Summaries of books about Game Programming & Design:
The Ultimate Unofficial Encyclopedia for Minecrafters
An A - Z Book of Tips and Tricks the Official Guides Don't Teach You
Megan Miller
The book serves as a comprehensive guide, offering a wide array of tips, strategies, and secrets for Minecraft players, covering everything from basic gameplay to advanced building techniques. It provides an alphabetical reference to various aspects of the game, aiming to enhance the player's experience and knowledge beyond what is found in official manuals.
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Blood, Sweat, and Pixels
The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made
Jason Schreier
The book delves into the challenging development processes of several popular video games, revealing the intense pressure, creative struggles, and relentless dedication of the teams behind them. It presents behind-the-scenes stories that highlight the complexities and triumphs involved in bringing these digital worlds to life.
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Minecraft for Beginners
Mojang AB|The Official Minecraft Team
The book serves as a comprehensive guide for new players to the world of Minecraft, providing step-by-step instructions on basic gameplay mechanics, from surviving the first night to understanding crafting and building. It includes tips, tricks, and strategies to help beginners navigate, explore, and create within the blocky sandbox game environment.
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Game Programming Patterns
Robert Nystrom
The book explores design patterns and best practices for writing efficient and maintainable game code, providing insights into software architecture in the context of game development. It covers various programming challenges unique to games and presents solutions that can be adapted to different game engines and programming languages.
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Guide to Minecraft Dungeons
A Handbook for Heroes
Mojang AB|The Official Minecraft Team
The book serves as a comprehensive manual for the action-adventure game Minecraft Dungeons, providing strategies, tips, and detailed information on game mechanics, enemies, and treasures. It also includes character profiles and guidance on how to defeat bosses and navigate through the various levels and biomes within the game.
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Reality Is Broken
Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World
Jane McGonigal
The book argues that video games are fulfilling genuine human needs that the real world is currently unable to satisfy, and it presents the idea that game design principles can be used to fix what is wrong with reality by making real-life tasks more engaging and rewarding. It explores the psychological strengths of gaming, such as its ability to motivate and inspire, and suggests ways these strengths can be applied to solve real-world problems and improve people's lives.
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Spelunky
Derek Yu
The book delves into the creation and development of the critically acclaimed video game "Spelunky," offering insights from the game's creator on the challenges and triumphs of the design process. It explores the game's influence on the roguelike genre and provides a personal narrative on the art of game creation.
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Racing the Beam
The Atari Video Computer System
Nick Montfort|Ian Bogost
The book explores the technical architecture and constraints of the Atari VCS (later known as the Atari 2600) and how these influenced the design and development of its games. It delves into the creative ways programmers overcame the system's limitations to create influential video game classics.
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The Gamification of Learning and Instruction
Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education
Karl M. Kapp
The book explores the concept of using game-based mechanics and techniques to enhance learning and instructional processes. It provides a framework for integrating games into educational environments, along with practical strategies, case studies, and guidance on how to design and implement effective game-based learning solutions.
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Charlie Fink's Metaverse - An AR Enabled Guide to AR & VR
Charlie Fink
The book serves as a comprehensive guide to the emerging technologies of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), exploring their potential impact on society and various industries. It combines expert insights with AR-enabled features, providing an interactive experience that illustrates the transformative possibilities of AR and VR.
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