IGI (A new Indie gaming website) IndieGoGo project

This is a update from my last blog post, announcing my IndieGoGo project IGI.

Our Kickstarter project ended the other day, but that doesn't mean we've given up! We've re-launched our campaign over on IndieGoGo! https://www.indiegogo.com/p...

For those of you aren't aware, IGI is intended to be a one-stop destination website for indie gaming news, reviews and information. The goal with this project is to create a website that provides gamers with the best source to discover indie titles, and to help indie developers by providing them with an unparalleled platform from which to get their games noticed.

How Our Site Will Function: The Indie Game Informer website will offer a simple and intuitive layout. Users will of course be able to access articles, reviews, features, editorials and developer interviews all from the front page, and have discussions with other users in a on-site comment section.

Our on site Indie Game Database will allow for gamers to discover old and new indie titles, that many users may otherwise not have known about, and if all goes according to plan we want to allow you to access and play those indie games directly from our site.

With our planned purchase of improved video and audio equipment, we intend to start uploading a weekly indie gaming segment where we will discuss current/popular events that have transpired during the past week.

We also plan to head over to various indie gaming focussed expo's and events, where we will conduct interviews with developers and bring viewers the latest on the indie gaming scene.

However, making all intended content and features available at the sites launch, will simply be too much of a task for our limited team. We do however plan to have all basic features available within the first 3 months of our site going live. Features such as news, reviews, interviews with indie devs and our steadily growing Indie Game Database.

Planned Features For Our Website: Thanks to numerous indie developers and the kind people we've spoken with on various social media sites, we would like to announce a few new features we have planned for the Indie Game Informer website.

At first, Indie Game Informer was intended to be a Indie gaming news, reviews and information website. A place where people could visit to read reviews on indie titles, discover new and old games and have discussions with like minded people.

But as we got to talking with various indie devs over twitter and Facebook, we learned that there are many other features we could offer that other sites simply don't have. Such as, a dedicated forum for indie devs to share and discuss their projects, and receive development support from experienced developers and professionals.

Further more. As well as our planned Database for all current and up-and coming indie titles, if we were fortunate to receive enough funding we would like very much to host indie games directly from our site (DRM Free of course) similar to how Desura functions.

The aim of Indie Game Informer has always been to build a one-stop destination website, which means you can expect our website be constantly growing. Any and all features or services, that we are unable to make available at the time of our sites launch will be integrated at a later date.

If we can reach our funding goal, we will immediately set about developing the Indie Game Informer website, and once complete we plan to offer the NO.1 source for all things indie gaming. The funding will allow us to create a fully functional, professionally designed gaming website, which will include Interviews with indie developers, indie gaming news, reviews and information, as well as a weekly round up of current events in the indie gaming scene.

Further web content will include:

Features on upcoming games
Indie news, reviews and contests
User generated blogs and reviews
Database of current and upcoming Indie games
On-site interactive discussions
News & updates regarding all things indie gaming

This is a collaborative effort between myself a video game journalist, and my brother a game programmer/English teacher. Both of us have worked together as indie game developers ourselves in the past and have come together once again to realise this dream project.

For a better explenation on our project please check out our IndieGoGo page https://www.indiegogo.com/p...

Thank you so much to those of you who believed in our project! I hope you will continue to support us over on IndieGoGo

And thank you for checking out my blog, if you have any questions about the project please feel free to leave a comment bellow.

[DragonKnight]

Indie gaming development and news definitely needs a bigger voice. I hope this will succeed so that indie development will indeed have that voice.

[zerocrossing]

Thank you! And I completely agree. I'll do everything I can to see that this project succeeds.

[SilentNegotiator]

I'd visit an indie games site with zerocrossing involved.

btw, update your "about" section :)

[zerocrossing]

Thanks man! Doing my best to make it happen :D

Could you let me know what in the "about" section needs updating? I've had a look and can't tell where there's a problem :)

Nevermind, got it ;)

[Jaunty]

The intro and the ending of the youtube video discourages me immediately from funding the campaign. It's unprofessional. Good luck with the campaign though.

[zerocrossing]

I'm very sorry to hear that. Is it the music I used that you dislike? If so, it's really just a short track my friend who is a DJ put together for me.

I do hope you'll consider looking past something as minor as the intro and outro to my video, and instead think about what I've said in between.

Anyway, thanks for wishing me luck though, it means a lot.

[SilentNegotiator]

I finally got a chance to check out your project page. It's very well formatted and everything, but...

The video definitely could be better. Only one person being in it makes it feel like it lacks scale. The low video quality (low clarity, plain background, fairly basic editing and production) gives the whole thing a cheap feel. And yes, the ending is odd - the tonal shift was physically uncomfortable.

The video is BIG. A lot of people don't give projects a second look if they don't like the first 10 seconds of the video. To get 4000, you need a top notch video.

[Jaunty]

Listen to SilentNegotiator, he has perfectly explained what I felt when I was watching the video. Cheers

[zerocrossing]

Unfortunately, right now I am simply not able to create a video of the quality or standard you're suggesting

I could probably fix that tonal shift problem, but as for the quality and such, I'm having to make do with what I have at hand, and acquiring new equipment is not an option for me.

I really do appreciate the advice though, I'll try to do what I can to improve the video.

[SilentNegotiator]

Well, some simple, cost-free stuff can be done.

First, get your partner in crime into the video. This will make the project feel bigger. Only one person in the video makes it feel small.

Second, get something interesting in the background. Something game-related perhaps, to help show your passion for games. The smallest additions will make your video more eye-catching and thus keep attention.

Third, make sure you're standing up straight and maybe get a less tight shot to make you seem extra tall and confident.

[zerocrossing]

@SilentNegotiator

Thnaks for the advice! I'll get to work on another video asap, and see if I can make it more catchy and interesting this time.

My brother's returned to Japan with his wife earlier last month, so getting him involved in the vid may be a challenge. But I'll see what I can do.