Amateur Indie Games

With the rise of software such as Adventure Game Studio and the Game Maker and RPG Maker series of programs, amateur designers with little or no programming experience have become able, with a small team or a sole devoted effort, to produce independent games all of their own. And thanks to the wonder of the internet and free hosting, they're even able to share them with the world. But despite the inundation of the web with free games of varying artistic value and design skill, the world of amateur-made indie games goes mostly undiscovered, usually only stumbled upon by those looking to design games of their own. The one time most people have ever heard of or played an amateur-made indie game was likely when Danny Ledone's "Super Columbine Massacre RPG!" reached mainstream media attention. And being that the offensiveness of its content was the main drive behind the game's fame, and the fact that it was produced and published online by a single college student with RPG Maker and not by a commercial party seemed lost in the media sensationalism, it is doubtful this event scored any positive attention toward games by amateur designers.

It is certainly true that most of these amateur designed games are of the all around amateurish quality that one would likely expect, obviously without all the impressive features of modern commercial games, and often with ripped graphics, generally cloned game play, and cliché plotlines where there's any plot at all. But there's a lot of trash amidst the commercial game industry too, trash you actually have to pay to play. And amidst all the rubbish, there are gems amongst these amateur-made games, gems that few people ever are lucky enough to find. For in the capability for the common man to produce their own games, ars gratia artis, making and sharing games solely out of the interest in doing so, with no need for extensive capital or with any commercial interest involved at all, we see what is effectively a new form of free artistic expression. And in the need to rely not on spectacular graphics or fanciful features to make their products good, but rather on the purest elements that made computer and video games great long before realistic 3D and advanced AI were possible, in fun game play, amusing design, or immersive plots, there has come a hidden resurrection of the older days of gaming.

I have found Matt Thorson's Jumper series to hold some of my most entertaining and challenging platformer experiences, Mr Chubbigan's Sandbox of God one of the most amusing sandbox/strategy games I've ever wasted my hours away on, Crystal Shard's A Tale of Two Kingdoms to be one of the most well developed adventure games I've laid eyes on, and Lun Calsari's The Way to have the most stunning story of any RPG I have ever played. And sites like Game Maker Games, Adventure Cup Studio, and Rpgmaker.net have collections of many more such games available to anyone to enjoy for free. Yes, there's a lot of trash to shift through, but it's worth it to find all the hidden gems of this hidden world of amateur-made games.

Sources:

Game Maker Games

Adventure Game Studio

Winda Benedetti, These Games Really Push our Buttons, MSNBC