I'm begging you. Don't make me do this.

What are you hoping to see with the future of indie art games? Anything in specific or in the genre as a whole?

Do you think taking a games art direction toward a drawn (thick black outline and colorful, cartoony) or other uncommon artistic directions (Think Wind Walker) would be better or worse then the ultra real direction most games seem to lean on. I would personally like to see a more artistic approach to games that aren't for grade school kids.

What, no talk about the incredible artistic impact of indie hit Zombie Smashers X2 Punx & Skins?

Really though, the "art games" are cute, but I prefer the ones that are actually interesting games as well (i.e. Braid).

What is your favourite music in video games? You rarely hear people talk about sound in video games, but it's absolutely fundamental in creating atmosphere and defining a title. I could talk about this for hours, but I'm not on the podcast, so I think you should talk about it.

Failing that, retarded "would you prefer" question: functionality, aesthetics or efficiency in video games?

Also, my cat Sophie, age 12, has been watching Reaper recently and noticed that Ray Wise plays the devil, who also played the president in RA2 (he's dreamy). I noticed this weeks ago, naturally, but she insists on being mentioned in the podcast... So anyway, any video game actors or voice actors stand out for you as being awesome? Anyone you've seen in a TV show that you recognise from a game, or vise-versa?

Artistic games like Okami, Beyond Good and Evil, and Psychonauts are notorious for not selling well despite having rave reviews. That being said, which Artistic game over any other deserved more attention than it got?

And in addition, do you think Artistic games are doomed to be a niche market?

If indie developers are successful enough do you think that will get big name developers to get up off their asses and start putting bigger budgets on new ideas?

And if their new ideas are successful could they do without turning it into a soulless cashwhore franchise? (IE, Guitar Hero)


also Ikaruga is art

I guess a permutation of ferak's questions, coincidentally:

Do you think a game like Braid would:
1) still be impressive if it was being produced and "marketed" by an EA or Namco, as opposed to how Mr. Blow is bringing the game to the world?
2) even be of interest if the same mechanics were being applied to a full release, $60 game?

As games get older, we're seeing stories being told in a variety of ways. Braid has a story where it's all spread out for you (literally) but it's completely optional for the player to experience. Portal has a story that's there, but you need to sorta dig at it to get the whole experience, and a lot of it is left to your imagination. Then you've got most commercial games where the story is more conventional, or should I say conventional in how it's conveyed to the player.

Do you think we'll see rise to any one method of storytelling, or will the conventional method remain the tried and true formula?

My other question: Do you think there's a point where a game can become a little too abstract or deviate from the norm so much that it isn't a game? I sat down recently with some absurd flash game, which defiantly had "levels" but I wasn't really given a goal, the graphics didn't resemble anything, and I wasn't sure what the hell was going on. Do you think there are a set of guidelines that games need to follow?

Ok so this isnt a question necessarily about art games but about cowboys. Namely Cowboy RPG how come we have never seen a really good cowboy RPG. I want an RPG without magic for once. Without telekinesis or some other form of manipulating the world. I want Oregon Trail Next gen version. Oh this answer is directed towards Jim since he is britesssh and probably doesnt know and or care about cowboys that much. (Not that i do either but Gun, Call of Jaurez and Red Dead Revolver are still pretty fun)

thanks for the shout out last week. believe me it made my week. thanks. and if you could make an original type game, what would it revolve around? i have an idea of an anti-game which plays on the clichés of video games, i.e. in a level that has objectives that must not do the objectives or a double jump to jump once and vice versa. i know it won't ever see the light but what if? that extra life actually means one less life,the level ends when you kill all hostages, you have to suicide die. and run out of ammo. interesting. each level would/could be entirely unique. what if?

Even if games are perceived in the future as a legitimate art form by some group of unseen hipster pseudo intellectuals, will it even affect the games industry? I imagine the most mainstream games won't even take notice, nor will casual gamers. I doubt I'd even care that much. It just sounds like another excuse for gamers to circlewank about one of their favourite hobbies.

I'll ask the same question I asked Jim for podcastle, with a few modifications:

Do you expect/want to see a complete switch to digital download in the future? Every machine with a hard drive, (360, PS3, PC) is halfway there already. Personally I already use Steam whenever possible, as I'm the fucking king of losing game boxes and manuals. I'd love this ability for the 360, being able to download whole 360 games over XBL.

I think Steam is the best thing to happen to PC gaming in a very long time, how would you feel about a console equivalent?

Does Jim hate art as much as he hates innovation?

@Jim:

Which indie games make the best "bridge" games?

How much of what makes indie games great is appealing to the players' sense of nostalgia? I look at gravitation or passage and think of Atari 2600; Cave Story reminds me of NES/SNES; Barkley Gaiden looks like any 16-bit RPG; even Synaesthete carries a feeling that hearkens back to the days of Bemani machines and PS1s. Is this sense of nostalgia intrinsic to our emotional reactions to these games? I mean, yeah, an indie dev can't make a game that looks like Assassin's Creed, but it seems that the aesthetic aimed for is generally one that's fuzzy and warm and nostalgic. Is the "indie" genre really just a thin veil for "the retro-nostalgia" genre?

When's the Jim Sterling says "Meaty Cunt" episode coming up? We've been waiting forever!

Yeah it is. And you can really hear 4am taking effect this ep.

Will there be another Jelly Car related rant? Boy, I hope so!