Game development books

[Natace]

I just got my pay in and I think it's time I should start buying some books on all aspects of game design or modding.

I am going it alone on a mod, and I need to learn about the different aspects of modding, from the written documentation, to 3d modelling, sound design etc.

I know that there is no one single book that is going to make me a whiz, but I made this thread to see what books any of you have used for 3d modelling, or even other purposes for mod development.

Thanks in advance.

[doylle]

Hi,

Allot depends on the engine that you'll be using. Unfortunatly most engines don't realy have a book i think, so community website's should help you alot.

Now, if you're using Unreal Engine, then i recommend "Mastering Unreal Technology: The art of level design" (see here). I have this book and i'm very pleased with it. It tells you the basic stuff you need to know if you want to make a mod (very basic, but enough to get you going). Lots of stuff on how to work with UnrealEd, which will come handy if you make your own maps. And it also has a special chapter about modeling and animation in Maya PLE (come's with a disk you get with the book). The only thing this book lacks is a chapter about UScript . And even on the internet UScript tutorials/howto's are hard to find. But doesn't let that discourage you, i'm sure it's the same with all other engines...

I hope this helps you in a way.

gl

[swartsz]

Originally Posted by Natace

I just got my pay in and I think it's time I should start buying some books on all aspects of game design or modding.

I am going it alone on a mod, and I need to learn about the different aspects of modding, from the written documentation, to 3d modelling, sound design etc.

I know that there is no one single book that is going to make me a whiz, but I made this thread to see what books any of you have used for 3d modelling, or even other purposes for mod development.

Thanks in advance.

here is a book that touches some of the different aspects of game design, like modeling, texturing, lighting and stuff like concept art. it is called "Creating the Art of the Game" by Matthew Omernick.

[benclark]

check out this book

BOOK

Its the best 3D book I have ever read. He literally takes you through step by step on texturing loads of different environments.

His style is ridiculous too, he textures entire scenes without ever using dodge, burn, the paint brush or any photo references. Its all done with filters and selections - trust me its worth every penny

[Nysuatro]

Originally Posted by Alchemist101

check out this book

BOOK

Its the best 3D book I have ever read. He literally takes you through step by step on texturing loads of different environments.

His style is ridiculous too, he textures entire scenes without ever using dodge, burn, the paint brush or any photo references. Its all done with filters and selections - trust me its worth every penny

I really did not loved that book.
And why working with filters ?

[benclark]

Why not??

I guess I meant that you can pick up painting techniques on the internet and just by playing arounf with photshop but the stuff he does is much harder to do

[Hilm]

check out the book reviews section of my site =):

http://www.greeneyegrafix.com/Reviews/BooksIndex.htm

I'd advise Luke Adearn's book on game texturing if your after a texturing book as it's quite a good refrence guide for certain effects... (although it has nothing fo organics - will be reviewing an oranig texturing book when it arrives at my house =))

These are only the books I have (although I have quite alot)

anyway hope they help.

(excuse the appauling spelling by me).

[Daedalus]

Got this book on modeling by Paul steed
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS.../gameartist-20
Very useful but its starting to be a bit outdated with all the next-gen shiznit.
The book on texturing suggest by alchemist101 is very usful too.

[Natace]

Yeah, well, texturing is actually pretty easy for me to do, I love doing it.
But that's really only basic texturing, getting the 3d bumpy effects and stuff, I don't know how to do those yet, and there are plenty of tutorials around that show that stuff.

Right now it'd mainly be modelling and programming, but like you say, it depends on what engine I'm using.
I will be using the X-Ray Engine for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadows of Chernobyl for my mod, I do have some...uuuh..leaked versions (shhhh) and the multiplayer beta gives me some idea of some of the code they use for weapons and effects, and all of that, which is alright, but since that was from 2004 and the game isn't going to be released until Q1 2007, I think that the way those files and stuff were done could be obsolete.

I'm trying to get in contact with the developers as they have helped someone else on their mod (Stalker theft auto)...which didn't really get far at all due to STALKER being delayed over and over again, so perhaps they may want to help me out in the same way, which would be great, because I think I actually need to design my levels in a 3d modeller :S
Which for me is kindof scary as I'm used to actual level designing programs like hammer, where you build the terrain inside of that.
And since I will be doing a city like environment, with every building being accessable....there could be ALOT of work, especially if I don't have things scaled right, and especially if I don't have a character model to scale buildings off.
I have an idea of how I will do things, and this is what I think I'll end up doing.

1. Plan my city on pen and paper.
2. get MANY pictures and layouts of house interiors/exteriors aswell as hospital blueprints, and things like that.
3. Start with the area i'm building on, apply my plan texture on that, from there, I would start making the roads and gutters.
4. Build my building SEPERATE from the base floor plan, if you want to call it that, and when buildings are done, I simply plop them down onto the floor plan and connect them up.
5. add details like street lamps, etc etc

and...yeah, i dunno how they create levels in the game, and I have to find out soon, because I love making levels, I've been making levels since jet pack...yes..JET PACK....that game rocked!
Then I went onto duke nukem 3d, then half life 1 hammer, then I had a crack on UnrealED and was scared off, by the interface, then I went onto half life 2's editor, and since then, I've stopped...I had tried several other editors, like Radiant (used for doom 3, jedi knight, medal of honor, etc) but that editor has to be one of the worst editors I've EVER used....lol, how could I forget CryEdit...for Far Cry...I loved that editor...until I got to making indoor areas, which was more like putting a 5000 piece puzzle together. I was limited to my creativity with that.

So yeah...level design is fine with me, it's what i'm good at, so mainly it's just programming and 3d modelling. Or...just a general book on modding a game.

[benclark]

for the modeling side of it I would use the money to buy dvds rather than books.

Books are fine for basic modeling techniques but when things get complicated you usually end up with sections that say stuff like "keep going until it looks right" or "continue editing until you have the result shown in the picture"

It may just be personal preference but I would say that a good modeling dvd is worth more than a book. Its such a visual thing that it would take pages and pages to explain something that can be done in seconds on a dvd