Chapter 1. Games and Video Games

Before discussing game design, we have to establish what games are and how they work. You might think that everybody knows what a game is, but there are so many kinds of games in the world that it’s best not to make assumptions based on personal experience alone. We’ll start by identifying the essential elements that a game must have, and then define what a game is based on those elements. Then we’ll go on to discuss what computers bring to gaming and how video games are different from conventional games. Finally, we’ll look at the specific ways in which video games entertain people and note some other enjoyable features of video games that you must learn how to design.

What Is a Game?

Work consists of whatever ...

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