Game Design

by Bates, Bob

• ISBN13: 9781592004935
• ISBN10: 1592004938
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-16
• Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR

Summary

"Game Design, Second Edition" offers a behind-the-scenes look at how a game gets designed and developed - from the day the idea is born to the day the box hits the shelves. This new edition offers information on the latest techniques and development models, interviews with 12 top game designers, document templates that can be used during product development, and numerous industry resources. It is a practical guide that covers everything from the fundamentals of game design, to the trade-offs in the development process, to the deals a publisher makes to get a game on the shelves. No matter what your role in the industry, understanding this entire process will help you do your job better. And if you're looking to break in, you'll find knowledge here that is usually only attained after years in the trenches.

Author Biography

Bob Bates began his game writing career at Infocom in 1986

Table of Contents

Introduction	xxi
Part I Design	1	(148)
Getting to ``Yes''	3	(14)
Concept Development	3	(3)
Genres	6	(6)
Adventure Games	6	(1)
Action Games	7	(1)
Role-Playing Games (RPG)	7	(1)
Strategy Games	8	(1)
Simulations	9	(1)
Sports Games	9	(1)
Fighting Games	9	(1)
Casual Games	10	(1)
God Games	10	(1)
Educational Games	11	(1)
Puzzle Games	11	(1)
Online Games	12	(1)
Client Goals	12	(2)
The Game Proposal Document	14	(1)
High Concept	14	(1)
Genre	14	(1)
Gameplay	14	(3)
Features	15	(1)
Setting	15	(1)
Story	15	(1)
Target Market	15	(1)
Target Hardware Platforms	15	(1)
Estimated Schedule and Budget	15	(1)
Competitive Analysis	16	(1)
The Team	16	(1)
Document Summary	16	(1)
Principles of Game Design	17	(22)
Player Empathy	17	(1)
Feedback	18	(1)
Grounding the Player	18	(2)
The Moment-to-Moment Experience	20	(1)
Verbs	20	(1)
Hazards	20	(1)
Immersion	21	(1)
Writing	22	(1)
Design Within Limits	22	(1)
Removing Impediments	23	(3)
Disc Swapping	23	(1)
Load Times	23	(1)
Game Interruptions	24	(1)
Saving the Game	24	(1)
Housekeeping	24	(1)
Bugs	25	(1)
Interface Design	26	(2)
The Start-Up Screen	28	(1)
Customizable Controls	29	(1)
Cheat Codes	30	(1)
Tutorial or Practice Mode	30	(1)
Structure and Progression	31	(1)
Taking Care of the Player	32	(3)
Dead Man Walking	33	(1)
Protect Newbies	33	(1)
Play It Again, Sam	34	(1)
Give the Player the Information He Needs	34	(1)
Reduce Player Paranoia	35	(1)
Offer Levels of Difficulty	35	(1)
How to Design	35	(4)
Create an Integrated Whole	35	(1)
Economy of Design	36	(1)
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?	37	(2)
Genre-Specific Game Design Issues	39	(56)
Action Games	39	(5)
Point of View	39	(2)
Level Design	41	(1)
Weapons	41	(1)
Engine	42	(1)
Graeme Devine	43	(1)
RPGs	44	(4)
Character Growth	44	(1)
Character Attributes and Skills	44	(1)
Statistics	45	(1)
Story	45	(1)
Combat	46	(1)
Warren Spector	47	(1)
Adventure Games	48	(4)
Story	49	(1)
Puzzles	49	(1)
Interface	50	(1)
Linearity versus Nonlinearity	50	(1)
Exploration	50	(1)
Ron Gilbert	51	(1)
Strategy Games	52	(6)
Resources	53	(1)
Teams	53	(1)
Units and Weapons	54	(1)
Realism versus Fun	54	(1)
Artificial Intelligence (AI)	54	(1)
Testing	55	(1)
Missions	55	(1)
Mike Verdu	56	(2)
Simulations	58	(4)
Wish Fulfillment	58	(1)
Hard-Core versus Casual	58	(2)
Interface	60	(1)
Keep It Fun	60	(1)
David Kaemmer	60	(2)
Sports Games	62	(4)
Know the Rules	62	(1)
The Meta-Game	62	(1)
Licenses	63	(1)
The Look	63	(1)
Features and Interface	64	(1)
Dale Jackson	64	(2)
Fighting Games	66	(4)
Ed Boon	67	(3)
Casual Games	70	(4)
Steve Meretzky	70	(4)
God Games	74	(6)
Will Wright	75	(5)
Educational Games	80	(4)
Kenny Dinkin	80	(4)
Puzzle Games	84	(4)
Scott Kim	85	(3)
Online Games	88	(7)
Raph Koster	91	(4)
Storytelling	95	(12)
Plot: The Three-Act Structure	96	(2)
The Beginning	96	(1)
The Middle	97	(1)
The End	98	(1)
Setting	98	(1)
Character Development	99	(2)
Character Growth	101	(1)
Interactivity	101	(1)
The Tools of the Trade	102	(2)
Cutscenes	103	(1)
Scripted Events	103	(1)
Dialogue	103	(1)
The Hero's Journey	104	(3)
Joseph Campbell's Heroes	104	(1)
The Designer's Journey	105	(2)
Level Design	107	(12)
Concept Work	107	(3)
Building the Level	110	(1)
Gameplay	111	(6)
Goals	111	(1)
Structure and Progression	112	(1)
Flow Control	113	(1)
Degree of Difficulty	114	(1)
Balance	115	(1)
Puzzles	116
Other Design Tips	115	(2)
Evaluation	117	(2)
Designing the Puzzle	119	(16)
Types of Puzzles	120	(7)
Ordinary Use of an Object	120	(1)
Unusual Use of an Object	120	(1)
``Building'' Puzzles	121	(1)
Information Puzzles	121	(1)
Codes, Cryptograms, and Other ``Word'' Puzzles	122	(1)
Excluded Middle Puzzles	122	(1)
Preparing the Way	123	(1)
People Puzzles	123	(1)
Timing Puzzles	123	(1)
Sequence Puzzles	124	(1)
Logic Puzzles	124	(1)
Classic Game Puzzles	125	(1)
Riddles	125	(1)
Dialog Puzzles	125	(1)
Dialog Puzzles	126	(1)
Machinery Puzzles	126	(1)
Alternative Interfaces	126	(1)
Mazes	127	(1)
Gestalt Puzzles	127	(1)
What Makes a Bad Puzzle?	127	(2)
Restore Puzzles	128	(1)
Arbitrary Puzzles	128	(1)
Designer Puzzles	128	(1)
Binary Puzzles	129	(1)
Hunt-the-Pixel Puzzles	129	(1)
What Makes a Good Puzzle?	129	(1)
Fairness	129	(1)
Appropriate to the Environment	130	(1)
Amplifying the Theme	130	(1)
The V-8 Response	130	(1)
Levels of Difficulty	130	(2)
Bread Crumbs	131	(1)
The Solution's Proximity to the Puzzle	131	(1)
Alternative Solutions	132	(1)
Red Herrings	132	(1)
Steering the Player	132	(1)
How to Design the Puzzle	132	(2)
Creating the Puzzle	133	(1)
The Villain	133	(1)
Player Empathy	133	(1)
Summary	134	(1)
Franchises, Brands, and Licenses	135	(14)
Creating an Internal Franchise	137	(6)
Inside the Character	138	(2)
The Visual Look	140	(1)
Revealing Character	141	(1)
World-Based Franchises	142	(1)
Working with an External License	143	(6)
Acquiring the License	143	(1)
Working with the Licensor	144	(2)
Creating the Material	146	(3)
Part II Team	149	(52)
The Development Team	151	(32)
Vision	152	(1)
Production	153	(6)
The External Producer	154	(2)
The Internal Producer	156	(2)
The Assistant and Associate Producers	158	(1)
Design	159	(6)
The Game Designer	160	(2)
The Level Designer	162	(1)
The Writer	163	(2)
Programming	165	(6)
The Tech Lead	165	(3)
Programmers	168	(3)
Artwork	171	(5)
The Art Lead	171	(2)
Artists	173	(3)
Testing	176	(4)
The Test Lead	177	(2)
Testers	179	(1)
The Cabal Approach	180	(3)
External Resources	183	(18)
Administrative Issues	183	(2)
Voice	185	(3)
Music	188	(3)
Sound Effects	191	(2)
Video	193	(1)
Motion Capture	194	(1)
Language Localization	195	(3)
The Manual	198	(1)
Legal Issues (Getting the Rights)	199	(2)
Part III Development	201	(34)
Project Lifecycle and Documents	203	(14)
Concept Development	203	(4)
The High Concept	204	(1)
The Game Proposal (``Pitch Doc'')	204	(1)
The Concept Doc	204	(3)
Preproduction (Proof of Concept)	207	(5)
The Game Design Document	208	(1)
The Art Production Plan	208	(1)
The Technical Design Document	209	(1)
The Project Plan	210	(1)
Game Prototype	211	(1)
Development	212	(2)
Alpha	214	(1)
Beta	214	(1)
Code Freeze	215	(1)
RTM (Release to Manufacture)	215	(1)
Patches	216	(1)
Upgrades	216	(1)
Managing Development	217	(18)
Agile Development	218	(1)
Managing Development	219	(1)
Design	219	(1)
Planning and Scheduling	220	(5)
Selecting the Right Lifecycle Model	225	(2)
The Waterfall	225	(1)
The Modified Waterfall	225	(1)
Iterative Prototyping	226	(1)
Problems	227	(3)
Classic Mistakes	227	(3)
Recovery	230	(3)
Ineffective Strategies	230	(2)
The Back of the Wagon	232	(1)
Other Recovery Strategies	232	(1)
Management Style	233	(2)
Part IV The Business	235	(30)
The Business	237	(18)
How Mainstream Games Are Sold	237	(2)
The Publishing Team	239	(6)
Public Relations (PR)	239	(2)
Marketing	241	(1)
Sales	242	(3)
Promotional Tools	245	(4)
Demos	245	(2)
Interviews	247	(1)
Screenshots	247	(1)
Sell Sheets	248	(1)
The Bottom Line	249	(1)
Business Development	249	(3)
Advances	249	(1)
Royalties	250	(1)
Reserve Against Returns	250	(1)
Milestones and Deliverables	251	(1)
Rights	251	(1)
Proprietary Technology	252	(1)
Term	252	(1)
Termination	252	(1)
Confidentiality	252	(1)
Ancillary Revenues	252	(1)
``Indie'' Development	252	(3)
Breaking In	255	(10)
General Advice	255	(5)
Getting Ready	255	(2)
Your Demo	257	(1)
The Cover Letter and Resume	258	(1)
The Interview	258	(2)
Applying for Specific Positions	260	(3)
Programmers	260	(1)
Artists	260	(1)
Level Designers	261	(1)
Producers	261	(1)
Testers	261	(1)
Composers and Sound Effects Technicians	262	(1)
Game Designers	262	(1)
Finding Job Openings	263	(2)
Part V Conclusion	265	(4)
The Hero's Journey	267	(2)
Part VI Appendixes	269	(56)
Appendix A Project Documents	271	(46)
Index to Documents	272	(1)
High Concept Doc	273	(1)
Game Proposal (``Pitch Doc'')	274	(1)
Concept Doc	275	(1)
Game Design Doc (GDD)	276	(16)
Art Production Plan	292	(6)
Technical Design Doc	298	(6)
Test Plan	304	(5)
Project Plan	309	(3)
External Events	312	(1)
Current Risks	313	(1)
Credits	314	(2)
Change List and Project Archives	316	(1)
Appendix B Resources	317	(8)
Bibliography	317	(1)
Game Design	317	(1)
Software Management	318	(1)
Storytelling	318	(1)
Magazines	319	(1)
Web Sites	319	(1)
Conferences and Trade Shows	319	(2)
Industry News	321	(1)
Organizations	322	(1)
Schools	322	(1)
Argentina	322	(1)
Australia	322	(1)
Brazil	322	(1)
Canada	322	(1)
Denmark	322	(1)
Germany	323	(1)
Hong Kong	323	(1)
India	323	(1)
New Zealand	323	(1)
Spain	323	(1)
Sweden	323	(1)
United Kingdom	323	(1)
United States	323	(2)
Glossary	325	(4)
Index	329