IndieCade presents inventive new games

The fourth annual IndieCade took place in Culver City this weekend. The convention brought together independent game developers to share their work and provide an idea of where the independent gaming industry is headed over the next few years. IndieCade also provided an opportunity for attendees to try out upcoming releases that aren’t given the publicity of more mainstream franchises.

IndieCade was home to more than 150 games, including 36 that were nominated by the IndieCade Jury for awards. These games were hooked up to a variety of mediums, ranging from newer, more advanced consoles such as the Ouya, Wii U, PlayStation 4 and Oculus VR, to portable systems such as the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita. Various games were even played throughout the event on arcade machines or in massive virtual-reality simulators.

There were also tents and events set up to help aspiring game developers learn different software and business strategies that are commonly used in the industry. Seminars included development for the upcoming Xbox One, team management and networking. Also helpful for developers were tents set up to give attendees crash courses in programs such as Unity and the Unreal Engine.

Some games added bold new features to set it apart from other software, while others hearkened back to the art and gameplay of classic games and still others pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved in a video game. The common emotion that ran through all the games’ designers and developers was a pure passion for games, something that can get lost under the creative bulwark of marketability.

Freeq, made by USC faculty members, is a story-based audio adventure game for iOS and Android, focusing on the interaction between two characters. The player can locate different characters by tilting his mobile device. By tapping the icon for that character, you have the option to select a character for that person to talk to. This initiates a phone conversation between the two characters, introducing dialogue and conflict between them. In case you want to revisit the conversations, the interactions are accessible with just one touch, allowing you to get the entire story.

Many of the games created by USC students and alumniwere reperesentative of games at IndieCade. These include nominated games [code] and Nidhogg, as well as Project Holodeck, Gib Gods and Outer Wilds.

[code] is a single-player puzzle game where users play as an “@” in a level’s code, and they’re tasked with fixing the code using the “@” to get through the level. The game is especially appealing to people interested in computer science, as the game helps teach basic principles. Nidhogg is a two-player fencing game, with the winner getting the “honor” of being eaten by a giant worm.

Project Holodeck is intended to bring virtual reality into a fun and accessible platform for gamers. Gib Gods is a chaotic side-scrolling multiplayer shooter, where up to four players can blast each other with rocket launchers. Outer Wilds is a first-person space exploration game, giving players 20 minutes to explore before the universe ends, which requires multiple play-throughs for one to truly appreciate what the game has to offer.

The event serves as a smaller, more accessible alternative to the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. IndieCade instead focuses on more creative game ideas and relatively unknown companies rather than triple-A releases and new installments in well-known franchises such as Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed.

It’s free to anyone, and is easy to get to from the USC campus. A majority of the games have no wait time, whereas other games, such as those on the Oculus Rift, require a brief wait in line. The waits are much shorter than those at an event like E3, allowing for much more playing time.

“It’s an amazing thing,” said Scott Den Adel, senior design at LOOT Entertainment, which showed off its Forsaken Planet game at IndieCade. “I was at the IndieCade Tasting the other night with the other developers, and it’s such a joy to see all these people who had original ideas and started up their dream game. I think it’s really where the industry’s moving, towards games that people really want to make and really want to play.”

Attendees could also try out the new Playstation 4 controller, as well as test out the Ouya, Android’s competition to the PS4, Xbox One and Wii U which has been out since June. Though the PS4 controller felt comfortable and natural for playing different types of games (first-person shooter, fighting and platformer were all tested), the Ouya controller felt weird to hold, not matching up to the comfort of other current generation controllers.

“This is only my second year going, but it’s definitely expanded this year: It not only takes more space, but the space is also packed in a lot more tightly,” said TJ Darcy, a junior studying computer science (games) and president of USC’s Makers of Enet. “In addition, there seem to be a lot more sponsors this year; big companies like Nintendo and Sony showing up to give their support to indie devs, and encourage people to publish on their platforms.”

IndieCade is an experience that shows the lighter side of the gaming industry. The games don’t have the kind of publicity of those found in bigger festivals, but IndieCade continues to close the gap by getting some of the giants of gaming to support independent studios. The obvious passion of the developers, as well as the other attendees, helps make it a worthwhile experience for those who enjoy playing games. It’ll be interesting to see how the new consoles handle independent development, but if this year’s IndieCade is any indication, there’s a lot to be excited about in non-traditional gaming.

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