Learn All the Design & Development Skills You Need to Make Great Games with Unity, the World's Most Popular Professional Game Engine If you want to design and develop games, there is no substitute for strong, hands-on experience with modern techniques and tools. That is exactly what this book provides. Leading instructor and indie game developer Jeremy Gibson Bond covers all three disciplines that you need to succeed: game design theory, rapid iterative prototyping, and practical programming. Building on two previous best-sellers, this Third Edition contains hundreds of improvements across more than 400 new pages, all designed to make it even easier to understand and more useful in modern game development. The five game tutorials have been thoroughly revised and expanded to cover even more best practices for prototyping and development, and all examples now use Unity 2020.3 LTS (Long Term Support), a stable and feature-rich standard for years to come. The new content includes greatly enhanced tutorials, a chapter on Unity's high-performance Data-Oriented Tech Stack (DOTS), new Coding Challenges to help you transition to making your own games from scratch, and tips on next steps after you have finished the book. The revamped website includes playable versions of all example games, plus an exciting new tool that provides immediate feedback on potential errors in your own code. Part I: Game Design and Paper Prototyping Use the Layered Tetrad to understand and design powerful interactive experiences. Explore the core game design practices of paper prototyping, testing, and iteration. Learn effective strategies for staying on track and on schedule. Get tips for finding a rewarding job in today's industry. Part II: Programming C# in Unity Learn C# from the basics through class inheritance, object-oriented programming, and data-oriented design. Part III: Game Prototype Tutorials Implement games across five genres: arcade, casual physics, space shooter, solitaire card game, and top-down adventure game. Each game is designed to be easily extensible into your own projects.Take three games from prototype to “first playable” through new extended tutorial chapters that refi ne the games further than in previous editions of the book. NEW! Part IV: Next Steps Tackle the new, growing library of Coding Challenges, a proven method for transitioning from tutorials to creating your own projects from scratch.Get ideas and resources for new projects to tackle on your own.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Preface PART I Game Design and Paper Prototyping Chapter 1 Thinking Like a Designer You Are a Game Designer Bartok: A Game Design Exercise The Definition of Game Summary Chapter 2 Game Analysis Frameworks Common Frameworks for Ludology MDA: Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics Formal, Dramatic, and Dynamic Elements The Elemental Tetrad Summary Chapter 3 The Layered Tetrad The Inscribed Layer The Dynamic Layer The Cultural Layer The Responsibility of the Designer Summary Chapter 4 The Inscribed Layer Inscribed Mechanics Inscribed Aesthetics Inscribed Narrative Inscribed Technology Summary Chapter 5 The Dynamic Layer The Role of the Player Emergence Dynamic Mechanics Dynamic Aesthetics Dynamic Narrative Dynamic Technology Summary Chapter 6 The Cultural Layer Beyond Play Cultural Mechanics Cultural Aesthetics Cultural Narrative Cultural Technology Authorized Transmedia Are Not Part of the Cultural Layer The Cultural Impact of a Game Summary Chapter 7 Acting Like a Designer Iterative Design Innovation Brainstorming and Ideation Changing Your Mind Scoping! Summary Chapter 8 Design Goals Design Goals: An Incomplete List Designer-Centric Goals Player-Centric Goals Summary Chapter 9 Paper Prototyping The Benefits of Paper Prototyping Paper Prototyping Tools Paper Prototyping for Interfaces A Paper Prototype Example Best Uses for Paper Prototyping Poor Uses for Paper Prototyping Summary Chapter 10 Game Testing Why Playtest? Being a Great Playtester Yourself The Circles of Playtesters Methods of Playtesting Other Important Types of Testing Summary Chapter 11 Math and Game Balance The Meaning of Game Balance The Importance of Spreadsheets Examining Dice Probability with Sheets The Math of Probability Randomizer Technologies in Paper Games Weighted Distributions Weighted Probability in Google Sheets Permutations Using Sheets to Balance Weapons Positive and Negative Feedback Summary Chapter 12 Guiding the Player Direct Guidance Indirect Guidance Teaching New Skills and Concepts Summary Chapter 13 Puzzle Design Scott Kim on Puzzle Design The Steps of Solving a Puzzle Puzzle Examples in Action Games Designing and Developing Puzzle Games Summary Chapter 14 The Agile Mentality The Manifesto for Agile Software Development Scrum Methodology Burndown Chart Example Creating Your Own Burndown Charts Summary Chapter 15 The Digital Game Industry About the Game Industry Game Education Getting Into the Industry Don't Wait to Start Making Games! Summary PART II Programming C# in Unity Chapter 16 Thinking in Digital Systems Systems Thinking in Board Games An Exercise in Simple Instructions Game Analysis: Apple Picker Summary Chapter 17 Introducing Unity Hub and the Unity Editor Downloading Unity Introducing Our Development Environment Creating a Unity Account Checking Out a Sample Project Creating Your First Unity Project Learning Your Way Around Unity Setting Up the Unity Window Layout Summary Chapter 18 Introducing Our Language: C# Understanding the Features of C# Reading and Understanding C# Syntax Summary Chapter 19 Hello World: Your First Program Creating a New Project Making a New C# Script Making Things More Interesting Summary Chapter 20 Variables and Components Introducing Variables Statically Typed Variables in C# Important C# Variable Types The Scope of Variables Naming Conventions Important Unity Variable Types Unity GameObjects and Components Summary Chapter 21 Boolean Operations and Conditionals Booleans Comparison Operators Conditional Statements Summary Chapter 22 Loops Types of Loops Set Up a Project while Loops do...while Loops for Loops foreach Loops Jump Statements within Loops Summary Chapter 23 Collections in C# C# Collections Using Generic Collections List Dictionary Array Multidimensional Arrays Jagged Arrays Jagged Lists Choosing Whether to Use an Array or List Summary Chapter 24 Functions and Parameters Setting Up the Function Examples Project Definition of a Function What Happens When You Call a Function? Function Parameters and Arguments Returning Values Returning void Function Naming Conventions Why Use Functions? Function Overloading Optional Parameters The params Keyword Recursive Functions Summary Chapter 25 Debugging Getting Started with Debugging Stepping Through Code with the Debugger Summary Chapter 26 Classes Understanding Classes Class Inheritance Summary Chapter 27 Object-Oriented Thinking The Object-Oriented Metaphor An Object-Oriented Boids Implementation Summary Chapter 28 Data-Oriented Design The Theory of Data-Oriented Design DOTS Tutorial and Example The Future of Unity DOTS Summary PART III Game Prototype Tutorials Chapter 29 Apple Picker What You Will Learn The Apple Picker Prototype The Purpose of a Digital Prototype Preparing Coding the Apple Picker Prototype GUI and Game Management Summary Chapter 30 Mission Demolition What You Will Learn The Mission Demolition Prototype Getting Started: Mission Demolition Game Prototype Concept Art Assets Coding the Prototype From Prototype to First Playable Summary Chapter 31 Space SHMUP -- Part 1 What You Will Learn Getting Started: Space SHMUP Setting the Scene Making the Hero Ship Adding Some Enemies Spawning Enemies at Random Setting Tags, Layers, and Physics Making the Enemies Damage the Player Restarting the Game Shooting (Finally) Summary Chapter 32 Space SHMUP -- Part 2 What You Will Learn Getting Started: Space SHMUP -- Part 2 Enemy to Enemy_0 Programming Other Enemies Shooting Revisited Showing Enemy Damage Adding PowerUps and Boosting Weapons Race Conditions & Script Execution Order Making Enemies Drop PowerUps Enemy_4 -- A More Complex Enemy Tuning Settings for the Game Entities Adding a Scrolling Starfield Background Summary Chapter 33 Prospector Solitaire -- Part 1 What You Will Learn The Prospector Game Getting Started: Prospector Solitaire Build Settings Setting Up the Unity Window Layout Setting Up the Camera and Game Pane Importing Images as Sprites Constructing Cards from Sprites Implementing Prospector in Code Implementing Game Logic Summary Chapter 34 Prospector Solitaire -- Part 2 What You Will Learn Getting Started: Prospector -- Part 2 Additional Prospector Game Elements Adding GUI Elements to Display the Score Building and Running Your WebGL Build Summary Chapter 35 Dungeon Delver -- Part 1 What You Will Learn The Dungeon Delver Game Getting Started: Dungeon Delver Setting Up the Cameras Understanding the Dungeon Data Showing the Map with a Unity Tilemap Adding the Hero Giving Dray an Attack Animation Dray's Sword Programmatic Collision in Unity Tilemap The InRoom Script Enemy: Skeletos Keeping GameObjects in the Room Aligning to the Grid Moving from Room to Room Making the Camera Follow Dray Summary Chapter 36 Dungeon Delver -- Part 2 What You Will Learn Getting Started: Dungeon Delver -- Part 2 Dungeon Delver -- Part 2 Overview Implementing TileSwaps Swapping in LockedDoor GameObjects Implementing Keys and Unlocking Doors Adding GUI to Track Key Count and Health Enabling Enemies to Damage Dray Making Dray's Attack Damage Enemies Modifying Enemy to Take Damage Picking Up Items Enemies Dropping Items on Death Implementing a New Dungeon -- The Hat Implementing a Grappler Summary Part IV Next Steps Chapter 37 Coding Challenges What Is a Coding Challenge? Getting Started on a Coding Challenge Filling in the Blanks How to Approach Each Challenge Chapter 38 Beyond This Book Continue to Learn Unity Development Build a Classic Game Start a Small Game Project or Prototype Make Games for Lifelong Enrichment Consider Going to School for GameDev Explore Advanced Game Design Finally, Drop Me a Line PART V Online Appendices Appendix A Standard Project Setup Procedure The Set Up Sidebar for Tutorial Projects Setting Up a New Project Importing a Starter UnityPackage Setting the Scene Name Setting the Game Pane to Full HD (1080p) Setting Up a WebGL Build Understanding Unity Version Control Summary Appendix B Useful Concepts Topics Covered C# and Unity Coding Concepts Attributes Automatic Properties Bitwise Boolean Operators and Layer Masks Coroutines Unity Example--Coroutines Delegates, Events, and UnityEvents UnityEvents Enums Extension Methods Interfaces Unity Example--Interfaces Unity Makes Frequent Use of Interfaces for Observer Pattern JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) in Unity Lambda Expressions => Naming Conventions Object-Oriented Software Design Patterns Component Pattern Observer Pattern Singleton Pattern Strategy Pattern More Information on Design Patterns in Game Programming Operator Precedence and Order of Operations Race Conditions Unity Example--Race Conditions Recursive Functions String Interpolation -- $"" StringBuilder Structs Unity Messages Beyond Start() and Update() Life-Cycle Messages Frame-Based Messages Physics-Based Messages Variable Scope XML XML Documentation in C# Math Concepts Cosine and Sine (Cos and Sin) Unity Example--Sine and Cosine Dice Probability Enumeration Unity Example--Dice Probability Using Data-Oriented Design to Improve the DiceProbability Code Dot Product Interpolation Linear Interpolation Time-Based Linear Interpolations Linear Interpolations Using Zeno's Paradox Interpolating More Than Just Position Linear Extrapolation Easing for Linear Interpolations Bezier Curves Three-Point and Four-Point Bezier Curves A Recursive Bezier Curve Function A Data-Oriented Bezier Function Pen-and-Paper Roleplaying Games Tips for Running a Good Roleplaying Campaign User Interface Concepts Complex Game Controller Input Input Manager Mapping for Various Controllers Right-Click on macOS Control-Click = Right-Click Use Any PC Mouse Set Your macOS Mouse to Right-Click Set Your macOS Trackpad to Right-Click Appendix C Online Reference Tutorials Unite Conference Unity's YouTube Channel Programming Searching Tips Finding and Creating Assets Other Tools and Educational Discounts Appendix D Tips for Teaching from This Book The Goal of This Appendix Teaching Introduction to Game Design Teaching Introduction to Game Programming More Information Is Available