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Indie Games - Fast, Cheap and Everywhere

Posted by michael on from the all-variants-of-tetris-unfortunately dept.

bios10h writes "MSNBC has an article about indie game developers and their businesses. 'INDEPENDENT COMPUTER GAMING: It's not always pretty, but ask any one in the biz and they'll say that it represents the purest form of game development. And sometimes the cheapest.' Interesting read about the indie games scene... maybe we have indie developers in the Slashdot crowd that would like to comment on this."

14 of 279 comments (clear)

  1. I am an indie developer by mao+che+minh · · Score: 5, Funny

    A good Indie MMOG: Rubies Of Eventide. I have only heard good things about Rubies'.

    Personally, I have an Indie game of my own invention. Although it doesn't take much thought, it does demand agility when using both a mouse and a keyboard with one hand at the same time. It's basic premise has to do with three open browser windows, the web site images.google.com, the text strings "angelina jolie" - "salma hayek" - "britney spears", a scroll mouse, and a big wad of tissue.

    My girlfriend is not very fond of the game, and adamantly refuses to play along with me. I even offerred to let her use the joy stick instead of the keyboard.

    1. Re:I am an indie developer by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think I've played that game. My only complaint is, it's kind of repetitive.

    2. Re:I am an indie developer by Squareball · · Score: 2, Funny

      True, but it is the only game i've played that after the 100th time playing it, is still rewarding when you get to the end.

    3. Re:I am an indie developer by Magnifico · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Personally, I have an Indie game of my own invention."

      I guess this is another way of looking at a 'first-person shooter'.

    4. Re:I am an indie developer by Gzip+Christ · · Score: 5, Funny
      Personally, I have an Indie game of my own invention. Although it doesn't take much thought, it does demand agility when using both a mouse and a keyboard with one hand at the same time. It's basic premise has to do with three open browser windows, the web site images.google.com, the text strings "angelina jolie" - "salma hayek" - "britney spears", a scroll mouse, and a big wad of tissue.
      One of the best things about this game is that it is supported on Linux! SCO can't claim prior art on this because neither Darl McBride or Chris Sontag own joysticks, which I understand is the most important hardware requirement.

      (As an aside, you might also be interested in the enhanced version of this game.)

  2. my favorite game? by therevolution · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's called "Slashdot Effect." And MSNBC just lost.

  3. Wheww... by vasqzr · · Score: 5, Funny



    For a minute there, I thought we were outsourcing game programming to India.

    1. Re:Wheww... by inteller · · Score: 2, Funny

      don't give them any ideas. I'd rather not play the ghandi version of Halo.

    2. Re:Wheww... by IFF123 · · Score: 1, Funny

      Otherwise know as a "Halo: Passive Resistence" mod

      --
      Who took my tinfoil hat?
    3. Re:Wheww... by skyknytnowhere · · Score: 3, Funny

      I think a version of Halo based on the Bhagavad Gita might be kinda cool though...

      Krishna laser disc attack!

      skye

    4. Re:Wheww... by Hatta · · Score: 2, Funny

      Or the Kama Sutra.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  4. The M$FT RPC HACK ATTACK has started..HELP!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I have lost control of all my department's windows machines due to the RPC attack launched at 8/1/2003 3:30pm EST!!!!
    What am I supposed to do TO FIX THIS???
    SHIT, I am going to be FIRED!!

  5. SHHHHHhhhh.....! by Midnight+Ryder · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hrmm.. You aren't by chance the say Davis Ray Sickmon who used for work on the Freedows/AllOS project, are you?

    [Peforms Jedi Mind Trick, waving hand]This is not the Davis you are looking for. I never worked on Freedows or AllOs. Move along.

    Yeah, same guy. Don't mention that again. ;-)

    In any event, what's the difference? Why is it people will code on Open Source projects, but not do 3d work? I guess I come at this from a bad perspective, but I really don't understand the difference.

    Well, you make the assumption that people do code on Open Source projects. Many of them totally flop for lots of reasons (go cruse SourceForge looking for inactive projects. There are LOTS.) It really all depends on how many people feel the need to scratch that particular 'itch'. Since you mention Freedows and AllOS, it's amazing how many people involved were more interested in artistic pursuits (making webpages, etc.) than doing coding. There was only a core set of developers who were interested.

    Artist on the other hand work totally different. And most of them that seem to have the skills to do the job are doing it commercially already (part of the Trajectory Zone team I have are commercial artists working for a percentage of profits. Thank god - no more "programmer art" ;-) , and those that don't are often not worth having on the team, haven't learned focus, etc. It's very very strange how most of the graphic arts for games that I met work. Totally different mentality than the programmers on the same project. I have a hard time relating some days ;-)

    --

    Davis Ray Sickmon, Jr - looking for something to read? Check out my three free novels at MidnightRyder.org

  6. Re:No soul to indie games by Rogerborg · · Score: 2, Funny

    Bah, Nethack is just a shoddy Diablo clone. ;-P

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.