This book is an essential read for anyone interested in design, not just games really, but anything interactive. It completely changed the way I think about design, and the process I work through when trying to come up with new ideas. This book is amazing. This popular book not only motivates readers to actually complete their games but also provides insight on game loops, scripting engines, design patterns, and other technical areas. Part of it was expectations: with a title like Level Up, and a cover that looks like a GameBoy, I was expecting more to do with gaming culture; perhaps the protagonist has to enter into a game or live his life as a game, or something… but instead, it was about sacrifices and honoring family. I read his book from cover to cover the first day I could because I just couldn't put it down. Now, I'm on my second time around now because there is just sooo much to gain and grasp there is no way I got everything from it that it offers.

The authors of the book are Karl Kapp, a professor of Instructional Technology at Bloomsburg University, Lucas Blair, founder of serious game studio Little Bird games, and Rich Mesch, an expert with 25 years in the field of experiential and contextualized learning.Honestly, I was a little sad that Level Up moved in this direction after such a strongly resonant scene. There's nothing wrong with the direction the book takes save for that now it was no longer telling the story of my life. Instead of telling a story charting a path I would have been familiar with, Gene Yang and Thien Pham navigate a life of extreme conflict. Dennis is either wanton in his digital gaming orgies or brutally weighed down by a desperate need to work toward becoming a gastroenterologist. It's a hard road, requiring endless hours of work, so it makes sense that the falls off the wagon are steep and from height. It doesn't help that Dennis feels driven by the Fates. Whether you find yourself struggling with distractions, feeling overwhelmed by your schedule, or simply seeking a clear path to your goals, "Level Up" is the book you've been waiting for. Rob Dial's expert guidance will revolutionize the way you approach life and your aspirations. The moment I caught wind of the book he was to release, TBH, I was a tad skeptical at first. I thought, aww man here we go. He is turning into all the others and it has to be the downfall of what I built up in my mind as a respectable leadership power. Low and behold I could NOT have been more wrong!

In general the maturity of the book is (clearly) beyond a nine year-old, but it proved great fodder for us to talk at the dinner table about what we'd read and taken away from "Level Up." What parents of any / all nationalities / ethnicities / cultures want for their children and what children themselves want.I was looking for resources to help me on my journey of making a GTA clone in Dreams ps4. I found this book really comprehensive on the many aspects of game design. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in making games. A coming of age story about a young man who struggles to fulfill his destiny. From a young age he is interested in video games, but his father doesn't support this hobby. When his father passes away while the young man is still in high school he delays the grieving process with hardcore gaming. Things have changed now that plenty of excellent game design books are around to provide more knowledge of what it takes to create games. The book also comes with plenty of references to successful games along with useful illustrations that clearly present design methods and techniques. This is simply and concisely brings together the psychology, math, and “fun” of games. I read this thinking it was specifically about video games, but I was pleasantly surprised it talks about all games broadly.

Then sometime last year during the COVID Pandemic, I came across an amazing podcast that caught my attention so intensely ice not been able to miss an episode since. Cue, Rob Dial. Mindset Mentor. The Art of Game Design is a unique book in that it emphasizes studying game design from several different perspectives. Challenges for Game Designers was written by Brenda Brathwaite, an award-winning game developer with more than 30 years of industry experience, and Ian Schreiber, a game design professor at Ohio University who has also helped program and design several published game titles. Raph Koster, the author of the book, is a veteran game designer who has worked on big hits like Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online and served as a creative executive at top companies like Disney Playdom and Sony Online.

An inspiring and revelatory guide to starting and scaling a small business, from powerhouse duo Stacey Abrams and Lara Hodgson The author of this book has done an excellent job of presenting the information in a clear and concise manner. The book is well-organized, with each chapter focusing on a different aspect of work ethic and mental health. The author uses personal anecdotes and real-life examples to illustrate key points, making the content relatable and engaging. Like film, music, and novels, one way to grow as a game designer is by immersing yourself in the respective entertainment medium. The authors are Flint Dille and John Zurr, two experienced game developers who also added samples of their own work for readers to learn from.

If you want a game design book that trades lengthy theoretical language for delightful illustrations, look no further. If there’s one book you can expect to be assigned while studying in a college game design program, it’s Rules of Play. Once you enter The Abyss, in each chamber you will encounter different enemies, because of this you have to be aware of what characters you should use for every situation. If your’e new to game devoloment, this book is an awsome guide. It’s like, having an instructor on tap. Or a friend helping with home work. An awsome resourse at your side while learning UE4.I’d say that this is a must have for any game developer. Hell, even for those who are just interested in learning more about games. Along the way, we're introduced to three actually human characters who each try to pull Dennis toward one extreme or another. Takeem would have Dennis join him in the professional gaming circuit. Ipsha emphasizes the essentiality of doing as one's parents request and/or expect. And Kat strikes the note of individualism, demanding that Dennis learn to be his own man and grow into the kind of person who does well by doing what he most wants.