YOU’RE ON MY FRIENDS LIST, I would like to know 36 things about you. I don’t care if we never talk, or if we already know everything about each other. Short and sweet is fine … You’re on my list, so I want to know you better!
Self-Ghettoization
I recently took a peek back over at Story Games, on a recommendation that I read a thread about promotions and marketing for the Indie community.
Jesus Christ, my fucking head hurts.
Rather than post over there (which is sure to generate another 100+ messages about my meany-head-ness, etc.), I’ll just summarize my thoughts here.
On the second page of the thread, the following post is made, by a respected member of the Indie community:
Promotion – in the sense of it being a separate activity than just being excited about what you made – sucks. It’s a soulless exercise that either doesn’t work, or works because you had the stomach to sell somebody something they didn’t want. It is antithetical to the creative process.
There you have it, folks — a key reason why the self-defined “Indie” movement will never amount to much more than a few dozen creators selling games primarily amongst themselves.
Marketing is bad. Making a profit is bad. Commercial considerations of any sort: Bad, bad, bad.
All of it sounds like the ramblings of psuedo-hipster poseurs to me, so I guess I’m the Grumpy Old Man Who Doesn’t Get It.
Let’s Hope People Are Smarter, This Time….
Ralph Nader has launched an exploratory committee website.
Giving us 8 years of Bush wasn’t enough for you, Ralph?