Selected Bibliography

The following references have been a great help to me in solidifying my ideas about computer games . I list them here as a sort of recommended reading list for those who wish to continue to learn about game design outside the confines of this book.

Books

Bogdanovich, Peter. Who The Devil Made It . New York: Knopf, 1997.

A fascinating collection of interviews with classic film directors. Bogdanovich s interview style was my model for the interviews conducted in this book.

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces . New York: Bollingen Foundation Inc., 1949; reprint Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1972.

Campbell s book is the definitive text on understanding the nature of myths, legends, and heroic stories from throughout the ages.

Crawford, Chris. The Art of Computer Game Design. Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 1984.

___________. The Art of Interactive Design: A Euphonious Guide to Building Successful Software. San Francisco, CA: No Starch Press, 2002.

___________. Chris Crawford on Game Design. Boston, MA: New Riders Publishing, 2003.

Crawford s seminal The Art of Computer Game Design was the first book about computer game design and was the inspiration for this book. Despite its age in computer game industry terms, it remains largely relevant today. Long out of print, it can currently be read in a number of locations on the Internet, including www.erasmatazz.com. Recently, Crawford has published two new books that will be of interest to game designers. Originally self-published as Understanding Interactivity , Crawford s The Art of Interactive Design deals not specifically with games but with interactive design in general. A reworking of sorts of The Art of Computer Game Design , Chris Crawford on Game Design sees Crawford focusing once again specifically on games, with his unique style and acerbic wit sure to entertain as it enlightens.

DeMaria, Rusel and Johnny L. Wilson. High Score! The Illustrated History of Electronic Games . Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2002.

Long-time game journalists , DeMaria and Wilson s book is a deluxe package, with more gorgeous images of gaming s history than one would have thought existed. The facts and first-hand accounts of computer and video game history are also fantastic. Though not specifically about game design, the book will be a joy to read for anyone who wants to learn more about the fascinating history of computer games.

Kent, Stephen L. The Ultimate History of Video Games . Roseville, CA: Prima Publishing, 2001.

This is the most exhaustive and definitive book about the history of video and computer games written to date. Though it is lighter on images than High Score! , it goes into much more detail about the history of computer gaming, both creatively and from a business standpoint. It is not specifically about game design issues, but its insights into game history are riveting for anyone interested in the form.

McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics . Northampton, MA: Kitchen Sink Press, Inc., 1993.

________. Reinventing Comics. New York: Paradox Press, 2000.

Though these books are technically about comics, they both provide tremendous insight about media and art of all kinds. It is fair to say that Understanding Comics fundamentally changed the way I think about art.

McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding Media . New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1964. reprint Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1994.

The definitive book on media of all kinds, a work that takes on new meaning in the age of the Internet. McLuhan may be a bit obtuse in his writing style, but his insights are without peer.

Strunk, William and E.B. White. The Elements of Style . New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1959; reprint 4th Ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

The Elements of Style remains the last word on clear and concise writing. It is a book that anyone writing a design document, script, or book about game design would do well to read.