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[starsrift]

Just joined the forums and thought I’d chime in…

This year was my first year being a judge, and I was a bit disappointed with the process.  I was given a short list of games to judge, none of which seemed to me worth nominating.  However, there were a few games that I wasn’t assigned, where I went ahead and nominated because I had played them after they got a lot of press.

That's basically exactly what everyone's bitching about. In absence of the games you got assigned to rate, or even looking at other games that could be bad, you went to add your vote to the ones with the best marketing that were known to be at least pretty good - though may not be the best game.

This turns into a circle-jerk. Game by well-known designer gets good press which makes it well-known so when it gets into IGF it gets extra attention because it's a well-known designer, they get to be an even more well-known designer and now it's like there's this unbreachable wall, "indie elite".

[Glaiel-Gamer]

that round of judging had next to no influence on the jury round of judges, we were able to see how many of the assigned judges nominated it for our category, which had more of an impact than the number of total nominations.

Not to say the first round didn't have an impact, but every game that got even just 1 nomination was considered for the category.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

what % of games entered got a nomination for a category?

[PTibz]

Just joined the forums and thought I’d chime in…

This year was my first year being a judge, and I was a bit disappointed with the process.  I was given a short list of games to judge, none of which seemed to me worth nominating.  However, there were a few games that I wasn’t assigned, where I went ahead and nominated because I had played them after they got a lot of press.

That's basically exactly what everyone's bitching about. In absence of the games you got assigned to rate, or even looking at other games that could be bad, you went to add your vote to the ones with the best marketing that were known to be at least pretty good - though may not be the best game.

This turns into a circle-jerk. Game by well-known designer gets good press which makes it well-known so when it gets into IGF it gets extra attention because it's a well-known designer, they get to be an even more well-known designer and now it's like there's this unbreachable wall, "indie elite".

It's really not that difficult at all to get press.
Make a good game.
Talk to people about it because you're passionate and love it.
Then send it to the tips lines at the various sites or contact the journalists you think would fit your game directly.

Do your research and actually put some work into it. You can't just expect to make something decent, throw it on TIG, and have it all the sudden be everywhere. A lot of games popularity also is based on recent trends in the market and not necessarily what people like right now, but what you think they WILL like in the future. Take this into account. Realize there are SO many artists in other walks of life that see no exposure or money for what they create. Be happy if you can make anything off of what you love to do.

I understand why you're upset Phubans, but you probably should have said it the way you just explained things in the first place instead of flying into a rage. Not everything works out for everyone. Life is in no way fair. Many things are left to chance and circumstance. That's how it is.

It's great to fight this fact because it's what keeps us as humans happy, but know that not everything will work out just because you want it too. I'm sure you know this and so do many others, but you sure aren't acting like it. What you deserve is clearly not what you always get.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

that wasn't phubans -- why are you addressing him as phubans?

also, this is a bit late, but i just thought of another reason why i can't follow mattheww's suggestion about quitting working on my game: i've already accepted preorders for it. i think there are legal issues involved in not fulfilling contracts like that; i can't just take people's money and then say i'm not finishing the game

[Bandages]

that wasn't phubans -- why are you addressing him as phubans?

also, this is a bit late, but i just thought of another reason why i can't follow mattheww's suggestion about quitting working on my game: i've already accepted preorders for it. i think there are legal issues involved in not fulfilling contracts like that; i can't just take people's money and then say i'm not finishing the game

CORTEX COMMMMAAAAAAAAAAND 

(yeah I know it's not the same situation - it's a joke because fuck paying $20 for a guy to say "ehhhhh nahhhhhhhhhh")

[starsrift]

It's really not that difficult at all to get press...

Not to say the first round didn't have an impact, but every game that got even just 1 nomination was considered for the category.

Missing the point. And I don't think anyone here has problems with dudes getting recognition for their merits.

The bitchpoint's arising because folks are perceiving that gams are given more merit because of previous works or good press that has given the designer recognition. It might not be undeserved merit, but it's nominations that could've been thrown on a gam that's equally deserving of merit, or potentially even more deserving gam that's slipped by. (And we've all made turds after making better gams, nobody shits gold here, so don't even try that 'experience' bullshit)

Personally, it's all theatre to me. I don't have a gam in the IGF and I probably never will - at least as long as USA is treating people like criminals for wanting to fly into the country, and that's nothing to do with any of the judging difficulties of the IGF - and I know it's gotta be really freakin' hard for everyone involved. Just pointing out where the contention is, that's all.

Or maybe...
...   I am secretly foobanz in disguise. I suck more dick, speak with my shoreworker's command of fowl language, give more feedbacks, but I'm the same person!

[phubans]

[Jabberwocky]

Does anyone know:
1.  How many assigned judges per game?
2.  When the judges feedback is emailed out?

[J. R. Hill]

fowl language

Quack quack.  Bawk bawk bagawk!

[CiroContinisio]

CORTEX COMMMMAAAAAAAAAAND 

(yeah I know it's not the same situation - it's a joke because fuck paying $20 for a guy to say "ehhhhh nahhhhhhhhhh")

I don't think the development of Cortex Command has stopped, although I agree it's going sloooowly

[st33d]

I think Cortex Command is a good example of Marmite success (a spread in the UK that you either fucking despise or think is amazing and brilliant).

Personally I didn't like CC, but I like Marmite. I have it on my toast every morning.

[CiroContinisio]

I have CC on my toasts every morning.

[st33d]

The company I work for posted an article about SOPA yesterday (against) and our web dev asked me to proof read it.

"That's great, but remove the link to reddit. We can't risk the children seeing r/gonewild or r/spacedicks. We'll never hear the end of it."

[PTibz]

that wasn't phubans -- why are you addressing him as phubans?

also, this is a bit late, but i just thought of another reason why i can't follow mattheww's suggestion about quitting working on my game: i've already accepted preorders for it. i think there are legal issues involved in not fulfilling contracts like that; i can't just take people's money and then say i'm not finishing the game

I know that wasn't Phubans. I was addressing the first person whom I quoted and then going on to talk about what Phubans has been talking about in general.

[Movius]

None of these games are Indian.

[Pentadact]

It's a shame that Gunpoint isn't up for the Grand Prize or even with an hon. mention. That's possibly the game in the finalist list that I'm most excited about - and I categorically hate platformers. Nice to see the other ones there; I can't imagine selecting them was easy.

i do hope Atom Zombie Smasher or Gunpoint win at design category.

I just want to stop in and say a big thanks to starsrift and Leonelc for the enormous compliments. It's a huge deal for me to be in such esteemed company, particularly Derek, who inspired me to make games in the first place. So it's even more amazing that some people are rooting for Gunpoint even amongst those amazing games. TIG has been really supportive and lovely about Gunpoint right from the start, back when it looked hideous. Thanks guys!

[Dragonmaw]

Gunpoint has perpetually been intriguing. I will probably be purchasing it.

[PTibz]

Gunpoint has perpetually been intriguing. I will probably be purchasing it.

This. ^

[TeeGee]

And it looks damn Puh-retty!