INTRODUCTION
We have played games for thousands of years, to learn how to improve military skills, increase math and business abilities, learn new talents, sharpen old ones, and just have fun. Games are an integral part of being human, and there seems to be a game to fit each of our many different interests. Games have evolved right along with humans, and their development has been influenced strongly by culture and technology.
The gaming experience changed remarkably with the introduction of video games in the 1960s and 1970s, when intrepid inventors built them and made them available for everyone to enjoy. As technology has bloomed and the Internet has radically changed everyone's life, the growth of games, with their inventive use of this technology, continues to enthrall gamers in ever-increasing numbers.
Faster animation, more detailed graphics, and advanced sophistication in sound contribute to creating gameplay that is intriguing, compelling, and addictive. Consumers are spending more money and time on games, whether on a console, their home computer, or a mobile device or phone. There is no abatement in the desire to play, which means opportunities for those of us who love both playing and creating games.
Game makers have evolved to embrace the constantly improving technology to bring us more sophisticated and compelling games to play. Their efforts appear seamless to the gamer, but the work behind the scenes requires a huge array of skills and teamwork.
I hope this book will be an inspiration to those of you on the starting line of finding your way into the intriguing world of making games.
Who Should Read This Book
This book is for people who are interested in computer games and what goes into making them, folks who might want to segue into this field, and students in game art.
What You Will Learn
You'll gain a great understanding of how games are made and the importance of gameplay style. You'll get practical advice on creating characters, props, environments, and interfaces. The book also provides practice working with visuals, audio, navigation, and interfaces. Throughout, you'll learn to keep gameplay at the forefront, which is what any successful game maker does.
In addition to learning about making games, you'll learn a great deal about the industry. When you finish this book, you'll know more about the roles and pipelines involved in the production of games and be able to refine your own ideas about what you want to do in the industry.
If you have an interest in making games or working in the industry and you just aren't sure where to start, there is a lot of information here to help you understand how games are made, who does what during production, and methods for distributing and marketing games.
Reader Requirements
If you have an interest in computer games, enjoy playing them, and might like to make them, those are all the requirements you need.
What Is Covered in This Book
Game Design Essentials is written to help people who have an interest in creating games and may wish to segue into this field, and for students already in school. The book's web page is located at www.sybex.com/go/gamedesignessentials, where you can download files mentioned in the book and additional documents.
Chapter 1: Game Design Origins In order to understand how games are designed and created today, you'll examine their historical origins. This chapter includes a look at some of the earliest games known to man and how their design and gameplay are apparent in modern productions.
Chapter 2: Gameplay Styles This chapter examines what gameplay styles are and how important they are to a successful product. Too often, new game makers focus on the look of the game, when in fact the most important component of a successful game is gameplay. You'll study elements that make up good gameplay and review the major categories of gameplay style.
Chapter 3: Core Game Design Concepts This chapter walks through the first steps of writing a game and takes you from concept to script to Game Design Document to pitch. You'll learn how to prepare the synopsis, establish the goals, and write a logline. Chapter 3 covers essential information about describing the look and functionality of characters, props, and environments and about creating lore.
Chapter 4: Visual Design This chapter covers the basics of how to begin designing characters, props, environments, and interfaces from concept to finished art. Information provided includes methods for working on original work, how to find inspiration, and the impact gameplay style and demographics have on designing visuals for a game.
Chapter 5: Detailed Development of Visuals Chapter 4 discussed some of the initial visuals created for a game. This chapter provides more detailed descriptions for creating 3D models, color, texture, and lighting. In addition, the chapter provides an overview of design graphics.
Chapter 6: Navigation and Interfaces Navigation, when referencing game design, deals with how the player can move through a game. This includes adjusting visuals and sound, where to find interactive elements in the game, and how to move about the world being created. An interface is what allows a gamer to interact with the game. This chapter examines some of the types of interfaces typical to games, including diegetic and non-diegetic.
Chapter 7: Designing Levels and the Game Design Document The levels reviewed in this chapter have to do with where the player is in the game world, and what they experience while they are there. You'll learn how to plot out a physical area for a game and then understand how game makers plan events. The Game Design Document (GDD) is a written tome that game makers create, which contains everything related to the game from initial log line to the full, finished list of assets that have been or need to be created for the project.
Chapter 8: Sound Sound for games helps to define the mood for the project and can telegraph changes in the gameplay. The chapter explains how musical scores are created and describes the methods audio designers use to create sound effects.
Chapter 9: Job Descriptions, Game Tracking, and Legal Issues This chapter reviews a variety of jobs and their duties, along with how they relate to large versus small productions. In addition, game pipelines and how they work with regard to tracking a production are discussed. The chapter also covers legal issues related to game production and game marketing, such as trademarks, copyright, and standards.
Chapter 10: Distribution and Marketing Game sales have increased tremendously over the past few years, surpassing even the feature film industry. As methods for playing games through the Internet, home computer systems, and so on have increased, so have the methods for marketing games. This chapter looks at some of those unique methods, such as in-game advertising and advergames.
Appendix A This appendix contains the answers to the review questions from each chapter.
Appendix B This appendix is about getting started in the field. It provides information on education, internships, entry-level positions, and a wealth of resources for networking and staying current. The appendix also provides detailed information about preparing a flatbook, a reel, and other materials you may need as you apply for jobs and internships.
Appendix C This appendix contains an excerpt from the Game Design Document (GDD) for Red Harvest from Bedlam Games. This excerpt shows you the kind of information and the level of detail found in a GDD.