Best game design books
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Hi all,
I'm looking to invest in some books about game design. In particular I want to learn how to create compelling games with better game mechanics and more interesting levels. I don't want books that teach me how to use particular game development tools like Unreal Ed or a scripting language as I have found these books to be light on real advice about game design. There are plenty of books out there teaching these resources but not many books giving good advice about how to create compelling gameplay. I tend to work on 3rd person licensed movie tie-in games so an emphesis on how to design these types of games would be ideal.
Thanks for any advice.
You should check "Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams On Game Design". IMHO it's a really good book on game design in general. It discusses about various aspects of game design, including storytelling, gameplay, developing characters and so on. It also tells briefly about each game genre, e.g. in what things to concentrate in each of them.
You should also read "Chris Crawford on Game Design". That book is just great (I read the electronic version).
I really enjoyed Game Design Complete by Patrick O'Luanaigh, the former Creative Director of Eidos and now the President on nDreams. Not only is the book a fantastic and fairly easy read, but the author was ever so kind enough to review some of my works and provide feedback on it. He helped me get my current designer job.
If there's any writers (on game matters, of course) out there who can beat Chris Crawford in wit, please let me know. No I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm really serious.
Another good read on Games Design is Pattens in Games Design by Bjork, S. & Holopainen, J.
This book was recommended by one of my lecturers in one of my university classes
This book was recommended by one of my lecturers in one of my university classes
For compelling and interesting games and levels I'd personally go to the nearest/best university library and take out any books you can find of psychology of play and psychology of entertainment, maybe also humor or horror or personal mythology if you have a particular story genre in mind.
i have this one called Game Design: Secrets of the Sages, which I like because it contains numerous quotes from industry veterans, nintendo people, etc.
You want better game mechanics? The Design of Everyday Things. Sure it has absolutely nothing to do with games but interactivity is interactivity, and designing a better doorknob, VCR interface, or toaster is not that much different from designing an interesting and useable game mechanic.
Along with The Art of Interactive Design, these were the two most enlightening design books I have ever read.
Along with The Art of Interactive Design, these were the two most enlightening design books I have ever read.
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