Indie Developers Show They've Got Game

Thanks to Wired News for their article discussing the continuing rise to prominence of high-quality independent games. The successes are pinpointed: "Determined independents are making it in the game business. Where they're making their mark - and profits - is on the PC, through creative Net-based distribution, and in genres and with audiences that the mainstream game industry typically ignores or has left behind", and the article explains how companies like PopCap Games are actually making money nowadays, with "'deluxe' downloadable versions of their games that... offer additional features, such as additional game modes, better graphics and music, as well as the ability to play offline."

Comments

Re:That's it?

[slusich]

Puzzle games are the best example because they are the most common. A small company with a limited budget can produce a puzzle game quickly and cheaply - and if the game is addictive enough they will do quite well with it. I'd love to see more small companies creating games like SOLDAT, but it isn't likely that will happen on any large scale.

Making the CORRECT puzzle games

[Saige]

PopCap is doing so well because of the types of puzzle games they're making.

Unlike classic PC puzzle games like Sokoban, which there are about 100 different versions available, and even one inside of the Nethack dungeion, the games offer a lot more playability. Sokoban, for example, has each level as a puzzle with, well, really one solution. You either get it right, or you try again. If you can't figure one out, you get stuck.

PopCap games like Bejeweled, Bookworm, and Alchemy don't follow this "one right answer" syndrome. And they don't require any level of hand-eye coordination or reflexes like Tetris. You take as long as you want between making moves, and you have a lot of options for your moves. Some moves are better than others, but you can pick even horrible ones and still play for a bit.

As you play, it gets tougher, and you have to improve to keep going. So you can measure your progress - and as your abilities improve, you can make use of them in the early stages, and progress through them faster. No matter what your skill, the early levels aren't boring, and you can get through them faster.

Bejeweled was cool - Bookworm is even better, I'm still addicted to it. They know what they're doing. These games have GAMEPLAY, which is what everyone talks about games needing.

I'm waiting to see them start offering bundles of their games for sale at the store - $40 for Bejeweled, Bookworm, and a few others would be a great deal, and would likely sell well. And they might even work for consoles, too.