Fundamentals of Game Design, Second Edition

Part One. The Elements of Game Design

Part One of Fundamentals of Game Design examines the essential principles of designing video games. The first chapter proposes a philosophy of what video games are and how they entertain. Chapter 2 explains several important design concepts and introduces the player-centric approach to the process of game design itself. It also describes several aspects of design in the commercial environment, including documents used and job roles. Chapter 3 describes how to get from the initial “great idea” stage to a formal game concept that is detailed enough to elaborate into a complete design.

The remaining chapters of Part One are devoted to specific aspects of video games that you will encounter when you’re designing ...