Reverse Design

Half-Life

By: Patrick Holleman

Write A Review

eText | 3 September 2018 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Format
ePUB

eText

$97.90

or 4 interest-free payments of $24.48 with

Instant online reading in your Booktopia eTextbook Library *

Read online on

Desktop

Tablet

Mobile

Not downloadable to your eReader or an app

Why choose an eTextbook?

Instant Access *

Purchase and read your book immediately

Read Aloud

Listen and follow along as Bookshelf reads to you

Study Tools

Built-in study tools like highlights and more

* eTextbooks are not downloadable to your eReader or an app and can be accessed via web browsers only. You must be connected to the internet and have no technical issues with your device or browser that could prevent the eTextbook from operating.

The Reverse Design series looks at all of the design decisions that went into classic video games. This is the fourth installment in the Reverse Design series, looking at Half Life. Written in a readable format, it is broken down into six sections examining some of the most important topics to the game:

How Half-Life is a key step in the evolution from the composite style of videogame design to the set piece style of design.
How Half-Life defined almost all of the core concepts of the cover-based shooter, and redefined the level architecture of the FPS genre
The small tricks and flourishes that Half-Life used to tell a story through its mechanics, AI and environments

Key Features

Comprehensive definitions of key concepts and terms, introducing the reader to the basic knowledge about the study of FPS design

Summary of historical context of Half-Life, how it emerged from arena shooters like Doom and Quake, and how it influenced other games

Extensive collections of data and data visualizations explaining how systems like enemy movement, cover design and platformer physics work