Of the many events and conferences within this year’s GDC, I spent a good part of yesterday in the “Casual Games Summit.”

From the runaway success of “Guitar Hero” to the Nintendo Wii’s successes with the elderly, even if you don’t consider yourself a “gamer,” you can’t ignore the growing influence of so-called “casual” games.

During a keynote speech by John Welch of PlayFirst, one of the leading publishers of casual games, the mood was inspirational, with Welch calling on the industry to continue to create innovative content and help raise the profile of games to become “first-tier” entertainment.

Citing a diversity in the types of content that people digest on a daily basis, whether from television, movies, music or books, Welch insisted that games “reflect that diversity,” by offering people a wider range of ways to play.

At the beginning of his speech, Welch noted that there was no concise definition for what makes a casual game. Pointing to the number of ways people play, whether it’s on their cell-phone, through an online application such as Facebook or on their PC, Welch concluded that the “broadened definition means more opportunity” for developers and publishers alike.

But that enthusiasm was tempered with a warning … that the only way to make good on that opportunity is to remain innovative. Instead of simply creating clones of previously successful titles such as “Bejeweled” or “Diner Dash,” producers and developers need to continue to lead the way and innovate.

Welch believes that if developers of so-called “casual” titles continue to find new ways to engage their audience as well as attract new players, that the notion of “casual” games will eventually disappear… giving way for them to transition from the exception to the norm.

- Matt West, CNN Entertainment Producer

This week, I am reporting from the 2008 Game Developers Conference, taking place in San Francisco, California.

Less of a trade show and more of an idea exchange for producers and programmers alike, GDC offers a unique insight into the overall direction of the billion dollar video game industry, where it’s been in the past year, and where it’s headed.

Today being the opening day, the overall vibe is fairly subdued. I’m told that much of the “action” doesn’t usually get underway until mid-week.

When the concept of what the overall theme of the conference might be, Sibel Sunar, a publicist with 47 Communications, which represents the Conference itself says, “the focus of the show could change three times in the next three days.”

That’s not to imply that the GDC is completely lacking focus, but with a range of programs covering nearly every aspect of the gaming space; from hard-core to casual, mobile to massively-multiplayer - it can be hard to boil down the overall “message” of the conference in a single sentence.

Along with attempting to give you a glimpse into what’s next in the industry, I will also be attending several “off-site” demos of new games and hardware that will be making their way to your PCs and consoles in the coming year - and will do my best to bring you as much of that information during the next few days - both here in the SciTech blog and on CNN.com Live in a special edition of “Get Your Game On.”

For more on the conference and the depth of what is expected to be covered, check out the official web-site.

With today being Valentine’s Day, we’ve got what amounts to either great game suggestions for you to win over your sweetie with, or ways to enjoy spending the holiday by yourself …

Jumper (Brash Entertainment)

Based on the sci-fi thriller hitting theaters tomorrow, this action title picks up the story of one of the film’s supporting characters, “Griffin.” As a “jumper,” you use your teleporting powers to enhance your combat skills in this third-person fighting game. “Griffin” is voiced by English actor Jamie Bell, who plays the same role in the movie. Early reviews for the film have been mixed, but impressions of the game have been far more impressive.

(Rated T for Teen; 360, PS2 and Wii)

Lost Odyssey(Mistwalker)

This epic RPG title was developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 by Mistwalker, the studio developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, formerly of Square Enix. Sakaguchi’s experience on the epic “Final Fantasy” series lays the groundwork for a story that plays out on a grand scale. Incredible visuals punctuate the story of the immortal “Kaim,” as players embark on an role-playing adventure to discover his mysterious past - which plays out over the course of 1,000 years. By integrating elements of massively-multiplayer games, “Odyssey” expands the experience of the tradtional RPG with deeper character interaction and strategic decision making.
(Rated M for Mature; 360 exclusive)

Professor Layton and the Curious Village(Nintendo DS exclusive)

This is the North American debut of a wildly popular franchise in Japan. As the puzzle-solving Professor, you and your apprentice “Luke” are off in search of treasure, provided you can solve the mysteries of the “Curious Village.” With 100 puzzles and brain-teasers - the game makes use of the DS’s innovative touch-screen controls - adding a new element of fun to the game play.

(Rated E for Everyone)

- Matt West, CNN Entertainment Producer

He has created some of the most iconic visuals in the history of film. From a giant, ravenous shark to aliens from far away worlds. Now, Academy Award-winning auteur Steven Spielberg is focusing his lens on your video-game console.

EA, the world’s largest producer of video-games, and Spielberg have pulled back the curtain on what marks the debut of the filmmaker’s first ever video-game “BoomBlox.”

Just like his film work, “BoomBlox” promises to be equally ambitious, boasting over 300 levels as well as a cast of over 30 characters.

An exclusive for the Nintendo Wii, “BoomBlox” will allow gamers of every age to play their way through hundreds of challenges and even “remix” levels of the games and then share them with their friends across the WiiConnect network.

An avid gamer himself, Spielberg said in a statement, “my inspiration for this game came while I was playing the Wii for the first time. ” Pointing to the Wii’s innovative control-system, he added “BOOM BLOX plays on the enjoyment of building and knocking down blocks, something that can appeal innately to kids and adults of all ages. “

The game, which was developed at EA’s Los studios in Los Angeles, is set for release in May.

Visit: The Official Site

Posted by: Matt West, CNN Entertainment Producer