[IGDA_indies] Experimental Game Design SIG

[Brandon J. Van Every]

Jason Della Rocca wrote:
>
> Hmm right, you are probably on to something. A generic all
> encompassing "Indie SIG" just seems too broad and too unfocused.
>
> That said, "Indie Game Design SIG" still doesn't sound right,
> but I get
> your meaning. How about "Experimental Game Design SIG", or
> some title that
> implies innovation that is inclusive of all those designing
> games (indie or otherwise).

I must agree, that's catchy.

> But, I still have to ask the question, what would such a SIG
> actually do?

Write whitepapers.  Methodologies of innovation.  Difficulties of
production.  Actually do lightweight prototyping of games using open
source tools, such as the Nebula2 3D engine, in short timeframes.
Compare, for instance, the Indie Game Jam http://www.indiegamejam.com/
Collect up extensive lists of games that actually did innovate, somehow.
In some significant manner.  Jury a publication of so-called innovative
titles.  That would be somewhat like IGF judging, but I'd expect the SIG
membership to be self-selecting and therefore more focused on innovation
in a "hardcore" way.

I do see collecting up "What's innovative" as more of a service than
"Here are some Indie links."  Everyone locates the indie links they need
to survive.  It's a PITA, but it's not that tough.  But to review games,
to have awareness of what's actually innovative out there, is terribly
time consuming.  I've played many of the IGF entrants extensively, in
order to judge them fairly, but I'm sure there's more stuff out there
than just the IGF.  For instance, I'm almost completely oblivious to the
console universe.

> I think it is relatively easy to pick a topic/area of interest that
> developers are interested in. The hard part is coming up with
> a statement of purpose...

In this case, I think the statement of purpose is easy.  "To markedly
increase the level of experimentation among game designers."  The hard
part is getting people to actually work towards that goal.  For
instance, I adopted the cynical position some time ago that the industry
only respects money.  Make a few millions on something "innovative," and
then people will sit up and take notice.  And probably not before.  But,
it's possible that *Game Designers* are more malleable than the industry
in general.  The key here would be lightweight prototyping tools.
Nobody's got time to throw more than a day or two at projects that
aren't their own projects.


Cheers,                     www.indiegamedesign.com
Brandon Van Every           Seattle, WA

When no one else sells courage, supply and demand take hold.

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