Founded in 2005, Impending Studios is an independent game development studio based in Texas. We've done contract work on a handful of titles and are working on several original games.

Our philosophy is that fun is what happens when you're too busy to be bored. Games are boring when you've got time to sit and think about how boring they are. Good games are engaging and active. Fun games ask interesting questions, and prompt emotional responses from players. Some mechanics might keep you engaged visually tracking targets and clicking them, but if that didn't represent a choice or meaning, then it wasn't mentally nutritious. Games should be mentally nutritious.

We also think games should communicate their goals clearly to players. The difference between a toy and a game is that games have goals. All games have them, but the developers might not know what they are, or communicate them clearly. Worse, they'll mention the goal but fail to set player expectations for reaching that goal. With a clear goal, a compelling environment, and action that stimulates a player's mind, a game can't help but be fun.

Our development philosophy is agile, but not just as a buzzword. Agile development means being prepared for change -- not just phychologically, but in process. Code should be easy to change; it should be lightweight and readable. Flexibility adds complexity and we only add flexibility when we will use it. We also like iterations and milestones. We're planning sequels and subsequent versions for every game and tool we'e got. Build one to define the problem; maybe the solution isn't perfect, but no solution is. With one behind us, we can concentrate on what made it awesome and improve it for the next version.