We’re taking a quick break from the Space Shooter series.
One blocker in development is finding the right assets for your game. In this article, I’ll give some tips for where to go to find free assets that can help you fill some of the aesthetic gaps in your games.
Sources
Itch.io/gameassets: This is a great site for indie developers. Not only is it a platform to host games, but it’s also a platform for creators to post assets for public use. When looking for free assets on this site, double-check the license associated with the assets that you’re downloading. Creative Commons Zero is the license that lets you use assets both commercially and noncommercially. Creative Commons will allow you to use assets noncommercially. For commercial use, it’s best practice to give credit to the creator and to message them about it.
https://opengameart.org/: Similar to itch.io, lots of creators post content here. You can find 2D, 3D, or audio assets here. The licensing concept that I mentioned earlier also applies here as well. This site has a lot more pixel-based assets than most.
kenney.nl: There are 2D, 3D, UI, and more assets here. Everything on this site should be under Creative Commons Zero and is completely free. The difference with this site is that most assets have a specific pastel aesthetic to them.
https://assetstore.unity.com/: Another great resource for free and purchasable assets. Not only does it have 2D and 3D assets, but it also has models, shaders, UI, etc. It’s a little more limited on the free assets; however, it has many high-quality assets for a price.
Hopefully, these resources can help you out in your game development journey.
