The recently released Game Creation and Careers:
Insider Secrets from Industry Experts by Marc
Saltzman, has gotten our attention as GIGnews
contributing editor,
Melanie
Cambron, wrote a chapter, as did frequent
contributor
Marc Mencher. This is a big book (700+ pages) loaded with tips and advice from
dozens of people who undoubtedly qualify as "industry experts."
For those familiar with the "cult classic" by
Saltzman, Game Design: Secrets of the Sages, this
new book is basically a revised, updated, and expanded
edition of that game industry book original. This time
around the "sages" include, among many, many others,
Nolan Bushnell, Gordon Walton, Cliff Bleszinski,
Richard Garriott, Sid Meier, Peter Molyneux,
John
Romero and Stevie Case,
Bruce
Shelley, Warren Spector,
Yu Suzuki, and
Will
Wright.
The book covers virtually all aspects of game making
with book sections including: Pre-Production,
Production, Post-Production, and How to Make it
Happen.
In the Pre-Production section, different game
genres are discussed (Action, Strategy, Adventure, RPG,
Sports, Simulations, and Puzzle or "Classic" games), as
well as playing perspectives and general game design for
each. This section also includes a master design document template,
and interesting reads such as
American McGee’s cinematic
intro to Alice.
The Production section covers programming
theory, AI, game art and animation, game control, sound
engineering, and music and games. Included are such items
as previously unreleased details of the Geomod technology
used in Red Faction 1. Mark Gibbons, lead
artist at SCEE’s Cambridge Studios, and whose last
project was the March 2003 release, Primal on PS2,
provides several pages of inspiring words for game
artists just breaking into the business.
The Post-Production section deals with game
testing, tech support and customer service, as well as
public relations and marketing.
Finally, How to Make it Happen offers advice
on doing it yourself, the shareware revolution, tips on
how break into the industry, working with game agents
and headhunters, and includes a fairly extensive list of
resources.
Certainly, this book is for anyone wanting to break
into the industry or anyone wanting a better overall
understanding. It would also serve as a good resource for
industry veterans looking for ideas and inspiration from
others in the industry.
Book: Game Creation and Careers: Insider Secrets from
Industry Experts
Author: Marc Saltzman
ISBN: 0735713677
Game Creation and Careers:
Insider Secrets from Industry Experts
