Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
ChapTeR 1
Game Design Origins
In order to understand
how game design has evolved, let's take a look
back at their origins, to get some insight into how games today are planned
and executed. Looking beyond your own knowledge base is the core of learn-
ing, and that is what this topic is aimed at doing—helping you learn how
games are designed and made.
There is no doubt that human beings enjoy games. According to
Hudson Square Research, game-sale revenue surpassed that of films in
the United States in 2005 and became a global phenomenon in 2008,
exceeding film sales. Game revenue in 2011 reached $48.9 billion. You can
read more at
http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2008/04/09/global-
thousands of games have been developed and played for millennia, with
the oldest known one,
The Royal Game of Ur
(2500 BC), chronicling the
start of it all in recorded history. We play games for fun, we play them to
learn, and we play them to be competitive.
In this chapter, we'll take a look at how gaming evolved and how many of
the core principles are still applicable in today's games.
What is a game?
history: going way back
Going electronic
And now we are digital
What is a Game?
If we define a
game
as an activity that brings pleasure, that definition is too
broad. Many things can bring pleasure, like reading, cooking, or engaging in
conversation with a good friend. However, if you combine an activity with a
challenge and a set of rules, then you have the basics of what makes a game.
The challenge is to reach the end goal—to win—using the game components
and the rules for using them.
