Customer Reviews

Game Design Complete

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was very disappointed by this book. It comes across as a low-fi look at the broad subject area of game design, more or less bereft of any information that is beyond common sense.

The author (whom the back of book blurb refers to as a "Master Game Designer") comes across as condescending, and generally displays a poor grasp of the subject, despite the fact that he is the design director for a video game publishing company.

The book seems focussed primarily on the business considerations of game design, rather than on being a useful resource for expanding a game designer's creative problem solving repertoire.

If you wish to learn something useful about game design then I reccommend you purchase a different book.

this is an excellent book covering a holistic approach to game design. it covers everything you would want to know and has some fantastic interviews by some well known designers. i'd recommend this for anyone interested in games.

Patrick O'Luanaigh's GAME DESIGN COMPLETE would do well as a college text for game designers and would-be developers; especially those with some basic skills who seek to expand their opportunities. Chapters come from a master game designer who probes the field from concept to polished product, discussing real-world financial and space constraints influencing the development strategy and using lessons from other game design masters to reinforce options which take these constraints into account.

I truly enjoyed this book! Patrick O'Luanaigh gives you a complete lesson on the "School of Hard Knocks" game design. This book goes through all the considerations a designer must take into account while completing a project and it does the job pragmatically. I was somewhat disappointed by the title, thinking it was going to be a book about every aspect of creating a game including game engines, modeling programs and so forth, but it was a happy disappointment of sorts. This author doesn't tell you the technical aspects of creating a game, he tells you the practical aspects! This book is definitely not an "all-in-one" manual, but an invaluable designer companion!

This is a one of a kind book on the project management side of game development. There is real life information on hiring talent, on designing characters, on project management and more. A very unique book that will be invaluable to anyone designing their own game, or anyone in the management side of the game software development process.

'Game Design Complete' by Patrick O'Luanaigh is a nice auxiliary book for anyone the designs and develops computer games. I say auxiliary because while this book is a nice companion guide, it's not an end all book for learning how to program computer games. At 430 pages, this is has a nice bit of content and is written in an entertaining way that is a nice reference to have on your desk while writing code. Certainly not a revolutionary text, this is still a nice book to have which will no doubt improve your design of game programming.

Best suited towards new and learning game programmers, this is a worthwhile read.

**** RECOMMENDED

Are you currently working as a game designer or just want to learn more about the real-world aspects of game design? If you are, then this book is for you. Author Patrick O'Luanaigh, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that takes a step-by-step approach and starts with the basics of game design.

O'Luanaigh, begins by showing you how to work with the basic constraints that game designers work with and the opportunities that emerge from these. Then, the author focuses on the core game play issues that all designers must master, including cameras, control systems, characters, game environments, and level design.
Next, he shows you how to work with the design challenges that you'll face when creating more elaborate games. He also covers market research and focus groups, how to work with design teams, how to create game prototypes and pitch your designs, and how to design serious games. Finally, he covers disaster management and ends with some practical tips on game design.

This most excellent book takes you deep into the world of game design, from concept to finished product. More importantly, this book gives you expert advice from the most exciting talent working in the games industry today.