Fundamentals of Game Design

Now in its third edition, the classic book on game design has been completely revised to include the latest developments in the game industry. Readers will learn all the fundamentals of concept development, gameplay design, core mechanics, user interfaces, storytelling, and balancing. They’ll be introduced to designing for mobile devices and touch screens, as well as for the Kinect and motion-capture gameplay. They’ll learn how indie developers are pushing the envelope and how new business models such as free-to-play are influencing design. In an easy-to-follow approach, Adams offers a first-hand look into the process of designing a game, from initial concept to final tuning.

This in-depth resource also comes with engaging end-of-chapter exercises, design worksheets, and case studies.

Ernest Adams: 22-year veteran of the video game industry as programmer, producer, game designer and design consultant. Founder of the International Game Developers’ Association. Successful Pearson author (New Riders Games and Prentice Hall) since 2003.

• Introduction
• 1 Games and Video Games
• 2 Designing and Developing Games
• 3 The Major Genres
• 4 Understanding Your Player
• 5 Understanding Your Machine
• 6 Making Money from Your Game
• Getting an Idea
• 8 Game Worlds
• 9 Creative and Expressive Play
• 10 Character Development
• 11 Storytelling
• 12 Creating the User Experience
• 13 Gameplay
• 14 Core Mechanics
• 15 Game Balancing
• 16 General Principles of Level Design
• 17 Design Issues for Online Gaming
• Glossary
• References
• Index