Can you be Indie if you use a Program?

[Gameswhiz]

Hi,

I am really excited about working on my game but I'm not using C++ or anything like that, I'm using Game maker. I was just thinking that maybe some people wouldn't think of me as a a real indie because I don't do "proper" coding although Gamemaker has a built in language. What do you think?

[EpicBoy]

Why does it concern you?

[Tom Cain]

I'm pretty sure most people agree that it doesn't matter what tools you use. If your preferred tool can create what you want, then you're good to go. :)

[Ricardo C]

I use Conitec's GameStudio, which is basically a graphics engine, a suite of model and level editing tools, and a scripting language. The engine itself is comparable to the current incarnation of the Unreal engine, and the scripting language means I don't have to use higher languages unless I choose to. People may think of it as an "amateur" tool, but I stopped caring once I realized how much time and effort it saved me.

Use whichever tool works best for you. The final product is all that matters. Gamers won't care what you used to make your game, as long as the game is worth the money.

[Gnatinator]

In all honesty, the only people who are going to care would be the elitist developers out there. There is no written law that says you cannot be an indie because you use game maker.

You will be judged on -what- you produce, not -how- you produce it (unless your method is downright immoral or something).

Edit:
Woah thats crazy, each of us posted within the same 3 mintues.

[C_Coder]

Use whatever you like for whatever you want to do. You will eventually gain experience and advance to better tools or whatever you want to use!

Ok...now I am confused... :p

[Teeth]

Independent game development, surely, means without the funding or support of a game publisher. Creating and/or selling games without such aid is development off your won back, and therefore independent.

[whisperstorm]

I know of a few developers who've used gamemaker and are successfully selling the resulting game - the key is the idea, design, artwork, gameplay, etc. not the tool you used to create the game. Gamemaker rocks as a good way for aspiring game creators to try out ideas.

[lakibuk]

No, i won't respect you as an indie if you use Gamemaker. You will be a sell-out.

[ggambett]

Indie = "Financially independent from publisher and thus retaining full creative control". So WTF does which tool you use with being an indie or not?

[Jack Norton]

What!? How you dare to make a game with gamemaker and define yourself as indie!!! sacrilege!!! :D

...joking... even cactus bruce was made with a tool if I remember well, and it is a cool game :)

[alfie]

even cactus bruce was made with a tool if I remember well, and it is a cool game :)

Yep Cactus Bruce was made using MMF (Multimedia Fusion, from Clickteam). I also use MMF and Sirrus does (creator of Dope Farmer).

Whoops forget about Marc at Addictive247.

[baegsi]

If the tool does what you need it can be instead a very clever way to develop your game because you do not reinvent the wheel and you can put most of your time and energy into the creative part. Someone might say that using Java instead of C++ goes into the same direction :) (hopefully I did not trigger an avalanche of c++ vs. java evangelists fight...)

[Rod Hyde]

What do you think?
In five simple words, "Do what works for you."

I really don't care if a game was written using C, C++, Java, Python, Delphi, Flash, Blitz Basic or Gamemaker. I care that it is a good game. Your choice of languages and tools is up to you. What other people think is up to them.

--- Rod

[StefanM]

Before starting to work with the tool sit down and think about what you want in your game. If you believe the tool you have in mind can help you develop the game without to many cutbacks go with it.

In the end what pops out of the compiler is what counts :)

[gmcbay]

Myst was originally written in Hypercard (though ports of it to other platforms used different runtimes) and it is still one of the highest selling games of all time.

As long as the game runs fine on most users machines and installing it isn't a pain, it really doesn't matter what is running underneath.

[Nexic]

Many indies use blitz basic, including me. It is a full programming language, but it is an easy to use jobby, much easier than starting from scratch.

[Fry Crayola]

In an ideal future, every single developer will be using such tools. Which naturally will be of such a high standard that the difference between using one and going for the raw coding would be negligible.

It's the gameplay that counts, not the technical whizzery.

[Black Hydra]

I once read an article about optimizing from some very elitist programmer.
Aside from its general usefulness, he made quite a few references about how C++ as a high-level programming language, and critizized it for as not being flexible enough. His preference was to do things in assembly language where he had full control.

Do whatever your most comfortable with. The reason some elitist programmers may critizize your decision, is because they couldn't think of making a game with the tool your using. Simply because they like having more control. I know many people here have said that they can't use BlitzBasic as they can't stand Basic. This is despite you can make quality games in it with as much ease as in C++.

You may decide later to work with a more flexible tool, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't use gamemaker to start with. Such tools often provide great learning experiences if you do eventually wish to try more complicated ones.