CiteULike: jonas28's gamedesign

Knowledge-gathering agents in adventure games

B Hlubocky — 2006-10-30T18:26:41-00:00

(2004)

Computer text-based adventure games are virtual worlds in which humans or artificial agents act towards a specified goal through a text-based interface. In this paper we describe progress towards an agent that can interact with a game world in a human-like fashion. Precisely, we present the first accurate knowledge-gathering software agent that can track the state of the world in a textbased adventure game. This is nontrivial because such games are characterized by large, partially observable...

Persuasive Games: The Expressive Power of Videogames

Ian Bogost — 2007-08-18T03:16:57-00:00

(01 July 2007)

Videogames are both an expressive medium and a persuasive medium; they represent how real and imagined systems work, and they invite players to interact with those systems and form judgments about them. In this innovative analysis, Ian Bogost examines the way videogames mount arguments and influence players. Drawing on the 2,500-year history of rhetoric, the study of persuasive expression, Bogost analyzes rhetoric's unique function in software in general and videogames in particular. The field of media studies already analyzes visual rhetoric, the art of using imagery and visual representation persuasively. Bogost argues that videogames, thanks to their basic representational mode of procedurality (rule-based representations and interactions), open a new domain for persuasion; they realize a new form of rhetoric. Bogost calls this new form "procedural rhetoric," a type of rhetoric tied to the core affordances of computers: running processes and executing rule-based symbolic manipulation. He argues further that videogames have a unique persuasive power that goes beyond other forms of computational persuasion. Not only can videogames support existing social and cultural positions, but they can also disrupt and change those positions, leading to potentially significant long-term social change. Bogost looks at three areas in which videogame persuasion has already taken form and shows considerable potential: politics, advertising, and education. Bogost is both an academic researcher and a videogame designer, and Persuasive Games reflects both theoretical and game-design goals.

Kompetenzförderliche Potenziale populärer Computerspiele

Christa Gebel — 2007-09-28T18:16:23-00:00

(2004)

Developing Serious Games (Game Development Series)

Bryan Bergeron — 2007-07-01T06:38:21-00:00

(10 January 2006)

With the impressive growth the games industry has enjoyed for the past decade, game developers, educators, and marketing firms are excitedly envisioning serious games applications for computer game technologies. These applications- serious games- represent opportunities for game developers to apply their talents to areas outside of the entertainment industry. Developing Serious Games is a practical handbook that details what's involved in developing these serious games. It explores the emergence of serious games as a viable niche in the multi-billion dollar gaming industry, and it covers the various types of serious games, including military, academic, medical, and training & development. From there it continues with a discussion of the enabling technology trends, emerging standards, and the tools that promise to reinforce the current trajectory of development and user demand for serious games. The second half of the book emphasizes the economic realities of the serious games industry, including and evaluation of the market, the economic potential of the space, and the customer base. The book culminates with a serious game design document that illustrates the important differences between entertainment games and serious games. It also provides a look to the future of serious gaming from a developer's perspective. The book is written for students, established game developers, and professionals in related fields, such as modeling and simulation or instructional design, who are skilled in training with traditional approaches and tools. It is also applicable to programmers, graphic artists, and management contemplating or involved in the development of serious games.

Massively Multiplayer Game Development 2 (Game Development)

Thor Alexander — 2007-06-17T20:55:40-00:00

(28 February 2005)

As the MMP game market continues to grow, new challenges and technology hurdles constantly emerge. Massively Multiplayer Game Development 2 is an all new volume in this successful series written to address the challenges faced by the entire MMP development team, not just the programmers. The articles include a wealth of unique knowledge acquired through the experiences of some of the online game industry?s best and brightest developers. These developers have worked on the most successful and anticipated MMP games, such as EverQuest, Ultima Online, The Sims Online, Second Life, Asheron?s Call, Star Wars Galaxies, and more. Programmers will find a wide array of technical tips and techniques throughout the collection, while designers and producers will find numerous articles filled with readable, informative insights to successful MMP design, along with time and costsaving production methods. Most of the articles are self-contained so they can be read in any order. There is also a companion Web site that will be updated frequently with development news and commentary from the biggest names in online game development. This collection will provide the entire team with ready-to-use techniques and innovative methods for solving all of your MMP challenges.

The Game Programmer's Guide to Torque: Under the Hood of the Torque Game Engine (GarageGames)

Edward Maurina — 2007-06-17T20:55:17-00:00

(28 March 2006)

The author takes readers on an in-depth walkthrough of the Torque Game Engine—one of the most popular, powerful, and easy to use game engines available today. With clear explanations of how to use Torque to create your own games and detailed discussions of the engine's inner workings, this book is a must read for any programmer interested in making games for fun or profit. It offers * Step-by-step examples, * Detailed system descriptions, * In-depth references, * Practical tips, tricks, and more that will provide readers all they need to understand the Torque Game Engine.

Secrets of the Game Business (Game Development) (Game Development)

Francois Laramee — 2007-06-17T20:53:48-00:00

(26 April 2005)

Secrets of the Game Business, Second Edition unveils the inner workings of the flashy, but very serious game development and publishing industry. If you are thinking about creating a game development company, want your existing company to prosper for a long time, or just want to understand how and why the business evolved to its current dynamics, you have come to the right place. This new edition is a compilation of the wisdom of dozens of industry insiders, publishing executives, veteran producers, independent studio owners, and writers. The book includes several new articles, and has been reorganized and updated to thoroughly cover the current state of the industry. With the insights provided throughout the book, you?ll have a solid understanding of the business and find valuable ideas to get you started in the business or improve your own company.

Game Plan: The Insider's Guide to Breaking In and Succeeding in the Computer and Video Game Business

Alan Gershenfeld — 2007-06-17T20:53:05-00:00

(05 May 2003)

The video game industry is hot and becoming more and more popular every year. -One of the fastest growing entertainment industries (even larger than film!) -Over 50,000 people in the U.S. alone are employed by interactive gaming companies -Video gaming makes more than six billion dollars in annual revenue. Game Plan-the only insiders guide to the video game bus-iness-reveals how to break in, survive, and produce video games for successful game companies. Industry insiders Gershenfeld, Loparco, and Barajas take readers on a journey from game conception to pre-production to launch and behind the scenes to detail everything from job types to assessing skills to getting a foot in the door. With Game Plan, getting a job in the gaming industry has never been simpler!

Konstruktivistisches Potenzial in Lernanwendungen mit spielerischen und narrativen Elementen

Wey-Han Tan — 2007-06-14T12:53:00-00:00

(2006)

Gamer Theory

Mckenzie Wark — 2007-05-07T18:54:17-00:00

(30 April 2007)

 Author Interview Podcast McKenzie Wark speaks about his new book in a feature hosted and produced by Heron & Crane (right-click or option-click to download the 8 min., 7.5mb MP3 file). Ever get the feeling that life's a game with changing rules and no clear sides, one you are compelled to play yet cannot win? Welcome to gamespace. Gamespace is where and how we live today. It is everywhere and nowhere: the main chance, the best shot, the big leagues, the only game in town. In a world thus configured, McKenzie Wark contends, digital computer games are the emergent cultural form of the times. Where others argue obsessively over violence in games, Wark approaches them as a utopian version of the world in which we actually live. Playing against the machine on a game console, we enjoy the only truly level playing field--where we get ahead on our strengths or not at all. Gamer Theory uncovers the significance of games in the gap between the near-perfection of actual games and the highly imperfect gamespace of everyday life in the rat race of free-market society. The book depicts a world becoming an inescapable series of less and less perfect games. This world gives rise to a new persona. In place of the subject or citizen stands the gamer. As all previous such personae had their breviaries and manuals, Gamer Theory seeks to offer guidance for thinking within this new character. Neither a strategy guide nor a cheat sheet for improving one's score or skills, the book is instead a primer in thinking about a world made over as a gamespace, recast as an imperfect copy of the game.

Designing 3D Games That Sell! (Graphics Series)

Luke Ahearn — 2007-05-01T12:24:15-00:00

(22 May 2002)

Aspiring game developers need to know how to develop a game that will "really" get published. They need step-by-step instructions on how to conceptualize, design, and develop a saleable game, and that's what they'll find here. Written by the developer of Dead Reckoning and Sorcerer, this book teaches developers how to approach game design from the product design viewpoint. Instead of creating a game and then trying to get it published, they'll learn how to look at their game from the publisher and consumer perspective first. What does a game need to make it publishable? What will make it enticing to the target audience? All of these questions will be answered beginning with the brain storming, market research, and team building stages and then moving to the design, creation, and documentation phases. Plus all of the tools needed to create a game are included on the CD.

Indie Game Development Survival Guide (Game Development Series)

David Michael — 2007-05-01T12:22:17-00:00

(18 August 2003)

The games industry has exploded into a multibillion industry with blockbuster games that sell millions of copies. This phenomenal success has established a huge market and created the opportunity for independent developers to create and sell their own games. Do you have an innovative game idea you'd like to develop for this market, but aren't sure how to get started? If so, The Indie Game Development Survival Guide will show you how. Beginning with insightful guidelines for developing a truly unique idea, you'll learn everything you need to consider when publishing a small-to-no-budget game. Details on how to design, plan, schedule, develop, and test your game are explored in depth. Choosing the best technology for the job is also covered, along with team management tips for setting up and managing a team, even if it's just you and one other person. Once you've worked through these important stages, you'll discover new and innovative ways to use the Internet to market, test, and deliver your game, including details on successful selling methods Whether you are a programmer, artist, sound engineer, or game enthusiast, this is the one resource you'll need to get started as an independent developer.

AI Techniques for Game Programming (The Premier Press Game Development Series)

Mat Buckland — 2007-05-01T12:20:26-00:00

(14 October 2002)

"AI Techniques for Game Programming" takes the difficult topics of genetic algorithms and neural networks and explains them in plain English. Gone are the tortuous mathematic equations and abstract examples to be found in other books. Each chapter takes you through the theory a step at a time, explaining clearly how you can incorporate each technique into your own games. After a whirlwind tour of Windows programming, you will learn how to use genetic algorithms for optimization, path-finding, and evolving control sequences for your game agents. Coverage of neural network basics quickly advances to evolving neural motion controllers for your game agents and applying neural networks to obstacle avoidance and map exploration. Backpropagation and pattern recognition is also explained. By the time you?re done, you?ll know how to train a network to recognize mouse gestures and how to use state-of-the-art techniques for creating neural networks with dynamic topologies.

Artificial Intelligence For Computer Games: An Introduction

John Funge — 2007-05-01T12:17:47-00:00

(29 July 2004)

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in computer games. The author concentrates on the techniques and strategies for developing efficient AI engines for gaming applications. Building on fundamental principles of artificial intelligence, the author explains how to create nonplayer characters (NPCs) with progressively more sophisticated capabilities. Starting with the basic capability of acting in the game world, the book explains how to develop NPCs who can perceive, remember what they perceive, and then to continue in the game play to think about the effects of possible actions and finally to learn from their experience. The author considers the system architecture and explains how to implement potential behaviors (both reactive and deliberate) for intelligent and responsive NPCs allowing for games that are more fun and engaging.

Game Design zweite Ausgabe . Die Geheimnisse der Profis

Marc Saltzman — 2007-05-01T12:11:03-00:00

(15 August 2000)

Game Level Design (Game Development Series)

Ed Byrne — 2007-04-29T11:10:16-00:00

(21 December 2004)

As a level designer in the game industry you can determine exactly what the player sees, hears, and feels in the game. The reward of seeing your game on a store shelf or hearing people talk about one of your levels is an incredibly fulfilling experience. If this is a path you want to take, Game Level Design will show you the way.This book is about the fundamentals of level design: it teaches you common procedures for designing, drafting, and creating interactive environments for games. It explains what level design is, where it came from, and, most important, how to plan, design, and construct levels professionally for modern-day computer and video games. Throughout the book, practical explanations and demonstrations use the basic, advanced, and real-world techniques needed to create game levels for hit titles. It also uses historical examples, interviews with outstanding level designers, and a focus on professional level design, to teach game developers of all levels, from amateur ?mod? mappers to seasoned multi-title veterans, how to implement these techniques into your own projects. Although the content in the book uses many examples from popular genres, such as first-person shooters (FPS), action adventures, and real-time strategy (RTS) games, the approach is designed to teach level design as a genre- and platform-independent craft. All games need to take place in environments, and by extension, the rules of level design apply to all games to some degree, so with the skills and techniques you learn here, you?ll be ready for any level challenge.

Level Design for Games: Creating Compelling Game Experiences (New Riders Games)

Phil Co — 2007-04-29T11:09:50-00:00

(08 February 2006)

At the heart of any great computer game are expertly designed levels: the locales and stages that define gameplay. And at the core of any strong game development team are the level designers: the people who create the spaces and environments that you move through while playing the game. And because level design doesn’t require a fine arts or programming degree, it’s one of the best avenues into a career in game development. Level Design for Games: Creating Compelling Game Experiences is the definitive guide to level design, both for aspiring game developers, and for industry pros looking for practical, best-practice tips and advice. With over ten years of experience with some of the industry’s top developers, Phil Co starts the reader at the very beginning of the game development process, explaining the level designer’s role in the all-important preproduction phase. Co then moves into the production phase, using a fictional level to demonstrate how to create and refine your level. Packed with screenshots, diagrams, and real-world examples, this book gives you all the tools you need to build your own professional-grade level, including level narratives, descriptions, diagrams, and templates. Chapter assignments help you practice what you’ve learned, and the demo of Epic’s UnrealEngine2 Editor (UnrealEd), included on the companion CD-ROM, gives you hands-on experience with an industry-standard tool. Phil Co has a degree in architecture from the University of Virginia but opted instead for a career in video games. Starting out as a tester at SEGA, he’s been a level designer since 1996 for some of the best-regarded game developers in the industry, including Cyclone Studios, Blizzard, and Valve Software, makers of the hugely popular “Half-Life” series. Phil lives in Seattle with his wife and son. “Anyone interested in a level design career should read this book. Phil does an excellent job covering all the aspects of level design across several game genres.” —Rob Pardo, Vice President of Game Design, Blizzard Entertainment “An indispensable guide to the theory, process, and practice of level design.” —Robin Walker, Designer, Valve Software “This book contains a wealth of valuable information for anyone interested in Level Design. It is one of the few books I would recommend to my gaming students.” —Todd Robinson, Game Design Instructor, Academy of Art University, San Francisco

Simulations and the Future of Learning : An Innovative (and Perhaps Revolutionary) Approach to e-Learning

Clark Aldrich — 2005-12-21T01:43:43-00:00

(11 September 2003)

Simulations and the Future of Learning offers trainers and educators the information and perspective they need to understand, design, build, and deploy computer simulations for this generation. Looking back on his recent first-hand experience as lead designer for an advanced leadership development simulation, author Clark Aldrich has created a detailed case study of the creation and deployment of an e-learning simulation that had the development cycle of a modern computer game. With this book Aldrich, a leader in the e-learning field, has created an intriguing roadmap for the future of learning while taking us along on an entertaining rollercoaster ride of trial and error, success and failure. Simulations and the Future of Learning outlines the design principles and critical decisions around any simulation's components— the interface, the physics and animation systems, the artificial intelligence, and sets and figures. Using this accessible resource, readers will learn how to create and evaluate successful simulations that have the following characteristics: authentic and relevant scenarios; applied pressure situations that tap user's emotion and force them to act; a sense of unrestricted options; and replayability.

Story and Simulations for Serious Games: Tales from the Trenches

Nicholas Iuppa — 2007-04-28T12:44:55-00:00

(15 November 2006)

How to create a simulation where participants have a sense of freedom and personal control while still maintaining the structure necessary for an effective story is a difficult task indeed. This book examines how to create an engaging, effective story (necessary to teach participants), while relating practical considerations of building a simulation. It also looks at stories as classic ways of teaching and gathering knowledge and considers other theories of interactive narrative design such as synthetic story creation and management and participant-generated story experiences. It also discusses enabling technologies in artificial intelligence, synthetic characters design and development, speech recognition technology, 3D modelling, and the future of story-driven games. Story Driven Simulations reviews the existing efforts in this field as well as focusing on the recent efforts of Paramount Pictures and The Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California, where this expert author team created successful simulations for the U.S. Army, Department of Defense, as well as other educational simulations. *Learn to create a new kind of gaming experience that will broaden the audience for entertainment games and simulations by engaging game users at an emotional rather than a purely visceral level. *Learn to engage players in more memorable, effective experiences that can deal with far more complex and demanding skills such as management, leadership and crisis decision-making. *Features a unique mix of theory and application providing practical advice using real-world examples from recent military research and development projects

Nonlinear Editing: Storytelling, Aesthetics, & Craft

Bryce Button — 2007-04-16T18:56:03-00:00

(05 October 2002)

The art of editing in a nonlinear mode cannot be gleaned from software application manuals. This book is designed to convey the artistic considerations and techniques that both new and experienced editors need to employ in editing digital stock. Readers learn the importance of timing, emotion, and art in assembling a cohesive project that tells a story with the appropriate flow and pace. Each chapter features interviews with professionals and exercises relevant to the subject matter under discussion. Nonlinear Editing is chock full of provocative ideas, insights, resources, tools, and exercises that will inspire you to making better decisions in the edit bay and in your career. For editors, directors, producers, and screenwriters.

Gegenwart und Zukunft der Computer- und Videospielindustrie in Deutschland

Jörg Müller-Lietzkow — 2007-04-11T16:31:55-00:00

Beginning Game Level Design (Premier Press Game Development (Paperback))

John Feil — 2007-02-08T07:29:12-00:00

(18 February 2005)

Get ready to conquer the basics of building a strong level or mod for your games. "Beginning Game Level Design" covers everything from putting your ideas down on paper, to creating spaces and architecture, through placing units and scripting their behavior. You?ll cover each important area of expertise that goes into creating a great level. As you cover each new topic, use the end-of-chapter projects to test your newfound skills. "Beginning Game Level Design" gives you a step-by-step look into the tasks a successful designer goes through in order to create levels that keep players coming back for more.

Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide

Jessica Mulligan — 2005-12-06T17:58:50-00:00

(07 March 2003)

A soup-to-nuts overview of just what it takes to successfully design, develop and manage an online game. Learn from the top two online game developers through the real-world successes and mistakes not known to others. There are Case studies from 10+ industry leaders, including Raph Koster, J. Baron, R. Bartle, D. Schubert, A. Macris, and more! Covers all types of online games: Retail Hybrids, Persistent Worlds, and console games. Developing Online Games provides insight into designing, developing and managing online games that is available nowhere else. Online game programming guru Jessica Mulligan and seasoned exec Bridgette Patrovsky provide insights into the industry that will allow others entering this market to avoid the mistakes of the past. In addition to their own experiences, the authors provide interviews, insight and anecdotes from over twenty of the most well-known and experienced online game insiders. The book includes case studies of the successes and failures of today's most well-known online games. There is also a special section for senior executives on how to budget an online game and how to assemble the right development and management teams. The book ends with a look at the future of online gaming: not only online console gaming (Xbox Online, Playstation 2), but the emerging mobile device game market (cell phones, wireless, PDA).

Designing Virtual Worlds

Richard Bartle — 2005-12-06T17:57:28-00:00

(15 July 2003)

Designing Virtual Worlds is the most comprehensive treatment of virtual worlddesign to-date from one of the true pioneers and most sought-after design consultants. It's a tour de force of VW design, stunning in intellectual scope, spanning the literary,economic, sociological, psychological, physical, technological, and ethicalunderpinnings of design, while providing the reader with a deep, well-grounded understanding of VW design principles. It covers everything from MUDs to MOOs to MMORPGs, from text-based to graphical VWs.Designing Virtual Worlds brings a rich, well-developed approach to the designconcepts behind virtual worlds. It is grounded in the earliest approaches to such designs, but the examples discussed in the book run the gamut from the earliest MUDs to the present-day MMORPG games mentioned above. It teaches the reader the actual, underlying design principles that many designers do not understand when they borrow or build from previous games. There is no other design book on the market in the area of online games and virtual worlds that provides the rich detail, historical context, and conceptual depth ofDesigning Virtual Worlds.

Storytelling in Single Player Action Computer Games

Wilhelm Österberg — 2007-02-02T18:45:35-00:00

gamecareerguide.com (2006)

Creating the Art of the Game (New Riders Games)

Matthew Omernick — 2007-01-23T11:40:07-00:00

(23 March 2004)

The key word here is art: the dynamic 3D art that defines the world of computer games. This book teaches you everything you need to know about the planning, modeling, texturing, lighting, effects creation, and interface design that go into creating today's most advanced and stunning video games. You'll be learning from a master-veteran 3D artist and instructor Matthew Omernick-as you progress through the carefully chosen, software-agnostic tutorials that make up this beautiful, full-color volume. The end result will be skills you can apply to whatever 3D tool you choose and whatever wildly imaginative game you can think up. Through a unique combination of explanation, tutorials, and real world documentation-including discussions of the creative process entailed in some of today's most popular games augmented by screen captures and descriptions--you'll quickly come to understand the workflow, tools, and techniques required to be a successful game artist. In addition to learning the ropes of game art, you'll also find in depth tutorials and techniques that apply to all aspects of 3D graphics. Whether you are using Photoshop, 3ds max, Maya, or any other computer graphics software, you'll find a wealth of information that you can continue to come back to time and time again.

Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games

Tracy Fullerton — 2006-02-06T09:43:07-00:00

(01 February 2004)

Master the craft of game design so you can create that elusive combination of challenge, competition, and interaction that players seek. This design workshop begins with an examination of the fundamental elements of game design; then puts you to work in prototyping, playtesting, and redesigning your own games with exercises that teach essential design skills. Workshop exercises require no background in programming or artwork, releasing you from the intricacies of electronic game production, so you can develop a working understanding of the essentials of game design. The ideas and exercises in this Game Design Workshop answer the questions asked by every aspiring game designer: How do I learn to design games? What skills do I need to become a professional game designer? Game design is demystified with a clear, accessible analysis of the formal and dramatic systems of game design. Examples, illustrations, and exercises strengthen your understanding of what makes game systems function; and teach you the skills and tools that you need to create a compelling game. Refined over a number of years, this workshop curriculum has provided the foundation for hundreds of careers in all areas of the game industry including game design, producing, programming, visual design, quality assurance, and marketing. This guide to the language and business of game design will help anyone pursuing a career in the industry.

Barnga, 25th Anniversary Edition: A Simulation Game on Cultural Clashes

Sivasailam Thiagarakan — 2007-01-23T11:36:21-00:00

(15 May 2006)

Digital Storytelling : A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment

Carolyn Miller — 2005-05-14T20:43:05-00:00

(05 August 2004)

Chris Crawford on Interactive Storytelling

Chris Crawford — 2005-05-14T20:37:09-00:00

(06 October 2004)

The Dark Side of Game Texturing

David Franson — 2007-01-23T11:29:24-00:00

(23 March 2004)

Charred ruins, bullet holes, rusted metal?if you ?re a fan of 3D first-person-shooter games, then you ?re familiar with those amazing, ominous textures that draw you into your character?s surroundings. Get ready to analyze?and re-create?the textures and graphics used in these games. All you need is a decent PC, Photoshop, and a digital camera. Once you learn how to create the textures within this book, you can create any texture for any game. Not a born artist? That?s okay. You?ll learn how to let Photoshop do most of the work. Begin with texturing basics, including pixel sizes, color modes, and alpha channels. Then jump right into hearty texture tutorials as you create everything from sci-fi backgrounds and molten lava to medieval castle walls and dragon skin. If you?re ready to travel to the grim back alleys of your imagination, then you?re ready for "The Dark Side of Game Texturing".

Director MX 2004 Games: Game Development with Director

Nik Lever — 2007-01-23T11:28:43-00:00

(29 October 2004)

Nik Lever guides designers, animators and web developers through the art, animation and programming skills needed to produce games in Director for Internet, CD or DVD distribution. He moves from the introductory coverage of Lingo with explanations of how easily Director's programming language can be mastered, on to more advanced tips and tricks, including coverage of the Havok physics simulation system and 3D maths. All of this is presented in a non-technical language from the artist's viewpoint, written by a professional who makes his living designing successful games with this versatile package. The free CD-Rom includes all the code and files you need to try out the tutorials and see exactly how each game was created. The website that accompanies the book www.niklever.net provides even more information to ensure you stay up to date with the latest technologies in this field. * Benefit from the experience of a successful games designer whose Director sites regularly get 20,000+ hits per day * Explained by an artist for artists so you can see how to make Lingo work for your own games development * Includes valuable extra coverage of how Director integrates with Flash MX

3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop

Luke Ahearn — 2007-01-23T11:27:57-00:00

(21 February 2006)

Game artists, architects, simulation developers, web designers and enthusiasts alike can learn to create everything from bricks to books in Photoshop with this step-by-step instructional guide. Because texture is 99% of what a gamer sees when playing, this topic deserves considerable coverage but has gotten little attention. Unlike anything on the market, this book is the first of its kind to provide an in-depth guide to game texturing with hundreds of high-quality examples. This guide teaches everything a game artist will need to know-from researching textures, basic artistic principles, tools and techniques, to specific step-by-step tutorials that explain how to create textures for a myriad of environments. The goal of this book is to give the reader a guide that will actually help them secure a job as a developer/artisteven providing them with images created using the tutorials that can be used in a portfolio. * Learn everything you need to create stunning, professional textures from one easy to follow guide which features tutorials and over 500 high-quality images * Follow the step-by-step tutorials to learn how to create suitable images which you can add to your portfolio and WOW prospective employers * Companion CD includes sample textures and electronic versions of images you saw in the bookall the tools you need in one place! * Hit the ground running or get a leg up on the competition with the tips, tricks, and real world examples featured in this comprehensive guide

Chris Crawford on Game Design

Chris Crawford — 2005-05-14T20:36:19-00:00

(18 June 2003)

Patterns in Game Design (Game Development Series) (Game Development Series)

Staffan Bjork — 2005-12-06T18:16:58-00:00

(20 December 2004)

Patterns in Game Design provides professional and aspiring game designers with a collection of practical design choices that are possible in all types of games. These choices, called patterns, are used to illustrate the varying types of gameplay found in games. For the purposes of this book, gameplay is defined as the structures of player interaction with the game system and interaction with other players. This includes the possibilities, results, and reasons for players to play. By putting these elements of gameplay into practical patterns, designers have access to a common set of concepts that can be used by all developers, allowing game projects to be approached with more standard tools. These patterns help designers put their concepts and ideas into words, which makes communication between members much easier. The patterns also help with making design choices, understanding how other games work, and inspiring game ideas. The book itself is divided into two main parts. The first part covers the theoretical aspects of describing games and defining the template used to develop the game design patterns. The second part includes the actual patterns divided into chapters based on the aspect of gameplay they cover. The patterns can be used in any order and referenced as you would a dictionary. By studying these various game design patterns, designers learn about the choices they?ll have to make when using a pattern in their own designs, and they?ll gain an understanding of what gameplay is, so that they can design better games.

Game Writing: Narrative Skills for Videogames (Charles River Media Game Development (Paperback))

Chris Bateman — 2007-01-23T11:24:19-00:00

(03 July 2006)

As computer games become more and more like Hollywood productions, the need for good story lines increases. Research shows that stories are highly valued by game players, so today?s studios and developers need good writers. Creating narrative - a traditionally static form - for games is a major challenge. Games are at their heart dynamic, interactive systems, so they don?t follow the guidelines and rules of film or T.V. writing. Game Writing: Narrative Skills for Videogames addresses these issues and is the first book written to demystify this emerging field. Through the insights and experiences of practicing game writers, the book captures a snapshot of the narrative skills employed in today?s game industry. This unique collection of practical articles provides the foundations to the craft of game writing. The articles, written by member of the International Game Developer?s (IDGA) Game Writer?s SIG, detail aspects of the process from the basics of narrative and non-linear narrative to writing comedy for games and creating compelling characters. Throughout the articles there is a strong emphasis on the skills developers and publishers will expect a game writer to have. The book is suitable for both beginners and experienced writers, and is a detailed guide to all the techniques of game writing. This book is an essential read for anyone wishing to get into this exciting field, particularly for new game writers wanting to hone their skills, and film and T.V. scriptwriters who want to learn how to transfer their skills to the games industry.

Programming Game AI by Example

Mat Buckland — 2007-01-23T11:23:46-00:00

(01 October 2004)

This book describes in detail many of the AI techniques used in modern computer games, explicity shows how to implement these practical techniques within the framework of several game developers with a practical foundation to game AI.

Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition

Andrew Rollings — 2005-05-14T20:47:02-00:00

(24 October 2003)

Game writers have a hard lot. In order to compete, they're expected to write fantastic works of art and action that feature spectacular visual and physical effects, and which can render those effects with great speed. If they don't write for the latest hardware (which is often barely stable), the designers end up with something that looks antiquated. In the end, as well, there is the target market: Mostly males between the ages of 15 and 30, who have sharpened their volatility of taste to a fine edge. Game Architecture and Design is a protracted meditation on what makes a game (and a game development company, and a game developer) good. This is not a programming book; it is a design book. Andrew Rollings and Dave Morris do talk about game architecture, and pick apart some top games with state diagrams and sketches of class hierarchies, but that sort of content is in the minority. Mostly, the authors provide informed opinions about bigger engineering decisions, such as the question of whether to use Microsoft DirectX or OpenGL, or how to spread processor cycles across artificial intelligence and rendering operations. They make frequent reference to successful (and failed) games, explaining why each might have worked out as it did. --David Wall Topics covered: How to write good games, and other entertainment software. Overall, emphasis is on developing an idea into a product, with long and carefully considered digressions into architectural decisions (such as gameplay and visual effects), implementation choices (languages, libraries, and algorithms), and team management.

Digital Game Based Learning

Michael Burmester — 2007-01-23T11:16:33-00:00

Game Design. Die Geheimnisse der Profis. Erfahrungen der besten Designer der Welt

Marc Saltzman — 2007-01-23T11:15:26-00:00

Game Design. Konzepte, Kreation, Vermarktung.

Bob Bates — 2007-01-23T11:14:36-00:00

(01 July 2002)

Better Game Characters by Design: A Psychological Approach (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive 3D Technology)

Katherine Isbister — 2007-01-23T11:12:19-00:00

(05 June 2006)

Games are poised for a major evolution, driven by growth in technical sophistication and audience reach. Characters that create powerful social and emotional connections with players throughout the game-play itself (not just in cut scenes) will be essential to next-generation games. However, the principles of sophisticated character design and interaction are not widely understood within the game development community. Further complicating the situation are powerful gender and cultural issues that can influence perception of characters. Katherine Isbister has spent the last 10 years examining what makes interactions with computer characters useful and engaging to different audiences. This work has revealed that the key to good design is leveraging player psychology: understanding what's memorable, exciting, and useful to a person about real-life social interactions, and applying those insights to character design. Game designers who create great characters often make use of these psychological principles without realizing it. Better Game Characters by Design gives game design professionals and other interactive media designers a framework for understanding how social roles and perceptions affect players' reactions to characters, helping produce stronger designs and better results. * Includes extensive illustrations, game examples, interviews with game designers, and clips from popular games on the DVD to illustrate concepts and best practices * Uses a non-technical approach appropriate for artists and designers as well as developers * Introduces and explains key concepts from psychology and social science, including cultural and gender specific roles and perceptions, and includes design exercises to explore ideas further

Game Design: A Practical Approach (Game Development Series)

Paul Schuytema — 2007-01-23T11:00:06-00:00

(27 July 2006)

Game Design: A Practical Approach is written for new game designers, practicing designers, and serious gamers wanting to create their own designs. Throughout the pages of this book, you?ll find a complete and practical introduction to the craft of game design, starting at square one with an exploration of just what a game and game design are. From there you?ll explore the skills you need to have as a game designer and learn when and how to use them. Then you?ll dive into the very practical nuts and bolts of a number of vital game design topics, including how to balance gamplay? what is risk-reward? how do you scale challenge? And along the way, you?ll learn the scripting language, Lua, and work with a sample game as you test and explore the game design concepts being discussed. The book is packed with the invaluable insights and tips you need to master the art of game design, including a variety of ?from the trenches? sidebars by some of the industry?s top game designers. So whether you?re a new designer, experienced professional, or serious gamer, you?ll find the tools and wisdom you need to succeed as a game designer.

Technologies for Interactive Digital Storytelling and Entertainment: Second International Conference, TIDSE 2004, Darmstadt, Germany, June 24-26, 2004, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science)

Stefan Göbel — 2007-01-23T08:17:26-00:00

(05 August 2004)

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second International Conference on Technologies for Interactive Digital Storytelling and Entertainment, TIDSE 2004, held in Darmstadt, Germany in June 2004. The 30 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the book; also included are the abstract of a keynote talk and 10 descriptions of demonstrations and interactive exhibitions of computer art. The papers are organized in topical sections on interactive storytelling, virtual humans, authoring, mobility, learning, theory, applications, gaming, and demonstrations and exhibitions.

Interactive Storytelling: Techniques for 21st Century Fiction

Andrew Glassner — 2005-05-14T20:40:10-00:00

(15 March 2004)

Rules of Play : Game Design Fundamentals

Katie Salen — 2005-05-11T20:25:34-00:00

(01 October 2003)

As pop culture, games are as important as film or television--but game design has yet to develop a theoretical framework or critical vocabulary. In Rules of Play Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman present a much-needed primer for this emerging field. They offer a unified model for looking at all kinds of games, from board games and sports to computer and video games. As active participants in game culture, the authors have written Rules of Play as a catalyst for innovation, filled with new concepts, strategies, and methodologies for creating and understanding games.. Building an aesthetics of interactive systems, Salen and Zimmerman define core concepts like "play," "design," and "interactivity." They look at games through a series of eighteen "game design schemas," or conceptual frameworks, including games as systems of emergence and information, as contexts for social play, as a storytelling medium, and as sites of cultural resistance. Written for game scholars, game developers, and interactive designers, Rules of Play is a textbook, reference book, and theoretical guide. It is the first comprehensive attempt to establish a solid theoretical framework for the emerging discipline of game design.

Handbook of Computer Game Studies

Raessens — 2005-12-07T00:25:33-00:00

(01 June 2005)

New media students, teachers, and professionals have long needed a comprehensive scholarly treatment of digital games that deals with the history, design, reception, and aesthetics of games along with their social and cultural context. The Handbook of Computer Game Studies fills this need with a definitive look at the subject from a broad range of perspectives. Contributors come from cognitive science and artificial intelligence, developmental, social, and clinical psychology, history, film, theater, and literary studies, cultural studies, and philosophy as well as game design and development. The text includes both scholarly articles and journalism from such well-known voices as Douglas Rushkoff, Sherry Turkle, Henry Jenkins, Katie Salen, Eric Zimmerman, and others. Part I considers the "prehistory" of computer games (including slot machines and pinball machines), the development of computer games themselves, and the future of mobile gaming. The chapters in part II describe game development from the designer's point of view, including the design of play elements, an analysis of screenwriting, and game-based learning. Part III reviews empirical research on the psychological effects of computer games, and includes a discussion of the use of computer games in clinical and educational settings. Part IV considers the aesthetics of games in comparison to film and literature, and part V discusses the effect of computer games on cultural identity, including gender and ethnicity. Finally, part VI looks at the relation of computer games to social behavior, considering, among other matters, the inadequacy of laboratory experiments linking games and aggression and the different modes of participation in computer game culture.

Play Between Worlds : Exploring Online Game Culture

TL Taylor — 2006-03-22T10:01:04-00:00

(10 March 2006)

In Play Between Worlds, T. L. Taylor examines multiplayer gaming life as it is lived on the borders, in the gaps--as players slip in and out of complex social networks that cross online and offline space. Taylor questions the common assumption that playing computer games is an isolating and alienating activity indulged in by solitary teenage boys. Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), in which thousands of players participate in a virtual game world in real time, are in fact actively designed for sociability. Games like the popular Everquest, she argues, are fundamentally social spaces. Taylor's detailed look at Everquest offers a snapshot of multiplayer culture. Drawing on her own experience as an Everquest player (as a female Gnome Necromancer)--including her attendance at an Everquest Fan Faire, with its blurring of online-and offline life--and extensive research, Taylor not only shows us something about games but raises broader cultural issues. She considers "power gamers," who play in ways that seem closer to work, and examines our underlying notions of what constitutes play--and why play sometimes feels like work and may even be painful, repetitive, and boring. She looks at the women who play Everquest and finds they don't fit the narrow stereotype of women gamers, which may cast into doubt our standardized and preconceived ideas of femininity. And she explores the questions of who owns game space--what happens when emergent player culture confronts the major corporation behind the game.

Gaining more than experience points: Learning social behavior in multiplayer computer games

N Ducheneaut — 2006-08-30T02:36:36-00:00

(19 April 2004)

Online multiplayer games have become complex social worlds. As such, playing these games requires more than simply accomplishing the games’ objectives: it is also a process of socialization into a community of gamers. Through our observation of players activities we begin to outline where, when and how social learning occur in these games. We show how playing multiplayer games can teach valuable interpersonal skills, some of which may translate to the real world. These observations could form the basis for the design of future games that purposefully encourage social learning.

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games: The People, the Addiction and the Playing Experience

Richard Kelly — 2006-05-23T04:44:03-00:00

This book is about the fastest growing form of electronic game in the world—the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG). It introduces these self-contained three-dimensional virtual worlds, often inhabited by thousands of players, and describes their evolution and sometimes become addicted to it. It also delves into the psychology of the people who inhabit the game universe and explores the development of the unique cultures, economies, moral codes, and slang in these virtual communities. It explains how the games are built, the spin-offs that players create to enhance their game lives, and peeks at the future of MMORPGs as they evolve from a form of amusement to an educational, scientific, and business tool. Based on hundreds of interviews over a three-year period, the work explores reasons people are attracted to and addicted to these games. It also surveys many existing and upcoming games, identifying their unique features and attractions. Two appendices list online addiction organizations and MMORPG information sites.