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manifesto games (new game company)

polycounter lvl 18
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killingpeople polycounter lvl 18
greg costikyan's quit nokia to make an independent game company.

[ QUOTE ]
The machinery of gaming has run amok. Instead of serving creative vision, it suppresses it. Instead of encouraging innovation, it represses it. Instead of taking its cue from our most imaginative minds, it takes its cue from the latest month's PC Data list. Instead of rewarding those who succeed, it penalizes them with development budgets so high and royalties so low that there can be no reward for creators. Instead of ascribing credit to those who deserve it, it seeks to associate success with the corporate machine. It is time for revolution.
-- The Scratchware Manifesto

[/ QUOTE ]

http://manifestogames.com/

the site looks terrible. i tried to read it, but damn, yellow font on red? ugh, ouch.

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  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    sounds good to me.
    Lots of "interesting" ideas in the Indie game world just waiting for attention.

    man that site sucks. white on black would be just fine.
  • palm
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    palm polycounter lvl 18
    Looks like my mom designed that site.=)
  • Slayerjerman
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    Slayerjerman polycounter lvl 18
    No one will take this "studio" seriously if they dont present a professional image. Their website reflects this.

    is this site even a studio to begin with? I thought it was some sort of rant/whining blogger or something wanting to live the dream. I predict these people will be broke in a year or two and back to working for the "man".

    I even wonder if these goof balls have a clue about even making games, from what ive read on their site they are pretty much "begging" for help in all aspects.

    Pretty fucking funny they are using the ole' "design a logo for a prize" routine wink.gif HEHEHEHE
  • cep
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    cep polycounter lvl 18
    I don't remember this page when I clicked the site earlier, maybe it's temp.
  • JKMakowka
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    JKMakowka polycounter lvl 18
    http://boards.polycount.net/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=72349&an=0&page=0#72349

    My post about exactly the same topic is still on the front page.

    Am I getting ignored around here???

    tongue.gif
  • killingpeople
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    killingpeople polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Pretty fucking funny they are using the ole' "design a logo for a prize" routine wink.gif HEHEHEHE

    [/ QUOTE ]

    glad you mentioned it, else i would have. grin.gif

    greg costikyan is one of the loudest critics i've heard in the games industry, his bold actions show that he believes what he's complaining about. i've always thought that "good goals are worth risking injury." he's definately taking the risk.

    not entirely sure what to expect at this point, but thought it was a rather brash attention demanding event.

    JKMakowka, ooh ... didn't see that.
  • doc rob
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    doc rob polycounter lvl 19
    Slayerjerman, you might want to read a bit more about it before passing judgement. It's not a game studio, but a company for marketing and selling PC games online. The company hasn't launched yet, the site is just a shingle to hang out so that they can get some help to make an actual storefront.

    I wish them well as I also am a big believer that finding new ways to deliver games will greatly improve the industry. And, like many, I have my crazy ideas about working on an independent project one day. It would be nice to have legitimate ways to do that.
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    yes, it's about time he put his money where his blog is. something like that. smile.gif
  • Slayerjerman
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    Slayerjerman polycounter lvl 18
    Ok then so they (he) is a wannabe publisher then. Even more likely to fail than a developer wink.gif
  • poopinmymouth
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    poopinmymouth polycounter lvl 19
    Sorry slayerjerman, I don't want to sound too harsh, but you need some tough love.

    You are just striking out, and this is your first game you are working on in a creative position, I take it?

    Greg has something in the order of 30 shipped titles, many of which in a senior or lead design/management position. He has been working since 1974 in the game industry. Hid experience is probably longer than you've know videogames existed. Ok yeah his site design sucks, but you are sounding extremely uninformed in your ramblings. You make it sound like you've got it all figured out, and this is some n00b trying to take on a doomed mision.

    I hope the guy gets something going so we can see some good games come out of it.
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Oh--one other thing. A number of people have commented that the Manifesto Games website design sucks. Indeed it does; I've never claimed to be a graphic designer.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    laugh.gif
  • Ninjas
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    Ninjas polycounter lvl 18
    I think this guy doesn't need a slick website for respect when you have people like Will Wright quoting you.
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I think this guy doesn't need a slick website...

    [/ QUOTE ]

    He doesn't need to brush his teeth or take showers, either, but I bet he makes sure he does before meeting with potential business partners. Just because a thing isn't explicitly necessary to accomplish a task doesn't mean it shouldn't be presented in a positive and professional manner. Any time I read people deliberately shrugging off their shitty web sites, I can't help but read a "can't be arsed" undertone to it. At the least, it tells me that they don't understand why a professional appearance is important.

    If you're in any sort of digital business and you can't generate a decent web presence on your own, shake a few quarters out of the couch cushions and buy one. If nothing else, posters on message boards will be more likely to discuss the ideas you've presented rather than the font you've used to present them...
  • arshlevon
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    arshlevon polycounter lvl 18
    awesome this guy totally took the heat off my horribly designed website.. and by the way, my crappy website that i better change right this minute if i everwant to work in this o so professional of professions.. has landed me over 10 job offers from real studios in less than 2 weeks,and i have done nothing more than drop links on a few forums.. web design dosent matter.. you guys need to take the "how to get a job in the comper games industry" book back to borders and get a refund..
  • poopinmymouth
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    poopinmymouth polycounter lvl 19
    [ QUOTE ]
    awesome this guy totally took the heat off my horribly designed website.. and by the way, my crappy website that i better change right this minute if i everwant to work in this o so professional of professions.. has landed me over 10 job offers from real studios in less than 2 weeks,and i have done nothing more than drop links on a few forums.. web design dosent matter.. you guys need to take the "how to get a job in the comper games industry" book back to borders and get a refund..

    [/ QUOTE ]

    LOL! will you marry me Arsh!
  • Slum
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    Slum polycounter lvl 18
    Haha Arsh. Apparently the secret to landing a job is having a crappy website. Folks tell you to fix yours up because they fear for their jobs!

    It's all clear to me now...
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    Poop: Didn't Bush outlaw that?
  • doc rob
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    doc rob polycounter lvl 19
    [ QUOTE ]
    Ok then so they (he) is a wannabe publisher then. Even more likely to fail than a developer wink.gif

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Publishers Fund, Produce, Market, and Distribute to Retail. This company wants to Market and Retail online. So, no, not well summed up by "wannabe publisher." If you want to poo-poo the company then at least make a somewhat relevant comment like "people have tried online games portal sites before, why would this guy succeed where other's have failed?" or: "It will be shit just like Steam." That might lead to an interesting discussion. This guy has a powerful idea thats very hard to execute, one that could change the entire game industry. That seems like a good GD topic to me. But, instead we get the classic "I predict massive failure because I am on an internet message board and if I am right I can come back and act like I knew what I was talking about, even though I was clueless" and "web site sucks."
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    The reasoning behind this thing is that if every self-funded developer self-publishes on the 'net that'll lead to too much fragmentation (i.e. noone knows where all those games are located and many will get lost). He hopes that by demanding very small cuts and offering advertising at the same time he can get more developers to use his service. I don't know about other portals but I suspect they'd take cuts comparable to those a normal publisher takes.
  • Ninjas
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    Ninjas polycounter lvl 18
    Most of the major game portals screw you. That is the problem.
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
  • Joshua Stubbles
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    Joshua Stubbles polycounter lvl 19
  • JBoskma
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    JBoskma polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Ok then so they (he) is a wannabe publisher then. Even more likely to fail than a developer wink.gif

    [/ QUOTE ]

    lol.. this guy has actually more content on his website then you, mr game studio owning president.... And your big mouth isn't really representing a professional image for your 'studio' either, is it?
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