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[Paul Eres]

Sorry Paul, no matter how hard you mold this clay, I'm not going to think there is an inherent bias against JRPGS. Your argument is broken on a couple of levels: how many games of each type are entered, the fact that the justification of calling your game a JRPG is leagues more stringent then a platformer, the difficulty and time sink differences between the creation between the two. You're comparing battleships to bicycles.

these are all good points but have nothing to do with my argument for the bias against jrpgs. i'm not basing the bias against jrpgs on any of those things, i'm basing it simply on the feedback that jrpgs got from the judges last year. that itself is evidence enough. the other supporting evidence is irrelevant. it's also irrelevant whether they are more creative or less creative than platformers. even were platformers more creative than jrpgs (they're not), and even though more platformers are made than jrpgs by indies (this is true), and even though the defining characteristics of a platformer are broader than for that of a jrpg (this is arguable, but probably true) you're still left with the fact that a judge marked down a game because he doesn't like the genre, not because of how good of an example that game was of its genre.

[AndySchatz]

Speaking of a possible writing award, what do you think would have been nominated had this award existed?  I'm sure my hindsight is not 20/20 in this regard, since I didn't judge the games specifically looking for writing, but from what I played, I think I would have picked A Choice of Broadsides, A House in California, and Flotilla as my standouts.

[Eric McQuiggan]

Memory's hazy but I seem to remember this rabbit hole shifting into what the definition of writing is, as it could either mean the overarching story or the quality of the text in the boxes/spoken, also considered is proc. gen. where the player congeals a story out of what the game gives them.

I that said, a writing award would be awesome.

[AndySchatz]

Memory's hazy but I seem to remember this rabbit hole shifting into what the definition of writing is, as it could either mean the overarching story or the quality of the text in the boxes/spoken, also considered is proc. gen. where the player congeals a story out of what the game gives them.

I that said, a writing award would be awesome.

Well, my intention for the award would be actual crafted language.  So a game like Sleep is Death wouldn't cut it in my book.

[Paul Eres]

i like storytelling better than writing, since not all stories are told through text -- although i would prefer if *usually* that award goes to the game with the best writing, there are some cases where a game has a very good story without very much writing (or no writing)

[AndySchatz]

OK, so what games would you pick?

[Paul Eres]

i can't comment on that because it'd be egoistic (hint: my team's games are known for their writing -- my last game was immortal defense)

but if you mean what games besides mine would i pick, i'm not sure about that either because i haven't played all of them (i'm not a judge). or even most of them. so i really have no idea.

of the games i have played? which amount to about 5% of all the game submitted?

- cave story
- dangerous high school girls in trouble

that's about all i can think of (although cave story for its original story and not for the lackluster nicalis translation, note)

but really i'd have to play the other 95% of games to say anything substantial

[PsySal]

also vvvvvv, super crate box, spelunky, cave story, don't look back, gish, raitendo's series of games with no replay buttons, N, shank, alien hominid, and tons of others.

I also want to add to the list:

- Cosmind's incredibly innovative game Glum Buster. This has to be one of the best indie games ever, if you haven't played it, do. It's chock full on new ideas.

- Matt's An Untitled Story. I think it also has some excellent new and interesting ideas in it, and beyond that is another just plain awesome game.

[Paul Eres]

i agree glum buster is one of the best platformers ever made, and probably my favorite indie game of all time, but i don't really see how it's innovative at all; there's nothing it did that other platformers didn't do before it, it just does it better. i feel like i'm in some bizarro world where 'good' means 'innovative'. 

[Alexander Bruce]

wsworin, I really don't think people should be given easy ways to prizes just because they didn't have a development budget. If you're developing a game and money is the issue, I'd either try to find creative ways to get around budget restrictions, or find a way to get more funding for yourself.

There are also smaller festivals than the IGF (like IndieCade) that you can enter as well. Creating something amazing doesn't have to take money. I got in this year, and I've spent nothing other than time and effort on my game.

Also regarding the "must have game released and have it have lots of publicity" thing, the IGF announcement was the first I'd ever heard of about Vessel, as a game that took people by surprise. Much like how the PAX10 finalist announcement was the first that heaps of people had heard about Bastion from.

[wsworin]

Congrats on getting nominated!

"wsworin, I really don't think people should be given easy ways to prizes just because they didn't have a development budget. If you're developing a game and money is the issue, I'd either try to find creative ways to get around budget restrictions, or find a way to get more funding for yourself.
"

I understand what you mean, but if this were totally true, then why is there even an indie banner to begin with(just compete with all the games in the industry)? As well, the indie studios with multi-million dollar budgets don't really need the exposure or the help the IGF offers.

"Also regarding the "must have game released and have it have lots of publicity" thing, the IGF announcement was the first I'd ever heard of about Vessel, as a game that took people by surprise. Much like how the PAX10 finalist announcement was the first that heaps of people had heard about Bastion from."

I agree this is true on some games, but the majority of games that made it I heard of from other festivals, news sources, or already played.

But I guess no contest which such scale will ever be perfect... and I do appreciate all the work the judges/IGF put into it(300+ games is alot, yikes!). In the end I'm just gonna have to keep working hard and hope the best for Silas next year!

[biomechanic]

@Paul
Sorry to break your bubble but the only way Immortal Defense could score a writing award would be if it was judged by quantity. The game part of the game was really good, but the walls of text in-between levels were just trite melodrama.

On writing: I feel like writing has the biggest disconnect between creator and audience appraisal.  It's more difficult for a programmer to believe they have created something awesome, when in fact it's garbage, and yet you see this all the time in writing.

QFA

[Eclipse]

glad to see Super Crate Box there.

I lolled hard at Minecraft getting a nomination for "technical excellence". It's a great game but ...technical excellence? 
I hope in Amnesia to win the big prize, they totally deserve it

[allen]

especially how minecraft got the technical excellence over something like this is beyond me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1IsxDQ5cPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kksmifosh0w

plenty more examples if you search for overgrowth

meh.

[Eclipse]

yeah Wolfire guys are doing an amazing job, and they have cool toolsets too