Michael Killick - The Way We Play : Theory of Game Design

This Apress imprint is published by the registered company APress Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

The registered company address is: 1 New York Plaza, New York, NY 10004, U.S.A.

You probably have already played hundreds of games before you have picked up this book and loved, and maybe disliked, some. Or maybe, you may have never played a video game in your life, and you much prefer to play card or board games . (No matter, they will be mentioned in this book too.) But this book isnt about taking famous video games apart and pointing out their flaws, this book is about what goes on to make those games and what worked. For some of us, we have been waking up over festive celebrations, opening the biggest game of the year that all our friends have been talking about. But have you ever wondered HOW it got there? Yes, a jolly fat man might have left it for you, but have you ever wanted to know how it was made? Or have you ever shown an interest in the way a video game was made?

This book has been written for three types of people: those that want to develop their skills and knowledge further, those that are starting out in game design or students that want to know the best place to start, and those that love to play games.

For those that are already working within video games, there are plenty of books already out there that might give you a lot of theory, but they might be very formal and sometimes hard to relate to. However, this book will provide some theory but also some practical elements while also keeping things casual. I dont want this book to be talking at you, but more talking along with you.

If you are a student or just starting out in video games, I bring in a perspective of someone who has studied video games but has also been teaching it. I have been involved in countless projects and seen many mistakes made but also seen some amazing projects come to life. Over the course of the book, I will tell stories of some of my lessons but also what you need to think about as you start out in this ever-changing and expansive world we call game development . You will also get to see what comes next once you have made your video game and what options lie ahead once you reach this milestone. I didnt study video games till I was in my mid-teens, and even then, I fell into the subject! It was a strange new world I found myself in, and I quickly learned that I needed all the supporting material out there to help me on my journey. I made lots of mistakes with projects that I made, but this book will help you to avoid making those mistakes. And I hope that you find in this book some of your supporting material as you start out on your journey.

Lastly, there is someone else out there that this book is aimed toward. Those that love video games and are die-hard fans, just like me! Even if you never want to make video games but are curious about what goes on in the land of game development , then this book will give you a look into the window of this world. I have always enjoyed reading game books or game art books and felt inspired. And that is the aim of this book, to help guide those wanting to make their mark in game design.

You have probably been looking around in your local bookshop or online for a book that can provide you with a background into game design and what can help you either with your career or the theory of design. You might have found some books that might have lots of theory or are fully technical. But you might be looking for one that has a perfect amount of both. So, look no further, as this is the book for you!