FEATURE
Independent Gaming
Growing numbers of aspiring developers are building games in their bedrooms and basements. Find out who's leading the new indie scene.
Video games are a little like sausage -- they taste great, but you don't want to see them being made. Between the programmers, artists, producers, sound engineers, marketers, animators, testers, executives, assistants, and executive assistants, it can easily take over a hundred people at a major studio to create one lousy action-adventure. Prospective game makers who think it's all ping-pong tables and ergonomic chairs are in for a rude awakening as they endure countless squabbles between artsy developers and fiscally responsible publishers. This is big business, after all.
But like many businesses, there's a way to work from home. The past few years have seen a dramatic rise in the number of quality indie games being created by unheralded, unknown designers. Often working from humble, makeshift offices, indie developers lack the financial firepower and publisher contacts of the bigger teams, yet with a simple twist of fate, they can suddenly find themselves on the front line of a new era in gaming.
Back when the industry was in its infancy, pretty much every notable game came from independent developers. The landmark coin-op Pong was essentially built by three guys trying to emulate a tennis game from the Magnavox Odyssey. Major third-party publisher Activision was founded by four rogue programmers longing for respect and artistic freedom. Classic games such as Pitfall and Adventure were created by literally one-man development teams.
Somewhere along the way, that all changed. But now, it's changing back.
Much of the success of the burgeoning indie movement can be ascribed to the Internet itself, or at least the section of it devoted to fast, casual gaming. Sites like Armor Games, Kongregate and, of course, Yahoo! Games, promote a wealth of bedroom-built games. They're not all hits, but when you're searching for diamonds, you gather as much coal as you can.
Every so often, a diamond is exactly what you find. Arguably the spiritual forbear to the modern indie movement, quirky sleeper hit Katamari Damacy grew out of designer Keita Takahashi's senior thesis project at a school sponsored by publishing giant Namco. At the time, Takahashi didn't even own a Playstation. More recently, the Guitar Hero phenomenon owes its inception not only to the musicians- turned-developers at Harmonix, but also to a tiny start-up publisher called Red Octane. Now, Harmonix is working with decidedly un-indie EA and MTV, while Red Octane got scooped up by the ex-indies at Activision.
In other words, people are starting to notice. At the recent E3 expo in Santa Monica, tons of games with seemingly indie roots were being prominently displayed by major publishers. Indicade, an independent games showcase, promoted the movement by connecting with potential indie developers and pushing nine specific titles with demo stations. From wall to wall, console to PC, the influence of independent game design can be found everywhere.
Including here. Check out how the indie scene is set to rock the gaming world.
Pay to Playstation
Some might find it surprising that a company as massive as Sony would give a hoot about independent gaming, but the Playstation powerhouse knows a good thing when it sees it. Here are three that wooed Sony into playing along.
flOw
Original designer: Jenova Chen
Guide a worm-like creature through multiple layers of ocean, consuming
smaller organisms to grow larger. From flash game to PS3 download, this arty,
soothing thesis project stresses aesthetic design over complicated mechanics.
Play flOw!
Everyday Shooter
Original designer: Jonathan Mak
Mak is the current "it" guy in the indie scene, and after spending a few minutes with the impressive Everyday Shooter, you'll know why. A compelling combination of music, design and action, his game is addictive and attractive.
LittleBigPlanet
Original designer: Media Molecule
Technically, LittleBigPlanet isn't really an indie title, but having been responsible for cult indie hit Rag Doll Kung Fu a few years back, Media Molecule represents the natural evolution of an indie company. Their incredible game sticks to its DIY roots by taking the concept of user-created content to adorable new heights.
Page 1 of 4
Posted: 19 Jul 2007