Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From iPhone To Community Funding

Author: by Staff

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. In this set of highlights, industry veterans write in depth about choosing an iPhone game engine, delayed gratification in game design, and the community-funded games debate. This Week's Standout Expert Blogs The +1 Road To Happiness Brenda Brathwaite Design veteran Brenda Brathwaite explores the concept of delayed gratification in game design, and discusses ways to give the player a sense of incremental progress, creating the same sense of urgency as individuals feel with a book they can't put down. An Argument For Community-Funded Games Seth Sivak Seth Sivak feels Gabe Newell's recent suggestion that more game development could be funded by the player community just might work -- he discusses why, and lays out some specific circumstances advisable for developers considering giving this model a try. Ze iPhone Game: Choosing an Engine (Jason Bakker) Although iPhone developer Jason Bakker isn't ready to reveal specific details of his project, he goes in-depth to share insights on the process of selecting an engine, detailing specific considerations in the decision-making process, and thoughts on engines from Unity to Torque2D.