Game Architecture and Design, w. CD-ROM [Illustriert] (Taschenbuch)

This book stands out with its real-world perspective on the video game business. Its authors share dozens of case studies and anecdotes from the field, including some behind-the-scenes details on some well-known recent titles. Besides notable successes, there are plenty of stories of what can go wrong. (One of the most entertaining sections here presents interviews with game industry experts, who universally argue against formal software process while describing the many problems of writing games.) This text succeeds in showing that long hours, missed deadlines and mediocre software may be the result of sloppy (or non-existent) design and management techniques and a "hacker" mentality on the part of programmers.

Besides a diagnosis of what doesn't work, the authors offer several potential cures. They show that proper design, planning and project management (used in mainstream business computing) can improve gaming software. The authors predict that in the future, "software factories" will use third party engines, re-usable objects and other tools, along with team organisation and management, to create better games.

After showing off the steps needed for designing and developing game software successfully, the authors also provide a full-fledged example(using DirectX and C++) to help get you started. Anyone who wants a glimpse into the often disordered world of game development--and advice that can help bring some order to the chaos--should read this intelligent and provocatively argued book, which challenges conventional thinking on the best way to develop entertainment software. --Richard Dragan, Amazon.com

This book's real-world perspective on the video game business makes it a standout, and its dozens of case studies and anecdotes from the field, including behind-the-scenes details on some well-known recent titles, are particularly valuable. Besides notable successes, there are plenty of stories of what can go wrong. One of the most entertaining sections features interviews with game industry experts who universally argue against a formal software process while describing the many problems inherent in writing games. The text replies convincingly that long hours, missed deadlines, and mediocre software grow out of sloppy (or non-existent) design and management techniques and a hacker mentality on the part of programmers.

Besides a diagnosis of what doesn't work, the book suggests several cures, including proper design, planning, and project management (used in mainstream business computing). The authors predict that in the future, "software factories" will use third-party engines, reusable objects, and other tools--along with team organization and management--to create better games.

After listing the steps for designing and developing game software successfully, a full-fledged example (using DirectX and C++) helps get you started. If you want a glimpse of the often disordered world of game development--and advice that can bring some order to the chaos--you should read this intelligent and well-argued book. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Software design and management techniques for game development, gameplay and playability, game specifications, design documents, game balance, look and feel, storytelling, the game business vs. the movie business, history of video games, future predictions and trends, team management, problem developer personalities, best practices, software factories for games, milestones, implementing software process, risk management, reusability, patterns for gamers, DirectX, game engines, tips for prototyping, coding, testing and deployment, case studies, sample game design documents, and code.