I'm definitely with you, Jenova.

The mainstream game industry still very much subscribes to "big-hit" logic and games as consumer goods. Metrics like # gameplay hours, genre, and graphics tech are often voiced as "product features" because they are easy points to communicate to users and are relatively "sound" investments that merely require additional manpower/cash.

Altogether, it's predictably the path of least resistance.

Thanks for the slides -- I only wish I was at GDC to watch you present them!

I would agree that feature lists are a bad place to start design out at. The first question of design should be "what do I want the player experience to be, in the broadest sense". Once you have that nailed you can try to make specifics that build up to it.

Hi Jenova,
I like your approach to gaming and I agree that tech does not replace a good concept, and the emotions it can create. Your slides certainly raise interest - only the actual speech missing ^_^;
I am contacting you also as I organize a forum on mobile services in Beijing called "Mobile Monday" (www.mobilemonday.cn), and I am planning a session on "mobile games" for next August. Any chance you stop by Beijing at that time ^_^?
Cheers -- Benjamin

Hehe, I don't like Beijing very well. I'm from Shanghai. There will be a good chance that I will be at Shanghai this Winter.

Hi Jenova,

I was wondering if you have had any experience in mobile gaming. I am co-founder of MuZui.com, a social community, based on free mobile games with power-ups and challenges. We have a feature that allows you to make your own mobile games, and we are not talking inserting a picture. We are talking influencing gameplay.

I would love to hear your take on it, especially about the future of mobile gaming, both in Asia and Europe.