GameTap interviewed a dozen indie studios to showcase the talented teams from across the world who are making games in their garages and dorm rooms. One would think that a developer with a name like Tynan Wales would hail from Wales or Ireland. But this independent developer -- and his game, Iron Dukes -- is a purely California product.
It's the Sundance of gaming. Or is it? That was bandied about (and overheard) a lot at this year's Independent Games Festival. Sure, the festival has been around for ten years, but this year, things were different. What, with the PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade and WiiWare providing very real outlets for indie games, these games suddenly have a market with publishers are looking for the next Everyday Shooter.
"This year was kind of a perfect storm for the IGF," says Wired Magazine editor Chris Baker. "For one thing, we're well-ensconced in the current generation of game consoles, so there were no big surprises."
Independent games, however, are a breath of fresh air. And with digital distribution coming into its own, something that just continues to grow.
Pete Hines and Fred Zeleny from Bethesda Software blog about the independent game that won the "Best Web Browser Game" at the 2008 Independent Games Festival.
"Fred Zeleny is rather a conniss… conna… lover of the sort of things we cover in Bright Shiny Things, so I thought this go-'round I'd let Fred tell you about one of his favorites. Mr. Zeleny, you have the floor…
Imagine Sid Meier's Pirates!, but replace piracy on the high seas with depth-defying salvage in treacherous waters. Less swordplay and swashbuckling, and more steampunk and surrealism. But keep the minigame action and addictive qualities.
Oh, and add the occasional geyser of blood. Never forget geysers of blood.
Now you have One Ton Ghost's hilarious, award-winning browser game, Iron Dukes."
Jostiq is going around to some of the top Independent Game Festival finalists to ask about their labors of love. Here, honorary Joystiqer Veronica Belmont (of Mahalo Daily fame) talks with the fellas at One Ton Ghost, the team behind the nautically-themed (and totally fetching) indie adventure-ish game Iron Dukes. Last night the game took top honors in the browser game category at the IGF awards, so they are expecting to sea a lot more of this one.
