Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From Complex Genres To Simulated Co-op

[In highlights from Gamasutra's Expert Blogs, industry notables write about diverse topics, including the complex definition of a "role-playing" game, and how an AI-controlled character could simulate multiplayer co-op.] 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 latest official posting guidelines. Here are the top blogs for the week: This Week's Standout Expert Blogs - RPGs And Suckage (Lars Doucet) Lars Doucet examines the convoluted definition of a "role-playing" game, explaining how certain long-standing expectations make it difficult to please long-time fans of the genre. - The Performance Of Play (Jason VandenBerghe) Jason VandenBerghe reflects upon Brian Moriarty's GDC talk on "Games as Art," noting how games may not, in fact, qualify as art, but the performance of play very well could. - Through The Looking Glass Part II: Ubiquitous Social Gaming (Christopher Totten) In part two of his piece on the Nintendo 3DS, Christopher Totten looks at the social features of the handheld and how they open up new opportunities for player-to-player interaction. - Thinking About Elizabeth: Part 1 (Taekwan Kim) Speculating on the role of Elizabeth in Irrational Games' upcoming Bioshock Infinite, Taekwan Kim considers how to make an AI-controlled character simulate the experience of playing multiplayer co-op.