This article may contain spoilers for developer Telltale's The Walking Dead, episodes 1 though 3.

Choice systems, generally found in games as the "moral" variety, are a tricky beast. Their inclusion in a series can add to the narrative and make the player feel involved or important within the game universe, giving a sense that his actions have meaning and the story is personalized to him.

It's undoubtedly the reason behind the success of the Mass Effect series, which otherwise would've been considered a fairly standard third-person shooter with relatively high production values.

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Just a quick update: We're up to three episodes now in our new BYOT podcast (which is our old Mobcast, rebooted on GamesBeat). Every other week, we have a different theme, and the guests dictate how we discuss it. Please check them out!

BYOT Episode 1: Gaming’s good, bad, and downright crappy of 2012 (so far)
Guests: GamesBeat writers/editors Dean Takahashi, Sebastian Haley, and Jason Wilson

BYOT Episode 2: The comedians of the gaming world
Guests: Cracked.com/EGM's Seanbaby, former comic Sheila Bryson, and Wackygamer.tv's Jeff Reitman

BYOT Episode 3: The 8-bit era of gaming
Guests: Wired.com's Chris Kohler, Gaijin Games' Alex Neuse, and Kabam's Andy Alamano

Thank you for listening (if in fact, that's what you're doing)!

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The most important thing about a video game’s control scheme is not the controls themselves, it’s the player's relationship to them. If people don't understand how to play a title, they will never get far enough to care.

Upon its release, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings’ inconsistent difficulty received criticism, specifically for the fact that the most challenging fight in the entire experience happens to be the first one. Popular Internet comic Penny Arcade highlights this issue well, "You just have to use abilities they won't discuss and techniques they haven't entirely taught you via controls they never quite explain."

The action role-playing game’s controls are not bad. In fact, I would argue that they are quite good, and they can eventually allow combat to be dynamic, challenging, and enjoyable. As a player, however, I didn't know that I could parry, and I didn't know that I could lock on to an enemy. I didn't even know how to block, and I died more times than I'd like to admit while I slowly discovered what I should have known all along. If a player is set loose into a world without guidance, then the player must have some prior understanding of his capabilities.

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The first trailer for Shin Megami Tensei IV is simply mind-blowing. If it didn't have a perpetual slow-pan away from a Nintendo 3DS screen halfway through it, I don't think many people would immediately realize it was for a handheld.

Atlus plans to release the game in Japan in 2013, but that's as much as I know right now. This trailer was actually leaked and subsequently pulled late last month, likely so it would hit during the 2012 Tokyo Game Show (which starts later this week). 

What I can tell you as a lifelong Shin Megami Tensei fan is that this trailer leaves me with tingles and hope. I might just cry if this doesn't leave Japan. The fact that Atlus did localize Strange Journey for the DS is a good sign, and this looks like the next-gen portable role-playing experience I've been looking for. 

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When I was a kid, I always loved when some real-world annoyance, like my dog whining to go out before she just gives up and pees on the floor, distracted me from my game long enough to trigger an idle animation. Sure, they don't really contribute to gameplay, but these little moments help sell the 8-bit characters' personalities. Just think of Sonic and his classic foot-tapping.

So, if you're looking for something to do, you could do worse than a montage of classic idle animations. Enjoy!

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It’s somewhat fitting that was I was having trouble writing an introduction for a Bitmob Writing Challenge roundup about crafting five different openings for a piece. The beginning of your article sets the tone for the rest of your work, and you are only hurting yourself if you don't put any effort into it. When I read articles as part of my moderator duties on this site, I examine them from beginning to end regardless of how it starts. Few people will feel obligated to do this.

While I wish the turnout could have been better -- maybe I should have only required three unique intros -- we do have two great writers who participated.  Jonathon Oyama is a former Featured Community Writer, while Leigh Harrison is a newer member who has done a great job creating interesting topics that often make the front page of Bitmob or regular Spotlight features.

Please enjoy reading these articles and the two's commentary on their beginning passages.

The agony of victory: Drinking heavily and playing games
By Leigh Harrison

As someone who is lives alcohol-free, I do not support excessive drinking, but playing video games is one of the less-terrible things you can do under the influence. Leigh attempts to exert some fun out of Just Cause 2 using beer, and the writer tries several creative ways to introduce the article’s thesis.

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The Community Spotlight features some of the best unedited articles that didn't quite make the front page. This week, we consider the importance of a game's first impression, consider one gamer's list of the top PS3 games, check out a fan-made model of a 3DS, and more. Join us!

The importance of first impressions
By Trevor Hinkle

Trevor argues that a game's introduction is the key factor in whether he finishes playing through it or not. What entices you to complete a game? Should a first level be the best part?

The top 25 PlayStation 3 games, part 1
By Jason Rose

Jason's taking a stab at listing the best PS3 games in the system's long lifespan. This entry contains his choices from 10 to 25. Take a look and see if you agree. (Personally, I'd put Infamous higher!)

Sweet satisfaction?
By Trevor Hinkle

Having discussed the beginnings of games above, Trevor now tackles endings. He writes: "There are some games that cannot provide a quality ending, often ruining the experience for the player." Have you ever had an enjoyable experience spoiled by a lousy finish?

Nintendo 3DS XL -- 3D model
By Jan Neves

Our 3D artist-in-residence is back with a pretty great computer model of Nintendo's newest handheld. He's even got all that fine print on the back of the device that nobody reads! Nice work, Jan.

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I'm totally hooked on Super Hexagon, the new (incredibly difficult) iOS game from independent designer Terry Cavanagh, of VVVVVV fame. Its bite-sized chunks of hellish action make me want to rip my hair out and grin insanely at the same time.

I don't think I'm selling this very well, but trust me: it's a blast.

And one of my favorite things about the game is its pulsating chiptune soundtrack, created by Northern Ireland's own Chipzel (Niamh Houston). It's great stuff; the only problem is that I keep dying before I have a chance to listen to it straight through.

Fortunately, you can grab the three-song soundtrack from Chipzel's Bandcamp page for just over $3 (or more, if you like). Check out the tracks below and see if they strike your fancy. 

(Oh, and if you think you're hot stuff: My best time is 77:58 seconds. Bring it.)

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Alex Hutchinson, creative director of Assassin's Creed 3, recently went on record as saying, "We're the last of the dinosaurs .... We're still the monster triple-A game with very large teams [and] multiple studios helping out on different bits. There are fewer and fewer of these games being made, especially as the middle has fallen out."

Now, his perspective is obviously biased. I would never call Assassin's Creed 3 the last triple-A title, not even close; however, I look at the world of gaming as a whole and take something into consideration: Can we really keep this up?

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It's that time again! Actually, it's past time. It's almost the middle of the month, and we haven't saluted our best and brightest from August yet! That one's on me, guys. (I blame PAX Prime. And football season.)

Luckily, y'all have been pumping out the good stuff in the meantime. We've got a great Big 10 for you this month, including a Bitmob first: a marriage proposal! Special congrats to the happy couple, and well done to everyone.

Here are the most-read community stories for August 2012:

10. Fan-made media is great, but let's leave it at that by Jordan McCollam

9. The 10 funniest songs from video games by Taylor Stein

8. Music, context, and Mass Effect's Mission Complete screen by Steven Lauterwasser

7. Is the Wii U really a next-gen game console? by Antony Wanjala

6. Does Duke Nukem deserve to exist? by Nathaniel Dziomba

5. A bad Internet connection can make you a great Halo player by Jordan McCollam

4. Smashing your partner's game console is not a solution by Tyffany Davis

3. The Tetris effect: How a game can alter the way you look at life by Ethan Clevenger

2. Gaming and relationships: A pixelated love story by William Harrison

1. 50 games in 2012: #15, Forza Motorsport 4 by Bryden Keks

Do you want to be on next month's list? Here are some tips:

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Once again, we call up the smartest people we know to phone one in!

It's here! Apple, maker of all things good in the universe, finally announced its announcement that we'll soon be able to preorder the iPhone 5! The company even let us look at it first! So Apple's all-powerful and benevolent (except in China, which doesn't count anyway).

Forget the crushing disappointment of nine months ago when it bait-and-switched us with that iPhone 4S crap. The future is here again! So what do you think of the new candy, panel of experts? Best thing ever or even better than that?

"Why can't they do these unnecessarily long and self-important announcements at E3 like decent people?"

- Nathan Drake, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

"Actually, I scratched a few hard corners into the 'S' on my iPhone 4S, so I've had an iPhone 5 for nine months now."

- Samus Aran, Metroid: Other M

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We’ve all seen some of the horrible results that result from high-profile, big-screen video game adaptations.

Many of these movies were either poorly made or have not captured the essence of the games they were based on. Sometimes these films even ignore those titles completely. But, at the same time, many promising game-based films are in development, such as ones based on the Uncharted and Assassin’s Creed franchises.

As long as video games continue to develop and mature as an art form, many of our favorite interactive properties could become great movies ... if they're executed well.

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