Independent Games Festival Nominees Announced

Thanks to the IGF website for revealing their list of nominees for the 2004 Independent Games Festival awards, which have been running since 1998 "to encourage innovation in game development and to recognize the best independent game developers." The finalists in the 'Open Category' include everything from "blend of puzzle and action" Fuzzee Teevee, budgeted at a mere $10,000, to the $1-1.5 million "FPS and RTS [hybrid]" Savage: The Battle For Newerth. The 'Web/Downloadable' category also has some interesting entries, from seeing "two possessed cue-balls duke it out in realtime battle" courtesy of Kung-Fu Chess follow-up Billiard Boxing, to recently-featured "puzzle-based massively multi-player online roleplaying game" Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates.

Comments

$1.5 million = independent?

[BTWR]

OK, I know "independent" means it isn't from some huge software firm, but I was thinking "independent" was in the "under $10,000" sort. Like Bejeweled... certainly prizeworthy, but if that cost $1.5 million to make, then someone did NOT know how to hire a CS major at the local college! (Hell, my friends coulda made that game and woulda been square if you agreed to buy them a new nintendo game or something!)

Re:$1.5 million = independent?

[Smidge204]

I also find the results rather... offcolor?

I can't seem to find any solid definition of what "independent" is. The best I can make out from their rules is "self funded" and "company whose primary business is game development as opposed to commercial game publishing"

That's pretty vauge, IMHO. And to me, "independent" means you don't have a company backing you.

Maybe there should be another category for people who develop games independently, as in by themselves with at most a small group of friends instead of a structured, funded company behind them.

I really think some of the more unique game ideas were overlooked as a result... Obviously a team of professional developers stand to develop a more complete and polished product than some guy working on it in his spare time, especially within the same timeframe.
=Smidge=

Re:$1.5 million = independent?

[Smidge204]

That's the tricky part... at what point does their company become "not independent" anymore?

From your post, you make it sound like risk-taking is what defines them. That's not a very good way to differentiate!

There has to be a limit somewhere, which is why the grandparent post was very interesting: how is a $1.5M budget "independent"?

There doesn't seem to be a clear, objective definition for this. If you have one please share!
=Smidge=

Re:$1.5 million = independent?

[bear pimp]

Reading a few of the developement boards of 'indie' developers, it seems they don't enter because of the money involved. The entrance fee is $100 and if they are selected, the finalists have to appear at the festival and demo their game or are disqualified. This immediately discounts many people (especially outside the US) who may not even be able to afford the price of an air ticket and accomodation. The result of any competition that a: requires an entry fee, and b: requires other associated costs involved with turning up, are never going to have a true representation of the artform they are celebrating.

Re:$1.5 million = independent?

[danieljames]

As developer of one of the entrants with a relatively high budget, I can't imagine how we could be more 'independent'. Two friends had a ridiculous idea for a Pirate game, hired another friend, two artists, and another friend, made a game. Yes, we were lucky enough to be able to rustle up the money from friends and family to pay salaries, buy servers, etc. If we hadn't, the game would never have been made (for better or for worse none of the development team are at a time of life where they can live without earning some money).

As it is we've made PP for substantially less than 1/20th of the cost of recent big-corp developed MMPs such as the Sims Online. So we're pretty cheap. Restricting the budgets of entrants to ~$10,000 would make it the 'cheap games written by moonlight or students' competition, not the independent games festival. There's a place for both, of course.

This is indeed analogous to the independent movie vs. studio movie distinction. I believe that most independent films cost hundreds of thousands, some a lot less, some quite a bit more.

That said, I agree about the points below regarding entrants being required to attend. There is a student showcase, perhaps there should be another category for people who are unable to made the GDC. I don't think $100 entry fee is out of line, although I did baulk at the $1,000 entry fee for the 'Interactive Academy' or whatnot awards.