• XNA (Microsoft’s game development toolkit for Windows and Xbox 360) live demo was fun, and it seemed fairly easy to get started
• Python is suitable for game development (e.g. OpenGL with pyglet), though with obvious performance limitations
• Agile methodologies would be even more suitable in game development than in traditional IT, but apathy and lacking/flawed feedback loops (publishers and retailers are harmful intermediaries) seem to prevent widespread adoption^[1]
• Open Source is mostly shunned in game development, often due to apathy and ignorance (there are a few positive examples though, like Lua); extreme short-term thinking prevents the realization of FOSS’s long-term benefits; standardization is actively subverted by platform vendors^[2]
• my overall impression is that the gaming industry is pretty messed up, largely because it’s dominated by vendors rather than consumer interests

1. apparently, the gaming industry doesn’t perceive itself as part of the IT industry – while it sits somewhere between traditional IT and the movie/entertainment business, it tends to prefer the latter (which is also reflected in the semantics, e.g. “game studio”)
2. instead of licensing game engines (e.g. Epic Games’ Unreal Engine), why are there no collaborative development efforts – similar to the way Apache now provides a superior alternative to IIS

exhibit A: Mario Kart Wii

1. turn on Wii console
2. confirm health & safety warning
3. from the console’s main menu, select “channel” Mario Kart Wii
4. select Start
5. confirm Wiimote wrist-strap warning
6. confirm Mario Kart Wii portal screen
7. select license (player profile)
8. from the game’s main menu, select game mode (here: Single Player)
9. select race type (here: Grand Prix^[1])
10. select vehicle class (50-150cc, karts and/or bikes)
11. select player character
12. select vehicle
13. select drifting mode (manual/automatic)
14. select cup (tracks)
15. confirm selection

Each of those screens comes with a certain delay due to loading time or animations – why didn’t anybody notice and fix that before the release?

1. Other game modes, e.g. multiplayer races, involve a few additional steps…