WTF Humble Bundle?! "Indie" my ass.

Recommended Videos

Revnak_v1legacy

Fixed by "Monday"
Mar 28, 2010
1,979
0
0
targren said:
Il_Exile_lI said:
I know, some people baffle me. In the case of Shank, the developer made two successful self published indie games in the past, and thus gained the industry credentials to to sign on with a major publisher. This should be a good thing! A small developer getting recognized and rewarded for producing quality content. I don't get these people that assume everyone at the developer immediately loses their soul the second they sign a publishing deal. How dare they try to make money, real indie developers are broke and homeless.
Way to miss the point. They signed up with a major publisher, so they're not an indie developer anymore. Which is all well and good for them. They made it big. But the HIB is supposed to be for getting exposure to the indie devs and doing some good (Child's Play). It was a "community" type deal, and EA has made it abundantly clear that they're not interested in "community." They want cash. Good for them.

I didn't buy it for the cheap games. $20 would have bought me 6 better games at GoG.
ThePuzzldPirate said:
They were published by EA through EA Partners(I believe that is what the program is called?) They take their finished game to EA which they will take care of all publishing issues for a small fee. Indie through and though, pull the hipster glasses out of your ass.
I would suggest you do a search on this EA partners program before you write this off. Seems pretty cool from the little bit I saw before writing this post.
 

Lilani

Sometimes known as CaitieLou
May 27, 2009
6,581
0
0
targren said:
Richard Humphries said:
Hell, I thought this was going to be interesting. I get that EA isn't indie, but what do you have against it as a company? They make sequels because the previous title sold successfully, that's what companies do. Plus, when indie companies get big, it can happen, you'll probably just go and start talking bad about them too.
What do I have against EA? Either you're new to gaming, or a BF3 fan... They're the Microsoft of the gaming world (though Sony is trying to catch up in the race to the bottom).
EA has a lot of big and successful titles, however their customer service and respect for both players and the medium as a whole are less than admirable (like Microsoft, come to think of it). They may be one of the biggest publishers, but I think it's safe to say they are not the most liked or highly thought of by gamers as a whole. ESPECIALLY given their recent debacles with Origin (you know, having an automated permaban system that bans people for having their usernames mentioned in someone else's profane forum posts. Nothing says "we care about your service" like an automated letter from an automated system that automatically throws away your future purchases and money!).
 

Jonatron

New member
Sep 8, 2008
498
0
0
EA's logo was on "Henry Hatsworth's Puzzling Adventure", a DELIGHTFUL mario clone meets puzzle-platformer that screamed indie. Your argument is a knee-jerk one..
 

The Wykydtron

"Emotions are very important!"
Sep 23, 2010
5,458
0
0
I don't really care about EA, i buy the majority of the games EA publish not because it says EA on the box but because they can stand on their own as good games. Despite not because i believe someone said before.

Questionable business practices (let's face it every business will have at least some questionable practices) and advert quality be damned.

Wait you're bitching about EA's sequels but you let Activision off the hook? At least EA does something new with their sequels (sports titles not withstanding.) I personally can't wait until Activision drives CoD into the ground like they did with Guitar Hero.

Not to mention how you're freaking out over EA helping indie titles get recognised, looks slightly... Contradictory
 

n00beffect

New member
May 8, 2009
523
0
0
Richard Humphries said:
Hell, I thought this was going to be interesting. I get that EA isn't indie, but what do you have against it as a company? They make sequels because the previous title sold successfully, that's what companies do. Plus, when indie companies get big, it can happen, you'll probably just go and start talking bad about them too.
My general problem with EA is that they remind me too much of Nintendo, in that they bring out too many bloody unnecessary, redundant sequels, that could easily be sold as DLC, or just updates/patches. But at least Nintendo have the audacity to innovate once in a while, even if it's just slightly; whereas EA do absolutely nothing, what-so-ever, to bring innovation to their 'big' titles. And what boggles me the most is that people still buy their shit... I can't for the life of me fathom such stupidity from consumers. I mean, okay, if you own FIFA 2001 and you want to change it with something newer, that's fine. But buying the same game every bloody year - wtf?! Why do you need eleven copies of the same bloody game, with a few slight graphical and roster updates. It's prepostorous, is what it is! It's pathetic, it's tragic, it's.. It's damn-well obtuse! What's my problem with that? My problem is that you're allowing this to happen! You're letting them get away with their little scheme, and it infuriates me every time I think about it. The only reason I could imagine for being grateful to these exploitative f*cks, is that at least they offer long-term employability to dev's and such... Aside from that, they deserve their games to be pirated like hell, for what they're doing!
 

Skizle

New member
Feb 12, 2009
934
0
0
targren said:
I just paid for the "Humble Indie Bundle 4" so care to tell me why the HELL I'm staring at a big, bloated pustule of an EA logo? I support indie gamers so that they DON'T feel the need to sell out to the scumbag sequel shitters. And to be the worst of the bunch, the one that I have actively and effectively boycotted for over two years?

I'm not happy about this, and the only reason I don't go change my "developer" slider down to zero is that the actual indie devs don't deserve to be screwed over because EA and HB pulled a fast one.
EA is the PUBLISHER, not the developer. If you did some research you wouldn't have had to have the aneurysm that your having now
 

Twilight_guy

Sight, Sound, and Mind
Nov 24, 2008
7,131
0
0
Does EA get a cut of the profit beyond what any other of the game developer might get... if any cut at all? If not, then STFU you whinny asshole its still for charity. If not, then you have an actual argument.

As such you have not established any notion of cash flow only that EA is involved. If you think EA is bad enough to not give to charity, then congratulations you're an asshole. Until we have establish EA is somehow noming on profits or something shaddy is going on your just being an ass and letting your personal feelings get in the way of the point of the indie bundle.
 

pyrosaw

New member
Mar 18, 2010
1,837
0
0
Because one game is slightly published by a large publisher the entire humble indie bundle, including the other games are no longer indie.
 

OtherSideofSky

New member
Jan 4, 2010
1,051
0
0
Fappy said:
xXxJessicaxXx said:
''Shank is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts.''

Indie developer EA as publisher, no problem there right?
EA's name attached = auto-bad.

It's like if you hate Quinton Tarantino you shouldn't watch the film "Hero" because his name is on the poster.
Wait, really?
You mean "Hero", the Zhang Yimou movie? Starring Jet Li?
I had no idea he had anything to do with distributing that.
Does that mean he's responsible for the shitty American cut with the dumbed-down subtitles and the full version never getting a US release? Because that actually would make me hate him.
 

Starke

New member
Mar 6, 2008
3,877
0
0
Hazy992 said:
Richard Humphries said:
Hell, I thought this was going to be interesting. I get that EA isn't indie, but what do you have against it as a company? They make sequels because the previous title sold successfully, that's what companies do. Plus, when indie companies get big, it can happen, you'll probably just go and start talking bad about them too.
What do I hate about EA? Well;

Bringing out 'sequels' year on year that are only incremental updates, then having the cheek to charge £40 for it.
Popularising the online pass system.
Having adverts like 'Your Mom Will Hate Dead Space 2', which just paints a negative picture of the medium, like game developers are trying to piss people off.
The way the treat their employees and smaller developers.
Trying to beat the competition by making the same game as the competition but worse (*cough* Medal of Honor *cough*).

Phew! Rant over!
You forgot backing SOPA. ...or were you done... oh shi...
 

Elementary - Dear Watson

RIP Eleuthera, I will miss you
Nov 9, 2010
2,980
0
0
Hmmm... As a gamer I don't care who makes my games. If its good, I buy and play, if its not good, or not the type of game I enjoy I don't buy or play... Simple! Who cares who's logo pops up when you start it up? The only time I look at what dev made the game is when I want to have an indication of what to expect from the game, but even then you can't be sure!

In reality 2 games made under the same Devs logo, could in fact be made by entirely different teams of people, with different works ethics, different standards and a completely different gaming experience!

I like Oblivion, and the new Fallout games (and I am sure I will enjoy Skyrim too when I get home in Apr) but that doesn't mean I will instantly like RAGE or Hunted: THe Demons Forge... And if I played Hunted for instance, and didn't like it, and they produced a sequel, and didn't like that, then it doesn't mean I should boycot all future Fallout and Elder Scrolls games because they were made by the 'sequel shitting' company...
 

William Dickbringer

New member
Feb 16, 2010
1,426
0
0
targren said:
I just paid for the "Humble Indie Bundle 4" so care to tell me why the HELL I'm staring at a big, bloated pustule of an EA logo? I support indie gamers so that they DON'T feel the need to sell out to the scumbag sequel shitters. And to be the worst of the bunch, the one that I have actively and effectively boycotted for over two years?

I'm not happy about this, and the only reason I don't go change my "developer" slider down to zero is that the actual indie devs don't deserve to be screwed over because EA and HB pulled a fast one.
you know it cost money to have them servers up right? money that not even humble tips can pay maybe they needed some extra sponsorship who cares would we flipping as much of a shit if it was activision? are we being charged extra? Nope all I see is pay what you want still and you pay over the average amount get two games free I see all this but hey you don't want to buy it because "EA IS TEH DEVILZ!!!!11" fine by me I on the other hand am gonna enjoy cave story+ super meat boy and BEAT.TRIP RUNNER from the bundle and am gonna try the other 3 later good day to you sir
 

Fappy

\[T]/
Jan 4, 2010
12,010
0
41
Country
United States
OtherSideofSky said:
Fappy said:
xXxJessicaxXx said:
''Shank is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts.''

Indie developer EA as publisher, no problem there right?
EA's name attached = auto-bad.

It's like if you hate Quinton Tarantino you shouldn't watch the film "Hero" because his name is on the poster.
Wait, really?
You mean "Hero", the Zhang Yimou movie? Starring Jet Li?
I had no idea he had anything to do with distributing that.
Does that mean he's responsible for the shitty American cut with the dumbed-down subtitles and the full version never getting a US release? Because that actually would make me hate him.
I saw it way back when it was released in American theaters, so I wouldn't really remember subtitles or really that much of the movie at all... but yeah, I believe Tarantino funded the US release.
 

Akeroh

New member
Feb 2, 2011
16
0
0
So, OP - You're telling me that you're pissed off because there was a single indie game (out of 7) in the humble indie bundle that was sponsored in part by EA.
It wasn't designed by EA, it wasn't developed by EA, it wasn't advertised by EA, it was simply invested in by EA and all of that was done by a small game studio?

Seriously? Can a game not be considered 'indie' if it has larger companies investing in it?
 

Sud0_x

New member
Dec 16, 2009
169
0
0
ZeroMachine said:
Right, OP, I'd say this warrants a mention:

EA published Shank.

Published.

People who purchase HIBs choose if their money goes to charity, the developer, or a HIB tip.

See what I'm getting at here?
There's really no need to be belittling people.

EA is a publisher,
of course they only published it, who said otherwise?
What the fuck is going on in here?

OP also seems well aware of the option to choose where your money goes, in fact, he goes so far as to mention it in the OP.
I believe he was trying to get across some kind of statement about small developers getting into bed with large publishers, again, it's in the OP.

It wasn't the best discussion starter but I really don't think there's any excuse for such condescension.

targren said:
I just paid for the "Humble Indie Bundle 4" so care to tell me why the HELL I'm staring at a big, bloated pustule of an EA logo? I support indie gamers so that they DON'T feel the need to sell out to the scumbag sequel shitters. And to be the worst of the bunch, the one that I have actively and effectively boycotted for over two years?

I'm not happy about this, and the only reason I don't go change my "developer" slider down to zero is that the actual indie devs don't deserve to be screwed over because EA and HB pulled a fast one.
I know you've made several posts in this thread already but if you'd like to elaborate on your opinions on this relationship between small upstart projects and the big players; you have my ear..er.. eyes.

Small projects like these are fantastic but independent developers just can not sustain themselves without some kind of financial backing, it is a high-cost, high-risk industry. Initially these guys might decide that they're ready to put their ideas into practice and want to get started but the process itself, more often than not, results in debt. Marketing and distribution are absolutely crucial to the success of a small indie title, and consequently the studio behind it, these are just some of the things publishers offer.

I don't think there is anything wrong with a large publisher pairing up with a smaller studio.
I do believe the Publisher/Developer relationship needs to be adjusted a little, I'm not sure how, exactly, as I know little of the real inside day-to-day.

Some people might not agree but I do believe a publisher has a right, or even an obligation, to give their creative input and such given the nature of their task. I really don't think these guys sit down and ask "How can we piss off the most people?"

As much as we'd like to think that the publishers are just jerks and the developers are our buddies; video games are a business, they have to treat it like a business.

I think what the the bigger publishers and studios need to work on are incentives and goodwill, not just marketing spin but actually giving consumers a genuine reason to support them. Let's kill the freakin' barriers and just talk.
A little transparency goes a long way, indies are fucking great at this.
The now-common act of treating potential customers like criminals and calling them names is inconceivably dumb business practice.

I have no idea how to run a development team or a successful business model so we just have to hope that all those professionals, who do know what they're doing, can find something that works for everybody. Or at the very least we keep getting the occasional accidental gem of a game crapped out once in a while!

All this said, I'm not an expert and I really don't know if a small indie developer can stay a small indie developer while maintaining a sustainable business model. It very well may have been done.

Anyway, OP, if I were in your position I'd give the cash to the developer I felt has earned it. Otherwise a good charity is a nice substitute.
Yeah, WE should be looking out for those guys and giving them our support.
Because those guys? They actually listen to us. I know, I know, I couldn't believe it the first time I witnessed it.

In summary, I don't know jack and my opinion isn't special.
I just felt bad for the guy everyone was railing on and couldn't leave my own post without any real discussion value.
As horrible as it probably is...

Anybody else have some ideas to share?
 

ZeroMachine

New member
Oct 11, 2008
4,397
0
0
Sud0_x said:
ZeroMachine said:
Right, OP, I'd say this warrants a mention:

EA published Shank.

Published.

People who purchase HIBs choose if their money goes to charity, the developer, or a HIB tip.

See what I'm getting at here?
There's really no need to be belittling people.

EA is a publisher,
of course they only published it, who said otherwise?
What the fuck is going on in here?

OP also seems well aware of the option to choose where your money goes, in fact, he goes so far as to mention it in the OP.
I believe he was trying to get across some kind of statement about small developers getting into bed with large publishers, again, it's in the OP.

It wasn't the best discussion starter but I really don't think there's any excuse for such condescension.
The OP is acting like money he puts towards developers is going to support EA, which he, unreasonably in my eyes, hates and doesn't wish to support at all.

This is wrong.

I was pointing that out.

THAT'S what's going on in this thread.

Maybe it was a bit condescending, but I'm in a sarcastic/frisky mood today, so other people are just gonna have to deal with it for...

... Huh. Less than a minute.
 

OtherSideofSky

New member
Jan 4, 2010
1,051
0
0
Fappy said:
OtherSideofSky said:
Fappy said:
xXxJessicaxXx said:
''Shank is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts.''

Indie developer EA as publisher, no problem there right?
EA's name attached = auto-bad.

It's like if you hate Quinton Tarantino you shouldn't watch the film "Hero" because his name is on the poster.
Wait, really?
You mean "Hero", the Zhang Yimou movie? Starring Jet Li?
I had no idea he had anything to do with distributing that.
Does that mean he's responsible for the shitty American cut with the dumbed-down subtitles and the full version never getting a US release? Because that actually would make me hate him.
I saw it way back when it was released in American theaters, so I wouldn't really remember subtitles or really that much of the movie at all... but yeah, I believe Tarantino funded the US release.
Huh.
I really thought he cared enough about Chinese cinema that he would have at least put an uncut DVD out over here, especially after it got that Oscar. I mean, the American cut is missing like 30 minutes. The Chinese cut has another alternate version of events, longer fight scenes in a couple of places, and a much more nuanced conclusion, all of which are absent from both the American theatrical cut and the region 1 DVD release.
 

arnoldthebird

New member
Sep 30, 2011
276
0
0
EA is helping a small indie developer to be recognised, is that not what people want?

Perhaps seeing the 'EA' brand logo will plant a seed of interest in the wider community, for them it is good business and you are still getting what you want, an indie developed game. If EA can continue to help small developer's get their feet then perhaps the broad gaming community will come to appreciate the little gem's that the indie developer's release.

EA makes money, which is what a business like EA wants, and we as gamers are given brilliant and unique ideas developed by new people.

In my opinion it is a good thing, because perhaps we shall see more indie title's in the future