[IGDA_indies] Re: State of the Indie

[C Ratchet]

Re: database - Surveymonkey.com is your friend. It saves all your
stuff and I think its pretty cheap to get the advanced features.

Lets schedule a meeting to discuss this stuff. I'd like to pass it
thru the local SIG as well, but we already have an agenda for our
local meeting tomorrow. So maybe next meeting (June 5th) for that.
Anyway when is a good time to chat?

Michael

On 5/16/06, Raymond Chandler <animegalore1985 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I personally like the mean/median idea. It allows us to allow for a
> comprimise on the deffinition of the term and can also help spur some
> support on the matter. I think winging it would be a bit of a mistake If we
> are wanting to take a more formal approach to the matter. I would like to
> see this sort of thing be a reccuring report on behalf of the SIG to show
> where we are going and where we want to be. The "What's Next" of indie.
>
>
> "Christopher S. Charabaruk" <chrisc at meldstar.com> wrote:
>
>  This is why I keep bringing up our definition of an indie every business
> meeting, too. Our term could be too strict (a five person garage team who
> got a deal to have their game on Steam could be ruled out) while
> traditional thinking is generally too broad (Valve does more than
> self-publish).
>
> While it'd probably make things even more complicated, though, it might be
> interesting to take all this into account, by asking developers if they
> believe they are independent (yes/no question) followed by their own
> definition of indie or their reasoning for their decision (a nice essay
> question, just like killed me in communications classes). Then, at the
> report stage, we use all that information to determine a mean or median
> definition, based on what everyone said.
>
> Or, for the sake of my sanity, whose grasp is tenuous as it is, that can
> wait for next year's report.
>
> Certainly, we need to rework the definition prior to conducting the surveys
> and writing the report. But how do we change the definition to let in the
> former example while denying the latter?
>
> Personally, I think that the word 'formal' has much to do with the
> uncertainty around what is indie or not. Someone (probably myself) could
> write an entire essay for the SIG site just on the definition alone to try
> and clarify matters, but chances are it'd only make things muddier.
>
> I think this time around, we might just be able to get away winging it, with
> a few happy little disclaimers before anyone's allowed to take the surveys.
> I'd like to hear your thoughts on improving the definition we use, though.
>
> --
> Christopher S. 'coldacid' Charabaruk
> Meldstar Entertainment -- Creation�
>
>
>
> At Tue 16 May 2006 02:46:17 PM EDT, "Thomas H. Buscaglia"
>  said:
>
> > This sounds like a great idea. I hope you have the time and
> > resources to put into it because it looks to be a real time hog,
> > especially the surveys. But they would be a great contribution.
> >
> > I think on thing you need to do is establish a clear delineation of
> > what an indie is for purposes of the white paper. Although I do not
> > think you consider id and Valve to be within the ambit of this work,
> > they are for sure independent studios. So some thought will need to
> > go into your target audience in the process. You may want to
> > consider the casual games mail list as a possible source for
> > additional independents.
> >
> > Good luck and let me know if you need any help.
> >
> > Tom B
> >
> > At 01:43 PM 5/16/2006, you wrote:
> >> This is something I wanted to bring up in meeting a while ago, but we
> never
> >> got to it. State of the Indie would be a yearly report arranged by the
> SIG
> >> showing the ups, downs, and sideways of the indie "industry". To help
> with
> >> writing the report, there would be a couple surveys as well -- one big
> >> survey for gathering gross statistics, and some stages of interviews with
> >> selected (or lotteried) participants of the big survey for finer details.
> >>
> >> I'm already claiming this as my baby, but it'd be great for others (even
> >> those not officially helping manage the SIG) to join this project so that
> >> I'm not a committee of one.
> >>
> >> Any support?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Christopher S. 'coldacid' Charabaruk
> >> Meldstar Entertainment -- Creation³
>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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>
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>
> Thank you,
> Raymond Chandler III
> Independant Game Developer
> www.avengersoft.com
> IGDA Indie-SIG Co-Coordinater/Webmaster
> www.igda.org/indie
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