It’s a rainy day as I cross the parking lot to the West Sacramento
Community Center where a fun event taking place that I had never even heard
about before. Behind the Community Center’s doors, dozens of video game
developers and gamers of all ages have gathered for the 4th annual 2017
Sacramento Indie Arcade. Here is where all manner of gamers can come and interact
with a huge variety of local game developers and vendors, as well as other gamers from all walks of life.
As I walk into the crowded hallways, I am led to two rooms right next to
each other.
I go into
the first room, where there are tables all across the room with a TV and a game
going on each screen. Everything you can think of is screaming out at you to
play it. There are RPGs, puzzle games, platform fighters, and racing games up for
grabs. Each station has eager players either watching or playing what these
local developers have to offer. As well, there were two tables dedicated
entirely to game/geek related merch covered in all sorts of enticing pins,
toys, and swag.
There were two games in particular that caught my attention as I was
wandering around. The first one caught my eye, because it was different than what
my eyes were being bombarded with. The game was named HAOS, a PC exclusive by Lucre Games, and
all the screen consisted of was a black circle with a smaller white circle that
you controlled. As you start the game, other different colored circles come
into view and swarm to you, leaving you to push and hold the right button, so
you can mimic their color, turn them white, and absorb them. All while trying
not to die. As I was laughing, getting destroyed over and over again, I remarked
how relaxing and easy the game was to Eric Howard, one of the game’s
developers, he responded,
“Yeah, we just wanted to make a relaxing, comfortable game for everyone
to play. It does get more frustrating as the game goes on, though (laughs).”
After too much fun with this game, I set the controller down and continue
on through the rest of the room and stop in front of two tables for CastleQuest Educational Games Studio, and their tablet based-game Reading Quest. Now,
while it looked obviously geared toward preschoolers and kindergartners, I
couldn’t help myself. I found myself tracing letters and laughing at the goofy
3-D animation of all the fantasy themed characters. After too much fun, yet
again, I set the tablet down and wondered where these games were when I was a
kid.
Maneuvering my way out of the room as it was filling up, I shuffle into
another room next door, and am presented with a similar scene from the one
before. The difference lies at the opposite ends of the room. To my right,
against the wall, are two TV’s set up with a PS4 and Street Fighter V going at
each one. Nestled in front of them are a pair of players whose hands are moving
at speeds I never thought humanly possible. From this dizzying display, I
venture to the opposite wall where there are also TV’s set up with consoles
attached. On one half of the tables are all Nintendo-related platforms. They
had a Switch playing Zelda, a Gamecube with Super Smash Brothers Melee, and an
SNES with Street Fighter going as well. On the other half, there were systems
that belonged in a museum. An Atari 2600, an Atari 1200 XL, the Jaguar LYNX,
and what I think was a ColecoVision were all hooked up to their own TV. The thing that both
stations had in common, though, was that every person who was playing these
games was laughing, chatting, and having a great time. The whole event had a
vibe like that in every room, and it was obvious that people were tuned in as they
continued to stream in.
As I am walking toward one of the doors, one game in particular caught my
eye. It was a first person game, and it was very clearly set in a starship
floating out in space. Stardrop, for PC, is the game featured here, and I can’t
help but stare as the intricately detailed hallways stream past. It’s quality is
very apparent, as was my slightly open mouth, apparently. I am greeted by Aryn
Rozelle, one of the voice actors in this game, and she explains the basis of
the game for me,
“It’s a narrative-based space adventure game, where it’s more focused on
the story as a whole, instead of the usual kind of dread that has been in most
space games, lately.”
She goes on to add that the version here today is only the demo version, and
the final game itself should have 6-10 hours of complete gameplay. If the demo
is any quality indication, then the final game itself should, hopefully, be a
solid release.
Snagging a piece of candy from Stardrop’s table, I wander out the door
and head upstairs, where there is a group of excited kids checking out and
Oculus Rift VR set up, excitedly shooting at whatever bad guys were shooting
back at that particular time. I go a bit further down the hall, into the room
called The Black Box, where there is an open stage floor and a table where VOG(Voice of Geeks) Network are talking about the event for their podcast live
from their table. People were filing in and out of the darkened speaking room
as the next speaker was getting ready to set up.
Being overly-caffeinated as I usually am, I decide to head back
downstairs to see if I can get a chance to try Stardrop, when another booth catches
my eye. This booth in particular belonged to Gamers Gift, a local non-profit
organization that aims to bring games to the disabled, elderly, and sick people
in hospitals. I get the chance to speak with the group’s founder, president,
and CEO, Dillon Smith, who started Gamers Gift in his senior year in early
2016. Using games as a tool for enjoyment, he remarks,
“It’s a good way for the people we help to escape from their situation
and put some joy back into their lives.”
This simple philosophy has carried this group far since its humble beginnings.
Gamers Gift is aiming to expand even further by hosting a multi-platform, charity
gaming event called GG:WP. They aim to get people together to play across all form
of gaming, while at the same time raising money for them to continue their mission
of brining joy to people who need it the most. As well, they have, according to
Dillon, 600 pounds (That’s right. Pounds.)
of computers and computer related stuff to raffle off. Check the event on Facebook, here.
With a hearty handshake from Dillon, I make my way back out of the room
and down the hall again. Laughter and excited chatter overlay the various sound
effects echoing out from games being played and it fills me with happiness.
Because isn’t this what gaming is supposed to be all about? Having fun with
friends, along with potentially new ones? Local events like this help foster
these feelings and the event’s organizers, Nascent Games and the IGDA –Sacramento Chapter, did an excellent job in making a fun and exciting
environment for local gaming to flourish.