Aspiring game developers can now take advantage of the newly released updated version of one of the most popular game design reference books. Level Up: The Guide to Great Video Game Design by Scott Rogers is available for $36.70 (previously $50) on Amazon. This offer is for the third Edition of Level Up, which was published in December, a full decade after the second Edition. If you have ever searched for game design books, you’ve likely come across Level Up near the top of your results. Amazon’s offer brings the price of the third Edition within a dollar of the second Edition.
Level Up delves into a wide array of game design topics throughout its 600-plus pages, from creating design documents and refining gameplay mechanics to level design and crafting a narrative that aligns with gameplay. The lessons are enhanced with over 400 illustrations to help readers visualize the concepts.
The third Edition of Level Up introduces two new chapters. Since the second Edition was released back in 2014, the text has been updated to reflect the latest industry trends and platforms. Designed for developers working on projects for PC, mobile, console, or VR/AR, the two new chapters focus on playtesting your game and crafting experiences for virtual and augmented reality.
Authored by industry veteran Scott Rogers, Level Up has remained a staple on bestseller lists since its initial publication in 2010. Rogers boasts numerous credits accumulated over the past three decades, including titles like God of War, Pac-Man World, and Darksiders. In addition to video games, Rogers has also worked as a designer on tabletop games such as Marvel Villainous and Alien: Fate of the Nostromo.
If you’re looking to build a collection of game design books, there are several other titles worth considering, many of which are currently on sale. The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell offers a unique perspective by presenting over 100 questions for examining a game’s design, while Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster delves into the principles that shape modern video game design. Renowned writer Hideo Kojima, famed for titles like Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, has also penned a book titled The Creative Gene, which explores how films and experiences have influenced his work over the decades.
Other noteworthy titles to consider include Significant Zero: Heroes, Villains, and the Battle for Art and Soul in Video Games by Spec Ops: The Line writer Walt Williams and Blood, Sweat, and
Pixels by Jason Schrier. Although these may not strictly pertain to game design, they are valuable for understanding the chaotic video game industry. Additionally, Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction is worth considering—despite being primarily aimed at aspiring sci-fi and fantasy authors—as it serves as an approachable resource for developing worlds in fictional narratives.
Additional Game Design Book Offers
- The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses — $55 ($
75) - Theory of Fun for Game Design — $25 ($
45) - The Creative Gene — $19.63 ($
23) - Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction — $14 ($
27.50) - Significant Zero: Heroes, Villains, and the Battle for Art and Soul in Video Games — $8
- Blood, Sweat, and Pixels — $10.53 ($
19)
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