Practical Game Design - Second Edition

Arm yourself with the practical skills and cutting-edge insights necessary to successfully design captivating games across a variety of genres and platformsPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookKey FeaturesMaster the skills, processes, and techniques essential for working in a professional settingGrasp the core principles and processes of level design, world building, and storytellingDesign, implement, and refine high-quality features and mechanics for contemporary video gamesBook DescriptionIf you’re in search of a cutting-edge actionable guide to game design, your quest ends here! Immerse yourself in the fundamentals of game design with expert guidance from veterans with decades of game design experience across a variety of genres and platforms.The second edition of this book remains dedicated to its original goal of helping you master the fundamentals of game design in a practical manner with the addition of some of the latest trends in game design and a whole lot of fresh, real-world examples from games of the current generation. This update brings a new chapter on games as a service, explaining the evolving role of the game designer and diving deeper into the design of games that are meant to be played forever. From conceptualizing a game idea, you’ll gradually move on to devising a design plan and adapting solutions from existing games, exploring the craft of producing original game mechanics, and eliminating anticipated design risks through testing. You’ll then be introduced to level design, interactive storytelling, user experience and accessibility.By the end of this game design book, you’ll have learned how to wrap up a game ahead of its release date, work through the challenges of designing free-to-play games and games as a service, and significantly improve their quality through iteration, playtesting, and polishing.What you will learnDefine the scope and structure of a game projectConceptualize a game idea and present it to othersDesign gameplay systems and communicate them clearly and thoroughlyBuild and validate engaging game mechanicsDesign successful games as a service and prepare them for live operationsImprove the quality of a game through playtesting and meticulous polishingWho this book is forWhether you are a student eager to design your very first game or a game designer looking to expand your skill set, this book will help you master the fundamentals of game design across all stages of game development. With a focus on best practices and a pragmatic approach, Practical Game Design offers insights into the art and craft of game design from two senior game designers, with insider knowledge that even veterans will find valuable. While prior experience with game development is not absolutely necessary, having basic knowledge of popular video games will prove helpful.Table of ContentsIntroducing the Game Production ProcessPreparing a Game ConceptScoping a Game ProjectCreating Design DocumentationUnderstanding Game MechanicsDesigning Systems and FeaturesMaking PrototypesDesigning Compelling Stories for GamesThe Fundamentals of Level DesignCreating CharactersBalancing Your Content and SystemsBuilding a Great User Interface and User ExperienceMaking Your Games AccessibleMastering Games as a ServiceUnderstanding Monetization TechniquesThe Final 10%