I'm an independent game developer and open source proponent who has been creating games since I received my first PC when I was 13. Currently I am co-owner of Eight Virtues and sell Linux-based desktop and laptop PCs with my wife, Maria.
While computers have advanced fantastically since the days of the Amstrad PC-1512, it seems that mainstream gaming has largely fallen into a rut of predictable mediocrity. With a few exceptions, the indie gaming scene has taken back the reins of fun and innovation, bringing fresh air into a stale market. Corporate marketing muscle and endless sequels riding the coattails of the same old IP may sell hundreds of thousands of titles, but independent game development is now the living heart of modern gaming.
In the beginning games were born of a single visionary developer, working through the night in their garage or closet, pouring themselves into their unpaid work as though their lives depended on it. Games were sold in zip-lock bags and marketing was word-of-mouth. Interestingly it appears as though games have finally come full circle.
