Kobold Guide to Game Design, 2nd Edition

Description

The first edition of the COMPLETE KOBOLD GUIDE TO GAME DESIGN laid out concepts, techniques and advice for designing roleplaying games and enhancing adventures. This second edition brings together essays from the original volume, many updated to reflect the changing game design landscape, as well as new essays by veteran designers Jeff Grubb (Dragonlance,Forgotten Realms, Guild Wars), Kelly Pawlik (Midgard Sagas, Empire of the Ghouls), Amber Scott (Dungeons & Dragons, Eberron) and Ray Vallese (The Kobold Guide to Magic).Between these covers, you’ll find practical, thought-provoking essays on worldbuilding, creating magic systems, conflict, and compelling stories, what to expect when you work as a design professional, and much more. Conceptual chapters examine what game design is and how good design can create the best games. Concrete examples provide models to help youcreate well-rounded designs and exciting adventures.In his essay, “Seize the Hook,” designer Rob Heinsoo says, “Design a game you want to play but can’t because no one else has designed it yet.” THE COMPLETE KOBOLD GUIDE TO GAME DESIGN, SECOND EDITION will help you do that, and your games and campaigns will never be the same.PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITIONWinner, 2012 Gold ENnie Award, Best RPG-Related Accessory“Highly recommended for gaming nerds everywhere!”—City Book Review Kobold Guide to GAME Design 2nd Edition Praise for Guides from Kobold Press Other books from Kobold Press Title page Legal page Table of Contents Game Design 1 What is Design? 2 Designing RPGs: Computer andTabletop 3 The Process of Creative Thought 4 Design that Matters 5 Seize the Hook 6 The Infinite Onion: Creating Play Depth 7 Basic Combat Systems for Tabletop Games 8 How and Why d20 Changed RPGs Forever 9 More Empty Rooms 10 Covenants 11 Designing Magic Systems 12 Location as a Fulcrum for Superior Design 13 Worldbuilding 14 Myths and Realities of Game Balance Enhancing Adventures 15 Crafting a Dastardly Plot 16 Taking Character Advancement to a Whole New Level 17 Challenge and Response 18 Designing Situations 19 City Adventures 20 The Underdark 21 Maps, Monsters, and Bottom-Up Design 22 Monster Hordes 23 Hardboiled Adventures 24 What Makesa Night Arabian? 25 The Mystery of Mysteries 26 The Anvil in the Dwarf's Soup 27 Using and Abusing Misdirection 28 Stagecraft Writing, Pitching, Publishing 29 Shorter, Faster, Harder, Less 30 Buckets in the Sandbox 31 Collaboration and Design 32 Pacing 33 Playtesting 34 The Role of Editing 35 Promises, Promises 36 Failure and Recovery 37 Why Writers Get Paid 38 Talent Won’t Save You... 39 The Magic Bullet for Publication 40 Creative Mania and Design Despair Make your Game Your own! Back Cover