Utah Indie Game Developer Meet - Spring 2006
Wow.

The first Utah Indie Game Developer's meet about nine months ago was something like 10 people. The next one was 13. The following one was 16 people. I worried we might not sustain our growth this time, as there were some people I knew who couldn't make it this time (like the illustrious Russell Carroll, editor-in-chief of Game Tunnel, who recently made the move to California). But if we COULD keep up the rate of growth, we'd have 19 people.

Nope. We had 29. It was unbelievable. It was a huge party. It was a very interesting turnout.

First of all, we had a huge turnout of people who have day jobs in the game industry. I know the Headgate guys have kinda-sorta received their company's blessings to be there. And of course, Wahoo studios is committed to the whole indie game development movement. And there were guys from another local Utah game development studio as well.

WHY!?!?!?! Why were these guys who are getting PAID to make games as a day job taking time out of their busy evenings with family and other priorities to MAKE THEIR OWN GAMES and to attend meetings TALKING about making indie games? Apparently their day jobs aren't crushing their passion for game development, for one thing. But I think there's something else. I think a lot of it was just that they want to make their own games, and to be involved in something that is small and personal enough that they don't feel like they could simply be replaced. With small indie games, you change one member of the team, you change the whole game. Maybe that's not their reason, but it's one I thought of after talking to them.

And these guys also grouse about the awful rut that game design is in as loud as any gaming journalist. They want to make a difference.

I can't really begin to tell you what happened tonight, because I think I only saw a quarter of it. I saw and played some cool demos. I didn't get to play Bug Warz, but it was looking REALLY nice and polished, and should be released to the public in a few days. I got to play Mike Smith's Caster once again, and it has REALLY come along nicely. It still needs some polishing and cleaning up in parts, but as I played the first three levels I felt like I was playing a commercial demo. It's getting that close.

Another demo called "Wog" was just --- weird. But cool. It's a 2D game with tightly integrated physics. Basically, think of shooting your way through incredible SWARMS of enemies, so many that all you can do with your various guns (attack modes) is to clear a temporary path through the middle of them. That's Wog.

Some guys from Caravel were demoing Deadly Rooms of Death. Great stuff. I didn't even realize some of the team lived here in Utah.

Steve - sorry, I can't remember his last name - AKA "Dreamer" of MyDreamRPG.com gave demos of the "massively multiplayer RPG kit" for the Torque Game Engine. Unfortunately he ran into a few technical difficulties during his presentation to me - but I did get to see horses running around inside of TGE.

I demoed "Apocalypse Cow," which is REALLY not as far along as I intended it to be by now (my hope was to have it ready for alpha by now... silly me). Now I hope to have it to beta by the NEXT Utah Indie Meet, probably in July. But people were really complimentary of the game, in spite of the fact that I'd apparently BROKEN many pieces of it during my drive to get it ready for the demo. I REALLY have to get the "bridge building" mission more polished and complete, and get good ol' Cowfred Von Richthoofen done and terrorizing the country side first.

There were a couple other demos I really regret missing. But I did get into some intering conversations with lots of people about game design, and about massively multiplayer game design, architecture, and *ahem* pricing structure. There were a lot of bright, driven people in the room with good ideas and some fascinating background experiences. Those conversations were worth the evening alone.

Anyway - I WISH I could have experienced more of what was going on, but at times it felt like there were four parties going on and I could only participate in a small part. But I left as inspired and humbled as ever, and seized with a desire to Get My Game Done.

But not tonight. I was up till late doing game dev stuff last night, and I am exhausted. Rock on, and keep kicking tail and making games!
- posted by The Rampant Coyote @ 11:02 PM (Permalink)