Rampant Games - The Most Significant Indies

[Dhruin]

The Rampant Coyote has collected what he considers the most "significant" indie RPGs. It's a personal list and not intended to be absolute. Most of the games are ones we've tracked over the years, from the Exile/Avernum series to Devil Whiskey to Eschalon, although a couple of older titles and RPGMaker JRPG games round out the list.
More information.

 

[coaster]

A nice list, I'll bookmark this

 

[RampantCoyote]

Be sure and check the comments section. Folks have been very good about reminding me of a couple important ones that I've missed, and totally exposing my ignorance on a few others.

That's part of the trick with indie RPGs - just finding out what exists can be a chore.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

So why not do a small database out of your research ? So that others don't need to do the same kind of research again ?

Edit : Why don't Indie developers form some kind of alliance and bundle several of their games on one CD which they sell as a kind of combined effort ?

I often wonder this for Indie non-RPGs (aka "the rest" ), oo.

I think I have recently seen such a bundle somewhere … Don't remember where anymore, though.

 

[GothicGothicness]

To sell CD's? ( or maybe DVD's ? ) not all indie games are so small anymore with combined works is really troublesome IMHO. First of all what prize should the CD have, second how to divide profits? + IMHO it would probably decrease the value of indie games, if you could buy a DVD with ten, people would think that the games are kind of poor quality and want a lower price point....

 

[RampantCoyote]

Great ideas. Here's what's going on:

#1 - Database - this is actually under construction at my site. Unfortunately it has to compete with developing FK for my spare time, so it's not moved quickly, but I'm totally in agreement.

#2 - Bundle deals are already happening, though not usually bundled onto physical media in the form of DVDs. A *HUGE* success story just emerged a couple of weeks ago, actually, with a collection of (non-RPG) indie games called the "Humble Indie Bundle." They included a couple of charities into the mix for distribution of funds, offered a "pay whatever you want" deal, and advertised the heck out of it, and ended up reaping over 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS on the bundle. About a third of which went to charity. This was on older indie games that were no longer making much money.

It probably wasn't a highly repeatable event, but there are some other indies that have been getting together other bundle deals like this for various genres. So it does happen. Unfortunately, indies still have the problem of getting the word out. Even with bundle deals.

 

[Corwin]

Which is why sites like the Watch are always willing to support and promote Indies!!

 

[Dhruin]

Alrik doesn't buy online, so when he said a "CD", he meant a CD.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Yes, I do.

(I mean I only buy CDs.)

I apologise for not being that clear.


I came to the "bundling" idea, because I thought that Indie games would probably not need the same amount of space on CDs or/and DVDs than major productions need.

Thus, it could be, I thought, that one CD could contain 1-3 games, just as a estimation of sheer (CD/DVD) space value, so to say.