Audio Book Volume 1

VOLUME 1

Systems of Meaning: Blueprint Storytelling

This book, "Systems of Meaning: Blueprint Logic, Interactive Thinking, and the Belief Behind Systems" by Michael Paul Cottam, serves as a comprehensive guide for designing emotionally impactful game experiences. It emphasizes that game design is a language of belief, where every mechanic and system contributes to a player's conviction and feeling, not just functionality. The text explores how to use Unreal Engine's Blueprint visual scripting as a cinematic and emotional authoring tool, focusing on readability, rhythm, and intentional pacing in logic. It covers topics from creating triggers that feel like recognition rather than mere activation, to building modular, state-aware components that foster believable interactions. Ultimately, the book positions debugging as emotional clarityand encourages designers to compose experiences that resonate deeply with players, treating the game world as an ensemble cast that performs a shared narrative.