Patterns In Game Design

Staffan Björk, JUSSI AUTOR HOLOPAINEN

Cengage Learning, 2005 - Computers - 423 pages

Patterns in Game Design provides professional and aspiring game designers with a collection of practical design choices that are possible in all types of games. These choices, called patterns, are used to illustrate the varying types of gameplay found in games. For the purposes of this book, gameplay is defined as the structures of player interaction with the game system and interaction with other players. This includes the possibilities, results, and reasons for players to play. By putting these elements of gameplay into practical patterns, designers have access to a common set of concepts that can be used by all developers, allowing game projects to be approached with more standard tools. These patterns help designers put their concepts and ideas into words, which makes communication between members much easier. The patterns also help with making design choices, understanding how other games work, and inspiring game ideas. The book itself is divided into two main parts. The first part covers the theoretical aspects of describing games and defining the template used to develop the game design patterns. The second part includes the actual patterns divided into chapters based on the aspect of gameplay they cover. The patterns can be used in any order and referenced as you would a dictionary. By studying these various game design patterns, designers learn about the choices they?ll have to make when using a pattern in their own designs, and they?ll gain an understanding of what gameplay is, so that they can design better games.

What people are saying

User Review -

One of the things I like about this book is it can provide a common vocabulary for a game design team.

Review: Patterns in Game Design (Game Development Series) (Game Development Series)

User Review  - Bill - Goodreads

was recommended on "best book on individual game mechanics" by GregCostikyan.

Contents

• An ActivityBased Framework for Describing Games: 7
• Game Design Patterns: 33
• Using Design Patterns: 41
• The Pattern Collection: 51
• Game Design Patterns for Came Elements: 55
• Game Design Patterns for Resource and Resource Management: 107
• Game Design Patterns for Information Communication: 123
• Actions and Events Patterns: 145
• Game Design Patterns for Narrative Structures Predictability: 197
• Game Design Patterns for Social Interaction: 237
• Game Design Patterns for Goals: 277
• Game Design Patterns for Game Sessions: 339
• Game Design Patterns for Game Mastery and Balancing: 357
• Game Design Patterns for Meta Games Replayability: 401
• Appendix A Further Reading: 411
• Index: 417

About the author

Staffan Bj?rk has a Ph.D. in Informatics from G?teborg University, Sweden. He has been the studio manager of the PLAY studio at the Interactive Institute in Sweden between 2001 and 2003 and currently works part time as senior researcher at PLAY and part time teaching at Chalmers University of Technology. He is elected president of the Swedish human-computer interaction interest group, member of the executive board of the Digital Games Research Association, and author of many articles about game research.

Jussi Holopainen is heading Game Design Group at Nokia Research Center, Finland. He has authored or co-authored several papers on game design and he is currently member of the executive board of the Digital Games Research Association.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Patterns In Game Design; Charles River Media Game Development Series; Game development series
• Authors: Staffan Björk, JUSSI AUTOR HOLOPAINEN
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Cengage Learning, 2005
• ISBN: 1584503548, 9781584503545
• Length: 423 pages
• Subjects: Computers / Programming / Games; Games / Video & Electronic