Gamasutra Feature Articles

Virtual Goods - An Excerpt from Social Game Design: Monetization Methods and Mechanics

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Exactly what defines a successful virtual item? Certain Affinity's Tim Fields and Portalarium's Brandon Cotton examine the different types of items that players buy and why -- taking a look at successful games on the market and exploring players' mindsets.

Principles of an Indie Game Bottom Feeder

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Moving into indie development? Find an underserved niche audience, "accept what you can't change, be as awesome as you can, charge what you're worth, and stand proud on the ocean floor," writes Spiderweb Software's Jeff Vogel.

Postmortem: CyberConnect 2's Solatorobo: Red the Hunter

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500

The director of the cult hit Nintendo DS game Solatorobo: Red the Hunter writes about how the "old game development style" the team pursued for the game resulted in an unusually collaborative team -- and a game with a lot of heart.

Jerked Around by the Magic Circle - Clearing the Air Ten Years Later

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Games studies writers want to slay the mythical Magic Circle Jerk -- a person who espouses an overly formalistic view of play, they suggest. But does this person really exist? Original formulator of the concept, Eric Zimmerman, discusses.