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June 6, 2013
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June 6, 2013
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arrowIndependent Games Updates
Keeping the simulation dream alive 13
by Gamasutra Community [06.06.13]
BioShock Infinite designer Tynan Sylvester examines why complex simulations often fail to impact players -- and how using tricks of the human psyche, you can design ones that will.
Design, Programming, Console/PC, Indie
Video: 10 bite-size talks on progressive game design  
by GDC Vault Staff [06.05.13]
Some of the most interesting people in game development present "progressive, philosophical, future-looking game design inspiration."
Design, Console/PC, Indie, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Video
The diversity of game dev students: Who's joining the industry? 39
by Gamasutra Community [06.05.13]
There are frequent calls for more diversity in game development. What does the future look like? Here, three academics report their findings on the demography of game dev students.
Business/Marketing, Console/PC, Indie, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet
Amazon launches dedicated indie games storefront 3
by Mike Rose [06.06.13]
Online retail giant Amazon has launched an "Indie Games Store" on its website, with the aim to highlight indie games and help indie devs reach more consumers.
Business/Marketing, Console/PC, Indie
Cleaning up your community: The psychology of trolls 19
by Gamasutra Community [06.04.13]
You can't let trolls take over your community. But what do you do? Adam Saltsman (Hundreds) discusses why trolls do what they do -- and how best to deal with them.
Business/Marketing, Console/PC, Indie, Social/Online
Beyond 'puzzles': Designing cinematic interactions in Deadlight Exclusive 7
by Staff [06.05.13]
Deadlight's puzzle system just wasn't working, writes designer Lucas González -- until the team dropped the constraints of the "puzzle" for something simpler yet more satisfying to players.
Design, Console/PC, Indie, Exclusive
Building an open-source economics engine 20
by Gamasutra Community [06.04.13]
Lars Doucet has examined how commerce works and built an open-source engine to power economics. In this post, he explains how and why -- and invites you to take his work and run with it.
Design, Programming, Indie
The demo is dead: Why one developer has given up free trials 70
by Gamasutra Community [06.04.13]
No more playable demos, says Puppygames' Caspian Prince -- only videos. All a demos does is give players "99 excuses not to buy the game," and he has the data to back it up.
Business/Marketing, Console/PC, Indie

arrowIndependent Games Features
Not Puzzles, but Scenes: Cinematic Gameplay Interactions 7
by Lucas González [06.05.13]
How the developers of Deadlight stepped back from their puzzle system -- which absolutely was not working with the way their game was designed -- and reenvisioned it to much greater player satisfaction.
Design, Console/PC, Indie
Characters and Worldbuilding: Analyzing the Strength of Japanese Games 32
by Zack Wood [05.31.13]
Zack Wood studied game design in Japan, and here shares the philosophies that inform the rich, appealing worlds and characters of games developed in that country -- a new way of looking at building your worlds and creating their inhabitants.
Design, Art, Console/PC, Indie, Smartphone/Tablet
Internal Indies 1
by Steve Stopps [05.29.13]
Are there lessons from indie development that can be utilized in a larger, established studio setting? In order to answer this question, Blitz Game Studios started a simple experiment: inviting five senior developers to form a team with complete creative freedom.
Business/Marketing, Production, Game Developer Magazine, Console/PC, Indie, Smartphone/Tablet, GD Mag, GD Mag Exclusive
Revisiting Android 1
by Patrick Miller [05.28.13]
Android's reputation lags behind iOS, but its install base certainly does not. Game Developer magazine speaks to developers from across the mobile spectrum to get a bead on the challenges and opportunities the platform offers.
Programming, Game Developer Magazine, Console/PC, Indie, Smartphone/Tablet, GD Mag, GD Mag Exclusive
Dean Hall Discusses DayZ's Development Process 2
by Christian Nutt [05.24.13]
Project lead Dean Hall explains to Gamasutra the way his team is developing the new standalone game, including exactly what its players bring to the table and how Steam is integrated into the developers' workflow.
Design, Production, Interview, Console/PC, Indie, Social/Online

arrowIndependent Games Blogs
Cracking the Touchscreen Code  
by Ben Serviss [06.06.13]
If touchscreen devices are the future, are game controllers holding us back?
Business/Marketing, Design, Indie, Smartphone/Tablet
Steel Archers and the Oculus Rift  
by Quentin Preik [06.06.13]
Struggling with the POV of the rift and the existing game elements in Steel Archers.
Design, Indie
Monster Loves You: By The Numbers  
by Andy Moore [06.05.13]
A history of Monster Loves You!, plus some sales numbers.
Business/Marketing, Indie
Deep Plaid Games, one year later  
by Shay Pierce [06.05.13]
I briefly talk about the OMGPOP/Zynga drama, and relate the indie projects I've been working on with my newfound freedom over the past year.
Business/Marketing, Design, Programming, Console/PC, Indie, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet
All is Far From Quiet in the Pixel Press Front  
by Robin Rath [06.05.13]
"I was talking to a friend about us drawing video game levels when we were kids, and I recall thinking about an OCR project I had heard about recently. It just clicked. I’ve been building mobile apps for 5 years and instantly knew this could be done."
Design, Indie

arrowIndependent Games Jobs
Frictional Games — Skurup, Sk, SWE
[06.05.13]
Gameplay Programmer / Designer
Frictional Games, creators of Amnesia and Penumbra, is looking for a Gameplay Programmer / Designer to employ full-time. You will be joining a small team with a lot of freedom and highly creative work. Your job will be to, through design and implementation, help our virtual worlds come alive. We aim to see how far we can take horror / narrative games, and want someone who can help us push the limits.
Game / Level Designer / Creative Director, Programmer / Engineer, Independent Games
Trendy Entertainment — Gainesville, FL, USA
[06.04.13]
Community Manager

Customer Service / Tech Support, Marketing / PR / Communications, Independent Games
MegaMada — New York, NY, USA
[05.21.13]
Lead Game Designer

Game / Level Designer / Creative Director, Independent Games, Serious Games