Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design

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Book description

Want to design and build cutting edge video games? Not sure where to start? Or just want to tweak the projects you're already working on?

Then this is the book for you!

Written by leading video game expert Scott Rogers, who has designed the hits; Pac Man World, God of War, Maximo vs. Army of Zen and SpongeBob Squarepants. This book is full of Rogers' whit and funky style which demonstrates everything you need to know about designing great video games.

Level Up! has been written with all levels of game designers in mind. The first chapter is aimed at readers new to game designing…but if you're not a beginner then feel free to skip the first chapter and delve straight in to the serious stuff!

It covers the entire video game creation process, allowing you to learn:

How to develop marketable ideas
What perils and pitfalls await them during a game's pre-production, production and post-production stages
Creative ideas to serve as fuel for your own projects from game theme and environments to gameplay mechanics

All in all it's an indispensible guide for video game designers both 'in the field' and the classroom.

Other topics covered:

Understanding what gamers want
Compelling character design
Working with player actions
Techniques for non-human characters
Camera techniques - the camera as a character
Designing UI and HUD
Beautiful level design
What game designers can learn from theme parks
Combat, puzzles and game mechanics
Fun and UNFUN
How to make the world's greatest Boss battle (and why not to do it)

and tons more - including the business of design, creating design documents, the pitch and more.

Show and hide more Table of contents Product information

Copyright
Publisher's Acknowledgments
FOREWORD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PRESS START!
1. IF YOU ARE ANYTHING LIKE ME .
2. NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE MY JOB
  1. 1. GAME DESIGNERS HAVE MORE FUN
    2. NO ONE ON YOUR TEAM WANTS TO READ YOUR DESIGN
    1. 1.1. A BRIEF HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES
    2. 1.2. GAME GENRES
    3. 1.3. WHO MAKES THIS STUFF?
      1. 1.3.1. PROGRAMMER
      2. 1.3.2. ARTIST
      3. 1.3.3. DESIGNER
      4. 1.3.4. PRODUCER
      5. 1.3.5. TESTER
      6. 1.3.6. COMPOSER
      7. 1.3.7. SOUND DESIGNER
      8. 1.3.8. WRITER
      1. 1.4.1. PRODUCT MANAGER
      2. 1.4.2. CREATIVE MANAGER
      3. 1.4.3. ART DIRECTOR
      4. 1.4.4. TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
      5. 1.4.5. AND THE REST .
      1. 2.1. IDEAS: WHERE TO GET THEM AND WHERE TO STICK THEM
      2. 2.2. WHAT DO GAMERS WANT?
        
        2.2.1.
        
        2.2.1.1. GAMERS WANT GOOD GAMES
        
        2.3.1.
        
        2.3.1.1. YOU HAVE NO GUARANTEE THAT YOUR GAME IDEA IS GOING TO BE FUN
        
        3.1. THE TRIANGLE OF WEIRDNESS
        
        3.2. TIME TO WRAP IT UP
        
        3.3. CREATING CHARACTERS
        
        3.4. A FEW POINTERS ON WRITING FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES
        
        3.5. WRITING FOR LICENSES
        
        3.6. Level 3's Universal Truths and Clever Ideas:
        
        4.1. WRITING THE GDD, STEP 1: THE ONE-SHEET
        
        4.1.1. ESRB RATINGS
        
        4.2.1. THE RULE OF THREES
        
        4.2.1.1. THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER
        
        4.3.1.
        
        4.3.1.1. EVERYTHING IS LIQUID
        
        5.1. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
        
        5.1.1. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
        
        5.1.1.1. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
        
        5.5.1.
        
        5.5.1.1. WALKING IS NOT GAMEPLAY!
        
        5.9.1. ME AND MY SHADOW
        
        5.14.1.
        
        5.14.1.1. WHAT DOES THE PLAYER NEED TO SUCCEED?
        
        6.1. GET IT RIGHT: CAMERA VIEWS
        
        6.2. FIRST PERSON CAMERA
        
        6.3. THIRD PERSON CAMERA
        
        6.4. GIVING UP CONTROL
        
        6.4.1. SO YOU'VE DECIDED TO LET THE PLAYER CONTROL THE CAMERA
        
        6.4.2. SO YOU'VE DECIDED TO NOT LET THE PLAYER HAVE CONTROL OVER THE CAMERA
        
        6.4.3. SO YOU'VE DECIDED TO LET THE PLAYER SOMETIMES HAVE CONTROL OVER THE CAMERA
        
        6.13.1. ALWAYS POINT THE CAMERA TO THE OBJECTIVE
        
        6.13.2. NEVER LET THE CHARACTER GET OUT OF THE CAMERA'S SIGHT
        
        7.1. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT HUMANS ARE PLAYING THESE GAMES
        
        7.1.1. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT HUMANS ARE PLAYING THESE GAMES
        
        7.1.1.1. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT HUMANS ARE PLAYING THESE GAMES
        
        7.2.1.
        
        7.2.1.1. AS THE BUTTON IS PRESSED, THE ACTION SHOULD HAPPEN
        
        8.1. HEALTH BAR
        
        8.2. TARGETING
        
        8.3. AMMO GAUGE
        
        8.4. INVENTORY
        
        8.5. SCORE
        
        8.6. RADAR/MAP
        
        8.7. CONTEXT-SENSITIVE PROMPT
        
        8.8. THE CLEAN SCREEN
        
        8.9. ICON HAS CHEEZBURGER3?
        
        8.9.1.
        
        8.9.1.1. KYSS = KEEP YOUR SYMBOLS SIMPLE
        
        8.11.1.
        
        8.11.1.1. YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO PRESS A BUTTON MORE THAN THREE TIMES TO REACH ANY GAME SCREEN
        
        8.13.1.
        
        8.13.1.1. GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE (AND NEVER, EVER BE BORING).
        
        9.1. THE TOP 10 CLICHÉ VIDEO GAME THEMES
        
        9.2. THE NAME GAME
        
        9.3. EVERYTHING I LEARNED ABOUT LEVEL DESIGN, I LEARNED FROM DISNEYLAND
        
        9.4. THE BEAT CHART
        
        9.5. RE-USING RE-USE
        
        9.6. THE GARY GYGAX MEMORIAL MAPPING SECTION
        
        9.7. THE DAVE ARNENSON MEMORIAL MAPPING SECTION
        
        9.7.1. WALKING IS NEVER, EVER GAMEPLAY!
        
        9.7.2. IF IT EVER FEELS LONG OR BORING, THEN IT IS
        
        9.7.3. EVERY FINGER SHOULD HAVE A REWARD AT THE END, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A TRASHCAN
        
        9.10.1. IF IT LOOKS LIKE THE PLAYER CAN GO THERE, THEN THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO
        
        10.1. 400 QUATLOOS ON THE NEWCOMER!
        
        10.1.1. "PEOPLE WANT TO PLAY GAMES THAT MAKE THEM LOOK COOL
        
        10.4.1. "WATCH OUT!
        
        10.5.1. PLAY THE BEST SHOOTERS AND STUDY THEIR SOLUTIONS
        
        10.8.1. ALWAYS STRIVE TO ENABLE THE PLAYER, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE DISABLING THEM
        
        10.10.1. YOU WANT TO KEEP THEM PLAYING
        
        11.1. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION!
        
        11.1.1. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
        
        11.1.1.1. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
        
        11.1.1.2. FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION!
        
        11.2.1.
        
        11.2.1.1. FIGHTING ENEMIES IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!
        
        11.2.1.2. ENEMIES SHOULD BE FOUGHT, NOT AVOIDED
        
        11.4.1.
        
        11.4.1.1. MAKE THE PLAYER HATE THEIR ENEMY
        
        11.8.1.
        
        11.8.1.1. LET THE PLAYER ADMINISTER THE COUP DE GRACE
        
        11.10.1.
        
        11.10.1.1. SPOILER ALERT!
        
        12.1. HOLY DEATH TRAP!
        
        12.1.1.
        
        12.1.1.1. NO DROPPING ROCKS ON THE PLAYER'S HEAD
        
        12.5.1.
        
        12.5.1.1. SHOW 'EM THE DOOR AND THEN SEND 'EM AFTER THE KEY
        
        12.5.1.2. NO CAT MUSTACHES
        
        13.1. "LOVE THY PLAYER"
        
        13.1.1.
        
        13.1.1.1. IF IT FEELS TOO LONG, HARD, OR BORING, THEN IT PROBABLY IS
        
        13.2.1.
        
        13.2.1.1. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE GREED OF THE PLAYER
        
        13.2.1.2. THE BEST REWARDS ARE HARD WON
        
        14.1. HOW MANY IS THE RIGHT NUMBER?
        
        14.2. MMORPGS, OR HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE
        
        14.2.1.
        
        14.2.1.1. PLAYERS WILL ALWAYS DO THE LAST THING YOU EXPECT. AND SOMETIMES YOU SHOULD LET THEM DO IT
        
        15.1. ALWAYS MAKE THE MUSIC MORE EXCITING THAN THE ACTION ON SCREEN
        
        15.1.1. ALWAYS MAKE THE MUSIC MORE EXCITING THAN THE ACTION ON SCREEN
        
        15.1.1.1. ALWAYS MAKE THE MUSIC MORE EXCITING THAN THE ACTION ON SCREEN
        
        16.1. CAN IT BE DONE IN THE GAME?
        
        16.1.1. CAN IT BE DONE IN THE GAME?
        
        16.1.1.1. CAN IT BE DONE IN THE GAME?
        
        16.2.1.
        
        16.2.1.1. IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO HAVE THE PLAYER DO THAN WATCH
        
        17.1. NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR STUPID LITTLE WORLD
        
        17.1.1.
        
        17.1.1.1. GAME DEMO > GAME DESIGN DOCUMENT > PRESENTATION > PITCH
        
        17.2.1.
        
        17.2.1.1. VIDEO GAMES ARE MADE BY PEOPLE
        
        2.1. Page 1: Title Page
        
        2.2. Page 2: Story and Gameplay
        
        2.3. Page 3: Game Flow
        
        2.4. Page 4: Character(s) and Controls
        
        2.5. Page 5: Main Gameplay Concepts and Platform Specific Features
        
        2.6. Page 6: Game World
        
        2.7. Page 7: Interface
        
        2.8. Page 8: Mechanics and Power-ups
        
        2.9. Page 9: Enemies and Bosses
        
        2.10. Page 10: Cutscenes, Bonus Material, and Comps
        
        3.1. COVER
        
        3.2. YOUR GAME'S TITLE
        
        3.3. GDD Outline (for action, adventure, platform, RPG, or shooter-video game)
        
        8.1. Boss Fight Arena
        
        9.1. Slide 1: Cover Page
        
        9.2. Slide 2: Company Profile
        
        9.3. Slide 3: Target Specs
        
        9.4. Slide 4: Game Story
        
        9.5. Slide 5: Game Goals
        
        9.6. Slide 6: Gameplay Summary
        
        9.7. Slide 7: Gameplay details
        
        9.8. Slide 8: Download strategy
        
        9.9. Slide 9: Production Specs
        
        TIME TO LEVEL UP!
        
        Show and hide more
        Product information
        
        Title: Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design
        
        Author(s): Scott Rogers
        
        Release date: September 2010
        
        Publisher(s): Wiley
        
        ISBN: 9780470688670