Improving MMO Level Design: http://connectedxp.com/2011/12/18/improving-mmo-level-design/

How to Find a Business Mentor Who’ll Help You Achieve Your Leadership Goals : http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/02/how-to-find-business-mentor-wholl-help.html

SPONSORED FEATURE: TwitchTV – How to Build Community Around Your Game in 2012: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6694/sponsored_feature_twitchtv__how_.php

Building the World of Reckoning: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6692/building_the_world_of_reckoning.php

Self-Perception Theory and Marketing through Avatars: http://www.psychologyofgames.com/2012/02/self-perception-theory-and-marketing-through-avatars/

Jerked Around by the Magic Circle – Clearing the Air Ten Years Later: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6696/jerked_around_by_the_magic_circle_.php

How to Survive a Meeting with the CEO: http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/02/how-to-survive-meeting-with-ceo.html

In Their Own Words: Qualities of Great Leaders: http://www.daveramsey.com/article/in-their-own-words-qualities-of-great-leaders/lifeandmoney_business/?ectid=bitlyified020820121349

Principles of an Indie Game Bottom Feeder: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6698/principles_of_an_indie_game_bottom_.php

Virtual Goods – An Excerpt from Social Game Design: Monetization Methods and Mechanics:  http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6700/virtual_goods__an_excerpt_from_.php

A New Legend Forms Around Legendary Adventure Game Designer: http://rampantgames.com/blog/?p=3924

What drives the developers of Unity?: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39485/What_drives_the_developers_of_Unity.php

I am all about the Awesome and when I think of Awesome I think Big Chris. Having only gotten to work with this incredible artist for a short time I was still inspired by his talent as an artist and a leader. Big Chris has not only an amazing work ethic but inspires others to rise above any challenge. His latest endeavors are super cool and worth checking out at Big Chris Art.

Game Pitches – actual pitch docs from real games : http://t-machine.org/index.php/2012/01/30/game-pitches-actual-pitch-docs-from-real-games/

SWTOR: Encouraging Bad Habits: https://standsinfire.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/swtor-encouraging-bad-habits/

13 years later, the original EverQuest goes free-to-play:  http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39918/13_years_later_the_original_EverQuest_goes_freetoplay.php

Opinion: The Bulldog and the Pegasus:  http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39910/Opinion_The_Bulldog_and_the_Pegasus.php

Talking Copycats with Zynga’s Design Chief: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6687/talking_copycats_with_zyngas_.php

Project Gorgon’s Death Penalty: http://www.eldergame.com/2012/02/project-gorgons-death-penalty/

Clones, Schmones: Buffalo Studios, Nimblebit’s jabs at Zynga garner publicity and not much more: http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2012/02/01/clones-schmones-buffalo-studios-nimblebits-jabs-at-zynga-garner-publicity-and-not-much-more/

Game Developer Column 19: Taking Feedback: http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=391

Happy Action, Happy Developer: Tim Schafer on Reimagining Double Fine: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6691/happy_action_happy_developer_tim_.php

The role of self image in video game play: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/40093/The_role_of_self_image_in_video_game_play.php

It is not always about games and management around here but it is always about being Awesome. When I think of the phrase Awesome Sauce I think of my friend Juliana Finch. An amazing singer/songwriter and creative coach. If you like good music than Juliana Finch is a must listen. She has one of the most captivating voices I have ever heard. So check out Juliana Finch at her website.

Six Things I’m Loving About My Return To Star Trek Online: http://biobreak.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/six-things-im-loving-about-my-return-to-star-trek-online/

Playing to Win? Measuring Social Interaction in Games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6615/playing_to_win_measuring_social_.php

An atomic theory of fun game design: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/24/an-atomic-theory-of-fun-game-design/

Fun vs features: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/25/fun-vs-features/

Why Appreciation Matters So Much: http://blogs.hbr.org/schwartz/2012/01/why-appreciation-matters-so-mu.html

How to Get the Most Benefit from an Executive Development Program: http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/01/how-to-get-most-benefit-from-executive.html

Easy Player-Made Content: http://www.eldergame.com/2012/01/easy-player-made-content/

Narrative isn’t usually content either: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/26/narrative-isnt-usually-content-either/

Leading in a New Direction – 3 Techniques for Thinking up New Business Ideas: http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/01/leading-in-new-direction-3-techniques.html

Gamification Facts & Figures: http://enterprise-gamification.com/index.php/en/facts

Awesome paper on games math: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/27/awesome-paper-on-games-math/

Opinion: Plagiarism as a moral choice: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39840/Opinion_Plagiarism_as_a_moral_choice.php

The Hollywood Projects

An obsessive quest to rank all the movies, one director at a time. Updates weekly.

Andy Kemp is an amazing writer and designer. Besides putting together fun dialogue for games and some of the coolest scripts I have read he also maintains a blog about movies. If you like to to read intelligent, witty and insightful views on film check him out at The Hollywood Projects.

Reality Is Broken: Yup, Sure Is: http://doublebuffered.com/2012/01/15/reality-is-broken-yup-sure-is/

Guest post: Vostu’s insights on retention patterns in social vs. casual games: http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2012/01/16/guest-post-vostus-insights-on-retention-patterns-in-social-vs-casual-games/

Minecraft, Intellectual Property, and the Future of Copyright : http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6591/minecraft_intellectual_property_.php

Commodifying culture:  http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/17/commodifying-culture/

Thank God I’m not gaming in 2003: http://biobreak.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/thank-god-im-not-gaming-in-2003/

Identifying the major families of free-to-play items: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39699/Identifying_the_major_families_of_freetoplay_items.php

The Design of Free-to-Play Games, Part 2: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6592/the_design_of_freetoplay_games_.php

Creating the Conditions for Sustainable Innovation: http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/01/creating-conditions-for-sustainable.html

The Invisible Hand of Super Metroid: http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/HugoBille/20120114/9236/The_Invisible_Hand_of_Super_Metroid.php

Persuasive Games: What is a Game Bundle?: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6595/persuasive_games_what_is_a_game_.php

The Trouble with Typecasting: Starbreeze, Syndicate, and the Future: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6596/the_trouble_with_typecasting_.php

Narrative is not a game mechanic: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/20/narrative-is-not-a-game-mechanic/

The Art and Mind of Casey Dockendorf

Casey Dockendorf is another amazing artist I got to work with. He is a man of many talents. Take a moment to check out his work at his blog The Art and Mind of Casey Dockendorf.

Ken Levine on the Storytelling Craft of BioShock Infinite: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6586/ken_levine_on_the_storytelling_.php

Improving F2P: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/09/improving-f2p/

7 Things To Know About HTML5: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6587/7_things_to_know_about_html5.php

CES: PlayStation’s role in Sony’s big unified entertainment plan: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39559/CES_PlayStations_role_in_Sonys_big_unified_entertainment_plan.php

Vostu: social games with real-time multiplayer more likely to go viral: http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2012/01/10/vostu-social-games-with-real-time-multiplayer-more-likely-to-go-viral/

Tension Maps: A Process for Identifying Low-Risk Design Opportunities: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6436/tension_maps_a_process_for_.php

Interview: What RISK: Factions hopes to do for ‘real’ games on Facebook: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39434/Interview_What_RISK_Factions_hopes_to_do_for_real_games_on_Facebook.php

EverQuest II‘s free-to-play switch spurs 300% jump in new players: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39583/EverQuest_IIs_freetoplay_switch_spurs_300_jump_in_new_players.php

F2P vs subs: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/11/f2p-vs-subs/

Analysis: SOPA and its effect on digital distribution for independent development:  http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39605/Analysis_SOPA_and_its_effect_on_digital_distribution_for_independent_development.php

Ten Tips to Becoming an Indie Game Developer: http://rampantgames.com/blog/?p=3785

Is immersion a core game virtue?: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/13/is-immersion-a-core-game-virtue/

Brandes Stoddard is a game designer and writer of many talents. I have known him for many years and gotten to experience his creativity as a writer and a designer in a variety of ways from table top games, larps, short stories, and having him on my team as a designer. Currently I play in his LARP Dust to Dust which if you are in the Atlanta, Georgia area I recommend checking out. Brandes also has a great blog called Harbinger of Doom where he writes about systems for table top, larps and video games. What I enjoy most is that he gives his thought process into why and how he designs which is really cool. So give him a read and if you get a chance come out and play Dust to Dust.