Gamasutra Member Blogs: From Upcoming Indie Jams To Why Size Matters

[In highlights from Gamasutra's Member Blogs, our bloggers write about diverse topics, including the importance of working within a studio's limitations, the latest indie jam events, and why scale matters for character design.] 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 - Slaying The Dragon: Think Small (Dan Felder) Dan Felder explores the reasons why the small size of many indie studios can be an advantage, and why creating a game based on a studio's limited resources can ultimately result in a better product. - The Sound Beneath Our Feet (Xander Markham) Celebrating the small details that help establish a player's suspension of disbelief, Xander Markham takes a look at games that feature visual and aural cues that successfully maintain a cohesive atmosphere and game world. - Game Jams Aplenty (Chris K) Chris K offers a comprehensive list of Indie Jams, hoping to inspire independent developers to put their skills to the test and create a game from scratch over the course of just a few days. - Why The Gamer Isn't Always Right (Eric Schwarz) Catering to the player is important for all developers, but only to an extent; Eric Schwarz explains why developers shouldn't always look to the player and the current market to understand what makes a successful game. - Big And Scary (Anjin Anhut) Asserting that size matters when it comes to game and character design, Anjin Anhut explains why the relative size of the player and his weapons to his adversaries becomes extremely important when conveying a sense of power or strength.