Given the book’s constant delays\u2014remember when it was meant to be finished last Christmas?\u2014I’ve been feeling reluctant to post any updates. Alas, it’s time for me to swallow my shame.<\/p>\n
After the last edit in July, I spent the following two and a half months doing what I think is the third or fourth edit. I’m not exactly sure, I lost count a few months ago. What I can say with certainty though is that I’m finally satisfied with the copy. I just need to give it a final proof-read and make a few small adjustments to punctuation and it’ll be ready for print.<\/p>\n
At the moment, I’m more than a third of the way through the reference images and video. I expect that to last another 2 weeks or so. After which I will begin putting the images, links and text together into its final form. I’m hopeful of hearing a response back from a publisher in the next month or so. If I don’t get picked up, I’ll probably just go ahead with self-publishing. Yes, I will be offering a print version and have been optimising the images and reference material to suit the format. I’m not going to take a stab at a release date this time. Just know that I’ve been spending a ridiculous amount of time on it and it should<\/em> be done in due time.<\/p>\n Today I want to share 2 things with you. The name of the book and the contents page. The book will be called Rethinking Games Criticism: An Analysis of Wario Land 4. It is as much game design text book as it is a piece on Wario Land 4 and a critique of current serious games writing. As for the contents page, please find it below:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thanks<\/strong><\/p>\n Copyright<\/strong><\/p>\n Preface<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Introduction<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n What is Wario Land 4?<\/p>\n How to Read This Book<\/p>\n Online Reference<\/p>\n A Few Words on Style<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Need To Know<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Game Elements<\/p>\n Wario<\/strong><\/p>\n Mechanics<\/p>\n Transformations and Navigation<\/p>\n Level Elements<\/strong><\/p>\n Essential Elements<\/p>\n Regular Elements<\/p>\n Exclusive Elements<\/p>\n Threats<\/strong><\/p>\n Enemies<\/p>\n Rewards<\/strong><\/p>\n Coins, Crystals, Diamonds and Treasures<\/p>\n Game Structure<\/strong><\/p>\n Level, Hub and System Structure<\/p>\n Other<\/strong><\/p>\n User Interface<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Digging Deeper<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Mechanics Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n Why Jump, Attack and Traversal?<\/p>\n Mechanics, Function and Minimum Difference<\/p>\n The Dominant Mechanics<\/p>\n Attack and Dash Attack Comparison<\/p>\n Dash Attack \u2013 Accessibility Diminishing Power<\/p>\n Attack \u2013 Power Flavouring Play<\/p>\n Fake Momentum and Step Acceleration<\/p>\n Controller Input~Mechanical Output<\/p>\n Nuance and the Hierarchy of Power<\/p>\n Game Dynamics<\/strong><\/p>\n Game Dynamics Introduction<\/p>\n Enemies and Interplay<\/strong><\/p>\n Interplay Analysis<\/p>\n Enemies as Static Game Elements<\/p>\n Psychology and Engagement<\/strong><\/p>\n Principles of Engagement<\/p>\n Selectable and Scalable Difficulty<\/p>\n Health and Hearts Introduction<\/p>\n Rewards, Punishment and Psychology<\/p>\n Narrative<\/strong><\/p>\n Premise and Interaction Set in Context<\/p>\n Game Ideas<\/p>\n Counterpoint<\/strong><\/p>\n Examples of Counterpoint<\/p>\n Suspension<\/strong><\/p>\n Room Suspension<\/p>\n Visual\/Audio<\/strong><\/p>\n Conveying Information Through Form<\/p>\n The 2D Perspective and The Illusion of Depth<\/p>\n Bounding Boxes, Camera, ACTION!<\/p>\n Music Observations<\/p>\n Design Philosophies<\/strong><\/p>\n Game as Teacher<\/p>\n The Game Design Style Guide<\/p>\n Additional Essays<\/strong><\/p>\n Through the Lens of Interaction + Association + Cognition and Application<\/p>\n Designing for Freedom Within Linearity<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Level Analysis<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Essays on Levels<\/strong><\/p>\n Folded Level Design<\/p>\n Rooms, Doors and Considerations<\/p>\n Skills and Challenge Types<\/p>\n Transformations and the Level Design Tool Box<\/p>\n Restricted-to-Freer Practice<\/p>\n Levels<\/strong><\/p>\n Level Analysis Introduction<\/p>\n Entry Passage: Hall of Hieroglyphs<\/p>\n Emerald Passage: Palm Tree Paradise<\/p>\n Emerald Passage: Wildflower Fields<\/p>\n Emerald Passage: Mystic Lake<\/p>\n Emerald Passage: Monsoon Jungle<\/p>\n Ruby Passage: The Curious Factory<\/p>\n Ruby Passage: The Toxic Landfill<\/p>\n Ruby Passage: 40 Below Fridge<\/p>\n Ruby Passage: Pinball Zone<\/p>\n Topaz Passage: Toy Block Tower<\/p>\n Topaz Passage: The Big Board<\/p>\n Topaz Passage: Doodle Woods<\/p>\n Topaz Passage: Domino Row<\/p>\n Sapphire Passage: Crescent Moon Village<\/p>\n Sapphire Passage: Arabian Night<\/p>\n Sapphire Passage: Fiery Cavern<\/p>\n Sapphire Passage: Hotel Horror<\/p>\n Golden Passage<\/p>\n Purple Pipe Puzzle Rooms<\/p>\n Bosses<\/p>\n Passage Themes<\/p>\n Mini-Games<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Topical Essays<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Wario Land – An Evolutionary History<\/p>\n From Odd to Off-Kilter – The Transition into WarioWare<\/p>\n From 8 to 16 bits in a Year and a Half \u2013 Wario Land 3 to 4<\/p>\n The Cutting Room Floor – Beta Vs. Final Game<\/p>\n Wario – A Personality Profile<\/p>\n Mario and Wario \u2013 A Character Comparison<\/p>\n Loose Ends<\/p>\n Credits<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Glossary<\/p>\n <\/p>\nRethinking Games Criticism: An Analysis of Wario Land 4<\/h3>\n