Do you recognise the four games on the left? Well, a lot of people will, and all of them are independently produced games, what are commonly referred to as 'Indi-Games.'
But there are many levels of 'Indi' game makers...
As you may or may not
know, I've been dabbling in the wonderful world of no-budget PC indie games
lately, and one thing I very quickly noticed was the amount of individual start-up programmers and small two-to-three man teams that are now asking for up-front funds from crowd-funding projects like Kick-starter. Then they usually complain
bitterly that nobody is giving them any money for their brilliant idea…
Well, not to be harsh
or anything, but why should they? And more to the point why ‘exactly’ do you
need it?
I've looked at quite a few projects, many of which
seem to be nothing but an idea, and can’t for the life of me see where these
asked for thousands would be going. Generally their case isn't helped much by
the complete lack of explanation over where the money will be spent, and I have
seen some very well laid out Kick-starter projects that explained exactly where,
and when, each penny of the money would go.
To be honest I can't see that many of these projects
are any more ambitious than some of my own. And I don’t need any money to
develop those, just the will, a half-way decent computer, my brain, and some
time… Although you’d be surprised how difficult it could sometimes be to get
those things together in the same room and talking to each other.
Take a quick look through Steam’s ‘Green Light’ system
and you will soon come across ‘games’ that really only exist in some would-be
game designers head. Now, I'm not saying there’s anything wrong with people
bringing a good game idea to the table without having the technical expertise
to produce the game themselves. Very few ambitious games, especially 3D games,
are imagined, built, and drawn by one person. You need a range of specific skills to do
this, and it generally takes a dedicated team to produce even passable results.
This seems to have led to a culture of ‘Indie game developers’ people who want
to ‘produce’ the game, but not necessarily program it, write the music, or make
the graphics themselves. Again I'm not berating this as a concept, but unless
they are part of a team who’s members do have the necessary skill-set, they
would have to purchase these skills… and I suppose that’s where the money comes
in.
I can
understand the enthusiasm these people have over their idea. It’s their baby
and they want to see it released and flourishing. I’m also fairly sure some
people see it as a quick and easy way to make money. To them I’d only say: ‘It
is not.’ To the rest I have to point out that their enthusiasms won’t be immediately
taken up by the great unwashed masses, especially if you are asking them to
open their purses and wallets. In general people will pay for rubbish they know
over a good concept that’s new and unproven, sad but true.
So what’s the answer? If I knew that I’d have a
popular Indie game and be rich… Well maybe not, but from what I've read in the
press and seen on documentaries the people who did hit it big didn't have any
magic formula ether. Most (with the possible exception of Phil Fish) will
freely admit that they got lucky - mostly after a great deal of hard work and perseverance.
My only advice, for what that’s worth, is to use
the skills you have to your best advantage and make games in your own time; for
free, without any outside funding; and then distribute your first efforts for
free through the various Indie development sites and forums. But don’t advertise
your games on forums, as this may be seen as spamming, and will only get you
banned. It’s not glamorous and it won’t make you rich. But you will learn what works
and what doesn't. Then make a game that you think is good enough to sell, with
the aim of getting it onto a ‘premier’ site like Desura. If you are lucky, and
you have done some advertising, you may get a trickle of sales. Congratulations,
you are now an indie programmer. Next you wait for your very first irate
customer, oh yes – make it and they will come… Now all you have to do is rinse-and-repeat
for several years until you hit your ‘Angry Birds.’
Don’t copy Angry Birds, or Plants’ vs Zombies, or ‘Cut
the Rope,’ or anything else though because those are done already, and you need
to come up with something brilliant and original… Good luck with that.
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