Ubisoft and Charles River Media are keen on having gamers school each other, announcing The Official Far Cry 2 Map Editing Guide, one of the first game design books written by gamers.
All three versions of Far Cry 2 contain a robust set of level design tools, but there is a big difference between tossing down a few boulders onto a blank map and crafting a sublime multiplayer experience. Ubisoft now turns to the Far Cry 2 players themselves, accepting submissions on various topics for inclusion in "Designing Wargames: The Official Far Cry 2 Map Editing Guide", to be published this spring.
"This is the next milestone in gamer-generated content," says David Hutchison, Associate Professor at Brock University. "Far Cry 2 makes it easy for both PC and console gamers to create cool new multiplayer maps that they can then share with other gamers. We want to honour this effort by inviting the Far Cry 2 map-making community to contribute to this first-of-its-kind game design book."
While the backbone of the book will be authored and edited by Professor Hutchinson, the author of “Playing to Learn: Video Games in the Classroom," the meat will come directly from articles submitted at www.farcrybook.com. If you're interested in becoming a part of the project, just follow the link for the submission guidelines, but act fast - submissions close tomorrow.
It sounds to me like a collection of user-written FAQS and strategies you'd find online, only without having to worry about burning your thighs with your laptop while reading it in the restroom. I approve.
Ubisoft® Announces "The Official Far Cry® 2 Map Editing Guide"
A Book Written by Gamers for Gamers
LONDON, UK - January 27, 2008 - Today, Ubisoft announced a unique partnership with Charles River Media, one of North America's leading publishers of video game development books. Both companies are working together to create one of the first game design books written by gamers for gamers.
"Designing Wargames: The Official Far Cry® 2 Map Editing Guide" will be published in the spring of 2009. Written and edited by David Hutchison, author of “Playing to Learn: Video Games in the Classroom,” the book will comprise of map making techniques and advice contributed by Far Cry 2 map makers around the world.
"This is the next milestone in gamer-generated content," says David Hutchison, Associate Professor at Brock University. "Far Cry 2 makes it easy for both PC and console gamers to create cool new multiplayer maps that they can then share with other gamers. We want to honour this effort by inviting the Far Cry 2 map-making community to contribute to this first-of-its-kind game design book."
As underlined by Jessy-Gosselin Gant of the Far Cry2 development team:“Level design is a defining factor in how the player will experience a video game. It constitutes a key role in production by having the responsibility of presenting all the different game components such as art, animation, AI and gameplay mechanics at their best, so the player can enjoy them in a convincing and attractive environment.”
Far Cry 2 map-makers who are interested in contributing to the book can learn more at the book's website - www.farcrybook.com - where they can submit Far Cry 2 map reviews, map editing quick tips, tactical analyses, and feature articles.