New riders publishing chris crawford on game design

This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] • Table of Contents • Index Chris Crawford on Game Design By Chris Crawford Publisher: New Riders Publishing Pub Date: June 10, 2003 ISBN: 0-13-146099-4 Pages: 496 Chris Crawford on Game Design is all about the foundational skills behind the design and architecture of a game Without these skills, designers and developers lack the understanding to work with the tools and techniques used in the industry today Chris Crawford, the most highly sought after expert in this area, brings an intense opinion piece full of personality and flare like no other person in this industry can He explains the foundational and fundamental concepts needed to get the most out of game development today An exceptional precursor to the two books soon to be published by New Riders with author Andrew Rollings, this book teaches key lessons; including, what you can learn from the history of game play and historical games, necessity of challenge in game play, applying dimensions of conflict, understanding low and high interactivity designs, watching for the inclusion of creativity, and understanding the importance of storytelling In addition, Chris brings you the wish list of games he'd like to build and tells you how to it Game developers and designers will kill for this information! [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] • Table of Contents • Index Chris Crawford on Game Design By Chris Crawford Publisher: New Riders Publishing Pub Date: June 10, 2003 ISBN: 0-13-146099-4 Pages: 496 Copyright About the Author About the Technical Reviewers Tell Us What You Think Introduction Chapter Definitions, Definitions Chapter Some Milestone Games Old-Style Games Board Wargames Other Non-Computer Games Videogames Computer Games Chapter Play History of Play Play Is Metaphorical Play Must Be Safe Play Need Not Be Exotic The Fun Factor Chapter Challenge Challenge Necessitates Rules The Point Is the Challenge, Not the Goal Dimensions of Challenge Challenge and Identity Chapter Conflict Mars, Venus, and Conflict Dimensions of Conflict Directness of Conflict Intensity of Conflict Intensity and the Evolution of Taste Chapter Interactivity This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot History Other Attributes of the Computer So What Is Interactivity? Is More Interactivity Better? How Do We Measure Interactivity? Low-Interactivity Entertainment Designs Process Intensity Versus Data Intensity Chapter Creativity: The Missing Ingredient How Serious Is the Problem? Where Does Creativity Come From? How to "Get Creative" A Tyrannosaurus Rex for Ideas The Politics of Innovation Chapter Common Mistakes Obsession with Cosmetics Incremental Accretive Design Chapter The Education of a Game Designer Get a Degree Education Versus Schooling Chapter 10 Games I'd Like to Build Galilean Relativity Napoleonic Cavalry Napoleon in Space Attack of the Cellular Automata Volkerwanderung Third-World Dictator Lies Spies The Wheels of Commerce Corporate Politics Evolution The Self-Modifying Game Mooser-Gooser So What Does All This Mean? Chapter 11 Storytelling Adventure Games Backstory Cut Scenes Integrated Cut Scenes Here Come the Academics! Role-Playing Games The Real Problem Tackling the Problem Chapter 12 Random Sour Observations Massively Multiplayer Monsters Licensed Games New Input Devices The Sims Short-Term Thinkers Everybody's a Game Designer Hollywood Envy Young Males Sleaze Chapter 13 Tanktics This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot Map Calculating Line of Sight Planning Moves Initial Programming Enter the KIM-1 Input and Output Linguistic Input Sound Effects Showing It Off Porting Production, Marketing, and Sales Avalon-Hill Fade Away Results Chapter 14 Legionnaire A Record-Setting Blunder Disruption Terrain Sales First Draft Design Conclusions Chapter 15 Wizard VCS Technology Designing the Game Asymmetric Combat Lines of Sight (LOS) Disposition and Conclusion Chapter 16 Energy Czar Chapter 17 Scram Input Structures Oh Yes, It Was Supposed to Be a Game, Wasn't It? Coda Chapter 18 Eastern Front (1941) The Scrolling Map The Combat System AI Tuning Conclusion Chapter 19 Gossip AI Implementation Woes Conclusions Chapter 20 Excalibur Camelot The Interpersonal Subgame Diplomacy The Strategic Map The Battle Subgame Overall Course of Play The Manual Conclusions Chapter 21 Balance of Power The UnWar Game Early Efforts This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot The Rubber Map Thank You, National Enquirer Research Building the Map Memory Headaches Making It a Game Publisher Woes I Get by with a Little Help from the Press The Wheel of Fortune Chapter 22 Patton Versus Rommel To Hell with Grids Geometric AI Chapter 23 Siboot A Lesson for Designers First Draft Proposal The First Proposal Design Essays Economies Intransitive Combat Relationships The Inverse Parser The Display Interstitial Stories The Novella Conclusions Chapter 24 Guns & Butter Designing the World Building Provinces Adding Mountains, Deserts, and Forests Naming Names First-Person Firing Squad The Economic System Combat Faces The Ideas Behind the Game Results Chapter 25 Balance of the Planet Values Implementing a Value System The Politics of the Game Higher Levels of Play Balancing the Equations Artwork Schedule Hassles Results Chapter 26 Patton Strikes Back Simple Rules Clean User Interface and Strong Visual Presentation Explain the History Color Hassles Anti-Piracy Results Chapter 27 Themes and Lessons People, Not Things! Faces This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot Gameplay Help Language Art Over Money The Harsh Realities of Business Chapter 28 Old Fart Stories Early Sound and Music An Early Multiplayer Game Getting a Job E.T Alan Kay Lost in the Shuffle International Sales The Locked File Cabinet Bill Carris Marketing Wisdom The Dragon Speech The Great Pratfall A More Serious Pratfall Problems of Decentralization The Unrevenged Review Failed Humor The Sins of Youth Corporate Politics Blinded by Your Own Equipment Thinking Big The CGDC Glossary Index [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot Copyright Copyright © 2003 by New Riders Publishing All rights reserved No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2003107022 Printed in the United States of America First printing: June 2003 07 06 05 04 03 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost double-digit number is the year of the book's printing; the rightmost single-digit number is the number of the book's printing For example, the printing code 03-1 shows that the first printing of the book occurred in 2003 Trademarks All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized New Riders Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark Warning and Disclaimer Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty of fitness is implied The information is provided on an as-is basis The authors and New Riders Publishing shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this book or from the use of the CD or programs that may accompany it Credits Publisher Stephanie Wall Production Manager Gina Kanouse Senior Product Marketing Manager Tammy Detrich Publicity Manager This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] About the Author Chris Crawford is the "grand old man" of computing game design He sold his first computer game in 1978, joined Atari in 1979, and led Games Research there During his time at Atari, he wrote the first edition of The Art of Computer Game Design (Osborne, 1984), which has now become a classic in the field After Atari collapsed in 1984, Chris became a freelance computer game designer All in all, Chris has 14 published computer games to his credit—all of which he designed and programmed himself He founded, edited, and wrote most of The Journal of Computer Game Design, the first periodical devoted to game design He founded and led the Computer Game Developers' Conference (now the Game Developers' Conference) in its early years Chris has lectured on game design at conferences and universities all over the world For the last ten years, he has been developing technology for interactive storytelling [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Z] Read the Manual (RTFM) reading 2nd password files 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th realism cosmetics 2nd matching realism of fantasy graphics 2nd realities of business 2nd 3rd Rear Window (s/b ital) reasoning numerical reasoning sequential reasoning 2nd social reasoning 2nd 3rd spatial reasoning 2nd recreational challenges rectgrids 2nd 3rd recursion anti-piracy 2nd 3rd Red Balloon, The (s/b ital) reductio ad absurdem relationships combat relationships Siboot 2nd 3rd 4th research Balance of Power 2nd resolution resource management 2nd resources for communications 2nd 3rd 4th for learning what makes people tick 2nd 3rd 4th for programming 2nd for systems 2nd 3rd 4th 5th periodicals 2nd restrictions interstitial stories 2nd results of Balance of the Planet 2nd of Guns & Butter 2nd of Patton Strikes Back 2nd of Patton versus Rommel 2nd of Siboot 2nd 3rd 4th reviews of Balance of the Planet 2nd Rise of the West, The (s/b ital) risk risks 2nd 3rd 4th Riven River out of Eden (s/b ital) role-playing storytelling 2nd role-playing games (RPG) RPG (role-playing games) RTFM (Read the Manual) rubber maps This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Z] safety play 2nd 3rd sales of Legionnaire saving games scheduling Balance of the Planet 2nd schools technical schools schwepunkt Scientific American (s/b ital) Scram 2nd 3rd screends designing games to 2nd scrolling maps 2nd Sea Wolf, The (s/b ital) Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe self-modifying games 2nd 3rd 4th 5th self-probing selling Tanktics 2nd 3rd senorimotor challenges 2nd altered states of consciousness 2nd 3rd neural pathways 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th sentence generators 2nd 3rd sequels sequential reasoning 2nd Seventh Guest, The 2nd 3rd short-term thinkers 2nd 3rd 4th Shrek (s/b ital) 2nd violence Siboot 2nd cast combat relationships 2nd 3rd 4th design essays writing 2nd 3rd 4th displays 2nd 3rd economies help interstitial stories 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th restrictions 2nd inverse parsers 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th journeys 2nd language languages creating 2nd 3rd 4th 5th novellas proposals first proposal 2nd results of 2nd 3rd 4th side scroller 2nd Silicon Valley SimCity Sims, The 2nd 3rd 4th This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Z] tables frequency tables talent TaleSpin Talk to the Animals [See also Siboot]2nd [See also Siboot] tanagadalang Tanktics 2nd 2-player version 2nd 3rd Avalon-Hill initial programming input and output 2nd 3rd KIM-1 2nd 3rd life of line of sight calculating linguistic input 2nd 3rd maps 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th planning moves 2nd 3rd porting to PET platform 2nd producing, marketing, and selling 2nd 3rd results of showing it off sound effects 2nd technical schools technology designing before the game 2nd 3rd VCS 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th technology transitions ideas for 2nd 3rd technology-versus psychology 2nd Television Interface Adapter (TIA) television [See cinema] terrain adding to Guns & Butter 2nd Legionnaire 2nd Patton versus Rommel trees wargames 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Texas Instruments sound-effects chips text adventures text variables third-world dictator 2nd Thirty Years War Thoughts on the Word Set 2nd threaded execution Three Mile Island throwing 2nd TIA (Television Interface Adapter) titles tools fundamental properties of mistakes over-reliance on tools 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Z] Ultima Understanding Comics (s/b ital) units checking behind in wargames 2nd 3rd 4th 5th user friendliness 2nd 3rd user interfaces Patton Strikes Back 2nd [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Z] value systems implementing 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th values of life in Balance of the Planet 2nd 3rd variables in Balance of the Planet 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th substitution variables text variables VBI (Vertical Blank Interrupt) VBLANK (vertical blanking) VCR games VCS display data structure 2nd 3rd technology 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th VCS (Video Computer System) 2nd verb lists Balance of Power 2nd verbal conflict 2nd 3rd verbs 2nd Vertical Blank Interrupt (VBI) vertical blanking (VBLANK) Vertigo (s/b ital) video cut scenes Video Computer System (VCS) 2nd video games Donkey Kong Dragon's Lair Pac-Man Space Invaders Space Panic videogamer's high videogames 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th SpaceWar violence violence 2nd 3rd cosmetics videogames Visual Explanations (s/b ital) visual presentations Patton Strikes Back 2nd Volkderwanderung 2nd 3rd [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Z] Walden (s/b ital) war games unwar games 2nd 3rd War in the East War Trap, The (s/b ital) WarCraft wargames AI 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th asymmetric combat 2nd combat systems 2nd 3rd decentralization 2nd designing 2nd 3rd 4th Eastern Front (1941) 2nd 3rd 4th initial programming of Tanktics line of sight 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th calculating linguistic input 2nd 3rd maps Patton Strikes Back [See Patton Strikes Back] planning moves 2nd 3rd Tanktics maps 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Tanktics [See Tanktics] terrain 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Wizard [See Wizard] wargames [See games] Warshaw, Howard Way Things Work, The (s/b ital) weapons guns Western Canon, The (s/b ital) Whack-A-Mole Wheels of Capitalism, The (s/b ital) Wheels of Commerce, The 2nd When Wish Replaces Thought (s/b ital) White, Dan Why Men Rule (s/b ital) Wing Commander cut scenes Wizard 2nd asymmetric combat 2nd designing 2nd 3rd 4th line of sight 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Wizardry 2nd women conflicts 2nd wondering 2nd word processing workload for interactive games 2nd 3rd 4th worlds designing for Guns & Butter 2nd 3rd 4th provinces This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] This document is created with the unregistered version of CHM2PDF Pilot [ Team LiB ] [SYMBOL] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Z] Zimmerman, Eric ZoC (zones of control) zones of control (ZoC) [ Team LiB ] ... What You Think Introduction Chapter Definitions, Definitions Chapter Some Milestone Games Old-Style Games Board Wargames Other Non-Computer Games Videogames Computer Games Chapter Play History... Unplugged Games, one of the first North American wireless game start-ups He writes about games, game design, and game industry business associations for publications including Salon, the New York... simple, and great fun One person, called the Dungeon Master (DM), designs and maps out a dungeon populated with dragons, monsters, treasures, special armor and weapons, money, and so on A group of players