Dude, you are clueless. You try to pass yourself of as intelligent and ahead of the curve with statements such as:
for games the term 'indie' is rapidly turning out to be yet another marketing label used to convey a certain type of approach to a product. I find that it usually means bog standard genre mechanics with a visual or gameplay gimmick
add attractive yet low budget graphics and slightly different soundtrack that further serve to heighten the effect of 'everything is new here'
When fucking gamespot has been aware of it for a long time. But you have your head so far up your ass that you can't even see the point. Intead your reaction is 'lol gamespotz, theyz mainstream'. I can't define indy appeal, but at least most people can distiguish between a unique and an innovative game. I bet all those adventure game players think they are playing innovative games
The point is that gamespot has been aware for four years of what you just are realizing. OMG, you are stupider than gamespot.
As for your link. Well why the hell would you ignore your original argument about the consumer, then provide a link that has nothing to do with it? It's like you state two pieces of shit, then provide 'proof' for only one. Then claim that you 'won'.
Also who gives a shit what some indie producers do to promote themselves? You made a huge generalization about the whole industry and the claimed it as fact.
http://rampantgames.com/blog/2008/02/why-indie-rpgs-indies-of-round-table-1.htm
If anything, you get a lot of developers developing games for diffrent reasons with diffrent interpretations of what an indie or innovative game is.
As for Bastion, which is what this is all about,it does not reinvent the genre. The mainstream does not think its innovative. Somehow, instead of reading about Bastion, you went to an indy games site and think it applies to it.
From their press release:
http://supergiantgames.com/site/wp-content/uploads/bastion_announce_02-sep-2010.pdf
SAN JOSE, CA – September 2, 2010 – Supergiant Games, an independent start-up studio
founded by ex-designers of the hit Command & Conquer franchise, announced today that it is
developing Bastion for digital platforms. Featuring a unique interactive narrative style and handpainted
environments in dazzling full-HD, Bastion challenges players to build a new world from
the broken remnants of the past.
"Our goal with Bastion is to hit players' emotional chords in unexpected ways, in addition to
delivering highly responsive gameplay that rewards finesse and experimentation," said game
industry veteran Greg Kasavin, Supergiant Games' Creative Director. "We're pushing to make it
so that players become absorbed in the game's distinctive setting and narrative tone from the first
moments."
Anyways, even if indie games try to promote themselves as innovative, its up to everyone else to judge them if they are.
Other stupid stuff:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_the_majority
Oh, you mean like your appeal to the codexes ability to appraise games? Anyways, your argument was that bastion sells due to its gimmics, not due to its gameplay. Since many people enjoy its gameplay, your `appeal to majority` argument is out of place` Finally whats your argument, that Bastion does not have variety or varied customization options?