[IGDA_indies] Experimental Game Design SIG

[C Ratchet]

Sounds good to me...

Ratchet

On Feb 10, 2005, at 8:43 AM, Brandon J. Van Every wrote:

> 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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---
 From Ratchet (Mikey Lubker)
Lead Coordinator of the IGDA Indie SIG: http://igda.org/indie

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