Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From Cooking And StarCraft To Secrets And Easter Eggs

In highlights from Gamasutra's Expert Blogs, industry notables write about diverse topics, including why StarCraft is like cooking, the implications of an international virtual currency, and successful game secrets. 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 official posting guidelines. Here are the top blogs for the week: This Week's Standout Expert Blogs - Zerg Rushing Bobby Flay (Joel McDonald) While games like Cooking Mama hope to vaguely replicate the act of cooking through simple mini-games, Joel McDonald argues that StarCraft 2 puts demands on the player that resemble cooking more than any game dedicated to the craft. - A Double Edged Sword (James Steele) Although pleased to be working at a large company in the industry, James Steele notes that his inability to respond to inaccurate statements from users or the press can be very frustrating. - Facebook Credits And The Next Generation Of Virtual Currency (Jas Purewal) Jas Purewal discusses the evolution of Facebook Credits and the potential for an international virtual currency, and what effects it would have on the worldwide economy. - Why School Wasn't Right For Me (Tyler Glaiel) Tyler Glaiel provides his own story of how he got into independende game development, and why dropping out of school was the right decision given his unusual circumstances. - How to Do Hidden in Games (Matt Christian) Matt Christian takes a look at how to implement hidden items and locations in games, citing games that get it right, and those that miss the mark.