Independent Game Development

William Monks

What is an “Indie” Game???

An indie game is a game made without the financial support of a video game publisher.

Typically made by a small team.

Who Can Make Indie Games???

You! Anyone with the desire Programming skills not necessary! Solo or team

Good Reasons For Development

Looks great on the résumé!

To Learn Personal Satisfaction You have a great

idea!

Unrealistic Notions:

I'll be rich!

I'll be famous!

I'll be able to support myself!

Strategies

Program everything from scratch

Use existing tools and libraries to aid you

Use a game engine Use a game creation

program

Program Everything From Scratch

Pros Maximum flexibility Looks best on the

résumé Turns boys into men

and girls into women Free

Program Everything From Scratch

Cons Takes a lot of time

Requires programming skills

Program Everything From Scratch

Example: rRootage by Kenta Cho Vertical shooter, made in C++ Awesome Available for Windows,

Mac, Linux, and iPhone Open source

Libraries and Tools

Some popular ones:

Microsoft XNA OGRE

Microsoft XNA

What is XNA? XNA's Not Acronymed

A set of tools with a managed runtime environment

Encapsulates low-level technological details

Frees the programmer from writing boilerplate code

Cross-platform: Windows, Xbox 360, Zune and Windows Phone 7

Supported Language: C#

Microsoft XNA

Pros C# is easier than C++

Lots of libraries available

Removes many mundane elements from game programming

Windows code runs on 360 with minimal modification

Xbox Live Indie Games

Free

Microsoft XNA

Cons Only available on Microsoft

platforms

Slower performance than pure C++

Requires programming experience

Microsoft XNA

Example Fez, by Polytron Corporation

Puzzle / Platformer

Awesome

Won “Excellence In Visual Art”award at IGF 2008

Available on Xbox Live Arcadein 2010

OGRE

What is OGRE? Open Source 3D Graphics Engine

A flexible 3D rendering engine for OpenGL and/or Direct3D

Not a game engine, only handles graphics rendering

Provides state of the art graphics rendering

Written for C++, many ports and wrappers exist for other languages

OGRE

Pros Provides professional quality

graphics rendering

High flexibility

OGRE

Cons Only a graphics engine

Can be difficult to get set up

OGRE

Example• Torchlight by Runic Games

• RPG

• Awesome

• Best Debut Game Award atthe 2010 Game DevelopersChoice Awards

• Available on Windows and Macvia digital distribution

• Picked up by publisher for retail

Game Engines

• Provide many aspects of the game development for you

• Cost ranges from free to more than you can afford

Example Game Engines

• Unreal Engine 3– Free for indie

developers(in exchange for a cut)

– I like it

• DarkGDK– Free

– I don't like it

Game Engines

Pros• Provide many aspects of the

game development for you

– Graphics, sound, input, scripting, etc...

• Less programming needed

• Can help you quickly create something of professional quality

Game Engines

Cons• Can be difficult to make

something of a different genre than expected by the engine.

• It can be difficult to make the engine do anything it wasn't expected to do.

• Your engine's weaknesses can limit your game.

Game Creation Programs

• Flash

• RPG Maker

• Multimedia Fusion

• Game Maker

Flash

Pros• Easy to distribute, most people have the Flash browser plugin.

• Great for prototyping ideas

Cons• ActionScript programming knowledge required

• Limiting

• Costs money you are unlikely to earn back

RPG Maker

• Lets the user create their own traditional RPG

• Easy to use

• No programming required

• Very limiting

• Nearly impossible to make anything that is not an RPG or adventure game

• Some brilliant results

• $60

Multimedia Fusion / Game Maker

• Lets the user create their own 2D or 3D game

• Easy to use

• No programming required, user applies conditions and logic to objects

• Somewhat limiting

• Many very impressive games have been made with these tools.

– Spelunky

– Noitu Love 2

That's all fantastic, but I can't draw!

• Don't panic!!!

• There are many resources for programmers in need of assets

• Make the game with temporary crude graphics, and replace them later

• Many artists can be found on the internet

• If all else fails, you can purchase assets

A few concluding tips

• Start small! Do something you know you can accomplish.

• Follow through! It can be tempting to start over when you're in the middle of development...but don't!

• Make a FINISHED game, not several unfinished games

The End