Picasso’s beret. Mark Twain’s notebook. John Lennon’s glasses. If you’ve ever gazed at a relic once owned by a notable historical figure, you know the feeling that follows: a sense of peering into history, the sum total of your knowledge…
Blog Archives
Virtual Goods and the Loss of Authenticity
Tagged with: critique, f2p, microtransactions, virtual goods, Zelda
Posted in culture, f2p, future, game design
Posted in culture, f2p, future, game design
Capitalism, That Fickle Dungeon Master
The door creaks open ominously. One by one, the adventurers creep into the dungeon as the dank odor of orc breath and raw meat mixes with the outside air. To the right, a long hallway fades into darkness – where…
The Lasers of Renga: Telling Stories with 100 Protagonists
For the New York City game scene, IndieCade East was a milestone. Never before had an event mobilized all the disparate groups in NYC’s game community, gathering academics and students, indie developers, experimental designers and regular people just interested in…
Is the World Ready for Game Criticism?
Maybe 2012 will be the year that games grew up. After all, it was the year that the Smithsonian presented The Art of Video Games, “one of the first exhibitions to explore the forty-year evolution of video games as an…
Preparing for the Next Big Games Controversy
In the wake of national tragedies, games are back in the spotlight as the scapegoat. And while it’s tiresome to once again be on the defense against clueless pundits slinging unwarranted blame in the name of higher ratings, there’s something…
Tagged with: carmack, controversy, game design, oculus rift, virtual reality
Posted in future, game design, press
Posted in future, game design, press
The Importance of Inspiring Tomorrow’s Game Makers
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve had that Christmas morning moment. Unwrapped presents jumbled in a pile, wrapping paper strewn everywhere – and then you spot that last package in the corner, so small you almost missed it. Your…
Tagged with: Angry Birds, Donkey Kong, Mario, Minecraft, wonder, Zelda
Posted in business, future, game design
Posted in business, future, game design
Monsters in the Sky: Facing Jesse Schell’s Nightmare of Over-Gamification
“And what will that world be like? Well, I think it’ll be like this: You’ll get up in the morning to brush your teeth, and the toothbrush can sense that you’re brushing your teeth, and so, hey, good job for…
Tagged with: gamification, Jesse Schell, kickstarter, pokemon, weamon
Posted in future, game design, gamification
Posted in future, game design, gamification
I'm Ben Serviss. I design games for hire and write about game design, narrative and NYC developers. New posts every Thursday.