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Does anyone read "The art of game design" by Jesse Schell? I didn't find value in reading it

Discussion in 'Game Design' started by hongwaixuexi, Apr 22, 2019.

  1. hongwaixuexi

    hongwaixuexi

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    already read many good books on brainstorming and behaviour psychologue, though this book talked a lot about creativity and psychology, and it's very common on the two factors.

    I didn't find value in game design, for instance, on how to design mechanic, and how to make the layout of the level. The book just talked about genery theories on mechanic design and story writing. No details.

    Do I miss something? I really read a lot of books, so I don't think reading is difficult for me.

    51E-1xdR01L._SX403_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
     
  2. TonyLi

    TonyLi

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    Apr 10, 2012
    Posts:
    12,670
    It's widely considered one of the great books in the field. Consider re-reading it for what it offers instead of what you expect to find. And if you still don't like it, maybe Scott Rogers' Level Up! is more what you're looking for. You might also like Tracy Fullerton's Game Design Workshop and Tynan Sylvester's Designing Games.
     
    Ryiah and Lurking-Ninja like this.
  3. neoshaman

    neoshaman

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    Yeah that's a book for people who have some practices already and need to organize their creativity, they end up being too hi level to be practical, you probably need them but later, once you understand teh process.

    GOOD Book on level design (at that level) is actually rare, like super rare. Most people kinda learn it from exchange with other dev, which isn't helping you I guess. However google "gamasutra level design" and you shall find article that are practical. OK forgot what's small, it is a jungle to find relevant information for entry level, so I selected what could give a good idea how to organize the process:

    In order of complexity, from low level to high level
    https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131257/an_architects_perspective_on_.php?print=1
    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130885/creating_modular_game_art_for_fast_.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/167214/rational_design_the_core_of_.php?print=1
    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/184783/the_metrics_of_space_molecule_.php?print=1
    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/...sed_to_design_its_classic_adventure_games.php

    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/176933/the_metrics_of_space_tactical_.php?print=1
    http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MuhammadAyub/20160201/264811/Level_Design_Basics.php
    http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MateuszPiaskiewicz/20140817/223513/Composition_in_Level_Design.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/TomPugh/20181022/329044/Level_Design_Tips_and_Tricks.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JonathonWilson/20180720/322564/Level_design_Tricks_of_the_trade.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/AdrianBauer/20130816/198520/Level_Design__Room_Shapes.php

    https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134949/learning_from_the_masters_level_.php?print=1
    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Mar...se_Paper_Prototyping_to_design_your_games.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Luk...onal_Design_Handbook_Four_Primary_Metrics.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Chr...An_Architectural_Approach_to_Level_Design.php

    http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/HugoBille/20120114/90903/The_Invisible_Hand_of_Super_Metroid.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Dan...en_Principles_of_Good_Level_Design_Part_1.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/335554/Video_Kings_guide_to_level_design_for_casual_games.php
    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134845/a_rational_approach_to_racing_game_.php?print=1

    https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Pau...zation_in_Game_Design_Part_8_Graph_Search.php
    https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134779/designing_better_levels_through_.php?print=1

    Edit: for game design
    http://critical-gaming.com/gamedesign101/
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2019
  4. BIGTIMEMASTER

    BIGTIMEMASTER

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    The high level theory is what transfers from project to project. Technical details don't. If you are looking for step-by-step technicals, you've got what tutorials exist, and trial-and-error while referencing the documentation.

    You can also take what you've read in this book about lenses, and use that to reverse engineer games you play. That's the real value, I think. Having somebody tell you, "this is how you make a game" is fundamentally at odds with the creative process. Having somebody teach you a vocabularly so you can breakdown the work of others to find what works and why it works is empowering.
     
  5. Volcanicus

    Volcanicus

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    Game design cannot have a fixed textbook as the industry changes ever so slightly every day.
    As an example, take world of warcraft and how the game design changed over time. Good things remained, bad ones were taken out.

    I usually go about it from a top-down perspective: I want a game with these mechanics A, B and C.
    What games have used these mechanics in the last 10 years? Which ones sold well? Which did not? Then I play 3 of the best and 3 of the worst and I compare, usually years apart in release to see what withstood the test of time and what did not. Some games for instance have massive travel times. I hate that. Other have a flood of text at every turn you cannot skip. And so on. To me, that is how you can study game design.

    If you went to higher ed, you'd learn soon enough that most books are outdated or lagging considerable behind the times because they do not evolve with the times.
     
    Arkade and Martin_H like this.
  6. hongwaixuexi

    hongwaixuexi

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    Thanks. I will re-read and read other books.
     
  7. hongwaixuexi

    hongwaixuexi

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    Thanks for your sharing. Not only in books but also on Youtube low level game design topics are rare. I don't know why there is no a professtinal tutorial on how to learn level design or game mechanic.

    I wil read the posts and hope to exchage the views on the posts later. Thanks.
     
  8. hongwaixuexi

    hongwaixuexi

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    I will re-read the lens to get some ideas. Thanks.
     
  9. hongwaixuexi

    hongwaixuexi

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    That's a good sharing. Thanks。
     
  10. DungeonBrickStudios

    DungeonBrickStudios

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    I think "Game Design" is kind of a broad term for decisions made with regards to what, how and why a game will be a certain way. And then built upon that, things like mechanics and level design are carried out. Mechanics is a big part of it in many cases though, and probably comes at the forefront of game design.

    Let's say Shigeru Miyamoto is designing Super Mario Galaxy. I don't claim to know what his thought process was, but he may have had opinions on the current state of the industry and what gamers "need". Base on that he said "we need mystical worlds to explore, super tight controls, fun art style!" So then based on that, how Mario controls could be developed, and then levels that allow Mario to take advantage of these abilities are designed. In that sense, I don't expect a game design book to teach a lot on level design specifically, but definitely offer some pointers and examples from real world games.

    I've only ever read one game design book and I felt I benefited from it. It was "Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design". Iirc, in that book Half Life levels were mentioned, how sometimes at the beginning of a level you can see the end point of the level, but it will be a long way before you can get to that area specifically. That's related to level design, but it's not going to tell you how to actually make the level. It's kind of more commenting on the ideology behind the level's creation. The designer was like "we should should have this semi-ironic thing where the player is so close to the end, yet so far. But when he does reach it, he'll remember the beginning of the journey as he peers across to where he began".

    I guess the point of this post is to say, while I haven't read the book, maybe because "Game Design" is so broad and encompasses so many decisions on a game, going deep into aspects like mechanics and level layout would be more reserved for material specifically on those.
     
  11. BrandyStarbrite

    BrandyStarbrite

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    How to learn level design and game mechanics?
    To learn that, that is something you will have to figure out yourself. And to figure that out, you'll have to look deep within yourself.

    Only you alone know, how the level in your game, is supposed to look.
    The same thing with mechanics, only you alone know, what mechanics should be in that game.

    So called educated game industry people, who write books and do lectures, don't really have the answers to those questions. But they can only guide you, to figuring those things out.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2019