the ring of truth any more.” Just as hand, what is she? Certainly not real - people resist manipulation, real not what we know as human. Or, if characters resist manipulation by the human, something human that elicits Ahhh, here we are at the week of E3. writer. Many writers have spoken of their contempt. The real problem is, as soon The entire game industry and its fans characters going off and doing whatever as you, or the gamer, can manipulate are gearing up for one of the biggest and In response to Chris Wheeler’s they wanted to do. The successful her, she is no longer real. busiest weeks of the year. We are all Youthful Indiscretions: writers are the ones who let this happen. abuzz with speculation over Nintendo’s Second, as a step-father, I say Mr. new platform and its name. We all want As a writer, I can understand the This is what you’re up against trying to Wheeler is wrong (manipulative) about to see how the PlayStation 2 is shaping developer/artist who sees his “beach give a character sexual behavior. If she what fathers ought to feel for their up. And many of us anticipate the volleyball” girls as human beings; his goes for every boy with a mouse in his daughters. Biological fathers back me up various parties and whose will take the “daughters.” Anyone who creates on this. My three (step) daughters prize as best shindig of E3 2006. My bet characters brings to life aspects of his or brought many boys and young men is on a certain swank to-do at Privilege her inner being. Our characters are - to home. None of them, not even the ones in West Hollywood … us - as human as anyone else. they married, were ever good enough from my point of view. That is what But I digress. While the connection to our characters fathers really feel, for a variety of isn’t physical and cannot be physical complex reasons I won’t go into During this week of over-the-top glitz (Pygmalion is a STORY) it is superior to a here. The father who “lets go” isn’t quite and high-priced display, the press’ eyes real life connection in this one way: it complete – or he’s only one type, and a will be focused squarely on the big guys always meets our needs. Even if your sad one at that. with the big budgets. So this week we character is a mass murderer, he or she wanted to throw a little love in the is going to be there and meet some inner Example: After my second daughter direction of The Little Guys. In this need. As the ancient Roman said, “I am announced her engagement to Alex, I week’s issue of The Escapist, our writers human; nothing human is alien to me.” took my son-in-law (married to eldest sought out some small developers with daughter) aside at a holiday gathering big plans and found some interesting In literature, you always sense when a and said to him, “Well, Robert, we have stories inside. character is being manipulated. That’s to talk.” when you put the book down and never Enjoy! pick it up again. We say, “She’s acting -Chris Sweet out of character,” or “She doesn’t have In response to 4 Days, from the done. I know that I am not alone in made a grand total of 3 successful non- Escapist Lounge: wishing you the best of luck! handheld games so far. There are also a bunch of startups that are trying to get I think that the phenomenon you are -Dutty things going, but haven’t produced experiencing is common to all gamers, or anything so far. How can this make you at least all gamers who are old enough In response to Chris Dahlen’s Hold say that game development is taking off to have serious jobs. There is a Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, from the in Romania? I say there’s no need to get camaraderie, an understanding, a shared Escapist Lounge: overly excited about something that culture that causes them to be eminently hasn’t happened yet. accepting of others, and the places where One thing that really has to be stressed they congregate seem to often be places is the relative maturity of romance in -Mihnea Balta where a gamer feels welcome. Glad to Black Isle RPGs. Most of the characters hear that the Escapist is no different. there are mature and they behave like that in-game, you can feel that in their I’m looking forward to the unique romances. The believability of the writing perspective you will no doubt bring to really made it for me in Baldur’s Gate, the Escapist, Russ! Torment and KOTORs. It is just so rewarding to play an RPG where love is -Ethan Knoop not only the “teen heartbreak” sort.

In response to 4 Days, from the -Wandering Taoist Escapist Lounge: In response to Laura Bularca’s We Russ man, you are living the dream. I Play, from the Escapist Lounge: can’t imagine getting paid to write relatively freely about what you love. I still don’t see what there is to talk Furthermore, it sounds like you are about, let alone write an article on. So surrounded by folks who share in the there are 2 game companies in dream. Keep it up, ‘cause you are giving Bucharest (well, 3 if you count Gameloft a youngin’ some hope that it can be separately from Ubisoft). So they have Ironton, Ohio may seem just like any developer with a clear mission: To other small town, but those brave surrender their home to an alien enough to look below the surface will onslaught in a game so popular that it find the real, surprising truth: will single-handedly put Ironton on the map … and save their beloved city. Ironton really is just like any other small town. The world’s most unlikely studio The year was 1999, and Baltimore native It’s got its own points of pride: the nation’s and Navy vet Rick Eid had just been oldest continually running Memorial Day relocated to Ironton by his employer, parade and the Ironton High Fighting Cabletron. He’d been asked to start a Tigers, just to name a couple. training department for the networking equipment company -, a new direction It’s also got its problems. They all come that quickly ran aground. back to one, really: It’s economically depressed, having lost nearly 1,500 jobs “I moved out here working for in the span of about 18 months. In a Cabletron’s training department, and 10 town of a little under 12,000, that’s not a months later, Cabletron shut down,” Eid downturn, that’s a catastrophe. said. “But in that 10 months, I had really fallen in love with the area.” The city council reacted the best way they know how, trying to keep spending After years of moving around in the down, and enacting a municipal fee military, Eid had promised his two that’s none too popular with the long- teenaged children, Rick Jr. and Nikki, time residents. But somewhere in a local that they could finish school in their new basement, a group of gamers from this home. But Eid found keeping that area have formulated their own plan to promise to be difficult without work. save Ironton: They’re going to destroy it. Luckily, he was soon hired by Ohio University Southern, a branch campus in TickStorm is not like any other Ironton, which charged him with creating videogame developer. They’re a a game development department. It was an idea Eid bucked at, largely because search showed it was already taken by A miracle gone awry The agenda, besides the benefit of he thought the coding would be too several other companies. The plot of Defend Ironton! begins like working with an area they’re extremely difficult for students, but also because he the answer to the city’s prayers. A large familiar with, is to give Ironton the boost wasn’t very familiar with game design in Their next choice, the one that stuck, manufacturing plant moves into town it so desperately needs; just a little bit of the first place. was a name from Eid’s past derived from and employs all those that are struggling extra attention to help bring a real a female student who was trying to pick to find work. But the locals soon learn (hopefully non-extraterrestrial) economic But never let it be said that Rick Eid is a an email identity during a particularly that the bosses of this new corporation savior to the town. quitter. He secluded himself in his office bad thunderstorm: TickStorm. (psst, they’re actually aliens) have for a solid week, attempting to learn something far more sinister on their “The students love this area, they were every in and out of a design program Oh, and also, the girl loved ticks. It’s minds: abduction. born here, they want to stay here,” Eid called 3D Gamestudio. pretty much your typical company name said. “Hopefully, we can put Ironton on origin story. But they figured it was “They all start work, the doors close, and the map.” The classes filled quickly, but the new memorable, and you wouldn’t need a bit no one sees them again,” Eid said. instructor discovered that his students of Googling to figure out they were “They’ve put up this impenetrable field Total Insanity were interested in something beyond an certainly the only ones using it. What the around the city, so the Army can’t come The team — now comprised of 44-year- easy few hours of course credits. Eid team still lacked was a big idea. They in; no one can. You’re on your own, and old Eid and about eight of his students — found, as he taught, that they couldn’t drew their inspiration, in the end, from it’s up to the residents of Ironton to didn’t want to just slap the city’s name get enough. As their enthusiasm for the same economically depressed defend the city.” on the box. They wanted authenticity, projects continued outside the climate that had brought Eid into their with all the town’s buildings perfectly classroom, he hit upon the idea of lives in the first place. modeled, but reality soon intervened. creating his own game design company with the students, independent from the “One of the reasons for picking game school. With few resources, no formal design to teach at OUS was that we training and practically no experience, wanted these guys who had high-tech the world’s most unlikely game studio skills to be able to do a job and not have was born. to leave the area to be employed,” Eid said. “And with game design, it’s A storm, some ticks and an identity something you can do at home.” They happened upon the name almost by accident. They had already settled on For the employees of Tickstorm, home Melee Games, before a quick internet was Ironton, and it was a home they were willing to defend.

After working for weeks to model The The group had limitless energy and add, Insanity (which they hope to Depot, a now-defunct Ironton restaurant, passion but didn’t have, as Eid said, a release in 2007) is just a dry run for the the team realized that recreating the setting with no limitations, where they big show, though it’s a dry run that has entire city with as little experience as could “step out of reality a bit.” to finance said show. they had might have just been more than they could handle. “One of the guys said, ‘What if we put “We’re learning quite a bit by doing the game in an insane asylum? Think of Insanity,” Eid said. “Whatever money we the stuff you could do,’” Eid said. “We make from that, the group’s already said started brainstorming, spent an entire they want to roll a good portion, if not all day doing nothing but storyboarding and of it, back into the company so we can came up with so much fun for this game.” afford better computers for every one of them and better software. For instance, I Tickstorm’s maiden voyage would be have an Alienware laptop, too, that fried Insanity, an off-kilter, first-person shooter on me. I mean literally, smoke was set in a mental institution. They don’t rolling out of the keyboard.” have the money for top-notch rendering and lighting, so they’re putting their faith Coming to a town near you in work ethics and their own creativity. With Insanity slated for next year, and Defend Ironton! due in 2010, times are “The gameplay and humor in this are tight, financially. But that doesn’t deter going to be a blast,” Eid said. “Things like Tickstorm’s big thinkers; in fact, Eid is you come around a corner and herd of already planning on a franchise. squirrels start attacking you, clowns walk by and wave and then walk into a wall. “It opens the door to unlimited sequels, Every time you look into a mirror, you see you know, Defend Cleveland!; Defend a different reflection. It’s total insanity!” Cincinnati!; Defend Baltimore! The world’s the limit,” Eid said. “If we get to Although it may not be particularly rib- the point where we’re big like Blizzard or tickling on the digitally printed page, Eid like EA with a graphics department, we has enthusiasm to spare, and he can just continue to work on it.” manages to sell it. Besides, he’s quick to For now, though, the going is slow. Most fanatical. They’re always working to But Tickstorm doesn’t think that way, of the work is done on the weekends, improve their situation, whether it’s the and neither does Ironton. In their minds, not including that done by Eid, who regular LAN parties they put on for the game making a splash and the city’s recently left his teaching job to work on gamers in the area, or small projects to rebirth is practically a forgone conclusion. Tickstorm fulltime. The hope is that, one help increase their toolset. For instance, This small southeastern Ohio city and the day, his whole team will do the same. they’ve even begun to pick up on Maya game studio share the same intangible with personal learning editions, but they power all the graphic artists and multi- “The hard part about doing this on our still don’t have the money to buy it. million-dollar budgets in the world couldn’t own is that these guys have to have jobs, match: They believe. they have to work, some of them work at To that end, they’ve just picked up their Pic ‘n’ Save and other places,” Eid said. first paying game design gig: creating a Justin McElroy is the news editor of The “They have to make money, so they can’t safety training game for the Southern Ironton Tribune and a freelance gaming spend all their time doing this. Not too Ohio Medical Center of Portsmouth. In writer. He lives in Huntington, W.Va. many guys want to come and work for you the game, which the team is frantically with his fiancee, Sydnee. when they’re not going to get paid until building models for, players learn the the game sells. One day, we’re hoping that proper way to evacuate the facility in these games sell enough that these are case of a fire or other emergency. No, the only jobs they have to do and they it’s not Half-Life, but it’s work. don’t have to work at McDonalds.” The big games are still years away, but Eid himself has not yet drawn a paycheck it almost makes the effort that much from TickStorm. more noble. They’re not just wagering their years of work on a game concept Migration or play mechanics, they’re wagering All of the long-range planning may seem that, in 2010, there will still be an far-fetched, but Eid and crew don’t see it Ironton worth defending. that way. Their determination is almost Surprising English poet William Blake Morris) at this year’s Independent probably wasn’t talking about developing Games Festival drew a roar of agreement videogames when he said, “I must from the audience. Anyone who has ever create a system, or be enslaved by railed against the corporate homogeneity another man’s,” but his point still stands of the mainstream games industry firm. If you’re going to create something, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of rather than simply manufacture it, you vicarious pleasure on the team’s behalf. have to decide how much of it you want It was a moment of victory in a struggle to belong to you, and how much you are against considerable odds – a struggle willing to give way to the aspirations and for independent success in the games demands of others. Are you simply industry. Introversion had done well, and willing to craft something for someone received due credit from their peers, else? Or is your act of creation going to receiving the top prize at the indie belong wholly to some personal, private games awards ceremony. Their strange ambition? Most game developers have to strategy-combat dreamscape title, make a decision along these lines, and, Darwinia, had captured imaginations, for the most part, whatever road they and was unlike anything the corporate choose will end up being pretty rocky. game studios had attempted in 2005. But the hardest and most obscure route is that of the genuinely independent But Morris’ war-cry speech would not developer – one that controls all aspects have been possible without the sheer of the games they produce. Such a determination of the small British team, situation is rare, and one of few the and the talents of their lead designer, companies that walk that path is the British Chris Delay. Delay is, like so many development house Introversion Software. programmers, partially self-taught. He started making games in his bedroom; “We didn’t take any money from something that happened a lot in the publishers because we didn’t want any 1980s, and has become a near- publishers f---ing up our game.” These impossibility in the corporately fighting words from Introversion’s dominated environments of 21st century acceptance speech (uttered by Mark games. It’s Delay’s desire to create his own games (and be “The Last of the met for the first time at Imperial College how long and hard Darwinia was going Bedroom Programmers”) that has found in London, U.K., in October 1997, and by to be, we probably would never have a mature form with the creation of his the end of their degree courses in 2001, started. We went without money for over company, Introversion Software. the team had completed Uplink a year, wracking up huge personal debts together. A clever take on the idea of to banks and parents, and no sensible It began with the home computers of the hacking as a game, Uplink was finished, person would willingly put themselves 8-bit era. As Delay recalls, “The packaged, sent to magazines, and given through that.” Spectrum came with a programmer’s a website (and they even sold a few manual - a sort of quick-start guide to copies). This bedroom-programmed Now, of course, Delay is well into a new BASIC. I didn’t even look at this for the videogame was well received by the game – DefCon – a thermonuclear first year, but it did make me curious. At gaming press, and its accomplishments wargame that should arrive in the next first, I started typing in programs direct signaled the beginnings of Introversion few weeks. “Defcon is going to be great,” from the manual, but after a while I as an evolving company. says Delay. “It’s such a simple idea but started to experiment. Spectrum BASIC we don’t think it’s been done well yet, was really where my interest in “After Uplink’s launch, we really didn’t and that’s always a good sign.” programming started, and it matched my know if we wanted to form a game love of games perfectly. It sounds crazy, company or not,” Delay explains. “I can But, once again, it’s also a radically but by the time I moved on from the distinctly remember coming back from different idea. Just as Darwinia was a Spectrum, I’d written a complete game our first (and only) trip to E3 feeling unique exploration of strategy, (based on Garfield), and made the incredibly demoralized - why on Earth storytelling and iconic presentation, so packaging for it and everything. It had a would we want anything to do with this DefCon is unlike most games out there: title screen, a few levels, a hi-score table industry? For a while, we planned to put a modernized multiplayer missile- - the works. Of course, I was about 13 at Introversion on indefinite hold until we command, replete with an armory of hi- this time, so it was never published.” had another game to sell, and go back to tech options. Introversion isn’t doing real jobs. But something made us attempting to follow any kind of Later on in life, Delay’s talents found stick together and push on until Darwinia predetermined template with their new purpose in the understanding of was finished, and I’m glad we made that development, nor are they trying to play friends. A few of his peers saw that decision. But if we’d known in advance on any unique successes that they’ve Delay’s homemade hacker-game, Uplink, was potentially more than just a private exercise in programming creativity. Chris Delay, Mark Morris and Thomas Arundel made for themselves. Delay does not and all your original ideas are shelved managed and saved from oblivion, and “It’s been extremely difficult, and no, want to been seen as a one-trick pony. because they are (of course) much more their plight was resolved through I’ve never thought about giving up and risky than those safe franchises. But gesture-based mouse controls. Weird going to EA. I’ve worked in the real “I guess that’s the high-level aim for then, one day, your franchise falls out of and satisfying, Darwinia seems to have games industry for a year and a half at Introversion - we want to create new fashion or runs head first into its own made a permanent mark on gaming two different companies, and that was things and experiment with new ideas identical clone from someone else, the history for this little game company. It’s enough for me to know that I never want with every game we release, and we want whole dev team goes down the toilet, and iconic, beautiful, clever and fun. Even to go back. I have quite strong game people to follow Introversion because what do you have to show for it? A against the best independent and ideas floating around inside my head we’re the only company willing to do that. decade’s work and half a dozen games - commercial games, it stood like a that I really want to make, and the We want to be absolutely fearless in all the same. That’s not for us.” pushing on to the next new idea, when all of our existing partners are offering us Darwinia was certainly not “the same.” It small fortunes to develop our old games was a real-time strategy with an into franchises. We really believe it’s so ecosystem of digital souls, viral enemies, easy to fall into that trap - something you an analogue of British inventor Clive beacon. There was no danger of the games industry is the hardest place of all make is successful, so you make a Sinclair as guide, and lavish geometric- stark retro colors of the polygonal theme for me to do that. At least if I had sequel, and then another, and after a color-against-black presentation. The park being confused with anything else. another type of day job, I could work on while all you are doing is making sequels, tiny lives of the Darwinians had to be Darwinia was unique. Which, of course, these game ideas during evenings and created a problem of its own: Who would weekends, but in the games industry I buy this oddity? can’t even rely on that. Working on movie-licensed platform games really PC gamers aren’t renowned for their does take away any desire to do anything capacity to seize the unusual. Worse still, other than cry in your spare time.” this was not going to be a project that was written off as another loss by a big Just when it looked like Darwinia’s poor company. It was the entirety of what Delay sales might mean tears before bedtime and friends were doing. Being self- for the Introversion team, the last few employed is akin to a nightmare, so was it months have seen things start to go their really all worth it for Delay, Morris and way. The IGF awards have been coupled Arundel? Hadn’t they considered going and with greater commercial successes. getting a well-paid job at an EA studio? Valve’s online content delivery system, Steam, has adopted Darwinia and Delay. “Specifically regarding Steam and taking any of that tainted publisher cash. outside the accepted way of doing things. doubled the tiny company’s sales in just Xbox Live Arcade - we now have two Could it be that Delay and friends are One of these people (who shall remain two weeks (and Darwinia posters on the distribution channels that offer excellent just trying to make a buck, after all? Is nameless, since this article is not really walls of the Valve offices demonstrate royalty rates direct to the developer Introversion doing this all for love, or for concerned with his story) was once one who is the fan of whom in that particular along with high numbers of potential the almighty dollar? “We’re, of course, such boss of a very large company. As he relationship). “Steam has been awesome sales, with none of the problems of retail working for love,” says Delay. “But drove me back to the train station, he for us,” reports Delay. “It’s really given store releases. Both of those channels money is nice, too. For a while, we admitted how relieved he was to finally Darwinia the sales boost we never are open to indie games made by small worked for love only and no money on be doing something other than simply managed ourselves.” bedroom teams, without a publisher or Darwinia, and it was a very difficult and aiming to make money. He shuddered at retailer in sight. To my knowledge, this is painful experience that I wouldn’t want the memory of over-marketed franchise- Moreover, Steam represents a niche for the first time this has ever happened, to repeat. Furthermore, we’d never have farces of old. “At last,” he smiled. “It feels which developers who want to follow and it’s very exciting to be part of it.” finishedDarwinia or started on DefCon if like I’m doing something that’s actually Introversion’s independent trajectory can we hadn’t made some money to keep good for the soul.” aim. “Something interesting is happening Very exciting, but also fairly profitable going. I guess you could say we work for with online digital distribution,” says for a developer who has, so far, avoided love and money, and most companies In Introversion’s case, what’s important just work for money.” is they keep a light on for those people who do want to take another path. Who That’s the core difference between what do want to make it on a shoestring, and independents like Introversion are doing, to make it their own. and what it means to be a small cog in a large company. Even the bosses of those Introversion may not win the war, but big companies are directed and their battles have been joyous, even manipulated by forces that will never be righteous. They are making what they under their control. As I was putting this want to make, and at the same time article together, I took a trip to see some remaining independent. They’re other game industry folks who are creating their own system. That’s following their dream and stepping definitely worth fighting for, and it’s definitely good for the soul.

Jim Rossignol is a writer and editor based in the South West of England. He writes about videogames, fiction and science. Many turn to indie games for an appreciation beyond the standard niche alternative to what is found on the groups of intensely dedicated followers. shelves of the average games store. There is so much information, that this If your commercial tastes lean toward brief feature can only hope to be an import games, Japan’s doujin games introduction for the uninitiated. And (doujin soft) scene is likely to be the despite being a huge fan, I am by no focus for any indie engagements. Doujin means an expert. So, allied with a fluent soft to indie, is very loosely what translator, I tracked down France’s Manga is to graphic novels. residing doujin expert, Mr. Roni, who is also the head of leading online resource For newcomers to the doujin world, Doujinaroni . He was eager to speak of though, the astounding amount of free things, including the perceived East and titles available (not to mention the West dichotomy. “The principle difference complication of commercially sold doujin is the market and public’s demand. In soft), often coupled with pages of the West, the indie scene isn’t really incomprehensible Japanese text, can followed by the public, whereas in Japan prove very confusing and ultimately there are many fans of the scene, so the alienating. English language websites games can be sold and distributed in like Insert Credit and Canned Dogs help specialized shops, not only online. Over matters to an extent by reporting on big there, it’s a true alternative to events that occur and pointing people in mainstream. Another major difference is, the direction of particular highlights. This of course, the unique Japanese increased English coverage, along with influence; whether it be in the style or doujin games catering to now-ignored [artistic] form, or in regard to the genres, has resulted in growing dynamics of the gameplay.” But he was also very quick to address Every Extend, or Kenta Cho). But a only occasionally do followers have the West’s occasionally perverse Doujin game can also be developed by precisely the same interests. Last year, fanaticism for a Japanese auteur. “In our an enormous team of people, like Melty thanks to the kind assistance of countries (U.S.A., France, etc.) there is Blood or Eternal Fighter Zero. For a Japanese translator Andrew “Shih Tzu” sometimes a ‘mystification’ of the game like EFZ, there are multiple Davis, I was fortunate enough to speak Japanese doujin developers. Sometimes, graphics people, animators... In the end, to three established figures whom I when I read articles about the doujin there’s no point hiding it: [These guys] personally regard highly. One was the scene, I want to say, ‘Hey man, get back aren’t there to have fun, they want the aforementioned Omega, a university to Earth, doujin games are not made by pro status. We can’t really [describe student and self-proclaimed fan of Shaolin monks who live on Mount Fuji!’” them as] amateur developers. They were mecha. He’s the mind behind titles like I assure him of my wish to remain [amateurs] many years ago, but today, the popular, genre-defying Every Extend, focused on the facts; the truth is, such they’re the best on the scene. With Melty and pastel colored shmup DanDaDan. creators range from bureaucrats to Blood, you can clearly see it’s Both of which are free to download, and students mostly working in their free professional work. Neither SNK nor highly innovative in what they do. These time. Many have wives and kids and Capcom could have done better.” And titles are like a reinvention of older don’t even concentrate much on the with pro status comes greater exposure ideas; not surprising when you hear his scene beyond their own creations; like for doujin games which are commercially views. “I don’t like modern styled games Takase, the one-man-team behind Arm sold. The Melty Blood PC CD-ROM will so much. These games use so much ‘3-D Joe. Some are even professionals in the set you back 3000 Yen ($25). Fighting graphics’ - but they don’t make games games industry, such as certain fans regard it as the best of the genre on any easier to watch. They often have a individuals from Capcom who cannot be Windows. It was so popular, an update ‘growth system’ - but that needs named. According to Mr. Roni, only a few was ported to the arcades, and there are memory cards and isn’t easily playable. live a fully “doujin lifestyle” rumors of an imminent official PS2 port. They also have so many buttons and encompassing everything they do. complex interfaces – but that only The flurry of names and games that Mr. makes it more difficult, not more He also elaborated on the numbers Roni fires off is impressive, though at interesting to play! I spend much time involved in development. “It can be done times tricky to follow, due to this being making visuals that are easy on the eye, by one person alone, who is in charge of such a rapidly shifting movement. an easy system to understand, and an everything from programming to Everyone has their preferences, and with easy control interface to use. I believe graphics and music (like Omega with some titles gaining limited exposure, that ‘a nice game is easy to play, but aside from making the games fun, and Wanting another opinion on genres, I hard to master.’” that we’ll wind up with fewer and fewer spoke to Insert Credit’s doujin front fun games overall. No matter how many man, Chaz. Though he openly proclaims Omega raises an interesting point people worldwide you can fight in real- his regular “Doujin Roundup” simply regarding genres for doujin soft. There time, no matter how pristinely the recaps news from Japanese forums and are flirting/dating games, and alsoa lot characters show up onscreen, a dull websites. “I just dig through piles of of “ero-ge,” or hentai titles. Otherwise game is a dull game, and I wish we porn adventure games and discussions there is heavy emphasis on 2-D fighters, would spend more time and energy on about porn adventure games, find more shmups and traditional RPGs; mainly 2-D just making sure the games are fun.” suitable material, read as much as I can genres, which are no longer well- in Japanese, then update the site.” represented by mainstream developers. Hikoza’s reason for making games These are also more viable for small outside of work is having control over And his conclusion after such teams to develop. the entire project and making the games adventures? “Doujin games are not only he wants to make. He’s created several an entertaining and fresh take on games, Omega’s words are echoed by industry titles, but Warning Forever’s beautiful but also a fascinating field of social and insider Hikoza, a doujin superstar since simplicity proves a point. It contains only cultural study about the interests and his 2003 release of the elegant Warning a single green wireframe boss which concerns of a more and more influential Forever. “As one who works on modern evolves, based on simple algorithms, part of the Japanese population. They games for a living, I see a climate that allowing further appendage growth. also present an interesting case of IP doesn’t deem games sales-worthy People quickly fell in love with its unique management, as most games adapt without gorgeous graphics, epic stories, aesthetic and masked level of depth. universes and characters from either and tons of characters, and I think there “The fun of making games, for me, is professional licenses or other doujin is too much time and money spent on seeing how much playability I can get games without permission, yet this parts of the game that have nothing to out of the least amount of data creation. do with the amount of fun. The next I’ve received countless messages from generation of consoles [makes] the people throughout the world. I’d programming even more complex, with assumed that a classical 2-D game network play increasingly [common]. wouldn’t find reception outside of Japan, I’m worried that game developers will be but I was happy to be proved wrong by spending too much energy on things those who’ve enjoyed it.” recycling fuels new interest in the is available. The game is a wonderful 3- are no rules or regulations, the game original IPs and, therefore, isn’t seen as D shooter based on Skygunner, with can either succeed or fail. Commercial a plague but on the contrary, as [good]. some extremely high production values, logic is completely absent. It’s a hard job Doujin softs are home to great genres and should definitely be investigated. without pity, and to become known you that have been abandoned or need luck.” marginalized by mainstream companies, But commercial doujin soft can prove such as shooters, fighters, brawlers, the problematic to acquire when living He elaborates considerably that Melty importance of good writing, and 2-D outside Japan, with only some stores like Blood’s runaway success is not a representation ... and porn adventure Himeya making purchases in the U.S.A. common occurrence. Profitability is games. As most of these successful easy. Within Japan, according to Mr. mainly for the specialty stores, which doujin titles are not free, they prove a Roni, dedicated stores are big business, focus more on doujin Manga than viable economy can exist around niche while development isn’t. “There are games. While some groups do treat products that target their audience chains of doujin shops like White Canvas development like a job, they’re paid very intelligently, even in the [risk averse] or Melon Books. It is easy for a Japanese little. It’s a path only for the passionate, game business.” guy to get his game distributed in these. like Murasame with Gundeadline, who They aren’t very demanding, [with] both wasn’t concerned about money. The usage of others’ modern IP is quite good and bad in the shops. [Success Regardless of commercial ambitions, the different to Western indies, but also can’t be gained through advertising], biggest form of publicity and distribution, commendable considering it allows one everyone has the same chances to make apart from the net, is at the regular to play exceedingly high quality fan a name on the scene. However, it’s only Comiket convention. According to Roni, work, sometimes based on games that wishful thinking for [someone] to live off though, some, like the hugely popular Kenta Cho, never display their work there.

Despite having to purchase some games, there are still many more free titles released than commercial. This creates a huge archive of games to download. Despite hitting the net at the tail end of aren’t continued. Being a fervent fan of his work! The doujin scene is not an El 2004, a defining landmark release that Skygunner on the PS2, I’ve been paying Dorado, [but there have been people are still strongly enamored with, close attention to Gunners Heart. The PC exceptions]. The average game sells is Doukutsu Monogatari (aka Cave Story) disc retails for 1890 Yen, but a free demo between 100 and 500 maximum. There by Pixel. There has been a translation, a thrill when I see little pixel people running tribute sites and a lengthy TIGS interview around over simple, light backgrounds.” conducted alongside my own questions. Pixel makes no pretenses about his enough to explore further. Doujin soft is far The influence ofMetroid , Castlevania and creative methods; the haunting melodies removed from both the standard game Megaman are plain to see, while a five were composed by randomly arranging market and Western indie scene. It has its year development period ensured letters until he found a sound he liked. own visual styling, genres, subculture and faultlessly high production values (doujin In fact, nothing about the game was pre- even unique form of commercialism. It is soft development lengths vary wildly planned; it came about through sheer another facet in a rapidly diversifying from a month to half a decade in some hard work and long hours. He invented industry, and one that deserves exploration. cases). The zealous praise it received things as he went along, leaving plot Just stay away from the hentai. was unsurprising, two teams even intricacies to the player’s imagination. competed to create an English Surprisingly, it worked perfectly, showing translation patch, and it’s rightly there’s no recipe for great games. The John Szczepaniak is a South African regarded as an example of how great characters are memorable, the weapons freelance videogame writer with a doujin games can be. What is surprising satisfying, and the sense of discovery is preference for retro games. He is also a is the humble nature of the game’s simply magical. But above all, everything is staff member on the Retro Survival origins and its incredibly shy creator. uniquely imaginative. Despite the similarity, project, which contains articles on retro “At the time I started work on Doukutsu to other games it never feels hackneyed. gaming and is well worth investigating. Monogatari, I was a student, but now I’m an office worker. My entire life had For those who find the world of doujin soft changed by the time this game was daunting, Doukutsu Monogatari is a great finished. At home, I help with household (though old) place to start before plunging duties and child care. Any personal deeper into online stores and conventions. software development of mine takes place While only so much can be covered in one primarily late at night. I can’t help but feel sitting, hopefully I’ve piqued your interest I sat down in a room in the San Jose AAA Batteries Convention center and basked in the PD: Psychonauts, pegged as an “art- greatest gathering of artistic intelligence house” favorite for 2005, definitely fits I’d experienced in my entire life. The day as an auteur-produced game (by Tim before, the Experimental Gameplay Schafer, the Jack Black of game design). Sessions had taken place in that same The story people don’t like to mention room. I managed to grab one of the about that game is that it didn’t make presenters, Cloud designer Jenova Chen, enough profit for its publisher, Majesco minutes before the “Scratchware Games, who ended up replacing their Auteurs” roundtable was scheduled to president or something. The question is: begin. By sheer serendipity, Tom Long, a Is the AAA production process suited web game designer and straight-up towards the “art game”? Indie, happened to tag along. Waiting for us were Chris Bateman, a veteran Chris Bateman: Well, no. (Laughs) designer operating out of International Clearly, it’s not. The AAA process is an Hobo Inc. and Greg Costikyan, board, excellent mechanism for refining already computer and mobile game designer established gameplay concepts. GTA: turned firebrand. Late-comer, Santiago San Andreas is an example of how a Siri, an advergame designer and the large budget lets you refine things that mind behind Utopia, a one-man assault have already been put in motion and let on politically weighted, socially simulated them appeal to a very large audience, interactive storytelling, also joined in. admittedly a gender-narrow audience. But its still very large, $16 million is the Patrick Dugan: We’re gathered here on figure that’s been bandied about. the premise that being a Scratchware However, it’s a terrible way to go about Auteur is the best thing you can be as a experimenting with new ideas. designer. Or at least it’s a vital, vital role that more people need to fill lately. Jenova Chen: It’s also really hard to Scratchware means, basically, software define what is an “art game,” you know? that’s developed for scratch, we’re When something different comes out, talking paper thin budgets. not many people know about it, and they’ll say, “It’s revolutionary, it’s art!” Then, the next one comes out and does innovator. He tended to paint what he something to the experience, but it JC: I have some experience with writing pretty well, and people say, “Well, it’s was good at. Budgets reflect this; you doesn’t really affect the way the player for film and television, and I also design kinda like that other game.” By the time don’t get a whole lot of innovation in the makes decisions – what we tend to call games, and I feel they are very different the third one comes out its pretty solid Hollywood system because the budgets “gameplay.” What do you all see as the beasts. Story is the spine of an entire and sells out, but by then everyone are huge and everyone is trying to cover prospects for “drama games” or film, it’s what it’s about, and then you says, “Oh, it’s just a sequel mill, why their ass, and everyone has a say in “interactive storytelling”? Or whatever add on the visual execution. Videogames aren’t there any original games!” what the final product looks like. It’s you want to call it. How could that be don’t need to have a story; Tetris proved possible to get highly innovative games implemented? that. I’ve been trying to find what the Santiago Siri: I hate to speak in these through these systems, but it’s spine is for videogames. I think games terms, but the success of niche games extremely difficult. You have to be Will have more to do with experience; this really has to do with the market. When Wright or Stanley Kubrick or the could be something very simple, like a you speak of hardcore gamers who buy equivalent. One of the problems with the child bouncing a ball. Story in games is a AAA games for the consoles, it’s a very industry is that conventional publishers tool that helps to serve the desired mature market. The average gamer age have tried, as much as they can, to deny experience. is 29 years old, they’ve been consumers recognition of creators, and so there are for 10 years and have very crisp ideas very few people with the clout to get PD: Well I’m thinking more of a fusion, about what kinds of play they want, but innovative titles published. where the player is a co-author. it is still a young consumer market. And another thing, speaking about art Plays You Can Play JC: Sure, there have been lots of people games, all games are art. Art isn’t PD: At the rant today, Seamus Blackley, who tried to do that, often a designer’s [inherently] a good thing, it’s not who was arguing about this from a pro- goal is to make the player feel like the [always] a positive thing, there is a lot of business standpoint, put out an director or the writer. It’s very hard, but crappy art and very few true gems in the interesting phrase: “Brokeback many have tried. history of all art. Lets not make “art” a Mountain.” Where is the “Brokeback pretentious thing. Mountain” of games? Why isn’t there a SS: Creation and play are concepts that game that makes conservative people I think belong together, in Spanish, the Greg Costikyan: I would say there’s “art” feel uncomfortable about riding horses terms are closely related. and there’s “innovation.” Blizzard makes with each other? (Laughter) And that good art - it’s very polished and refined ties into the question of storytelling; CB: What words in Spanish? and well crafted - but they haven’t most of the storytelling in games these innovated in a long time. Rembrandt was days is just tacked on. It might add SS: I can’t really express in English the a very good craftsman, but a terrible language concept I have in mind. But “interactive storytelling” or “drama make a film or a novel. A lot of games game is one of those things that people games,” thinking beyond that, I think we try to be films, likeMetal Gear Solid - have bashed their head against the wall want games to be meaningful to people’s you get huge cinematics that last for about since the beginning of computer lives. We want people to recognize that three hours. MGS is the only game I’ll games – and if you want to bash your games have something to say and aren’t play with popcorn. (Laughter from head against that wall, that’s great. just superficial entertainment. It doesn’t group) I’ll think, “OK, time to see a Sooner or later someone will break have to be precisely an interactive drama. movie.” But Katamari is pure to the through the wall, but me, I’ll go do It can be, for instance, Katamari Damacy. medium. He wanted to make a great something else. I once read on Ron Gilbert’s blog how he game and he wanted to say something definedKatamari as a metaphor for through a ludic metaphor or whatever CB: Keita Takahashi has been just an Japanese consumerism, where you just you want to call it. I don’t know how to enormous influence for me, and that keep collecting more things. describe it exactly. It’s very poetic. other guy from the same publisher, his name escapes me, Tuori Iwatani, the CB: I swear Takahashi had no such GC: I can’t resist addressing the story Pac-Man guy, his talk was fantastic. I intention when making Katamari. vs. game issue. You have to think of didn’t fully take on board what he was games as being akin to music in this saying until some time afterwards. He JC: Actually, last year I was at his fashion. There are musical forms that spent ages talking about escalators, and session. Takahashi was describing what are tightly connected to storytelling, I was like, “Why is this Japanese game he thought were the intangibles of such as opera, the musical, the rock and designer talking about escalators?” But games. He kept joking with us, but by the roll ballad; then there are forms where the point he was getting across is: When end he said it was a feeling, like if you story is irrelevant. someone comes to an escalator, they watch little kids rolling the ball, you can know what to do with it. There is no feel the love, this kind of childish, silly PD: Like pop. learning barrier in using an escalator. It’s excitement. He was also talking about a fluid experience. this at the Game Design Challenge today. GC: Or symphonic music. There is a narrative in the sense that there is SS: Shiguero Miyamoto said the same SS: He said we could save the world if change over time, but it’s not “story” per thing about a Rubik’s Cube. From a there were enough gaming romantics. se. There are many games that integrate designer’s perspective, you get a cube in It’s this idea that you can put a romantic story very effectively; there are many your hands and you know you want to feeling in a game without betraying the games where story is irrelevant. To me, line up the squares. It’s self-explanatory. game. He made a game, he didn’t try to the search for the interactive narrative That’s the philosophy behind a lot of Japanese games and they know how to same, but they allow people enormous of reading expected from the players in building off of Nicole Lazzaro’s different do that stuff, so … freedom of action within that. It’s kind of order to absorb the background. Because kinds of play types. There’s “Hard Fun,” the opposite of a traditional tabletop if that’s needed to play, that’s a real the adrenaline rush Santiago mentioned, JC: I’ve got something that might help RPG, where players can go off in any barrier. [That’s] one of the great things and this is where the industry has been you guys: One I night I had dream with direction but moment to moment they about the Star Wars RPG … The advantage focused primarily; there’s “Easy Fun,” a very unique, dramatic story about four have to roll a die to see if they can do there is the player is coming to that which is like Katamari and Fireball and vampires. (Group laughter) It was like a what they do. Instead, they can do already knowing the background. I think it Cloud; “Serious Fun,” like DDR and movie, there was a lot of depth that whatever they want, moment to was a really elegant piece of RPG design management simulations; and then actually reflects on the society. I wanted moment, but the narrative arc is pushing because the core mechanics were well there’s “People Fun,” which she cited to share this with my friends, so I woke you. It’s weird, bizarre. … I don’t know suited to the style of narrative the Star primarily as being in social aspects of up and sat down to write something. The how you would do it in a digital Wars name supports – to the extent that I MMOGs. I’m thinking this wraps back first thing that came to mind was environment. never bought the rulebook. I have the around as a way of looking at social screenplay format - that was obvious. two-page handout, and that was sufficient challenge and interactive storytelling. Then I think, “I’m a game designer, can I CB: Maybe in a moderated massively to play the game. The concept was so communicate this in a game better than multiplayer context. It you look at the tight that you only needed a basic in a film?” I tried to figure out how to strengths of tabletop roleplaying, a lot of framework to get it going, because players enhance the story in a way that film the strengths seem to come from already knew the mythology. I think that can’t, but I couldn’t figure it out. You can allowing one person to take control on some of the most successful tabletop do a story so easily with just a pen and the understanding that their role of roleplaying games piggyback on some paper, or with a book or a film, but being in control is a cooperative one with backgrounds the player’s already have. when you come to games, you get stuck. the entire group. MMOGs don’t really tap Most designers just tell a story like a film into that potential successfully. More than One Way to Play and have gameplay in between. PD: Let’s talk about different types of PD: I think, with massively multiplayer, play. Chris wrote a book called 21st GC: Actually, I would recommend you you have all these unpredictable people Century Game Design… look at what are called “Narrativist” and the complexity goes up rather than paper RPGs. There are a number that down, though I’d like to see someone CB: I’m actually only a co-author. are designed to create experiences that approach the problem from that angle. shape into a story for people. The way PD: Right, right, and when we talk about they do that is constrain the narrative CB: One of the problems most tabletop different kinds of autuerism, I’ll mention arc so the shape of the story remains the RPGs have in that regard is the amount your humility. (Group laughs) You were CB: Um, no. the real world is. Maybe we can some of the cooler stuff in the game, PD: Right, Bryan Reynolds. eventually find out how to solve real you have to join one of the mega-guilds, PD: Alright, whatchya got? social problems through [MMOGs]. which are designed so the people who GC: Yeah, and we also need a more join new are treated as slaves and given sophisticated appreciation for who are GC: Interactive storytelling, drama CB: I think academics are very interested tasks like baking a thousand bricks. the key talents on game. In film, we games; what you’re doing is interacting in the massively multiplayer area for that People do it willingly because they want know it’s the director, we know it’s the with artificial people. I can get involved reason. They’re toy environments for to be a part of the effort. There is some producer, we know it’s the screenwriter in the actions of a character in a novel exploring social issues that you don’t opportunity for experimental social and the major actors. It isn’t clear who and I may be able to get involved in have the capacity to explore in the real structures in games. the major actors are in developing a other characters in a drama game, but world. Because how do you get 100,000 game, but it’s more than one person. that’s not the same thing as interacting people and put them in a new country Scratchware Autuers with a real person and will never replace and measure what they do? PD: I want to talk about autuerism. Do PD: One thing I really enjoyed about it … up until we have true AI and the you think having individuals who are working with Mr. Bateman here is he machine is legitimately a person. GC: Testing politics is probably going to empowered as the name brand of the made his personality a very transparent be difficult, testing economics is the most game, like, “This is a Howard Hawkes interface to the project. It reminds me of JC: I come from China, and originally difficult. I used to playA Tale in the game.” Do you think this has creative something Mark Healy told me - he’s worked at a MMOG company. I spent a Desert … and this is a game where some value, or at least marketing value? another scratchware auteur, the guy lot of time designing MMOG social of the tasks really require dozens or behind Rag Doll Kung Fu - and he told structures, and when I think about it I hundreds of people. If you want to do GC: It’s absolutely beneficial from a me he didn’t see himself as working for was trying to come up with a new genre marketing standpoint. It’s a two-edged Peter Molynuex when they made of MMOG - though I don’t want to get in sword if you’re a publisher; because if Dungeon Keeper and Black and White, detail - but the more I look into it, the this guy’s name has recognition with the more like he was working with Peter. He more I see that an MMOG actually audience, that’s another lever we can said they all were their own ingredients reflects what a real social structure use to sell this game, but it also means and Peter would just stir the pot. The actually is. It’s a max: How do you create he’s going to ask for more money and question is: Is it better to be a a social structure that meets everybody’s more control in the future. There is a “rockstar” game designer or a “humble” needs and makes them all happy? danger in having individuals recognized game designer, or is there synergy for their work in that sometimes those between those? GC: Nobody wants to be a peasant. aren’t really the people who did the work. I’m thinking of Alpha Centauri, CB: Wow, what a question. I know what JC: Yeah, as the game becomes bigger, which Sid Meier didn’t really design. I set out to do with Fireball, and what I it becomes closer in structure to what hope to do further down the line, is to create a core game design that is solid PD: And on the other hand, we have by a million users worldwide. enough that other people can come to it Santiago who is trying to solve drama, Interactivity empowers the creativity of and find their own creativity. So there maybe not from such a high level individuals. But, I read a lot of are multiple levels of play before it gets approach as Crawford. It’s geared biographies, I admire people that do to an audience. What I did with Fireball towards a specific context, and you’re something different. In games there are, was I put out an open call and said, doing it all on your own. You’re doing the of course, Will Wright and Ron Gilbert “Does anyone want to contribute to art, the programming and the design. Do and so on. We need to look up to these this?” and I got people like you and you see yourself as becoming like, “Hey, people and we need to be those people Maurizio. There was an enjoyment that this is a Santiago Siri game,” and you who make a difference, because you guys got out of playing with those going on talk shows and stuff? What are individuality also has its good side. tools and creating stuff with it. When the your delusions of grandeur? audience finally comes to it, they’re PD: Jenova, your game, Cloud, was your going to experience these little individual SS: Uh, I do have delusions of grandeur. vision, and you came up with the basic art pieces that you all made for it. And I’m a human being. I do tend to think of play mechanic, but you made it happen PD: Is seven the magic number, before that’s fantastic. That’s what I’m really myself winning an Oscar or something with, I think it was six other people? you stop being a scratchware team and exploring now - creating a core game like that. I agree that a game designer is start becoming AAA? design that allows other people to explore not writing a story where every detail is JC: It’s really hard. Before we made different kinds of play experiences and controlled, he’s creating the rules for a Cloud, we made another game called JC: Yeah. But you can’t have a magic provide that to an audience. player. The boundaries of authorship in Dyadin. We were here last year at the space that everybody will like. You need games are really very mysterious due to EGW with that. That game was made by somebody to lead it. That’s why, in PD: You give credit to the people who make the nature of interactivity. Interactivity everyone. Everyone on the team started Cloud, because I started the project, the content. It’s like auteur franchising. enables people to modify what you give talking about the game, contributing to it people would say, “You are the lead and to them. It’s sort of like the DJs; they and debating about ideas, and finally we you get to make this decision.” So, I CB: Yeah, that’s one way of looking at it. remix the music and suddenly, because got an idea that was mediocre to became the choice-maker for the team. That’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to the technology gets ripe, the DJs everybody. OK, so everybody is happy to It’s kind of like being the president: You create a framework of design that would become very famous and recognized as make it, but I feel that the more people can’t really do anything without your allow another group of people to come in artists. The nature of interactivity puts that get into the design, the more the team. You can pass out ideas, but they and express themselves. I’m not trying to into questions the nature of authorship, final product suffers. If you have more have to agree if it’s going to happen. control the whole experience. I’m trying but I’m trying to create tools that enable then seven people involved, it’s going to to facilitate something else happening. authorship in the sense of community be very hard. CB: That situation definitely gets worse creation. Like Wikipedia - it was created when you have a big team. The barrier to doing anything interesting is that you more intuitive. It’s all about control. So, CB: I’ve got to know how that works have to satisfy everyone on the team. I’d listen to them and change it and then in practice. two other players would say, “This SS: This is a very interesting debate sucks.” (Group laughs) I’d change it back TL: Yeah that’s funny. I didn’t think we because it has a lot to do with the or find somewhere in-between - a were the Partridge Family of philosophy you bring to the particular compromise - and then, another guy videogames, but thanks for pointing that game you’re making. American games would stand up and say, “Hey, you out to me. Both my wife and I are very much focus on the business model. should do it the old way.” You never extremely opinionated and it’s like two The creative process becomes highly really solve it for everybody. A friend of dictators running the same ship. There’s collective and systematized. I like a lot mine, who is an art major, said, “Why do a lot of yelling and screaming and crying of Hayao Miyazaki’s movies. He’s a you listen to anyone? You’re making art - and then she talks. (Group laughs) But, brilliant artist, and I once read a quote and you make it for yourself.” It’s very uh, no, we both agree after the cussing of his: “When people work with me, I conflicting. On one hand, you want a and discussing [that] it’s a much better don’t give them time for discussion, design that is a system you’d love to product in everything that we do for our you’ll do it my way or you don’t do it at play yourself, and on the other hand, if clients. Together, it might be the best all.” His movies are quite personal. you want to sell your game you have to teamwork. As a spouse, you come compromise for others. together because the other has strengths JC: I learned about this the hard way that facilitate your weaknesses, and vice with Cloud, we’d go through about five TL: I just want to say there are no versa. I think in a project that might be iterations based on player feedback, so statues of committees. our ultimate strength. as a designer, I can’t make a game for myself, I have to make it for the player. PD: On that note, Tom, you work on To read the article in its unedited entirety, games with your wife. Evidently, this visit The Lounge this Friday. TL: That’s the same thing as anything, whole male/female duo thing is popping even making a website. People make the up on the indie scene. I don’t know if Patrick Dugan is a ludosophist. He runs websites not for themselves but for a any of y’all played Mount and Blade, it’s King Lud IC, a blog regarding game company, and it sucks. But when your a very high-quality indie game. I design theory, memetics and interactive make a website for a client, that’s when recommend everyone play the demo. It’s storytelling. He looks foward to it succeeds. being made by a Turkish couple; he does prototyping with Chris Crawford’s the programming and she does the Storytron, and to pioneering socially- JC: What happened was one player graphics. Maybe that’s the best sort of oriented narrative challenge. would tell me to do this and it would be team mechanic you can have. Binu Philip steps to the podium. He about the future of independent game makes a joke, smiles broadly and begins studios, we must first have a discussion to speak. He brings up the current about intellectual property.” platform transition, the rising development costs, higher production Hillside Property values, unfriendly publishing contracts, I’m sitting in Binu Philip’s office, talking recruiting shortages. IP. Edge of Reality’s building sits on the ridge of a hill. It overlooks a river, a The audience listens, beginning to landmark bridge and Austin’s downtown wonder not about, “What is the rightful skyline. Down below us, on the hills place in the game industry for heading into the valley, are buildings independents?” but, “Who in their right that house all the great technology mind would want to be an independent?” companies in town.

Then, Philip quotes Lord of the Rings: Philip is telling me: “The beauty [of “Certainty of death. Small chance of being an independent developer] is that success. What are we waiting for?!” you don’t have to sell yourself to a He wonders aloud if this is the motto for publisher, and be part of an organization independent studios these days. The that has thousands of people under audience chuckles. It’s true, and it employment, and massive overhead. You resonates with them. can still be part of a relatively small studio and create something … Philip is president of Edge of Reality, a successful independent developer with a “The cool thing about intellectual background of ports (such as The Sims) property is that intellectual property is and movie licenses valuable ... [regardles of] ... how many (such as Over the Hedge). He tells his people worked on it. You can come up audience, “In order to have a discussion with a very valuable game that took 30 An Independent Future layers of bureaucracy to deal with. When people to make.” Philip believes independent developers they have an issue, they can come are important to the industry’s future. directly to anyone in management; it’ll Edge of Reality’s growth is dictated by “They have the freedom to do R&D and get ironed out pretty quickly. what it takes to make the best game to try out different forms of gameplay. possible. Philip says, “These enormous They’re only responsible to themselves; “They know that we have a reputation teams that you’ll see at large publishers they’re not responsible to a greenlight for shipping titles,” Philip adds, “and that are a result of trying to get the game out committee until a game is signed with a we have commercial success with our within a certain financial quarter. And publisher.” titles. There’s some stability attached to they need all those people to hit a that. Someone can come here and be minimum bar of quality. And that’s important, because once a part of creating something new. greenlight committee is involved, “they’re “That’s an equation that’s juggled by mostly about minimizing risk.” And when “The thing that all game developers have financial people working with production you’re trying to advance a game, truly in common is that we all want to be part people,” he explains. “And, usually, the trying to create something that stands of something successful. A game takes financial people will out-muscle the out, you want to be in a position to take two or three years to make. You’ve only production people into living with a short as many risks as is necessary to create got so many of those in your career. time schedule and having a million something “breakthrough.” Maybe 10. It’s very important when you bodies to compensate for it. invest that kind of time.” “That’s not to say publishers won’t “I don’t really fear growth, because create breakthrough product, I just think The New IP we’ve done a lot of growing in the last it’s easier for independent developers to Thus, Edge of Reality is working on new eight years. We’re not new to growth at do so,” says Philip. intellectual property. “We’ve had this goal all. I just don’t want to be in a position for five or six years now,” says Philip. where we’re forced to have 300 people Banking on Reputation “That one day we want to be in a position to complete a game in a year. I think People are attracted to Edge of Reality where we can take a risk on a new IP.” that’s a recipe for disaster. At the end of for a variety of reasons. “They see us as the day, you’re better off with a smaller an underdog,” Philip explains. “We’re not And the company has been working up group, working over a larger period of owned by a large publisher. And that’s to this point, earning royalties from time, to get a game of higher quality.” kind of attractive to a lot of people, previous ports and licensed titles. “We Philip adds, “That’s what I believe.” because we’re not going to have nine want to be in a financial position where we can take this risk. And if it’s a failure, bet. That said, we’re very determined to Developers love to complain, so they’ll it won’t sink the company. win the bet. Our ultimate goal is not to always complain about how it’s become a subsidiary of a large publisher.” impossible to develop independently “It takes a while to earn that right,” these days. As Philip says, “The fact is, Philip says. “It’s been a goal of ours, that Which raises the question: What’s so you can do it if you’re willing to pay your we’ve stated within the company, just unappealing about mega-corporations? dues, and if you have the right not as loud as it’s been for the last two “There’s a couple big things. One of processes, and the right resources in or three years. And for the last two or them is control. And the other is we want place to do so. That doesn’t necessarily three years, we’ve been telling people as to make an impact. At a big company, mean having to sell your company to a we’ve been talking to them about they’re going succeed or fail regardless venture capitalist to pursue your dreams.” potentially joining the company, that we of what you do. It’s nice to make a are in the process of doing this. difference. It’s more rewarding if you succeed because of your hard work. N. Evan Van Zelfden expects great things “And this process just takes forever. for the future of games. Games are the Even the planning stages - before any “Thinking about companies that we’d like greatest art form to date, he asserts. work is done. It took months to get a to emulate in the long run,” Philip says. This is why he plays games, writes about concept we all agreed to. We’re two “One that comes to mind is Pixar, before them, and continues to work in the years into working on our next-gen tools Pixar sold to Disney. They have a long industry of games. and technology; a year (and change) track record of creating original into the actual game.” properties, and it’s much deeper than any videogame company.” A Smart Gamble “We try not to take a risk where we’re For an independent developer, there’s betting the future of the company on any more at stake than making Wall Street one thing,” Philip says. “It’s still an happy. It’s about making a product important and expensive bet, but [the you’re happy with, that you know will bet] won’t fold us. It’ll be a learning resonate with the audience, and will sell. step, to help make the next one better. As Philip concludes, this is what is at stake: “Leaving a mark in the videogame “That was one of the factors of us industry. It’s coming from a point of starting now. Not only could we afford to inspiration, instead of following a take the bet, we could afford to lose the corporate mandate.” EDITORIAL PRODUCTION BUSINESS Executive Editor Producer Publisher Julianne Greer Jonathan Hayter Alexander Macris

Content Editor Layout Artist Associate Publishers Joseph Blancato Jessica Fielhauer Jerry Godwin Russ Pitts Gregory Lincoln Lead Web Developer Contributing Editor Whitney Butts Director of Advertising JR Sutich Susan Briglia Web Developer Research Manager Erik Jacobson Media Sales Associate Nova Barlow Laura Rotondo IT Director Contributors Jason Smith Chairman of Themis Group Patrick Dugan Thomas S. Kurz Justin McElroy Jim Rossignol John Sczcepaniak N. Evan Van Zelfden

Volume 1, Issue 44, © 2006. The Escapist is published weekly by Themis Group, Inc. Produced in the United States of America. To contact the editors please email [email protected]. For a free subscription to The Escapist in PDF format please view www.escapistmagazine.com Patrick Dugan, “Scratchware Russ Pitts, Associate Editor Auteurs” Serious Sam. Serious. Old school action, Each week we ask a question of our staff and featured writers to learn a little bit I’m currently wrapped up in DROD, an 3-D graphics and that indelible Eastern about them and gain some insight into where they are coming from. This week’s addicting and cerebral dungeon crawler/ European charm? Winner. question is: puzzler. Mount and Blade had better combat than most AAA RPGs. Tower Jon Hayter, Producer Defence was a tight refinement of a fan Galactic Civilizations 2. favorite RTS mod. RIP was a rockin’ 2-D shooter/RPG. But my favorite? Super Julianne Greer, Executive Editor Columbine Massacre RPG! Online mahjong, because I don’t have to clean up the tiles. Justin McElroy, “Defend Ironton!: 1996, it only cost $21.64. And, the box JR Sutich, Contributing Editor How a decade-long gamble might advertised billions of possible games. If Uplink. just save a small town” that isn’t value, nothing is. It’s got to be Dink Smallwood for the PC, Joe Blancato, Associate Editor which you can still find atwww.rtsoft. John Szczepaniak, “Doujin a Go Go, Uplink, man. Any day of the week, and com. A free RPG that features an abusive Baby!” twice on Sunday. uncle, a villain named Milder Flatstomp My favorite small-budget game, and a town that worships ducks … how mentioned this issue, is Cave Story (a. could you go wrong? You can’t, that’s k.a. Doukutsu Monogatari). Not so much how. small-budget, as no budget at all! In fact, I like it so much, I normally classify N. Evan Van Zelfden, “To the Edge of it alongside my favorite commercial Reality” games. You know, the kind that cost $50 Indiana Jones and His Desktop a pop. Stop reading, and just play it. Adventures. As the box said, visit exotic locales, meet interesting people! Back in