Managing the Game

David Jaffe and the Language of Interactivity:  http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6704/david_jaffe_and_the_language_of_.php

Don’t Let the Pebbles Cover the Rocks: http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/02/dont-let-pebbles-cover-rocks.html

Clones… clones everywhere!: http://psychochild.org/?p=1122

Tearing Down Barriers: How to Bring MMO Players Together: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6710/tearing_down_barriers_how_to_.php

Opinion: The principles of game monetization: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/40316/Opinion_The_principles_of_game_monetization.php

Will Tablet Game Quality Soon Leapfrog Consoles?:  http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6711/will_tablet_game_quality_soon_.php

A One Man Board Game Buyer’s Guide (Part II): http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=104

What Makes Social Games Social?: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6735/what_makes_social_games_social.php

“Making of UO” articles at MMORPG.com: http://www.raphkoster.com/2012/02/17/making-of-uo-articles-at-mmorpg-com/

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/

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