Basics of Game Design

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ISBN: 9781568814339 | 156881433X
Cover: Nonspecific Binding
Copyright: 3/23/2011

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An Inside Guide to Game Design is for anyone wanting to become a professional game designer. Focusing on creating the game mechanics for data-driven games, it covers role-playing, real-time strategy, first-person shooter, simulation, and other games. Written by a 25-year veteran of the game industry, the guide offers detailed explanations of how to design the data sets used to resolve game play for moving, combat, solving puzzles, interacting with NPCs, managing inventory, and much more. Advice on developing stories for games, building maps and levels, and designing the graphical user interface is also included.

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Introduction	p. 1
Making Games	p. 3
Game Play and Game Data	p. 4
Designers and the Development Process	p. 6
The Designer's Role in Game Development	p. 11
Conclusion	p. 19
Exercises	p. 20
Game Play and Game Mechanics	p. 23
Game Play and the ôFun Factorö	p. 23
Assigning Percentages to Game Play	p. 25
Play Elements for Game Genres	p. 27
What Is Not Game Play	p. 28
Mechanics of Game Play	p. 29
Modeling Reality	p. 31
The Fudge Factor	p. 32
Conclusion	p. 32
Exercises	p. 33
Math and Logic in Games	p. 35
Probability and Statistics	p. 35
Randomization in Games	p. 38
Percentages	p. 42
Percentages in Video Games	p. 44
Keeping the Math Simple	p. 45
Defining Play through Algorithms	p. 46
Logic and Scripting Languages	p. 47
Conclusion	p. 52
Exercises	p. 53
Inside Game Mechanics	p. 55
On Movement	p. 57
Scale	p. 58
Graphical Interface Requirements	p. 59
Military Scales	p. 59
Regulating Movement in Wargames	p. 61
Game Statistics for Movement	p. 66
Terrain Features	p. 67
Strategic Movement Map (World Map)	p. 69
Movement Rates	p. 71
Movement Algorithm	p. 75
Random Encounters	p. 75
Items on the Map	p. 80
Conclusion	p. 82
Exercises	p. 83
On Combat	p. 87
Rock-Paper-Scissors	p. 87
Turn-Based vs. Real-Time Combat	p. 89
Combat Attributes (Statistics)	p. 90
Combat in Role-Playing Games	p. 92
RPG Combat Algorithms	p. 95
Combat Table	p. 101
Critical Hit Table	p. 104
Magic/Technology Combat	p. 104
Fleeing Combat	p. 106
Combat in Wargames	p. 107
Attributes in Wargames	p. 110
Combat in Turn-Based Wargames	p. 113
Sequence of Play in Wargames	p. 114
Combat in Real-Time Strategy Games	p. 119
AI Design for Wargames	p. 121
Conclusion	p. 122
Exercises	p. 122
On Characters and Monsters	p. 127
Creating Player Characters	p. 127
Experience Points and Leveling Up	p. 142
Creating Monsters, Villains, and Allies	p. 148
Treasure Tables	p. 156
Sports Game Characters	p. 158
Conclusion	p. 161
Exercises	p. 162
On Items	p. 165
Item Categories	p. 165
Game Functions of Items	p. 170
Item Chart	p. 171
Designing Weapons	p. 176
Item Types: Hand Weapons	p. 177
Item Types: Ranged Weapons	p. 180
Item Types: Exotic Weapons	p. 185
Item Types: Armor	p. 187
Item Types: Potions and Scrolls	p. 193
Item Types: Auxiliary Equipment	p. 195
Inventory	p. 200
Store Inventories	p. 204
Resources	p. 206
Money	p. 207
Conclusion	p. 208
Exercises	p. 209
On Magicks and Technologies	p. 213
Magic in Games	p. 214
Technology in Games	p. 226
Technology Trees	p. 230
Conclusion	p. 237
Exercises	p. 238
On Puzzles in Games	p. 241
Elements of Puzzles	p. 241
Categories of Puzzles	p. 243
Randomization in Puzzle Games	p. 247
Designing Puzzles that Appear in Games	p. 249
Quests as Puzzles	p. 251
Adventure Games	p. 253
Conclusion	p. 256
Exercises	p. 257
Implementing the Design	p. 261
Storytelling in Games	p. 263
Stories in Games	p. 263
Problems with Game Stories	p. 266
Structuring Stories in Games	p. 268
Linking Plot to Game Play	p. 276
Creating a Game Story	p. 278
Dialogue in Games	p. 283
Conclusion	p. 289
Exercises	p. 290
Designing Playfields	p. 293
2D Maps	p. 294
3D Levels	p. 297
Designing Playfields	p. 300
Scripting Languages and Playfield Design	p. 303
Point-of-View in Playfield Design	p. 305
Problems in Playfield Design	p. 308
Planning Before Building	p. 309
Conclusion	p. 311
Exercises	p. 312
Interface Design	p. 315
Graphical User Interface	p. 315
Designing the GUI	p. 319
Game Controls	p. 325
Feedback	p. 329
Conclusion	p. 331
Exercises	p. 332
A Conversation with Chris Taylor	p. 335
Introduction	p. 336
Chris's Background in Games	p. 338
Preproduction Phase	p. 340
Production Phase	p. 344
Final Thoughts	p. 353
Credits	p. 357
Index	p. 359
About the Author	p. 374
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Basics of Game Design

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