Copyright

About the Authors

About the Technical Reviewers

Acknowledgments

Tell Us What You Think

Introduction

Part: I The Elements of Game Design

Chapter 1. What Is Game Design?

Art, Science, or Craft?

The Anatomy of Game Design

Documenting the Design

Anatomy of a Game Designer

Putting It Together

Chapter 2. Game Concepts

Getting an Idea

The Elements of a Game

Understanding Your Audience

The Genres of Interactive Entertainment

The Types of Game Machines

Motivations That Influence Design

Putting It Together

Chapter 3. Game Settings and Worlds

The Purpose of a Game Setting

The Dimensions of a Game World

Realism and Abstraction

The Save-Game Issue

Putting It Together

Chapter 4. Storytelling and Narrative

Stories in Games

The Story Vehicle

Putting It Together

Chapter 5. Character Development

Art-Driven Character Design

Story-Driven Character Design

Putting It Together

Chapter 6. Creating the User Experience

What Is the User Experience?

The Human-Computer Interface

Components of the User Experience

Putting It Together

Chapter 7. Gameplay

Use of Language

Defining Gameplay

Putting It Together

Chapter 8. The Internal Economy of Games and Game Balancing

What Is Game Balance?

Static Balance

Dynamic Balance

Tools for Balancing

Putting It Together

Part: II The Genres of Games

Chapter 9. Action Games

Action Game Genres

Design Elements

Special Design Considerations for Action Games

Putting It Together

Chapter 10. Strategy Games

The Common Elements of Strategy Games

Putting It Together

Chapter 11. Role-Playing Games

The Common Elements of Role-Playing Games

Putting It Together

Chapter 12. Sports Games

The Common Elements of Sports Games

Special Design Issues for Sports Games

Putting It Together

Chapter 13. Vehicle Simulations

The Common Elements of Vehicle Simulations

Other Vehicles

Special Design Considerations for Vehicle Simulations

Putting It Together

Chapter 14. Construction and Management Simulations

The Common Elements of CMSs

Special Design Considerations for CMSs

Putting It Together

Chapter 15. Adventure Games

What Is an Adventure Game?

The Common Elements of Adventure Games

User Interface Design

Special Design Considerations

Putting It Together

Chapter 16. Artificial Life, Puzzle Games, and Other Genres

Artificial Life Games

Puzzle Games

Games for Girls

Putting It Together

Chapter 17. Online Games

Advantages of Online Games

Disadvantages of Online Games

Design Issues for Online Gaming

Persistent Worlds

Putting It Together

Chapter 18. The Future of Gaming

Gaming Hardware

The Future of Game Programming

Game Genres

Broadband Networking

The Distant Future

Interactive Entertainment as an Art Form

A Few Final Words

Part: III Appendixes

Appendix A: Sample Design Documents

Creating and Using Design Documents

The High-Concept Document

The Game Treatment

The Design Script

Appendix B: Bibliography

Game Design

Game Theory

History and Sociology of Video Games

Architecture and Graphic Design

Writing and Narrative

Index