Research on Indie Games

Hey! I?m a rising high school senior and I?m currently working on a research paper. Due to my involvement with indie game development, I?ve decided to gear my research paper towards that along with its relationship with internet discussion forums. If you are able and willing to, would you like to answer five straight-forward questions regarding indie game development and forum life? The questions are as follows:

1. In your own words, what is an ?indie? game?

2. Why do you think independent game developers join internet forums?

3. Why do you think independent game developers leave internet forums?

4. What are, in your opinion, the key limitations and benefits in regards to forum activity?

5. How do you think life in the forums affects the following ethical considerations: privacy and anonymity, intellectual property, people and machines, and digital citizenship? (Check the link below for descriptions on the preceding ethical considerations)

Ethical Considerations Definitions: itgs.wikispaces.com/Social+%26+Ethical

Thanks in advance!

Ah, interesting questions, I have been typing up my answers here but when I hit 'post' I got an error and the message was deleted So... I will make some time in a little while to re-type my opinions for you =]

Hey no problems! Sorry to hear about the errors though!

I'm likely to have very different views than the norm on this subject. So take with a grain of salt.

1. In your own words, what is an ?indie? game?

No such thing. While the word "indie" is for independent(noted below). This I feel is a belittling reference. In context of language labelling any game/movie as indie is inappropriate. We don't for example call our local farmers, indie farmers, or local dairy as indie dairy. Though they "run" independently. So I don't believe any game is an indie game. Small developer game sure, but not indie. Technically even Electronic Arts at the the top is independent of any other organization.

2. Why do you think independent game developers join internet forums?

Inspiration, support, ideas, assisting the community.

3. Why do you think independent game developers leave internet forums?

jerks, and people who have closed minds, kicked out.

4. What are, in your opinion, the key limitations and benefits in regards to forum activity?

non really. I at this time don't feel of any key limits.

5. How do you think life in the forums affects the following ethical considerations: privacy and anonymity, intellectual property, people and machines, and digital citizenship? (Check the link below for descriptions on the preceding ethical considerations)

the internet has removed privacy.

the internet as removed anonymity

as for IP, if you share there is far less IP, but get in return feedback

I haven't read any other posts so my answers aren't my own.

1.An indie game, to me, is one that is self-published (developers) sans-publishing house

2.It is a lonely thing.

3. They encounter elitists and forum hierarchy and get treated like a joke(non-existent in Construct, just a thought on it.)

4.I don't really understand what you mean by limitations.. but benefits.. here are a few: I don't have to meet these people, I can get help and give help, a chat with similar people with similar beliefs.

5. I feel private, but not anonymous- I can easily be found virtually; also, I have a big e-trail so I suppose it'd be hard to pretend I never existed. I'm scared to post things of my own on the internet (forums included.)

1. In your own words, what is an ?indie? game?

A game made by an amateur developer or an independent person, rather than a professional development team or a number of developers.

2. Why do you think independent game developers join internet forums?

The need to socialize.

3. Why do you think independent game developers leave internet forums?

They get friends.

4. What are, in your opinion, the key limitations and benefits in regards to forum activity?

Benefits: virtual socializing. Limits: not actual socializing.

5. How do you think life in the forums affects the following ethical considerations: privacy and anonymity, intellectual property, people and machines, and digital citizenship?

It doesn't, if you're smart.