There were hundreds of games submitted to the Independent Games Festival this year--very nearly 570, actually. It was a record-breaking number of submissions, and it’s taken weeks for the organizers to whittle it down to the finalists list announced this week.
The nominees aren’t given advance notice, so when Fez, Frozen Synapse, Johann Sebastian Joust, Dear Esther and Spelunky were revealed as Seumas McNally Grand Prize finalists, it was a surprise to the men and women making them, too. It’d be an honor to win, and also a hefty financial boon--there’s a $30,000 prize.
As word spread, I asked the developers to give their spit-take on what it’s like to be up for the biggest prize in indie land.
Here’s what they told me.
Dan Pinchbeck (Dear Esther) -- writer, producer, creative director at thechineseroom
“We're unbelievably pleased--massive honor and it's great to be standing alongside some really fantastic games. I think the line up this year is brilliant, which makes it all the more amazing to get the nominations. You read down the honorable mentions and there are games there that could so easily be capable of carrying off awards, and that's before you even get to the finalists. So we're hugely happy over here, and it's a real boost to the team, who have put in a crazy amount of work to get Dear Esther ready for release. I'm really proud of them, and what we've made, and delighted to be coming over to SF in a few weeks to celebrate!”
Paul Taylor (Frozen Synapse) -- co-founder of Mode 7 Games
“Completely bowled over and celebrating with some strange oat stout we discovered in a local pub!
We are just delighted to be up there in such illustrious company and very happy to have an excuse to come out to the US and see everyone at GDC.
We want to thank everyone who invested time to help us test FS andpolish it up at the end - we're always grateful.”
Douglas Wilson (Johann Sebastian Joust) -- co-founder of Die Gute Fabrik
“We're humbled and honored! We had hoped that we might make the Nuovo category or something, but we didn't think Seumas McNally would be in the cards. Wow.
I also want to add that I'm very proud of the Where is my Heart team. I didn't work on the game myself, but I love that game to bits. Where is my Heart received three honorable mentions (Audio, Design, Seumas McNally). I'd give them my finalist spot if I could. They deserve it.
The other thought going through my head is: how the hell are we supposed to show Johann Sebastian Joust amid the hustle and bustle of the IGF pavilion?! And will there even be enough space for it? I've got some "creative" ideas - let's see what we can pull together. Inspired by the spirit of Babycastles, I'm hoping to bring a little bit of mayhem to the GDC showfloor!”
Derek Yu (Spelunky) -- designer, artist, co-founder of Mossmouth
“We JUST submitted a significant build of Spelunky to Microsoft, so it's been non-stop action over here. Andy and I were stressing about getting one nomination even, so getting three is... beyond our feeble comprehension at this point. We're sharing a beer over webcam to celebrate!
I think the other nominees are amazing, and I'm very, very proud to be up there. To be honest, I wasn't sure exactly how I'd feel if I got a chance to be in the IGF again (Aquaria won in 2007)... I'm extremely relieved and excited, though. Andy, Eirik, and I have worked hard on Spelunky and I can't wait to show the game off with them and the other nominees.
NOW BACK TO WORK! :)”
Phil Fish (Fez) -- artist, designer, head of Polytron
"im just really happy we got any nominations at all.
we would have looked pretty dumb if we didnt get anything at all after the whole re-entry controversy. phew!
but grand prize is a big deal! super thrilled to be part of that line-up.
some tough competition this year!
i wouldn't mind losing to any of those games.
especially johan sebastian joust!
it's such a good edition this year.
the nuovo nominees are particularly on point, i find.
i am STOKED!"
--
The winner will be announced at the Game Developers Conference here in San Francisco in March.
Bumbled, Bhocked: BGF's Brand Brize Bominees Beact
EDIT: Don't blame me! I am a product of society.
bociety.
Holy crap, a list of winning indie games that didn't involve aspergers and relational disorder!
@Godak said:
That's really unfunny. Don't know why you would drag a joke that far out. It's really distasteful.
And wow, Phil Fish is really not a fan of capital letters, hehe. I guess he assumed Patrick was going to clean up his comments before posting!
Very nice diversity of games from all around the world here!
FEZ
@Branthog said:
Is there a reason you bring up aspergers and relationship disorders in comments for every Klepek article. You seem to have something of a complex, friend.
@Grissefar said:
Oh, my. Someone on the internet is displeased with something I've done. How will I make it through the rest of my day?
Calling someone out because they have a different sense of humor is just childish. If someone laughs at a joke in a movie that you feel is overused, cliche, old news...do you walk right up to that person and give 'em a piece of your mind?
You honestly couldn't have just, say, rolled your eyes and been happy that independent video game developers are getting their due?
@Beforet said:
Because that's the indie game everyone was emptying their bladder over for the last few months.
I'd put my vote in for Dear Esther. That game hit me hard.
Though I'd fucking love to play Johann Sebastian Joust. Looks fun as hell.
@Branthog: Are you talking about a specific game here, because I don't know what you're talking about?
I really like the look of Wunderputt. Also, I haven't heard anything about Monaco in so damn long. I was really looking forward to it, but had started to worry that it might never see a release.
@Branthog said:
That does look interesting...mini-golf with isometric graphics and crazy shit up the wazoo? On paper, it sounds pretty friggin' amazing.
@Godak said:
I like the retro sort of art style to it, too. Crazy 50s rocket ships and everything. I guess "whimsy" is a word that comes to mind.
@Branthog said:
you're very sad
@Godak said:
I don't know. You seem more upset than you have any reason to so cheer up, buddy!
Go Fez!
@nail1080 said:
I just don't wank over every pretentious attempt to be "deep" in a game so that I can feel erudite. Especially when the attempts are so painfully forced. If the specific game I'm talking about was made fifteen years ago, it would have been about AIDs, instead of aspergers, because that's what was trendy at the time. And it's that hipster insincerity (either by the artsy person creating it or - more often - by the reviewer who plays along with it) that is so off-putting.
Someone commented about Patrick. I didn't even notice this post was by him. I was simply referring to the fact that all of the games in the list seem to be about being games and not about putting forth some art-house poseur vibe. (And also understand that I'm not taking issue with games containing deep, emotional, or meaningful content - but gamers and journalists have a propensity to react to even the most obviously shallow attempt toward any of these things with far more reverence than they deserve. The equivalent to having a child die in your movie, because you think it'll really stir people; not because you have anything valuable to say about it. I dont' know why I'm still writing inside these parenthesis.)
Super glad to see more IGF coverage!
Now, if we could just get some write-ups of what these games are... ;)