Readers will learn the advanced techniques and knowledge needed for integrating a story into any game to craft a captivating, emotional experience. The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design is a must-have for any aspiring game designers who also see themselves deeply involved in the storytelling side of development. The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design The author, Tracy Fullerton, is a game designer who leads the Game Innovation Lab at the Interactive Media Division of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The book also comes with plenty of references to successful games along with useful illustrations that clearly present design methods and techniques. In other words, you can rest easy knowing that this book was written by someone who not only has plenty of game design experience but was very good at it as well. The author, Jesse Schell, is an award-winning designer of Disney online games and once served as the chair of the International Game Developers Association. The book also leads you through the game design process while analyzing each step a designer must take to build their ideas. The reader is then asked to consider challenging design questions (more than 100) that arise from looking at a game through a specific perspective, forcing you to think about how other people would see your game. The Art of Game Design is a unique book in that it emphasizes studying game design from several different perspectives.Ĭalling these perspectives ‘lenses’, the author covers basic game design principles that are useful for games of all genres and platforms. The Top 10 Books for Game Design The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses Game Feel: A Game Designer’s Guide to Virtual Sensation.The Gamification of Learning and Instruction Fieldbook.Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals.Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design.The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses.Reviews (Amazon, Goodreads, Peer Recommendations, etc …).We hope you find the perfect one for you as you look at our list of the 10 best video game design books (in no particular order). Things have changed now that plenty of excellent game design books are around to provide more knowledge of what it takes to create games. However, for the longest time, the big difference between video games and the other forms of entertainment mentioned above was the number of available books to help future game designers. You should be playing games, both bad and good, to study what elements work and don’t work.
Like film, music, and novels, one way to grow as a game designer is by immersing yourself in the respective entertainment medium.Īre you an aspiring musician or movie director?ĭon’t stop listening to music and watching films– preferably what people consider to be the best of its kind.īecoming a better game designer is no different. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.