[IGDA_indies] Experimental Game Design SIG

[Brandon J. Van Every]

Jason Della Rocca wrote:
> Brandon Van Every wrote:
> >
> >"To markedly increase the level of experimentation among
> > game designers."
>
> Ya, that sounds really appealing. But, so far, sounds like
> we've got a SIG of 3 ;)

3, in my experience, is the viable beginning of all groups.  If you can
get 3 people to consistently deal with something, you have a chance at
growing into a larger organization.

Of those 3, 1 person has to be the 'spine' of the group.  The Group
Leader has to be the 1 person who always shows up, always cajoles people
into having a meeting, always sets an agenda item when people are
twiddling their thumbs.  It's an energy drain to be the leader, and it
takes a certain fortitude.  Not to mention a passion and a purpose.  A
faith in the goal, and a will to keep trying no matter how hopeless
things look.

Or at least, until one determines that one is completely, utterly
outflanked as a matter of Grand Strategy.  For instance, over 1.5 years
I figured out that it's impossible to get open source developers to do
anything related to business or marketing.  They're simply not put
together that way.  Money is the great focuser and without it, people
simply won't do certain things.

> Is that folks have no interest, or has this list being sent
> to everyone's spam filter???

People are damn lazy.  It's part of why I didn't take certain earlier
suggestions seriously.  I've spent a lot of time trying to get people to
do 'stuff', and I know the vast majority of people can't be arsed to
alter the basic patterns of their stressed out lives.  Those that do
believe in a goal, and have the skill, energy, and stamina to pursue it,
are doing so.

What I'm currently working on, is how to use the Nebula2 3D engine with
Python.  http://nebuladevice.cubik.org  I want easy-to-understand Python
"starter code" into the Nebula2 source tree.  So that someone who has an
interest in Nebula2, sees that it's pretty easy to get started, and
actually does something with it.  I see this kind of enabling technology
as a prerequisite for group Experimental Game Design stuff.  There has
to be some kind of lightweight authoring system.  It doesn't have to be
Nebula2, but that's the one I'm working on, for various reasons.

I'm not totally enamored with Python either.  Someday I want to replace
it with a fast compiled High Level Language (possibly Bigloo Scheme).
That's to support my 3D graphics and AI ambitions.  But Python is a
fairly simple language to pick up, and it has value as a tools and
prototyping language.  I can see myself getting lotsa people to use a
framework written in Python.  With the more obscure HLLs it's more
difficult, there are more conceptual barriers to overcome.


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

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

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