FUNDAMENTALS OF GAME DESIGN, SECOND EDITION
The Genres of Games
People need a way to talk about the kinds of games they like to play, and game retailers like to display similar games together. The concept of genre helps them do this. A game's gameplay determines its genre. Games can have identical settings and yet belong to different genres, so a medieval role-playing game belongs to a different genre than a medieval war game. Similarly, a construction and management game can be set in any location and time period, but it is still a construction and management game. For more information about how the concept of genre differs from such issues as setting, audience, theme, and purpose, read the Gamasutra article “Sorting Out the Genre Muddle” (Adams, 2009).
In this part of Fundamentals of Game Design, you learn how to apply the principles from Part One, “The Elements of Game Design,” when designing games in each of the classic game genres. Chapters 13 through 20 examine the game world, gameplay, core mechanics, user interface, and other elements of video games characteristic of specific genres, using famous games as examples. Unfortunately, there isn't room in this book to cover everything. Part Two only addresses the best-known and long-standing genres. Finally, Chapter 21 discusses a number of technical and social design issues unique to online games.
Chapter 13: Action Games Chapter 14: Strategy Games Chapter 15: Role-Playing Games Chapter 16: Sports Games Chapter 17: Vehicle Simulations
Chapter 18: Construction and Management Simulations
Chapter 19: Adventure Games
Chapter 20: Artificial Life and Puzzle Games
Chapter 21: Online Gaming
