We did our judging presentation today and also spoke with a few press outlets here at the festival. Being an indie game exhibitor at an indie film festival makes for a very legitimating feeling. Without a doubt, this is a much more successful independent game festival than the Independent Game Festival. At the risk of finger-pointing, when I was an IGF judge last year, I didn't ever get a chance to talk with any of the other judges. I also discovered that the feedback I submitted for each game seems never to have made its way back to the developers. At IGF, the games are sort of hidden among the rabble on the exhibit floor. Here at Slamdance, the game venue is right at the entrance to the main film screening room, drawing a large and varied audience. And IGF doesn't provide the kind of fellowship between exhibitors that Slamdance has; we've really gotten a chance to get to know each other over the course of the last two days. The sponsors are hosting a happy hour for the exhibitors tonight. And we got free passes to the whole festival and onto the lists at every party. IGF exhibitors (and judges!) don't even get a full pass to GDC. Here, being independent doesn't mean being illegitimate.

Today also witnessed a panel on machinima featuring work from a City of Heroes contest held by NCSoft. Missing from the discussion on the "marriage of film and games" was an appreciation of procedural narrative, often on both sides. I wish Andrew and Michael could have been here for this one.

Finally, click through for some photos of Park City and the Slamdance Game Loft.

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