GAMING TREND » Culture

How much can an indie title make with near zero publicity?

Victor Grunn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:23:58 +0000

Everyone knows that big-hit indie games like Minecraft can rake in millions and millions of dollars. But there’s a whole lot of other games out there – titles with far fewer resources to speak of and, more importantly, next to zero media hype surrounding them. For aspiring indie devs it’s worth wondering if titles like that could possibly earn enough to justify their creation. Well, Gamasutra has an interesting article about this, with the dev of Survivor Squad openly discussing the sales of his game. Never heard of Survivor Squad? Well, that’s part of the point here!

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Nearly half of gamers are female, and other things you didn’t know

Breanna Goodman — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:42:00 +0000

That’s right publishers, it’s time to stop neglecting games with female leads because you’re afraid they won’t sell (hint: they do, and not just to women). And gamers, it’s time to stop seeing the archetypal online player as a foul-mouthed adolescent boy. A new study from the ESA reveals that the gaming community is a lot more diverse (and a bit older) than many people think. As gamers everywhere come together for the annual newsfest that is E3, it seems appropriate to find out how common preconceptions about our community stack up with the facts. Let’s bust some myths!

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Sony drives the knife in deeper with “used game instructional video”

Breanna Goodman — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 03:51:19 +0000

In case Sony didn’t make it perfectly clear that the PS4 is the console for used games, they released a video to clarify exactly what they meant. Perhaps you’re unsure about how exactly this newfangled idea of a “used game” works. Maybe game sharing sounds like some technical innovation that simply can’t be achieved yet, at least not without dealing with a lot of complicated technology in the process. Luckily, for those of you who may be a bit confused about how used games work (ahem), Sony has released this short tutorial demonstrating the concept:

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Novel based on Assassin’s Creed IV is in the works

Sean Lama — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 21:13:15 +0000

I’ve been a fan of novels based on video games for a long time. My affinity for them started with books based on the Myst series which succeeded in drawing me in and immersing me entirely in the universe. Since then, I’ve read novels based on a variety of video game franchises such as Starcraft, Halo, and Mass Effect. Assassin’s Creed also has a series of novels that take place in the fictional universe of the game, and Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will receive the same treatment.

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So this is cool: Animal Crossing’s K.K. Slider sings Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”

David Roberts — Thu, 30 May 2013 14:25:53 +0000

File this under “uniquely awesome:” Youtube user Alex Romero remixed Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” — using the midi-gibberish “voice” of Animal Crossing’s K.K. Slider as the vocals of the song. It’s hilarious, amazing, and still really damn catchy. Check out the video after the break.

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Software Poker bug-exploit leads to a federal hacking charge

Victor Grunn — Thu, 02 May 2013 06:13:05 +0000

No, this isn’t about Poker Night at the Inventory 2. A poker player managed to get someone more dangerous than GladOS angry at him.

Wired has an interesting story up about an interesting legal case currently being pursued. Here’s the short version: some very crafty gamblers discovered a software bug in a video poker machine. The sort of bug that was able to make them thousands of dollars wealthier if they just happened to exploit it the right way. As often happens in cases like this, they got a bit greedy, the casino noticed, and the right to their winnings was disputed. So far, so normal. What’s not so normal is how high the stakes have become – with government prosecutors getting involved to argue that what the exploit-using gamblers did in this case was not only unethical, but a violation of federal anti-hacking laws. Keep in mind, the players in this case didn’t break into the machine, or fiddle with the hardware directly. They just exploited a bug – or is it a feature? – that was already built into the code.

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Portion of Indie Gala proceeds funding political campaign

Breanna Goodman — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:44:25 +0000

Indie bundle deals have become almost ubiquitous in the world of PC gaming now, so when a new one pops up we generally know what to expect; a selection of game downloads offered for a “pay what you want” price, with the proceeds being spilt between the game developers, charities, and the group offering the bundle. The latest Indie Gala bundle, however, has some of its funds going towards an unexpected cause: the campaign of an aspiring politician from Vancouver. From the Indie Gala page:

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Crazy Eights: Eight questions with James Mathe of Minion Games

Keith Schleicher — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 19:29:55 +0000

I had heard of Kickstarter for a while due to the fact that many developers were using it for publishing board games. Many people have succeeded, but many have failed as well. Someone who written a lot on the subject of Kickstarter is James Mathe, Business Manager at Minion Games. I asked him eight questions about his experiences as a publisher using Kickstarter.

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Kickin’ It – Kickstarter Update for March 25, 2013

Breanna Goodman — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:07:04 +0000

If April showers bring May flowers, then what does March snow bring? Well, here’s another edition of Kickin’ It for starters. Kickin’ It showcases games or gaming-related projects on Kickstarter that deserve special recognition in four distinct categories: Up and coming, a promising project on its way to funding, Underrated, a project with lots of potential but little funding, Updated, a previously funded Kickstarter with a recent progress update, and Unusual, a strange, interesting, or quirky project. The projects in this week’s Kickin’ It are Battle Worlds: Kronos, Planet Explorers, Story War, and The Big Blue.

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Crazy Eights: Eight questions on Zombicide Season 2

Keith Schleicher — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:01:48 +0000

One of the biggest Kickstarter successes from last year was the first Zombicide. It reached an amazing number of stretch goals with several characters, both survivor and zombified, added to those who backed the game. Now Zombicide Season 2 is up on Kickstarter. I asked CoolMiniOrNot, the publisher of the original, eight questions.

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Kickin’ It – Kickstarter Update for March 18, 2013

Breanna Goodman — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:53:37 +0000

Welcome back to Kickin’ It, you know the drill by now. For those of us who don’t have the cash for an elaborate spring vacation (or whose idea of an elaborate vacation involves tons of gaming), Kickin’ It directs you to games or gaming-related projects on Kickstarter that deserve special recognition in four distinct categories: Up and coming, a promising project on its way to funding, Underrated, a project with lots of potential but little funding, Updated, a previously funded Kickstarter with a recent progress update, and Unusual, a strange, interesting, or quirky project.This week’s stars are Shovel Knight, Protect or Infect, Throw Trucks with Your Mind, and Cheap Shot.

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Kickin’ It – Kickstarter Update for March 11, 2013

Breanna Goodman — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:12:27 +0000

Tired from that hour of sleep daylight savings robbed from you overnight? Maybe this post will help Kickstart (heh) your Monday. This is another entry in the Kickin’ It saga, where we showcase games or gaming-related projects on Kickstarter that deserve special recognition in four distinct categories: Up and coming, a promising project on its way to funding, Underrated, a project with lots of potential but little funding, Updated, a previously funded Kickstarter with a recent progress update, and Unusual, a strange, interesting, or quirky project. Who’s kicking off this week? Torment: Tides of Numenera, Pulse, Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey, and SoundSelf.

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Crazy Eights: Eight questions about Skylanders Chess

Keith Schleicher — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 04:27:23 +0000

When I posted about Skylanders Chess late last week, I had no idea I would hear back from the author of that article. I took the opportunity to ask him eight questions to find out more about this new twist of one of the oldest games ever created. Here is Crazy Eights with Andy Robertson.

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Kickin’ It – Kickstarter Update for March 4, 2013

Breanna Goodman — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:42:00 +0000

Kickin’ It is almost 1 month old today. They grow up so fast! Not much has changed though; just like last week, Kickin’ It showcases games or gaming-related projects on Kickstarter that deserve special recognition in four distinct categories: Up and coming, a promising project on its way to funding, Underrated, a project with lots of potential but little funding, Updated, a previously funded Kickstarter with a recent progress update, and Unusual, a strange, interesting, or quirky project. Which projects rose to the top this week? Mage’s Initiation, Civitas, Asylum, and Fooya.

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Crazy Eights: Eight questions about Dungeon Roll and Kickstarter

Keith Schleicher — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:05:49 +0000

Kickstarter has become a phenomenon with video game developers, but it has become even bigger with board game developers. I asked Michael Mendes, founder of Tasty Minstrel Games, about his Kickstarter experiences and his newest endeavor Dungeon Roll.

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Would you like to play a game of Skylanders Chess?

Keith Schleicher — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:41:14 +0000

Let’s face it, one day our consoles are going to end up in that giant motherboard in the sky, and the portal of power that comes with the Skylanders games will lose it’s luster, and possibly an outlet to plug into. However, that doesn’t mean that those Skylanders figures are useless once that happens. Some very inventive kids came up with a great idea from the GeekDadGamer at the Wired blog.

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Kickin’ It – Kickstarter Update for February 25, 2013

Breanna Goodman — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:30:39 +0000

Another week, another four Kickstarter projects you should definitely have a look at. As always, Kickin’ It showcases games or gaming-related projects on Kickstarter that deserve special recognition in four distinct categories: Up and coming, a promising project on its way to funding, Underrated, a project with lots of potential but little funding, Updated, a previously funded Kickstarter with a recent progress update, and Unusual, a strange, interesting, or quirky project. The four projects for this week are There Came an Echo, The Golem, Darklands, and Story War.

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Kickin’ It – Kickstarter Update for February 17, 2013

Breanna Goodman — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 14:00:32 +0000

It’s been a week since the last edition of Kickin’ It, and that can only mean one thing; there’s a whole world of notable Kickstarter projects that we haven’t mentioned yet! You know the drill: Kickin’ It showcases games or gaming-related projects on Kickstarter that deserve special recognition in four distinct categories: Up and coming, a promising project on its way to funding, Underrated, a project with lots of potential but little funding, Updated, a previously funded Kickstarter with a recent progress update, and Unusual, a strange, interesting, or quirky project. Who are the lucky projects this week? Delver’s Drop, Fuzzy Slaughter, Pier Solar HD, and Throw Trucks With Your Mind.

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Top ten RPG clichés in video games

Ron Burke — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:43:32 +0000

I’ve played RPGs my entire life and I’ve seen my fair share of tropes and cliches. I’ve killed dragons, I’ve crushed tyrants, I’ve saved princesses, and I’ve hurled magic at my enemies. I’ve also lost my memory, lost my equipment, and lost my friends. Killing foozles is tough work, but it’s hard to ignore that the things in this list remain relatively constant in nearly every RPG. Welcome to the Top 10 RPG Cliches in gaming.

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Star Wars’ Death Star vs. X-Wing battle heads to Kickstarter

Breanna Goodman — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:30:22 +0000

Kickstarter has always played host to some interesting projects, but this may be the first time that the fate of the galazy depends on the outcome. A few days ago, soon after the White House refused to fund the construction of a Death Star because “The Administration does not support blowing up planets”, the Galactic Empire took their plea to Kickstarter. For £20,000,000 (about $31,000,000), the project promises “more detailed plans and enough chicken wire to protect reactor exhaust ports”. It will take reaching the stretch goal of £543 quadrillion ($850,000,000,000,000,000, $850 quadrillion) to actually construct the Death Star and while that might sound like an impossible amount to us, the Rebel Alliance isn’t taking it lightly. They responded with their own Kickstarter to fund an X-Wing squadron.

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