Katherine Isbister Books

Exploring the intersection of psychology and character development, this guide offers practical techniques for creating memorable characters. It delves into the psychological principles that influence personality, motivation, and behavior, providing writers with tools to craft complex, relatable figures. By understanding how real human emotions and actions work, authors can enhance their storytelling and engage readers more deeply. The book emphasizes the importance of authenticity and depth in character creation, making it a valuable resource for writers seeking to enrich their narratives.

This is a renaissance moment for video games - in the variety of genres they represent, and the range of emotional territory they cover. But how do games create emotion? In How Games Move Us, Katherine Isbister takes the reader on a timely and novel exploration of the design techniques that evoke strong emotions for players. She counters arguments that games are creating a generation of isolated, emotionally numb, antisocial loners. Games, Isbister shows us, can actually play a powerful role in creating empathy and other strong, positive emotional experiences; they reveal these qualities over time, through the act of playing. She offers a nuanced, systematic examination of exactly how games can influence emotion and social connection, with examples - drawn from popular, indie, and art games - that unpack the gamer's experience.