GDnD Wiki Index

A reference wiki for Game Design and Development, maintained for university students and lecturers. It covers game design theory and practice, programming patterns, tools and engines, production process, and the history and criticism of games as a medium.

Coverage: Unity (C#) is the primary engine. Unreal, Godot, Blender, and Aseprite are covered for context and comparison.

How to use this index:

• Pages marked (seed) are scaffolded but lightly sourced — useful as starting points, not authoritative.
• foundational-vocabulary is the best entry point for new readers — it defines core terms used across all other pages.
• Source summaries now cover core game design theory, production, programming, art, audio, VR, and learning science; each source page links to the wiki pages it informs.

Status: Active build. Game design theory is well covered (Schell, Poole, MDA, Sellers, Koster, Swink) with CRE133 and CRE342 lecture integrations. Programming covers Unity/C# fundamentals plus Git/GitHub workflows. Game art covers pixel art and 3D production basics. Tools, production, VR, audio, and learning science are all represented with linked source summaries and concept pages, and the production section now includes a clearer idea-to-launch pipeline with marketing, release, accessibility, pricing, funding, and post-launch coverage.

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Game Design

Pages in this section are grouped into matching track folders inside wiki/game-design/, but all internal links remain plain wikilinks.

Routes

• overview-game-design-theory — High-level map tying together Schell, MDA, Koster, Sellers, Swink, Adams, Bond, and Poole
• overview-player-psychology — Route through motivation, flow, reward, immersion, and behaviour-shaping frameworks
• overview-ethical-game-design — Route through monetisation ethics, dark patterns, and player-respecting design
• overview-landmark-game-design-lessons — Landmark games treated as transferable design case studies rather than just classics

Concepts — Foundations & Theory

• foundational-vocabulary — Core game design terms: game, play, fun, mechanics, dynamics, experience, flow, emergence, feedback, and more (Schell + Poole)
• game-definition — What constitutes a game; Schell’s experience-centric and Poole’s control-centric definitions compared
• player-agency — Player control and interactivity as the essential quality of games; the combo complexity paradox
• elemental-tetrad — The four equally important elements of every game: Mechanics, Story, Aesthetics, Technology
• holographic-design — Seeing a game’s structure (skeleton) and player experience (skin) simultaneously
• design-lenses — Schell’s 100 design lenses: perspective-shifting question sets for examining a game
• lenses-reference — Full numbered list of all 100 lenses with one-line descriptions, grouped by chapter
• mda-framework — Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics: designer/player asymmetry, eight aesthetics, games as artifacts
• layered-tetrad — Bond’s extension of the Elemental Tetrad: Inscribed/Dynamic/Cultural layers across four elements
• game-atoms — Game atoms, MDA mapping, micro-mechanics, representational layers, atomic loops, emergence, schema theory
• burgun-taxonomy — Burgun’s four-tier taxonomy: toys → puzzles → contests → games; ambiguous-decision property; endogenous meaning; game fragility
• inherent-vs-emergent-complexity — Chess vs Go distinction; meaningful possibility space; hiding-behind-complexity failure mode (Burgun)
• game-shame — Cultural phenomenon driving games toward cinema emulation; design consequences; historical tracing (Burgun)
• second-order-design — Designers create state-spaces, not paths; emergent gameplay; Dwarf Fortress example
• systems-thinking — Sellers’ framework: parts, loops, wholes; reductionism critique; cobra effect; structural coupling; causal loop diagrams
• systemic-depth-elegance — Depth = multiple hierarchical levels; elegance = depth from few rules; Bushnell’s Law: easy to learn, difficult to master
• deep-games — Rusch’s criteria for emotional depth in games; primacy of rules over fiction; simulation-of-human-experience framing; case studies (Passage, Journey, Elude, Silent Hill 2)
• experiential-metaphor — Structural vs experiential metaphor; how game mechanics enact psychological states; coherence requirements; embodied enactment (Rusch)
• transformational-game-design — Five communicative goals; three allegorical approaches; Nine Questions framework; player–avatar alignment; beat chart method (Rusch)
• generative-ai-game-dev — AI-assisted development pipeline, Microsoft Muse, Adobe Firefly, Scenario AI, SoundRaw, GitHub Copilot, computational creativity, intelligent interactive storytelling

Concepts — Systems Design & Balancing

• interest-curves — Plotting player engagement over time; pacing, hooks, climax, and the interest threshold
• game-feel — Real-time control + simulated space + polish; ADSR response model; 7 principles of feel; proxied embodiment
• game-balance — Twelve types of game balance; difficulty model, DDA, positive feedback control
• playtesting — Circles of play testers, tissue play testers, investigator role, formal testing procedures
• prototyping — Risk-driven iterative prototyping; iterative design loop; paper prototyping benefits
• level-design — Spatial design, player guidance, encounter design, pacing, sawtooth difficulty
• challenge-types — Adams’ eight challenge categories; absolute and perceived difficulty model
• internal-economy — Sources, drains, converters, feedback loops, deadlocks, and progression mechanics
• economy-simulation-queues — Lightweight queue-based model for off-screen merchant inventory and plausible market change over time
• player-guidance — Direct and indirect guidance techniques; landmarks, lighting, sequencing, constraints
• game-loops — Core loops, inner/outer loops, designer’s loop; four principal loops; Clash of Clans case study
• interaction-loops — Player model; LDARF loop (Learn/Decide/Action/Rules/Feedback); skill chains; skill status; skill failure diagnostic
• vertical-slice — Definition, components (gameplay/art/UX/narrative), creation process, case studies (BioShock, Last of Us, No Man’s Sky)
• patterns-puzzles-chance — Spatial/temporal/behavioural patterns; logic/physical/social puzzles; chance (dice/loot/random); outcome/strategic/narrative uncertainty
• game-analytics — Engagement metrics (DAU/churn/retention), progression metrics, iron equation, data visualisation, Unity Analytics, GameAnalytics
• game-parts-and-attributes — Parts taxonomy (physical/non-physical/representational); attribute orders (1st/2nd/3rd); behaviour locality; feedback timing; data-driven design (Sellers Ch. 8)
• progression-and-power-curves — Curve types (linear/polynomial/exponential/sigmoid/piecewise); hedonic fatigue; economic balance; iron equation (Sellers Ch. 10)
• ui-design — Diegetic/non-diegetic/spatial/meta interfaces, Norman’s principles, information hierarchy, affordance
• meaningful-decisions — Anatomy of a choice; blind/obvious/meaningless/misleading/handcuffing anti-patterns; trade-offs; opportunity cost
• randomness-in-games — Skill/luck spectrum; fairness perception; mitigation techniques (setup randomness, drafting, card-based dice replacement)
• probability-for-designers — Joint/conditional probability, bell-curve dice distributions, Monte Carlo simulation, spreadsheet tools, D&D advantage analysis (Hiwiller Ch. 29–31)
• game-theory-fundamentals — Nash equilibria; Prisoner’s Dilemma; dominant strategies; zero-sum/minimax; mixed strategies; limits of rational actor model
• asymmetric-information — Unevenly distributed game-state knowledge; scouting, bluffing, deception, and hidden-state play

Concepts — Player Psychology & Ethics

• flow — The flow channel: balancing challenge and skill to sustain engagement
• fun-as-learning — Koster’s theory: fun = pattern recognition/learning; chunking, grokking, boredom as mastery, art vs entertainment
• self-determination-theory — SDT (competence/autonomy/relatedness), GOLF framework, loss aversion, sunk cost fallacy, Maslow hierarchy in games
• bartle-taxonomy — Achievers/Explorers/Socialisers/Killers; design levers per type; tensions between types
• reward-systems — Reward types, fast/slow loops, reinforcement schedules, gamification, motivation sustainability
• dark-patterns — Loot boxes, pay-to-win, grind walls, scarcity tactics, forced continuity; ethical design principles
• neurochemical-engagement — Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, norepinephrine; Yerkes-Dodson arousal curve; vigor/dedication/absorption
• player-centric-design — Design philosophy centred on duty to entertain and duty to empathise; the representative player
• presence-and-immersion — Presence (spatial/social/self); immersion (tactical/strategic/narrative); control types; agency types; Control→Agency→Presence→Immersion→Flow synergy chain
• psychology-of-adaptive-play — Adaptive systems, negotiated control, player trust, and the psychological shift from fixed to reactive play
• humour-in-game-design — Four humour theories, comedic forms, and audience/cultural fit in games
• cognitive-biases-in-games — Gambler’s fallacy, anchoring, loss aversion, framing, attribution errors, attention limits, working memory (4 chunks), tutorial design (Hiwiller Ch. 26–27)

Concepts — Narrative & Worldbuilding

• narrative-design — Three-act structure, story beats, linear/non-linear, illusion of choice, thematic coherence, Twine/ink
• environmental-storytelling — Space, light, material, and sound as narrative systems; ludonarrative alignment; evaluation checklist; Journey/Dark Souls/Half-Life 2 case studies
• character-design — Character as goal-driven system; mechanics as expression; NPC AI architectures (BT/GOAP/Utility/Social/LLM); player modelling; LLM NPC safety
• villain-design — The Goblin Encounter; making enemies vibrant; boss design as closed loop; encounter motivation and purpose

Concepts — Audio

• music-in-games — Music types (extra-diegetic/diegetic/gameplay); cues, motifs, themes; repetition problem; serendipitous sync
• interactive-music-techniques — Horizontal resequencing (branching/crossfading/transitional), vertical remixing (layers), stingers, control inputs, FMOD/Wwise middleware
• sound-design-basics — Synthesis chain (oscillator→filter→ADSR→LFO); LPF/HPF/BPF filters; DSP effects; music loop editing (zero crossing, reverb tails)

Concepts — Service Design & Monetisation

• games-as-a-service — Game design lens for ongoing services: retention, return hooks, live economies, and player relationships over time
• player-lifecycle — Clark’s five-stage player lifecycle (Discovering → Learning → Engaging → Earning → Churning); non-paying player as infrastructure
• six-degrees-of-socialization — Clark’s six-stage social engagement ladder; Interdependence Theory grounding; design implications per degree
• engagement-led-design — Four techniques: Bond Opening, Flash Gordon Cliffhanger, Never Seen Star Wars, Columbo Twist; three-timescale application (Clark)
• f2p-monetisation-design — Virtual goods taxonomy, Freemium Triangle, gateway good, buyer psychology, currency design, lucre-ludo-narrative dissonance, ethical constraints (Clark)
• pyramid-of-game-design — Lovell’s three-layer service-game model: Base, Retention, and Superfan connected by core loop and session
• service-game-session-design — Designing service-game sessions around MAP and PRIC evaluation; where a session begins and ends in live play

Concepts — Genre & Media Forms

• genre-taxonomy — Major game genres defined by mechanic type, player skill, and experiential pleasure
• open-world — Broad navigable world structure built around exploration, route freedom, and layered goals (seed)
• stealth — Avoiding detection through information control, visibility, and readable enemy awareness systems (seed)
• platformer-design — Jump variables (committed vs variable), coyote time, 2D/3D camera design, obstacle taxonomy, level flow, subjective difficulty, physics-driven platforming (Bycer)
• virtual-reality-fundamentals — VR definition (Brooks); reality–virtuality continuum (Milgram); VR history (Sensorama→Oculus); Long Nose of Innovation; cybersickness; redirected walking; Graphics Turing Test; VR ethics
• metroidvania-design — Ability-gated exploration structure where movement growth reconfigures how players read the world

Patterns — Systems & Scenario Design

• patterns-reference-table — Complete chapter-ordered index of all 270+ Björk & Holopainen patterns; wikilinked where pages exist
• risk-reward — Three risk sources (randomness/imperfect info/opponents); calibration variables; duration extension; Poker and Dark Souls examples
• resource-management — Producer-consumer chains; renewable/non-renewable/shared resource types; failure modes; strategy game examples
• loot-systems — Drop tables, rarity, replay loops, and item-chase structures that sustain progression over repeated play
• smooth-learning-curves — Three approaches: provide information, adjust challenges, let players self-adjust; DDA vs tutorial trade-offs
• paper-rock-scissors — Intransitive balance: cyclic dominance preventing dominant strategies; immediate vs long-term forms; Pokémon type chart
• hierarchy-of-goals — Subgoal/main-goal structure; linear/tree/network topology; progressive revelation; Zelda three-layer example
• closure-points — Events that reduce game state; level transitions, turn transitions; pacing control; save points; open-world conflict
• balancing-effects — Preemptive vs corrective balancing; hidden vs visible; multi-player emergent balancing; Mario Kart canonical example
• perceived-chance-to-succeed — The player psychology axiom: players need to believe they can succeed; motivates smooth learning curves, balancing effects, and accessibility design
• perceivable-margins — Players can notice a meaningful difference between better and worse play; conflicts with balancing effects; enables sense of Game Mastery
• fog-of-war — Spatial information hiding; individual vs shared fog; permanent vs returning reveal; prerequisite for asymmetric information in spatial games
• time-limits — Three purposes: create tension, bound consequences, terminate open-ended sessions; makes time a Limited Resource
• lives — Fixed chances before session ends; spawn location design; replenishment mechanics; relationship to save points and permadeath
• save-points — Save location design and difficulty modulation; save-load cycles as experimentation tool; checkpoint vs unrestricted saving trade-offs
• boss-monsters — Climactic subgoal encounter; Achilles’ Heel mechanic; end-of-phase closure; narrative and tension modulation
• co-operative-design — Designing interdependence so players succeed through coordination rather than parallel solo play
• exploration — Goal of discovering unknown territory; prerequisites, world population design, distinction from Reconnaissance; Metroidvania and open-world structures
• emergent-design — Designing rule-spaces that support multiple player-devised solutions rather than one scripted answer
• procedural-generation — Perlin noise, Gaussian distributions, Monte Carlo sampling, L-systems, fractal trees, terrain and cave generation; dungeon generation algorithms; PCG history

Concepts

• 3d-production-pipeline — The universal 3D pipeline: preproduction (design/planning) → production (model→unwrap→texture→shade→rig→animate) → postproduction (light→render→composite)
• 3d-blocking-and-greyboxing — Playable 3D blockout workflow for testing scale, route, camera, collision and interaction before final art
• 3d-materials-and-uvs — Beginner UV and material workflow linking Blender seams, unwraps, Principled BSDF, and Unity URP Lit material checks
• pixel-art-fundamentals — What pixel art is; grid, canvas sizes, no anti-aliasing, silhouette test, planning process, historical context
• pixel-art-colour-theory — Hue/saturation/value; limited palettes; hue shifting; three-shade system; colour harmony types; dithering; colour psychology
• pixel-art-character-design — Silhouette test; shape language; archetypes; proportions; facial features; layer workflow; cultural sensitivity
• pixel-art-environment-art — Seamless tile design; edge continuity; environmental storytelling; tile types; tile variations; 3×3 live preview
• pixel-art-animation — Disney’s twelve principles adapted; squash/stretch; frame rate; onion skinning; bouncing ball; walk cycle; idle animation
• lighting-for-mood-and-guidance — Light as a functional tool for player guidance, plane separation, and emotional tone; warm/cool contrast; diegetic sources
• composition-and-tonality — Rule of thirds, golden triangles, plane separation, zebra lighting, tone key; value over hue for readability
• colour-theory-fundamentals — Hue/saturation/value; Itten colour wheel; complementary/analogous/split-complementary/monochromatic; realism vs stylisation
• vfx-design-principles — VFX goals, primary/secondary element rules, scale of importance, hitbox/AoE accuracy; readability-first design
• vfx-value-and-colour — Discipline value/saturation bands, illumination, complementary vs analogous, theme palettes, ally/enemy indicators
• vfx-shape-and-timing — Hand-painted shape language, silhouettes, motion blur, anticipation/dissipation, dynamic timing, linger-time minimisation

Patterns

Programming & Engineering

Pages in this section are grouped into matching track folders inside wiki/programming/, but all internal links remain plain wikilinks.

Routes

• overview-unity-csharp-cpp-programming — Sequenced learning path for C# basics, Unity scripting, Git workflow, and the C++ secondary path
• overview-artificial-intelligence-in-games — Field map for authored AI, search/planning, optimisation, machine learning, PCG, and player modelling
• overview-cre341-agent-ai-route — Canonical CRE341 route through agent AI: Behaviour Trees as core, Utility AI as extension, GOAP and HTN as advanced layers
• overview-unity-nature-of-code-examples — Unity/C# route through simulation and emergence examples such as steering, particles, cellular automata, and genetic algorithms

Concepts — C# Basics

• csharp-variables-and-types — C# types (int, float, bool, string), const, arrays, public/private, Inspector attributes
• csharp-control-flow — if/else, for loops, while loops, ternary operator; core game logic patterns
• csharp-methods — void and typed methods, parameters, single responsibility, string interpolation
• csharp-enums — enumerated types for game state and named value sets
• csharp-properties — get/set accessors, read-only properties, auto-properties, expression-bodied
• csharp-code-style — Shared naming, formatting, and method-structure conventions for readable Unity C#

Concepts — C# OOP

• csharp-oop-fundamentals — classes, objects, encapsulation, constructors, static members, struct vs class
• csharp-collections — List<T> and Dictionary<K,V>: dynamic collections and key-based lookup
• csharp-inheritance — extending classes, virtual/override/abstract/sealed, base keyword, polymorphism
• csharp-interfaces — interface contracts, multiple interfaces, IDamageable pattern, Unity interface events
• csharp-delegates — delegates, Action, Func, Predicate, lambda expressions, multicast, C# events

Concepts — Unity Scripting Core

• monobehaviour-lifecycle — Start, Update, Time.deltaTime, frame-rate independence, lifecycle overview
• unity-input — Input.GetAxisRaw, GetAxis, GetKey, GetKeyDown; legacy Input Manager
• unity-transform — transform.Translate, transform.position, Vector3, Mathf.Clamp/Max/Min
• unity-getcomponent — caching components in Start, null checks, read-only accessors
• unity-inspector-references — SerializeField wiring, NullReferenceException, object communication chain
• unity-rigidbody2d — body types, linearVelocity, AddForce/Impulse, FixedUpdate, knockback, speed capping
• unity-collider2d-and-triggers — Is Trigger, OnTriggerEnter2D, OnCollisionEnter2D, CompareTag, Destroy, setup checklist

Concepts — Git & Collaboration

• git-concepts — Git mental model: snapshots not diffs, three states (modified/staged/committed), three areas, local operations
• git-workflow — Daily Git commands: init, clone, status, add, commit, log, diff, push, pull; Unity .gitignore
• git-branching — Branches as lightweight pointers; fast-forward and three-way merge; conflict resolution; Unity team tips
• git-github-unity — GitHub setup for Unity: account, repo creation, Unity .gitignore, collaborators, Pull Requests

Concepts — C++ Basics

• cpp-basics — C++ types, pointers, references, const/constexpr, value semantics, scope, range-for (Stroustrup Ch. 1)
• cpp-classes-and-oop — struct vs class, constructors, virtual functions, abstract types, enum class, operator overloading (Stroustrup Ch. 2, 5)
• data-oriented-design — Structuring engine code around memory layout, cache-friendly bulk processing, and predictable iteration
• cpp-memory-management — RAII, destructors, unique_ptr, shared_ptr, move semantics, rule of zero/five (Stroustrup Ch. 5–6, 15)
• cpp-templates — class/function templates, concepts (C++20), lambdas, function objects, CTAD (Stroustrup Ch. 7–8)

Concepts — Simulation & Emergence

• cellular-automata — elementary 1D CA (Wolfram rules), Conway’s Game of Life, procedural cave generation, double-buffer update pattern
• particle-systems-design — emitters, particles, lifespan, pooling, and per-frame simulation as a reusable VFX/programming pattern
• genetic-algorithms — fitness function design, selection, crossover, mutation, elitism, Knapsack/TSP/Lunar Lander encodings, neuroevolution, sensor-based perception
• ant-colony-optimisation — pheromone-guided constructive search for routing and path problems; useful contrast with genetic and swarm approaches
• particle-swarm-optimisation — population-based optimisation using personal and global best solutions; useful for continuous search spaces
• neuroevolution — evolving neural network weights or structures instead of training only with gradient descent; useful in games with awkward reward landscapes
• fuzzy-logic-for-games — fuzzy sets, membership functions, inference rules, and defuzzification for nuanced game decision-making

Concepts — Game AI

• ai-state-machine-pattern — OOP State Pattern for AI: encapsulated behaviours, polymorphic dispatch, idle/attack/flee; modularity and testability benefits
• ai-experience-management — AI game master / drama-manager systems that monitor play and adjust pacing, challenge, or story
• game-ai-agent-design — AI definitions (Russell & Norvig), autonomous agents, artificial stupidity, Behaviour Trees, GOAP, HTN
• machine-learning-games — ML taxonomy, probability, Bayes, Shannon entropy, supervised/unsupervised/RL, Q-learning, SARSA, neural networks, backpropagation
• npc-behaviour-readability — Making NPC intent legible through motion, timing, animation, and reliable signalling
• player-modelling — modelling player behaviour, preferences, or skill from telemetry to support adaptation, analytics, and personalisation
• procedural-content-generation-ai — AI-authored levels, worlds, items, or scenarios used for replayability, adaptation, and content scale
• possibility-maps — Tracking still-possible hidden world states so AI can defer commitments until the player forces a reveal
• smart-zones — Authored ambient-scene regions that let NPCs fill local roles cheaply and readably
• utility-ai — Dragon Age: Inquisition Behaviour Decision System; utility curves, multi-factor scoring, tuning guidance
• influence-maps — Spatial influence representation; Paragon bots one-step map; tactical decision support
• npc-perception-systems — Variable-angle sense cones, logical sound events, exposure maps; perception pipeline
• buddy-ai — Companion AI design (Ellie, The Last of Us); believability, utility, personality expression
• combat-coordinator-pattern — Role registry, combat vector, token systems, Belgian AI / Kung-Fu Circle system; coordinating multi-NPC encounters
• npc-performance-at-scale — Open-loop queues, daily scripts, hierarchical pathfinding; large-world NPC management
• pathfinding-algorithms — A*, octile heuristic, JPS+, Theta*, flow fields, search space representations, 8 implementation optimisations
• navigation-mesh-construction — Recast voxelisation, Wavefront Edge Expansion, tile navmesh, funnel algorithm, precomputed lookup tables (FFXIV)
• tactical-position-selection — Three-phase query language (generate/filter/weight) for AI position selection; cover segments; tactical A*; async raycasting
• squad-ai-patterns — Hierarchical three-layer AI (individual/squad/commander); HTN planning; strategic graph; Killzone 3 reference implementation
• strategic-ai-rts — Region-based map partitioning; chokepoint detection; influence propagation; Lanchester combat prediction; Hierarchical Portfolio Search
• mcts — Monte Carlo Tree Search fundamentals; hierarchical expansion for large action spaces; action ordering; abstract simulation
• blackboard-architecture — Shared AI memory store: per-character and global blackboards, caching expensive queries, multi-agent coordination
• ai-architecture-patterns — Cross-cutting structural patterns: hierarchy, option stacks, intelligent objects, modularity, reactivity vs deliberation, AI LOD

Patterns — Unity Architecture

• unity-object-communication — reference + method call pattern, separation of concerns, event chain, fat class anti-pattern
• unity-prefabs-scripting — Instantiate, List tracking, SetParent, DespawnAll, batch GetComponent
• unity-gamemanager-pattern — central state ownership, public API, singleton, generic Singleton, DontDestroyOnLoad, SceneManager
• unity-animator-scripting — SetBool/Float/Trigger, parameter constants, GameState enum, Time.timeScale, Invoke + scene load
• unity-audiosource — Play, PlayOneShot, PlayClipAtPoint, looping BGM, AudioListener.volume, mute toggle
• unity-particle-system-scripting — Play, Stop, Emit; attached vs prefab approach; Stop Action Destroy
• observer-pattern — subject/observer architecture, C# events, UnityEvent, subscription lifecycle, memory leak prevention
• factory-pattern — centralised instantiation, abstract product types, IEnemy pattern, Open-Closed Principle
• command-pattern — ICommand interface, Execute/Undo, CommandInvoker, undo/redo stack, action queuing
• object-pool-pattern — Reuse frequently spawned objects instead of repeated Instantiate/Destroy; useful for bullets, VFX, and transient enemies

Patterns — Movement & Agent Control

• steering-behaviours — Reynolds’ autonomous agent steering: seek, arrive, wander, flow field, path follow, flocking (separation/alignment/cohesion), formation movement, RVO/ORCA overview
• context-steering — Context maps (danger + interest) as a principled alternative to Reynolds steering; guarantees collision avoidance; F1 2011 case study
• behaviour-trees — hierarchical AI control using selectors, sequences, decorators, and task leaves; clearer alternative to large FSMs
• goal-oriented-action-planning — planner-driven AI behaviour using goals, world state, action preconditions, and action effects

Tools & Engines

References

• audio-middleware-overview — FMOD and Wwise as the higher-level tool layer for adaptive music, runtime DSP, and audio implementation workflow
• autolevel — Unity WFC-based level-generation tool with constraint authoring, block repositories, and designer-facing editor workflow
• blender-overview — Free, open-source (GPL) 3D creation suite: modelling, UV unwrapping, texturing, PBR shading, rigging, animation, compositing; three render engines (Workbench, EEVEE, Cycles)
• cinemachine-overview — Unity’s smart-camera package for follow behaviour, framing, blending, and impulse-driven camera feedback
• godot-overview — Open-source node-and-scene game engine with strong 2D support, multiple scripting options, and a lighter-weight workflow than Unity
• material-maker — Graph-based procedural material authoring tool exporting materials and shaders to Unity, Godot, and Unreal workflows
• monogame-overview — C#-centric, code-first cross-platform framework in the XNA lineage; stronger for programming fundamentals than editor-led tooling
• raylib-overview — Minimal coding-first graphics/game library useful for learning manual game-loop and rendering basics
• shader-graph-overview — Unity’s visual shader-authoring workflow for URP/HDRP projects
• unity-3d-import-pipeline — Blender-to-Unity asset import checklist covering scale, pivots, orientation, normals, materials, textures, colliders, prefabs, and first troubleshooting steps
• unity-animator-controller — Unity’s editor-side animation state machine: states, transitions, parameters, and blend trees
• unity-input-system — Unity’s current package-based input workflow with action maps, device bindings, and editor-side configuration
• unity-lighting-for-3d-scenes — Beginner Unity lighting workflow for readable 3D scenes using Directional, Point and Spot lights, real-time vs baked lighting, materials, and guidance checks
• unity-localisation-package — Unity’s package-backed localisation workflow: Locales, String Tables, Asset Tables, and pseudo-localisation
• unity-lod-groups — Unity’s Level of Detail workflow for 3D objects, using screen-space transitions, LOD Bias, and optional cross-fade to reduce distant rendering cost
• unity-navmesh — Unity’s built-in 3D navigation system: NavMesh Surface, Agent, Obstacle, and Link workflow
• unity-pixel-art-pipeline — Unity import settings for pixel art (Point filter, no compression, no mip maps, PPU); sprite sheet slicing; Animator Controller; Sprite Atlas; performance optimisation
• unity-pixel-perfect-camera — Camera-side pixel-art alignment workflow; complements import settings and Tilemap setup rather than replacing them
• unity-prefabs — Unity’s reusable GameObject asset workflow: prefab assets, scene instances, overrides, and runtime instantiation context
• unity-profiler — Unity’s main profiling workflow plus Memory Profiler, Profile Analyzer, Frame Debugger, and target-device measurement
• unity-scriptableobjects — Unity’s asset-based data container workflow for shared configuration, tuning, and data-driven design
• unity-tilemap — Unity’s grid-and-palette workflow for building 2D environments from reusable tilesets
• unity-ui-toolkit — Unity’s retained-mode UXML and USS workflow for structured runtime UI
• unity-urp-lighting-and-render-features — URP lighting workflow using the Lighting window, baked vs real-time lighting, and Renderer Features such as SSAO
• unity-urp-overview — Unity’s Universal Render Pipeline as the default rendering path for many current 2D and 3D projects
• yarn-spinner — Dialogue scripting tool with strong Unity integration and a browser-based editor for experimenting with branching conversations

Production & Process

Concepts

• scrum-in-game-development — Scrum roles, values, principles, and cross-discipline teams applied to game studios
• sprints — The sprint lifecycle: Sprint Goal, planning, daily scrum, review, retrospective, burndown
• product-backlog — Ordered feature queue replacing design documents; Definition of Done; backlog refinement
• user-stories — Player-centric feature descriptions; INVEST criteria; story points; Planning Poker; epics
• kanban-for-game-dev — Kanban for art/audio/content pipelines; WiP limits; takt time; cycle time; waste reduction
• team-dynamics-and-roles — Game Outcomes Project; Sellers’ three team principles; studio hierarchy from C-suite to QA
• preproduction-and-concept-validation — Hook, audience framing, comparable titles, risk lists, and prototype-first concept validation before full production
• minimum-viable-game — Smallest shippable game; scope management; protecting fixed ship dates
• agile-design — Design decisions grounded in playable games; set-based design; limits of documentation
• source-control — Source control for game teams: Git, Perforce, Unity Version Control compared; binary file challenge; Git LFS; industry context
• game-design-documentation — Document types (HCD, Pitch, GDD, Art Bible, Story Bible, Feature Spec); documentation purpose and pitfalls; production pipeline
• game-industry-realities — P&L basics, platform cuts, cash flow traps, crunch data (Game Outcomes Project), AAA/indie/tabletop career tracks, market luck and Pareto distribution
• game-marketing-fundamentals — Positioning, hooks, screenshots, trailers, demos, creator outreach, wishlists, and marketing as a development concern
• build-and-release-management — Hardening, release candidates, submission buffers, launch checklists, and console certification as a stricter variant
• store-page-and-pricing-strategy — Short description, screenshots, trailers, pricing, regional pricing, Early Access communication, and expectation-setting
• publishing-and-funding — Self-publishing, publisher deals, crowdfunding, milestones, recoup basics, and pitch credibility
• business-model-canvas-for-games — Applying the Business Model Canvas to game projects through audience, value, channels, costs, revenue, partners, and testable assumptions
• investment-pitches-for-games — Publisher, investor, grant, crowdfunding, and student pitch structures with traction, evidence, timeline, budget, and next-step expectations
• accessibility-and-localisation — Accessibility as production practice; subtitle/readability/remapping basics; Unity localisation workflow and pseudo-localisation
• post-launch-and-live-ops — Patch cadence, update communication, analytics-informed support, and when not to become a live-service game
• qa-and-bug-triage — QA vs QC, severity/priority matrix, regression testing, release blockers, and QA in Agile sprints
• legal-and-business-basics — IP ownership, work-for-hire, contracts, IGDA credits practice, revenue share, and crowdfunding obligations for small teams
• game-designer-specialisations — ~18 specialist designer roles from tech/AI/combat/economy/quest/narrative through to creative director and design director (O’Connor)
• design-leadership — Earning team trust, making decisions, discipline-specific communication styles, and the designer’s business responsibilities (O’Connor)
• design-communication — Vision statements, stand-ups, meeting discipline, Feature Description spreadsheet format, three-pass document lifecycle (O’Connor)
• games-as-a-service-development — Live-service development cycle, core vision, MVP, Triangle of Development, agile for live ops, server infrastructure (Clark)

Patterns

Theory & History

Concepts

• game-studies-foundations — Core vocabulary and tensions in game studies: play, rules, agency, medium specificity, and formalism
• history-of-games — Long history of structured play from ancient board games and playground games through consoles, PC gaming, id Software, and Steam
• games-as-systems-vs-games-as-stories — The tension between system-centred and story-centred understandings of games
• history-of-game-ai — From classical authored NPC control to broader AI-and-games work in modelling, PCG, and machine learning
• semiotics-of-games — How players read layered game signs (iconic, symbolic, indexical); Pac-Man as case study

Glossary

• glossary-index — Dataview index: all terms alphabetically (requires Dataview plugin)

Core Concepts

• aesthetics — Dual usage: MDA emotional response vs Schell’s sensory presentation
• affordance — Perceived signal of how an object should be used
• balance — Family of twelve distinct fairness/challenge problems; not a single property
• analysis-paralysis — Too many options or variables causing decision-making to slow or stall
• blackboard — Shared AI memory structure used by multiple systems to coordinate decisions
• bushnells-law — Arcade-era design rule: easy to learn, difficult to master
• chunking — Cognitive compression of patterns into automatic units
• context-loop — The real-world return loop surrounding sessions: when and why a player re-engages with a game
• core-loop — Primary repeated gameplay cycle
• definition-of-done — Agreed quality checklist before a backlog item is complete
• diegetic — Existing within the game world (UI/narrative sense)
• difficulty — Absolute (measurable) vs perceived (experienced) challenge — they diverge
• dynamics — Run-time behaviour emerging from mechanics acting over time
• elegance — Maximum systemic depth from minimum rules
• emergence — Complex behaviour arising from simple rule interactions
• endogenous-value — Value that exists only within the magic circle
• feedback — Three distinct senses: game feel polish / systems loops / designer data
• fiero — Triumph over adversity; the raised-fist emotion
• flow — Optimal engagement state: challenge matched to skill → see concept page
• fun — Four conflicting source definitions: surprise / learning / challenge / decision
• game-feel — Tactile sensation of real-time control in simulated space → see concept page
• game-mastery — The felt sense that better play produces reliably better outcomes
• grokking — Deep, intuitive understanding of a system
• heuristic — Practical rule-of-thumb or estimate guiding search or decision-making
• lusory-attitude — Voluntary acceptance of a game’s rules enabling play
• magic-circle — Boundary separating the game world from ordinary life
• memorisation — Remembered spatial/system knowledge carried across attempts or sessions
• metagame — Strategic or progression layer above the immediate moment-to-moment rules of play
• mechanics — Rules and algorithms defining possible actions and results
• minimum-viable-game — Smallest shippable game preserving core fun → see concept page
• navmesh — Polygonal walkable-space representation used for AI navigation and pathfinding
• play — Voluntary intrinsically motivated activity; broader category than games
• playtesting — Structured player observation for design data → see concept page
• presence — Sense of “being there” in a virtual space; distinct from immersion
• reconnaissance — Deliberate scouting or information gathering before committing to action
• rhythm-of-play — The larger pacing cadence of session tension, release, pause, and return
• proxied-embodiment — Feeling present in an avatar’s body through control
• second-order-design — Designing rule-spaces, not scripted paths → see concept page
• sprint — Fixed-length Scrum iteration producing a shippable increment
• structural-coupling — Mutual adaptation between player and game system over time
• surprise — Unexpected event or revelation that changes player understanding, emotion, or tactics
• systemic-depth — Multiple hierarchical strategy levels from the same rules
• telemetry — Recorded gameplay data used for analytics, modelling, balancing, and adaptation
• thematic-coherence — Alignment of mechanics, visuals, audio, writing, and space around the same meaning or tone
• utility-score — Numerical desirability estimate used by utility-based AI to rank actions
• velocity — Team’s average story points per sprint; forecasting tool
• vertical-slice — Complete polished game section at final intended quality → see concept page

Comparisons

• games-vs-film — Interactivity vs. passive viewing; why game-to-film adaptations fail; new media displacement argument
• behaviour-trees-vs-goap — Side-by-side comparison of reactive authored trees versus deliberative goal planning for enemy AI and NPC behaviour

Notables

People

• jesse-schell — Author of The Art of Game Design; 100 lenses, Elemental Tetrad, interest curves
• raph-koster — Author of A Theory of Fun; fun as pattern learning, chunking, grokking, fiero
• michael-sellers — Author of Advanced Game Design; systems thinking, second-order design, game loops
• steve-swink — Author of Game Feel; three building blocks, ADSR, proxied embodiment
• ernest-adams — Author of Fundamentals of Game Design; player-centric design, challenge taxonomy, economy

Games

• celeste — Precision platformer; game feel, accessibility design, mechanic-narrative coherence
• chess — Abstract strategy; systemic depth, elegance, expert chunking, game theory
• clash-of-clans — Mobile strategy; canonical four-loop game loop case study
• dwarf-fortress — Colony sim; canonical second-order design and emergence case study
• go — Abstract strategy; the elegance benchmark; maximum depth from minimum rules
• god-of-war — Action-adventure; DDA, flow channel management, visceral game feel
• doom-2016 — FPS landmark for aggressive combat flow, forward pressure, and encounter pacing
• binding-of-isaac — Roguelite landmark for procedural generation, item combinations, and endless run variety
• infinifactory — Factory-puzzle landmark for emergent solution spaces and player-devised constructions
• minecraft — Sandbox survival; second-order design, emergence, player-constructed goals
• pac-man — Arcade; semiotics case study, MDA mapping worked example
• portal — Puzzle; elegance from one mechanic, implicit teaching, momentum game feel
• super-mario-bros — Platformer; World 1-1 as flow entry and implicit level design model
• star-control-2 — Sci-fi RPG; emergent narrative, player-authored experience, dialogue system depth
• super-metroid — Metroidvania; ability-gated exploration, organic teaching, world-as-character
• x-com-ufo-defense — Strategy-tactics hybrid; multi-system design, resource scarcity, procedural tension
• zoombinis — Educational puzzle; achievement design, intrinsic motivation, organic difficulty progression
• goldeneye-64 — Console FPS pioneer; controller adaptation, mission variety, multi-player design
• metal-gear-solid — Stealth action; genre definition, boss uniqueness, cutscene integration
• diablo-ii — Action RPG; loot loop design, itemisation economy, replayability layers
• half-life-2 — FPS; sectional design, physics integration, environmental narrative
• katamari-damacy — Action; single-mechanic depth, flow state, playful identity
• devil-may-cry-3 — Action; combo system mastery, style-scoring as player expression
• shadow-of-the-colossus — Action-adventure; boss-focused design, trophy room structure, minimalist world
• team-fortress-2 — Team FPS; asymmetric class design, free-to-play model, community longevity
• the-world-ends-with-you — Action RPG; dual-screen multi-system design, music integration
• left-4-dead — Co-op shooter; co-operative design, AI Director, dynamic difficulty
• plants-vs-zombies — Casual strategy landmark for readability, onboarding, and layered systemic complexity
• spelunky — Roguelite; procedural generation, permadeath loop, discoverable systems
• demons-souls — Action RPG; Soulslike design origins, persistence systems, death as core mechanic
• doom — FPS; emergent monster AI, shareware distribution model, environmental hazard design (1993 original — distinct from doom-2016)
• tetris — Puzzle; near-perfect abstract design, universal legibility, depth from speed scaling alone
• street-fighter-ii — Fighting; combo system as discovered bug, head-to-head arcade economics, deliberate violation of Bushnell’s Law
• simcity — City-builder; no-win-condition design, emergence from simple rules, Conway’s Game of Life lineage, Forrester’s Urban Dynamics
• civilization — 4X strategy; “just one more turn” compulsion loop, turn-based cognitive rhythm, technology tree progression, asymmetric civs
• myst — Exploration puzzle; “worlds not levels” philosophy, environmental storytelling without text, CD-ROM as enabling medium

Sources

• source-2d-game-graphics-course — 6-week interactive web course (dkcharles.github.io/2D_Game_Graphics); pixel art fundamentals through Unity pipeline integration
• source-cre132-labs — CRE132 lab set (10 weeks); C# fundamentals through Unity scripting, physics, prefabs, animation, audio, particles
• source-advanced-game-design — Michael Sellers’ systems approach to game design (Pearson 2018); systems thinking, game loops, second-order design, neurochemical engagement, transitive/intransitive balance, progression curves, iron equation, Game Outcomes Project, playtesting/prototyping practice
• source-agile-game-development — Clinton Keith’s Agile/Scrum/Kanban for game studios textbook (2nd ed., 2021); production process, sprint model, lean pipelines
• source-art-of-game-design — Jesse Schell’s foundational game design textbook (2008); 100 lenses, elemental tetrad, interest curves
• source-trigger-happy — Steven Poole’s critical theory of videogames (2000); player control, semiotics, genre, games vs. film
• source-mda — Hunicke, LeBlanc, Zubek (2004); MDA framework, eight aesthetics, games as artifacts
• source-fundamentals-game-design — Ernest Adams’ comprehensive game design textbook (3rd ed., 2014); player-centric design, challenge taxonomy, economy, balance, level design
• source-introduction-game-design-prototyping — Jeremy Gibson Bond’s textbook (3rd ed., 2014); Layered Tetrad, iterative design, playtesting circles, player guidance
• source-game-feel — Steve Swink’s dedicated game feel textbook (2009); three building blocks, 6 metrics, 7 principles, ADSR, proxied embodiment
• source-theory-of-fun — Raph Koster’s illustrated theory (2005); fun as pattern learning, chunking, grokking, art vs entertainment, trellis metaphor
• source-csharp-yellow-book — Rob Miles’ C# Yellow Book (Ed. 8.1, 2019); OOP fundamentals, enums, inheritance, interfaces, properties, generics and collections
• source-csharp-notes-for-professionals — GoalKicker community reference; delegates, events, Action/Func, multicast behaviour, and lambda-expression syntax
• source-progit — Scott Chacon & Ben Straub’s Pro Git (2nd ed.); Git mental model, daily workflow, branching, GitHub collaboration (beginner chapters only)
• source-cre133-lectures — CRE133 lecture series (Wk 1–9); interaction loops, presence/immersion, vertical slice, patterns/puzzles/chance, documentation, player psychology
• source-cre342-lectures — CRE342 lecture series (Wk 1–11); Bartle’s taxonomy, reward systems, dark patterns, narrative design, game atoms, analytics, UI design, Maslow in games
• source-learning-blender — Oliver Villar’s Blender textbook (3rd ed., 2021); 3D production pipeline, Blender tools overview, EEVEE vs Cycles render engines, PBR materials
• source-players-making-decisions — Zack Hiwiller’s game design textbook (2016); meaningful decisions, randomness, game theory, reinforcement schedules, cognitive biases
• source-writing-interactive-music — Michael Sweet’s game audio textbook (Pearson, 2015); interactive music techniques, synthesis, sound design, audio middleware
• source-we-deserve-better-villains — Jai Kristjan’s practitioner survival guide (CRC Press, 2019); villain design, development lifecycle, elevator pitch, three levels of complexity
• source-being-really-virtual — Frank Steinicke’s VR research monograph (Springer, 2016); VR fundamentals, redirected walking, Graphics Turing Test, VR ethics, simulation argument
• source-make-it-stick — Brown, Roediger & McDaniel’s cognitive psychology of learning (Harvard, 2014); retrieval practice, spaced repetition, interleaving, desirable difficulties, learning myths
• source-a-tour-of-cpp — Bjarne Stroustrup’s C++20 survey (Pearson 2023); types, RAII, smart pointers, move semantics, templates, concepts, lambdas
• source-nature-of-code — Daniel Shiffman’s open web book; physics simulation, steering behaviours, cellular automata, fractals, L-systems, genetic algorithms, neural networks, neuroevolution
• source-cre341-lectures — CRE341 lecture series (Wks 1.2, 2.1, 3.r1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1, 7, 8–9); narrative, environmental storytelling, character design, agent AI, PCG, ML/RL, generative AI
• source-steamworks-store-and-release — Official Steamworks documentation on Coming Soon pages, wishlists, visibility, store reviews, pricing, Early Access, release flow, and post-launch updates
• source-indie-marketing-gdc-talks — GDC practitioner talks on Steam pages, marketing hooks, showcasing, and wishlist-building for indie teams
• source-xbox-accessibility-and-certification — Official Xbox accessibility and certification guidance; platform requirements, release readiness, and compliance framing
• source-game-accessibility-guidelines — Practical accessibility guidelines for games, including subtitle readability and layered accessibility targets
• source-unity-localization — Official Unity localisation workflow; locales, String Tables, Asset Tables, and pseudo-localisation
• source-kickstarter-creator-guides — Official Kickstarter pre-launch and creator guidance; community prep, preview flow, promotion planning, and campaign readiness
• source-thomas-brush-indie-game-dev-tips — Thomas Brush practitioner advice on hooks, polished demos, first-game scope, early marketing, feedback and indie production habits
• source-business-model-canvas — Strategyzer / Osterwalder and Pigneur’s Business Model Canvas; one-page business-model tool adapted for game-project assumptions
• source-game-pitching-to-publishers — Jason Della Rocca, Game Developer, Rami Ismail coverage, and UK Games Fund material on pitch readiness, traction, playable builds, and funding evidence
• source-igda-qa-and-contracts — IGDA resources on QA, contracts, quality of life, and professional crediting practice
• source-craft-and-science-game-design — Phil O’Connor’s professional designer manual (CRC Press, 2021); designer specialisations, leadership, communication, FD format
• source-game-design-deep-dive-platformers — Joshua Bycer’s platformer analysis (CRC Press, 2020); jump variables, camera design, level flow, subjective difficulty, obstacle taxonomy
• source-20-essential-games-to-study — Joshua Bycer’s design case study survey (CRC Press, 2019); 20 landmark games each demonstrating a named design principle
• source-making-deep-games — Doris Rusch’s framework for emotional depth in games (Routledge, 2017); deep games, experiential metaphor, transformational game design
• source-game-design-theory — Keith Burgun’s formalist game design theory (CRC Press, 2012); toys/puzzles/contests/games taxonomy, contention, game shame
• source-games-as-a-service — Oscar Clark’s F2P design lens (Focal Press, 2014); player lifecycle, social engagement, ethical monetisation, live-service development
• source-pyramid-of-game-design — Nick Lovell’s three-layer service-game model (CRC Press, 2018); Base, Retention, and Superfan layers; core loop and session design
• source-patterns-in-game-design — Björk & Holopainen’s catalogue of 250+ game design patterns (2004); structural patterns across goals, resources, conflict, narrative, and social play
• source-game-ai-pro — First Game AI Pro anthology; broad studio AI coverage across architecture, movement, tactics, awareness, racing, and specialised AI topics
• source-game-ai-pro-2 — Second Game AI Pro anthology; strongest for PCG, experience management, Smart Zones, possibility maps, readability, and merchant-queue economy models
• source-game-ai-pro-3 — Third Game AI Pro anthology; modular AI, utility reasoning, BT/FSM hybrids, tooling, debugging, and production tactics
• source-game-ai-pro-360-character-behavior — Game AI Pro 360 anthology on character behaviour; utility AI, influence maps, perception, buddy AI, combat coordination, performance at scale
• source-game-ai-pro-360-architecture — Game AI Pro 360: Guide to Architecture (Rabin, 2020); structural patterns, blackboard, option stacks, BT Starter Kit, utility theory, reactivity vs deliberation, HTN deep-dive
• source-game-ai-pro-360-movement-pathfinding — Game AI Pro 360: Guide to Movement and Pathfinding (Rabin, 2020); A*, JPS+, Theta*, navmesh construction, context steering, flow fields, crowds, formations
• source-game-ai-pro-360-tactics-strategy — Game AI Pro 360: Guide to Tactics and Strategy (Rabin, 2020); tactical position selection, squad AI, influence maps (modular + infinite-resolution), MCTS, strategic AI, combat prediction
• source-game-engine-gems-2-3 — Combined Game Engine Gems 2 and 3 summary; data-oriented design, engine tooling, C++ utility techniques, and selected AI chapters
• source-grokking-algorithms — Aditya Bhargava’s visual introduction to algorithmic thinking; Big O, graphs, search, greedy methods, dynamic programming, and KNN
• source-natural-computing-algorithms — Brabazon, O’Neill and McGarraghy’s survey of natural computing; genetic algorithms, PSO, ant colony optimisation, and neuroevolution
• source-artificial-intelligence-for-games — Millington and Funge’s game AI textbook; movement, pathfinding, decision-making, planning, and architectural trade-offs
• source-ai-basics — Hadelin de Ponteves and Kirill Eremenko’s broad AI/ML/DL primer; useful for basic terminology and high-level framing
• source-cinemachine — Official Unity documentation for the Cinemachine package; follow cameras, composition, blending, impulse, and migration notes
• source-ai-and-games — Yannakakis and Togelius’ synthesis of AI in and for games; playing, generating, modelling, and understanding games
• source-programming-game-ai-by-example — Mat Buckland’s practical game AI book; FSMs, steering, graphs, pathfinding, fuzzy logic, and goal-driven behaviour
• source-ai-game-engine-programming — Brian Schwab source placeholder; raw text appears truncated, so this page preserves only low-confidence metadata and ingest notes
• source-ai-game-development — AI Game Development source placeholder; raw file is an HTML Help container rather than readable extracted text
• source-shader-graph — Official Unity documentation for Shader Graph; visual shader authoring and SRP support in URP/HDRP
• source-history-of-games-handout — Student handout tracing game history from ancient board/playground traditions to consoles, PC gaming, id Software, Steam, and digital distribution
• source-vintage-games-2 — Matt Barton’s game history survey (CRC Press, 2017); ~50 landmark games from Spacewar! to Minecraft; design lessons on emergence, no-win-condition design, compulsion loops, environmental storytelling, shareware distribution
• source-unity-input-system — Official Unity documentation for the Input System package; current input workflow, action maps, and legacy Input Manager contrast
• source-unity-scriptableobject — Official Unity documentation for ScriptableObject assets; shared data containers and data-driven workflow support
• source-unity-csharp-style-guide — Unity’s Unity 6 coding style guide; naming, organisation, comments, and maintainability conventions for C# projects
• source-unity-scriptableobjects-modular-architecture — Unity 6 architecture e-book on ScriptableObjects, event channels, shared variables, and modular project structure
• source-unity-design-patterns-and-solid — Unity guide to SOLID and reusable design patterns for maintainable project architecture
• source-unity-game-programming-patterns — Unity 2022 e-book on GoF patterns in Unity/C#: Factory, Object Pool, Singleton, Command, State, Observer, MVP
• source-unity-project-organisation-version-control — Unity 6 workflow guide covering project structure, collaboration habits, Git, Perforce, and Unity Version Control
• source-unity-profiling-guide — Unity 6 profiling guide covering Profiler, Memory Profiler, Profile Analyzer, and Frame Debugger workflow
• source-unity-performance-mobile-xr-web — Unity 6 optimisation guide for mobile, XR, and web targets with platform-aware performance advice
• source-unity-productivity-tips — Unity 6 workflow guide highlighting package/tool choices that improve project productivity
• source-autolevel — AutoLevel Unity README; WFC-based procedural level generation with editor-side constraints, block repos, and export support
• source-blender-5-manual — Official Blender 5.1 manual; reference map for interface, modelling, animation, physics, rendering, and compositing
• source-blender-gltf-fbx-export — Official Blender export documentation for glTF and FBX; selected objects, modifiers, UVs, normals, materials, animation limits, and Unity-facing asset transfer checks
• source-blender-uvs-and-principled-bsdf — Official Blender documentation on UV seams and Principled BSDF; unwrap iteration, stretching, Base Color, Roughness, Metallic, Alpha and Normal inputs
• source-fna — Accuracy-focused XNA reimplementation with strong preservation and open-platform emphasis
• source-godot-csharp — Official Godot .NET documentation; C# editor-build requirements and current platform support caveats
• source-godot-engine — Official Godot engine website; scene/node model, dedicated 2D, multi-language support, and open-source positioning
• source-material-maker — Procedural material authoring tool based on Godot; graph workflows and Unity/Godot/Unreal export
• source-monogame — Official MonoGame site; managed-code cross-platform framework in the XNA lineage
• source-poly-haven — CC0 asset-library site focused on open licensing and production-quality HDRIs, textures, and models
• source-quixel-megascans — Fab seller presence for Quixel Megascans; premium scanned environment asset ecosystem
• source-raylib — Official raylib site; simple coding-first graphics/game library built around examples and a small API
• source-raylib-cs — C# bindings for raylib with a straightforward NuGet-based setup and explicit draw-loop programming model
• source-turbosquid — Broad commercial 3D marketplace emphasising catalogue breadth and ready-made production assets
• source-unity-asset-store — Unity’s marketplace for engine-native assets, packages, tools, templates, and workflow accelerators
• source-unity-urp-advanced-creators — Unity 6 URP e-book covering renderer assets, rendering workflow, and advanced creator context
• source-unity-urp-shaders-vfx — Unity 6 URP shader/VFX e-book covering Shader Graph, stylised effects, and render-pipeline workflows
• source-unity-2d-art-animation-lighting — Unity 6.3 LTS 2D art e-book on 2D art pipeline, animation, lighting, and scene-building workflows
• source-unity-animation-guide — Unity animation guide covering Animator Controllers, clips, rigs, and production-friendly animation workflow
• source-unity-advanced-visual-effects — Unity VFX guide covering advanced effects workflows, graph-based tooling, and production concerns
• source-unity-game-designer-playbook — Unity design e-book linking prototyping, input, animation, playtesting, and designer-friendly workflows
• source-unity-ui-design-and-implementation — Unity UI guide comparing UI implementation approaches and practical interface-production workflow
• source-unity-learn-game-development-pathway — Official Unity Learn Game Development pathway and Beginning 3D Game Development course; beginner 2D/3D route, personal project, materials, lighting, UI, audio, and simple scripting
• source-unity-model-importing — Official Unity model import documentation; FBX workflow, Model tab, Materials tab, scale, normals, tangents, texture search, colliders, and importer review checks
• source-unity-probuilder-greyboxing — Official Unity Learn and ProBuilder Shape Tool material on basic shapes, snapping, pivots, dimensions, and rapid 3D blockout
• source-unity-creative-core-lighting — Official Unity Learn lighting route for direct and indirect light, global illumination, real-time lights, baked lighting, lightmaps, probes, and URP scene lighting
• source-unity-urp-lit-shader — Official URP Lit Shader reference covering Base Map, Metallic, Smoothness, Normal Map, Height Map, Occlusion Map, Surface Type and rendering cost
• source-light-and-color-game-dev — MY.GAMES beginner’s guide (Sharov, 2024); light and colour for mood, direction, composition, tonality, and realism vs stylisation
• source-lol-vfx-style-guide — Riot Games internal VFX style guide; goals, primary/secondary elements, scale of importance, value/saturation bands, shape language, timing
• source-yarn-spinner — Official Yarn Spinner documentation and browser editor; dialogue scripting syntax, Unity integration, and branching narrative authoring workflow

Learning Science

Concepts

• evidence-based-learning — Retrieval practice, spaced repetition, interleaving, desirable difficulties, elaboration, mental models, illusions of knowing, learning styles myth, growth mindset (Brown, Roediger & McDaniel)

Synthesis

• overview-game-asset-libraries — How to choose between Poly Haven, Quixel Megascans, TurboSquid, and the Unity Asset Store based on licence clarity, engine fit, and cleanup cost
• overview-beginner-3d-game-development-route — Beginner route from first 3D scene to greybox, Blender import, materials, lighting, NavMesh, and simple optimisation
• overview-gdnd-practice-route — Student practice route through C#, Unity scripting, object interaction, code walkthroughs, 3D scene building, and production judgement
• overview-final-year-game-project-route — Capstone route from concept claim and risk prototypes through vertical slice, production evidence, player testing, pitch and reflection
• overview-bjork-patterns-balance-and-mastery — Björk & Holopainen’s strongest student-facing pattern cluster: Smooth Learning Curves, Perceived Chance to Succeed, Balancing Effects, and Perceivable Margins
• overview-game-design-theory — How Schell, MDA, Koster, Sellers, Swink, Adams, Bond, and Poole fit together; five converging claims; five-layer working model; which framework to reach for which problem
• overview-game-studies-foundations — Theory-history synthesis linking game definitions, medium specificity, the magic circle, and the systems-versus-stories tension
• overview-player-psychology — How SDT, Bartle, flow, fun-as-learning, neurochemistry, interaction loops, and presence/immersion relate; layered diagnostic model; which framework for which problem
• overview-ethical-game-design — Dark patterns taxonomy; engagement vs manipulation; SDT as ethical standard; vulnerable populations; ethical design principles; the commercial case
• overview-agile-game-development — How Scrum, Kanban, and Lean fit together in a game studio; crunch as structural failure; cargo cult Scrum
• overview-unity-2d-architecture — How MDA, game loops, internal economy, and game feel map onto Unity scripting patterns; the event chain Input → Physics → Logic → Economy → Feedback
• overview-full-game-development-pipeline — End-to-end map from idea and concept validation through prototype, vertical slice, production, release, launch, sales, and post-launch support
• overview-landmark-game-design-lessons — Landmark games turned into transferable design lessons: Metroidvania structure, loot, co-op, emergence, service design, and boss encounters
• overview-artificial-intelligence-in-games — How authored NPC AI, search, planning, optimisation, machine learning, player modelling, and PCG fit together in game development
• overview-cre341-agent-ai-route — Canonical CRE341 route through agent AI: BTs as core, utility AI as extension, GOAP and HTN as advanced layers, player modelling as adjacent topic
• overview-unity-nature-of-code-examples — Unity/C# teaching route for Nature of Code concepts using simple 2D sprites, dots, and grids
• overview-unity-csharp-cpp-programming — Sequenced learning path for all programming topics: five Unity/C# stages, Git workflow, and C++ secondary path; entry points by background