Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From Digital Rentals To The Benefits Of Metrics

In highlights from Gamasutra's Expert Blogs, industry notables write about diverse topics, including new models for game rentals, the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on selling violent games to minors, and how metrics can aid development. 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 official posting guidelines. Here are the top blogs for the week: This Week's Standout Expert Blogs - Could Digital Rental Be The New Arcade? (Andy Satterthwaite) The iTunes marketplace proves that players are willing to pay for games they know little about if the price is right, and Andy Satterthwaite argues that this model could be used to create a digital rental system that allows users to play games like they would in a traditional arcade. - Why Not More Game Designers From Visual Arts Backgrounds? (Lewis Pulsipher) Lewis Pulsipher wonders why most game designers come from programming backgrounds rather than the visual arts, and suggests that most designers specialize in left-brain, problem solving techniques. - The Game Industry Response In Schwarzenegger V. EMA (Thomas Buscaglia) Attorney Thomas Buscaglia lays out the details on the upcoming Supreme Court case regarding selling violent games to minors, explaining why the ruling will be significant to the industry and the medium at large. - Things I've Learned By Dabbling In Programming (Christopher Totten) Christopher Totten explains the benefits of understanding how to talk to programmers to get the most out of a designer's vision, and how to improve communication within a development team. - Fight Design Bloat With Data (Tadhg Kelly) As games get larger and larger, it becomes harder for developers to tell which features are the most valuable to their audience. Tadhg Kelley argues that by using metrics and other data, developers can hone in on the key features of their game to make better use of their time and resources. [Thanks to Brien King for the image.]