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July 29, 2013
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Return triggers: Encouraging free-to-play audiences to come back  
by Gamasutra Community [07.29.13]
"Without a reason" to return to your game, writes free-to-play designer Will Luton, "players float in an abyss, gravitationally drawn to other games." Here, he explains the mechanism to lure them back in.
Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Design
It's Alternative Funding Week on Gamasutra  
by Kris Graft [07.29.13]
You have more options than ever when it comes to funding your game's development. As part of our first themed week, we'll be examining the latest methods in obtaining those funds.
Alternative Funding
Video: A strategic approach to crowdfunding on Kickstarter  
by Staff [07.29.13]
Kickstarter's Cindy Au joins Julie Coniglio of game developer Awkward Hug to discuss advice on creating an effective crowdfunding campaign.
Crowdfunding, Alternative Funding, Console/PC, Social/Online, Indie, Production, Business/Marketing, Video
Building a house for the devil: Designing Guacamelee!'s DLC  
by Gamasutra Community [07.29.13]
How do you go about incorporating downloadable content into an interconnected "Metroidvania" game? DrinkBox Studios' Jason Canam explains how he and his team tackled this interesting challenge.
Console/PC, Indie, Design
Unreal Engine 3, coming to a U.S. Army training sim near you  
by Kris Ligman [07.29.13]
Military contractor Intelligent Decisions has become the latest partner with Epic's Unreal Government Network, licensing the Unreal Engine 3 for use in developing training tools for the U.S. Army.
Console/PC, Serious, Business/Marketing
Boosting your studio by taking advantage of an R&D; tax credit 1
by Gamasutra Community [07.29.13]
We all know there are business tax breaks -- but how do you take advantage of them? Attorney Robert Wornish lays out the logic behind the U.S.' R&D; tax credit.
Alternative Funding, Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Business/Marketing
Apple's smartphone marketshare drops to less than 14 percent 1
by Kris Ligman [07.29.13]
Smartphones shipped a record-breaking 230 million units globally in the last three months, but the iPhone is continuing to cede territory from Samsung, dropping to less than 14 percent marketshare.
Smartphone/Tablet, Business/Marketing
Blog: Will you make the Honey Boo Boo of games, or The Wire? 2
by Gamasutra Community [07.29.13]
Consider whether your game will be enriching for players, or a guilty pleasure. Developer E McNeill ponders whether games should be "enriching" or not, and what that means.
Console/PC, Indie, Design
The real costs of being an indie developer 6
by Gamasutra Community [07.29.13]
Many indies think "enough to cover my cost of living" is enough. But there are plenty of hidden expenses you need to keep in mind when budgeting for game development, as this blog reveals.
Alternative Funding, Indie, Business/Marketing
Q&A;: Learning from Shadowrun Returns' Kickstarter success Exclusive 11
by Kris Graft [07.29.13]
Shadowrun Returns was the highest-pressure game of Jordan Weisman's long career. Here's how he was able to pull it off successfully, and how you might be able to do the same.
Crowdfunding, Alternative Funding, Console/PC, Production, Business/Marketing, Exclusive
Developer: Self-publishing set to come to Xbox 360 next month 1
by Kris Ligman [07.27.13]
It appears that in addition to self-publishing coming to Microsoft's Xbox One, the outgoing Xbox 360 will also accommodate self-publishing through Xbox Live Arcade, as early as next month.
Console/PC, Indie, Business/Marketing
Get a job: Spin Master is seeking a monetization analyst 3
by Kris Ligman [07.26.13]
Los Angeles-based children's entertainment company Spin Master Inc is searching for a monetization analyst using "both economic and psychological best practices."
Social/Online, Business/Marketing, Recruitment
World of Warcraft continues to hemorrhage players 26
by Kris Ligman [07.26.13]
Buried within Activision Blizzard's press release announcing its split from Vivendi, the company revealed that World of Warcraft subscribers continue to dwindle, dropping down to 7.7M worldwide.
Social/Online, Design
Warren Spector: Who forgot the 'role' in Role-Playing Games? GDMag Exclusive 13
by Warren Spector [07.26.13]
In this reprint from the September 1998 issue of Game Developer magazine, famed Deus Ex creator Warren Spector envisions a sandbox future where roleplaying takes center stage.
GD Mag, Design, GD Mag Exclusive
73 percent of Ouya owners haven't bought a thing 33
by Kris Ligman [07.26.13]
In an interview with The Verge, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman shares that only 27 percent of users are buying games for the console -- and the games that do sell aren't exactly making a killing.
Console/PC, Smartphone/Tablet, Design, Business/Marketing
Is there such a thing as too much transparency with players? 6
by Kris Ligman [07.26.13]
Capcom employee Greg "GregaMan" Moore delivers his take on 2011's cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3 -- but also raises certain questions about the amount of transparency between developers and fans.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Production, Business/Marketing
Building a quality of life-driven studio 10
by Gamasutra Community [07.26.13]
Making sure a studio provides the right kind of work/life balance and healthy environment isn't simple. Amir Ebrahimi writes about what he's doing to bring it about at his new company.
Console/PC, Indie, Business/Marketing
Humble Bundle responsible for over half of Sword & Sworcery sales 4
by Kris Ligman [07.26.13]
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP debuted on iOS in 2011 before going multiplatform the following year. Here, the developers have produced a new infographic detailing the game's success to date.
Indie, Business/Marketing
Blog: Don't believe the hype - the charts lie 41
by Gamasutra Community [07.26.13]
For all of the success of The Last of Us, it will be far from the biggest game of 2013, argues Paul Johnson -- who says that the real best-selling games don't get recognized.
Console/PC, Smartphone/Tablet, Business/Marketing
Papo & Yo, Unity, analytics talks added to GDC China 2013  
by Staff [07.26.13]
First lecture selections of the September event in Shanghai will include multiplatform dev tips with Unity, predictive analytics for online players, and the emotional journey in Papo & Yo.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Programming, Design, Production, Business/Marketing