An Introduction To Video Game Development

[Arcanorum]

 

    Greetings folks.

 

I'm putting together a little book(let)/eBook about getting into video game development as part of a college project.

It will be aimed at those unsure about what game development is all about and where to get started. The likes of school leavers wondering what to do next, those wanting a career change, hobbyists and those who don't have access to video game specific education.

 

Basically, if you already consider yourself a game developer, this is going to be the book that you will wish you had when you were a kid.

 

The book is not going to be a monotonous grind through wall after wall of text like I see in every other book that tries to explain this topic. I find those very dull and can be a chore to read through, and I believe they do not really reflect the creativity and fun of game development.

 

There is a book that I love called HTML & CSS, Jon Ducket, that is amazing in how it presents information to the reader in an interesting and easily digestible way, that I will be drawing a lot of inspiration from. If you haven't read it, it's definitely worth a look.

 

I don't proclaim to be an authority on anything, and am looking for input and contributions from more experienced practitioners. Things like:

• Valuable lessons that you have learned that you think anyone wanting to get into game development should know.
• Challenges you have had to overcome
• Things that you wish you knew
• What expectations to have. How does the reality compare to what you imagined?

I understand that a lot of this has been asked a hundred times before, so if you know of any existing articles or posts that stand out to you, let me know.

 

Don't be afraid that something might sound stupid or obvious or condescending. To someone who knows very little, anything you say could mean a lot.

 

Anyone is welcome to pitch in. I'm looking for input from seasoned veterans, indie start-ups, '9 to 5'ers, freelancers, anyone with something valuable to share. Please keep the target audience in mind with your replies. Think about what they would want to find.

 

Sources and examples will be much appreciated as this will help me when checking/validating any info before I add it.

 

PLEASE critique anything. I'm quite thick-skinned when it comes to taking feedback, so pile it on however you feel appropriate.

 

I will be selecting what I believe to be the most relevant pieces of info to add to the book, so not everything that gets posted here will be included.

 

I intend for this to be a quick read, finish-able in maybe a few days of casual flicking through. It is meant to be an overview and introduction. Many other books cover specifics should a reader develop an interest.

Know of some exceptional resources for learning about more specific topics that I could direct readers to? Let me know.

 

The book will likely be made public domain for anyone to use however they please as I do not plan on commercializing it.

 

Early versions will be made viewable as soon as I can for feedback.

 

Thanks in advance for any responses.