Reading

I recommend the following books, and even require some for classes I teach. I am currently building this list.

Character Development and Storytelling for Games (Game Development Series), Lee Sheldon
The quintessential book on game writing by a very experienced designer and writer.

Game Writing: Narrative Skills for Videogames, edited by Bateman
recommended for Narrative Content Design

Theory of Fun for Game Design, Raph Koster
A classic and a yearly read for me.

Understanding Comics
a favorite book among game designers

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The seminal book on the zone that all designers want players to reach.

Patterns for Game Design, Bjork and Holopainen
required for Design Patterns

Game Design, 2nd Edition Bob Bates
an excellent and well written book that’s great for people new to game design. Cheap, too.

Game Design Workshop, 2nd Ed, Fullerton

Some of my favorite articles:

On Games

• I Have No Words and I Must Design, Greg Costikyan
• Formal Abstract Design Tools, Doug Church

On Board Games

• Don’t be a Vidiot, Greg Costikyan

On Narrative

• Three Stories Games Tell, Yehuda Berlinger
• Everything But the Words: A Dramatic Writing Primer for Gamers, Hal Barwood, GDC 2000
• God of War’s Inciting Force - O’Connor On Writing For Games, Matthew Kumar and Leigh Alexander
• Poetics, Aristotle
• Storytelling in Action, Bates, GDC 2000
• Game Noir: An Interview with Tim Shafer, Celia Pearce
• Into the Woods: A Practical Guide to the Hero’s Journey, Bates, Gamasutra
• Who’s in the Driver’s Seat?, Marty M. O’Hale, The Escapist
• Escort Missions Suck, Russ Pitts, The Escapist

On Games as Art

• On Authorship in Games, Clint Hocking
• Columbine, Videogames as Expression, and Ineffability, Ian Bogost

On Game Design

…coming soon

On the Game Industry

…coming soon

On Casual Games

Persuasive Games: Video Game Zen, Bogost
Cloning Created The Casual Game Business, Carroll

On Character Design

Game Character Creation (opens .doc file), Douglas & Gard, GDC 2000

On Portfolios

Your Portfolio Repels Jobs, Jon Jones, smArtist
Game Design Portfolios, me, Game Career Guide

By Me

Game Design Portfolios, Game Career Guide
Becoming a Game Concept Artist, Game Career Guide
Hot Coffee’s Effect on the Mod Scene, Gamasutra
Q&A: How Centipede Co-Creator Bailey Got The Bug, Gamasutra
Interview with Dani Berry, InNewsweekly
Sex in Video Games, Charles River Media