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Tables of Contents for Game Developer's Marketplace
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Introduction
vii
Part I History And Design
1
196
Chapter 1 Making Money In Game Development: 25 Quick FAQs
3
26
What Is Game Development?
4
1
What Kinds Of Games Can You Create?
4
1
What Platforms Can You Develop Games For?
4
4
Computer Games
5
1
Video Games
6
1
Multiplayer Games
7
1
How Hot Is Game Development?
8
1
Can You Develop Games Alone?
9
1
What Programming Experience Do You Need?
9
1
What Design Experience Do You Need?
10
1
What Programming Language Should You Use?
11
1
What About Programming Libraries, Engines, And Other Development Tools?
12
1
Do You Really Need All These Programming Libraries, Engines, And Development Tools?
13
1
Which Content Creation Products Do You Need?
14
1
Sound Digitizer Hardware And Software
15
1
Music Editor Sequencer
15
1
What Is The Best Way To Develop Game Programming Skills?
15
1
What Are Some Of The Major Programming Trends In Game Development?
16
2
Can You Make A Game?
18
1
Can Game Development Be A Hobby?
18
1
Can You Sell Your Games?
19
3
Selling Games In Retail Channels
19
1
Selling Games In Shareware Channels
20
1
Selling Games In Low-Cost Retail
21
1
Other Opportunities
21
1
Do All Games Make Money?
22
1
How Can You Get A Job Creating Games?
22
1
Do You Have What It Takes To Create The Next Blockbuster Game?
23
1
How Long Does It Take To Make A Complete Game?
24
1
What Kinds Of Resources Do You Need?
24
2
Are More Resources Becoming Available To Help You Learn Game Development?
26
1
How Big Of An Army Do You Need?
26
1
So, What Does This Book Offer?
27
1
What Should You Do Next?
27
2
Chapter 2 The History Of Computer Games
29
14
From Humble Beginnings
30
2
The Rise And Fall Of Atari
31
1
Other Players
31
1
The First Shakeout
32
3
The Rise Of Computer Games
33
1
The Rise Of The Next Generation
34
1
The Return Of The Video Game Console
35
3
Lessons Lead To Tight Quality Control
36
1
Where There's A Market, There's A Rival
37
1
Shakeout II
38
1
Console Wars II
39
1
It's Better To Burn Out Than Fade Away
40
3
Chapter 3 The New Age Of Game Development
43
16
Moving Fast, Breaking Ground
44
4
Shareware Comes of Age
44
1
CD-ROMs Finally Show Promise
45
1
Enter Multimedia Developers And Nontraditional Development
46
1
A New Round Of Consolidation
46
1
Console Wars III
47
1
The Current State Of Game Development
48
4
Multiplayer Games
50
1
3D Realtime Polygons And Physics Modeling
51
1
Gaming Platforms And Increased Hardware Specs
52
1
The PC Platform Push By Microsoft And Intel
52
2
High-Tech Workstation Technology
54
1
Virtual Reality Becomes Reality
54
2
Persistent Worlds
55
1
The History Is Rich And The Future Richer
56
1
What Do We Get From All This?
56
2
What Is Hardware?
56
1
The Relationship Between Large Companies And Small Producers
57
1
Looking To The Future: The Integration Of Multimedia, Games, Online Services, And Interactivity
58
1
Chapter 4 Essentials of Game Design
59
34
Introducing The Design Elements
60
5
Understanding The Medium And Its Dynamic Forms
60
1
Brainstorming And Creating New Ideas
61
1
Experimenting And Evaluating New Design Ideas
62
1
Assembling Disparate Pieces Into A Completely New Form
63
1
Careful Planning And Preconstruction Preparation
64
1
Developing And Implementation Plan And Guidelines
64
1
Amending And Constructing The Product Until It's Completed
65
1
How Do Game Developers Come Up With Ideas?
65
5
Creative Brainstorming
66
2
Market Research
68
1
Beginners' Mistakes
69
1
Get It On Paper, Make It Real
70
14
Creating The Design Treatment
70
2
Creating The Design Document
72
5
Outlining Your Game
77
2
An Outline Of A Section Description
79
2
Optional Design Document Sections
81
3
The Designer As Engineer
84
5
The Design Spec
85
4
Can I Sell Just My Designs?
89
3
Game Development Experience Required
89
1
The Challenge Of Selling Ideas
90
1
Some Techniques That Work
91
1
Think It All Through
92
1
Chapter 5 Refining Your Designs
93
14
Game Design Meets Marketing
94
5
Concerns About Game Design
94
1
What Type Of Game Are You Going To Make?
95
1
What Is The Age Range And Gender Of Your Audience?
96
1
How Many Hours Of Play Will Your Game Allow?
97
1
What Systems Will Work With Your Game?
97
1
What Price Point Do You Want Your Game Delivery To Meet?
97
1
What Distribution Method Will You Use For Your Game?
98
1
Is Your Game Interactive Enough?
99
1
Addressing The Concerns Of Game Design
99
1
What Makes A Game Successful?
100
6
The Notion Of Interactivity
100
1
Affecting The Outcome
101
1
The Role Of Achievement
102
1
The Role Of Failure
102
1
Changing The Circumstances
103
1
Problem Solving
103
2
Role Playing And Entering Other Worlds
105
1
Suspension Of Disbelief
105
1
Personal Experiences
105
1
Is That All There Is?
106
1
Chapter 6 Storytelling, Design Details, And Interface Design
107
28
The Art Of Storytelling
108
5
How Games Make Stories Interactive
109
1
Linear And Nonlinear Storytelling
110
1
Creating Good Game Stories
110
2
Dramatic Unfolding
112
1
The Art Of Design Details
113
10
Graphical Design Decisions
113
4
Character Creation
117
3
Level Design
120
1
Simulating Environments
121
1
Algorithmic Artificial Intelligence Compared To Scripting
122
1
Consistency Of Design
123
1
Some Design Dilemmas
123
5
How Much Detail Do You Need?
123
3
Applying Market Concerns To Game Design
126
1
Pleasing Hard-Core Gamers -- The Pros And Cons
127
1
The Art Of The Interface
128
3
Housekeeping
129
1
Player Involvement
129
1
Input Devices
129
1
Getting A Player Started Fast
129
2
The Evolution Of Game Design
131
3
Keep A Journal
131
1
You've Got To Read
132
1
Increase Your Interaction
132
1
Study People And The Market
132
1
Keep Up With The Industry
133
1
Do A Game
133
1
The Process Of Evolutionary Design
133
1
The Future
134
1
Chapter 7 Tips For Successful Game Design
135
62
Playability--The Holy Grail Of Game Development
136
4
Final Playability Doesn't Become Apparent Until The End
136
1
Test Early And Often--The Halftime Adjustment
137
1
Designing Content: Know Your Target Audience
137
3
Acquiring Your Own Targets
140
1
Looking At Each Game Type
141
54
3D "Point-Of-View" Games
141
3
3D Point-Of-View Game Design Issues
144
3
Adventure Games And Interactive Fiction
147
3
Adventure Game Design Issues
150
1
Edutainment Games
151
2
Edutainment Game Design Issues
153
3
Fighting Games
156
1
Fighting Game Design Issues
157
3
God Games: Games That Put You In The Driver's Seat
160
3
God Game Design Issues
163
1
Multiplayer Games
164
1
Multiplayer Game Design Issues
165
2
Platform Games
167
3
Platform Game Design Issues
170
1
Puzzle And Card Games
170
2
Puzzle And Card Game Design Issues
172
1
Retro Games
172
2
Retro Game Design Issues
174
1
Role-Playing Games
174
3
RPG Game Design Issues
177
2
Shooters
179
1
Shooter Game Design Issues
180
1
Simulation Games
181
2
Simulation Game Design Issues
183
2
Sports Games
185
3
Sports Games Design Issues
188
1
Virtual Reality Games
189
1
VR Game Design Issues
190
1
War And Realtime Strategy Games
191
3
War Game Design Issues
194
1
Foundations For Success
195
2
Part II Building Companies And Products
197
180
Chapter 8 Venture Capital And Other Financing Alternatives
199
26
Project Financing And Company Financing
200
2
Company Financing Alternatives
201
1
An Overview Of The Funding Process And The Business Plan
202
3
What Investors Really Care About
203
2
Venture Capitalists
205
5
Who Are These Investors?
205
1
What's The Catch?
206
2
What Do Venture Capitalists Want?
208
1
Successfully Approaching Venture Capitalists
209
1
Strategic Investors
210
2
Who Are These Investors?
211
1
Private Investors
212
3
Who Are These Angels?
212
3
Debt Financing Alternatives
215
3
Mezzanine Financing
216
1
Small Business Administration Loans
217
1
Investment Bankers And Underwriters
218
1
The Funding Process And Beyond
219
6
Due Diligence: Finding Your Worst Nightmare Before Someone Else Does
220
1
Valuation: How Much Am I Bid For This Piece Of Blue Sky?
220
1
Deal Structures
221
1
After You Cash The Check
222
3
Chapter 9 Getting A Job In The Interactive Entertainment Industry
225
34
On The Road To Success
226
6
The Love Of Games
226
1
Job Search Tools
227
2
Increasing Your Profile
229
3
Game Development Careers
232
15
Producers
233
1
Programmers
234
5
Designers
239
1
Software Testers
240
1
Writers
241
1
Artists
242
1
Animators
243
1
Musicians
244
1
Marketing And Sales
245
1
Variants And Hybrids
246
1
How To Find A Job
247
4
Local Newspapers
247
1
Magazines
247
1
Job Fairs
247
1
Trade Shows
248
1
Web Sites
249
1
Forums And Newsgroups
250
1
SIGs User groups
251
1
Headhunters
251
1
The Interview
251
5
Doing Your Research
251
2
Know Thyself Going Into The Interview
253
1
Going For The Interview
254
2
I Thought This Was Supposed To Be Fun
256
3
Chapter 10 The Basics of Console Development
259
18
Understanding The Particulars Of Console Development
260
3
Console Artwork
262
1
Publishing, Ratings, And Development Issues For Consoles
262
1
System Breakdowns
263
10
Sony PlayStation
264
2
Sega Saturn
266
2
Nintendo Ultra 64
268
2
M2
270
2
Sony Net Yaroze
272
1
Key Console Development Tools
273
1
SN Systems PSY-Q
274
1
Cross Development Products
274
1
Metrowerks, Inc.
274
1
Consoles Today, Consoles Tomorrow
274
3
Chapter 11 Creating Game Content
277
54
Visual Content
279
3
Two-Dimensional Artwork And Animation
279
1
Three-Dimensional Artwork And Animation
280
2
Musical Content
282
1
Aural Content
283
1
Textual Content
283
1
Identifying Key Content File Formats
284
12
Visual Formats
284
6
Musical File Formats
290
5
Aural Formats
295
1
The Construction Process
296
6
Labor Alternatives
296
1
Visual Content Construction
297
3
3D Rendering And Animation
300
2
The Art Of Motion Capture
302
6
Magnetic And Optical Solutions
303
1
Motion Capture Vs. Traditional Animation Techniques
304
1
In-House Or Outsource?
305
1
Capturing More Than Full Body Motion
306
1
Understand Your Modeling Software
307
1
Digital Video
308
13
Hardware Necessities
310
2
Software Considerations
312
1
Comparing Major Digital Video Engines
313
2
Tips For Making Better Digital Video
315
1
Capturing Video
316
2
Postprocessing Options
318
1
Performers: Getting The Best For Your Buck
318
3
Constructing Musical Content
321
6
Working With A Musician
322
1
Finding A Composer
323
1
Hiring A Composer
324
1
Working With Your Composer
325
1
Licensing Music And Digital Audio
325
2
Producing Aural Content
327
2
Sound Editing Tools
327
1
Sound Effects Libraries And Stock
328
1
Text-To-Speech
329
1
The Quest For Better Content
329
2
Chapter 12 Dealing With Software Publishers
331
28
Get Your Act Together First And Know What You Want
332
2
Choosing A Software Publisher
334
1
How To Approach A Publisher Without An Introduction
334
2
Email Introduction
334
1
Private FTP Site
335
1
Company Brochure
335
1
Follow-up Calls
335
1
Going From Cold To Hot
336
1
How To Network And Get Publisher Introductions
336
4
Building Leverage
340
1
Preparing To Negotiate
340
8
Additional Negotiating Tips
348
4
You Have To Trust The Other Side
348
1
Appoint One Person To Negotiate With The Publisher
349
1
Have Legal Counsel In The Wings, And, If Possible, A Mentor
349
1
Be Patient
350
1
Use Email To Send Contracts Back And Forth
350
1
When In Doubt, Ask The Publisher First
351
1
Always Change Something In A Contract
352
1
Other Types Of Agreements
352
2
The Boilerplate
352
1
The Nondisclosure And Submission Agreements
352
1
Letters Of Intent
353
1
Prototype Funding Agreements
354
1
Avoiding Publisher Horror Stories
354
4
Publishers That Make Grandiose Promises
355
1
Publishers That Run You Around In Circles
355
1
Publishers That Use Amorphous Terms To Describe Their Efforts On Behalf Of Your Product
355
1
Publishers That Want Worldwide Rights To Your Game, But Don't Have A Worldwide Infrastructure
356
1
Publishers That Want 100 Percent Ownership And Rights To Products
357
1
Publishers That Are Marginal
357
1
After You've Reached An Agreement
358
1
Summary
358
1
Chapter 13 The Ins And Outs Of Packaging, Rating, And Manufacturing Your Game
359
18
Setting A Budget And Choosing A Manufacturer
360
1
Pressing CDs
361
1
Packaging
362
5
Common Game Packaging Practices
362
1
Tips On Package Design
363
1
Preparing, Pricing, And Assembling Game Packaging
364
1
SPA Packaging Guidelines
365
2
Packaging Standards
367
1
All About Game Ratings
367
6
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB)
368
1
Recreational Software Advisory Council
369
4
Documentation
373
1
Timing
374
1
Distribution
374
1
How Manufacturing Can Affect Your Finances
374
1
Wrap Up
375
2
Part III Understanding The Market And Legal Issues
377
134
Chapter 14 Game Industry Analysis And Market Outlook
379
48
Identifying The Types Of Research Available
380
3
Polls And Surveys
380
1
Analysts Reports
381
1
Focus Groups
381
1
Sales Data Metering Reports
382
1
Finding Free Research
383
1
A Foundation For Analysis: The Household Approach
384
2
From Households To Trends: A Brief Market Outlook
386
3
The Battleground For PC Households
386
1
PC Hardware: Moving Toward High-Tech Gaming Capability
387
1
Consoles: The Rock Of Gibraltar In Gaming Systems
387
2
From Households To The Industry
389
1
Industry Snapshot And Trends
389
5
Employment
389
1
Sales
390
1
Arcade Growth
390
1
Online Space
391
1
Distribution
392
2
Challenges Facing The Industry
394
3
Increasing Technical Complexity
394
1
Increasing Business Costs And Complexity
394
1
Fundamental Hardware Forces
395
2
Platform Analysis
397
5
Intel-Based PC
397
1
Windows 95 98 NT
398
2
DOS
400
1
Mac
400
1
Console Platform Outlook
401
1
Arcade PC
402
1
Looking Closer At PC Hardware
402
2
The Motherboard
403
1
RAM Video Memory
403
1
3D Accelerator Cards
403
1
CD-ROM
404
1
DVD-ROM
404
1
Looking Closer At Software
404
1
The Web
405
6
State Of Connected Web Devices
405
3
Web User Demographics
408
2
Connected Bandwidth Issues
410
1
Finding Out More About The Games Market: From Questions To Solutions
411
14
Wrap Up
425
2
Chapter 15 Understanding The Structure Of The Games Industry
427
22
The Structure Of The Game Business
428
6
Capital
429
1
Developers And Publishers
429
2
Online Networks
431
1
Distributors And Retailers
432
1
Consumers
433
1
Why This Is Important
433
1
Understanding The Natural Developer Progression
434
1
Choosing Your Business Model
435
6
Shrink-Wrapped Models
435
1
Shareware Freeware Models
436
2
Online Models
438
3
Development Business Models
441
5
Technology First Model
441
1
Technology Engine And Licensing Model
442
1
Simultaneous Release Model
443
1
Platform Specificity Model
444
1
Licensed Property Development
445
1
Forecasting The Future
446
1
Distribution Changes
446
1
Innovators And Market Makers
447
1
It's Up To You
447
2
Chapter 16 Publishing, Promoting, And Selling Games
449
38
Reaching Your Customers
450
1
Should You Self-Publish?
451
2
Alternatives To Self-Publishing
451
2
What's Your Role?
453
2
How Game Software Is Sold
455
16
Distributors
456
1
Retail Outlets
457
2
Mail Order Outlets
459
2
Direct Consumer Outlets
461
1
Bundling
461
2
Try Before You Buy And Electronic Software Distribution
463
1
Shareware
464
4
Understanding The Nuances Of Distribution
468
3
Next Wave Distribution Outlets
471
4
Sponsored Products And Giveaways
471
1
High-Speed Telephone Lines And Cable Networks
472
1
Kiosk Setups
472
1
The Future
472
3
All About Game Press Reviews
475
5
Types Of Reviews
475
5
Resources
480
1
Game Promotion And Advertising
480
5
Understanding Advertising Costs
481
1
Print Advertising And Beyond
481
4
Wrap Up
485
2
Chapter 17 Legal Issues In Game Development
487
24
Game Development Company Formation Issues
488
2
Who Owns What?
488
2
Your Vision Or Mission Statement
490
1
Forming Your Game Development Company
490
6
Sole Proprietorship
491
1
General Partnership
491
2
Limited Partnership
493
1
Corporations
494
2
What Happens When A Founder Leaves?
496
1
What Every Game Developer Needs To Know About Intellectual Property
497
6
Trademark Rights
498
1
Copyright
499
1
Right Of Publicity
500
1
Moral Rights
501
1
Patents
501
1
Trade Secrets
502
1
Working With Employees And Independent Contractors
503
2
Owning The Rights
503
1
Protecting The Rights--Trade Secrets And Noncompete Agreements
504
1
Incentives And Profit Sharing
504
1
Tax Requirements
505
1
Licensing Intellectual Property From Others
505
4
Rules For Licensing Content
506
1
Acquiring Rights Cheaply
507
2
Wrap Up
509
2
Part IV Resources
511
2
Resource A Books
513
30
Resource B Conferences
543
8
Resource C Developer Programs
551
12
Resource D Developer Tools And Products
563
42
Resource E Miscellaneous
605
32
Resource F Organizations
637
8
Resource G Periodicals
645
22
Resource H Software Publishers
667
20
Resource I Web Resources
687
12
Index
699