Extra Credits: The EC Indie Fund

[Conners]

Do you know Extra Credits? Inspired by Zero Punctuation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C70wWScZWgo&feature=related)'s witty presentation, they use the same style in their videos. Rather than reviewing games in a profane manner, they explain areas of game-design, and talk about the potential the gaming industry has to grow and improve.

The team is made up of three people. Daniel Floyd, an animator at Pixar. Allison Theus, a free-lance artist who has worked with several major games. And James Portnow, a professional consultant in the gaming industry who has worked on such projects as Call of Duty Modern Warfare, and also gives lectures at GDC.
You can further acquaint yourself with the first episode. (http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/bad-writing)


The Extra Credits Indie Fund is described in a video on this page. (http://www.rockethub.com/projects/3074-extra-credits-indie-fund)

Its goal is to allow indie developers to make great games, without having to risk everything with high-brow publishers. They help by giving advice, using their connections, and funding the project.
Details can be found in the link above, if you want to know more.

From what can be said... this could really make a difference to a lot of developers, if it goes well. It's very hard to find publishers willing to take risks on a game that isn't a re-skinned World of Warcraft or Call of Duty 4. That is why games like Portal, Ico, Bioshock and others are rarely made.
If the EC Indie Fund goes well, then other publishers might pay attention, and copy their legal practices. After watching the video, I think you'll agree that if they did... it could only improve games.

[The Succubus]

I'm a big fan of indie games, with my number one slot reserved for a game by independant developers Ice-Pick Lodge.

Also been playing a lot of Bastion recently, enjoying Terraria, Minecraft. 'Tis a good time for indie work.

[Psyren]

I'm very much in favor of the fund, and I'm glad I donated to Allison's bionic arm :smallbiggrin:

Just don't expect anything from it anytime soon. They've said that they're going to take their time finding, if not the perfect project, at least a really really good one to kick off the fund with. Add to that the fact that all three of them got new jobs and I can't imagine where they find the time to even make EC episodes, never mind administer thousands of dollars.

[Eakin]

I sure hope they produce something awesome, some of that money is mine :smallsmile:

But I was happy to give something back and I'm glad they landed on their feet after the Escapist thing. Theyre producing one of the most thoughtful shows on video games and design currently on the web.

[Conners]

I'm very much in favor of the fund, and I'm glad I donated to Allison's bionic arm :smallbiggrin:

Just don't expect anything from it anytime soon. They've said that they're going to take their time finding, if not the perfect project, at least a really really good one to kick off the fund with. Add to that the fact that all three of them got new jobs and I can't imagine where they find the time to even make EC episodes, never mind administer thousands of dollars. I think James might've said that everything was hectic, at the moment, because they're building a website and such for the EC Indie Fund. That's why there aren't more details at the moment, I expect.

Will be very exciting to see the new website, and learn more about what's going to happen :smallsmile:! (Would be awesome to have a game published by EC, too!)

[Partysan]

Apart from that fund being a great idea, I tried out that show and I think it's really quite good. Thanks for pointing me to this, Conners.

[Conners]

Your welcome :smallsmile:.


Was hoping to draw more attention to this cause, so as to give it as good a chance as it can get to be all it can be (which would be pretty great). Sadly, it's uncertain as to how is best to "advertise" this... I guess we could all PM/MSN/whatever our friends about it, and hope they do the same.