| |
| |
| Acknowledgments | |
| |
| |
| Introduction | |
| |
| |
| |
| A Brief History of Interactive Entertainment | |
| |
| |
| Computer Games and Mainframes | |
| |
| |
| Arcade Games and Console Games | |
| |
| |
| Enter the Personal Computer | |
| |
| |
| The Rebirth of Console Games | |
| |
| |
| The IBM PC Arrives | |
| |
| |
| The CD-ROM Changes Everything | |
| |
| |
| Interactive Movies Come ... and Go | |
| |
| |
| 3-D Graphics Hardware Reinvents Action Gaming | |
| |
| |
| The Online Explosion | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-up | |
| |
| |
| |
| A World of Games | |
| |
| |
| Personal Computer Games | |
| |
| |
| Home Console Games | |
| |
| |
| Games in the International Market | |
| |
| |
| How the Xbox Changed the Rules | |
| |
| |
| Arcade Games | |
| |
| |
| Online Games | |
| |
| |
| Handheld Devices | |
| |
| |
| Location-Based Entertainment | |
| |
| |
| Gambling Equipment | |
| |
| |
| Miscellaneous Games | |
| |
| |
| Games Versus Multimedia | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-up | |
| |
| |
| |
| How the Game Industry Functions | |
| |
| |
| Some Fundamentals | |
| |
| |
| Tracing a Game to Its Source | |
| |
| |
| The Customer | |
| |
| |
| The Retailer | |
| |
| |
| The Distributor | |
| |
| |
| Electronic Arts: A Game Industry Giant | |
| |
| |
| The Publisher | |
| |
| |
| The Internal/External Cycle | |
| |
| |
| The Developer | |
| |
| |
| Converting Games to Other Platforms | |
| |
| |
| Related Businesses | |
| |
| |
| Console Manufacturers | |
| |
| |
| Add-on Manufacturers | |
| |
| |
| Product Manufacturers | |
| |
| |
| Other Distribution Channels | |
| |
| |
| Online | |
| |
| |
| Shareware | |
| |
| |
| Rental | |
| |
| |
| Bundling | |
| |
| |
| "Unsold Returns": A Game Industry Scam | |
| |
| |
| Gamer Demographics and Markets | |
| |
| |
| "Video Games Are for Kids" | |
| |
| |
| "Video Games Are for Boys (and Nerdy Men)" | |
| |
| |
| Casual Versus Hardcore | |
| |
| |
| Game Genres | |
| |
| |
| Action | |
| |
| |
| Strategy and War Games | |
| |
| |
| Sports Games | |
| |
| |
| Vehicle Simulators | |
| |
| |
| Construction and Management Simulations | |
| |
| |
| Graphic Adventures | |
| |
| |
| Fantasy Role-Playing Games | |
| |
| |
| Online Role-Playing Games | |
| |
| |
| Puzzle Games and Software Toys | |
| |
| |
| Children's Games | |
| |
| |
| The Game Press and Web Sites | |
| |
| |
| Players' Magazines and Web Sites | |
| |
| |
| Industry Publications and Web Sites | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-Up | |
| |
| |
| |
| Inside the Fun Factory | |
| |
| |
| Internal or External Development? | |
| |
| |
| |
| The Brilliant Idea | |
| |
| |
| Evolutionary or Revolutionary? | |
| |
| |
| How Publishers Hear about Game Ideas | |
| |
| |
| Pitching the Game | |
| |
| |
| |
| Pre-Production | |
| |
| |
| Design Work | |
| |
| |
| Technical Research and Prototyping | |
| |
| |
| Project Planning | |
| |
| |
| Going to Full Production | |
| |
| |
| The Development Contract | |
| |
| |
| |
| Production | |
| |
| |
| The Production Process (and Why It's Not Your Problem Yet) | |
| |
| |
| Jobhunting Tip: Avoiding Incompetent Employers | |
| |
| |
| Meeting, Meetings, Meetings! | |
| |
| |
| Marketing Activities | |
| |
| |
| |
| Testing | |
| |
| |
| Alpha Testing | |
| |
| |
| Localization | |
| |
| |
| Beta Testing | |
| |
| |
| Configuration Testing | |
| |
| |
| Disney's Christmas Configuration Calamity | |
| |
| |
| Content Ratings | |
| |
| |
| Quality Assurance | |
| |
| |
| A QA Failure | |
| |
| |
| Licensor and Console Manufacturer Approvals | |
| |
| |
| A Sample Development Schedule | |
| |
| |
| |
| Manufacturing | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-Up | |
| |
| |
| |
| Preparing to Be a Game Developer | |
| |
| |
| If You're Still in Public School | |
| |
| |
| Uncover Your Talents | |
| |
| |
| Lay the Foundations | |
| |
| |
| Don't Drop Out! | |
| |
| |
| Selecting Your Higher Education | |
| |
| |
| University or Trade School? | |
| |
| |
| The Two-Year/Four-Year Question: A Personal View | |
| |
| |
| How to Evaluate the Programs | |
| |
| |
| How Do They Feel about Games? | |
| |
| |
| What to Study in College | |
| |
| |
| How to Use the Curriculum Framework | |
| |
| |
| Color Outside the Lines! | |
| |
| |
| Learn about Particular Areas | |
| |
| |
| Other Useful Subjects | |
| |
| |
| Postgraduate Programs | |
| |
| |
| If You've Already Got a Job in Film, TV, or Other Entertainment Media | |
| |
| |
| Your Head Start and Your Handicap | |
| |
| |
| Learn about the Differences | |
| |
| |
| Breaking in: From Television to Games | |
| |
| |
| If You're in High-Tech Hollywood | |
| |
| |
| If You've Got a Job Elsewhere in High Technology | |
| |
| |
| Your Head Start and Your Handicap | |
| |
| |
| The Legend of Army Battlezone | |
| |
| |
| Learn about the Differences | |
| |
| |
| Breaking in: From Silicon Valley to Games | |
| |
| |
| Other Ways to Prepare Yourself | |
| |
| |
| Play the Games | |
| |
| |
| Breaking in: Playing and Persistence Pay Off | |
| |
| |
| Develop Your Own Games or Game Elements | |
| |
| |
| Attend Industry Events | |
| |
| |
| Follow the Press | |
| |
| |
| Be Your Own Press | |
| |
| |
| Take Part in Beta Tests | |
| |
| |
| Attend Focus Groups | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-Up | |
| |
| |
| |
| Skills and Careers in the Game Industry | |
| |
| |
| Production Versus Development | |
| |
| |
| Two Different Mindsets | |
| |
| |
| What about Internal Development? | |
| |
| |
| Internal and External Producers: Still More Confusion! | |
| |
| |
| A Warning about Job Titles, Responsibilities, and Org Charts | |
| |
| |
| The Two (Well, Three) Types of Career Ladders | |
| |
| |
| How Do I Change from One Ladder to Another? | |
| |
| |
| Project Organization | |
| |
| |
| Programming | |
| |
| |
| A Day in the Life of an Engine Programmer | |
| |
| |
| Talents and Skills | |
| |
| |
| Tools | |
| |
| |
| Specializations | |
| |
| |
| Inside the Job of a Port Programmer | |
| |
| |
| Art and Animation | |
| |
| |
| A Day in the Life of a Production Artist | |
| |
| |
| Talents and Skills | |
| |
| |
| Tools | |
| |
| |
| Specializations | |
| |
| |
| Audio and Music | |
| |
| |
| A Day in the Life of an Audio Lead | |
| |
| |
| Talents and Skills | |
| |
| |
| Tools | |
| |
| |
| Specializations | |
| |
| |
| Writing | |
| |
| |
| A Day in the Life of a Writer | |
| |
| |
| Talents and Skills | |
| |
| |
| Tools | |
| |
| |
| Specializations | |
| |
| |
| Game Design | |
| |
| |
| Design Jobs | |
| |
| |
| A Day in the Life of a Game Designer | |
| |
| |
| Talents and Skills | |
| |
| |
| Tools | |
| |
| |
| Specializations | |
| |
| |
| Producing and Project Management | |
| |
| |
| Production Jobs | |
| |
| |
| A Day in the Life of a Producer | |
| |
| |
| Talents and Skills | |
| |
| |
| Tools | |
| |
| |
| Specializations | |
| |
| |
| Testing and Quality Assurance | |
| |
| |
| Breaking in: All Experience Is Good Experience | |
| |
| |
| Talents and Skills | |
| |
| |
| Tools | |
| |
| |
| Specializations | |
| |
| |
| Non-Development Jobs | |
| |
| |
| Marketing | |
| |
| |
| A Day in the Life of a Marketing Director | |
| |
| |
| Public Relations | |
| |
| |
| Other Entry-Level Jobs | |
| |
| |
| Customer Service | |
| |
| |
| Information Technology | |
| |
| |
| Warranty Returns | |
| |
| |
| Reception | |
| |
| |
| Mailroom | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-Up | |
| |
| |
| |
| How to Get a Job | |
| |
| |
| Packaging Yourself as a Professional | |
| |
| |
| Introducing Mary Margaret Walker: Recruiter Extraordinaire | |
| |
| |
| Networking: It's Not What You Know... | |
| |
| |
| Where to Meet Game Developers | |
| |
| |
| Researching a Company | |
| |
| |
| About Recruiters | |
| |
| |
| How to Schmooze | |
| |
| |
| Talking about Yourself | |
| |
| |
| Be Real! | |
| |
| |
| Your Resume and Cover Letter | |
| |
| |
| Mary Margaret's Resume Tips | |
| |
| |
| Don't Get Cute | |
| |
| |
| Never Lie, but Always Spin | |
| |
| |
| Job-Hunting Tip: Show Them You're Adaptable | |
| |
| |
| More Suggestions about Resume Content | |
| |
| |
| Crafting the Cover Letter | |
| |
| |
| Building Your Portfolio or Demo | |
| |
| |
| Mary Margaret's Tips on Demos | |
| |
| |
| More about Demos | |
| |
| |
| What about Nudes or Erotic Material? | |
| |
| |
| Job-Hunting Tip: Don't Mail in a Mountain of Stuff! | |
| |
| |
| On the Hunt: Finding and Applying for Jobs | |
| |
| |
| How Do You Find the Jobs? | |
| |
| |
| Mailing out Your Resume | |
| |
| |
| Handling the Interview | |
| |
| |
| About Phone Interviews | |
| |
| |
| Mary Margaret's Interviewing Tips | |
| |
| |
| Dress Properly: Neither Too Poorly nor Too Well | |
| |
| |
| Who Will Interview You? | |
| |
| |
| Showing Your Demo or Portfolio | |
| |
| |
| What about Tests? | |
| |
| |
| Job-Hunting Tip: Show Them You're a Team Player | |
| |
| |
| The Compensation Package | |
| |
| |
| Financial Compensation | |
| |
| |
| Time-Off Benefits | |
| |
| |
| Health-Related Benefits | |
| |
| |
| Retirement Plans | |
| |
| |
| Miscellaneous Benefits | |
| |
| |
| Work Policies | |
| |
| |
| Negotiation | |
| |
| |
| Reasons to Accept a Lower Salary | |
| |
| |
| Reasons NOT to Accept a Lower Salary | |
| |
| |
| Get It in Writing | |
| |
| |
| Discrimination and Workplace Issues | |
| |
| |
| Women | |
| |
| |
| Inside the Job: Advice for Women in the Game Industry | |
| |
| |
| Minorities | |
| |
| |
| Gays and Lesbians | |
| |
| |
| Non-Western Game Developers | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-Up | |
| |
| |
| |
| Legal Issues for Creative People | |
| |
| |
| First, Three Disclaimers | |
| |
| |
| You Can't Protect an Idea Alone | |
| |
| |
| The Three Types of Intellectual Property Protection | |
| |
| |
| Copyright | |
| |
| |
| Trademark | |
| |
| |
| Patents | |
| |
| |
| Trade Secrets and Non-Disclosure Agreements | |
| |
| |
| NDAs and Job Interviews | |
| |
| |
| Don't Worry Too Much about Protecting Your Ideas | |
| |
| |
| Understanding Your Employment Contract | |
| |
| |
| It's Not about the Money | |
| |
| |
| Beware: Your Inventions Are Not Your Own! | |
| |
| |
| Protecting Your Existing Inventions | |
| |
| |
| The California Labor Code on Inventions | |
| |
| |
| The Hazards of Moonlighting | |
| |
| |
| Moral Rights | |
| |
| |
| Your Duty to Protect Your Company's Property | |
| |
| |
| How Come You're Being Kept in the Dark? | |
| |
| |
| Wrap-up | |
| |
| |
| |
| The Future of Game Development | |
| |
| |
| Bigger Games, Bigger Teams | |
| |
| |
| Bigger Teams Mean More Bureaucracy | |
| |
| |
| The Rise of the Content Creators | |
| |
| |
| Programmer Specialization | |
| |
| |
| Subcontracted Services | |
| |
| |
| Spiraling Development Costs and Consequences | |
| |
| |
| Publisher Conservatism | |
| |
| |
| Inbreeding | |
| |
| |
| Sequels and Sequels to Sequels | |
| |
| |
| New Options for New Ideas | |
| |
| |
| Homebrew: Mods, Bots, and Engines | |
| |
| |
| Academic Research | |
| |
| |
| Video Games as an Art Form | |
| |
| |
| Will there Be Another Crash? How Safe Is this Business? | |
| |
| |
| A Few Final Words | |
| |
| |
| |
| Educational Institutions | |
| |
| |
| |
| IGDA Curriculum Framework | |
| |
| |
| Welcome | |
| |
| |
| Contact Info | |
| |
| |
| Introduction | |
| |
| |
| About the Framework | |
| |
| |
| Overview of Core Topics | |
| |
| |
| Critical Game Studies | |
| |
| |
| Games and Society | |
| |
| |
| Game Design | |
| |
| |
| Game Programming | |
| |
| |
| Visual Design | |
| |
| |
| Audio Design | |
| |
| |
| Interactive Storytelling | |
| |
| |
| Game Production | |
| |
| |
| Business of Gaming | |
| |
| |
| Core Topics Breakdown | |
| |
| |
| Critical Game Studies | |
| |
| |
| Games and Society | |
| |
| |
| Game Design | |
| |
| |
| Game Programming | |
| |
| |
| Visual Design | |
| |
| |
| Audio Design | |
| |
| |
| Interactive Storytelling | |
| |
| |
| Game Production | |
| |
| |
| Business of Gaming | |
| |
| |
| Tying Core Topics to Career Options | |
| |
| |
| Game Studies Scholar and Educator | |
| |
| |
| Game Technology Educator | |
| |
| |
| Game Journalist | |
| |
| |
| Producer | |
| |
| |
| Game Designer | |
| |
| |
| Level Designer | |
| |
| |
| Programmer | |
| |
| |
| Game Graphics Artist | |
| |
| |
| Game Audio Engineer | |
| |
| |
| Thanks | |
| |
| |
| |
| Jobhunting Resources and Development Tools | |
| |
| |
| Major Employers in the Game Industry | |
| |
| |
| The IGDA Breaking In Page | |
| |
| |
| Free or Inexpensive Development Tools | |
| |
| |
| Programming Tools | |
| |
| |
| Art Tools | |
| |
| |
| Audio Tools | |
| |
| |
| Office Tools | |
| |
| |
| Professional Game Development Web Sites | |
| |
| |
| Console Manufacturers' Web Sites | |
| |
| |
| Game Job Postings | |
| |
| |
| Networking Resources | |
| |
| |
| Gatherings | |
| |
| |
| Resources for Women | |
| |
| |
| Resources for Minorities | |
| |
| |
| Miscellaneous Resources | |
| |
| |
| Glossary of Game Industry Terms | |
| |
| |
| Index | |