The evolution of mobile gaming dominated discussions on day one of the Inside Social Apps conference currently underway in San Francisco.

Twice the size of 2011's event, it saw execs from some of the top Facebook developers including Kabam's Kevin Chou and Playdom's John Spinale, discussing the shift toward mobile platforms.

Here are our top take-aways.

Think connected, cross-platform gaming

More than ever, a gaming experience must expand and extend to fit the many ways people live, play, and stay connected. If the audience likes your game on Facebook, they will also want to play it on mobile.

More than rich graphics or awesome effects, your social game must be social and that means accessible. If it doesn't run on your friend's device, it does you no good.

Burst campaigns are going away

Being in the top 25 on the App Store is no longer the most important method of discovery for mobile games.

Effective marketing is taking a more traditional route, with companies focusing on reaching a qualified audience using tactics such as partnerships, PR, and cross promotions.

HTML5 still not ready for prime time

Although HTML5 is evolving, it doesn't have enough features for mobile developers to invest heavily in the technology. The consensus it that it will be at least 2013 before HTML5 makes mobile development easier and faster.

Branding the App

Companies and brands are looking to the mobile space to reach and interact with audiences in new and exciting ways. Dynamic lifestyle brands such as those in the entertainment and travel sector are best suited for the platform.

Key for developers wanting to tap into this opportunity is to use metrics to show potential companies proven ways to drive engagement.

Make it fun

With more competition and better analytics, developers need to take their time to create quality experiences. The days of the big mobile launch are over.

The new strategy is to start small and build slow, testing every step of the way. It's all about finding the fun sweet spot that creates an emotional experience audiences want to play and pay for.