Warm Up Stuff

A Short View Back to the Past

Year 1 at Penwith College ended well, with me achieving a Distinction in my FMP. Additionally, my other short projects went well too, and it was a good starting point to know what kind of work I would have to do for the FMP.

Below, you can see my assessment grading outcome, which is useful to look back on in the feedback section to know what I did well. Looking at it now, I can see that I did everything pretty much perfectly, with no real negative/constructive feedback given. Therefore, I know that I am already working at a high enough level to get a distinction again, and should keep it up.

Diving in a little deeper and using my own knowledge of my project, I think there are a couple of things that I would like to do differently for the second year of the course. One thing I would like to do differently is work a bit more at home. Earlier on in the FMP, I didn't do a whole lot of work at home. If I had instead done more, I might have had even more time for more work on the practical side of things. Furthermore, I limited myself quite a bit at times by not properly making a schedule for myself to work around or giving myself goals. I believe this was partly because it was my first big project, and because I was working with someone else, I couldn't just do anything, because he was working on certain parts while I worked on others. As we got close to the end of the project, it was very clear what we were both doing, and we made a better plan; however, we should have dedicated more time to it earlier on.

My plan this year is to definitely work solo. Lucas and I were very lucky to be able to work together; however, in some ways, I think it'll be easier alone, especially this time around. Now that we've completed an FMP, I know the amount of work that is required. Although I think this is mostly a positive change, there are also some negatives. One of them is the fact that I won't have someone else to give opinions on things. While this is mostly bad since I don't think I'm the most creative person ever, it does give me some more freedom in my work. Another possible negative will be the increased workload that I will have, since I will want to produce a similar result again. I think this won't be as bad if I do more at home and get a better plan, though, but the extra pressure is still there.

Overall, I think the FMP couldn't really have gone much better as far as the blog work goes. You could argue that there was even more detail that I could've added to my blog regarding my production and thinking behind what I did, but I found it a lot easier putting down a little less, since otherwise I could lose my thoughts. Additionally, I think I could've taken quite a few more screenshots to further explain my thought process, but the same thing applies, really. For the next projects, I think I'll not only want to try and put some more images on my blog, but also do even more with the production. It's something that I'll say again and again, but I really do believe that I could've made even more. There were so many ideas I had for the game, and after playtesting for a bit, a lot of bugs too. Obviously, this isn't something to get perfect, since I won't be spending money in hopes of making lots, but I think if I get the right mindset and amount of work done now, it'll help in the future.

Games Industry

Careers Within Game Design

Production Department
Assistant Game Producer - Check that everyone is working properly to schedule. They also appear to do a lot of public press interviews and communicate everyone's needs. Low chance of me doing this.
Community Manager - They primarily work with the public about their game(s). This mostly includes fans by selling merchandise, uploading things on social media, getting input from them and reporting it to the creators. Low chance of me doing this.
Esports Producer - Set up the tournaments and prepare the livestreams for the public. They also help make everything more interesting by writing scripts and helpful notes for the commentators to help make everything seem more enjoyable to the audience. Low chance of me doing this.
Games Producer - They make sure any challenges are overcome, the best staff are employed, which leads to the best possible game being made. Not only do they work closely with the other sections within the game creation, but they also work closely with the publishers to ensure their game is uploaded and noticed the best.
Games Publisher - They give the developers money upfront to make the game, and keep checking in to make sure everything is being made on time and still within budget. Although nowadays they aren't used much since it's easier to upload games as an individual, they are especially important when producing, stocking and selling physical copies.
Marketing Executive - They mostly just gather screenshots and clips of the game in development, and share them all around the internet across several social media, different websites, online groups and more to get the word of the game out.

Design Department
Gameplay Designer - Not only do they design all of the mechanics for the game in detail, but they will also write up how single-player and multiplayer would work. They may make changes in response to the team, making things more/less in-depth to make the product more achievable. They also work closely with game testers, so they know what the expected outcome of the game is.
Lead Games Designer - These designers are designated to a more precise job. They make sure the games play how they're meant to, and that they're fun and easy enough. They are the people who decide if changes need to be made to certain aspects of the game.
Level Designer - This is one of the most well-known, but also most difficult roles, since they need to go into great detail for specific levels/objectives, detailing all of the scripted details like events that happen, and what the player needs to do to proceed.
User Experience Designer
Writer

Art Department
3D Modelling Artist
Concept Artist
Environmental Artist
Texturing Artist

Animation Department
Animator
Technical Animator

Technical Art Department
Graphics Programmer
Technical Artist
Visual Affects Artist

Audio Department
Audio Programmer
Music Composer
Sound Designer

Programming Department
Artificial Intelligence Programmer
Engine Programmer
Gameplay Programmer
Generalist Programmer
Network Programmer
Physics Programmer
Tools Engineer
Virtual Reality Programmer

Quality Assurance Department
Games Tester
Quality Assurance Build Engineer

Essay Plan (AI)

For my essay plan, I used [1] ChatGPT to give me some ideas for what I could talk about in each paragraph. After asking it for a 1500 word plan for the question "How has the rise of indie games impacted the industry", it gave me this:

Essay Plan (1500 words)

Essay Question: How has the rise of indie games impacted the industry?

Introduction (150–200 words)

• Define what “indie games” are (independently developed, often by small teams, limited budgets, creative freedom).
  
  

• Contrast with AAA studios (big budgets, risk-averse, heavily marketed).
  
  

• Introduce key impacts: innovation in gameplay, diversity of voices, industry economics, digital distribution, and influence on AAA.
  
  

• Thesis Statement: The rise of indie games has reshaped the gaming industry by pushing creative boundaries, diversifying narratives, changing business models, and influencing even the largest AAA studios.
  
  

1. Creative Innovation and Gameplay Experimentation (300–350 words)

• Indie developers often prioritise creativity over profit due to smaller budgets and fewer corporate restrictions.
  
  

• Examples:
  
  

  • Braid (2008) → time-manipulation mechanics, narrative depth.
    
    

  • Undertale (2015) → subversion of RPG combat, player morality.
    
    

  • Celeste (2018) → challenging platforming + mental health themes.
    
    

• How indies revived genres AAA ignored (e.g., roguelikes with Hades or The Binding of Isaac).
  
  

• AAA influence: some big studios adopt indie-inspired mechanics (e.g., roguelike elements in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DLCs).
  
  

• Argue: Indies made innovation a selling point, pushing creativity industry-wide.
  
  

2. Representation, Diversity, and New Voices (250–300 words)

• Indie studios give a platform to underrepresented creators and perspectives.
  
  

• Themes and characters rarely seen in AAA titles:
  
  

  • Gone Home (2013) → LGBTQ+ representation.
    
    

  • Disco Elysium (2019) → philosophical/political depth.
    
    

  • Papers, Please (2013) → bureaucracy, immigration, moral dilemmas.
    
    

• Lower risk = more experimentation with sensitive or niche topics.
  
  

• Industry impact: opened discourse on inclusivity and narrative potential in games.
  
  

3. Changing Business and Distribution Models (300–350 words)

• Digital distribution platforms (Steam, itch.io, Epic Games Store, Game Pass) enabled indies to reach global audiences.
  
  

• Crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Fig, Patreon) gave small teams direct funding opportunities.
  
  

• Economic accessibility: lower game prices broaden player base, challenge AAA $70 pricing.
  
  

• Marketing shift: social media, word of mouth, Twitch/YouTube → indie devs bypass traditional advertising.
  
  

• Example: Among Us (2018, blew up in 2020 via Twitch).
  
  

• Impact on industry: AAA publishers forced to adapt (subscription models like Game Pass include indies as a selling point).
  
  

4. Influence on AAA Studios and Industry Culture (250–300 words)

• AAA companies adopting indie design philosophies (smaller narrative-driven projects, stylised art, “AA” titles).
  
  

• Examples:
  
  

  • Ubisoft’s Child of Light and EA Originals initiative (It Takes Two).
    
    

  • Influence of pixel-art and stylised graphics being re-accepted as “legit,” not “low budget.”
    
    

• Cross-pollination: Indie devs joining AAA studios and vice versa.
  
  

• Shift in industry culture: recognition that success doesn’t always require blockbuster scale.
  
  

5. Challenges and Limitations of the Indie Rise (150–200 words)

• Oversaturation on platforms like Steam → discoverability crisis.
  
  

• Financial instability: many indie devs can’t make sustainable income.
  
  

• Quality varies widely, unlike more standardised AAA production.
  
  

• Some argue indies impact the industry mainly in “niche” ways, not mainstream.
  
  

• Counterpoint: even niche innovations ripple out into broader industry practices.
  
  

Conclusion (150–200 words)

• Restate main impacts: creative innovation, diversity, distribution/business model shifts, influence on AAA.
  
  

• Acknowledge limitations (financial sustainability, discoverability).
  
  

• Conclude that indie games are not just a side branch but a driving force that reshaped modern gaming culture and business, ensuring the industry evolves in fresh directions.

References:

[1] OpenAI (2025). ChatGPT. [online] chatgpt.com. Available at: https://chatgpt.com.

Essay Plan

Introduction (~100 words)
What are indie games?
How do they compare to AAA companies, and how can they be considered better?
Indie games have shaped the gaming industry by exceeding creative boundaries, influencing a new, wide range of games being made, and motivating others to learn and become indie developers.

Part 1 - Gameplay Experimentation (~400 words)
Without the constant worry of publishers, indie devs have more freedom and push limits more often by trying to create new mechanics and aesthetics.
Developers can quickly respond to player feedback and market trends through updates or new games.
Indie games have led to games with more innovation focus and less on how good the graphics are.
Indie games are more likely to get mods put into the game.

Part 2 - How Indie Games are Improving the Market (~400 words)
Closer working with the playerbase leads to more quality of life improvements.
Expands the PC market due to not getting official publishers, meaning only digital copies, which are usually PC exclusive.
Give certain rare themes and characters a place that AAA titles don't risk.
Ease of access increased to create and share games.
Provides an entry point to upcoming devs that want to show off their skills before applying for a job.

Part 3 - How Indie Games are Poorly Affecting Games(~400 words)
Games could never get released if the wishlist goal isn't met.
Console players can't always enjoy games.
If ideas conflict with their vision, they won't get considered.
Could increase AAA prices due to lower sales - are staff being looked after?
Oversaturation on digital distribution platforms (Steam and Epic Games) makes discovering new games difficult - indie devs can't have a sustainable income.
Don't have constant player bases, leading to quiet multiplayer and deserted gameplay.

Conclusion (~200 words)
Indie games have shed a new light on certain subjects, brought more developers into the industry, but it's taken a toll on AAA studios.
There are big limitations to becoming one, which makes it a very competitive but possibly successful field of work.
Each game's long-term impact is quite small, but they can definitely rival AAA companies, which forces them to keep up with what the public wants.

1500 Word Essay:
How has the Rise of Indie Games Impacted the Games Industry?

Indie games are video games created by [1] small, independent teams or companies with lower budget compared to AAA game studios. Not only that, but they also have a lot less members on the team, meaning production is slower. However, they still do well as they focus on exceeding creative boundaries with their unlimited freedom, since [2] AAA games have strict requirements set by publishers. Additionally, the field is constantly growing due to having a supportive [3] ecosystem that is supporting the rise, especially in the UK, due to endless courses across universities and the government offering funding and support to the developers.

One of the best reasons indie games are so popular is how about [4] 80% of them seek opportunities to interact with the public to create a better, more community-oriented game that has more character than graphics. Moreover, players occasionally prefer playing a game that has a meaningful story behind it, and the [5] Fears to Fathom games by Rayll Studios are a great example of that. Not only do games like this add a layer of [6] authenticity and intrigue knowing someone experienced this first-hand, but it gives them a chance to be heard when stories are usually judged and left overlooked. Also, indie developers commonly set up [7] engaging social media platforms such as Discord communities to gather player feedback to help improve their games, which is something AAA studios rarely put any significant thought into. This builds a better fanbase which supports not only the increase of sales, but helps get the word across of new, fresh experiences that the studios create. And that’s the biggest thing. Indie developers are more welcomed to taking risks when creating games. The public anticipates more unique games that we are missing nowadays. Big studios that create the [8] AAA games are expected to be perfect, whereas indie games are free of the pressure of the public and shareholders. This is because their game cannot sell due a brand’s name or popularity, they need to make something new, something innovative. AAA risk a lot of negativity and criticism on their name, meaning that they are less likely to try an experiment with a game, since they could lose a lot of money that was expected to arrive at the point of publishing. I think the 2023 game Lethal Company is a perfect example of this, and how indie developers can quickly respond to market trends and make a poorly made game that is fun and brings in a lot of money. It was able to [9] outshine a highly anticipated game: Baldur’s Gate 3, all being a single-developer project. Although it included a decent amount of gameplay, the main content shown across social media was the comical multiplayer aspect. This then inspired many other developers to go and create games with a similar goal, but with a spin of their own content. Some good instances of this are [10] Content Warning, REPO, and The Headliners. All these games have the same horror and chaotic multiplayer experience in a slightly different world. Although they were all popular, they seem to fade away just as quick as they appeared. The games were repetitive and lacked new content massively, which is one of the largest differences between new indie games and AAA games. Other popular indie games such as [11] Stardew Valley stand out, due to being polished and having lots more content. They are recognised for their hard work and will always be known for being a great game. Additionally, indie games usually make it easier for players to make mods. Just look at Lethal Company, Project Zomboid, or even Minecraft [12] (used to be an indie game until it was bought by Microsoft), which are some of the most popular games for mods.

Not only are indie games improving the gaming industry with regards to saturating the market, but they usually have a deeper effect on the player compared to AAA games that don’t want to implement these rare themes. Like I’ve already stated, they aren’t afraid to take risks, and this clearly shows when a game like [13] Papers, Please subtly comments on political aspects and Celeste is a game based around presenting the sensitive subject of mental health issues. Moreover, becoming an indie developer is seeming like a more [14] viable career nowadays, since the industry is always open to new gameplay mechanics and the players want more input into the creation of the games they love. On top of that, game engines and tutorials are sparser than ever, making getting into game development a lot easier, and the use of social media allows creators to share their game to the world effortlessly. [15] Unity and Unreal Engine used to be only for the best developers, but they’re being used all the time by indie developers, as well as other engines. There is also lots of free software for everything else, just scratching the surface, you have: Blender for 3D modelling, GIMP for 2D creation, Visual Studio for programming, and many more. But if you don’t want to create a character or animate it, you have Mixamo, or you can look around for tutorials online and other things for coding help, or in the abundance of asset stores, there’s plenty of free and paid assets. However, it’s that persistence and passion that sees the best succeed, not just the tools they use. Becoming an indie developer is great for releasing your ideas to the public, but it can give you a head start if you want to get into a [16] AAA company. The more experience, the more likely you are to get hired. You also have a lot higher chances of a good career path with regards to income as an employee, since you are guaranteed a salary, whereas as an indie developer, you are taking a big risk as to whether you’ll earn anything from releasing a game. [17] The majority of developers, around 80%, shut down within the first year, and only about 2% of indie games earn more than $10,000. This proves how cut-edge this industry is, but it’s incredible if it works.

Although there’s lots of good reasons for having indie games, there are some ways that they’re poorly affecting the industry. First off, something that not all players will know is how important [18] wishlists on steam are, and not all developers understand the importance of online marketing. Wishlists on steam is what decides how much visibility your game gets. Moreover, if the developers are looking into shareholders, they need to be able to prove to them that there is interest in the game, which is difficult to prove without this. Additionally, the more interest you get surrounding your game before it releases, the more anticipation, which also leads to more wishlists, increasing the amount of overall visibility. [19] This is why certain marketing is so important. There are multiple ways to do this, but the best ways that works nowadays are [20] creating some kind of trailer and feeding updates to people on social medias, as well as demos for your game. Unfortunately, a lot of developers ignore these marketing strategies, and most of the time will be left forgotten about, earning very little from their games. Now, one of the largest of problems that you’ll come across is the lack of console support. A lot of the time, indie developers don’t have the time to make their games cross platform, since they need to be releasing updates to keep their players hooked. Additionally, [21] even if the developers do release it there, unless the console players hear about it from online or a friend, they probably won’t find it, since the discovery feature on console stores isn’t as polished as Steam’s. Lastly, I think it’s obvious that the market has become incredibly oversaturated with new games. On Steam alone, [22] over eighteen thousand games were published in 2024, almost double than that in 2020. Even though the industry is earning more every year, most of these new games just aren’t good enough to compete with the standard of games nowadays. This is backed up by many people saying all over the internet that [23] “most games are just not good enough from a making-money perspective”. I think that sums everything up really. Games are mass produced, and most of the time, aren’t entertaining enough to grab the attention of gamers to buy and play for more than an hour.

Overall, I do believe that indie games are good for the games industry. They have allowed players to see certain situations in a new light, created new and exciting mechanics that are still used to this day, and have made it significantly easier to enter the world of game development as an individual, or part of a team. On the other hand, it is affecting the business of AAA games, which don’t oversaturate the market quite as much and still provide a decent product most of the time. I believe that although they have come a long way, there is still a long way to go until they’re all properly competing with AAA studios. At least for now, it keeps those large companies producing better content, since otherwise they’d risk losing a lot of sales.

References:

[1] Natividad, S. (2023). So, What Actually Makes an Indie Game an Indie Game? [online] A Little Bit Human | Lights, Camera, Progress. Available at: https://alittlebithuman.com/so-what-actually-makes-an-indie-game-an-indie-game/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2025].
[2] GAME DEVELOPERS HUB. (2025). Indie Game vs AAA Game Development: Complete Guide to Choosing Your Path in 2025. [online] Available at: https://game-developers.org/indie-game-vs-aaa-game-development [Accessed 25 Sep. 2025].
[3] 8thirteenmedia.com. (2024). The Rise of Indie Game Companies in the UK. [online] Available at: https://8thirteenmedia.com/sl-6005691/the-rise-of-indie-game-companies-in-the-uk [Accessed 25 Sep. 2025].

[4] Tomina, O. (2024). How Indie Games Are Becoming Industry Hits. [online] Devoted Studios. Available at: https://devotedstudios.com/how-indie-games-are-becoming-industry-hits/.
[5] Rayllstudios.com. (2025). Page Restricted. [online] Available at: https://www.rayllstudios.com/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2025].
[6] yosef herawan (2024). The True Story of ‘Ironbark Lookout” – Fears to Fathom – StoryLilos. [online] Storylilos.net. Available at: https://storylilos.net/the-true-story-of-ironbark-lookout-fears-to-fathom [Accessed 25 Sep. 2025].
[7] Foster, R. (2025). 10 Reasons Indie Games Are Crushing AAA Giants. [online] Gamer Koala. Available at: https://gamerkoala.com/indie-games-crushing-aaa-giants/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2025].
[8] Avinash Jaisrani (2025). Indie vs. AAA Gaming: Why Smaller Studios Are Taking Bigger Risks. [online] Tech4Gamers. Available at: https://tech4gamers.com/indie-aaa-titles-risks-smaller-studios/ [Accessed 29 Sep. 2025].
[9] Ezra (2024). ‘Lethal Company’: The Indie Game that Defied the Norms. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@ezra_71669/in-the-gaming-industry-in-2023-one-indie-game-emerged-as-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with-challenging-b23edd4ec220 [Accessed 29 Sep. 2025].
[10] Anthesis (2025). 29 Indie Games Like Lethal Company (For Fans of Co-op Chaos & Screaming). [online] Indiegamepreachers.com. Available at: https://indiegamepreachers.com/29-indie-games-like-lethal-company-for-fans-of-co-op-chaos-screaming/ [Accessed 29 Sep. 2025].
[11] Russo, E. (2025). Why Are AAA Games Falling Behind Indie Titles in Quality? : LevelUpTalk. [online] LevelUpTalk. Available at: https://leveluptalk.com/news/quality-difference-between-aaa-and-indie-games/ [Accessed 29 Sep. 2025].
[12] Joyst1ck (2025). Is Minecraft considered an indie game? 🎮 - Playgama Blog. [online] Playgama Blog. Available at: https://playgama.com/blog/game-faqs/is-minecraft-considered-an-indie-game/ [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[13] netlinking_user (2025). The rise of indie games: transforming the gaming industry. [online] Techsonice.com. Available at: https://www.techsonice.com/why-are-independent-games-taking-over-the-gaming-industry/ [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[14] Indiedevgames.com. (2024). Breaking Down the Barriers of Indie Game Development: A Comprehensive Guide to Success | Indie Dev Games. [online] Available at: https://indiedevgames.com/breaking-down-the-barriers-of-indie-game-development-a-comprehensive-guide-to-success/ [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[15] Kings, I. (2025). The Best Indie Game Development Tools in 2025. [online] Indiekings.com. Available at: https://www.indiekings.com/2025/07/the-best-indie-game-development-tools.html [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[16] Practicalmedia.io. (2025). PracticalMedia.io. [online] Available at: https://practicalmedia.io/article/Should-You-Pursue-Indie-Game-Development-or-Work-in-AAA [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[17] DGRAAL (2025). Is Indie Game Development Profitable? The Reality Behind the Numbers. [online] Available at: https://game-developers.org/is-indie-game-development-profitable [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[18] Pelliccio, M. (2024). Indie Devs Discuss The State Of The Industry, Struggles To Get Funding, And The Importance Of Wishlisting. [online] TheGamer. Available at: https://www.thegamer.com/wasd-interview-indie-devs-on-state-of-industry-funding-struggles-importance-of-wishlisting/ [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[19] The Pfaff Project (2025). Indie games are a beautiful paradox - easier than ever to make, harder than ever to succeed with. Every year, thousands of indie games launch, yet most never break past a few hundred sales. [online] Linkedin.com. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-most-indie-games-fail-what-successful-ones-do-differently-weuhc/ [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[20] Kevin Scolaro (2024). Top Indie Game Marketing Strategies: The Ultimate Guide. [online] Available at: https://kevinscolaro.com/ultimate-guide-top-indie-game-marketing-strategies [Accessed 30 Sep. 2025].
[21] Game Developer. (2021). Analysis: why are so few indies jazzed about console game sales? [online] Available at: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/marketing/analysis-why-are-so-few-indies-jazzed-about-console-game-sales- [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
[22] Jacobs, S. (2025). Too many games, not enough players: the industry’s growing challenge. [online] TechSpot. Available at: https://www.techspot.com/news/109653-many-games-not-enough-players-industry-growing-challenge.html [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
[23] Reddit.com. (2016). Reddit - The heart of the internet. [online] Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/4v93in/is_the_market_really_oversaturated_or_are_most/ [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].

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