An introduction to the basic concepts of game design, focusing on techniques used in commercial game production
Chapter 1. Elements
Chapter 2. Player Experience
Chapter 3. Mechanics
Chapter 4. Systems
Chapter 5. Gameplay
Chapter 6. Macrostructure
Chapter 7. Prototyping and Playtesting
Robert Zubek is a game designer and developer and cofounder of SomaSim, an independent game studio in Chicago. Previously, he built large-scale social online games at Zynga, MMO game and analytics infrastructure at Three Rings Design, and console games at Electronic Arts/Maxis. He holds a PhD in computer science from Northwestern University, with a specialty in artificial intelligence and robotics.
"This is the introduction to game design we've been waiting for.
Through systems, games train our thumbs, tickle our curiosity, and
tell stories in which our choices matter — and Elements of Game
Design offers the best introduction I’ve seen to systemsoriented
game design."
– Noah WardripFruin, Professor of Computational Media, University
of California, Santa Cruz; author of How PacMan Eats
"Elements of Game Design provides a nuanced take on subjects such
as gameplay mechanics, player psychology, and narrative structures
— a wonderful survey of theoretical and practical thinking on how
to design games."
– Eric Zimmerman, Arts Professor, NYU Game Center; coauthor of
Rules of Play
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