American Idol for Indie Video Game Developers?
by Fyodor -bank- Osokin · 05/24/2006 (5:58 am) · 21 comments
I've just received Google News Alert about GarageGames:
Thought it would be interesting for all of you to read about it.
P.S. I think GG makes something like "revolution" in gamedev ;) I'm happy.
P.P.S. Our project is okay, in huge development ;)
Screens? ;) Soon, I promise.
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Wednesday May 24, 6:00 am ET
Bill Gates' E3 GarageGames Mention Grows Mindshare
EUGENE, Ore., May 24 /PRNewswire/
At E3, the world listened to Microsoft's founder Bill Gates single out GarageGames' Marble Blast Ultra as his six-year-old son's favorite game. On June 5th, 2006, GarageGames will again stand out from the crowd as they launch the B.I.G. (Break Into Games) Competition -- the nation's most exhaustive search to showcase America's greatest independent videogame developers. Culminating with a light-hearted American Idol style finale, the entrants and winners will vie for prizes including professional gaming hardware and coveted publishing deals with GarageGames and its partners.
All B.I.G. entrants will be given the opportunity to build their game prototypes with a free trial version of the impressive, new Torque Game Builder (TGB) from GarageGames, which will empower them to build amazing games from scratch and compete for top prizes and recognition. Said GarageGames President Mark Frohnmayer, "We've seen compelling games prototypes created with TGB in one to two weeks."
Support for the competition is comprehensive -- from a step-by-step tutorial to a fully developed online community, where designers are in contact with technical experts from GarageGames and the gaming community. Podcasts and white papers are also available for reference.
Prototype games are due August 25, 2006, a seemingly aggressive deadline when the Top 10 finalists will be simultaneously announced at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Bellevue, WA and at ShowDown in San Jose, CA on August 26, 2006. From there, contestants will have over one month to polish their final games before being flown out to compete at IndieGamesCon (IGC) -- GarageGames annual version of Sundance for indie game developers -- in Eugene, Oregon on October 6th through the 8th, 2006.
Only five contestants will be chosen to appear at the end of the Player's Choice Awards and be part of B.I.G.'s 'Indie Idol,' an American Idol-style showcase judged by a panel of industry experts. Said GarageGames Director of Business Development Jay Moore, "This is the best opportunity for up-and-coming videogame developers to break into the business and for established developers to show their skills. We've made it totally free so that it's possible for literally anyone to pursue the American dream. Furthermore, the support is there to make anyone a winner who has the passion for it."
About GarageGames:
GarageGames' mission is to change the way games are made and played. GarageGames provides the technology, community and market to empower game makers to build commercial quality multiplatform games. GarageGames is located in Eugene, Oregon and on the web at www.garagegames.com and is the annual presenter of IndieGamesCon (Oct 6-8, 2006).
About Torque Game Builder:
Make your game with the world's most powerful 2D game engine, Torque Game Builder. TGB's integrated sprites, scrolling backgrounds, 3D objects, TorqueNET Lite networking, physics, and collision detection allow your imagination to be the only limit. TGB, coupled with TorqueScript, allows easy access to user interface creation, effects, tiles, level building, and packaging. So, if you know Flash, Visual Basic, or other scripting language, you will easily master TorqueScript. Support is no problem either. TGB gets you started with six complete games including all art and source plus access to hundreds of detailed pages of documentation, tutorials, and how-tos as well as a huge worldwide development community through the Torque Developer Network (TDN).
original article
Thought it would be interesting for all of you to read about it.
P.S. I think GG makes something like "revolution" in gamedev ;) I'm happy.
P.P.S. Our project is okay, in huge development ;)
Screens? ;) Soon, I promise.
--------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday May 24, 6:00 am ET
Bill Gates' E3 GarageGames Mention Grows Mindshare
EUGENE, Ore., May 24 /PRNewswire/
At E3, the world listened to Microsoft's founder Bill Gates single out GarageGames' Marble Blast Ultra as his six-year-old son's favorite game. On June 5th, 2006, GarageGames will again stand out from the crowd as they launch the B.I.G. (Break Into Games) Competition -- the nation's most exhaustive search to showcase America's greatest independent videogame developers. Culminating with a light-hearted American Idol style finale, the entrants and winners will vie for prizes including professional gaming hardware and coveted publishing deals with GarageGames and its partners.
All B.I.G. entrants will be given the opportunity to build their game prototypes with a free trial version of the impressive, new Torque Game Builder (TGB) from GarageGames, which will empower them to build amazing games from scratch and compete for top prizes and recognition. Said GarageGames President Mark Frohnmayer, "We've seen compelling games prototypes created with TGB in one to two weeks."
Support for the competition is comprehensive -- from a step-by-step tutorial to a fully developed online community, where designers are in contact with technical experts from GarageGames and the gaming community. Podcasts and white papers are also available for reference.
Prototype games are due August 25, 2006, a seemingly aggressive deadline when the Top 10 finalists will be simultaneously announced at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Bellevue, WA and at ShowDown in San Jose, CA on August 26, 2006. From there, contestants will have over one month to polish their final games before being flown out to compete at IndieGamesCon (IGC) -- GarageGames annual version of Sundance for indie game developers -- in Eugene, Oregon on October 6th through the 8th, 2006.
Only five contestants will be chosen to appear at the end of the Player's Choice Awards and be part of B.I.G.'s 'Indie Idol,' an American Idol-style showcase judged by a panel of industry experts. Said GarageGames Director of Business Development Jay Moore, "This is the best opportunity for up-and-coming videogame developers to break into the business and for established developers to show their skills. We've made it totally free so that it's possible for literally anyone to pursue the American dream. Furthermore, the support is there to make anyone a winner who has the passion for it."
About GarageGames:
GarageGames' mission is to change the way games are made and played. GarageGames provides the technology, community and market to empower game makers to build commercial quality multiplatform games. GarageGames is located in Eugene, Oregon and on the web at www.garagegames.com and is the annual presenter of IndieGamesCon (Oct 6-8, 2006).
About Torque Game Builder:
Make your game with the world's most powerful 2D game engine, Torque Game Builder. TGB's integrated sprites, scrolling backgrounds, 3D objects, TorqueNET Lite networking, physics, and collision detection allow your imagination to be the only limit. TGB, coupled with TorqueScript, allows easy access to user interface creation, effects, tiles, level building, and packaging. So, if you know Flash, Visual Basic, or other scripting language, you will easily master TorqueScript. Support is no problem either. TGB gets you started with six complete games including all art and source plus access to hundreds of detailed pages of documentation, tutorials, and how-tos as well as a huge worldwide development community through the Torque Developer Network (TDN).
original article
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Game developer.
#2
05/24/2006 (6:42 am)
Ah well, sounded OK until:Quote:America's greatest independent videogame developersStill, as they say, you can't please all the people all the time :)
#5
Go to http://www.google.com/alerts page and subscribe. Very useful service.
05/24/2006 (7:33 am)
Alan, if you are talking about "Google News Alert", it's quite simple:Go to http://www.google.com/alerts page and subscribe. Very useful service.
#6
05/24/2006 (8:22 am)
Wow. I'd like to try. The deadline is on my birthday too. Is that a sign? Probably not. 
#8
05/24/2006 (8:42 am)
Too bad its TGB only, but hey I guess you need to promote the shiny new toy to the mass market somehow.
#9
05/24/2006 (8:57 am)
Yeah I can't find any information on who to submit the game to or information on a TGB trail version. 
#10
05/24/2006 (8:58 am)
More info is going to come, that was an early heads up :)
#11
05/24/2006 (9:01 am)
Cool thanks. 
#12
05/24/2006 (10:36 am)
Yeah, North America is still opening to the outer world, it's a slow process...
#13
Also I wouldn't take the "American" thing literally till they announce the fine print on the contest...
05/24/2006 (10:55 am)
Given the time frame for the contest, TGB is a better idea than TGE. For people that haven't used TGE, a lot would find it hard to jump right in and make an interesting game in a few months. I remember Davey talkin' bout' this at the Indie Pub night, and sayin' not to tell no one, but I guess it's out now.Also I wouldn't take the "American" thing literally till they announce the fine print on the contest...
#14
05/24/2006 (1:41 pm)
Damn, I've been wanting to do something like this forever!
#15
05/24/2006 (2:55 pm)
Sounds very cool. Thanks for posting this.
#16
1. Where can I get more information?
Keep your eyes peeled to the GarageGames site for more info as we near the official TGB release. Also, there will be a site up at www.breakintogames.com very soon with detailed information.
2. Can I start now? Do I need to buy TGB to enter the contest? Can I build a full game with the trial version?
TGB is currently in Early Adopter as we prepare it for release, but it is feature-complete and very stable. If you would like to get a jump-start on building your game, you are welcome to purchase the Early Adopter version. However, there is no free trial version in the Early Adopter license.
There WILL be a free trial version of TGB in the 1.0 release. This will be a fully functional version of TGB with a timed expiration. You can use the free trial to build your game and enter the contest, provided you can do so within the (generous) trial period.
3. Is the contest only open to residents of North America?
Unfortunately, we have been told that the legal ramifications of conducting a worldwide competition is beyond the capabilities of our non-existant legal department. :/ However, we are still looking into this issue and would like nothing better than to open this up to a wider audience. Stay tuned for the official launch of the contest and website for complete details.
05/24/2006 (3:43 pm)
Some questions that have come up in response to this release:1. Where can I get more information?
Keep your eyes peeled to the GarageGames site for more info as we near the official TGB release. Also, there will be a site up at www.breakintogames.com very soon with detailed information.
2. Can I start now? Do I need to buy TGB to enter the contest? Can I build a full game with the trial version?
TGB is currently in Early Adopter as we prepare it for release, but it is feature-complete and very stable. If you would like to get a jump-start on building your game, you are welcome to purchase the Early Adopter version. However, there is no free trial version in the Early Adopter license.
There WILL be a free trial version of TGB in the 1.0 release. This will be a fully functional version of TGB with a timed expiration. You can use the free trial to build your game and enter the contest, provided you can do so within the (generous) trial period.
3. Is the contest only open to residents of North America?
Unfortunately, we have been told that the legal ramifications of conducting a worldwide competition is beyond the capabilities of our non-existant legal department. :/ However, we are still looking into this issue and would like nothing better than to open this up to a wider audience. Stay tuned for the official launch of the contest and website for complete details.
#17
05/25/2006 (4:37 am)
I am very interested in this. I think I'll be starting up a prototype in the next few weeks of an idea that I've been designing for quite a while now.
#18
Also cool that Bill Gate's kids favorite game is Marble Blast Ultra..
05/26/2006 (12:37 am)
Very cool indeed. Thanks for the heads-up.. Also cool that Bill Gate's kids favorite game is Marble Blast Ultra..
#19
Even tho this only a competition for the US ppl, i hope the support will be open for all owners of TGB to. That is offcourse if there will be a "special" support in that time period. (its allowed to hope...)
Anyway: Good luck all that are thinking of entering the contest. Looking forward to see what ppl manage to come up with in that time period. Some day maybe i will manage to make something to. (some years from now.) he he
06/02/2006 (11:39 am)
Quote: "Support for the competition is comprehensive -- from a step-by-step tutorial to a fully developed online community, where designers are in contact with technical experts from GarageGames and the gaming community. Podcasts and white papers are also available for reference."Even tho this only a competition for the US ppl, i hope the support will be open for all owners of TGB to. That is offcourse if there will be a "special" support in that time period. (its allowed to hope...)
Anyway: Good luck all that are thinking of entering the contest. Looking forward to see what ppl manage to come up with in that time period. Some day maybe i will manage to make something to. (some years from now.) he he
Associate Anthony Rosenbaum