Video Game Design

Developing video games—hero's journey or fool's errand? The creative and technical logistics that go into building today's hottest games can be more harrowing and complex than the games themselves, often seeming like an endless maze or a bottomless abyss. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Jason...

Do you love gaming? Do you have ideas for games of your own and want to learn how to produce them professionally? Longtime game designer Justin Gary has the answers you seek. After 20 years in the gaming industry, creating such games as Solforge, Ascension, and the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game, Justin is now sharing all his secrets in Think Like a Game Designer. Best of all, Justin’s secrets are really simple, practical, and common sense steps you can take yourself.

UNLOCK YOUR GAME'S NARRATIVE POTENTIAL! With increasingly sophisticated video games being consumed by an enthusiastic and expanding audience, the pressure is on game developers like never before to deliver exciting stories and engaging characters. With Video Game Storytelling, game writer and...

A Step-by-Step Master Class in Indie Game Development, from the Creator of the Emmy® Winning Neverwinter Nights™ Honors for Don Daglow's From Dream to Delivery books: Winner, 2019 Independent Press Book Awards Winner, Kirkus Top 100 Indie Books of 2019 Finalist, 2020 Top Shelf Book Awards Finalist, Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist, National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist, Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist, Book Excellence Awards "Don Daglow has survived 40+ years creating games and always retained his positive attitude. Learn from the master." – Jeff Braun, ...

The definitive behind-the-scenes history of the dawn of video games and their rise into a multibillion-dollar business “For industry insiders and game players alike, this book is a must-have.”—Mark Turmell, designer for Midway Games and creator of NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, and WrestleMania ...

The book guides you through a step-by-step process of making a commercial game. It teaches you how to learn all the necessary skills and covers various aspects of game development: mindset, preproduction, funding, business, law, development, marketing, PR, publishing, distribution, as well as pre-launch, launch, and post-launch strategies.

Skyrim, with its in-depth world building and talented design, didn't just happen overnight. It took years of planning and hard work. But every game designer started where you are now. Find out how you can get started in game design.

How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself is a guide for anyone who wants to make their own video game. Listen to this book to learn how to locate the itch you're eager to scratch, how to pick a game engine to power your vision, and how to find the fun in your game. Most importantly, this book helps you guide your project to the finish line. Written from personal experience by a video game industry veteran and podcaster, it's packed with handmade drawings and charts

It was the end of World War II. FDR's New Deal had redefined American politics. Taxes were at an all-time high. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had created a fear of total annihilation. The rise of secret government agencies and sanctions on business had many watching their backs. America's sense of freedom was diminishing... and many were desperate to take that freedom back.

The creative process for designing a playful structure applicable to a board game, video game, gamified system, gamification, edutainment, and art games, among others. PLAYFUL STRUCTURE - A GAME DESIGN METHODOLOGY By applying the five essential elements of playful structure (satisfying desires and needs, a progression system, a scalable challenge, objectives, and a reward system), it is possible to analyze a game mechanism, solve gameplay problems, and make a product more likely to appeal to and retain people. The methodology can be applied to video games, board games, role-playing games, ...

Video game sales as a whole have continued to grow, now raking in twice as much money per year as the entire film industry, and countless psychologists have turned their attention to the effects gaming has on us: our confidence, our identity, and our personal growth. The Psychology of Zelda applies the latest psychological findings, plus insights from classic psychology theory, to Link, Zelda, Hyrule, and the players who choose to wield the Master Sword.

New York Times Bestseller Joining the ranks of The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, You Are a Badass, and F*ck Feelings comes this refreshing, BS-free, self-empowerment guide that offers an honest, no-nonsense, tough-love approach to help you move...

Doom Guy: Life in First Person is the long-awaited autobiography of gaming’s original rock star and the cocreator of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein—some of the most recognizable and important titles in video game history. Credited with the invention of the first-person shooter, a genre that continues to dominate the market today, he is gaming royalty. Told in remarkable detail, a byproduct of his hyperthymesia, Romero recounts his storied career.

Unlock the secrets of addictive game design with "Level Up Addiction: Crafting Irresistible Game Loops." This comprehensive guide explores the art of creating captivating game loops that keep players coming back for more. Our book takes you behind the scenes of successful video games, unraveling the psychological tricks and techniques that make players click 'continue.' From the perfect reward systems to the most engaging progression mechanics, 'Level Up Addiction' is your blueprint to crafting immersive gaming experiences. 🔸 Discover the science behind player motivation and engagement. ...

Are you a beginner who’d like to know how to program video games? A.E Colonna is an avid gamer and a self-taught game developer who is ready to give you a smooth introduction to video game development. After nine weeks, you’re guaranteed to know the basic coding concepts; you’ll be ready to create your first game using C# and the unity engine.

Game Worlds Unlocked: The Psychology of Play & Design 🎮 Unlock the psychological principles that make games addictive, immersive, and emotionally impactful. 🧠 Explore how player motivation, emotion, and behavior are shaped by thoughtful design choices. 🔍 Discover what keeps players engaged for hours, from challenge curves to flow states. 📖 Break down the elements of compelling narratives, branching choices, and meaningful consequences. 🤝 Understand the role of social dynamics, cooperation, and competition in multiplayer experiences. 💡 Perfect for game developers, UX ...

Getting sucked into a video game is not as much fun as you’d think. Sure, there are jetpacks, hover tanks, and infinite lives, but what happens when the game starts to turn on you? In this bestselling series, 12-year-old Jesse Rigsby finds out just how dangerous video games—and the people making those games—can be.

Making a game is exciting. Finishing one is a miracle. The Indie Dev Survival Guide is the brutally honest, deeply practical handbook every solo developer and small team needs. Whether you’re building your first prototype or preparing your Steam launch, this book cuts through industry myths, bad advice, and overwhelm to show you exactly how to survive—and thrive—as an indie developer. You’ll learn how to shape ideas that actually ship, prototype smarter, avoid scope creep, build sustainable habits, manage production without burning out, and market your game without losing your ...

His vengeance against the gods of Olympus years behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the realm of Norse gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive...and teach his son to do the same. This startling reimagining of God of War deconstructs the core elements that defined the series - satisfying combat, breathtaking scale, and a powerful narrative - and fuses them anew.

What makes us glad we've played some games, but regret we've played others? What are the game design equivalents of 'savoury' and 'sweet?' Why is a working title dangerous, what menaces lurk in model railway dioramas, and what is the Snare of the Tree? Alexis Kennedy is an award-winning game designer who has developed some of the most original and intelligent indie games of the last decade, including Fallen London, Sunless Sea and Cultist Simulator. He is also the author of Against Worldbuilding, and Other Provocations. "I published Against Worldbuilding, and Other Provocations, and I got a...