List of books about computer and video games
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of books on computer and video games, which range from development
, theory, history
, to art
books. See also: List of books based on computer and video games.
Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design
: (ISBN 1-59273-001-9) by Andrew Rollings, Ernest W. Adams.
The Art of Computer Game Design
: (ISBN 0-88134-117-7) by Chris Crawford
is attributed by Wolf & Perron in The Video Game Theory Reader as being the first book devoted to the theory of video games. It was originally published in Berkeley, California
by McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media in 1984. The original edition is now out-of-print but available for free download from a site maintained by Washington State University
, Vancouver
.
Character Development and Storytelling for Games: (ISBN 1-59200-353-2) by Lee Sheldon
. This book is part of the Game Development Series
.
The Art of Gaming and Cloning: (ISBN 1-69999-353-2) by Brandy Manda. This book is part of the Skills to Go Series.
Chris Crawford on Interactive Storytelling: (ISBN 0-321-27890-9) by Chris Crawford
.
Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering: (ISBN 1-59273-007-8) by David Freeman.
Designing Virtual Worlds
: (ISBN 0-1310-1816-7) by Richard Bartle
. Definitive work on MMO/virtual world development.
Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide: (ISBN 1-59273-000-0) by Jessica Mulligan, Bridgette Patrovsky.
Digital Gameplay: Essays on the Nexus of Game and Gamer: (ISBN 0-7864-2292-0) edited by Nate Garrelts.
Expressive Processing: Digital Fictions, Computer Games, and Software Studies: (ISBN 978-0262013437) by Noah Wardrip-Fruin
, Assistant Professor at University of California, Santa Cruz
.
Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter
: (ISBN 978-0-307-37870-5) by Tom Bissell
Fun Inc.: why games are the 21st century's most serious business: (ISBN 0-7535-1985-2) written by Tom Chatfield
. A cultural and intellectual exploration of the multiple roles played by games in the 21st century, and the myths and attitudes surrounding them.
Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition: (ISBN 0-7357-1363-4) by Andrew Rollings, Dave Morris
.
The Game Design Reader:(ISBN 978-0-262-19536-2) by Katie Salen
and Eric Zimmerman
.
Game Design: From Blue Sky to Green Light
: (ISBN 978-1-56881-318-9) by Deborah Todd
, 2007 Frontline Award Finalist, "One of the top 5 industry books of 2007" by Game Developer Magazine.
Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games: (ISBN 0-7615-3165-3) Bob Bates
.
Game Design: Theory and Practice
: (ISBN 1-55622-912-7) by Richard Rouse III
.
Game Design Foundations, Second Edition: (ISBN 1-59822-034-9) by Roger E. Pedersen.
Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games
: (ISBN 1-57820-222-1) by Tracy Fullerton
, with Steven Hoffman and Chris Swain.
Game Interface Design: (ISBN 1-59200-593-4) by Brent Fox.
Game Work: Language, Power, and Computer Game Culture: (ISBN 0-8173-1418-0) by Ken S. McAllister.
Gamer Theory: (ISBN 0-67402-519-9) by McKenzie Wark
. Book website.
Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds: (ISBN 0-262-10110-6) by Jesper Juul. Book website.
Innovation and Marketing in the Video Game Industry: Avoiding the Performance Trap: (ISBN 978-0-566-09167-4) by David Wesley and Gloria Barczak. Book website.
Inside Electronic Game Design: (ISBN 1-55958-669-9) by Arnie Katz and Laurie Yates
Introduction to Game Development: (ISBN 1-58450-377-7) by Steve Rabin
. This book is part of the Game Development Series
.
Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design: (ISBN-10 047068867X) by Scott Rogers
.
The Medium of the Video Game: edited by Mark J. P. Wolf
More Than A Game: The Computer Game as Fictional Form: (ISBN 0-7190-6365-5) by Barry Atkins
Patterns in Game Design: (ISBN 1-58450-354-8) by Staffan Bjork and Jussi Holopainen. This book is part of the Game Development Series
.
Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture: (ISBN 0-262-20163-1) by T.L. Taylor
.
Playing to Win: by David Sirlin
Rules of Play : Game Design Fundamentals
: (ISBN 0-262-24045-9) by Katie Salen
, Eric Zimmerman
.
Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games: (ISBN 0-226-09626-2) by Edward Castranova.
The Business and Culture of Digital Games: Gamework and Gameplay: (ISBN 1-4129-0047-6) by Aphra Kerr.
A Theory of Fun for Game Design
: (ISBN 193211197-2) by Raph Koster
Trigger Happy
: (ISBN 1-55970-598-1/ISBN 1-84115-121-1) by Steven Poole
examines videogames in terms of their aesthetic appeal — what makes certain games more fun to play than others. It covers aspects such as the effective use of space and perspective in videogames, rewards and progression through games, the design of an appealing video game character and the debate over violence in games.
21st Century Game Design
: (ISBN 1-58450-429-3) by Chris Bateman
and Richard Boon. This book is part of the Game Development Series
.
Understanding Digital Games: (ISBN 1-4129-0034-4/ISBN 1-4129-0033-6) by Jason Rutter and Jo Bryce. (Table of contents and contributing authors), (Introduction to collection)
The Video Game Theory Reader: edited by Mark J. P. Wolf and Bernard Perron
The Video Game Theory Reader 2: edited by Bernard Perron and Mark J. P. Wolf
The following are taken from Recommended Reading lists in the Centennial College Seminar Series: The Video Game Industry Lecture Series handouts (2005).
Creating the Art of the Game: by Matthew Omernick. “A great reference to great modelling and texturing techniques.”
Animating Real-Time Game Characters (Game Development Series): by Paul Steed
. “Tips and tricks on game animation from the professionals in the industry, especially for the 3D Max
[sic] artist.”
Game Modeling Using Low Polygon Techniques: by Chad Walker and Eric Walker
. “…For the beginner. Learn to design, sketch and model for low-polygon content.”
Ultimate Game Design: Building Game Worlds: by Tom Meigs. “An insider[’]s perspective on advanced techniques for creatiing [sic] compelling characters and vivid environments. Good reference for artists using Maya
.”
Character Development and Storytelling for Games (Game Development Series): by Lee Sheldon
. “An excellent writers[’] aid in creating content and writing for characters in a game setting.”
Gaming 101: A Contemporary History of PC and Video Games: by George Jones
.
Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984: by Van Burnham.
The Video Games Guide: (ISBN 0752226258) is a book by Matt Fox first published in October 2006 by Boxtree Pan Macmillan
. The Video Games Guide is similar in format to a traditional film guide with A to Z reviews of over 1000 video games. Accompanying each review are: the year of release, the system first released on, the developer and publisher, information on sequels and conversions, and a rating between one and five stars. Each ‘classic’ game that receives five stars has a colour screenshot
in a glossy section in the Guide’s centre, and these screenshots are arranged by date - providing a visual timeline of game graphics
.
The Book of Games Volume 1
: (ISBN 82-997378-0-X) by gameXplore. This book is the first in the The Book of Games series and was published in November 2006 by gameXplore. It describes 150 games from the period 2005-2006. Each game has a short description about the gameplay and challenges accompanied with nine screenshots. The book also has some feature articles about game topics such as MMORPGs.
The Book of Games Volume 2
: (ISBN 82-997378-2-6) by gameXplore. This book is the second in the The Book of Games series and will be published in November 2007. It describes 100 games from the period November 2006 to November 2007. Each game has a short description about the gameplay and challenges accompanied with nine screenshots. It contains several feature articles and interviews with well known game developers.
Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: (ISBN 0786432268) by Brett Weiss. This thoroughly researched reference work provides a comprehensive guide to popular and obscure video games of the 1970s and early 1980s, covering every official United States release for programmable home game consoles of the pre-Nintendo NES era. Included are the following systems: Adventure Vision, APF MP1000, Arcadia 2001, Astrocade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, ColecoVision, Fairchild Channel F, Intellivision, Microvision, Odyssey, Odyssey2, RCA Studio II, Telstar Arcade, and Vectrex.
Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988: (ISBN 0786436603) by Brett Weiss. Weiss follows his 2007 volume (Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984) with this follow-up, which covers games made for the Atari 7800, Nintendo NES, and Sega Master System, with the bulk of the text devoted to the popular Nintendo system. The entry for each game lists the publisher, developer, possible number of players, and year of publication. Sound, graphics, and levels of play are briefly described, and the author--an experienced collector and gamer--provides his well-educated opinion on the quality of play. Arcade games and other systems for which the game was also ported are listed. A glossary and index provide further information. For as far as it goes, this reference is professionally executed and an obvious labor of love.
Classic Home Video Games, 1989-1990: A Complete Guide to Sega Genesis, Neo Geo and TurboGrafx-16 Games: (ISBN 0786441720) by Brett Weiss. The third in a series about home video games, this detailed reference work features descriptions and reviews of every official U.S.-released game for the Neo Geo, Sega Genesis, and TurboGrafx-16. This trio of systems ushered in the 16-bit era of gaming. Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter includes a description of the game system followed by substantive entries for every game released for that console. Video game entries include historical info, gameplay details, and, typically, the author’s critique. In addition, appendices list and offer brief descriptions of all the games for the Atari Lynx, original Nintendo Game Boy, Neo Geo CD, Sega CD, Sega 32X, and TurboGrafx-CD.
From Sun Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games
: (ISBN 1-56025-681-8) by Ed Halter
Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children: (ISBN 0-679-40469-4) by David Sheff
.
Game Over: the Maturing of Mario: (ISBN 0-9669617-0-6) by David Sheff
: Game Informer magazine named this book the 8th best videogame related book ever published.
High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games
: is a book published in April 2002 by McGraw-Hill Osborne Media. It was written by Rusel Demaria and Johnny Lee Wilson. The book also has a second edition, published in December 2003 , which features a brief history on Japanese and English video game companies. It details the history of video games, beginning with a page about the earliest computer processors to the current days, this book goes into detail about what was happening to companies like Atari
back before, during, and after the Video Game Crash of 1983-1984
. Game Informer magazine named this book the 10th best videogame related book ever published.
Joystick Nation: (ISBN 0-316-36007-4) by J.C. Herz
Masters of Doom: (ISBN 0-375-50524-5) by David Kushner
: Game Informer magazine named this book the best videogame related book ever published.
My Tiny Life: (ISBN 0-8050-3626-1) by Julian Dibbell
. A narrative history of LambdaMOO
.
Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution : by Dean Takahashi
Phoenix, The Fall and Rise of Videogames (ISBN 0-9643848-5-X) by Leonard Herman (2001): Phoenix was the first serious book on videogame history when it was originally published in 1994. A second edition was published in 1997, and a third in 2001. A fourth edition is in the works. In April 2008, Game Informer magazine named this book the 2nd best videogame related book ever published.
Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture: (ISBN 0-262-20163-1) TL Taylor (2006)
Racing the Beam: (ISBN 0-262-01257-X) by Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost (2009)
Replay: The History of Video Games: (ISBN 0-956-507204) by Tristan Donovan (2010)
SMARTBOMB: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution: (ISBN 1-56512-346-8)by Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby.
Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984: by Van Burnham.
The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to PlayStation and Beyond: (ISBN 0-3133386-8-X) edited by Mark J.P. Wolf. This is the first comprehensive academic history of video games.
The Video Game Theory Reader: (ISBN 0-415-96579-9) edited by Mark J.P. Wolf and Bernard Perron.
Videogames: In the Beginning: (ISBN 0-9643848-1-7) by Ralph Baer
The Ultimate History of Video Games: (ISBN 0-7615-3643-4) by Steven L. Kent
: Game Informer magazine named this book the 4th best videogame related book ever published.
Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life
: (ISBN 0-7440-0424-1) by Chris Kohler.
Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time: (ISBN 0-2408-1146-1) by Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton.
Gaming Wonderland: (ISBN 978-1-4523-1894-3) by Francesco Fraulo. Book website. : An insider look at the video games industry from 1999 to 2004.
The Art of Game Worlds: (ISBN 1-904705-34-0) by Dave Morris
and Leo Hartas
Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
: (ISBN 0-7615-4364-3) by David Hodgson
From Myst To Riven: by Richard Kadrey
Sega Video Game Illustrations: Japanese and English language book featuring artwork from early-1990s Sega Mega Drive, Master System
and Game Gear
titles.
The Making of Doom 3:
The Making of Prince of Persia: (ASIN B005WUE6Q2) by Jordan Mechner
Game development
Game development is the software development process by which a video game is developed. Development is undertaken by a game developer, which may range from a single person to a large business. Mainstream games are normally funded by a publisher and take several years to develop. Indie games can...
, theory, history
History of computer and video games
The history of video games goes as far back as the 1940s, when in 1947 Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr. and Estle Ray Mann filed a United States patent request for an invention they described as a "cathode ray tube amusement device." Video gaming would not reach mainstream popularity until the 1970s and...
, to art
Game artist
A game artist is an artist who creates art for one or more types of games. Game artists are responsible for all of the aspects of game development that call for visual art...
books. See also: List of books based on computer and video games.
Design and theory
8 Bits of Wisdom: Video Game Lessons for Real Life's Endbosses: (ISBN 978-1466328860) by Andy SchindlerAndrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design
Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design
Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design is a book by Andrew Rollings and Ernest W. Adams. It was first published by New Riders Group on May 5, 2003. One of the authors, Ernest Adams, is the co-founder of the International Game Developers Association...
: (ISBN 1-59273-001-9) by Andrew Rollings, Ernest W. Adams.
The Art of Computer Game Design
The Art of Computer Game Design
The Art of Computer Game Design by Chris Crawford is the first book devoted to the theory of computer and video games. It was originally published in Berkeley, California by McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media in 1984. The original edition is now out-of-print but from 1997 became available as a free...
: (ISBN 0-88134-117-7) by Chris Crawford
Chris Crawford (game designer)
Christopher Crawford is a computer game designer and writer noted for creating a number of important games in the 1980s, founding The Journal of Computer Game Design, and organizing the Computer Game Developers' Conference.- Biography :...
is attributed by Wolf & Perron in The Video Game Theory Reader as being the first book devoted to the theory of video games. It was originally published in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
by McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media in 1984. The original edition is now out-of-print but available for free download from a site maintained by Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
Character Development and Storytelling for Games: (ISBN 1-59200-353-2) by Lee Sheldon
Lee Sheldon (writer)
Lee Sheldon is a game designer, book author, and television producer and scriptwriter. He is the author of the mystery novel Impossible Bliss, the non-fiction books The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game and Character Development and Storytelling for Games. He was lead writer on...
. This book is part of the Game Development Series
Game Development Series
The Game Development Series is a series of books published by Charles River Media on game design.-External links:*...
.
The Art of Gaming and Cloning: (ISBN 1-69999-353-2) by Brandy Manda. This book is part of the Skills to Go Series.
Chris Crawford on Interactive Storytelling: (ISBN 0-321-27890-9) by Chris Crawford
Chris Crawford (game designer)
Christopher Crawford is a computer game designer and writer noted for creating a number of important games in the 1980s, founding The Journal of Computer Game Design, and organizing the Computer Game Developers' Conference.- Biography :...
.
Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering: (ISBN 1-59273-007-8) by David Freeman.
Designing Virtual Worlds
Designing Virtual Worlds
Designing Virtual Worlds is a definitive work on the practice of virtual world development by Richard Bartle, the father of MUDs. It has been called "the bible of MMORPG design" and spoken of as "excellent", "seminal", "widely read", "the standard text on the subject", "the most comprehensive...
: (ISBN 0-1310-1816-7) by Richard Bartle
Richard Bartle
Richard Allan Bartle is a British writer, professor and game researcher, best known for being the co-creator of MUD1 and the author of the seminal Designing Virtual Worlds. He is one of the pioneers of the massively multiplayer online game industry.-Life and career:Bartle received a Ph.D...
. Definitive work on MMO/virtual world development.
Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide: (ISBN 1-59273-000-0) by Jessica Mulligan, Bridgette Patrovsky.
Digital Gameplay: Essays on the Nexus of Game and Gamer: (ISBN 0-7864-2292-0) edited by Nate Garrelts.
Expressive Processing: Digital Fictions, Computer Games, and Software Studies: (ISBN 978-0262013437) by Noah Wardrip-Fruin
Noah Wardrip-Fruin
Noah Wardrip-Fruin is Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is an advisor for the Expressive Intelligence Studio. He is an alumnus of the Literary Arts MFA program and Special Graduate Study PhD program at Brown University...
, Assistant Professor at University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
.
Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter
Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter
Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter is a 2010 non-fiction book by journalist and critic Tom Bissell discussing the social relevance and importance of video games as well as defending the medium against detractors...
: (ISBN 978-0-307-37870-5) by Tom Bissell
Tom Bissell
Tom Bissell is a journalist, critic, and fiction writer, originally from Escanaba, Michigan and currently based in Portland, Oregon.-Life:...
Fun Inc.: why games are the 21st century's most serious business: (ISBN 0-7535-1985-2) written by Tom Chatfield
Tom Chatfield
Tom Chatfield is a British author, and game and technology theorist.-Biography:Chatfield took a doctorate and taught at St John's College, Oxford, and has subsequently written for publications including The Independent, The Observer, The Times Literary Supplement, The Sunday Times, the New...
. A cultural and intellectual exploration of the multiple roles played by games in the 21st century, and the myths and attitudes surrounding them.
Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition: (ISBN 0-7357-1363-4) by Andrew Rollings, Dave Morris
Dave Morris
Dave Morris is a British author of gamebooks, novels and comics and a designer of computer games and role-playing games.-Biography:Dave Morris is a graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford where he read Physics from 1976-79....
.
The Game Design Reader:(ISBN 978-0-262-19536-2) by Katie Salen
Katie Salen
Katie Salen is a game designer, animator, and design educator. She is a professor in the DePaul University College of Computing and Digital Media. She has taught at Parsons The New School for Design the University of Texas at Austin, New York University, and the Rhode Island School of Design...
and Eric Zimmerman
Eric Zimmerman
Eric Zimmerman is a game designer and the co-founder and CEO of Gamelab, a computer game development company, which is known for the game Diner Dash. Each year Zimmerman hosts the Game Design Challenge at the Game Developers Conference...
.
Game Design: From Blue Sky to Green Light
Game Design: From Blue Sky to Green Light
Game Design: From Blue Sky to Green Light was written by Deborah Todd and published in 2007 by AK Peters. The book debuted at the 2007 Game Developers Conference, and was named one of the top five industry books of the year by Game Developer magazine.- External links :* Official Site * The...
: (ISBN 978-1-56881-318-9) by Deborah Todd
Deborah Todd
Deborah Todd is an American game designer, writer, and producer who began her career in the entertainment industry in 1991 writing cartoons for MGM/UA's new Pink Panther Saturday morning cartoon series...
, 2007 Frontline Award Finalist, "One of the top 5 industry books of 2007" by Game Developer Magazine.
Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games: (ISBN 0-7615-3165-3) Bob Bates
Bob Bates
Robert Bates , better known as Bob Bates, is an American computer games designer. Starting as a designer in the 1980s for Infocom, he was later co-founder of Legend Entertainment, designing games such as Timequest and Eric the Unready...
.
Game Design: Theory and Practice
Game Design: Theory and Practice
Game Design: Theory and Practice is a book on game design by Richard Rouse III, published by Wordware Publishing in 2002. A revised and expanded version was published in 2005.-Overview:...
: (ISBN 1-55622-912-7) by Richard Rouse III
Richard Rouse III
Richard Rouse III is an American video game designer and writer best known as the designer of The Suffering games and the author of Game Design: Theory & Practice.-Life and career:...
.
Game Design Foundations, Second Edition: (ISBN 1-59822-034-9) by Roger E. Pedersen.
Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games
Game Design Workshop
Game Design Workshop, 2nd Edition: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games is a book on game design by Tracy Fullerton, originally published by CMP Books in 2004 was updated and released as a new edition by Morgan Kaufmann in 2008....
: (ISBN 1-57820-222-1) by Tracy Fullerton
Tracy Fullerton
Tracy Fullerton is an American game designer, educator and writer. She is currently an Associate Professor in the USC Interactive Media Division of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Director of the Electronic Arts Game Innovation Lab. In December of 2008, she was installed as the holder of...
, with Steven Hoffman and Chris Swain.
Game Interface Design: (ISBN 1-59200-593-4) by Brent Fox.
Game Work: Language, Power, and Computer Game Culture: (ISBN 0-8173-1418-0) by Ken S. McAllister.
Gamer Theory: (ISBN 0-67402-519-9) by McKenzie Wark
McKenzie Wark
McKenzie Wark is an Australian-born writer and scholar. He works mainly on media theory, critical theory and new media. His best known works are A Hacker Manifesto and Gamer Theory.-Life:...
. Book website.
Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds: (ISBN 0-262-10110-6) by Jesper Juul. Book website.
Innovation and Marketing in the Video Game Industry: Avoiding the Performance Trap: (ISBN 978-0-566-09167-4) by David Wesley and Gloria Barczak. Book website.
Inside Electronic Game Design: (ISBN 1-55958-669-9) by Arnie Katz and Laurie Yates
Introduction to Game Development: (ISBN 1-58450-377-7) by Steve Rabin
Steve Rabin
Steve Rabin is an American software engineer, college instructor, and editor/author who specializes in the field of video game artificial intelligence. He is best known as the chief editor of the AI Game Programming Wisdom series of books and as an author in the Game Programming Gems series of books...
. This book is part of the Game Development Series
Game Development Series
The Game Development Series is a series of books published by Charles River Media on game design.-External links:*...
.
Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design: (ISBN-10 047068867X) by Scott Rogers
Scott Rogers
Scott Rogers is the first above-the-knee amputee to complete the 2,174 mile Appalachian Trail.- The Bionic Hiker :Rogers became an amputee following an accident with a shotgun on Memorial Day 1998....
.
The Medium of the Video Game: edited by Mark J. P. Wolf
More Than A Game: The Computer Game as Fictional Form: (ISBN 0-7190-6365-5) by Barry Atkins
Patterns in Game Design: (ISBN 1-58450-354-8) by Staffan Bjork and Jussi Holopainen. This book is part of the Game Development Series
Game Development Series
The Game Development Series is a series of books published by Charles River Media on game design.-External links:*...
.
Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture: (ISBN 0-262-20163-1) by T.L. Taylor
T.L. Taylor (scholar)
T.L. Taylor is a sociologist who specialises in researching the culture of online communities, and in particular, MMOGs such as EverQuest and World of Warcraft. She received her Ph.D. in sociology from Brandeis University...
.
Playing to Win: by David Sirlin
David Sirlin
David Sirlin is a game designer from California. He balanced the popular video games Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix...
Rules of Play : Game Design Fundamentals
Rules of Play
Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals is a book on game design by Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman, published by MIT Press.-Structure:The book is divided into four units, first introducing core concepts, then expanding on these with a detailed discussion of rules, play and culture.-Unit 1: Core...
: (ISBN 0-262-24045-9) by Katie Salen
Katie Salen
Katie Salen is a game designer, animator, and design educator. She is a professor in the DePaul University College of Computing and Digital Media. She has taught at Parsons The New School for Design the University of Texas at Austin, New York University, and the Rhode Island School of Design...
, Eric Zimmerman
Eric Zimmerman
Eric Zimmerman is a game designer and the co-founder and CEO of Gamelab, a computer game development company, which is known for the game Diner Dash. Each year Zimmerman hosts the Game Design Challenge at the Game Developers Conference...
.
Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games: (ISBN 0-226-09626-2) by Edward Castranova.
The Business and Culture of Digital Games: Gamework and Gameplay: (ISBN 1-4129-0047-6) by Aphra Kerr.
A Theory of Fun for Game Design
A Theory of Fun for Game Design
A Theory of Fun for Game Design is a book written and illustrated by Raph Koster. It is based upon a presentation Koster gave at the Austin Game Conference in 2003, and the book reflects its origins by displaying text on one page and a cartoon/graphic from the talk on the other page.Raph Koster's...
: (ISBN 193211197-2) by Raph Koster
Raph Koster
Raphael "Raph" Koster is an American entrepreneur, game designer, and author of A Theory of Fun for Game Design. Koster is widely recognized for his work as the lead designer of Ultima Online and the creative director behind Star Wars Galaxies...
Trigger Happy
Trigger Happy (book)
Trigger Happy is a book by Steven Poole, examining videogames in terms of their aesthetic appeal - what makes certain games more fun to play than others...
: (ISBN 1-55970-598-1/ISBN 1-84115-121-1) by Steven Poole
Steven Poole
-Biography:Poole studied English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and has subsequently written for publications including The Independent, The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, The Sunday Times, and the New Statesman...
examines videogames in terms of their aesthetic appeal — what makes certain games more fun to play than others. It covers aspects such as the effective use of space and perspective in videogames, rewards and progression through games, the design of an appealing video game character and the debate over violence in games.
21st Century Game Design
21st Century Game Design
21st Century Game Design is a book by Chris Bateman and Richard Boon. This book is part of the Game Development Series. It was first published by Charles River Media on August 29, 2005....
: (ISBN 1-58450-429-3) by Chris Bateman
Chris Bateman
Chris Mark Bateman is a game designer, outsider philosopher and author, best known for the games Discworld Noir and Ghost Master, the books Game Writing: Narrative Skills for Videogames, 21st Century Game Design and Beyond Game Design: Nine Steps Toward Creating Creating Better Videogames, and his...
and Richard Boon. This book is part of the Game Development Series
Game Development Series
The Game Development Series is a series of books published by Charles River Media on game design.-External links:*...
.
Understanding Digital Games: (ISBN 1-4129-0034-4/ISBN 1-4129-0033-6) by Jason Rutter and Jo Bryce. (Table of contents and contributing authors), (Introduction to collection)
The Video Game Theory Reader: edited by Mark J. P. Wolf and Bernard Perron
The Video Game Theory Reader 2: edited by Bernard Perron and Mark J. P. Wolf
The following are taken from Recommended Reading lists in the Centennial College Seminar Series: The Video Game Industry Lecture Series handouts (2005).
Creating the Art of the Game: by Matthew Omernick. “A great reference to great modelling and texturing techniques.”
Animating Real-Time Game Characters (Game Development Series): by Paul Steed
Paul Steed
Paul Howard Steed, Jr is a video game modeller and artist. He has worked for Origin Systems, Electronic Arts, id Software, Wild Tangent, Microsoft's Xbox, Atari, and now Exigent. He created artwork or models for several prominent game series including Wing Commander and Quake...
. “Tips and tricks on game animation from the professionals in the industry, especially for the 3D Max
3D Studio Max
Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio MAX, is for making 3D animations. It was developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. It has modeling capabilities, a flexible plugin architecture and can be used on the Microsoft Windows platform. It's frequently used by video game developers, TV...
[sic] artist.”
Game Modeling Using Low Polygon Techniques: by Chad Walker and Eric Walker
Eric Walker
Eric Walker is a Scottish former footballer who played as a winger.-Career :Walker played for Alloa before joining Dundee United in 1959. After two years at Tannadice, Walker moved to Brechin City, making thirteen league appearances in his solitary season at Glebe Park.-References:...
. “…For the beginner. Learn to design, sketch and model for low-polygon content.”
Ultimate Game Design: Building Game Worlds: by Tom Meigs. “An insider[’]s perspective on advanced techniques for creatiing [sic] compelling characters and vivid environments. Good reference for artists using Maya
Maya (software)
Autodesk Maya , commonly shortened to Maya, is 3D computer graphics software that runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and Linux, originally developed by Alias Systems Corporation and currently owned and developed by Autodesk, Inc. It is used to create interactive 3D applications, including video...
.”
Character Development and Storytelling for Games (Game Development Series): by Lee Sheldon
Lee Sheldon (writer)
Lee Sheldon is a game designer, book author, and television producer and scriptwriter. He is the author of the mystery novel Impossible Bliss, the non-fiction books The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game and Character Development and Storytelling for Games. He was lead writer on...
. “An excellent writers[’] aid in creating content and writing for characters in a game setting.”
Gaming 101: A Contemporary History of PC and Video Games: by George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
.
Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984: by Van Burnham.
Gaming Compendiums
Hardcoregaming101.net Presents: The Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures: (ISBN 146095579X) compiled and edited by Kurt Kalata. Published in 2011, it cataloges over 300 graphic adventures, mostly from between 1984-2000, including full reviews, box pictures and screenshots. It also includes several developer interviews.The Video Games Guide: (ISBN 0752226258) is a book by Matt Fox first published in October 2006 by Boxtree Pan Macmillan
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
. The Video Games Guide is similar in format to a traditional film guide with A to Z reviews of over 1000 video games. Accompanying each review are: the year of release, the system first released on, the developer and publisher, information on sequels and conversions, and a rating between one and five stars. Each ‘classic’ game that receives five stars has a colour screenshot
Screenshot
A screenshot , screen capture , screen dump, screengrab , or print screen is an image taken by a computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor, television, or another visual output device...
in a glossy section in the Guide’s centre, and these screenshots are arranged by date - providing a visual timeline of game graphics
Graphics
Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings,or...
.
The Book of Games Volume 1
The Book of Games Volume 1
The Book of Games Volume 1 is a game compendium by gameXplore, examining 150 video games from 2005 through 2006 covering most of the current game platforms. It covers topics such as the future of games, game heroes, from games to movies, and research on games.-External links:**...
: (ISBN 82-997378-0-X) by gameXplore. This book is the first in the The Book of Games series and was published in November 2006 by gameXplore. It describes 150 games from the period 2005-2006. Each game has a short description about the gameplay and challenges accompanied with nine screenshots. The book also has some feature articles about game topics such as MMORPGs.
The Book of Games Volume 2
The Book of Games Volume 2
The Book of Games Volume 2 is a game compendium by gameXplore, examining 100 video games from November 2006 through November 2007 covering most of the current game platforms. It covers topics such as Hardcore Gaming, LAN Events, Indie Game Development, Videogames as Art, Music in Games,...
: (ISBN 82-997378-2-6) by gameXplore. This book is the second in the The Book of Games series and will be published in November 2007. It describes 100 games from the period November 2006 to November 2007. Each game has a short description about the gameplay and challenges accompanied with nine screenshots. It contains several feature articles and interviews with well known game developers.
Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984: (ISBN 0786432268) by Brett Weiss. This thoroughly researched reference work provides a comprehensive guide to popular and obscure video games of the 1970s and early 1980s, covering every official United States release for programmable home game consoles of the pre-Nintendo NES era. Included are the following systems: Adventure Vision, APF MP1000, Arcadia 2001, Astrocade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, ColecoVision, Fairchild Channel F, Intellivision, Microvision, Odyssey, Odyssey2, RCA Studio II, Telstar Arcade, and Vectrex.
Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988: (ISBN 0786436603) by Brett Weiss. Weiss follows his 2007 volume (Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984) with this follow-up, which covers games made for the Atari 7800, Nintendo NES, and Sega Master System, with the bulk of the text devoted to the popular Nintendo system. The entry for each game lists the publisher, developer, possible number of players, and year of publication. Sound, graphics, and levels of play are briefly described, and the author--an experienced collector and gamer--provides his well-educated opinion on the quality of play. Arcade games and other systems for which the game was also ported are listed. A glossary and index provide further information. For as far as it goes, this reference is professionally executed and an obvious labor of love.
Classic Home Video Games, 1989-1990: A Complete Guide to Sega Genesis, Neo Geo and TurboGrafx-16 Games: (ISBN 0786441720) by Brett Weiss. The third in a series about home video games, this detailed reference work features descriptions and reviews of every official U.S.-released game for the Neo Geo, Sega Genesis, and TurboGrafx-16. This trio of systems ushered in the 16-bit era of gaming. Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter includes a description of the game system followed by substantive entries for every game released for that console. Video game entries include historical info, gameplay details, and, typically, the author’s critique. In addition, appendices list and offer brief descriptions of all the games for the Atari Lynx, original Nintendo Game Boy, Neo Geo CD, Sega CD, Sega 32X, and TurboGrafx-CD.
History
The First Quarter: A 25-Year History of Video Games: (ISBN 0-9704755-0-0) by Steven L. KentSteven L. Kent
Steven L. Kent is an American writer, known for both video game journalism and military science fiction novels. In 1993, Steven started work as a freelance journalist, writing monthly video game reviews for the Seattle Times...
From Sun Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games
From Sun Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games
From Sun Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games is a book of video game history by journalist and film critic Ed Halter, published in 2006. The book describes the evolution of video games from military-related technologies and contemporary video game related projects by the American military such as...
: (ISBN 1-56025-681-8) by Ed Halter
Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children: (ISBN 0-679-40469-4) by David Sheff
David Sheff
David Sheff is an American author of the New York Times best-selling memoir Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction. In 2009, Sheff was included in the Time Magazine Time 100, The World's Most Influential People, and Beautiful Boy was named the best nonfiction book of the year...
.
Game Over: the Maturing of Mario: (ISBN 0-9669617-0-6) by David Sheff
David Sheff
David Sheff is an American author of the New York Times best-selling memoir Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction. In 2009, Sheff was included in the Time Magazine Time 100, The World's Most Influential People, and Beautiful Boy was named the best nonfiction book of the year...
: Game Informer magazine named this book the 8th best videogame related book ever published.
High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games
High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games
High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games is a book published in April 2002 by McGraw-Hill Osborne Media. It was written by Rusel DeMaria and Johnny Lee Wilson...
: is a book published in April 2002 by McGraw-Hill Osborne Media. It was written by Rusel Demaria and Johnny Lee Wilson. The book also has a second edition, published in December 2003 , which features a brief history on Japanese and English video game companies. It details the history of video games, beginning with a page about the earliest computer processors to the current days, this book goes into detail about what was happening to companies like Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
back before, during, and after the Video Game Crash of 1983-1984
Video game crash of 1983
The North American video game crash was a serious event that brought an abrupt end to what is considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. Beginning in 1983, the crash almost destroyed the then-fledgling industry and led to the bankruptcy of several companies producing...
. Game Informer magazine named this book the 10th best videogame related book ever published.
Joystick Nation: (ISBN 0-316-36007-4) by J.C. Herz
Masters of Doom: (ISBN 0-375-50524-5) by David Kushner
David Kushner
David Kushner is a writer who has contributed to publications including Wired, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, IEEE Spectrum and Salon. From 1994 to 1996 he worked as a senior producer and writer on the SonicNet website. The first edition of his non-fiction book, Masters of Doom, was published...
: Game Informer magazine named this book the best videogame related book ever published.
My Tiny Life: (ISBN 0-8050-3626-1) by Julian Dibbell
Julian Dibbell
Julian Dibbell is an American author and technology journalist with a particular interest in social systems within online communities. His 1993 article "A Rape in Cyberspace" detailed attempts of LambdaMOO, an online community, to quantify and deal with lawbreaking in its midst. The article was...
. A narrative history of LambdaMOO
LambdaMOO
LambdaMOO is an online community of the variety called a MOO. It is the oldest MOO today.LambdaMOO was founded in late 1990 or early 1991 by Pavel Curtis at Xerox PARC. Now hosted in the state of Washington, it is operated and administered entirely on a volunteer basis...
.
Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution : by Dean Takahashi
Phoenix, The Fall and Rise of Videogames (ISBN 0-9643848-5-X) by Leonard Herman (2001): Phoenix was the first serious book on videogame history when it was originally published in 1994. A second edition was published in 1997, and a third in 2001. A fourth edition is in the works. In April 2008, Game Informer magazine named this book the 2nd best videogame related book ever published.
Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture: (ISBN 0-262-20163-1) TL Taylor (2006)
Racing the Beam: (ISBN 0-262-01257-X) by Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost (2009)
Replay: The History of Video Games: (ISBN 0-956-507204) by Tristan Donovan (2010)
SMARTBOMB: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution: (ISBN 1-56512-346-8)by Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby.
Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984: by Van Burnham.
The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to PlayStation and Beyond: (ISBN 0-3133386-8-X) edited by Mark J.P. Wolf. This is the first comprehensive academic history of video games.
The Video Game Theory Reader: (ISBN 0-415-96579-9) edited by Mark J.P. Wolf and Bernard Perron.
Videogames: In the Beginning: (ISBN 0-9643848-1-7) by Ralph Baer
The Ultimate History of Video Games: (ISBN 0-7615-3643-4) by Steven L. Kent
Steven L. Kent
Steven L. Kent is an American writer, known for both video game journalism and military science fiction novels. In 1993, Steven started work as a freelance journalist, writing monthly video game reviews for the Seattle Times...
: Game Informer magazine named this book the 4th best videogame related book ever published.
Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life
Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life
Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life is a 2005 book by Chris Kohler. It explores the video game market in Japan and the history of video games in both Japan and North America. Kohler argues that Japan’s role in the history of video games in America is undervalued...
: (ISBN 0-7440-0424-1) by Chris Kohler.
Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time: (ISBN 0-2408-1146-1) by Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton.
Gaming Wonderland: (ISBN 978-1-4523-1894-3) by Francesco Fraulo. Book website. : An insider look at the video games industry from 1999 to 2004.
Artwork collections and "making of" books
1000 Game Heroes: (ISBN 3-8228-1633-7) by David ChoquetThe Art of Game Worlds: (ISBN 1-904705-34-0) by Dave Morris
Dave Morris
Dave Morris is a British author of gamebooks, novels and comics and a designer of computer games and role-playing games.-Biography:Dave Morris is a graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford where he read Physics from 1976-79....
and Leo Hartas
Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar - A Behind the Scenes Look: Prima's Official Insider's Guide is a coffee table book published by Prima Games in November 2004, comprising a collection of images chronicling the development of, but not limited to: Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike and Half-Life, all of which...
: (ISBN 0-7615-4364-3) by David Hodgson
From Myst To Riven: by Richard Kadrey
Sega Video Game Illustrations: Japanese and English language book featuring artwork from early-1990s Sega Mega Drive, Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
and Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
titles.
The Making of Doom 3:
The Making of Prince of Persia: (ASIN B005WUE6Q2) by Jordan Mechner
Jordan Mechner
Jordan Mechner is an American video game designer, screenwriter, author, and filmmaker, best known for creating the Prince of Persia video game franchise.- Life and career :Mechner was born in New York City...
See also
- Lists of video games
- List of Prima Games guides
- List of video game consoles
- List of video game franchises