Most people defend software piracy by saying that it only hurts the big guys, but indie designers like 2D Boy's Ron Carmel are also getting hit.

Carmel writes in a discussion thread at Rock, Paper, Shotgun that the piracy rate for World of Goo is at about 90%, based on what he's seen on torrent sites and from unique IPs that have contacted the developer's leaderboards.

Talking to Joystiq, he notes that he has received mail from people who pirated the game but ended up paying for it, but it's a "very small percentage."

Continue reading "World of Goo Developer Says Piracy Rampant" »

Well, this is a pleasant surprise.

For a measly ten bucks, you'll be able to get your hands on 10 years worth of creative goodies from the mind of indie game developer Edmund McMillen.

He's offering a CD entitled  This Is A Cry For Help, which includes a few of the titles we've covered here (like Aether and Meatboy), and a great deal of unreleased goodies: game prototypes, unreleased levels for the phenomenal Gish, animations, comics, concept art, and plenty of commentary to go along with it.

There's a trailer up at Edmund's site, (which includes quite a few of the... less safe for work titles), and a full list of what's on the disc, in case you'd like a better idea of what the package entails. If you're a fan of his games (which are all free) and like cool artwork, you really can't go wrong -- did I mention it's all only ten bucks?

This Is A Cry For Help [Edmund McMillen]

Mac users need no longer wait to get their hands on the highly addictive indie game World of Goo, released earlier on PC and WiiWare.

World of Goo is priced at $20 for the Mac -- same as the PC version -- with a free demo also available. The WiiWare version is priced at 1,500 points ($15).

Mixing puzzle elements and physics-based construction, you build your way to the levels end point using balls of goo. Sounds strange, but take our word for it, it's big fun.

Continue reading "World of Goo Oozes Onto Mac" »

Couldn't attend the "Sense of Wonder Night" celebration of innovative indie gaming during last month's Tokyo Game Show? No worries, since videos of the presentations are now up on the event site.

Of the 12 games that made the cut, 11 creators were on hand to talk about their title, and give a video demonstration of said work.

At right, Ian Dallas talks about his XNA-produced first-person "paint" shooter The Unfinished Swan.

Sense of Wonder 2008 Videos [CESA, via Indie Games]

See also:

• Games of the Tokyo Game Show's Indie Showcase
• The Blacks and Whites of The Unfinished Swan
• Hands On: Gomibako Not a Trashy Puzzle Game

Indie games were king last week in Toronto, Canada at "Artcade," presented as part of alternative culture fair "Canzine."

A collaboration between the Artsy Games Incubator creative meet-ups and the TOJam indie fest, the idea was to bring together twenty independent games in a setting that featured four arcade cabinet-inspired stations -- a new selection of games were presented every hour. The event also featured talks by participants, as well as previews of titles still in the works.

But you didn't need to be there to enjoy the games, as all of the TOJam games are available as free downloads -- and yes, that includes the contribution by Everyday Shooter's Jonathan Mak. All of the games from the Artsy Games Incubator will be added within a few weeks.

Along with Microsoft's Community Games showcase, just another sign that the indie game development scene is alive and well.

Images: Artcade

Artcade Rocks! [Artsy Games Incubator]

To celebrate Halloween this year, former Game|Life contributor Susan Arendt has written a text adventure game, dubbed Phantom of the Arcade.

As usual with the classic genre, the majority of the gameplay is essentially reading reams of text, though the sardonic, contemporary, realistic tone of the game's script definitely make for an easier read than those text adventures that rely solely on "Ye Olde English."

Phantom of the Arcade can be played directly through The Escapist's website (via Java plug-in), or downloaded and enjoyed on any platform that hosts a Z-Machine Interpreter.

Phantom of the Arcade [The Escapist]

One sure way of injecting new life into the gaming scene is by bringing in contributors from outside the industry. The Artsy Games Incubator is looking to do just that, by providing artists with the tools to create their own indie games.

The community project was started in Toronto, Canada by Metanet Software (N+) and Jonathan Mak's Queasy Games (Everyday Shooter). The idea is for artists to join in on regular meet-ups, with each session accompanied by assignments to help move those game ideas forward.

The games themselves are created using simplified creation tools like Game Maker or Adventure Game Studio, with the community itself providing support on overcoming any programming obstacles that may overwhelm budding creators.

Although currently based in Toronto, the group is ready to provide assistance and advice on starting chapters in other cities. You can also read full reports on sessions -- and of course download games -- at the group's official site.

Images courtesy Artsy Game Incubator

Artsy Games Incubator [via GamesSetMatch]