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Game Design: Theory & Practice Excerpts


Here you can get a sense of whether Game Design: Theory & Practice Second Edition is the book for you by examining some of its contents, as well as finding out how the book has been expanded since the first edition.  Each file is in .pdf format, which will require you to install the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your machine if you don't have it already.  Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe's web site. 
  • Second Edition Table of Contents (72k)

    • The Table of Contents is quite detailed and should give you a sense of just what's in the book, as well as what has changed since the first edition. 
     
  • Second Edition Introduction(80k)

    • The Introduction discusses in detail what the books covers and who will probably want to read it.  Includes new introduction for the Second Edition.
     
  • Chapter 1: What Players Want

    • Excerpted on GameDev.net, this chapter explores some of the basic reasons players want to play games. These motivations may seem obvious, but thinking about them analytically can help form your principles of game design.

  • Chapter 18: Jordan Mechner Interview

    • Excerpted on Gamasutra, this is one of the seven in-depth interviews contained in the Second Edition of the book.

  • Chapter 19: The Design Document

    • Also excerpted on Gamasutra, this chapter talks about design documents. This excerpt in particular focuses on some of the pitfalls associated with them. I promise the full chapter isn't so purely negative, and actually has constructive suggestions. But everyone loves a good rant.
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Click here for more general information about the book.  Click here for more information about the author.  Already made up your mind?  Then you'll want to head to the buy the book page. 

Atomic Sam!

Contents (C) 2001-2004 Richard Rouse III and Wordware Publishing, unless otherwise noted.
Atomic Sam is TM and (C) 2001-2004 Richard Rouse III. Atomic Sam character designed by Richard Rouse III and Steve Ogden.