Unhazy Stargazy

I've known since early 2007 that I'd work under the name Stargazy Studios to develop my games. The word stargazy has a whimsical quality about it, but also means a lot to me and what I'm trying to achieve as a developer. I think few would guess that it was a cookery programme that provided this inspiration.

Stargazy is taken from the title of a classic Cornish meal, stargazy pie. It's a visually striking dish made in the most southwesterly county of England. Fish are arranged underneath a pie crust like spokes on a wheel. They are placed with tails at the centre of the pie, with their heads poking out skyward from underneath the crust's edge. The fish appear to be looking up in to the night sky, gazing at the stars.

Although I'm a big food fan, there are many classic British dishes, and so that in itself does not make stargazy pie exceptional. It was Mark Hix's version of stargazy pie, created for a national competition, that was extraordinary enough to christen a games developer.

The Great British Menu is a competition to bring Britain's top chefs together to demonstrate their cooking prowess on behalf of the nation. The chefs compete with each other to have their dishes selected for a final banquet, which has been prepared for guests that have included the Queen and the British Embassy in Paris. On the competition's incursion into the gastronomic heartland of France, Mark Hix represented his Britain with stargazy pie.

France's rivalry with Britain is famous. Particular pleasure is taken by the French in nurturing the perception that their cuisine is far superior to their poor Rosbif cousins'. Mark Hix harnessed British ingenuity, irreverence, and dry humour to strike a blow to Gallic aloofness. Instead of the pilchards traditionally used in stargazy pie, he selected rabbit and crayfish to make the filling. The result was stunning; the dish was sensationally delicious, and shot in to the premier slot of the main course at the banquet. The twist was that both rabbits and crayfish are considered pests in Britain's fields and waterways. By using them in his dish Mark was saying that British cuisine is so good that you'll adore it, even if it's stuffed with vermin! As the French dignitaries, chefs and celebrities eulogised the pie, they simply reinforced Mark's message. It was a proper work of genius.

I think Mark's stargazy pie epitomises what it is to be British. It demonstrates inventiveness, humour and downright gumption. The name Stargazy Studios was chosen to celebrate these traits, and I will honour them by imbuing my games with their qualities.

Why Indie, Why Now?

There is something at the core of all human beings that is satisfied when we are playing games. Evolution has ensured the compulsion to play is threaded throughout our very make-up: play, win, survive. I'm a fool for games, and we have entered a renaissance period for the art form. A powerful trifecta has driven us into this time of creative plenty: motive, means, and opportunity.

I see design as an extension of play. When you are conceptualising a new game, you must think through the rules, playing them in your mind. The number of games you can play this way is only constrained by the limits of your imagination. I started designing games shortly after I found my passion for playing them. Always having a pen and paper to hand, I have built up an ecologically irresposible collection of design notes. It's difficult to contain the desire to create games from everyday situations. For me, a rainy day and a deck of cards is like the proverbial curry to a pisshead. I've got oodles of designs queued up, nagging me to bring them into form. Indie culture is recognised for rapid development and innovative design. Standing astride these two pillars with Stargazy Studios, I'll take my design dough and bake it into delicious gaming morsels.

The democratisation of games development came about with the creation of digital distribution platforms. As disruptive a technology as the MP3 format was for music, digital distribution has ushered in a new era of gaming. Demand for new gameplay can be addressed by anyone with a computer, the ability to code and a great idea. Social networks and blogs allow us to instantly commend our favourite games to friends and followers. Word of mouth has the power to highlight the exemplary, bringing their merits to the attention of a wider audience.

A critically large population hunger for progressive games. We have grown up with videogames, and our vocabulary extends to the full breadth of what's been offered so far. We want games that present us with new problems to solve, and broaden what we think of as play. There are already enough enthusiasts craving innovation to support successes such as Defcon, Braid, and World of Goo. Our ranks are swelling as more gamers search for something fresh and exciting to play. It is thrilling that we find what we're looking for in independent games.

Vive la Revolution.

Hello World

Welcome to the official Stargazy Studios blog. Stargazy Studios is an indie developer of one, living in the wilds of London. Baked beans on toast and cheesy pasta are common prey to sustain an existence of games development and blogging.

My name is Jeff, and I hope we'll become better acquainted over the coming months as my games coalesce from out of the ether.