Well, it's meant for people who have finished games, so you can always finish a game... No offence, but like developing a game, developing assets is really easy. Finishing a game to marketable quality is not, hence the badge is to show who's talking from experience and who is merely talking.
Obviously. I'm not trying to put you down, we use contract art all the time. But the authoring of it is not completing an indie game. Skilled for sure. Just not the skill this board is aimed at. I'm sure there's plenty of artist only forums where programmers are considered the meat that make it animate
Also, its aimed at everyone that has made and selled a game (a complete game), its not meant solely for programmers. For example, as an artist you could use rpg maker and create an rpg with your art, selling it on your website. That would make you eligible for the badge.
Ok then we should have a few subcategories like: Amateur wannabe indie: profit from games<$1,000 Amateur indie: profit from games<$10,000 Semi-pro indie: profit from games<$100,000 Professional indie: profit from games<$1,000,000 L33t indie: profit from games<$10,000,000 Profit from games>$10,000,000 ->no longer indie, you corporate douche!
Well you know my views. Anyone in the first three categories shouldn't be here at all as they're not independent.... I'm not independent of a Michelin star, I simply can't cook. Sadly, that rules me out too as despite releasing a few indie titles I don't do it all the time. Maybe the next one will do it....
*sucks in his gut and tries to squeeze into the author forum* Being a starving indie I won't take up much room
Technically speaking I have finished 3 games the last one being in 2002, and have sold them online (I think I sold 8 copies of one of my games). In the meantime like I said in other messages I made 90 levels for one game (which itself doesn't qualify me for anything but at least it's an honorable mention), and then I (semi)recently did all the programming for a game that got released on a portal. Even though I didn't totally design said game, I did have some input on it. So generally speaking I should be eligible, but what does it really prove? I haven't finished a game on my own that was completely design, developed and programmed by me since 2002. If it's just for distinction I don't say it makes much.
I wouldn't over-analyse it. As Applewood rightly said, There are obviously amazing guys on this forum who aren't developing games, and possibly worthy of some kind of an awesome looking badge, but when it comes to discussing how to make games independently, it's nice to quickly be able to pick out those with experience from the crowd. Not all sig links show that. Plus, it makes you look awesum. If you finished a game back in 2002, and can comment on the process of taking a game from the start of development to sale, then I for one would like to see you adorned with a badge.
Does working on this game qualify me for some kind of badge? http://lucasarts.com/games/monkeyisland2/
Yes, as mentioned, nice badge. What's your point? EDIT: I'm not hinting at you not having one... I just don't seem to be catching it.
I worked 70 hour weeks, 40 for LucasArts, 30 for my regular job. A real indie doesn't take time off, he invents time!