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How to make the best indie game ever: Lessons from J-Force Games
When J-Force Games released Avatar Massage Online in 2010, they were clear about their intentions -- they wanted to make money. Avatar Massage wasn't a genre-shattering revelation of graphics or gameplay; it was a mindless yet entertaining time-waster, or a clever way to buy a vibrator without worrying your mom would come over and find your secret stash. The J-Force team had dreams of developing the "best indie game ever," and to do that they needed money. What better way to fund an indie game, than with an indie game? "We just saw a bunch of mini-games and little apps in the top-sellers on XBLIG and said hey, we could do that too," Jeremy Eden of J-Force said. "Since we needed money it was a no-brainer." The 16,000 people who bought Avatar Massage seemed to agree with this sentiment. But a slew of other people did not -- many argued that releasing a "crappy" game to make quick money and fund a more ambitious project was "immoral" on a deep level, according to the (very secret) Rules of Gaming Ethics and Morality. J-Force didn't expect a violent backlash, but they were prepared with a response regardless. "The nutshell argument is this: There's no difference in making a game for the money versus working any other job for the money -- most people hate their jobs, but they put up with them just for that paycheck," Eden said. "People then argue, 'But you're releasing crap for money!' And by 'crap' they mean basically any type of game that doesn't suit their superior taste. If Avatar Massage Online was crap, why have 16,000 people bought it?"
Unstoppable: the first Blu-ray film with Android-compatible Digital Copy
It's a little shocking that it's taken this long to get a Digital Copy that's compatible with Android, but clearly it's the week of shackles being broken. Just yesterday, Qualcomm announced that all future Snapdragon devices would be cleared for Netflix streaming, and now Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is announcing that its impending Unstoppable launch will allow Android users to watch the flick on the go. By enabling the transfer through BD Live, it marks the first time that this has been possible with Google's mobile OS, though it should be noted that consumers will need the disc itself, a WiFi-connected BD player, Android 1.6 or higher and the free PocketBLU app to make the magic happen. Both the movie and app can be downloaded starting today, but here's the real question: are you willing to invest in a movie just to experience Digital Copy... on Android?
