TIGJam 2008: Update!

By: Derek Yu

On: August 27th, 2008

Okay, so we sold out Flashbang HQ. We topped that fucker off. Awesome! BUT! If enough people still want to attend, we can look for a bigger venue. If you’re still interested in attending, just buy a waitlist ticket, and if we get enough people on the waitlist, we’ll look into moving and/or expanding. If not, everyone on the waitlist will get refunded their $50.

Also, people have suggested throwing multiple simultaneous TIGJams around the world – this is a great idea and should be carried out with due diligence! Even if it’s just you sitting in your bedroom being creative for 3 days straight, DO IT! If possible, we should hook up webcams so that it’s easy for everyone to join in on the fun.

Hit up the TIGJam 2008 forums to coordinate your own TIGJam, or ask questions or whatever. fist pump

(Video Source: Otaku42)

It’s TIGJam!!!

By: Derek Yu

On: August 23rd, 2008

Guys, I’m very pleased to announce that TIGSource and Flashbang Studios are teaming up, like Batman and Superman-styles, to throw the first-ever TIGJam – a three-day creative pow-wow in the red-hot Arizona desert. Bring your projects to work on in the company of your fellow indie developers, or start new ones! For those of you trying to meet the November 1st IGF deadline, this might be a great time to get some feedback. For everyone else, just be ready to have fun, make friends, and create some cool stuff. Sleep is totally optional.

There is a $50 registration fee, which will help keep the brass monkeys, soda, and snacks flowing during the jam, and will also cover the post-jam celebratory dinner and ensuing party on Sunday. Space is also somewhat limited, so if you’re serious about attending, sign up soon! Head here for online registration, as well as more detailed directions.

We’re hoping this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful tradition. Look out for more info (and possibly some surprises) as the date approaches. Depending on how many people decide to show up, lodging should be free or cheap. We’ll let you know.

Hope to see you there! Let us know what you think!

Noitu Love 2 is out!

By: Xander

On: April 18th, 2008

Oh yes, it’s finally here! Noitu Love 2 is the very long awaited sequel to the original side-scrolling mighty-morphing action game from Konjak. Hit up the site for both an extended demo version and to purchase the full version online. The forums do seem to list some problems with getting order emails through, which seems mainly to do with PayPal (although it worked for me), so if you can avoid using that then maybe a better plan as there are a number of payment options, but if not I’m sure it’ll probably work out fine anyway.

$20 may seem a little high (edit: according to the comments, this is apparently only the case if you’re a student… bugger…), but I swear on my reputation as the most ‘occasional’ contributor to TIGSource that if you at least give the demo a try you will not be disappointed. And if you have already, then you’re probably too busy clicking the above link to read this. I understand. Do what you must. As well as the main 7-level IGF finalist game, the full version also offers a wealth of unlockable content, including one extra that’s so awesome I swear I’m running my second-playthrough pantless.

Happy gaming TIG!

The Spirit Engine 2 Soundtrack – Relay for Life Promotion

By: Derek Yu

On: April 3rd, 2008

Josh Whelchel, aka “TwiTerror,” the musician behind such classic games as Bonesaw and The Spirit Engine, is currently raising money for the American Cancer Society, in a program called Relay for Life. Josh is offering free, digital copies of The Spirit Engine 2 Soundtrack (when it’s done) to anyone who donates over $5 to him for Relay for Life. Donors will also be listed in the credits of the soundtrack, and possibly the game (which is hopefully coming out soon).

All the money is going to the ACS, it’s a good cause, and you get some great music (and karma) for your kindness!

GDC 2008: OWL COUNTRY

By: Derek Yu

On: March 22nd, 2008

In a world… of gentlemen…

When filthy pigeons plague the city…

One owl will rise to the challenge…

To take back the night sky with fury and malevolence.

Will that owl be you?

PLAY OWL COUNTRY NOW. LEARN THE TRUE STORY.

Programming

Ivan “toastie” Safrin
Mark “Golds” Johns (Doomlaser)
Alec “Alec” Holowka (Bit Blot)

Art

Adam “AdamAtomic” Saltsman (Homepage)
Mark Johns
Ivan Safrin
Kevin “Greater Beast” Coulton

Music

Alec Holowka

Voices

Owl – Tommy “Tommunism” Refenes (Pillowfort)

Narrator – Phil Fish (Kokoromi/Polytron)

Gentlemen – Brandon “BMcC” McCartin, Ivan Safrin, Adam Saltsman, Tommy Refenes, Mike Lee

Combos – Mark Johns

Misc. Owl – Steve Swink (Flashbang)

GDC 2008: Crayon Drawings

By: Derek Yu

On: March 18th, 2008

I wanted my next post to be about a game, but this is too fun not to share. Petri Purho has put up a gallery of crayon drawings he collected from various other indie developers at GDC this year.

Thanks for the tip, Data… who also happens to be the artist of the above image!

500 Bananas!

By: Derek Yu

On: March 15th, 2008

cactus and VilleK have set up a new blog for Lo-Fi Minds. Their inaugural post has screenshots and descriptions for their two current projects, Brain-Dead Toon Underworld (made for our VGNG Compo), and Secret Agent Hotel. Both games look/sound absolutely fantastic, natch.

I also thought this would be a good time to make a request for donations to our friend cactus. I’ve gotten more value and excitement from all his games than your average triple-A mainstream title. His work inspires me every day as a game designer and an artist.

cactus is incredibly creative and talented, but could definitely do more to market himself. But I really wonder if he should have to? Shouldn’t being good at making games be enough to make games for a living? I think so. And I’m dreaming about alternative business models to let people like cactus make great freeware and keep at it.

But until then, let’s give a little back to this supercool dude and support him on his quest to entertain and amaze us! Everyone who met him at GDC fell in love with him (for some *cough*Brandon*cough*, it was romantic love). He’s a really nice, genuine guy, who just wants to make games and be happy. It would be awesome for cactus to be able to put all his energy into being himself and not have to get a ho-hum job to make ends meet.

I’m putting in $20 to start, and suggesting $5-$20 donations from those who want to. We can’t easily keep track of how we’re doing, but feel free to post a comment letting us know why and/or how much you donated. I hope you do!

Donate here! (PayPal link at the bottom of the page.)

GDC 2008: Wrap-up

By: Derek Yu

On: February 25th, 2008

Wow, GDC… last year it was great, but 2008 was just friggin’ brilliant. I hope you enjoyed our hard-hittin’ (as in, the bottle) coverage last week, including all the photos and in-jokes (if you didn’t, then thanks for putting up with it). For me, having the TIGS community there in full force really made the conference. A bunch of funnier, more creative amateurs I have never met.

If there’s one thing I took from this conference, it’s that independent gaming is blowing up in a serious way. If you’re reading this, congratulations, you are witnessing some kind of history being made. What “indie” is going to be in ten years, or even next year, I don’t know. But for now, we’re making games we want to make, having fun doing it, and doing well at it… and people seem to think that’s a good thing:

“”http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8638441&publicUserId=5450684">IGF is Good People," 1up.com

“”http://www.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/news/2008/02/gdc_walkup">Indies Take the Cake at Game Developers Conference," Game|Life

“Indies Start to Make Their Mark,” Los Angeles Times (scans): 1
| 2

“”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3NOWn9oAqc">The Year of the Indie Game," Chris Kohler (video)

But yeah, GDC-related posts will likely continue to trickle out through the rest of the month. I’ll also keep the GDC forum up a bit longer than planned, as I imagine there are still quite a few incriminating photos waiting to be posted, and stories waiting to be told.

If we didn’t see you this year, then we sure as hell better see you next year! In the meantime, don’t take any wooden monocles…

Drunk GDC Post #1

By: Brandon McCartin (BMcC)

On: February 17th, 2008

This is awesome. So awesome.

I am surrounded by awesome people.

More on this later.

Derek Interviewed on the 1UP Show

By: Brandon McCartin (BMcC)

On: December 28th, 2007