Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 What Is Game Design? -- What's in the Book? -- How Are Games Designed? -- Vision of the Game -- The Game Layout Chart -- Designing Gameplay -- Designing the Story -- Designing Characters -- Character Description -- Character Sketch -- Designing Environments -- Written Description -- Environment Pictures -- Designing Audio -- Interface Design -- Onscreen Interface Graphics -- Designing Fun -- Game Demo -- Game Engines -- Art for Demos -- Sound for Demos -- Non-Playable Demo -- Summary -- Chapter 2 What Is a Game Designer? -- The Game Designer -- Love to Play Games -- Creative Thinker -- The Game Development Process -- Solving Problems -- Is It Fun? -- Do You Like to Work? -- Dedication to Games -- Getting Started -- Research -- Create -- Analyze -- The Concept Document -- Writing the Document -- Character Design -- Research -- Creativity -- Analyze -- The Character Design -- Summary -- Chapter 3 The Design Document -- Layout of the Design Document -- Design Document Elements -- Introduction -- Game Overview -- Position the Game -- Game Features -- Summary -- Chapter 4 The Game Idea -- Where Can I Find an Idea? -- Examples -- Read -- Any Questions? -- What Will the Game Do? -- What Are the Goals of the Game? -- Pick Your Genre, Any Genre -- Action-Adventure and Bears, Oh My! -- Fighting -- First-Person Shooter -- Hunting -- Puzzle -- Role Playing Games -- Simulation -- Sports -- Strategy -- Multiplayer -- What's Your Story? -- How Big Can I Make It? -- What to Keep -- What to Throw Out -- Don't Keep It in Your Head -- Chapter 5 The High Concept -- The Purpose of the High Concept -- Writing the High Concept -- The Game Statement -- Why the Game Is Important -- Why the Game Is Unique -- Audience -- Why Should the Game Be Published? -- Summary -- Chapter 6 Visualizing the Game -- Art Used in Game Designs.

Storyboards -- Level Layouts -- Environment Illustrations -- Character Designs -- Model Sheets -- Graphical User Interface (GUI) Design -- Other Concept Art -- Summary -- Chapter 7 Designing Audio -- Character Voices and Speech -- Script -- Talent Search -- Recording -- For the Technically Curious -- What We Hear -- What the Computer Hears -- Sound Effects -- Realistic -- Non-Realistic -- Music -- First Steps -- Basic Organization -- Summary -- Chapter 8 Game Flow -- The Flowchart -- The Oval -- The Diamond -- The Rectangle -- The Circle -- Sample Flowchart -- An Alternate to Flowcharting -- Take a Shower Textual Sequence -- Manageable Pieces -- Game Flow Design Methods -- Main Game Flowchart -- Gameplay Flowchart -- One Player Career Flowchart -- Two Player Career Flowchart -- Race Flowchart -- Summary -- Chapter 9 User Interface Design -- What Is a User Interface? -- How Does the Player Receive Game Information? -- Can Interface Elements Be Incorporated into the Natural Play of the Game? -- How Can the Interface Affect the Game? -- How Can the Player Control the Game? -- Controlling Your Controls -- Feedback -- Information Presentation -- Personality -- The Visual -- What Is a Graphical User Interface? -- Information Screens -- Menus -- Onscreen Displays -- Creating Game Navigation Design -- Creating Onscreen Elements -- Summary -- Chapter 10 Technical Design -- The Sections of a TDD -- Target Hardware System(s) -- Target Audience -- Processor Use -- Memory Use -- Saving and Loading -- Supported Input Devices -- Supported Output Devices -- AI -- Multiplayer -- Concerns and Potential Problems -- Software Tools -- Data Wrangling -- Database Handling -- Scheduling -- Game Flow -- Game Engine -- Needed Assets -- Languages -- Audio Handling -- Physics -- Sample Art -- User-Defined Worlds -- Summary -- Chapter 11 Schedules and Budgets.

What Comes First, the Chicken or the Egg? -- Breaking Down the Tasks -- Creating the Framework of Dependencies -- Gantt Charts -- Critical Path -- Scheduling -- Budgeting -- Direct Labor Costs -- Easy Adjustments -- Putting the Budget Together -- Summary -- Chapter 12 Special Considerations -- Puzzle -- Platform -- Adventure -- Racing -- Fighting -- Sports -- Real-Time Strategy -- Turn-Based Strategy -- Shooters -- Simulations -- Role Playing -- Massive Multiplayer Online -- Summary -- Appendix Design Document -- Motocross Professional Circuit -- Design Document by Alpine Studios -- Table of Contents -- Introduction -- Game Overview -- Platform -- Genre -- Target Audience -- Languages -- Street Date -- Key Features -- Unique Selling Points -- Career Path -- Game Structure -- Camera Viewpoint -- Camera -- Modes of Play -- Trick Mode or Free Ride -- Motion -- Trick Motions -- Level Overview -- In-Game Progress, Timers, and Clocks -- Race Replay -- Report Card -- Reward or Trophy Screens -- Model Production and Development -- Equipment and Upgrades -- Track Editor (In-Game) -- Special Effects -- Technical Design -- Processor Use -- Main Memory Map -- Geometry -- Animation -- Graphics -- Audio -- Saving -- Physics -- AI -- Art Development -- Potential Trouble Spots (Risk Areas) -- Player Control -- Level Design -- Texture Development -- Bug Type Description -- Game Features -- Fun -- Motorcycles -- Game Play and Rewards -- Art Style -- Audio Experience -- Game Structure -- General Viewpoint -- Modes of Play -- Player Controls General Keystroke Controls -- Technical Issues -- Geometry -- Main Memory Map -- Animation -- Graphics -- Audio -- Saving -- Physics -- AI -- Art Development -- Sample Art -- Development Team -- Schedule and Budget -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V.

W -- X -- Z.