How do video games resonate with players to become worldwide hits? This practical book shows you how the right combination of story elements, psychology, and game theory can generate emotionally charged experiences that take players beyond mindless entertainment. Author and experienced game designer Tynan Sylvester takes you through everything from narrative to motivation, using down-to-earth advice and real-world examples. Great games affect people in ways that stories alone cannot, and there are lots of possibilities yet to discover. This book is a light along that path. Learn how to make practical design decisions and weigh trade offs Establish a planning horizon and test your design through iteration Find low-cost, high-reward solutions for making your game accessible yet deep Understand methods for balancing levels, scheduling rewards, and designing rich multilayer interactions Provide motivation, and discover how to make the game just difficult enough

关于作者

Tynan Sylvester（泰南·西尔维斯特）自2000年开始从事游戏设计工作，曾就职于Irrational Games公司，并且参与过“生化奇兵：无限”的游戏设计，也独自制作过一些游戏（包括游戏设计，编程，以及美术工作），同时在著名游戏网站gamasutra.com发表过数篇有关游戏设计的文章。

关于译者

秦彬（Black Qin，昵称小黑），1984年开始接触电子游戏的骨灰级玩家，出于对游戏的热爱于1999年开始自学编程，并且在大学毕业后放弃了本专业（英语），立志投身于游戏行业。现就职于腾讯公司魔方工作室担任高级工程师，曾经开发过“洛克王国”，“TNT”，“火影忍者Online”等游戏。有一句话与热爱游戏的诸君共勉：生命不息，游戏不止。