and maybe what they actually did on the game, because I'm seeing a recent rash of "special thanks"/"additional [whatever]" credits for anyone who left before release

A lot of the tips for good IGF submissions also apply to taking your game to a convention, announcing it to the world, creating a presskit, and submitting it to press for previews and reviews down the line.

The press and other game devs are your marketing allies, so arm them with good info!

things that help:

- detailed info on the release, current bugs, and embargoes
- multiple platforms (Steam & itch.io at least. and if you have them, console codes)
- play guides for at least the first hour of the game (esp. for early builds with no tutorial yet!!!!)
- good & varied screenshots

Things that will hurt your chances of being judged well:

- submitting demos only
- not uploading enough keys
- only adding 10 keys at a time (we go through them fast)
- neglecting to check emails for more key requests, bugs, or info

my last IGF game this year was a really cool visual novel idea, but utterly kneecapped by being a 20 minute demo. I have no idea if it's a good Narrative, you only showed me the first chapter!

I think there's a lack of trust that the IGF judges won't leak it, but has that ever happened?

the worst is Difficult Puzzle Games With Story because... what if I'm bad at the game 😅

I am always in awe of how many games Design and Art have to sift through! I've only ever juried Narrative and the pool of +1 vote games is blessedly small in comparison

some books:

- The Meaning of Liff (silly comedic "dictionary", by Douglas Adams & John Lloyd)
- the Adrian Mole series (fictional angsty teen grows up in Thatcher's Britain)
- Scarfolk (think Night Vale, but 70s UK: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarfolk)

some British radio favourites:

- I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue (absurdist gameshow, you probably already know it)
- Janet & John (grown men piss themselves over raunchy euphemisms)
- Cabin Pressure (hapless plane crew shenanigans)

it sounds like you're getting the greatest hits of absurdist comedy, so you gotta check out my faves:

- Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
- Look Around You
- Brian Butterfield Diet (just look it up on YouTube, it's short)
- Kingdom of Loathing

I like to think you would look like a Stretch Armstrong filled with water

sick sick sick. she is invited over for cookies any time. also I swear I'm not a forest witch who is trying to lure her into my oven

how do you still keep finding new ways to be an old lady

(not that I can talk, I also drink vermouth now)

does your 13 year old want to be friends because she seems super cool

The fact that you can do a pitch-perfect British accent has made you even more powerful in my mind