Gamasutra Member Blogs: From The Value Of Winning To Systems Of Implied Complexity

In highlights from Gamasutra's Member Blogs, our bloggers write about diverse topics, including the value of "winning" versus "not losing," the importance of interaction, and the implications of perceiving patterns in random systems. 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. Here are the top member blogs for the week: This Week's Standout Member Blogs - Press X To Not Lose (David Hughes) David Hughes examines the concept of "winning" a game, and suggests that "not losing" may be a preferable condition, since players would avoid the frustration and grief that can accompany "winning" against extremely weighted odds. - Does Your Game Have Story Cake Or Story Frosting? (Brandon Battersby) Likening story in games to frosting on a cake, Brandon Battersy argues that instead of playing a peripheral role in motivating players to progress, story elements in games should be implemented in a way that allows players to interact with and influence the world around them. - The Playing Is The Thing (Ryan Miller) Frustrated by Mike Newell's tirades against games, Ryan Miller explains that in order to truly understand the experiences games can offer, one must embrace the idea that the interactive nature of games is what makes them special. - Engine Hacking Marathon; From Start To Finish (Slade Villena) Slade Villena provides a series of tips to help would-be developers overcome the daunting task of managing unfamiliar technology and finding the motivation to push forward. - Hot Hands, Game Design And Social Games (Michael Fergusson) The concept of "hot hands" relates to how human beings often begin to perceive patterns when none exist; Michael Fergusson applies this theory to social games and examines how implied patterns of uncertainty can engage players in unexpected ways.