In our weekly Best of Expert Blogs column, we showcase notable pieces of writing from members of the game development community who maintain
Expert Blogs on Gamasutra.
Member Blogs -- also highlighted weekly -- can be maintained by any registered Gamasutra user, while the
invitation-only Expert Blogs are written by development professionals with a wealth of experience to share.
We hope that both sections can provide useful and interesting viewpoints on our industry. For more information about the blogs, check out
the official posting guidelines.
In this set of highlights, industry veterans write in depth about lying to the gamer, Flash game tips, and why devs should be on Twitter.
This Week's Standout Expert Blogs
Lie to Them
Trent Polack
LightBox Interactive designer Trent Polack wants to find a way to portray the concept of the "unreliable narrator" (the person who willfully or unintentionally deceives readers or story followers) into gameplay mechanics. Games like
Metal Gear Solid 2 bent "reality" through narrative, but how can the concept of the "unreliable narrator" be introduced through game mechanics?
Immersion: Keeping The Shadow Puppeteer Behind The Screen
Philippe Ringuette-Angrignon
As video games continue to try to penetrate deeper into the mass market, Philippe Ringuette-Angrignon takes a close look at immersion in games, and what game developers should keep in mind when creating games for a broad audience. Eliminating confusion, doubt, and frustration from games is key to attracting new gamers, but it's a difficult task.
Democratization of Game Development and Home Construction
Chris Melissinos
Sun Microsystems' chief gaming officer Chris Melissinos says that even with all of the great game-building tools that have "democratized" game development such as XNA, Flash, Unity, Scratch, Multiverse, and the like, actually
creating a games is "still as difficult as it ever was." Just because you have the tools to renovate your bathroom doesn't make you Bob Vila.
Fatal Flaws in Flash Game Design and Development
Greg McClanahan
Greg McClanahan of community Flash game site Kongregate gives nine helpful tips for making Flash games. For example: don't treat game making like a book report assignment, focus on your strengths, and pay extra attention to that final polish. Wait a second -- these are good tips for any kind of game developer!
Why Game Developers Should Get on Twitter
Brenda Brathwaite
Finally, Gamasutra contributor, industry veteran and former
Wizardry designer Brenda Brathwaite writes another notable Gamasutra Expert Blog entry, this time explaining why game developers should be taking advantage of Twitter.
