ABSTRACT

Good game design happens when you view your game from as many perspectives as possible. Written by one of the world's top game designers, The Art of Game Design presents 100+ sets of questions, or different lenses, for viewing a game's design, encompassing diverse fields such as psychology, architecture, music, visual design, film, software enginee

chapter 1|8 pages

In the Beginning, There Is the Designer

chapter 2|16 pages

The Designer Creates an Experience

chapter 3|8 pages

The Experience Takes Place in a Venue

chapter 4|16 pages

The Experience Rises Out of a Game

chapter 5|8 pages

The Game Consists of Elements

chapter 6|12 pages

The Elements Support a Theme

chapter 7|20 pages

The Game Begins with an Idea

chapter 8|26 pages

The Game Improves through Iteration

chapter 9|18 pages

The Game Is Made for a Player

chapter 10|14 pages

The Experience Is in the Player’s Mind

chapter 12|44 pages

Some Elements Are Game Mechanics

chapter 13|38 pages

Game Mechanics Must Be in Balance

chapter 14|14 pages

Game Mechanics Support Puzzles

chapter 15|26 pages

Players Play Games through an Interface

chapter 17|22 pages

One Kind of Experience Is the Story

chapter 19|10 pages

Stories and Games Take Place in Worlds

chapter 20|22 pages

Worlds Contain Characters

chapter 21|16 pages

Worlds Contain Spaces

chapter 23|6 pages

Some Games Are Played with Other Players

chapter 24|14 pages

Other Players Sometimes Form Communities

chapter 25|12 pages

The Designer Usually Works with a Team

chapter 27|16 pages

Good Games Are Created through Playtesting

chapter 28|14 pages

The Team Builds a Game with Technology

chapter 29|8 pages

Your Game Will Probably Have a Client

chapter 30|14 pages

The Designer Gives the Client a Pitch

chapter 32|18 pages

Games Transform Their Players

chapter 33|6 pages

Designers Have Certain Responsibilities

chapter 34|4 pages

Each Designer Has a Purpose