Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From Making Grinding Fun To Indie Project Reboots

[In highlights from Gamasutra's Expert Blogs, industry notables write about diverse topics, including why grinding can be fun, some lessons learned from indie development, and the implications of switching a project from 3D to 2D.] 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 - Grinding Can Be Fun! (Simon Ludgate) While many argue that grinding in any game is arduous and dull, Simon Ludgate posits that grinding doesn't always have to be a bad thing, and it can actually serve the interests of players looking for a specific kind of experience. - Working From Home Part 2: Staying Motivated (Alistair Doulin) Continuing his discussion on how to successfully work from home, Alistair Doulin outlines several ways to stay motivated throughout a project. - Youngster Lessons (Randy O'Connor) After spending some time as an indie developer, Randy O'Connor offers some advice to others looking to get their start making independent games. - A Classic RPG In Flash: Easier Said Than Done (Brice Morrison) Using Epic Battle Fantasy III as an example, Brice Morrison explains the difficulties of translating genres typically seen on consoles to web-based platforms such as Flash. - Marian: From 3D To 2D (Alexander Holowka) Alexander Holowka provides a detailed account of the development if his indie title Marian, explaining the hardships, as well as the benefits, that came with rebuilding the entire game in 2D.