CryptoZooKeeper and the Independent Games Festival

[RetroRomper]

Out of the dark neccessity of socializing with other humans beings, I've been attending informal "sketch ups" at various cafes and homes wherein I hear the travails of developers who are submitting entrants into the IGF Indie Game Compeitition: they speak of deadlines as if they were an unheard of breed of monstrosity, a darkly oozing evil that constantly seeks to consume their ability to showcase their mastery of the craft. But then a hush falls over the crowd as their eyes narrow and the task at hand, that of creating a design worthy of the praise of their peers by the October 15th deadline, becomes their only true concern.

Pesonally knowing three different groups of thusly affected individuals who are striving toward this goal, I am here to ask if perhaps, there might be a movement by Mr. Sherwin to elevate his own game from the clutches of the community competition (which serve their role as inspiration for the creation of this genre of game) to the national realm of the IGF? (A forum that can recognize it).

Interactive Fiction would be a surprise, an unheard of relic that has now taken a form manifest that few, if any, would be able to comprehend outside of the realm of those few here who are personally aware of how each game comes into creation.

So... Mr. Shewin; will you be entering CryptoZookeeper into the IGF?

Note: The cost is $95. The purse is a combined $40,000 and the rules can be found here, http://www.igf.com/03submit.html

And to "put my money where my mouth is," I will donate $20 to the entrance fee.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I don't think it'll be done by then. I'm trying, trying very hard, but yeah, there's still a lot to illustrate and a lot to be tested.

[MSousa]

I don't think it'll be done by then. I'm trying, trying very hard, but yeah, there's still a lot to illustrate and a lot to be tested.

I will match the $20.

Nothing like a little motivation. ;)

Good luck and god speed, or something like that...

-- Mike

[ICJ]

Well, I really wish I could have finished in time. :( That's really nice of you. If something like this comes up again I should sell shares of whatever cash prize results. Or something. Not that I'd win cash prizes, it's just a theory.

I will say this: this is the first game where I could have legitimately used an "art guy." The countless animals and cryptids in this thing has been a huge time sink. I think - I HOPE - it will result in a nicely finished product, but it's really a case of where "man-years of development" comes into play with one man.

[AArdvark]

What you need is someone who can go out and take photos based on your needs and from those you can pick the ones best suited for the game. What's the term? visual director?



THE
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AARDVARK

[RetroRomper]

I'm under the impression that Minecraft, Cave Story, and one or two other games more less dominated the competition, leaving the groups I know with products that are mainly numbers on a list.

But I asked a friend of a friend who develops these games what exactly indie is, and they responded by noting that:

"Being indie just means you don't have a publisher... And you can't say that its about being cheap because many of these games have been successes and it isn't uncommon for games to be coupled with one or two million development budgets."

So hey... Indie is more a culturally loaded term nowadays than anything.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Pinback and I have discussed the following point at length, but it still amazes me - there's no requirement that games need to be FINISHED for any of these independent competitions. Spy Party looks like a lot of fun. Spy Party is not finished. Spy Party is winning awards.

So I guess the joke was on me, nothing needs to actually be finished before submitting to these panels. I don't think CZK would win anything, however.

[AArdvark]

Just make the game unwinnable. The judges aren't really gonna ply all the way through all the games that get submitted.

make up some looping thing so that no matter what happens the player goes back to the middle!


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WHO SAYS IT'S NOT FINISHED
AARDVARK