two reasons:
- to learn new tricks 😉
- to organize and systematize your current knowledge
Sometimes you work on a gut feeling and don’t really know why things feel right. and this is the part where game design books come into the picture. so if you are looking for game design book recommendations, this is a place for you.
You are reading: Best game design books
and remember: there are plenty of jobs out there for skilled game designers.
the art of game design: a lens book – jesse schell
An absolute must-read if you want to dive into game design fundamentals. The author covers basic game design elements that you could easily translate into all possible games out there. Boardgames, Card games, Mobile games? Just pick.
each section explains a different part of the game design workflow. starting with brainstorming, prototyping correctly, and going all the way to make sure the flow of the game is fun.
This book makes you think about games from various perspectives (lenses) and pushes you to think about your game by asking yourself questions. by answering them, you can check how well your game confronts each lens. and makes you think, “what can you improve your own design?”
you can buy this book here
why should you read it?:
- The book is well written. don’t expect hard-to-read academic nonsense.
- Jesse Schell teaches from experience. so he can be sure that this book is backed up with tons of knowledge gained in the field.
- The book is well organized, so it will flow naturally from the basics to the more advanced.
- makes you think and analyze your current job.
- all lenses are easily accessible via a special mobile app. you can download it here
game design workshop: a game-centric approach to creating innovative games – tracy fullerton
An actual professor writes this game design book, and you can get a feeling that she wrote it having her students in mind.
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The book is well structured. covers all the essentials of gaming. teaches you how to create an engaging game. you will learn how to create a prototype of your game. it will also shed some light on how you should approach playtesting.
you can buy this book here
why should you read it?:
- It is a very well structured position. In Part I, you’ll learn the basics of game design. Part II is where you are actually designing a game, while Part III prepares you for your future role as a professional game designer.
- The “designer’s perspective” sections are very useful. These are helpful hints and tips that can show you how every designer approaches her work differently.
a fun theory for game design – raph koster
This brilliantly written book won’t teach you how to design games from scratch. But if you want to ask, “so why should I bother about it then?”, let me stop you right here. This game design book will try to teach you (or remind you) about the core of what we’re all doing here: How to entertain players?
You will learn to capture the attention of the players. see how our mind works. you will understand why people get bored with games and when it happens. and most importantly, what a game designer can do to keep players engaged.
Think of it more as a philosophy guide.
you can buy this book here
why should you read it?:
- funny and witty language. Well-written book
- full of colorful illustrations
- will remind you of the central and unique purpose of video games
- excellent addition to more academic positions
- you’ll read it in no time
rules of the game: fundamentals of game design – katie salen, eric zimmerman
If the previous game design book was a definition of an easy-to-read guide… prepare for something which is the complete opposite. This book is tough to digest, but it’s totally worth the pain that comes with it.
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The rules of the game try to achieve what other similar positions did not: create an adequate framework for the design of the game. definitely something worth recommending for more advanced readers.
you can buy this book here
why should you read it?:
- offers in-depth knowledge of game design. the book covers many techniques and principles
- addresses many design problems that the game designer can run into
- is a highly technical read intended for people who want to become game designers professionals
game feel: a game designer’s guide to virtual feel – steve swink
This is one of the most unique video game design books on our list. It’s interesting because it touches on different aspects of game design. It focuses on the FEEL.
While other books basically teach you how to design a game, this book adds an extra flavor. You will learn to share sensations with your players. it’s a guide to how our perception works and how to use our deep senses and metaphors to complement our game design.
you can buy this book here
why should you read it?:
- It’s a great addition to other game design books.
- It’ll teach you some fancy ways to reach your players.
- an author offers a set of tools that show the importance of feel components in a special website
Share with us what you learned from game design books. also, if you have other positions that you would recommend to your fellow game designers, let us know 😉
we will gladly update our list!
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