I read this article and basically to sum it up in my understanding if you work another job while developing a game your a hobbyist not a indie developer. That is a very complex line to draw. What do you think about this line here. I personally think that everyone cannot develop games initally without working on bill regardless of talent or skill unless your being funded but that just makes you a funded indie dev. So what is the difference then between a unfunded indie dev,funded dev and hobbyist.

Source:

Nintendo draws line between "indie devs" and "hobbyists"
Reggie Fils-Aime has said that Nintendo will not be doing any business with what he called "garage developers" in the near future, seemingly underlining the company position set out in Satoru Iwata's GDC keynote earlier this month.

Whilst the Nintendo of America president was keen to point out that Nintendo very much wants to engage with indie devs, he drew an analogy with the music industry to deliniate between small, professional studios and part-time developers, calling them "hobbyists."

"I would separate out the true independent developer vs. the hobbyist," Fils-Aime told Gamasutra. "We are absolutely reaching out to the independent developer. Where we've drawn the line is we are not looking to do business today with the garage developer. In our view, that's not a business we want to pursue.

"Look at the music industry. There are certainly highly talented people who work other jobs and have a passion to be in the music industry. They work at it. There are reality TV shows that revolve around this concept. I love it when there's a game that's found that captures people's imagination, just like that...singer toiling in a factory."

The attitude seems to fly in the face of the efforts of Microsoft's attempts to engage up and coming developers with the likes of XNA and the newly released Kodu. It also seems like something of a contrary position against the background of the success of the App Store.

What it does echo is Iwata's GDC keynote, in which he took a thinly-veiled swipe at Apple and the App Store by insinuating that Apple had not exercised the proper quality control which a responsible platform holder might in order to protect its developers, instead allowing quantity to swamp quality in its market.

"We make platforms designed to demonstrate the high value of high quality videogame software," said Iwata. "But, there is a second, entirely different way to consider the value of software. The objective of smartphones and social networks, and the reason they were created, are not at all like ours.

"These platforms have no motivation to maintain the high value of videogame software - for them, content is something created by someone else. Their goal is just to gather as much software as possible, because quantity is what makes the money flow - the value of videogame software does not matter to them."

Fils-Aime seemed keen to reiterate that in his comments.

"When we talk about the value of software, it could be a great $1 piece of content or a $50 piece of content," he said. "The point is: Does it maintain its value over time or is it such disposable content that the value quickly goes to zero? We want consumers to see value in the software, whatever that appropriate value is. And we want to see that value maintained over time."

It's not a completely isolated stance. Recently both Trip Hawkins and Chair Entertainment's Donald Mustard have passed comment on Apple's quality control policy, although neither in such unrepentant terms.

Nintendo's dealing with the indie scene is always ham handed. I don't think its up to Nintendo to assign labels and make judgment calls. They're so far removed from 2nd-3rd party development its not even funny, let alone embracing anything that is outside of that.

They hate what apple has done to the market and to an extent I have to agree. But they shouldn't be worried by it unless Apple actually changes the way it pays developers (ie not chicken scratch) and encourages quality titles. I personally think the 3Ds is a blunder and going down in flames unless they make some drastic revisions but I don't think that will push people out of their hand held market.

I know when I have a choice between sitting down with some crappy iphone flash game knock off from 3 years ago, or playing Dragon Quest... I lean toward quality and great art...

It doesn't help that idiot birds CEO Peter Vesterbacka goes off about mobile being where the focus is and leading the industry in innovation, and that consoles are dying. Yea... the guy is mental.

http://www.itworld.com/personal-tech...#comment-86715

I find it funny how Nintendo talks about quality titles and innovation but they continue to sit on the same IP's, too scared to try making a new IP.

Funny that they criticize Apple for quality control, Wii-ware is a dumping grounds for shovelware titles - reading the new Wii-ware releases is an ongoing gag on the Giantbombcast.

I've always classified indie development as something more serious than just working on something on the side. Especially since alot of people espouse the idea of "stop working for the man and go indie".

<humor>
and if I'm wrong, then I have almost 6 years of indie dev experience and my opinion should have some weight!
</humor> //since humor doesn't always work on the interwebs, I've included these handy tags

Nintendo hasn't given two shits about game quality from third parties for a long time now. All they care about is: Do you run your business from a separate office from your house?

That's literally it. Do you have an office? You can make all the shovelware crap you want out for Nintendo. As long as it passes compliance testing it doesn't matter how awful it is.

Don't have an office? Obviously your games are too low quality.

Originally Posted by acc

Nintendo hasn't given two shits about game quality from third parties for a long time now. All they care about is: Do you run your business from a separate office from your house?

That's literally it. Do you have an office? You can make all the shovelware crap you want out for Nintendo. As long as it passes compliance testing it doesn't matter how awful it is.

Don't have an office? Obviously your games are too low quality.

Exactly what i almost posted, but with less swearing.

I can understand Nintendo's position. It is true that Apple's approach to small-time and hobbyist development has resulted in problems with quality control. But it has also allowed for considerably more experimentation, and we've seen a lot of variety and creativity on the App Store as a result. You often have to take a certain quantity of bad in order to achieve the desired good. No human institution is perfect.

And it is very difficult to take Nintendo's criticism seriously when you look at their own on-line offerings. Wii-Ware has a few notable gems. (such as Way Forward's efforts) But it is also home to some awful programs that look pitiful when measured against even the iOS average application.

Nintendo's adherence to outdated corporate standards could bite them in the ass in the future. As the distance between developer and end-user continues to shrink, it will be increasingly more common to see smaller teams working on more bite-sized projects. It is more affordable than ever for bedroom developers and hobbyists to succeed, both in terms of mindshare and profit. Nintendo isn't doing them any favors and Apple is. Do the math.

Its kind of ironic as well. I read in the a magazine that the triple AAA developers dont have the means, time or whatever to develop for these new peripherals. They have to rely on others to innovate in the control areas.

Like whats happening with the Kinetc and all these bedroom developers whom will figure new and wonderfull things that can be done with it than no developer with billions of dollars would ever be able to think of.

Its why you end up with all the crappy Wii shovelware no developer knows what to do with it. Theres no one just experimenting with it.

Nintendo has always had an arrogant attitude they do not like commoners. As long as you pay us lots of money and wear a suit we like you.