Datorspelsdesign

Insert Coin: Arkadspelens uppgång och fall i Sverige är historien om grunden för det svenska dataundret. Om entreprenörskap, spelkultur och moralpanik. Kring millennieskiftet började arkad- och flipperspelen försvinna från biljardhallar, kaféer och restauranger runt om i landet. Samtidigt blev Svenska Spels Jack Vegas-automater en allt vanligare syn. En vanlig uppfattning är att konsolspelen hade hunnit ikapp tekniskt och att arkadspelen därmed spelat ut sin roll. Men kan det verkligen ha varit så enkelt? Insert Coin är både en nostalgisk återblick och intressant nutidshistoria. Här möter vi utställarna, generalagenterna, spelarna och myndigheterna, samt upplever spelen och platserna på nytt. Nyckelpersoner inom branchen delar med sig av erfarenheter som sträcker sig från 1940-talet fram till idag. Innan de första skärmförsedda spelautomaterna introducerades i början av 1970-talet bestod marknaden huvudsakligen av jukeboxar, enarmade banditer och flipperspel. Men snart var arkadspelen i princip överallt: i köpcentrum, gatukök och tobaksbutiker. Under guldåldern var kassaflödet så stort att det inte var ovanligt att bankerna ringde automatfirmorna när de behövde växel. Här finns historien om hur ett svenskt företag i praktiken räddade den amerikanska speljätten Atari under deras första, skälvande år. Spelare och samlare minns spelen och hallarna där man träffades. Den beryktade spelhallen Alexander Lucas i Stockholm sätts under lupp. Stället beskylldes för allt från att få ungdomar att skolka från skolan och göra inbrott i varuhus, till att frammana barnprostitution. Resultatet blev en ny lag i början på 1980-talet som skulle få förödande effekt på branschen en lag som lever kvar än idag. Vad är motiven bakom att de förhållandevis hårda reglerna upprätthålls, trots att samhällets syn på data- och tv-spel har ändrats markant under de gångna trettiofem åren? Rikligt illustrerad med tidigare opublicerat bildmaterial i form av broschyrer, logotyper, fotografier och brev, målar boken upp en autentisk bild av en era som varade i drygt ett kvarts sekel. Från att ha varit ett av de världsledande länderna inom arkadspel blev Sverige ett av de främsta dataspelsproducerande länderna. Fröet såddes i dunkla lokaler bakom spakar och knappar. För första gången kommer här berättelsen om arkadspelens uppgång och fall i Sverige.

Video games have become an increasingly ubiquitous part of society due to the proliferation and use of mobile devices.� Video Games and Creativity explores research on the relationship between video games and creativity with regard to play, learning, and game design.� It answers such questions as:

Can video games be used to develop or enhance creativity? Is there a place for video games in the classroom? What types of creativity are needed to develop video games?

While video games can be sources of entertainment, the role of video games in the classroom has emerged as an important component of improving the education system.� The research and development of game-based learning has revealed the power of using games to teach and promote learning.� In parallel, the role and importance of creativity in everyday life has been identified as a requisite skill for success.

Summarizes research relating to creativity and video games Incorporates creativity research on both game design and game play Discusses physical design, game mechanics, coding, and more Investigates how video games may encourage creative problem solving Highlights applications of video games for educational purposes

The ferociously talented Hideo Kojima, creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, shares his perspective on the stories and movies that influence his work!Ever since he was a child, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima was a voracious consumer of movies, music, and books. They ignited his passion for stories and storytelling, and the results can be seen in his groundbreaking, iconic video games. Now the head of independent studio Kojima Productions, Kojima’s enthusiasm for entertainment media has never waned. This collection of essays explores some of the inspirations behind one of the titans of the video game industry, and offers an exclusive insight into one of the brightest minds in pop culture.Ever since he was a child, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima was a voracious consumer of movies, music, and books. They ignited his passion for stories and storytelling, and the results can be seen in his groundbreaking, iconic video games. Now the head of independent studio Kojima Productions, Kojima’s enthusiasm for entertainment media has never waned. This collection of essays explores some of the inspirations behind one of the titans of the video game industry, and offers an exclusive insight into one of the brightest minds in pop culture.

Delve into the world of Genshin Impact in this beautiful memento showcasing hundreds of illustrations. Genshin Impact is a free-to-play open-world adventure RPG that brings players to the visually stunning world of Teyvat. Take on the role of the mysterious "Traveler," who sets off on a journey to discover the fate of their lost sibling and unveils unique cultures, stories, and vast surrounding landscapes, as well as the mysterious secrets of Teyvat along the way.Genshin Impact: The Official Art Book Vol. 1 comes presented in a deluxe slipcase and features gorgeous artwork that celebrates moments, characters, and storylines from up to Version 1.6 of the hugely successful game. Packed full of character designs, promotional art, character trailer art, and commemorative illustrations, this book is perfect for any Genshin Impact fan.

Step into the world of Life is Strange: Double Exposure and Life is Strange: Reunion in this official in-universe guide to Caledon University, packed with hidden secrets and in-world commentary from the characters, including Max Caulfield, Chloe Price, Safi, and Moses.Welcome to Caledon University, a prestigious academic institution nestled in the town of Lakeport in upstate Vermont. Thinking of enrolling? Get on the freshman fast-track with this comprehensive look at the campus that shapes the world of Max Caulfield and Chloe Price in Life is Strange: Double Exposure and Life is Strange: Reunion.But you won't just see life at Caledon through Max's camera lens or Chloe's band merch sketchbookExplore detailed maps, staff profiles, and student societies, all while uncovering the true stories and hidden sides that make this university unforgettable. Scattered throughout the pages are handwritten notes, photos, doodles, and personal commentary from the students and staff themselves, including Max, Chloe, Safi, Moses, and more, giving you a behind-the-scenes peek at what it's really like to navigate the halls of Caledon... and uncover its secrets for yourself.

A joyous exploration of the cultural phenomenon that created Mario, Zelda and Pokémon, and an ode to our love of gaming, by one of the most trusted voices in video games writing.'Here is a book bursting with love. Bop your head against it and see if a shower of gold coins comes out.'SAM LEITH, THE TIMES'Superb.' GUARDIAN'Heartfelt.' FINANCIAL TIMES'Fascinating.' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Affectionate.' IRISH INDEPENDENT'Charming.' SPECTATOR'MacDonald writes brilliantly . . . A great book.'CHARLIE BROOKERFrom the instant classics to the hidden gems, Nintendo's video games occupy a special place in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people around the globe. Every player has forged a unique connection with a beloved game, feeling that rush of awe and wonder as they immersed themselves in a virtual world in pursuit of that most human of impulses: the desire to have fun.Super Nintendo finds lifelong gamer Keza MacDonald exploring Nintendo's legendary roster of games - as well as consoles such as the SNES, Gameboy, Wii and Switch, and a host of other quirky inventions from the Power Glove to Nintendo Labo - drawing from decades' worth of exclusive interviews with their creators and the people whose lives have been changed by them. Along the way, she tells the story of how this unassuming playing card company, founded in Kyoto in 1889, became one of the dominant cultural forces of the twenty-first century.Offering unparalleled access to the company and its fun-filled world, and written with warmth and wit, Super Nintendo captures the love that so many of us feel for video games - and reveals just what that love tells us about being human.FEATURING CHAPTERS ONUltrahand, Donkey Kong, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pokémon, Kirby's Adventures, Wii Sports, Animal Crossing, Nintendo Labo, Super Smash Bros, Splatoon'Delightful . . . a vivid picture of the most important company in video games."'JASON SCHREIER, author of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels'Among the best things ever written about Nintendo.'TOM BISSELL, author of Extra Lives

A captivating visual celebration of the twenty-first century's most beautifully designed indie videogames. Forget AAA – the future is indie. From the haunting underwater depths of ABZÛ to the dystopian terror of We Happy Few, the 50 titles showcased here demonstrate the raw imagination, daring mechanics and uncompromising artistry that is reshaping the gaming landscape on a smaller scale. Packed with never-before-seen concept art, mood boards and early works-in-progress, Indie Game Works is a love letter to the people and passions behind the code, offering gamers, artists and developers an unparalleled journey through the beating heart of indie game culture.

Lara Croft returns, desperate for answers - and seeking a hidden truth. The Art of Rise of the Tomb Raider takes readers on an all-access journey for the latest instalment in the critically and commercially acclaimed Tomb Raider franchise. Featuring concept art, 3D renders, sketches and more, accompanied by detailed developer commentary, this book showcases the amazing characters and locations found on Lara's continuing adventures.

Uncover the history of one of the most influential video games of all time in The World of Minecraft. Explore how the critically acclaimed game evolved from a one-person project in 2009 to the global gaming phenomenon it is today. The World of Minecraft is the definitive account of the game’s history, combining exclusive interviews from the Mojang studio and recollections from long-standing members of the gaming community. Read the stories behind the growth of community-defining servers like Hypixel, mods like Feed The Beast, and YouTube channels like The Yogscast, plus a personal account from Lydia Winters on the creation of Alex, the impact of Minecraft charity Block by Block, the origin of the phantom, and many more insights.This must-have collector’s item includes a foreword and afterword from chief creative officer Jens “Jeb” Bergensten and vanilla Minecraft game director Agnes Larsson, plus original concept art, beautifully detailed renders, and previously unseen archive materials that illustrate how the game has developed over its first fifteen years. Journey back into past eras of the game and look to the future in this comprehensive chronicle of Minecraft’s story.

At Massive Entertainment, a Ubisoft studio, a key division of one of the largest, most influential companies in gaming, Managing Director Polfeldt has had a hand in some of the biggest video game franchises of today, from Assassin's Creed to Far Cry to Tom Clancy's The Division, the fastest-selling new series this generation which revitalized the Clancy brand in gaming.In THE DREAM ARCHITECTS, Polfeldt charts his course through a charmed, idiosyncratic career which began at the dawn of the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox era--from successfully pitching an Avatar game to James Cameron that will digitally create all of Pandora to enduring a week-long survivalist camp in the Scandinavian forest to better understand the post-apocalyptic future of The Division.Along the way, Polfeldt ruminates on how the video game industry has grown and changed, how and when games became art, and the medium's expanding artistic and storytelling potential. He shares what it's like to manage a creative process that has ballooned from a low-six-figure expense with a team of a half dozen people to a transatlantic production of five hundred employees on a single project with a production budget of over a hundred million dollars.A rare firsthand account of the golden age of game development told in vivid detail, THE DREAM ARCHITECTS is a seminal work about the biggest entertainment medium of today.

The Art of Deus Ex Universe is the ultimate gallery of art From Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, featuring over 300 images, including sketches and concept art. With commentary throughout from the world-renowned art team, this extraordinary collection of groundbreaking game art depicts a dystopian future where mankind has evolved...at the cost at its humanity.

The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn is the ultimate gallery of thehotly anticipated new IP from Guerrilla Games (Killzoneseries). It focuses on the stunning artwork used to developthe game, and includes over 300 images, sketches, andconcept art, commentary throughout from the artists andcreators. This is an in-depth insight into a world asbeautiful as it is dangerous.

The official art book for Hideo Kojima's DEATH STRANDING.After the collapse of civilization, Sam Bridges must journey across a ravaged landscape crawling with otherworldly threats to save mankind from the brink of extinction. From legendary game creator Hideo Kojima comes an all-new, genre-defying experience for the PlayStation(R)4 system, nominated for the DICE Game of the Year Award. In the near future, mysterious explosions have rocked the planet, setting off a series of supernatural events known as the Death Stranding. With spectral creatures plaguing the landscape, and the planet on the verge of a mass extinction, it's up to Sam Bridges to journey across the ravaged continent and save mankind from impending annihilation.The Art of Death Stranding is packed with hundreds of pieces of concept art for the characters, equipment, locations and creatures featured in the game, as well as early and unused concepts, including artwork by acclaimed artist Yoji Shinkawa.

“On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer.” —Satoru IwataTHE USA TODAY BESTSELLER "A welcome salve and a book that anyone who cares about gaming should own and read." - Forbes Satoru Iwata was the global president and CEO of Nintendo and a gifted programmer who played a key role in the creation of many of the world’s best-known games. He led the production of innovative platforms such as the Nintendo DS and the Wii, and laid the groundwork for the development of the wildly successful Pokémon Go game and the Nintendo Switch. Known for his analytical and imaginative mind, but even more for his humility and people-first approach to leadership, Satoru Iwata was beloved by game fans and developers worldwide. In this motivational collection, Satoru Iwata addresses diverse subjects such as locating bottlenecks, how success breeds resistance to change, and why programmers should never say no. Drawn from the “Iwata Asks” series of interviews with key contributors to Nintendo games and hardware, and featuring conversations with renowned Mario franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto and creator of EarthBound Shigesato Itoi, Ask Iwata offers game fans and business leaders an insight into the leadership, development, and design philosophies of one of the most beloved figures in gaming history.

Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. (1985) score redefined video game music. With under three minutes of music, Kondo put to rest an era of bleeps and bloops—the sterile products of a lab environment—replacing it with one in which game sounds constituted a legitimate form of artistic expression. Andrew Schartmann takes us through the various external factors (e.g., the video game crash of 1983, Nintendo’s marketing tactics) that coalesced into a ripe environment in which Kondo’s musical experiments could thrive. He then delves into the music itself, searching for reasons why our hearts still dance to the “primitive” 8-bit tunes of a bygone era.What musical features are responsible for Kondo’s distinct “Mario sound”? How do the different themes underscore the vastness of Princess Peach’s Mushroom Kingdom? And in what ways do the game’s sound effects resonate with our physical experience of the world? These and other questions are explored within, through the lens of Kondo’s compositional philosophy—one that would influence an entire generation of video game composers. As Kondo himself stated, “we [at Nintendo] were trying to do something that had never been done before.” In this book, Schartmann shows his readers how Kondo and his team not just succeeded, but heralded in a new era of video games.

Uncover the history of one of the most influential video games of all time in The World of Minecraft. Explore how the critically acclaimed game evolved from a one-person project in 2009 to the global gaming phenomenon it is today. The World of Minecraft is the definitive account of the game’s history, combining exclusive interviews from the Mojang studio and recollections from long-standing members of the gaming community. Read the stories behind the growth of community-defining servers like Hypixel, mods like Feed The Beast, and YouTube channels like The Yogscast, plus a personal account from Lydia Winters on the creation of Alex, the impact of Minecraft charity Block by Block, the origin of the phantom, and many more insights.This must-have collector’s item includes a foreword and afterword from chief creative officer Jens “Jeb” Bergensten and vanilla Minecraft game director Agnes Larsson, plus original concept art, beautifully detailed renders, and previously unseen archive materials that illustrate how the game has developed over its first fifteen years. Journey back into past eras of the game and look to the future in this comprehensive chronicle of Minecraft’s story.To celebrate the game’s momentous anniversary, this special numbered edition of The World of Minecraft is packaged in a unique slipcase and reversible sleeve. The book features an exclusive cover design, and includes three signed art prints created by illustrator Doug John Miller, Minecraft manga artist Kazuyoshi Seto, and Mojang art director Markus “Junkboy” Toivonen, showcased within a deluxe art case.

Explore the world of Genshin Impact in this stunning keepsake showcasing hundreds of illustrations. Genshin Impact is a free-to-play open-world adventure RPG that brings players to the visually stunning world of Teyvat. Take on the role of the mysterious "Traveler," who sets off on a journey to discover the fate of their lost sibling and unveils unique cultures, stories, and vast surrounding landscapes, as well as the mysterious secrets of Teyvat along the way.Genshin Impact: The Official Art Book Vol. 2 features beautiful artwork that celebrates moments, characters, and storylines from Version 2 to Version 2.8 of the hugely successful game. Packed full of character designs, promotional art, character trailer art, and commemorative illustrations, this book is perfect for Genshin Impact fans.

Return to the world of Genshin Impact in this beautiful this volume showcasing hundreds of original illustrations. Genshin Impact is a free-to-play open-world adventure RPG that brings players to the visually stunning world of Teyvat. Take on the role of the mysterious "Traveler," who sets off on a journey to discover the fate of their lost sibling and unveils unique cultures, stories, and vast surrounding landscapes, as well as the mysterious secrets of Teyvat along the way.Genshin Impact: The Official Art Book Vol. 3 comes presented in a deluxe slipcase and features gorgeous artwork that celebrates moments, characters, and storylines. Packed full of character designs, promotional art, character trailer art and commemorative illustrations, this book is perfect for any Genshin Impact fan.

Create physically realistic 3D Graphics environments with this introduction to the ideas and techniques behind the process. Author David H. Eberly includes simulations to introduce the key problems involved and then gradually reveals the mathematical and physical concepts needed to solve them. He then describes all the algorithmic foundations and uses code examples and working source code to show how they are implemented, culminating in a large collection of physical simulations. The book tackles the complex, challenging issues that other books avoid, including Lagrangian dynamics, rigid body dynamics, impulse methods, resting contact, linear complementarity problems, deformable bodies, mass-spring systems, friction, numerical solution of differential equations, numerical stability and its relationship to physical stability, and Verlet integration methods. This book even describes when real physics isn't necessary - and hacked physics will do.

Learn All the Design & Development Skills You Need to Make Great Games with Unity, the World's Most Popular Professional Game Engine

If you want to design and develop games, there is no substitute for strong, hands-on experience with modern techniques and tools. That is exactly what this book provides. Leading instructor and indie game developer Jeremy Gibson Bond covers all three disciplines that you need to succeed: game design theory, rapid iterative prototyping, and practical programming.

Building on two previous best-sellers, this Third Edition contains hundreds of improvements across more than 400 new pages, all designed to make it even easier to understand and more useful in modern game development.

The five game tutorials have been thoroughly revised and expanded to cover even more best practices for prototyping and development, and all examples now use Unity 2020.3 LTS (Long Term Support), a stable and feature-rich standard for years to come. The new content includes greatly enhanced tutorials, a chapter on Unity's high-performance Data-Oriented Tech Stack (DOTS), new Coding Challenges to help you transition to making your own games from scratch, and tips on next steps after you have finished the book. The revamped website includes playable versions of all example games, plus an exciting new tool that provides immediate feedback on potential errors in your own code.

Part I: Game Design and Paper Prototyping

Use the Layered Tetrad to understand and design powerful interactive experiences. Explore the core game design practices of paper prototyping, testing, and iteration. Learn effective strategies for staying on track and on schedule. Get tips for finding a rewarding job in today's industry.

Part II: Programming C# in Unity

Learn C# from the basics through class inheritance, object-oriented programming, and data-oriented design.

Part III: Game Prototype Tutorials

Implement games across five genres: arcade, casual physics, space shooter, solitaire card game, and top-down adventure game. Each game is designed to be easily extensible into your own projects.Take three games from prototype to “first playable” through new extended tutorial chapters that refi ne the games further than in previous editions of the book.

NEW! Part IV: Next Steps

Tackle the new, growing library of Coding Challenges, a proven method for transitioning from tutorials to creating your own projects from scratch.Get ideas and resources for new projects to tackle on your own.

Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

Game data science, defined as the practice of deriving insights from game data, has created a revolution in the multibillion-dollar games industry - informing and enhancing production, design, and development processes. Almost all game companies and academics have now adopted some type of game data science, every tool utilized by game developers allows collecting data from games, yet there has been no definitive resource for academics and professionals in this rapidly developing sector until now. Games Data Science delivers an excellent introduction to this new domain and provides the definitive guide to methods and practices of computer science, analytics, and data science as applied to video games. It is the ideal resource for academic students and professional learners seeking to understand how data science is used within the game development and production cycle, as well as within the interdisciplinary field of games research.Organized into chapters that integrate laboratory and game data examples, this book provides a unique resource to train and educate both industry professionals and academics about the use of game data science, with practical exercises and examples on how such processes are implemented and used in academia and industry, interweaving theoretical learning with practical application throughout.

This innovative text examines videogames and gaming from the point of view of discourse analysis. In particular, it studies two major aspects of videogame-related communication: the ways in which videogames and their makers convey meanings to their audiences, and the ways in which gamers, industry professionals, journalists and other stakeholders talk about games. In doing so, the book offers systematic analyses of games as artefacts and activities, and the discourses surrounding them.Focal areas explored in this book include: - Aspects of videogame textuality and how games relate to other texts- the formation of lexical terms and use of metaphor in the language of gaming - Gamer slang and 'buddylects'- The construction of game worlds and their rules, of gamer identities and communities- Dominant discourse patterns among gamers and how they relate to the nature of gaming- The multimodal language of games and gaming- The ways in which ideologies of race, gender, media effects and language are constructedInformed by the very latest scholarship and illustrated with topical examples throughout, The Language of Gaming is ideal for students of applied linguistics, videogame studies and media studies who are seeking a wide-ranging introduction to the field.

Well-known Maya professional, Michael Ingrassia, takes readers through his unique style of modeling: "Image Based Modeling" where efficient, realistic models can be created very quickly. Ingrassia's techniques allow modelers to create exact replicas of their concept characters or objects. The techniques presented are very efficient and allow game modelers to quickly build out stand alone props to populate environments and game levels.Presented are tried and true techniques that the author has used successfully in game production for the past 10 years. Most, if not all 3D books, focus on basic "box" modeling techniques, which are the basis for proper 3D modeling but not the complete solution. In the author's experience, students who have learned through the Image Based Modeling brand, have quickly excelled into effective modelers.One of the hardest things for any modeler to do is match their model EXACTLY to the concept art or photos they are provided. The insider tips in this book walk artists through this process. Artists begin with basic modeling and advance to a creating a complete scene and set design/game level. Rather than including sporadic models with zero association from to one another, each model in the book becomes an integral part of an overall theme realistic in game development today.The accompanying downloadable resources include 8 exclusive video tutorials on advanced Maya techniques as bonus tracks for artists providing invaluable modeling, rigging and texturing samples. Also, an in-depth video on assembling a "Killer Demo Reel" showing simple but effective video editing techniques used by the author so that artists can learn how to get their work seen. The book not only teaches effective methodology, but provides the user with impressive content for producing effective demo reels and portfolios. Pros and cons of demo reel, website and artist representation are given, along with insights into the expectations of game studios today. The video tutorials show users the finished product, and then run through the process of step by step creation of that particular technique.

Master the secrets behind video game production - from concept to completion - with these comprehensive tips and tricks from two accomplished, working game producers. Discover how to lead a team, communicate effectively, budget, schedule, staff, and design quality next-generation games. Producing Games walks you through every stage of the production process with a focus on the part the producer plays at each phase.

Create effective cinematography for your games with this film-based approach to creating cinematic games. Cinematic Game Secrets gives game producers, directors, and developers insight into how to make their games more cinematic. Game developers will learn how to create compelling video games by: developing quality stories and characters; visualizing scenes within the game through the eyes of a cinematographer; and using tried and true film industry methods for casting, voice-over, direction, and production.Includes interview with luminaries and leading figures in the field such as Warren Spector (Founder, Junction Point Studios), Bruce Block (Author, The Visual Story), Ron Burke (Founder, GamingTrend), Bob Sabiston (Flat Black Films), Tom Buscaglia (GameDevKit.com), Daniel Erickson (BioWare), Jay Duplass (Director, The Puffy Chair), Ray Pena (Spacetime Studios), Richard Rouse III (Author, Game Design: Theory and Practice), Mathieu Raynault (Artist, 300, King Kong), Donise Hardy (C.S.A.), Patrick Hamilton (President, Wardog Studios), and Marc Schaefgen (Midway Games).

A compilation of key chapters from the top Focal game art books available today - in the areas of Max, Maya, Photoshop, and ZBrush. The chapters provide the CG Artist with an excellent sampling of essential techniques that every 3D artist needs to create stunning game art.Game artists will be able to master the modeling, rendering, rigging, and texturing techniques they need - with advice from Focal's best and brightest authors. Artists can learn hundreds of tips, tricks and shortcuts in Max, Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush - all within the covers of one complete, inspiring reference.

Learn how to model comic-style à la Pixar™ with the expert techniques found in 3ds Max Modeling for Games Volume 2: Insider’s Guide to Stylized Modeling. This new volume will show you the ins-and-outs of stylized modeling, including characters, vehicles, environments, and much more. Follow the story of cover characters Robert and Robot as their adventure takes you through the world of modeling, vegetation, alpha-maps, and much more! This book is also packed with highly detailed tutorials feared toward enhancing your modeling skills and expanding your portfolio.The companion website (www.3d-for-games.com) is unique - an online forum where readers can post and answer questions about their work. In terms of developing a portfolio, online peer critiques are invaluable, and current readers have made use of this feature, in fact some have happily become the forum responders (along with Andy) to coach and develop new artists at work. Also included: step-by-step project files for each chapter; all the relevant texture files and source photos; panoramic skies, small scene objects, bonus texture maps & models so that artists can create whole scenes very quickly without starting from scratch each time; countless examples of what's hot and what's not in 3D modeling and also enough support images and photos to keep the budding artist busy for months. Unrivalled support in over 10,000 current posts - backing up the book with a lively forum and community of readers from all over the world, ready to help your work.

What really makes a video game story interactive? What's the best way to create an interactive story?How much control should players be given? Do they really want that control in the first place?Do they even know what they want-or are their stated desires at odds with the unconscious preferences?All of these questions and more are examined in this definitive book on interactive storytelling for video games. You'll get detailed descriptions of all major types of interactive stories, case studies of popular games (including Bioshock, Fallout 3, Final Fantasy XIII, Heavy Rain, and Metal Gear Solid), and how players interact with them, and an in-depth analysis of the results of a national survey on player storytelling preferences in games. You'll get the expert advice you need to generate compelling and original game concepts and narratives.With Interactive Storytelling for Video Games, you'll: