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Book Cover
Book
Author Castillo, Travis, author

Title Game development essentials : game level design / Travis Castillo, Jeannie Novak
Published New York : Delmar Cengage Learning, [2008]
New York : Delmar Cengage Learning, c2008
c2008
©2008

Copies

Location Call no. Vol. Availability
 MELB  794.81526 Cas/Gde  AVAILABLE
Description xxii, 307 pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm + 1 DVD-ROM (4 3/4 in.)
4 3/4 in
Series Game development essentials.
Contents Machine derived contents note: About the Game Development Essentials Series x -- About Game Development Essentials: Game Level Design x -- Who Should Read This Book? xi -- How Is This Book Organized? xii -- How To Use This Text xiv -- Key Chapter Questions xiv -- Sidebars xiv -- Quotes xiv -- Notes xv -- Tips xv -- Case Studies xv -- Profiles xvi -- Chapter Review xvi -- About the Companion DVD xvi -- About the Instructor's Guide xvii -- About the Authors xvii -- Acknowledgments xix -- Questions and Feedback xxi -- Dedication xxii -- Part I: Foundation 1 -- Chapter 1 History & Background: -- the world of the level designer 3 -- Key Chapter Questions 3 -- What Is a Level? 4 -- Setting 4 -- Goals 5 -- Risk-Reward 6 -- Puzzles 6 -- The Development Team 7 -- Level Designer's Role 8 -- Artist 9 -- Scientist 11 -- The History of Level Design in a Nutshell 12 -- Rising from the MUD 13 -- Age of the Bitmap 14 -- Golden Age of the Arcades 15 -- The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of the Home Console 17 -- Game Genres & Level Structure 29 -- Role-Playing Games 29 -- Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games 31 -- Action Games 33 -- Sandbox Gam es 37 -- Linear Gam es 38 -- Strategy 39 -- Simulation 41 -- Sports 41 -- Chapter Review 43 -- Chapter 2 Conceptualization: -- spawning your imagination 45 -- Key Chapter Questions 45 -- The Mind 46 -- Imagination 47 -- Knowledge 48 -- Observation 48 -- Culture 52 -- Story Elements 56 -- Backstory 57 -- Setting 57 -- The Conflict 59 -- Reference Material 61 -- Photography 62 -- The Internet 65 -- Style 6 7 -- Look & Feel 67 -- Experimentation 67 -- Unity 67 -- Concept Art 69 -- Thumbnails 70 -- Silhouette 72 -- Concept M odeling 73 -- Speed Modeling 73 -- Texture Play 74 -- Chapter Review 76 -- Chapter 3 Paper Design: -- creating the level blueprint 79 -- Key Chapter Questions 79 -- The Blueprint 80 -- Top-Down Map 81 -- Thinking in the Third Dimension 82 -- Creating Spaces 83 -- Gameplay 85 -- Game Mechanics 85 -- Spawn Points 88 -- Level Objectives 88 -- Flow 92 -- Linear 94 -- Scripted Events 95 -- Open-Ended 96 -- Asset List 100 -- Models 101 -- Textures 102 -- Audio. 103 -- Chapter Review 106 -- Part I1: Construction 1 07 -- Chapter 4 Blocking In: -- building a solid foundation 109 -- Key Chapter Q uestions 109 -- Starting from Scratch 110 -- The Unreal Engine 111 -- The Grid 115 -- Broad Strokes Theory 119 -- Modular Construction 123 -- Pivots 123 -- Blocking Details 132 -- Creating Spaces 133 -- Exteriors 134 -- Chapter Review 144 -- Chapter 5 Environmental Art: -- creating the illusion of life 147 -- Key Chapter Questions 147 -- Texturing 148 -- Story 149 -- Material Construction 152 -- Terrain 159 -- Modeling 168 -- Low-Polygon Modeling 169 -- Unwrapping 181 -- Chapter Review 185 -- Chapter 6 Asset Creation: -- structures, props & other objects 187 -- Key Chapter Questions 187 -- High-Priority Props 188 -- Support Trees 188 -- Bridges 193 -- Structures 196 -- Walls 207 -- Polish Props 209 -- Vines 209 -- Boulders 212 -- Foliage 213 -- Chapter Review 215 -- Chapter 7 Lighting & Effects: -- creating the atmosphere 217 -- Key Chapter Questions 217 -- Types of Lights 218 -- Directional 218 -- Point 220 -- Skylight 221 -- Spotlight 222 -- Setting the Mood 223 -- Attributes 224 -- Pools of Light 228 -- Dramatic Lighting Effects 232 -- Lightmapping 234 -- Secondary UV Channels 235 -- Radiosity 236 -- Ambient Occlusion 236 -- Fog 236 -- Density 237 -- Brightness 238 -- Color 238 -- Particles 239 -- Emitter Properties 240 -- Atmospheric Effects 242 -- Chapter Review 245 -- Part Ill: Refinem ent 247 -- Chapter 8 Final Touches: -- scripting & polishing 249 -- Key Chapter Questions 249 -- Post Process Effects 250 -- Bloom 251 -- Depth of Field 251 -- Motion Blur 252 -- Audio 252 -- Adaptive & Loop-Based Music 253 -- Sound Effects 254 -- Kismet Scripting 255 -- Scripted Sequences 256 -- Triggers 257 -- Matinee 262 -- Chapter Review 267 -- Chapter 9 Games of Our Lives: -- the future of level design 269 -- Key Chapter Questions 269 -- Putting It All Together 270 -- Being a Level Designer 270 -- The Process 272 -- Career 277 -- he Future 279 -- Next-Gen Games 279 -- Untapped Senses 282 -- Lucid Dreams 283 -- Chapter Review 286
Summary "Learn how to design game levels for the next generation of game engines with Game Development Essentials: Game Level Design. This book takes the reader on a creative journey that starts at a conceptual beginning and arrives at a polished end. Through this journey, you will learn the process of designing compelling worlds that immerse the player in interactive environments created from your imagination. Visceral worlds that tell a story through their aesthetics are combined with a refined design that allows the player to flow through a level. Learn to draw inspiration from the world around you and translate your ideas into playable game worlds."--BOOK JACKET
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-296) and index
Notes System requirements: pc: Operating system Windows 2000 with SP4, XP with SP2; Vista processor, Pentium class or higher; 8x DVD-ROM drive or faster; 200 MB hard drive; 512MB memory; 800 x 600, 16-bit color monitor; internet connection, Firefox 2, Internet Explorer 6 & 7 or newer;Microsift Word 95 or newer; manual and Microsoft Powerapoint 97 or newer. For Mac: Apple Macintosh operating system OS X; G4 class or higher processor; 200 MB hard drive; 512 MB memory; 8x DVD-ROM drive or faster; 800 x 600, 16 -bit color monitor
Subject Computer games -- Design.
Computer games -- Programming.
Author Novak, Jeannie, 1966-
LC no. 2007942515
ISBN 1401878644
9781401878641
Other Titles Game level design