Game Design: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition) (Wordware Game Developer's Library) 2nd Edition

by Richard Rouse III (Author)

42 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-1556229121

ISBN-10: 9781556229121

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“Both burgeoning game designers and devoted gamers should consider [Game Design: Theory & Practice] an essential read.” ― Computer Gaming World “Ultimately, in both theory and practice, Rouse’s Game Design bible gets the job done. Let us pray.” - Next Generation magazine In the second edition to the acclaimed Game Design: Theory & Practice, designer Richard Rouse III balances a discussion of the essential concepts behind game design with an explanation of how you can implement them in your current project. Detailed analysis of successful games is interwoven with concrete examples from Rouse’s own experience. This second edition thoroughly updates the popular original with new chapters and fully revised text.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Rouse III is design director at Surreal Software, a Midway Home Entertainment studio. Most recently, he was project lead, lead designer, and writer on the action-horror game The Suffering. His credits also include Drakan: The Ancients’ Gates, Centipede 3D, Damage Incorporated, and Odyssey: The Legend of Nemesis. Rouse has written about game design for publications including Game Developer, SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics, Develop, Gamasutra, MyVideoGames.com, and Inside Mac Games, and has spoken on game development numerous times at the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1556229127
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2nd edition (September 13, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 704 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781556229121
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1556229121
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.13 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.09 x 1.46 x 9.13 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,608,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #521 in Computer & Video Game Design
- #1,116 in Computer Graphics
- #1,149 in Game Programming

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42 ratings

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5 star		61%
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1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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MaxM2

Unique practical advice on how to think the various aspects of your game and create written explanations for others

Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2016

Verified Purchase

I have read around 10 books on game development (and watched or listened to several presentations) at this point, and am in the process of making my first game. I gave this book five stars for its value to me, especially in terms of how the various aspects of game documentation can useful in both clarifying your own thoughts and explaining your game to others. By documentation I mean various summaries that describe things like plot, dialogue/narrative, game play, back story, etc. Simply discussing these topics gave me additional game ideas and ways to conceptualize what I was doing in game design and what I should be doing. I would generally agree with the reviewer who said "beginner to intermediate," although I know from experience that people have widely differing ways of creating and promoting their works, and I could see an advanced game developer who didn't much like writing things down learning from this. I have not seen this topic area (game development documentation) treated with the depth and interesting discussion that this book contains.
The writing is very clear, although there is definitely repetition in places--nothing I couldn't skip over a few pages to get past. The specific games that are discussed are dated, but as usual, there are concepts and lessons that the developers (like Chris Crawford) offer in their interviews that are applicable to most games, and are also very interesting if you haven't seen their interviews before. I happen to be writing a branching choice scifi adventure game, so the discussion of the author's development of his branching choice adventure game was very helpful for me.
All in all, highly recommended.

3 people found this helpful

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S.W.

Didn't tell me much more than I already knew

Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2006

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Being an avid gamer, and dreaming of working in the video game industry, I pretty much knew everyhing there was in this book. However, if you're not like me, then I think you will find this book useful.

The book goes from the beginning stages of video game design up to the completion of a video game. It gives really good information about what makes a game good and not tired and done before.

The interviews of the game designers are kinda helpful; it really depends on if you already know the designers work and are familiar with it.

This is a non-technical book though, so it won't tell you how to code a game or make models. It basically tells you all of the intangibles you can't learn in a class or really anywhere.

It's worth the read.

5 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Theory + Practice = A competitive edge

Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2013

Verified Purchase

The balance of this book is excellent. It's helping me learn to think like a game designer, nit just a programmer & game player with good ideas. There's a lot of helpful knowledge and experience out there, and this is like a cheat code to unlock better game design.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Excellent book.

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2010

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This book is entertaining as well as informative. Not only will you receive an introduction to every aspect of game design, but you will also come away from this book with a very important perspective on the history of video and computer games. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning how to design computer games.

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Martiniano

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2015

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Im still reading it, entertaining and funny

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ArtisticTiger

Great condition, like new!!

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2011

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Really nothing to say other than it came in great condition lol,...I purchased an ecopy and read it once, pretty good read..helps so much to have it on hand

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15bit

EVAR MADE

Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2011

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DID YOU KNOW THAT CENTIPEDE IS THE GREATEST GAME EVER MADE!? OR THAT TETRIS IS THE SECOND BEST GAME EVER MADE I COULD GO ON AND ON WITHOUT PUNCUATION OR PROPER SENSE ABOUT HOW GREAT THIS BOOK IS! IF IT WAS A VIDEO GAME IT MIGHT BE THE 3RD BEST GAME EVER MADE EVAR!

SO GREAT THAT I SEEM INCAPABLE OF GETTING OUT OF CAPS LOCK!

One person found this helpful

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Dave & Amy Astle

good resource for game designers

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2001

Each of the chapters of this book fall into one of three categories: an interview with a prominent game designer, an analysis of a successful game, or a discussion of game design principles. Each is valuable for different reasons, so I'd like to review each of them separately.
The interviews are interesting, and go into much greater depth than most interviews you see. As a result, you're able to get a good idea of how each designer approaches the game design process, which can be useful in analyzing your own methods.
The chapters analyzing games focused on a single game, but also looked at similar games in the genre. If you're an aspiring game designers, you'll benefit from these chapters. Partially because you will see what these games did well, but moreso because they will encourage you to analyze the design aspects of the games you're playing to see what they do right, what they do wrong, and how you can apply that to your own designs.
About half of the chapters of the book cover various aspects of game design, presenting the author's own theories about what's important, what isn't, and the things you should be thinking about. It's hard to review the value of this; some of it you'll agree with, and some of it you may not. Depending on your degree of experience, some of it may be obvious, some of it may be new, and some of it may help you focus on areas you've been neglecting.
Overall, I wouldn't consider this book a must-have, but if you're interested in becoming a well-rounded and successful game designer, there's a lot in here that will be of value to you.

17 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

John Kennedy

Not a bad read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2013

Verified Purchase

I've been meaning to get this book for a while. I haven't read it all yet but so far it seems pretty good. For the most part it's clear and to the point. Sometimes you feel that the points being made are a little out-dated but that's no surprise considering how much the gaming market has changed over the past couple of years. Well worth £20!

Gabriel Beaudoin

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on August 3, 2017

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Perfect condition

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Game Design: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition) (Wordware Game Developer's Library) 2nd Edition

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