Hi GameDevs :),

I am searching for good educational material regarding game development. You know any good books, ebook, articles about this topic? I am searching for information that this more of a general nature, so nothing like how to code this or that in c++. Or how to create an UI in Unity.

What I am searching for is information about how you generaly set up an good UI, what coding principles have proven, what conventions are there, or what you should pay attention to when building game enviorments. I am also interested how to set up an good AI. Best would be if the topics are pointed towards 3D & first person. I already have quiet some knwoledge, but would like to compare it with what is out there and so grow my skill and knowledge. I know its a lot, but as I am interested in the subject as a whole I need it all :). I would prefer material you can read, but you can also post links to video courses, youtube tutorials etc and in can be both, paid and free content.

Thank you in advance, you would do me a great favor by posting your findings, as I found some material already, but am unsure about the qualtiy of this stuff...

Markus from Phodex

This is not a Game Design topic. Moving.

@Tom Sloper Oh sorry then. Well it says Game Design & Theory so where would I put this if not here?

The problem is that your looking for something that doesn't really exist.

Something like good UI principles depends on the project, the software and the team. There is no right way to do things, no magic bullet design that will work every time. It's the same thing as asking, what color should the UI be.

The other problem is that with UI because it's visual most topics on it is about the visual design and not code design. A general book on good coding practices should be more useful.

The problem with good code design is again that there isn't any set rules, only guide lines. The other problem is that good coding practices depend on the language, the team and libraries.

So the reason tutorials on these topics normally are found as "Good UI design principles for Unity" is because only 25%-40% of those rules would be the same as "Good UI design principles for Unreal".

7 hours ago, Phodex Games said:

I know its a lot, but as I am interested in the subject as a whole I need it all

Then what you need to do is learn every tutorial for every software and look for common points, It will take time but once you have done it for 10 000 hours(500-1000 days) you can at least call yourself a master in the topic.

http://williamdurand.fr/2013/07/30/from-stupid-to-solid-code/ A place to start, also read the comments and see how many people don't agree with it.

39 minutes ago, Phodex Games said:

@Tom Sloper Oh sorry then. Well it says Game Design & Theory so where would I put this if not here?

coding principles and AI are not "game design" related - they are programming related. Game design is a subset of game development (all of game development does not fall under a mythical "game design umbrella"). 

On 11.1.2018 at 8:59 PM, Scouting Ninja said:

The problem is that your looking for something that doesn't really exist.

I don't think that is true, as I already found some content which helps me gather the knowlegde I need. I know there is no "How to do good UI" book, obviously, but there are books about game UI design or interface design in general. I also think learing design prinicples in general helps creating an good UI. I visited a webdesign course for example and this also helps me with designing good UI actually, so I am not asking for something very specific.

On 11.1.2018 at 8:59 PM, Scouting Ninja said:

Something like good UI principles depends on the project, the software and the team.

As a design student, I also cannot agree with that completly, it does not have to do much with the project, team or software it depends much more about your audience, but with that in mind there are definetly design principles and therefore also are UI principles, at least I hope so. Otherwise what am I studying here? Nonsense haha ? Because we learn the priniples of design

On 11.1.2018 at 8:59 PM, Scouting Ninja said:

here is no right way to do things, no magic bullet design

Ok I admit, I maybe was not 100% clear and its easy to misunderstand my text, most likley, but why not just give me some recommendations of books you found helpful instead of talking to me like I am a naive amateur haha.

Just an example of what I thought of when writing this post, this website includes some nice guides regarding level/world design: http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/articles.php

However thanks for your help anyways, will check the link out. I guess I will find my way, just wanted to ask if you guys got your hands on some good stuff already and can recommend it.

Have a nice day

7 minutes ago, Phodex Games said:

why not just give me some recommendations of books you found helpful instead of talking to me like I am a naive amateur haha.

I have a list here. 

4 hours ago, Phodex Games said:

it does not have to do much with the project, team or software it depends much more about your audience

So your talking about graphics design and not actually producing an UI. This wasn't clear from your post. You where talking about the code so I thought you where talking of the back end.

This list: http://www.adhamdannaway.com/blog/ui-design/ui-design-books

Don't get 6: https://www.creativeboom.com/resources/50-essential-books-every-graphic-designer-should-read/ a lot of these I don't know.

Some topics like color theory should be learned only after 2-3 years.

Also study game theory.

4 hours ago, Phodex Games said:

Otherwise what am I studying here? Nonsense haha ? Because we learn the priniples of design

Well design isn't nonsense but it is opinions. What your really studying is how to learn and decide on your own.  A good design isn't about how well you can follow the rules others, but how well you can present your own ideas.

As with many things experience is worth more than the theory.

5 hours ago, Phodex Games said:

instead of talking to me like I am a naive amateur haha.

What I said above was legitimate advice for making a UI. Learning how to design one and learning how to code one is polar opposites.

I use mobile design as a example for this a lot. When designing a mobile app, you should design the way it works for the lowest resolution upwards. The art should be design from the highest resolution downwards.

5 hours ago, Phodex Games said:

nice guides regarding level/world design: http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/articles.php

For a much more up to date level design check http://polycount.com/ it's a 3D website but also covers other art topics.

@Tom Sloper thank you I guess thats exactly what I asked for :). 

@Scouting Ninja now the communication works ^^. This is what I searched for, can't wait to deep down in some of those books and gather the knowledge. 

4 hours ago, Scouting Ninja said:

As with many things experience is worth more than the theory.

Well I know the principle of reading a book (getting the knowledge) and then really use this knowledge which then ends up beeing skill. Experience in the end also loses its worth, when you lack in the knowledge. But whatever ^^

Thanks both of you and have a nice day!