycle, 6 frames in a single strip — the game slices it back into frames as you play.
The first player's walk cycle, 6 frames in a single strip — the game slices it back into frames as you play.
Player version two, the barista in the green apron — the one that finally got a “that's excellent” and stayed in the game for a good while.
Player version two, the barista in the green apron — the one that finally got a “that's excellent” and stayed in the game for a good while.
Version three's walk — redrawn smaller, down to 92 pixels, so everyone in the game would read as one family.
Version three's walk — redrawn smaller, down to 92 pixels, so everyone in the game would read as one family.
The player sitting down — generated with no chair at all, because the chair is a real object in the game. The sprite just has to sit on thin air convincingly.
The player sitting down — generated with no chair at all, because the chair is a real object in the game. The sprite just has to sit on thin air convincingly.
The shop's first customer — the camera looked down so steeply that the lean got painted into the art, and in the end the whole set had to be redone.
The shop's first customer — the camera looked down so steeply that the lean got painted into the art, and in the end the whole set had to be redone.
The woman in the yellow cardigan — the “root” character every other person in the cast was edited out of.
The woman in the yellow cardigan — the “root” character every other person in the cast was edited out of.
The customer in the navy suit — edited from the root, changing only the hair and the outfit, so her face and proportions stay in the same family.
The customer in the navy suit — edited from the root, changing only the hair and the outfit, so her face and proportions stay in the same family.
The customer with glasses — a gender change edited from that same root character, and the head and proportions came through intact.
The customer with glasses — a gender change edited from that same root character, and the head and proportions came through intact.
A female shop owner — one of the redesigns with a bigger head, about three heads tall. Still only a test; it was never actually chosen.
A female shop owner — one of the redesigns with a bigger head, about three heads tall. Still only a test; it was never actually chosen.
Crouching down to play with a cat, 9 frames — and the prompt must never mention a cat, or a ghost one gets painted into her hands.
Crouching down to play with a cat, 9 frames — and the prompt must never mention a cat, or a ghost one gets painted into her hands.

Cats

A tiny 48-pixel calico — the earliest cat, so small you can barely make out the patches.
A tiny 48-pixel calico — the earliest cat, so small you can barely make out the patches.
The tabby, the first cat that actually walked around the shop — the side view is the only angle that tells you whether it is really standing on four legs.
The tabby, the first cat that actually walked around the shop — the side view is the only angle that tells you whether it is really standing on four legs.
The tabby's walk cycle, 9 frames — the prompt had to insist it never turn its face to the camera mid-stride, or it would sneak a glance.
The tabby's walk cycle, 9 frames — the prompt had to insist it never turn its face to the camera mid-stride, or it would sneak a glance.

Things in the shop

One rug from the 64-pixel tile set — floor, wall, counter and rug were all generated together as one batch.
One rug from the 64-pixel tile set — floor, wall, counter and rug were all generated together as one batch.
A cupcake from the menu — food icons were generated one at a time, for the menu board and the order slips.
A cupcake from the menu — food icons were generated one at a time, for the menu board and the order slips.

On screen

A blank order slip — art only supplies the paper; the game prints the words on top, so they can change language.
A blank order slip — art only supplies the paper; the game prints the words on top, so they can change language.
The peg that clips the order slip — it has to be a separate piece, because if it were generated fused to the paper the game could never move or rotate it.
The peg that clips the order slip — it has to be a separate piece, because if it were generated fused to the paper the game could never move or rotate it.