Managing the Game

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

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

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/

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.

Design documentation that does not get read is as useful to production as masturbation is to reproduction. It can be self satisfying and messy but it doesn’t produce the desired end product.

Here is some links to articles I found interesting in the last two weeks.

RPG Design: Skill-Based Systems: http://rampantgames.com/blog/?p=3726

Marital Observations in a Galaxy Far, Far Away: http://biobreak.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/marital-observations-in-a-galaxy-far-far-away/

A theory about humor in games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39433/Opinion_A_theory_about_humor_in_games.php

Features In, Features Out: http://www.eldergame.com/2011/12/features-in-features-out/

Module-Based RPG Adventure Design in CRPGs: http://rampantgames.com/blog/?p=3728

RPG Design: Staying Classy: http://rampantgames.com/blog/?p=3723

2011’s Most Popular Facebook Games by Genre: Arcade, Casino, Hidden Object, Strategy: http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2011/12/29/2011%E2%80%99s-most-popular-facebook-games-by-genre-arcade-casino-and-hidden-object-games-dominate-strategy-shows-strong/

Dealing With Death: Streamlining The Player Experience: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6580/dealing_with_death_streamlining_.php

Star Wars: TOR Points To ‘Healthy’ MMO Market – Analyst: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39333/Star_Wars_TOR_Points_To_Healthy_MMO_Market__Analyst.php

Good design, Bad design, Great design: http://www.raphkoster.com/2011/12/16/good-design-bad-design-great-design/

When Making Games For Kids, Test Games On Kids!: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/36350/When_Making_Games_For_Kids_Test_Games_On_Kids.php

The Designer’s Notebook: Bad Game Designer, No Twinkie!: XIIhttp://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6577/the_designers_notebook_bad_game_.php

Learning From The Masters: Level Design In The Legend Of Zelda: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6582/learning_from_the_masters_level_.php

Examining Subjective Difficulty: How Plumbers Can Fight Demons: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6583/examining_subjective_difficulty_.php

Making games more cheaply: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/01/04/making-games-more-cheaply/

What the Copycat Saw: Creative Theft in Mobile and Social Games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6584/what_the_copycat_saw_creative_.php

Ideal Self Image and Game Choice: http://www.psychologyofgames.com/2012/01/ideal-self-image-and-game-choice/

Game Development. Cheaper.: http://rampantgames.com/blog/?p=3750

The four lenses of game making: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39516/The_four_lenses_of_game_making.php

I believe with a solid plan, the right leadership and a talented team you never have to sacrifice time, quality or cost.

Had a short but fun stint working at Petroglyph Games as a Senior Game Designer. I got brought in to work on End of Nations right before a restructuring of the company so sadly I am back on the hunt for a job. I enjoyed my time there, learned a lot, and made some great friends.

As of July 23, 2010 Red Dust Studios is closed. Which also means as of July 23, 2010 I am looking for work. I would appreciate any leads for game designer, associate producer or project manager positions in the game industry. Recruiters welcome.