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[Matthew]

Was there ever any measures taken to confirm that judges were even playing games, Matthew? I remember that being a big issue last year.

There was an entirely new submission/backend system this year, and a big part of it was tracking build uploads/download/reports/assignments/re-assignments.  I'm super happy with the new system, and it seems to have gone over really well with both entrants and judges.

PM me if you want any kind of details, it's pretty off-topic from a finalist discussion.

[Destral]

7 Grand Steps was selected Nuovo finalist and mentioned, honorably, in the new narrative category.  Very happy, but scratching my head a bit. I guess my game is weirder than it is well written. Mostly, I'm proud that 7GS is just really fun to play.

Thank you, fellow TIGSers! Your bottomless pool of enthusiasm, creativity, and community helped me keep moving through nearly four years of development, and it's not quite done. Probably in a month or two, though.

I'll be announcing the availability of demos, tomorrow. Hope you all go nuts with them.

I was really happy to see that, 7GS is currently one of my most anticipated games. Congrats!

[Schoq]

so apparently

and

looks better than

oh, and apparently

was also re-entered, and once again beaten by squares and circles.
oops?

[feminazi]

why you gotta come here each year to do damage control wegner, the fundamental problem (super bad judges) isnt ever fixed. don't login tigirc this year, please.

[hanako]

No, the fundamental problem is that indie games are far too broad a thing to have all hopes and desires met by any single source of recognition. No matter *what* was picked, it's never going to be able to touch on everything. No matter who judges things, the judges will not all be you and the results will not all be what you'd want them to be!

We've discussed previously how certain styles/genres (like long RPGs) have almost no chance in the IGF, not because the judges are bad but because the format and culture of the competition isn't tuned that direction.

My "never again" is not an "IGF sucks" but more of a "I will never make anything that falls any closer to the IGF's style of game than that, so there's no point."

[phubans]

^That's also how I feel about it. I don't think IGF is inherently evil, it just seems like the people who review the games have a very specific idea in mind for what it means to be "indie," and I don't really agree with that philosophy. Nobody can really argue that a majority of the finalists always have a certain look or employ a certain technological gimmick. I don't think I've ever seen a traditional video game as an IGF finalist.

As for the judges themselves, I did recognize one of the names in the visual category, and it's someone I don't like/they don't like me, so I'm wondering if personal preferences factor into judgement at all? If so, keeping a clean slate with personal relationships or just being well-liked is probably a great advantage in IGF.

[feminazi]

im not being nice about it cos 2 games about squares and circles are apparently good visual arts or whatever and i dont believe a word the UBM man has got to say. let igf die

[Nathan Cash]

im not being nice about it cos 2 games about squares and circles are apparently good visual arts or whatever and i dont believe a word the UBM man has got to say. let igf die

I didn't see those 2. I am happy with the nominations. There weren't as many "Big" indie games this year so I hadn't heard of lots of the games. IGF is a great idea IMO and I would not like it to die.

[ThemsAllTook]

I'm amazed IGF attracts as much drama as it does in here every year. Seems like people expect it to be something that it isn't. I'm happy with it just the way it is! Kudos to Matthew, Brandon, and all the other people who make it happen. You guys are awesome.

[sugarbeard]

I'm amazed IGF attracts as much drama as it does in here every year. Seems like people expect it to be something that it isn't. I'm happy with it just the way it is! Kudos to Matthew, Brandon, and all the other people who make it happen. You guys are awesome.

it's always the same people working the drama-train. best to ignore and enjoy the rest of your day.  

[Blademasterbobo]

yeah god forbid people in the biggest indie games forum give a shit about the biggest indie games competition

[feminazi]

I'm amazed IGF attracts as much drama as it does in here every year. Seems like people expect it to be something that it isn't. I'm happy with it just the way it is! Kudos to Matthew, Brandon, and all the other people who make it happen. You guys are awesome.

no shit. what's it with snobby rich kids that can't take criticism? brandon completely shuts down whenever he hears one and matthew just talks like a buisness robot

[sugarbeard]

See, ThemsAllTook, now watch as I ignore whilst continuing this frothy beverage. 

Love seeing Cart Life and Kentucky Route Zero all over the place in the list. Definitely cheering them on from over here.

[ChevyRay]

I saw trailer for this Kentucky Route Zero game, was really interested in what the fuck it was about, but then forgot about it. Now it's up for some awards or something.

Need to check this out again.

[Dugan]

Aqua Kitty to win! Oops no, we didn't get nominated

Seriously though, all competitions are just a bit of fun. Some people win, some don't.


Pixelprospectors own top 80 pick list is pretty nice btw - http://igf.pixelprospector.com/
(but again, no Aqua Kitty! sheesh)

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

Well, I can't say I'm not crushed, and it's pretty clear it's a waste of time for me to ever enter the IGF again, but on the bright side, I'm still happy that at least you did add a narrative category... so best of luck to them that gets the hat.

don't feel so bad -- what really matters are fans anyway. i mean, to me, comments like the ones i got for immortal defense on greenlight here: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/comments/92932076 are worth more than an igf prize anyway. i'm sure you get similar comments (i remember visiting your forums a few years ago), just re-read some of those instead

i think the thing that sticks out to me the most this year and last is the large disconnect between what players consider good and what judges do. i know it's a matter of different tastes, but the stories of games that players praise are not the stories of games that the igf praises, and what players think of as good graphics are not what igf judges think of as good graphics

i suspect it goes like this: to the average player, the higher quality thing is the thing that more work and talent was put into, the thing that not just anybody could do, the thing that takes special skill and time and training. but to scholars and journalists in a field (especially ones who have to evaluate many many games and only spend a little time with each), the better thing is something they haven't seen before, something that surprises them, something that stands out, and simple elegance is valued more than ornate complexity. i think this applies not just to the visual and narrative fields in the igf, but even to the gameplay ones -- they historically tend to value elegantly simple mechanics (like fez and blueberry garden) over interesting but complex ones (like spacechem or glum buster)

[clockwrk_routine]

raggghh rarrra rarararara rarrgh

[Ashkin]

Gonna ignore stupid arguments and just say CONGRATULATIONS DROQEN

[crowe]

Just wanted to log in and say I disagree with literally every selection bar two (Gone Home and Kentucky Route Zero). All the rest demonstrate the fantastic nepotism that we've come to know and love from the IGF. What a waste of time.

Congrats to all the finalists!

[hanako]

Well, I can't say I'm not crushed, and it's pretty clear it's a waste of time for me to ever enter the IGF again, but on the bright side, I'm still happy that at least you did add a narrative category... so best of luck to them that gets the hat.

don't feel so bad -- what really matters are fans anyway.

I had personal reasons for wanting to go to the GDC this year and now probably won't be able to swing it, thus the slight sulking.

But really, congrats to those who made the finals!