The Online Books Page

Video games -- Design

Here are entered works on programming or multiple aspects of video game development including graphics, audience targets, testing, etc. Works on the development of scripts, plots, stories, etc., for video games by game writers are entered under Video games -- Authorship.

See also what's at Wikipedia, your library, or elsewhere.

• Video games
• Computer games
• Games -- Design
• Design

• Video games -- Design -- History
• Video games -- Design -- Research

• Computer games -- Design
• Video game design

• Game Design Snacks: Easily Digestible Game Design Wisdom (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2017), ed. by José P. Zagal (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Game Mods: Design, Theory and Criticism (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2012), ed. by Erik Champion (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Real-Time Research: Improvisational Game Scholarship (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2010), ed. by Seann Dikkers, Eric Zimmerman, Kurt Squire, and Constance Steinkuehler (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• The Transformational Framework: A Process Tool for the Development of Transformational Games (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2018), by Sabrina Culyba (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Metagaming: Playing, Competing, Spectating, Cheating, Trading, Making, and Breaking Videogames (Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press, c2017), by Stephanie Boluk and Patrick LeMieux (illustrated HTML with commentary at umn.edu)
• Diversifying Barbie and Mortal Kombat: Intersectional Perspectives and Inclusive Designs in Gaming (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2016), ed. by Yasmin B. Kafai, Gabriela T. Richard, and Brendesha M. Tynes (PDF with commentary at CMU)

• Halcyon Days: Interviews with Classic Computer and Video Game Programmers (free web version, c2002), by James Hague (HTML with commentary at dadgum.com)
• Tempest: Geometries of Play (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2015), by Judd Ethan Ruggill and Ken S. McAllister (HTML with commentary at Digital Culture Books)

• Game Design Research: An Introduction to Theory and Practice (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2017), ed. by Petri Lankoski and Jussi Holopainen (PDF with commentary at CMU)

Items below (if any) are from related and broader terms.

• Gameplay, Emotions and Narrative: Independent Games Experienced (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2019), by Katarzyna Marak, Miłosz Markocki, and Dariusz Brzostek (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Diversity of Play (Luneburg: Meson Press, 2015), ed. by Mathias Fuchs (PDF with commentary at digra.org)
• Dungeons and Dreamers: A Story of How Computer Games Created a Global Community (second edition; Pittsburgh: ETC Press, 2014), by Brad King and John Borland (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Well Played 3.0: Video Games, Value and Meaning (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, 2011), by Drew Davidson (PDF with commentary at Figshare)
• Toward a Ludic Architecture: The Space of Play and Games (text-only version; c2010), by Steffen P. Walz (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Well Played 2.0: Video Games, Value and Meaning (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, 2010), by Drew Davidson (PDF with commentary at Figshare)
• Well Played 1.0: Video Games, Value and Meaning (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, 2009), by Drew Davidson (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Artificial Intelligence and Games (2018), by Georgios N. Yannakakis and Julian Togelius (PDF with commentary at gameaibook.org)
• Atari Player-Missile Graphics in BASIC (1984), by Philip C. Seyer (illustrated HTML at atariarchives.org)
• Big Computer Games (1984), ed. by David H. Ahl (HTML and page images at atariarchives.org)
• The Best of Antic (only volume published; 1983), ed. by James Capparell and Robert DeWitt (HTML at atarimagazines.com)
• DOOM: Scarydarkfast (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2013), by Daniel Pinchbeck (illustrated HTML with commentary at digitalculture.org)
• More BASIC Computer Games (1979), ed. by David H. Ahl (HTML and page images at atariarchives.org)
• BASIC Computer Games (1978), ed. by David H. Ahl (HTML and page images at atariarchives.org)
• Trigger Happy: Videogames and the Entertainment Revolution (2001 edition, with 2004 afterword), by Steven Poole (PDF with commentary at stevenpoole.net)
• Atari Graphics and Arcade Game Design (c1984), by Jeffrey Stanton and Dan Pinal (illustrated HTML at atariarchives.org)
• The End of Books, or Books Without End? Reading Interactive Narratives (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, c2000), by J. Yellowlees Douglas (page images at HathiTrust)
• Compute!'s First Book of Atari (Greensboro, NC: COMPUTE! Books, c1981) (illustrated HTML at atariarchives.org)

• The Computer Controller Cookbook (1983), by Tom Riley and Kelda Riley (illustrated HTML at atariarchives.org)

• Nonverbal Communication in Virtual Worlds: Understanding and Designing Expressive Characters (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, 2014), ed. by Joshua Tanenbaum, Magy Seif El-Nasr, and Michael Nixon (PDF with commentary at CMU)

• For the Win (2010), by Cory Doctorow (multiple formats with commentary at craphound.com)

• EarthBound: Nintendo Player's Guide (c1995), by Nintendo of America Inc. (PDF at nintendo.co.jp)

• Trigger Happy: Videogames and the Entertainment Revolution (2001 edition, with 2004 afterword), by Steven Poole (PDF with commentary at stevenpoole.net)

• Thought-Provoking Play: Political Philosophies in Science Fictional Videogame Spaces From Japan (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2017), by Martin Roth (PDF with commentary at CMU)

• Computer Spy Games (London: Usborne Pub., c1984), by Jenny Tyler and Chris Oxlade, contrib. by Adrian Hall, illust. by Sue Walliker, Rob McCaig, and Martin Newton (PDF at Usborne and Google)
• Weird Computer Games (London: Usborne Pub., c1984), by Jenny Tyler and Chris Oxlade, contrib. by Les Howarth and Adrian Hall, illust. by Rob McCaig, Sue Walliker, Martin Newton, and Graham Smith (PDF at Usborne and Google)
• Creepy Computer Games (London: Usborne Pub., c1983), ed. by Jenny Tyler and Chris Oxlade, illust. by Rob McCaig (PDF at Usborne and Google)
• Computer Spacegames (London: Usborne Pub., c1982), by D. Isaaman and Jenny Tyler, contrib. by Bob Merry, illust. by Martin Newton, Tony Baskeyfield, Graham Round, Jim Bamber, Mark Duffin, and John Bolton (PDF at Usborne and Google)
• Computer Fun (London: Usborne Publishing, c1984), by Gaby Waters, contrib. by Paul Shreeve, illust. by Graham Round (PDF at Usborne and Google)

• ToDIGRA: Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association (2013-) (full serial archives)
• Well Played: A Journal on Video Games, Value and Meaning (2011-) (full serial archives)
• Game Developer (digital magazine content and code archive, 1994-2013) (full serial archives)
• Hardcore Gamer (complete print run, 2005-2010, and later online material) (full serial archives)

• Diversifying Barbie and Mortal Kombat: Intersectional Perspectives and Inclusive Designs in Gaming (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2016), ed. by Yasmin B. Kafai, Gabriela T. Richard, and Brendesha M. Tynes (PDF with commentary at CMU)

• Program Arcade Games With Python And Pygame (c2017), by Paul Vincent Craven (illustrated HTML with commentary at programarcadegames.com)
• Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python (fourth edition, 2016), by Al Sweigart (illustrated HTML with commentary at inventwithpython.com)
• Game Programming Patterns (web version, down the page, is free to access; 2014), by Robert Nystrom (illustrated HTML with commentary at gameprogrammingpatterns.com)
• Making Games with Python and Pygame (c2012), by Al Sweigart (HTML and PDF with commentary at inventwithpython.com)
• ShaderX2: Introductions and Turorials With DirectX 9 (Plano, TX: Wordware Publishing, c2004), ed. by Wolfgang F. Engel (PDF at acm.org)
• ShaderX2: Shader Programming Tips and Tricks With DirectX 9 (Plano, TX: Wordware Publishing, c2004), ed. by Wolfgang F. Engel (PDF at acm.org)
• Direct3D ShaderX: Vertex and Pixel Shader Tips and Tricks (Plano, TX: Wordware Publishing, c2002), ed. by Wolfgang F. Engel (PDF at acm.org)
• Game Mods: Design, Theory and Criticism (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2012), ed. by Erik Champion (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Real-Time Research: Improvisational Game Scholarship (Pittsburgh: ETC Press, c2010), ed. by Seann Dikkers, Eric Zimmerman, Kurt Squire, and Constance Steinkuehler (PDF with commentary at CMU)
• Programming Linux Games, by Loki Software and John R. Hall (PDF in France)

More items available under broader and related terms at left.