Level Designer
Please make sure to browse the whole list including articles, videos and slides.
Books
Must read
Game Design Workshop (2nd edition), Tracy Fullerton
This book will be used as a general reference throughout the DADIU semester
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Design-Workshop-Second-Edition/dp/0240809742/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
Highly recommended
The Art of Game Design, Book of Lenses, Jesse Schell
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Game-Design-lenses/dp/0123694965/ref=pd_sim_b_1
Theory of Fun, Raph Koster
http://www.amazon.com/A-Theory-Fun-Game-Design/dp/1932111972/ref=pd_sim_b_4
(very short version: http://www.raphkoster.com/gaming/atof/theoryoffun.pdf)
Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud
http://scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/index.html
Challenges for Game Designers, Brenda Brathwaite, Ian Schreiber
http://www.amazon.com/Challenges-Game-Designers-Brenda-Brathwaite/dp/158450580X/ref=pd_sim_b_2
Game Feel, Steve Swink
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Feel-Designers-Sensation-Kaufmann/dp/0123743281
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2322/game_feel_the_secret_ingredient.php
Articles
Must read
How to prototype a game in under 7 days, Kyle Gabler et al
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2438/how_to_prototype_a_game_in_under_7_.php
All: Must play Tower of Goo Unlimited: http://www.fun-motion.com/files/TowerOfGooUnlimited.exe
Content creation for 3D game with Maya and Unity 3D
http://www.cescg.org/CESCG-2011/papers/VUT-Labschuetz-Matthias.pdf
MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics) Framework, LeBlanc et al.
http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/pubs/MDA.pdf
http://algorithmancy.8kindsoffun.com/MDAnwu.ppt
http://algorithmancy.8kindsoffun.com/.%20GDC2007/index.html#sf3k
Simplification, Ernest Adams
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131763/the_designers_notebook_.php
Principles of Game Monetization
http://blog.betable.com/the-principles-of-game-monetization/#more-322
10 Tips: The Creation and Integration of Audio, Tristan Donovan
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/171142/10_tips_the_creation_and_.php
Highly recommended
Game Artist: The Three Cardinal Rules, Keith Self-Ballard
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132352/game_artists_the_three_cardinal_.php
Reward Systems (book excerpt, Level Design)
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134246/reward_systems_an_excerpt_from_.php?page=1
I have no words & I must design, Greg Costikyan
http://www.costik.com/nowords.html
Defining The Physical Dimension of a Game Setting, Ernest Adams
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131273/the_designers_notebook_defining_.php
Up and Down the Ladder of Abstraction, Bret Victor
http://worrydream.com/LadderOfAbstraction/
All the world’s a game, Economist
http://www.economist.com/node/21541164
Effective Art Directors: Gaming’s Something Something, Ben Cammarano
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132250/effective_art_directors_gamings_.php
Recommended
Lessons From The Trenches, Henrik Markirian
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134853/lessons_from_the_trenches.php
The Design of Free To Play Games, Pascal Luban
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134920/the_design_of_freetoplay_games_.php
A Model of Player Motivation, Nick Yee
http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/archives/001298.php?page=1
http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm
What every Game Develop Needs to know about Story, John Sutherland
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130770/what_every_game_developer_needs_to_.php
Supplementary
Scrum and Kanban, Clinton Keith
http://www.clintonkeith.com/resources/Beyond%20Scrum_%20Lean%20and%20Kanban%20for%20Game%20Developers.pdf
Top10 pitfalls for using Scrum in video game develpment, Paul Miller
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132121/top_10_pitfalls_using_scrum_.php
The Code/Art Divide: How Technical Artists Bridge the Gap
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130074/the_codeart_divide_how_technical_.php
Producer and Designer Game Glossary
http://www.alanemrich.com/Class/Class_GPM_glossary.htm
http://www.alanemrich.com/Class/Class_PGD_glossary.htm
An Automated Pipeline for Generating Run-Time Rigs, Adam Mechtley
http://adammechtley.com/2011/04/an-automated-pipeline-for-generating-run-time-rigs/
Conducting In-house Play Testing, Jeanne Collins
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3211/conducting_inhouse_play_testing.php
Audio Design in Limbo, Martin Stig Andersen
http://designingsound.org/2011/08/limbo-exclusive-interview-with-martin-stig-andersen/
http://twvideo01.ubm-us.net/o1/vault/gdc2012/slides/Missing%20Presentations/Andersen_Martin_Stig_Audio_Design_and.pdf
Game Glossary
http://www.whatgamesare.com/glossary.html
Collaborative Game Editing, Mick West
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132383/collaborative_game_editing.php
AAA-Lite Audio […], Brad Meyer
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134761/aaalite_audio_design_challenges_.php
Consoles aren’t dying, they are adjusting, Tim Merel
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/171664/Opinion_Consoles_arent_dying_theyre_adjusting.php
Videos
Unity Tutorials
http://unity3d.com/support/documentation/video/
http://www.unity3dstudent.com/
http://www.unitymagic.com/shop/en/unity-tutorials/
http://www.design3.com/training-center/engines-sdks/unity/
http://www.digitaltutors.com/training/unity-tutorials
Must watch
Add ‘Juice’ to your game
http://prototyprally.com/juice-it-or-loose-it/
http://grapefrukt.com/f/games/juicy-breakout/
https://github.com/grapefrukt/juicy-breakout
Programmers, Designers, Level Designers: Play the game
Midcore Gaming
http://casualconnect.org/lectures/business/mid-core-gaming-sizing-and-profiling-the-opportunity-peter-warman/
Highly recommended
The Four Keys to Fun Game Design and Engagement, Nicole Lazzaro
http://www.design3.com/industry-insight/ucsc-games-and-playable-media/item/2541-nicole-lazzaro-presentation-the-4-keys-to-fun-game-design-and-engagement
Recommended
Hacks for Game Monetization, Roger Dickey (Zynga, Mafia Wars)
http://blog.betable.com/roger-dickeys-hacks-for-game-monetization/
Supplementary
Unite 10: Character Animation Workflow in Unity
http://video.unity3d.com/video/947396/unite-10-character-animation
Warren Spector, lectures/interviews (13 videos, 2hrs+ each !)
Stories from the video game industry
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC4AF467F9391D767&feature=plcp
Slideshow
Highly recommended
User Interface design, Johan Ronsse
http://www.slideshare.net/Wolfr/design-for-developersonlineversionlong
New Horizonts for Game Design, Aki Järvinen
http://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dfi.dk%2FBranche_og_stoette%2FMEDIA-Desk%2F~%2Fmedia%2FSektioner%2FMedia%2520Desk%2FPDF%2FJarvinen_NewHorizonsofGameDesign_PlayAll.ashx&ei=F1LHT67TF4jRsgalp4SHDw&usg=AFQjCNGPEP86rE6uNBshw-qCJ9GttjPbrQ
Concept Art Guide for Games Industry, Alexandru Negoita
https://www.box.com/shared/7fgx8ze8au
Supplementary
Virtual Goods Sales as a Business Model, Juho Hamari
http://www.slideshare.net/JuhoHamari/how-to-plan-a-virtual-goods-sales-business-model-5138565