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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Previsualization | |
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| Introducing the Previsualization Process | |
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| Step-by-Step Previsualization | |
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| Utilizing Environmental References and Sketches | |
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| Architecture for Game Levels | |
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| Basic Environmental Design | |
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| Function | |
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| Room Flow | |
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| Interior to Exterior | |
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| Reinforcing Mood | |
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| Paper-Based Level Blocking | |
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| Quick Topographic Maps | |
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| Case Study Comments on Previsualization | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Level Planning and Building | |
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| Planning Your Level Work | |
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| Prefabricated Geometry and Modularity | |
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| Scale and Grid Sizing Considerations | |
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| Avoiding Common Level Mistakes | |
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| Level Stubbing Walk-Through | |
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| Working from Your Topographic Sketches | |
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| Create Contour Lines | |
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| Build a Mesh from Your Contour Lines | |
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| Utilize File Referencing to Build Up and Populate Your Level | |
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| Start Checking Layout Details | |
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| Game Prototyping | |
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| Post Level Stubbing Considerations | |
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| Adapting Architecture and Terrain to Games | |
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| Checking Character Flow Throughout a Level | |
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| Jump Heights, Hazards, and Scale | |
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| Keeping the Big Game Picture in View | |
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| The Early Evolution of Levels | |
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| The Importance of Early Feedback | |
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| Are Your Level Goals Enhancing Your Game Vision? | |
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| Case Study Comments on Level Execution | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Lighting, Texturing, Particles, Effects, and Audio | |
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| Lighting | |
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| Position | |
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| Light Color | |
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| Basic Lighting Types | |
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| Lighting Strengths or Multipliers | |
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| Lighting Falloff | |
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| Three Sample Lighting Setups | |
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| Animating Lights | |
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| Texturing | |
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| Using Textures Well | |
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| Particles | |
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| Using Particle Emitters | |
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| Exporting Particles and Dynamics Information | |
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| Effects | |
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| Audio | |
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| Pushing Game Audio Further | |
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| Design Tools Shift | |
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| Case Study Comments on Cornerstone Elements | |
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| The Moonlight Forest Example | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Actors, Props, Items, and Camera Details | |
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| Placing Actors | |
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| Hero Actors | |
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| Enemy Actors | |
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| NPC Actors | |
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| Boss Actors | |
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| Types of Props and Their Use | |
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| Using Props | |
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| Placing Props | |
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| Types of Items/Power-Ups and Placement | |
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| Camera Considerations | |
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| Interface Detailing | |
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| Floating Cameras | |
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| Fixed Cameras | |
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| Special-Case Cameras | |
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| Common Camera Problems | |
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| Case Study Comments on Actor Loading and Camera Tuning | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Design by Genre | |
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| Sports Games | |
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| Fighting Games | |
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| Puzzle Games | |
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| Real-time Strategy Games | |
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| Role-Playing Games | |
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| First- or Third-Person Action Games | |
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| Simulations | |
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| Creating Cinematics | |
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| Developing Backstory | |
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| Creating Dialog | |
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| Summary of Designer's Work Tools | |
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| Case Study Comments on Design Flux | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Scripting Action Events | |
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| Scripting Technology Choices | |
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| JavaScript Sample | |
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| Visual Basic Sample | |
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| Python Sample | |
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| Perl Sample | |
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| Applied Scripting Examples | |
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| NPC Conversation Templates | |
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| Shooter Flying Patterns | |
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| Using Triggers | |
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| Fearthis | |
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| Line of Sight | |
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| Crowd | |
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| Weather Effects | |
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| Counter | |
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| Material | |
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| Audio | |
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| Message | |
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| Light | |
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| Building Behaviors | |
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| Creature Creator | |
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| Engine Solutions and the Unreal Engine | |
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| Script/Editing System Considerations | |
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| Case Study Comments on Scripting a Baseball Game | |
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| General | |
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| Pitching | |
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| Fielding | |
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| Hitting | |
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| Catching | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Quality Assurance and Play-Test Feedback | |
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| Quality Assurance | |
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| QA Setups | |
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| Bug Tracking | |
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| Technical Support | |
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| Testing MMOGs | |
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| A Three-Stage Completion Process | |
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| Writing a Test Plan | |
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| Play-Test Feedback | |
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| Managing Feedback | |
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| Listening to Feedback | |
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| Impact of Play-Test Feedback on Daily Design Tasks | |
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| Case Study Comments on the Impact of QA | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Design Considerations for Massively Multiplayer Online Games | |
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| MMOG Production Challenges | |
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| Defining Titles | |
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| How Is the MMOG Player Different from the Console Player? | |
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| Saturation Concerns for the MMOG | |
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| Pure Production Risks for the MMOG | |
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| Cost and Support Considerations for the MMOG | |
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| MMOG Construction Factors and Solutions | |
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| General MMOG Structures | |
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| MMOG Design Factors | |
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| Latency | |
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| Modularity | |
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| Monitoring | |
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| Tools Support | |
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| Special Events | |
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| Pace and Balance | |
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| Player Dropout/Lost Connections | |
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| MMOG Play Mechanics | |
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| MMOGs and Design Orientation | |
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| MMOG Genre Growth | |
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| NPCs and Familiars | |
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| Isolating MMOG Strengths | |
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| MMOG Player Categories | |
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| Deep Social Factors | |
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| Current Challenges | |
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| Sports Fans or Groups and MMOGs | |
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| MMOG Opportunities | |
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| Case Study Comments on Challenges for UBO | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Cell Phones and Wireless Gaming | |
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| The Impending Boom | |
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| Global Competition | |
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| Development Considerations | |
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| Design Issues for Cell Phones | |
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| Multiplay Cell Phone Gaming | |
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| Wireless Toy Networks | |
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| Building the Cell Phone Gaming Market | |
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| Opportunities in Wireless | |
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| Case Study Comments on Development Factors in the Infancy of Wireless | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Getting Started in Game Development | |
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| Why Diversify? | |
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| Role Definition for Game Designers | |
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| Growth Areas and New Opportunities | |
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| Microsoft, Mattel, Intel, and LeapFrog | |
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| Challenges for PC Toys | |
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| Advergames | |
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| Interesting Trends for the Near Future | |
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| Web Game Entertainment with Physical Counterparts | |
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| Toys and Card Games Go Online | |
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| The Importance of New Opportunities for Developers | |
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| Anecdotes from the Game Development Frontlines | |
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| Think Fish | |
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| Sacking Sanka | |
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| Case Study Comments on Final Thoughts for Designers | |
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| Creating Your Perspective and Maintaining Your Passion | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Game Development Career Choices | |
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| Programming | |
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| Game Programming as a Career Choice | |
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| Art | |
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| Game Artist as a Career Choice | |
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| Design | |
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| Game Designer as a Career Choice | |
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| Production | |
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| Production as a Career Choice | |
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| Audio | |
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| Audio Composer and Engineer as a Career Choice | |
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| Quality Assurance | |
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| QA as a Career Choice | |
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| Opening an Independent Game Studio | |
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| Joining a Game Developer | |
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| Industry Economics | |
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| Game Development Studio Breakdown | |
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| Executive Department | |
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| Product Development Department | |
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| Creative Department | |
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| Programming or Technical Department | |
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| Marketing Department | |
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| Breakdown Conclusions | |
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| Case Study Comments on the Testing Doorway | |
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| Mega Tips | |
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| Reference Information | |
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| Education | |
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| Events | |
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| Industry Magazine | |
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| Industry-Related Sites | |
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| Organizations | |
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| Breaking In! | |
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| Agents and Recruiters | |
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| Job Sites | |
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| Design Document Reference | |
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| TV Programming | |
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| COPPA Guidelines | |
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| Self-Publishing | |
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| Outsourced Testing Services | |
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| Game Industry Market Research and Reports | |
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| Recommended Sites | |
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| Recommended Reading | |
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| Recommended Topics for Further Research and Reference | |
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| Tools Discussed | |
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| 3-D Modeling Packages | |
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| Art Tools | |
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| Level Editing | |
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| Middleware | |
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| Production Tools | |
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| Sound Editing Tools | |
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| 3-D Construction for the Web | |
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| Scripting Languages | |
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| Game Dynamics Libraries | |
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| Motion Tracking | |
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| Programming Language for Console/PC | |
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| MMOG Box Solutions | |
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| Wireless Development | |
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| Introducing Children to Game Design | |
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| Career Guideline Worksheet | |
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| If You Want to Explore Production | |
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| If You Want to Explore Game Art Construction | |
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| If You Want to Explore Game Programming | |
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| If You Want to Explore Quality Assurance | |
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| If You Want to Explore Game Audio | |
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| If You Want to Explore Business Relations or Marketing | |
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| Quick Topic Summary for Designers | |
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| Reference Material | |
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| Design Document Writing | |
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| Quick Modeling | |
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| Layout and Staging | |
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| Scripting | |
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| Mapping or Level Building | |
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| Audio | |
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| Testing | |
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| Support Software | |
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| Team Focus | |
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| Ultimate Baseball Online Gallery | |
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| UBO Game Interface | |
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| Player Creation Screen | |
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| Early Game Setup Screen | |
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| Game Details | |
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| Position Selection and Batting Order | |
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| Basic Character Construction | |
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| The Motion Capture Process | |
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| Baseball Stadiums | |
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| Game Action | |
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| Index | |