What about the title?

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    • What about the title?

      What do you think of the title ? 16
      1.  
        It sucks and I've got a better idea. (2) 13%
      2.  
        It's ok. (6) 38%
      3.  
        I don't like it, but I can't think of a better one. (4) 25%
      4.  
        Excellent title. (5) 31%
      The current title is "Game Coding Complete."

      A bit arrogant, I agree. The retailers like it, and that's pretty important.

      The last day we can think of changing the title is Jan 7th, 2003.

      What does everyone think? Will this title stand or does anyone out there have additional ideas for a title?
      Mr.Mike
      Author, Programmer, Brewer, Patriot

    • RE: What about the title?

      From my email:

      Thoughts on title: It seems very arrogant. I understand that you WANT it to be as indespensible and wonderful as "Code Complete", but by naming it that, you are saying "I assume that it is as good as Code Complete." Your second book can be named like that, after the runaway success of your first.

      Better Titles:

      "Entertainment Software Engineering"
      "Leading a Game Programming Team"
      "Game Programming in the Real World"
      "Game Programming For Money"
      "Professional Game Programming"
      "Game Programming Mentor - in - a - book"


      Good sub title:
      "Distilled Game Programming Experience - without the blood and tears"

    • RE: What about the title?

      Professional Game Programming is maybe the best of this bunch. I think the problem is this, the name Code Complete has come to mean two things. There is the purpose of the book when it was published which this book shares. That is the entent to show you how to create and finish a game in a professional manner that results in a shippable prouct.
      As McConnel writes on the back of the book...

      "My primary concern in writing this book has been to narrow the gap between the knowledge of industry gurus and professors on the one hand and the common commercial practice on the other...."

      His further description is the very same goal for this book.

      Then there is this mythical branding that it has achieved for it being so good at fulfilling the goal. That is the problem that this book doesn't sync up with for no other reason than it hasn't had the chance to proove itself. Suffice to say people will see it named more because of the latter than the former.

      In the market however (i.e. bookstore buyers) the title is a great thing. They won't be as jaded and they will see it for the first message - i.e. the book shares the same original goal just for games vs. all software.

      All this being said Professional Game Programming/Development/Coding isn't bad. But it doesn't draw any parrallels to titles that gives buyers a 1 second pitch as to the content of the book.

    • You want to convey the fact that the game industry needs to be more professional and that it's not the 'cowboy' industry it used to be. Something like 'Professional Game Programming' seems in the right vein, but it needs something more. 'Real Game Programming' may give the impression that it contains how MANY games are shipped (hacky); I think you want something a little more philosophically idealized.

      James