The indie game community is in disarray over AI and Big Walk
Some Independent Games Festival (IGF) jurors published a statement yesterday saying they would not vote for games that use generative AI in "any capacity." Soon after, the developer of indie hit Big Walk has published a statement saying it "sparingly" used AI in the "final stretch" of the game's dev
This debate within the indie game community highlights the deep connections and shared values among developers, who are now grappling with the ethical implications of AI in their creative processes. As the community navigates these complex issues, it's heartening to see the openness and dialogue that is fostering a more thoughtful approach to innovation.
Panel script
A cozy corner of a local indie game developers' meetup space, with a programmer sitting at a cluttered desk, hands hovering over the keyboard, with a 'Best Indie Game' trophy on the desk.
Big Walk's AI 'final stretch' vs IGF jurors' no-strings policy.
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Script
Panel 1
A cozy living room with a large window, a bookshelf filled with video game art books, and a small desk with a laptop and a cup of coffee. A young, passionate indie game developer, Alex, is sitting at the desk, looking worriedly at the screen. *Alex (muttering to themselves): "The IGF jury... they can’t be serious about AI, right? It’s like they want to stop progress...*
Panel 2
A small meeting room at a game studio, with a whiteboard covered in brainstorming notes and a few other indie developers gathered around it. Alex is explaining their dilemma to a group of friends. *Alex: "I used some AI for the last bit of Big Walk... but it was just to save time and get it done. I didn’t think it would be such a big deal...* *Friend 1: *Friend 2:
Friend: Man, this is crazy. It’s like they’re saying AI is cheating in the game dev world.
Friend: But isn’t that like saying a paintbrush is cheating in art?
Panel 3
Back in Alex’s living room, Alex is now pacing around the room, looking at a framed poster of their game on the wall. They stop suddenly and look at the poster with a thoughtful expression. *Alex (to themselves, with a smirk):
Alex: Maybe I’ll just say Big Walk was inspired by a dream I had... where I saw the future of gaming, and it was full of AI...*
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