Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design

Amazon.com Review
Want to design and build cutting edge video games? Not sure where to start? Or just want to tweak the projects you're already working on?
Then this is the book for you!

Written by leading video game expert Scott Rogers, who has designed the hits; Pac Man World, God of War, Maxim vs. army of Zin and SpongeBob Squarepants. This book is full of Rogers' wit and imaginative style which demonstrates everything you need to know about designing great video games.

Level Up! has been written with all levels of game designers in mind. From beginner level through to the more experienced game designer.

It covers the entire video game creation process, allowing you to learn:
How to develop marketable ideas
What perils and pitfalls await them during a game's pre-production, production and post-production stages
Creative ideas to serve as fuel for your own projects from game theme and environments to gameplay mechanics

All in all it's an indispensible guide for video game designers both 'in the field' and the classroom.

Other topics covered:
Understanding what gamers want
Compelling character design
Working with player actions
Techniques for non-human characters
Camera techniques - the camera as a character
Designing UI and HUD
Use level design to tell game's story
What game designers can learn from theme parks
Combat, puzzles and game mechanics
Fun and UNFUN
How to make the world's greatest Boss battle (and why not to do it)

and tons more - including the business of design, creating design documents, the pitch and more. The book also contains templates to create your own pitch and design documents.