At the heart of any great computer game are expertly designed
levels: the locales and stages that define gameplay. And at the
core of any strong game development team are the level designers:
the people who create the spaces and environments that you move
through while playing the game. And because level design doesn’t
require a fine arts or programming degree, it’s one of the best
avenues into a career in game development. Level Design for Games:
Creating Compelling Game Experiences is the definitive guide to
level design, both for aspiring game developers, and for industry
pros looking for practical, best-practice tips and advice.
With over ten years of experience with some of the industry’s top
developers, Phil Co starts the reader at the very beginning of
the
game development process, explaining the level designer’s role in
the all-important preproduction phase. Co then moves into the
production phase, using a fictional level to demonstrate how to
create and refine your level.
Packed with screenshots, diagrams, and real-world examples, this
book gives you all the tools you need to build your own
professional-grade
level, including level narratives, descriptions, diagrams, and
templates. Chapter assignments help you practice what you’ve
learned, and the demo of Epic’s UnrealEngine2 Editor (UnrealEd),
included on the companion CD-ROM, gives you hands-on experience
with an industry-standard tool.
Phil Co has a degree in architecture from the University of
Virginia but opted instead for a career in video games. Starting
out as a tester at SEGA, he’s been a level designer since 1996 for
some of the best-regarded game developers in the industry,
including Cyclone Studios, Blizzard, and Valve Software, makers of
the hugely popular “Half-Life” series. Phil lives in Seattle with
his wife and son.
“Anyone interested in a level design career should read this book.
Phil does an excellent job covering all
the aspects of level design across several game genres.”
—Rob Pardo, Vice President of Game Design,
Blizzard Entertainment
“An indispensable guide to the theory, process, and practice of
level design.”
—Robin Walker, Designer, Valve Software
“This book contains a wealth of valuable information for anyone
interested in Level Design. It is one of the few books I would
recommend to my gaming students.”
—Todd Robinson, Game Design Instructor,
Academy of Art University, San Francisco
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