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Exploring Game Mechanics: Principles and Techniques to Make Fun, Engaging Games
CHAPTER 1: WHY DO WE PLAY GAMES? Sub - - What players look for in a Novelty, creativity, and a sense of achievement- Appeal of different game genres such as action RPGs, puzzles, casual and simulation games- Role of game art and game aesthetics in increasing player motivation- What are game mechanics? - Impact of game mechanics on the player experience
CHAPTER 2: CREATING FUN GAMEPLAY Sub - - Difference between linear and non-linear games - Controlling flow of non-linear, player-choice based games - Controlling difficulty of gameplay through game balancing and teaching player through in-game tutorials- Storytelling and the game narrative - Creating quests and missions for establishing the end-goal of the game
CHAPTER 3: FREEDOM TO EXPLORE NEW WORLDSSub - - Implementing player progression by developing player's skills and abilities and levelling up the player through achievements- Movement controlling the player through user input- Mechanics for in-game travel with the help of maps and guides, transport vehicles, instant teleportation methods, and shortcuts in the game levels- Game world and environment mechanics, including concepts such as creating infinite open worlds through procedural generation and realistic weather systems
CHAPTER 4: DEFEAT, COLLECT, REPEATSub - - Enemy and NPC generation using artificial intelligence and creating combat mechanics- Establishing victory and defeat conditions- Managing the player inventory, controlling the internal game economy, and resource management in games- Implementing a reward system such as collection or trading of in-game currency, spawing natural resources in the game- Unlocking new game levels and areas and greater player customization as the character levels up
CHAPTER 5: CHOOSE YOUR MECHANICSSub - - Tips for choosing game mechanics- Designing game mechanics for different kinds of players such as achievers, skillers, and completionists- Analysis of game mechanics in existing games of different o Sims (simulation) o Fallout (role playing) o Age of empires (base building) o Life is strange (player-choice based) o No man's sky (procedurally generated survival)- Prototyping, trial and error
CHAPTER 2: CREATING FUN GAMEPLAY Sub - - Difference between linear and non-linear games - Controlling flow of non-linear, player-choice based games - Controlling difficulty of gameplay through game balancing and teaching player through in-game tutorials- Storytelling and the game narrative - Creating quests and missions for establishing the end-goal of the game
CHAPTER 3: FREEDOM TO EXPLORE NEW WORLDSSub - - Implementing player progression by developing player's skills and abilities and levelling up the player through achievements- Movement controlling the player through user input- Mechanics for in-game travel with the help of maps and guides, transport vehicles, instant teleportation methods, and shortcuts in the game levels- Game world and environment mechanics, including concepts such as creating infinite open worlds through procedural generation and realistic weather systems
CHAPTER 4: DEFEAT, COLLECT, REPEATSub - - Enemy and NPC generation using artificial intelligence and creating combat mechanics- Establishing victory and defeat conditions- Managing the player inventory, controlling the internal game economy, and resource management in games- Implementing a reward system such as collection or trading of in-game currency, spawing natural resources in the game- Unlocking new game levels and areas and greater player customization as the character levels up
CHAPTER 5: CHOOSE YOUR MECHANICSSub - - Tips for choosing game mechanics- Designing game mechanics for different kinds of players such as achievers, skillers, and completionists- Analysis of game mechanics in existing games of different o Sims (simulation) o Fallout (role playing) o Age of empires (base building) o Life is strange (player-choice based) o No man's sky (procedurally generated survival)- Prototyping, trial and error
212 pages, Paperback
Published January 7, 2023
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did-not-finish
February 26, 2023Did not finish - February 2023.
Finally started trying to go through some O'Reilly books related to game design because hey, I can access them for free through my library AND through my work so I may as well?
I was expecting many of them to be more introductory and superficial than what would benefit me as a professional game developer with years of experience. I had some hope though that this one with its title emphasizing a narrower focus on mechanics might be worthwhile.
Unfortunately for me it was not. I can only recommend it as an overview if you are very new to the field of game design. It was heavy on examples from published games without much depth to actually explore those mechanics: why they work well in particular combinations for particular genres, narratives, or moods, strengths/weaknesses/considerations for a particular mechanic, etc.
Finally started trying to go through some O'Reilly books related to game design because hey, I can access them for free through my library AND through my work so I may as well?
I was expecting many of them to be more introductory and superficial than what would benefit me as a professional game developer with years of experience. I had some hope though that this one with its title emphasizing a narrower focus on mechanics might be worthwhile.
Unfortunately for me it was not. I can only recommend it as an overview if you are very new to the field of game design. It was heavy on examples from published games without much depth to actually explore those mechanics: why they work well in particular combinations for particular genres, narratives, or moods, strengths/weaknesses/considerations for a particular mechanic, etc.
Displaying 1 of 1 review