
Indie game designer spent three years and $180,000 making a masterpiece - nickb
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26336877/
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azharcs
_"Games these days are designed so that people finish them. They have a big
story and you’re supposed to able to get to the end if you just sit down in
front of it long enough…and I object to that on some level,” he says. “If
games are supposedly presenting a challenge to the player, then they should be
truthful about that challenge and they shouldn’t spend their time lying to the
players."_

Now this is the kind of news that should be on first page of HN.

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ashleyw
To be honest I wouldn't have even tried this without knowing its story, but I
just played the trial and think its fantastic - I love how it doesn't tell me
anything, its for me to explore and understand on my own! After playing that,
I realize I actually hate tutorials in games, games don't have to baby sit me.

Not sure if I'll be buying it, I generally just play CoD4 or GTA a few times a
day to get some adrenalin pumping if I'm working at home, not sure when I'd
play this, or if I'd get a little bored after a while.

~~~
albertcardona
_I love how it doesn't tell me anything, its for me to explore and understand
on my own!_

Free Play, in Ender's Game by Scott Card.

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trevelyan
All fun and games until someone loses an eye.

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ivankirigin
Then it's hilarious

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DaniFong
Oh, the subtext...

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motoko
How did an "indie game designer" get $180,000 and the time over three years to
make this? There is more to this story than just "a smart, brash nerd with a
dream can make the best video game ever..."

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wallflower
" Funding the project with money earned from working on experimental PS3 Cell-
processor gaming projects for IBM, Blow began coding Braid in December 2004."
<http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=194727>

It seems like Braid is and still-is a high-demand game mercenary. Regardless
of how it was funded, I think the fact he conceived and created a game mostly
by himself in an industry where teams of creative individuals with multi-
million dollar budgets struggle (death marches) to ship games is remarkable.

"The Art Of Braid: Creating A Visual Identity For An Unusual Game" by Braid
artist David Hellman
[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3753/the_art_of_braid_...](http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3753/the_art_of_braid_creating_a_.php)

~~~
nadim
The full link on Gamasutra is here:
[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3753/the_art_of_braid_...](http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3753/the_art_of_braid_creating_a_.php?print=1)

This way you don't have to keep hitting next.

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technoguyrob
This sounds eerily similar to Chronotron:

<http://scarybuggames.com/2008/05/chronotron/>

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ashleyw
Its exactly like Mario, just with a different (nicer) skin (and music!!) and
time warping abilities.

~~~
teamonkey
Braid is sort of similar to both of those, but also very, very different. It
certainly has its own identity.

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brfox
video of game:
[http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/braid/video/6194163/b...](http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/braid/video/6194163/braid-e3-2008-stage-
show-demo)

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DaniFong
Inspirational. This is the sort of game I've been waiting to play.

