Chicago Game Jam

Today I’m happy to announce the second annual Chicago Game Jam, scheduled from September 28-30 at The Nerdery. Last year’s event saw groups competing throughout the weekend to produce innovative games based around the theme of “Chaos Theory.” One of those teams has since gone on to make the critically acclaimed mobile game Organ Trail. Another, Team Sweet, continues to work together on designing games.

I cannot stress enough the comradery and promise for opportunity that you will experience at this event. Game jams are the embodiment of what IGDA Chicago stands for: bringing people together to improve the craft of game development and foster a community of inspiration.

Whether you’ve participated in 20 game jams or none, you are welcome to sign up and join us for what will be another exciting weekend of fun, inspiration, and game development.

Thank you,

Jay Margalus

Chair, IGDA Chicago

Back To Basics Or Bust


This article, by local journalist David Wolinsky, is the first in a series of video game related guest posts by local writers and press.

Somewhere around August 2000, Nintendo solidified its position as the gaming industry’s indisputable pioneer when EarthBound 64 got the axe.

I’ll give you a moment to process this, but it’s true. Look at what came after the N64: tiny little discs, motion controls, and an iPad with handles. None of these are gaming’s future. I won’t speak out of turn or stray too far from the topic at hand, since some of this is due to Nintendo’s highly secretive nature, but last year at E3, I spoke to oodles of developers who were perplexed by Nintendo’s new console thingy. I explained the Wii U to developer after developer in private demos – where they had to be instead of Nintendo’s press conference – and after a translator would state my question in Japanese, in one case, a developer of a triple-A game looked up at me, laughed, and shrugged. In plain English: He couldn’t think of a way to implement it in a game.

There’s a reason why. Well, two reasons. One was that the technology is awful new, but also because we don’t need it. Likely the Wii U’s biggest hit will be Spy Party, and then it will go back to the closet collecting dust next to your Wii. I don’t say this as a Nintendo hater, because I’m not – I’m the 1995 Blockbuster store champion of Donkey Kong Country – but rather because we should’ve all seen this coming in 2000.

The Nintendo 64 was hardly the company’s most popular or even successful system. Sure, Mario 64 blew everyone’s minds — I remember marveling at how you could nudge the joystick slightly to make Mario tip-toe or throttle it to send him huffing and puffing. It was amazing. — But the third dimension doesn’t automatically make all games great: EarthBound 64 is perhaps one of the first glaring examples of this.

The game was canceled, officially, due to bugs and other problems, but also, look at these screenshots of the game. What’s missing? The magic of the SNES version. The whimsy. In all cheesiness but accuracy: its heart. Even if the game came out in its original iteration, who knows how it would have been received. But I think the message here is that the world didn’t need a 3D Earthbound.

The game later came out in 2006 as a Game Boy Advance version that has become a massive hit, and not just because it’s an EarthBound game. That’s surely part of it, but as anyone who downloaded the translated ROM knows, its charm is in its colorful pastel sprites and strong writing. Not bloated 3D graphics.

So what’s my point?

Games don’t need to blindly embrace or buckle themselves into the seat belts of the latest technology’s coattails. Nintendo dipped into the motion-control pool first, and even though both Sony and Microsoft mocked the move, they later quietly skinny-dipped there, too. But I defy you to name five great games for the Move or the Kinect. Can’t do it? How about five essential games for both of them combined? How about five amazing 3DS games?

Now, I realize I’m probably coming across somewhat as an old fuddy-duddy who hates new things. I’ve certainly reviewed enough games in my day harshly enough to support that image, but I think instead it positions me as someone who has played a lot of games and seen a lot of the newest, latest, hottest, buzziest, whatever-iest games and know what’s worth playing and what’s not. And I’ll tell you what I’m playing more of these days: Super Crate Box for the iPhone, notSkyrim.

I don’t really have a “take” on the whole “casual-gaming thing,” but I know both from my own opinion and conversations with my fellow critics that I’m not alone. There’s a reason why people got so fired up about Skyrim and then so bored of it, and it’s the same reason: There’s too damn much to do in the game. Skyrim does many, many great things, like making the story you weave in the game uniquely yours (I joined a super-secret cannibal organization that none of my friends even found), but that’s also it’s greatest downfall. It gets tiring. You can sink hours, weeks, and even months into the game, and even though you’ve racked up a bunch of achievements, what have you really accomplished or done? Have you finished the game? I honestly can’t even remember what level my character is at. I will make my way back to the game sooner or later, but I don’t feel strongly inclined to.

Why? The answer is simple, really: simplicity. That’s what makes games great. Not tacked-on multiplayer modes or half-baked game+ modes. Those are nice to have, but not essential. Look at Apple. This is a company that has clawed its way back from bankruptcy because it has stripped away everything inessential to get at the core of what people want.

Consider Fez. Why do you think it was hyped up so much? Because it was bold enough to do one thing really well. Ignore the 8-bit allure. There were no enemies, just one mechanic explored fully. And the game knew when to call it a day. Game+ mode aside, the game knows exactly what it is and makes no attempts to be anything more than that. Games like this and Proteus – an 8-bit free-roaming island, also with no enemies – signal that some players and developers alike are ready to embrace “retro” gaming not just as a visual aesthetic but also as a design principle. Mario 3 was awesome because it thoroughly explored platforming and managed to keep players guessing all along the way. Super Mario Sunshineshowed what happened when you mess with what’s special and try to chase trends.

So, as a developer, ask yourself: Do you want to do everything and please a handful, or do a few things very well and drop the jaws of your devoted new fans?

Or to put it a little more cheesily: Don’t chase trends, follow your heart.

Hugs,

David

David Wolinsky writes for NBC Chicago, Adult Swim, and teaches Comedy Writing at Second City.  He can be found on Tumblr at millionairemansion.tumblr.com and on Twitter as @davidwolinsky.

Chicago Summer of Arcade


Edit (9/14): We are proud to announce that Epic Games will be sponsoring this event! Food and drinks will be provided free of charge.

I’m happy to announce our first paid event, “Chicago Summer of Arcade,” featuring Dave Lang of Iron Galaxy and Josh Tsui of Robomodo.

Information

Dave Lang, CEO of Iron Galaxy.

Josh Tsui, President and co-founder of Robomodo.

Downloadable products are the future of the games industry; from the rise of platforms like Steam to console download services like XBOX Live Arcade (XBLA) and Playstation Network (PSN), the method by which we distribute games has changed dramatically in only a handful of years. Between July 18th and August 15th this summer, five lucky downloadable titles were included in an XBLA promotion called the XBOX Live Summer of Arcade. Those games were Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, Wreckateer, Dust: An Elysian Tale, Deadlight, and Hybrid. Out of those five games, two (Iron Galaxy’s Wreckateer and Robomodo’s Tony Hawk Pro Skater’s HD) were made in Chicago.

The IGDA Chicago is bringing together the heads of those two Chicago studios for a night of thought and discussion. What did they learn from selling their games on XBLA? What was the XBOX Live Summer of Arcade experience like? What’s the future of digital download games? These questions and more will be addressed.

This will be a paid event.

Buy tickets here before 9/17 at $10; all tickets afterward at $15. IGDA members receive an admission discount.

You’ve Graduated: Now What?

You’ve Graduated: Now What? is a how-to session on launching a career in the game development industry. A selection of three local industry experts will be sharing their own personal tips and advice, followed by an open audience Q&A.

Speakers include Clayton Kisko (Senior Level Designer at Robomodo,) Sheri Rubin (Founder and CEO of Design Direct Deliver,) and Craig Stern (founder of Sinister Design.) Their full bios are listed below.

Clayton Kisko

Clayton is a Senior Level Designer at Robomodo working on Tony Hawk HD. After graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design, Clayton received his first gig in the game industry working with Robomodo as a Junior Level Designer on Tony Hawk: Ride. Since then Clay has worked as a Level Designer, Game Designer, and Game consultant on peripheral games, Kinect games, console games, mobile games, and XBLA/PSN games.

Sheri Rubin

Sheri Rubin is the founder and CEO of Design Direct Deliver (DDD), a small business consultancy that focuses on project management and improving customer experiences. Prior to DDD, she was Producer and Corporate Communications Director for High Voltage Software, Inc. Sheri got her start in the game industry over 15 years ago and has more than 30 game credits under her belt. She is an avid philanthropist and fierce advocate for the betterment of the video game industry, dedicating much of her free time to volunteer organizations including Women in Games International (WIGI), the Red Cross, and the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). Sheri received her B.A. summa cum laude in Business Administration from DeVry University and serves on the boards for IGDA, IGDA Chicago, and Jenkat Media, Inc.

Craig Stern

Craig Stern is an independent game developer and founder of Sinister Design, an game studio based out of Chicago. He just released Telepath RPG: Servants of God, a Middle-Eastern steampunk strategy RPG, in February.

In addition to developing games, Craig sits on the board of Indie City Games, an organization of indie game developers from around the city. Craig also founded and runs the website IndieRPGs.com, a site dedicated exclusively to RPGs created by the indie game development community.

Join us at 7pm at the International Academy of Design & Technology for what is sure to be a highly educational event for anyone who is currently seeking employment in the industry.

Full event details available on the Meetup page: You’ve Graduated: Now What?

To stay in the loop on this and future events, be sure to join the IGDA Chicago Meetup group.

Indie Game: The Movie Happenings

While we’ll normally hold an evening event every third Wednesday of the month, this month we’re getting together a day early for a special treat!

IGDA Chicago is looking forward to co-hosting a showing of Indie Game: The Movie(with directors in attendance) at 7pm on April 17th at the Music Box Theatre. Use the promotional code IGDACHICAGO for a $3 discount off admission.

Following the movie, be sure to drop by our Indie Game: The Movie Afterparty, starting at 9pm  at Guthrie’s Tavern and enjoy the company of both your fellow Chicago game developers and the creators of the film.

We’ll be looking forward to seeing you there! 

As always, be sure to check the Chicago Events calendar for more exciting game development events happening this month!