The indie game developer’s complete guide to running a studio. The climate for the games industry has never been hotter, and this is only set to continue as the marketplace for tablets, consoles and phones grow. Seemingly every day there is a story of how a successful app or game has earned thousands of downloads and revenue. As the market size increases, so does the number of people developing and looking to develop their own app or game to publish. The Indie Game Developer Handbook covers every aspect of running a game development studio—from the initial creation of the game through to completion, release and beyond. Accessible and complete guide to many aspects of running a game development studio from funding and development through QA, publishing, marketing, and more. Provides a useful knowledge base and help to support the learning process of running an indie development studio in an honest, approachable and easy to understand way. Case studies, interviews from other studies and industry professionals grant an first-hand look into the world of indie game development

Professor Odile Limpach gives independent developers everything they need to succeed in the world of video game publishing. The Publishing Challenge for Independent Video Game Developers: A Practical Guide defines what game publishing means for the indie developer and offers a concise framework to tackle the decision of whether to self-publish or not. Furthermore, the text establishes a catalogue of current known publishers with some salient characteristics and offers a list of useful publishing tools. Along with showcasing testimonials from several young and seasoned developers on their experiences with publishing and partners and recommendations from renown experts of the industry, this book offers tools, platforms, and guides to game publishing. Key features: Provides a broad overview of the game publishing market Explores criteria for choosing between a publishing partner or self-publishing Offers case studies and testimonials from indie game developers and publishers about the process. Professor Odile Limpach teaches economics and entrepreneurship at the Cologne Game Lab, TH Köln (Technical University of Cologne). She is also co-founder of the Acceleration Program SpielFabrique 360° and works as a Strategic Consultant for games and serious game projects. Between 2007 and 2014, she was the managing director of the German entertainment software studio Ubisoft Blue Byte. Before, she was the managing director of Ubisoft GmbH. She graduated from business school Institut Commercial de Nancy in France and completed her MBA in the United States. Odile Limpach is also involved as a volunteer in the areas of vocational training and acts as a German partner for Games for Change Europe. Furthermore, she acts as an advisor (Conseiller du Commerce Extérieur) for the French Ministry for International Business Development.

"The Business of Indie Games provides exceptional insight into how the video games industry works. It shares valuable information on how to successfully self-publish and secure publisher support. Whether you’re making your first game or tenth, this book is a must read." – Paul Baldwin, Curve Digital "The video game industry is a tough business and anyone looking to succeed in indie development should give The Business of Indie Games a read." – Graham Smith, Co-Founder of DrinkBox Studios "This book is a fast track to success for anyone managing a game launch and looking to raise funding for their projects. It shares knowledge that you only learn after years of triumphs and failures within this industry." – Scott Drader, Co-Founder of Metalhead Software "There’s nothing like The Business of Indie Games taught in school. You learn how to make a game, but not how to conduct business, market, and launch a game. This book dives into topics that every indie developer should know." – Yukon Wainczak, Founder of Snoozy Kazoo "I’ve seen no better guide for understanding how the video game industry really works. An important read for anyone whose work touches games, including those of us looking to engage the community." – Carla Warner, Director of STREAM for No Kid Hungry The Business of Indie Games explores what many universities forget to cover: how to sell and market your own indie game to potential publishers and developers. While many classes help students on their way to designing and programming their own games, there are few classes that equip students with the skills to sell their own product. In essence, this means future indie game developers are not equipped to talk to investors, negotiate with publishers, and engage with major platforms like Steam and Nintendo. Authors Alex Josef, Alex Van Lepp, and Marshal D. Carper are looking to rectify this problem by helping indie game developers and companies level up their business acumen. With detailed chapters and sections that deal with different engines, negotiation tactics, and marketing, The Business of Indie Games is the perfect omnibus for up-and-coming indie game developers. The future of gaming curriculums is not just in teaching students how to create games but also in preparing them for the business of games.

Bring your PC, Zune, and Xbox gaming visions to life with Microsoft XNA Game Studio Develop complete 2D and 3D games with step-by-step hands-on instruction, advice, and tips from two industry professionals. Fully revised to cover the latest features, Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator's Guide, Second Edition lays out the essentials of game programming alongside exciting examples and C# code samples. Learn how to create 3D models, virtual worlds, and add stunning animation. You'll also discover how to incorporate 3D audio into your projects and handle PC and game controller input devices. Create, draw, and update XNA game windows and 3D objects Add dazzling animation and fluid character motion Render photorealistic terrains, landscapes, skies, and horizons Program custom lighting and shading effects using HLSL Integrate sound effects, game dashboards, and stat tracking Work with game cameras, keyframes, sprites, and loaders Design natural collision detection, ballistics, and particle effects Develop, import, and control Quake II models using MilkShape

The essential reference for anyone wanting to work in the industry, or who is curious to know more about it.

Schreibman, a film professor and administrator at the University of California-Los Angeles School of Theater, Film and Television, gives practical, step-by-step directions for organizing and running a film from budgeting and pre-production through post-production and delivery, and offers engaging anecdotes from his 15 years of film, television, and theater projects to illustrate points. He describes the varied elements that go into making a film, and details the producer's role of bringing these elements together. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Learn how to take the skills and knowledge you use to make games for entertainment to make serious games: games for education, training, healing, and more. "Serious Games: Games That Educate, Train, and Inform" teaches game developers how to tap into the rapidly expanding market of serious games. Explore the numerous possibilities that serious games represent such as the ability to teach military training in a non-lethal environment and the ability to convey a particular political viewpoint through a game's storyline. You'll get a detailed overview of all of the major markets for serious games, including the military, educators, government agencies, corporations, hospitals, non-profit organizations, religious groups, and activist groups. Discover the goals of each market, the types of games on which they focus, and market-specific issues you need to consider. Case studies of how professionals in these various markets utilize games provide ideas and inspiration as well as credibility for serious games. "Serious Games" shows you how to apply your game development skills to a new and growing area and also teaches you techniques to make even entertainment-based games richer and more meaningful.