Game Design [Paperback]

Bob Bates (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1592004938 | ISBN-13: 978-1592004935 | Publication Date: September 16, 2004 | Edition: 2

"Game Design, Second Edition" offers a behind-the-scenes look at how a game gets designed and developed-from the day the idea is born to the day the box hits the shelves. This new edition offers information on the latest techniques and development models, interviews with 12 top game designers, document templates that can be used during product development, and numerous industry resources. It is a practical guide that covers everything from the fundamentals of game design, to the trade-offs in the development process, to the deals a publisher makes to get a game on the shelves. No matter what your role in the industry, understanding this entire process will help you do your job better. And if you're looking to break in, you'll find knowledge here that is usually only attained after years in the trenches.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

In 1989, Bob co-founded Legend Entertainment and served as its President until the company’s 1998 sale to GT Interactive (now Atari). He continued as Legend’s Studio Head and as an active game designer/producer until the studio closed in January of 2004. Bob is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events, and he is also the co-founder and organizer of the Game Designer’s Workshop, an annual invitation-only conference attended by many of the top storytelling game designers in the business. Bob is the author of one of the industry’s bestselling books on game development, Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games (Premier Press/Course PTR), which is currently being used as a textbook by several colleges and universities. He is also the editor of the Game Developer’s Market Guide (Premier Press/Course PTR).

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Course Technology PTR; 2 edition (September 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592004938
• ISBN-13: 978-1592004935
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on game design ever!, January 22, 2010

By 

Brendan Burns "Brendan B." (Donegal, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Game Design (Paperback)

This is without doubt one of the best books on game design ever written.

The author does a tremendous job on educating the reader about the intricacies of commercial game development. He is one of the games industry's "seasoned veterans" with over 35 commercial titles released, as well as two Game of the Year (GotY) awards to his name.

Anyone considering starting out to commercially design/produce a video game title (for any platform) must read this book. Then get every single member of their team to read this book.

I'd go so far as to say that I wouldn't want to work with anyone who hasn't read this book!

An absolute gem. Well done Bob!