The Structure of Game Design

The Structure of Game Design is designed to help aspiring and existing game designers turn their ideas into working games. Creating a game involves understanding the core foundational elements of all types of games from paper-based games to the latest video games. By understanding how these core principles work in all types of games, you can apply these same principles to design your own game.

Games are about goals, structure, play and fun. While everyone will always have their own idea of what might be "fun", any game designer can maximize player enjoyment through meaningful choices that offer various risks and rewards. Such challenges, combined with rules and limitations, force players to overcome obstacles and problems using a variety of skills including dexterity, puzzle solving, intelligence, and strategy. Essentially games allow players to venture forth into new worlds and overcome problems in a safe but exciting environment that allows them to triumph in the end.

Just as playing games have proven popular around the world to all ages, genders, and cultures, so has game designing proven equally popular. Games can challenge players to make the best move, solve puzzles, engage in combat, manage resources, and tell stories. By understanding how randomness, psychology, and balance can change the way games play, readers can decide what game elements are best for their own game creation.

Whether your goal is to make money, learn something new, make a social statement, improve on an existing game idea, or challenge your artistic, programming, or design skills, game design can be just as much fun as game playing. By knowing the parts of a game, how they work, how they interact, and why they're fun, you can use your knowledge to turn any idea into a game that others can play and enjoy.

《遊戲設計的結構》旨在幫助有志於成為遊戲設計師或已經是遊戲設計師的人將他們的想法轉化為實際的遊戲。創造一個遊戲需要理解所有類型遊戲的核心基本元素，從紙上遊戲到最新的視頻遊戲。通過理解這些核心原則在所有類型遊戲中的運作方式，你可以應用這些原則來設計自己的遊戲。

遊戲涉及目標、結構、遊玩和樂趣。雖然每個人對於什麼是“樂趣”都有自己的想法，但任何遊戲設計師都可以通過提供各種風險和回報的有意義的選擇來最大化玩家的樂趣。這樣的挑戰，結合規則和限制，迫使玩家使用各種技能（包括靈巧、解謎、智力和策略）來克服障礙和問題。基本上，遊戲讓玩家在一個安全但刺激的環境中冒險，克服問題，最終取得勝利。

正如玩遊戲在全球各個年齡、性別和文化中都很受歡迎一樣，遊戲設計也同樣受到歡迎。遊戲可以挑戰玩家做出最佳的舉動、解謎、參與戰鬥、管理資源和講述故事。通過理解隨機性、心理學和平衡如何改變遊戲的玩法，讀者可以決定哪些遊戲元素最適合他們自己的遊戲創作。

無論你的目標是賺錢、學習新知識、發表社會聲明、改進現有的遊戲想法，還是挑戰你的藝術、編程或設計技能，遊戲設計和遊戲玩耍一樣有趣。通過了解遊戲的各個部分，它們的運作方式、互動方式以及為何有趣，你可以利用自己的知識將任何想法轉化為其他人可以玩並享受的遊戲。

Wallace Wang is the author of over 40 books including "Steal This Computer Book", "Microsoft Office For Dummies", and "Beginning iPhone Development with SwiftUI". An avid game enthusiast, he designed "Orbit War", published by Steve Jackson Games, which is a board game that simulates satellite warfare in near Earth orbit. He's also performed stand-up comedy at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, appeared on "A&E's Evening at the Improv", and "SiTV's Latino Laugh Festival." In addition, he's co-hosted several radio shows in San Diego that focused on politics, comedy, and esports. Currently he teaches iOS programming and game engine programming through UCSD Extended Studies in San Diego.

Wallace Wang是超過40本書的作者，包括《Steal This Computer Book》、《Microsoft Office For Dummies》和《Beginning iPhone Development with SwiftUI》。作為一位熱愛遊戲的愛好者，他設計了由Steve Jackson Games出版的《Orbit War》，這是一款模擬近地軌道衛星戰爭的桌上遊戲。他還在拉斯維加斯的Riviera Hotel＆Casino進行過單口喜劇表演，並出現在《A＆E's Evening at the Improv》和《SiTV's Latino Laugh Festival》節目中。此外，他還曾在聖地亞哥主持過幾個關注政治、喜劇和電子競技的廣播節目。目前，他在聖地亞哥的UCSD Extended Studies教授iOS編程和遊戲引擎編程。