New Game Design book

[Gamereviewgod]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Paraglyph Press Publishes Innovative Book for Game Designers:
"A Theory of Fun for Game Design"
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Scottsdale AZ--November 30, 2004--Paraglyph Press is pleased to announce
an innovative new book, "A Theory of Fun for Game Design" (U.S. $22.99,
256 pp, ISBN 1-932111-97-2). Authored by Raph Koster, Chief Creative
Officer of Sony Online Entertainment, this brilliantly illustrated book is
a storyboard and creative discussion filled with inspirational ideas for
all designers. As Will Wright (co-creator of SimCity 2000 and SimCopter)
states in his foreword, "Raph forages across wide intellectual landscapes
and then returns to share what he's discovered with the rest of us...He
has filtered out a treasure trove of useful and relevant nuggets from a
career's worth of his own research."

"A Theory of Fun for Game Design" features a novel way of showing
interactive designers how to improve their designs to incorporate the
highest degree of fun. This book will truly inspire and challenge game
designers, as well as artists and designers from all segments of the
industry. The unique format of "A Theory of Fun," with engaging text and
thought-provoking illustrations, will ensure that this book becomes a
classic text for designers. Already endorsed by major players in the
gaming world--such as BoingBoing, Noah Falstein, and Henry Jenkins of
MIT--"A Theory of Fun" covers such essential topics as:

-Why some games are fun and others boring
-Why making a game too hard--or too easy--is a mistake
-Why games have to balance deprivation and overload, order and chaos,
silence and noise
-The difference between designing content and creating an experience
-Why both adults and children like to play games
-How playing a game and learning are connected
-The ethics of entertainment

Author Raph Koster says: "In this book, I decided to tackle the questions
of what games are, what fun is, and why games matter. A lot of people are
exploring these questions now, and digital games have become big business.
The time is ripe for us to dig deeper into the many questions that games
raise. In the final analysis, I think that work and play aren't all that
different, and A Theory of Fun explains why I came to that conclusion."

Keith Weiskamp, President and Publisher of Paraglyph, says: "'A Theory of
Fun for Game Design' is going to be one of the most unique computer and
technology books published this year and in 2005. Raph brings together a
vast source of ideas and knowledge to really inspire game designers to
think differently. This is the only book out there that investigates new
ideas and brings them together to really benefit the designer."

"A Theory of Fun" is especially designed so that readers can simply flip
through it and be stimulated by the illustrations and the captions. Or
readers can spend more time reading through the provocative discussion
about game design where the author covers such topics as how the brain
works, what games teach us, the problems with learning, the ethics of
entertainment, and much more. This is a book that designers and developers
will come back to over and over to look for inspiration and ideas to
challenge their creativity. As noted designer Noah Falstein states, "I
expect this book to become an instant classic."

To support the book, the author has created a special website at
www.theoryoffun.com.

[lendelin]

Thanks for the information! I think I'll pick that one up. Sytematic analyses of game design are always interesting.