IGF Feedback
by Andy Schatz · 12/13/2006 (10:52 pm) · 15 comments
We just got our anonymous judge feedback for Venture Arctic for the 2007 IGF. Obviously a bit disappointing that we didn't get nominated, but I kinda expected it. The game wasn't complete enough to merit nominations. I was hoping to get nominated in the audio category, but no such luck this year.
I thought I'd share the feedback here and I'm wondering if other entrants would be interested in sharing their feedback as well. I'd like to get a baseline of what the feedback is like.
It definitely makes me feel good that the only negative feedback we got was that the game wasn't done. So consider this post therapy ;)
I thought I'd share the feedback here and I'm wondering if other entrants would be interested in sharing their feedback as well. I'd like to get a baseline of what the feedback is like.
Quote:Very unique title. Made me quite sad that I couldn't play more of the game. I love that you've approached the strategy game with the player as a semi-benevolent force of nature; it's a unique perspective for game-players, and one that I think works very well. Nicely done.
Quote:The game just isn't done yet.
It definitely makes me feel good that the only negative feedback we got was that the game wasn't done. So consider this post therapy ;)
About the author
#2
-Andrew Douglas
theoreticalgames.com
12/14/2006 (2:55 am)
I'd gladly share our feedback if we had, you know, gotten any. Disappointing but not unexpected. We definitely would have gotten "It's just not done" if anybody had bothered to respond :)-Andrew Douglas
theoreticalgames.com
#3
We was robbed! :)
12/14/2006 (3:10 am)
Paid the $90, did a Gamasutra IGF Interview, heard nothing, no request for a full copy of our game for judges, nothing... didn't even get emailed that they were announcing it.We was robbed! :)
#5
I love Armadillo Run and have been watching its progress for nearly a year. They get some things right.
But, in general, I was done with the IGF a long time ago. We submitted Marble Blast. The judges skewered us. Oh well, we got our revenge.
Venture Arcitc is shaping up to be one of the best games I have seen in a long time. It will not need validation from anonymous judges. To not consider MoM for technical excellence is a crime. A true Indie MMO. Made by two people. Nuff said.
-Jeff Tunnell, GG
12/14/2006 (3:45 am)
Roboblitz? Has anybody played that game on XB360? Did I miss something? I love Armadillo Run and have been watching its progress for nearly a year. They get some things right.
But, in general, I was done with the IGF a long time ago. We submitted Marble Blast. The judges skewered us. Oh well, we got our revenge.
Venture Arcitc is shaping up to be one of the best games I have seen in a long time. It will not need validation from anonymous judges. To not consider MoM for technical excellence is a crime. A true Indie MMO. Made by two people. Nuff said.
-Jeff Tunnell, GG
#6
Armadillo Run is very low-budget, but they do the incredible machine thing well. I'm a bit surprised about the design innovation nom for that one, since it's a rip-off (even if it's a beloved rip-off).
From what I hear, Aquaria is very atmospheric and pretty. Reminds me of Gumboy, which at first glance seems more interesting (and even MORE atmospheric, I'm really surprised it didn't get an audio or visual arts nod).
I have no knowledge of Everyday Shooter.
Last I heard, Bang! Howdy wasn't as fun as Puzzle Pirates, but that was a long time ago, and I bet things are better. They would be my picks for the Grand Prize. (though it's a bit of a shame considering the budget and team size they have at their disposal, but I don't want to get into that old argument about budget and IGF)
I don't think there are any clear favorites this year, but I do think that the top tier of games that were entered were of a much higher quality this year than last. Games like Minions of Mirth, Castle Crahsers (only a visual arts nom), Gumboy, Eets, Virtual Villagers, and Perplexcity were largely ignored.
Venture Arctic is going to ROCK, and it's gonna sell really well. But it always makes your job easier when you get the free press from an award nomination!
Congrats, btw, to the finalists!
12/14/2006 (4:07 am)
Ha, yeah, it's an interesting crowd in teh finals this year. I played through the Roboblitz trial last night (it's on Steam). Very polished, well executed game. Nothing particularly new in terms of gameplay. THey claim it's physics-based gameplay, but it's not really, not to the extent Armadillo Run is.Armadillo Run is very low-budget, but they do the incredible machine thing well. I'm a bit surprised about the design innovation nom for that one, since it's a rip-off (even if it's a beloved rip-off).
From what I hear, Aquaria is very atmospheric and pretty. Reminds me of Gumboy, which at first glance seems more interesting (and even MORE atmospheric, I'm really surprised it didn't get an audio or visual arts nod).
I have no knowledge of Everyday Shooter.
Last I heard, Bang! Howdy wasn't as fun as Puzzle Pirates, but that was a long time ago, and I bet things are better. They would be my picks for the Grand Prize. (though it's a bit of a shame considering the budget and team size they have at their disposal, but I don't want to get into that old argument about budget and IGF)
I don't think there are any clear favorites this year, but I do think that the top tier of games that were entered were of a much higher quality this year than last. Games like Minions of Mirth, Castle Crahsers (only a visual arts nom), Gumboy, Eets, Virtual Villagers, and Perplexcity were largely ignored.
Venture Arctic is going to ROCK, and it's gonna sell really well. But it always makes your job easier when you get the free press from an award nomination!
Congrats, btw, to the finalists!
#7
12/14/2006 (4:10 am)
By the way, Roboblitz was built with Unreal 3, and they use the engine pretty well (visually as well as physics-wise). I wonder what kind of deal they got on the engine. I thought it was a mil to license it.
#8
12/14/2006 (9:27 am)
If roboblitz is the game I think it is.. its quite likely a friend of mine brokered a deal personally with epic (helps to have friends) so it might not quite be the cost that was an issue. 
#9
I have enjoyed Armadillo Run and Eets as well. I also can't wait for VA!
12/14/2006 (4:23 pm)
Yeah. I was amazed when I saw RoboBlitz was using Unreal 3 and was available on XBLA and Steam...and up for IGF. It's a fun game, but I had no idea why it used Unreal 3 other than because the developers could use Unreal 3. I had annoying camera issues while carrying barrels, however, because I like the top-down view and it makes me drag the barrel and slow down. Grrr! Fun little game, though. Not sure about an IGF title, though.I have enjoyed Armadillo Run and Eets as well. I also can't wait for VA!
#10
My thoughts exactly, how on Earth is RoboBlitz indie when they licensed the Unreal 3 engine and have an Xbox 360 deal? Also how do they get around the IGFs so called "rules" with this sort of backing?
The IGF is rooting too much towards projects that have funding (either direct or indirect) and IMHO ruins the whole reason for holding this competition in the first place. Its almost as if the IGF is directly trying to create a new tier in between indie and AAA in some veined attempt to promote "independent" games as an alternative to the buying masses.
Personally I think their decision is arrogent and stupid. There were a lot of high quality entries this year that got snubbed which honestly should not have. Take Minions of Mirth for example, a MMO made by a small budgeted indie team, how does this game not get nominated at the very least for Technical Achievement? The sheer work required to do what they have done is an achievement in itself that surpasses what probably every other IGF entry did, now thats robbery.
@Andy
It was nice that they fired you some anonymouse comments. I find it a little startling the stark differences between the two comments, from something that is useful, helpful and constructive (showing a judge who honestly cared about what he/she was doing) to a guy that obviously seems too bothered to take the effort and write a half ass critique never mind properly judge your entry.
Sorry to hear that you didn't make it this year (in fact did any Torque based games make it in at all?) but Venture Arctic is shaping up to be another great game. Keep up the good work.
12/14/2006 (4:58 pm)
@JeffMy thoughts exactly, how on Earth is RoboBlitz indie when they licensed the Unreal 3 engine and have an Xbox 360 deal? Also how do they get around the IGFs so called "rules" with this sort of backing?
The IGF is rooting too much towards projects that have funding (either direct or indirect) and IMHO ruins the whole reason for holding this competition in the first place. Its almost as if the IGF is directly trying to create a new tier in between indie and AAA in some veined attempt to promote "independent" games as an alternative to the buying masses.
Personally I think their decision is arrogent and stupid. There were a lot of high quality entries this year that got snubbed which honestly should not have. Take Minions of Mirth for example, a MMO made by a small budgeted indie team, how does this game not get nominated at the very least for Technical Achievement? The sheer work required to do what they have done is an achievement in itself that surpasses what probably every other IGF entry did, now thats robbery.
@Andy
It was nice that they fired you some anonymouse comments. I find it a little startling the stark differences between the two comments, from something that is useful, helpful and constructive (showing a judge who honestly cared about what he/she was doing) to a guy that obviously seems too bothered to take the effort and write a half ass critique never mind properly judge your entry.
Sorry to hear that you didn't make it this year (in fact did any Torque based games make it in at all?) but Venture Arctic is shaping up to be another great game. Keep up the good work.
#11
There's always next year, and with that in mind, another year to polish what ya got and really wow them!
12/14/2006 (6:04 pm)
Thats a drag Andy, we brought our game (Screwjumper) to IGC this year, and while I was unable to attend, the overall feedback from James and Ben, my coworkers, was people really seemed to enjoy it. We too entered without nomination, and in a similar story, we were merely 8 weeks into development when first finishing the crunch to getting the game submitted. There's always next year, and with that in mind, another year to polish what ya got and really wow them!
#12
From an "indie development standpoint": the code up to initial launch was programmed by one coder in 11 months... it was the other staff member's first game... and we moved to North Dakota to afford making it happen... though, I do understand this stuff doesn't get figured into the scoring... and it shouldn't... it is supposed to be the Independent Game Festival, whatever that means... I personally think the competition has an identity crisis.
Whether or not the IGF judges took the time to get the full version and understand any of this, I do feel that we earned a nomination. But, I am pretty biased. :) Of course the upside to not being nominated is that we don't have to fly ourselves to GDC and man a booth... that is one LAME contest requirement!
12/14/2006 (6:44 pm)
Technically, MoM is pretty innovative: Single Player, MMORPG on our servers with no monthly fee, it can be modded and players can run their own servers which hook up to our master server, we have a community development group which helps improve the game, it's been live for a year with *frequent* content and feature updates utilizing a slick autopatching system, unlocking the premium version is a tiny patch, and it is cross-platform on Windows and OSX. We've received some great reviews and the game is a commercial success with a growing community. From an "indie development standpoint": the code up to initial launch was programmed by one coder in 11 months... it was the other staff member's first game... and we moved to North Dakota to afford making it happen... though, I do understand this stuff doesn't get figured into the scoring... and it shouldn't... it is supposed to be the Independent Game Festival, whatever that means... I personally think the competition has an identity crisis.
Whether or not the IGF judges took the time to get the full version and understand any of this, I do feel that we earned a nomination. But, I am pretty biased. :) Of course the upside to not being nominated is that we don't have to fly ourselves to GDC and man a booth... that is one LAME contest requirement!
#13
12/15/2006 (5:22 pm)
Haha well said Josh! I couldn't agree more that MoM of all games should have been nominated... that's just ridiculous that you weren't. How often to Indie MMO's pull off half of what you guys did? Definitely an identity crisis going on with that competition.
#14
12/15/2006 (6:02 pm)
I dont know that its an identity crisis -- 3 of the 5 grand prize finalists were teams of 1-2 people. I think MoM is just a really really terrible oversight.
#15
But would be cool you could just use the zone code to go to various areas covered in the existing Venture line of games any beyond etc etc.
Could toss in some other things to add stuff to do.
Mom's middle/serverware technology combined with Venture content with a side of TGEA.
edit: sorry that almost is off topic just talk of both triggered idea..
12/18/2006 (10:26 pm)
Hum.. yea ya'll should get together and make a game. Venture Wildlife World MMORPAWMG Or role playing and wildlife management mmog. hahah..But would be cool you could just use the zone code to go to various areas covered in the existing Venture line of games any beyond etc etc.
Could toss in some other things to add stuff to do.
Mom's middle/serverware technology combined with Venture content with a side of TGEA.
edit: sorry that almost is off topic just talk of both triggered idea..
Torque Owner Joshua Dallman