Author: by Staff

Showcasing highlights from Gamasutra's Member Blogs, our weblog writers consider good hooks and bad hooks, and pleasing repetition and grating sameness. Member Blogs can be maintained by any registered Gamasutra user, while invitation-only Expert Blogs -- also highlighted weekly -- are written by selected development professionals. Our favorite blog post of the week will earn its author a lifetime subscription to Gamasutra's sister publication, Game Developer magazine. (All magazine recipients outside of the United States or Canada will receive lifetime electronic subscriptions.) We hope that our blog sections can provide useful and interesting viewpoints on our industry. For more information, check out the official posting guidelines. This Week's Standout Member Blogs - Just Say No to Bad Hooks (Enrique Dryere) A good game arguably needs a good hook -- but that doesn't have to be a gameplay mechanic in all cases. Games can stand out based on a multitude of different factors, and Enrique Dryere delves into the concept of the "good hook," particularly in indie games. For his effort, Enrique will receive a lifetime subscription to Gamasutra sister publication Game Developer magazine. - Successful Games Can Be Simultaneously Hardcore And Casual (John Hahn) The terms "casual" and "hardcore" are frequently treated as mutually exclusive -- often by developers, press, and consumers alike. But looking beyond video games to common activities like billiards or playing guitar illustrates that this need not be the case. - The Heart of the Team (Shelley Warmuth) What differentiates any old game development team from one that collectively feels it owns the project? Shelley Warmuth shares her experiences working with various styles of team over the years, and makes a few conjectures. - Homebrew + Money = (Wyatt Epp) Much more clandestine than mainline indie game development is the homebrew scene of hackers who burrow through closed gaming platforms without the help of officially-provided documentation. Should these hardworking coders be monetarily rewarded by the communities they support? Wyatt Epp thinks it over. - Repetition: Not That Bad After All (Adam Bishop) Nearly every game is built on some level of repetition at the macro or micro scale. But while sometimes repetition can provide a pleasing gameplay canvas over which the player can improve his or her skills, sometimes it can be grating and wearisome. Adam Bishop attempts to determine why.