The average gamer probably doesn’t stop to consider the sheer depth of video game design. Who can blame them? On average most can only find 6.5 hours a week to even play games. Naturally, the number of players exploring the minutiae of their beloved games is small.
Despite this, the number of hours spent making any game (independent or AAA) is staggering. The multi-million dollar price tag tag of video game production is jaw dropping. So, when only a small handful of gamers bother to look at the work behind the scenes it can be disheartening. Authors, Stace Harman and John Robertson weren’t content with that. This prompted them to create Independent By Design.
Independent By Design – Big Book of Gaming
Harman and Robertson, started their young company in 2015 with an ambitious Kickstarter. Their goal was to put together a comprehensive biography of indie games. The book would showcase everything from art designs, to biographies of the developers, and stories from behind the scenes.
They weren’t alone in wanting to see the art and process behind indie game creation. In one month, they exceeded their funding goal, hitting £22,139.
Harman and Robertson are both former freelance writers (with some serious names behind them). The book allowed both of them to work on something closer to their passions; John is a skilled photographer who always carries his camera with him while Stace has an extensive writing portfolio.
If There’s one Book you need: It’s this one!
Independent by Design is a truly remarkable book which shows off the profound beauty of game design. It’s amazing to see the depth and detail the authors go into when showing off each game. Two years on from their spectacular crowdfunding campaign, the book is still available, with the duo hosting a popular weekly podcast series.
From the individual sprites and concept art, to having the actual developers walk you through their creations, Independent by Design is noteworthy. It’s an honest labor of love that shows off the beauty behind the pixels.
