Gamasutra Member Blogs: From Tedium To Steam-Powered Libraries

[In highlights from Gamasutra's Member Blogs, our bloggers write about diverse topics, such as steam powered libraries, when fun isn't good enough for your game design, and how Portal 2's music failed.] Member Blogs can be maintained by any registered Gamasutra user, while invitation-only Expert Blogs -- also highlighted weekly -- are written by selected development professionals. We hope that our blog sections can provide useful and interesting viewpoints on our industry. For more information, check out the official posting guidelines. This Week's Standout Member Blogs Soundscapes: The Role Of Music And How Portal 2 Failed (Peter Hasselstrom) Music and sound are important tools in framing player expectations on what is happening in a game. In this article, Peter Hasselstrom explains how Portal 2 did things both right and wrong with its use of audio. In Defense of Tedium: When Fun Isn't Good Enough (Devin Wilson) After participating in his first Ludum Dare this past weekend, Devil Wilson found the general consensus around his game was that it was a clever application of the theme, but it needed to be more fun. However, its thematic strength depends on just how much fun it isn't. Do You Think Video Games Are Worth Saving? (Jon-Paul Dyson) U.S. Senator Tom Coburn thinks video game preservation is a waste of money. Jon-Paul Dyson, director at The Strong's International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG), argues otherwise. Steam-powered Libraries, Anyone? (Philip Minchin) Philip Minchin believes Valve has a major opportunity to make money, grow the gaming market, and help games get more of the respect they deserve – by partnering with public libraries and making it easier for gamers to play. Win-win-win!