Gamasutra Expert Blogs: From Player Choice To The Importance Of 'Fun' In Social Games

In highlights from Gamasutra's Expert Blogs, industry notables write about diverse topics, including an analysis of player choice, Minecraft's addictive appeal, and why social games need to more earnestly focus on being fun. 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 - Rational Choice Theory, Social Games And Game Design (Michael Fergusson) Taking a look at player behavior, Michael Fergusson explores rationality in player choice, and explains that while players often act in ways that offer the most personal benefit, other situations cause them to make seemingly irrational choices. - Should Indies Go To Conferences? (Alistair Doulin) While game industry conferences often focus on mainstream studios and games, Alistair Doulin outlines several potential benefits indie developers should keep in mind when deciding whether to go to these events. - Minecraft: Claustrophobia On The Frontier (David Hayward) David Hayward explains why Minecraft has captured his attention, and how the game repackages the key essence of social games in an entirely new way. - Eight Lessons Learned In The Japanese Social Game Market (Marcus Kay) After spending some time developing social games for Japanese services, Marcus Kay answers some frequently asked questions about the nature of the Japanese social gaming market. - A Resurgence Of Fun (Coray Seifert) As social network policies change, Coray Seifert argues that social game developers must alter their priorities and focus on creating games that will remain timeless regardless of how social network platforms change in the future.