An Overview of the IGF Finalists 62
Gamespy has a great piece looking at this year's finalists for the Independent Games Festival. Awards for the festival will be given out next week at the Game Developer's Conference. From the article: "From the title, you'd guess that Dad 'N Me was a charming interactive tale about a father's love for his child. That's exactly the kind of wholesome headline-grabber that this industry needs. Right? Sure. Except this is not that game. No, Dad 'N Me is all about beating up children on a playground. I'm not kidding you. You're a purple wrecking machine, and your job is to smack the crap out of little weeble-wobble-shaped children using your head, hands, feet ... garbage cans, lawn mowers, propane tanks ... even other children."
Credibility, here we COME! (Score:5, Funny)
Also, one of my friends showed a disturbing amount of glee when I told him about this game. He's a 3rd grade teacher. Go figure.
Re:Credibility, here we COME! (Score:1)
Re:Credibility, here we COME! (Score:1)
Is today's youth REALLIE that bad?
YES.
-:sigma.SB
Re:Credibility, here we COME! (Score:2, Funny)
Too bad (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Too bad (Score:2)
Dad 'N Me (Score:3, Insightful)
I have to say though that i was kindof disappointed in the amount of innovation. I would hope that at a festival like this games featuring interesting (original) gameplay and innovative controls, design, story lines, &c. would rise to the top. Those mentioned in the article, though novel, don't really inspire me. Though, it reminded me how much fun it would be to work for a game design house.
Re:Dad 'N Me or Globbo revisited (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Dad 'N Me or Globbo revisited (Score:1)
Cute game!
Re:Dad 'N Me (Score:1)
At least in 1976, titles had physical covers to convey content ... with exploding nukes being a spoiler.
* Don Johnson "communicates telepathically with his dog as they scavenge for food and sex" in this post apocalyptic tale
Runs to the video store (Score:2)
Re:Dad 'N Me (Score:3, Insightful)
The major problem with gaming intellectuals who demand innovation in all arenas is that true innovation doesn't come from a vacuum; it arrives either because the ingredients for the idea have accumulated, as was the ca
Re:Dad 'N Me (Score:1)
Otherwise, how will gaming evolve? Will it evolve? Or will we continue to see an industry dominated by FPS titles that succeed or fail based on how interesting and involving the plot is?
Re:Dad 'N Me (Score:2)
Disgusting. Sad. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Disgusting. Sad. (Score:2)
Re:Disgusting. Sad. (Score:2)
In the 80s toys like Action man/GI Joe was popular. These ran around with guns and tries to kill each other. Movies like Die hard (still awesome but proves the point) were made full of people shooting each other. Games often involved people running around shooting aliens or people. Bionic commando and such.
In the 90s we had Ninja turtles who kic
Re:Disgusting. Sad. (Score:2)
Que?
Re:Disgusting. Sad. (Score:2)
At least I didn't have to bring a basin to him every couple hours.
Nasty piece of kit.
Re:Disgusting. Sad. (Score:1)
I'll refer you to... (Score:2)
RTFA.
Re:Disgusting. Sad. (Score:2)
Sadly, people who actually want to graduate with a useful degree can't got to the bisexual orgie beer binges. Similarly, indie games aren't made by raving mad corporations intent on making kids into killing machines, but by
Their attitude towards anyone who isn't themselves is disgusting and assumes the worst at every possible turn. Their behaviour and attit
Come On... (Score:5, Insightful)
What about Darwinia http://www.darwinia.co.uk/ [darwinia.co.uk]? How about Tribal Trouble http://tribaltrouble.com/ [tribaltrouble.com]? Crazy Ball http://www.atomicelbow.com/ [atomicelbow.com]?
let the entire competition shine, not just the one crappy flash game that gets media attention!
How about beating up certain programmers... (Score:2)
Re:How about beating up certain programmers... (Score:1)
Re:How about beating up certain programmers... (Score:2)
Which game? (Score:3, Insightful)
I checked out the games that would run on my amd64 Linux, that weren't real time strategy.
Strange Attractions is strangely addicting. It's got that arcade feel of being incredibly frustrating to get good at, and still often frustrating when you're good at it, but interesting gameplay that keeps you coming back for more. And unlike most arcade games, sometimes you need patience. Lots and lots of patience.
Tube Twist was fun. Reminds me of The Incredible Machine, and that's a good thing. Also reminds
Hmmm (Score:3, Interesting)
This type of game is not what the industry needs right now. Beating up bad guys is a part of the flash game stereotype. That said, beating up children wasn't necessary for the game's success. I would have just as much fun fighting ninjas, aliens, or evil robots bent on world domination.
I'd have to assume the only reason the game designer chose thise setting was for shock value (and thus more public interest). Either that, or he's got some issues to work out.
How long... (Score:2, Funny)
This game gets an award... (Score:1)
my point being... (Score:1)
Re:This game gets an award... (Score:2)
Re:This game gets an award... (Score:2, Insightful)
Nerdy games at page 2! (Score:2)
Instead of starting the reflexive games and violence discussions all over again, just go the article and look for example at the cool games on page 2 [gamespy.com]
I played an online game similar to the strange attractors game, I was playing for hours launching things into orbit, waiting to see where they would end up, very addictive!
The rumble box game looks even more freaking out, reminds me of the IKE
Re:Great Gameplay! (Score:2)
Having to chase a bunch of nobodies just to get all the way back to Mr. "Sunchips", who is practically impervious to things thrown at him, can kick you if you're hitting him, and when you're down, shoots you four times while you're down (now you're dead!) and can't move, sucks.
The term is lost... (Score:3, Insightful)
Is it? (Score:4, Interesting)
Or, is getting "published" by Sony the same as getting published by Activision/Sierra?
Or, is getting "funded" through a game you made yourself the same thing as getting "funded" by EA, Activision, Tony Hawk, or even venture capitalists?
From the Alien Hominid website:
"Our development is 100% self-funded with support from fans who buy our quality merchandise!"
And the group's name is: The Behemoth [thebehemoth.com]
They seem to actually be a corporation, but entirely self-funded and non-mainstream. That's good enough for me.
And yes, it is possible for an "independent developer", like id, to become mainstream, like id, at which point I'd no longer call them "independent". But I don't see how being "independent" necessarily means being "amateur" or "not professional" -- to me, it just means without mainstream funding or advertising, until they themselves are the new "mainstream".
Anyone want to correct me on that? Surely these indy game awards/competitions have rules...
Re:Is it? (Score:2)
Between titles, id has 0 funding from outside sources except income, just like the hominid team, so what is stopping id from being considered independant and entering this contest?
IGF Rules (Score:2)
They do. From the IGF website: http://www.igf.com/guidelines.htm [igf.com]
Re:The term is lost... (Score:2)
Independant would mean a company who publishes and sells games outside of big distribution companies/labels. Just like independant music, or independant film. They are not amateurs (they are trying to sell you something), but they are independant.
Caution, drive-by installs (Score:2)
Didn't they call that... (Score:3, Funny)
I played that game when it was called Diablo II. Not that I didn't like Diablo II, I just had to buy a new mouse afterwards.
Purple, eh? (Score:2, Insightful)
Go Barney!
But seriously. How is this different from playing a game where you have to kill 1000's of asians? Or where you get bonus points for hitting old grannies? Or for that matter showing pictures of dismembered bombing victims on TV? Oh well.. I guess there's a hypocrit in all of you. (Uhm. US! Of course I meant us!)
Re:Purple, eh? (Score:1)
darwinia demo... (Score:3, Interesting)
So I download the Darwinia demo....and it crashes almost immediately. Awesome. Reminds me of why I stick to consoles for my gaming. PCs just have too many wildcards hardware wise.
Soooooo.... So? (Score:2)
I refuse. As long as there is a pulse through these veins, I will continue to make the games I want to make, rather than the games it's in the best interest of the public relations side of the entire independant game industry to make.
Freedom doesn't only exist so Danish people can make fun of Muslum terrorists.