Water Cooler Games - DigiPen forces Slamdance Reinstatement

DigiPen forces Slamdance Reinstatement
January 17, 2007 - by Ian Bogost

Slamdance finalist Toblo, a capture-the-flag style game in which players use the world as weapons, withdrew their game from the competition in protest of the SCMRPG removal, on Jan 9. The Toblo team let us know today that they have reinstated the game. Apparently they were forced to do so by DigiPen Institute of Technology, the college at which they created the game. From their statement:

On January 16th, the DigiPen Institute of Technology -- the college we attend -- overwrote our decision and readmitted Toblo to the Slamdance Festival. We still have very strong feelings regarding the removal of Super Columbine Massacre RPG! from the competition, and we have not been satisfied with Mr. Baxter's numerous rationales for dropping the game. While Toblo may be on display at Slamdance because of DigiPen's decision, we will not present our game and we will refuse to accept any awards.

Clearly the students accepted the decision under duress. I'm trying to gather more information before jumping to conclusions, but my assumption is that DigiPen sees the festival as a PR and recruiting activity that is more important than their students' opinions. Update: The Toblo team clarifies that DigiPen owns the IP for the game (as it does for all other student games), and thus considers the decision theirs, not the students, to make.

Comments (3) | Post a Comment | TrackBack (0)

Comment from squigs on January 17, 2007

This whole thing is making a mockery of the "independent" games concept. If Digipen can make these decisions, and claim ownership of Toblo, then I question the game's eligibility for inclusion in the first place.

Comment from DannyLedonne on January 18, 2007

farce /fɑrs/ –noun
1. a light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather than upon the development of character.
2. foolish show; mockery; a ridiculous sham.
3. the weeks leading up to the Guerilla Gamemaker Competition at Slamdance 2007.

Comment from kellee on January 18, 2007

USC also owns the games (and films, etc) its students make - pretty typical. Of course, they had a different reaction with flOw pulled out...

POST A COMMENT

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

TRACKBACKS

TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.watercoolergames.org/mt-tback.cgi/726

Links to weblogs that reference DigiPen forces Slamdance Reinstatement will be listed here.