Books on Game Creation
All we do here is suggest. Then we pass you on to Amazon.co.uk! Choosing books from here is at NO extra cost for you at all. Support this web site by using the Amazon Search on the left to lookup and purchase books.
 |
" Rules of Play makes a monumental contribution to the development
of game theory, criticism, and design. It will instantly become
a standard textbook in the field on the basis of its rigor and scope--yet
it is written in such an engaging style that many will read it for
pleasure. Salen and Zimmerman do for games what Sergei Eisenstein
did for cinema--offer an expert practitioner's perspective on central
aspects of the aesthetics and cultural importance of an emerging
medium." --Henry Jenkins, Director of Comparative Media Studies, MIT "This is the most impressive book on game design I've ever
seen. Broad in scope yet rich in detail, Rules of Play sets a
new standard for game analysis." |
 |
"...it's the best game design book I have ever read. There
was this pretty deceptive sample download going around the net 6
months back that made the whole book look like a bunch of cartoons
that you could read in like 5 minutes....but the book is SO MUCH
MORE than that...and SO MUCH BETTER. I think any and everyone who
designs games (and aspires to) should read this book...it explains
alot of stuff I have never thought about and articulates alot of
the stuff I've always thought about but have never taken the time
(or had the skillz) to put into words....such a good fucking book....please
read it." --David Jaffe, creative director of God of War |
 |
" Half-Real tackles key issues in games, from rules and structure
to aesthetics and fiction to the complexities of player experience.
Juul puts these topics in the context of current intellectual debates,
making the book not just a playful exploration of games themselves
but a celebration of the emerging fields of game studies and game
design theory. Half-Real is essential reading for scholars, designers,
and everyone in between." --Eric Zimmerman, Cofounder & CEO, gameLab "Jesper Juul gives us an insightful analysis of the interplay
of rules and fiction. Unlike so much of the academic literature
on gaming, it's both concise and readable. Strongly recommended." |
 |
" Love him or hate him, he knows his stuff. I make games
that he would probably not care too much for, but I still use
many of his concepts every step of the way. :)" "Crawford's breezy, conversational style makes it easy to
grasp the fundamentals and the theoretical underpinnings of interactivity..." "Chris Crawford's 'The Art of Interactive Design' rewards
extended exploration...its worth your time to read this book. |
 |
"I dislike this book almost as much as possible, as the writer
obviously knows very little about games and interactivity and instead
focuses mainly on cut scenes and movielike presentation. At the
same time, I learned nearly as much from it as from Crawford, because
every step of the way I argued his point until my own view was developed
even further. Even if you are enlightened enough to avoid the Hollywood
gunk that plagues many game designers, this is a must read to better
understand "the other side". Just remember, every step
of the way ask yourself "How could this be done interactively?" -- Joe Bourrie, Game Designer of Rumble Box |
 |
" Has nothing whatsoever to do with game design, and at
the same time has everything to do with it. This book discusses
the interfaces and functions of things that we use every day to
create a theory of useability that can help us make games more intuitive
to the average user." -- Joe Bourrie, Game Designer of Rumble Box |
 |
"How in the world did these men create a linear fiction
novel that feels like an interactive experience? Read it not only
for its wonderfully weird entertainment value, but for the amazing
way that it consistently asks its readers to make their own decisions
without ever breaking the narrative. Warning : You will find yourself
often re-reading up to fifty pages at a time to try and decode
the bizarre happenings in this book. It will take a long time
to really understand." |
 |
"An empathetic ivory tower breakdown of the essential unique
qualities of interactivity, and a declaration to a Holy Grail ideal,
that of storytelling with the sophistication of Hamlet, executed
with the interactivity of Star Trek's Holodeck. Great in 1996, still
worthwhile almost ten years later." -- Patrick Dugan, Ludosophist |
 |
"A pragmatic take on design centered on the vital concept
of games as being primarily characterized by "verbs",
the things the player actually does. Accompanying this outlook are
100 tips on design, a competent taxonomy regarding games, toys,
play, ect. and a nice series of anecdotes. Crawford's personality
comes through heavily, but with it a degree of (occasionally pontificating)
wisdom." -- Patrick Dugan, Ludosophist |
 |
"Good and bad for similar reasons as his game design book,
this book it groundbreaking for its thorough, if overly structuralist,
analysis of the prospects for interactive storytelling, and its
accompanying suite of design strategies. A must read for anyone
interested in designing with the Erasmatron engine, and for anyone
interested in building drama engines in general." -- Patrick Dugan, Ludosophist |
 |
"A must read to understand games in a larger cultural context,
and refute all those soccer mom, Jack Thompson wanna-bes out there." -- Patrick Dugan, Ludosophist |
 |
"Now heres a book Chris Crawford definelty wouldn't approve
of. Its my staunch position that games are inherently post-structural,
and this is the Adam of post-structural literature. If you can envision
a game design based off this book, you might have a chance of competing
in the big leagues of interactive storytelling that will emerge
in the next few years." -- Patrick Dugan, Ludosophist |
 |
"A brilliant, well thought out attack on the media that
will change the way you look at all forms of entertainment." |
