Are you submitting your game to IGF 2006?

[Tertsi]

I'm probably going to submit Battles of Norghan to IGF 2006 although the entry price makes me think that there's a good chance it won't be worth the money but whatever. I'm more concerned that I won't be able to attend the IGF in person because I live in Finland. I'd like to know which of you Indie Gamers will also submit a game or games there and the names of the games.

[Kai Backman]

I'm more concerned that I won't be able to attend the IGF in person because I live in Finland.

Living in Finland hasn't stopped people in the past .. :D If you get into the finals, like I did with SSM in 2004, I really recomend the trip .. :)

[PoV]

Publicity is always good. Even if you don't place, it's fine way to get the media to notice you. What I'm submitting is hardly finalist material, but the hope is by patch time that's no longer the case.

[Phil Steinmeyer]

Assuming you clear the first hurdle and reach the finalist stage, you have to exhibit. Clearing the first stage isn't necessarily all that hard - last year about 10 games made it, out of ~70 entries. But I'd guess many of the entries were student entries and/or really simple things, so the chances of a polished game making the final 10 would be reasonably decent.

I have very mixed feelings about the 'must exhibit' clause. If I made it, I don't really have anyone in the bay area who could proxy for me, so I'd have to do it. I'd probably be going to GDC anyways, but sitting on a stool for 6-8 hours a day is pretty dull. I've done it at E3 before, but at least there, 60%+ of the people viewing the game were buyers or press.

Then again, in 2005, it seemed that most of the indie games were unmanned about half the time - I guess as the dev(s) went off to check out lectures and/or get lunch. If I could do this, wouldn't be so bad.

[BantamCityGames]

The new online submission will make it quite a bit easier... that was one of the things that always deterred me in the past (the make and send 10 cd copies thing).

[Phil Steinmeyer]

BTW, I noticed that the 2005 (and most prior years) finalists contained no 'traditional' casual games - Cosmo Bots was perhaps the closest thing - but no match-3, puzzle, card, etc games.

Is that because no high quality games like that were submitted, or because they aren't considered 'indie'/novel enough? Does anyone who saw the full slate of ~70 games have insight?

[Hiro_Antagonist]

BTW, I noticed that the 2005 (and most prior years) finalists contained no 'traditional' casual games - Cosmo Bots was perhaps the closest thing - but no match-3, puzzle, card, etc games.

Is that because no high quality games like that were submitted, or because they aren't considered 'indie'/novel enough? Does anyone who saw the full slate of ~70 games have insight?
I know the full list of entrants is available for perusal, and gametunnel/DIY did a summary of each and every game. (http://www.gametunnel.com/html/section-viewarticle-62.html)

A quick browsing through the list seems to show that there weren't many casual games submitted. (I know popcap purposefully abstained.) Maybe later I'll do an actual tally of how many traditional casual games were submitted.

-Hiro_Antagonist

[Phil Steinmeyer]

Hmm - looking at that list, the quality of submissions (i.e. even the non-finalists) actually seems fairly high. You're right that there appear to be very few, if any, traditional 'casual' games submitted.

[Tertsi]

Yes and it seems that our games must compete with more than just a few games made with over $500k budgets. I suppose Fate qualifies to be submitted also?

[PoV]

Yep, I think so. I wouldn't be surprised if they did either. They did, after all, go out of their way to get on the round up.

[lowpoly]

Ouch, the budgets on some of these games are a real eye-opener. I wonder if they skew towards the small/casual developer when deciding the outcome of this? I know money doesn't make the game, but...

[PoV]

A recent issue with the numbers is people quoting what they "would" have made if they paid themselves. Looking at the signup form, I think they say not to do this anymore. Alien Hominid quoted over a million. In interviews with the team however, they said they did this. They also said they did such crazy stuff as morgaging their homes to pay for the development, which I was impressed with.

[Black Hydra]

I'm glad PopCap abstained. Its good to see some of the larger independant studios are backing out. What's next, Black and White 2 is going to be an entry from Lionhead?

[NothingLikeit]

I'm going for the student entry category. Hopefully I can win for middle ware with the polished art..... we shall see. Well not win but It'd be nice to get some exposure for my team... :D

[aiosup]

What's next, Black and White 2 is going to be an entry from Lionhead?
Nope! One entry Black, and one entry White :p 2 go(es)...
Alex