Failing to Fail: The Spiderweb Software Way
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN keeps recommending it as an inspirational, funny talk on running a long-lived indie studio and what Steam provides for its 30% cut.
What it is
Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software gives a GDC 2018 retrospective on surviving as an indie game maker since 1994, from shareware days through Steam. It covers business realities, costs and sustaining a comfortable living without chasing riches.
Recommended by 11 HN commenters across 8 different months, 2018 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec cpeterso · 2018-12 · on “How ‘Baldur’s Gate’ Saved the Computer RPG”
Jeff Vogel from Spiderweb Software have an awesome retrospective on his games and company at GDC 2018: "Failing to Fill: The Spiderweb Software Way" [this video]
Strong rec cpeterso · 2018-12 · on “Ask HN: Best talks of 2018?”
Jeff Vogel from Spiderweb Software gave an awesome retrospective on 24 years of creating old-school-style fantasy RPGs at GDC 2018: "Failing to Fill: The Spiderweb Software Way" [this video]
Strong rec hartror · 2019-08 · on “Why All of Our Games Look Like Crap”
Jeff is an enjoyable speaker, his latest GDC talk is fantastic (and a better version of this blog post). [this video]
Strong rec hu3 · 2023-05 · on “1999 Game Developers Conference (GDC) Recordings Archive”
Speaking about GDC, if you're into game development or just curious, this talk is legendary and inspirational to aspiring game devs (and very intertaining to boot): [this video] "In this GDC 2018 talk, Spiderweb Software's Jeff Vogel presents a retrospective on his company's history and how they've managed to stay in the game-making business since 1994."
Recommends Jach · 2019-07 · on “Epic Games Supports Blender Foundation with $1.2M”
There are probably economies of scale, sure, which is part of why Epic can get away with a lower fee for now. But it's also just business. They know how much it costs without economies of scale, and that sets a floor. [this video] Here's a talk from a very old indie company, there's one section talking about how they existed pre-Steam (and other stores they use since Steam's not exclusive) and appreciate what it's enabled.
Recommends ahaferburg · 2019-07 · on “The Glorious, Profitable, Inescapable Art of Addiction”
Great talk from the author: [this video] > In this GDC 2018 talk, Spiderweb Software's Jeff Vogel presents a retrospective on his company's history and how they've managed to stay in the game-making business since 1994.
Recommends eropple · 2019-08 · on “Why All of Our Games Look Like Crap”
I recall that post (I've been a fan of JV's work, and his blog, for a long time!) but that's ten years old now and the market has gotten more competitive. I think that post is actually pre-Steam, though might push it the other way--I recall that he did really well for himself early on after going to Steam. He has a really good GDC talk that goes into more detail and might shed light on why he operates the way he does: [this video]
Recommends BrS96bVxXBLzf5B · 2021-07 · on “Getting sweet patron money on the modern internet (2020)”
The author of the article, Jeff Vogel, is a few steps (25 years) ahead of you. [this video] (like the article, a humour-laced talk, enjoyable)