IP Media Monitor: GAMING - books

Playstation 2 Fan Book

Mark H. Walker — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Edition: Paperback

Hacking the PSP : Serious Hacks, Mods and Customizations for Sony's Playstation Portable ...

Auri Rahimzaheh — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Roll up your sleeves and dig into the ultimate guide to hacking, modifying and customizing the hottest handheld around – the Sony PSP. Tons of hacks including:

Add an external Wi-Fi antenna
Access the hidden web browser to surf the web wirelessly
Turn your PSP into a USB hard drive
Save Xbox games on your PSP
Replace the PSP battery pack and add solar power
Use the PSP as a universal remote control
Transfer your own movies onto the PSP
Transfer TV shows recorded on TiVo onto your PSP
Of course – run Linux on your PSP
Write your own hacks

and more…

Xbox 360 For Dummies

Brian Johnson — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Xbox for Dummies takes the reader through the details of getting the Xbox up and running on the home TV. It goes on to expose functionality that system buyers might not even be aware of. HDTV support, Dolby sound, and networking make the Xbox a device to be reckoned with in the home entertainment setup.The book also discusses the Xbox as a social device that the reader can use to make new friends, join new groups and teams, and even throw fantastic parties with the Xbox at the center. Xbox for Dummies guides users through managing these online relationships with a special nod to parents concerned about security.

Trigger Happy: Videogames and the Entertainment Revolution

Steven Poole — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Amazon.com
Steven Poole's substantial examination of the world inside your console combines an exhaustive history of the games industry with a subtle look at what makes certain kinds of games more engaging than others. For example, what works in which genres--the RPG (role-playing game) versus the god game--and the relationship of video games to other forms of media.

A writer and composer, Poole makes the case that video games--like films and popular music--deserve serious critical treatment: "The inner life of video games--how they work--is bound up with the inner life of the player. And the player's response to a well-designed video game is in part the same sort of response he or she has to a film, or to a painting: it is an aesthetic one." Trigger Happy is packed with references not just to games and game history but also to writers and theorists who may never have played a video game in their lives, from Adorno and Benjamin to Plato. At times this approach verges on the pedantic, dwelling at length on points that will seem obvious to serious gamers ("We don't want absolutely real situations in video games. We can get that at home"; "The fighting game, like fighting itself, will always be popular"). Nonetheless, Poole's book may be favored bedside reading for both the keen gamer and the armchair philosopher looking to understand this cultural phenomenon. --Liz Bailey, Amazon.co.uk --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Book Description
The Edge calls Trigger Happy a "seminal piece of work." For the first time ever, an aficionado with a knowledge of art, culture, and a real love of gaming takes a critical look at the future of our videogames, and compares their aesthetic and economic impact on society to that of film. Thirty years after the invention of the simplest of games, more videogames are played by adults than children. This revolutionary book is the first-ever academically worthy and deeply engaging critique of one of today's most popular forms of play: videogames are on track to supersede movies as the most innovative form of entertainment in the new century.

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Creating 3D Effects for Film, TV, and Games

David Santiago — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
"Creating 3D Effects for Film, TV, and Games" covers the detailed processes and pipelines used to create effects for a variety of multimedia. It enables effects artists to develop the best process for completing complex projects, providing an understanding of visual effects as part of the overall process of creating films, commercials, video games, and a variety of other multimedia. It is filled with detailed discussion of each step of the production process and contains in-depth interviews with leading industry professionals. From selecting the studio that best suits your talents to addressing the details put in during the final steps of creating effects, this book is the comprehensive tour guide that every Effects TD should own.

About the Author
Born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, David Santiago, received his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering-Microwaves/Electromagnetics from the UT at Austin. He then worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena and pursued his Masters in Electrical Engineering-Microwave Systems/Electrophysics at the University of Southern California. After 6.5 years David left JPL for Digital Domain where he learned computer graphics on "Dante's Peak", "Fifth Element", "Titanic" and "Armageddon". From DD David moved to VIFX, which later became Rhythm and Hues. After a few years he left R&H to become the Effects Supervisor and Head of the Effects Department of Moon Crescent Studios. There he helped design and develop the studio?s pipeline. As a Senior Effects Technical Director at Asylum Visual Effects, he created effects for many feature films, music videos and commercials. He designed and implemented pipelines for such projects as Aaliyah ? More than a Woman, ?Pearl Harbor?, ?Black Hawk Down? and ?Master and Commander: Far Side of the World.? <br> <br> David has used every major software package in production as well as presented to SIGGRAPH audiences on effects techniques and methodologies, lectured several times at DHIMA, and taught several in-studio classes on shader writing, scripting, and general approaches to effects creation and problem solving. He has enjoyed helping many independent and student filmmakers complete projects.

Beginning Mobile Phone Game Programming

Michael Morrison — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description

Build several fully functional games as well as a game engine to use for programming cell phone and mobile games with Beginning Mobile Phone Game Programming! The included CD provides the tool, code and graphics necessary to complete all exercises covered in the chapters. Beginning Cell Phone Game Programming demystifies wireless game programming by providing clear, practical lessons using the J2ME Game API. You will learn how to use the most popular mobile programming language, Java, to build compact games that can run on any Java-enabled device, including mobile phones, pagers and handheld computers. You will also learn to add a splash screen, create a demo mode, keep track of high scores, and test, debug, and deploy your games.

Topics covered include:

How to construct a game engine to drive mobile games.
How to use Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) and the Java Game API to get the most performance out of your mobile games.
How to implement sprite animation and control interactions among moving sprites.
How to play sound effects and music in mobile games.
How to take advantage of wireless networks to build mobile multiplayer games.
How to design and develop a variety of different games spanning several video games genres.

About the Author

Michael Morrison is a writer, developer, toy inventor, and author of a variety of computer technology books and interactive web-based courses. In addition to his primary profession as a writer and freelance nerd for hire, Michael is the creative lead at Stalefish Labs, an entertainment company he cofounded with his wife, Masheed. The first commercial debut for Stalefish Labs is a traditional social/trivia game called Tall Tales: The Game of Legends and Creative One-Upmanship (http://www. talltalesgame.com/). When not glued to his computer, playing hockey, skateboarding, or watching movies with his wife, Michael enjoys hanging out by his koi pond. You can visit Michael on the web at http://www.michaelmorrison.com/.

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Mastering Digital 2D and 3D Art

Les Pardew, Don Seegmiller — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Digital art opens the door to new techniques and methods of painting that would be impossible to achieve in traditional art. It eliminates the worry of ruined surfaces, toxic chemicals, and expensive materials and introduces powerful tools that are able to realistically simulate water color, oil paint, and air brush techniques. What used to take artists hours to accomplish can now be completed in a few short steps. "Mastering Digital 2D and 3D Art" is designed to help the traditional artist make the move to digital media. It includes step-by-step projects that show how to create both 2D and 3D art and offers helpful hints regarding the digital art programs that will most effectively help you meet your objectives.

About the Author
Les Pardew is a video game and entertainment industry veteran with 15 years of experience. His work in the industry includes more than 100 video game titles. He currently serves as president of Alpine Studios, which he founded with Ross Wolfley in the fall of 2000. He was also the founder of Saffire, one of the industry?s preeminent game developers. In 1995, Saffire was named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of America?s hottest new companies and in 1999, it was 32nd on the Utah 100 list. Les' career began in video games in 1987 doing animation for Magic Johnson Fast Break Basketball for the Commodore 64. He went on to create art for dozens of major games including Star Wars, Wrestle Mania, NCAA Basketball, Stanley Cup Hockey, Jack Nicholas Golf. He has overseen and participated in the development of many games for the biggest companies in the video game industry, some of which include: NINTENDO OF AMERICA ? Nestor?s Funky Bowling ? Virtual Boy, James Bond 007 ? Game Boy, ELECTRONIC ARTS ? Cyber Tiger Woods Golf N64, ACCOLADE ? Hardball 95 ? Genesis Don Seegmiller is an accomplished digital and traditional artist and illustrator, and the author of Digital Character Design and Painting (1584502320) as well as a part-time faculty member at Brigham Young University, where he teaches figure painting and illustration. He is a major talent in the game industry with many major titles to his credit, including Oddworld: Adventures 2 for the Color Gameboy, Tom Clancy?s Rainbow Six for Nintendo 64, and Barbarians for Playstation 2.

Game Work : Language, Power, and Computer Game Culture (Albma Rhetoric Cult & Soc Crit)

Ken S. McAllister — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Review

"Ken McAllister's work explores an important dimension of popular culture, the creation and reception of video games. Theoretically sophisticated and methodologically sound, it fills a void in the current research literature."--Barry Brummett, author of Rhetorical Dimensions of Popular Culture

Inspired 3D Advanced Rigging and Deformations (Inspired 3D)

Brad Clark, et al — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
More than just a step-by-step tutorial on rigging in Maya, "Inspired 3D Advanced Rigging and Deformations" helps you develop the skills you need to successfully manage your rigging process from start to finish. You'll learn the reasons behind each step in developing a character rig and learn how that rig fits into the entire pipeline process The authors provide a unique glimpse at the real-world problems and choices that professional Character Technical Directors face, as well as the solutions they have developed for dealing with high-end digital characters. A follow-up to "Inspired 3D Character Setup", this book takes this difficult and sought-after skill and provides in-depth explanations and techniques.

About the Author
Author Brad Clark is an award-winning artist and animator whose experience ranges from modeling and rigging for television and video games to editing motion capture for Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers". He is currently an animator and Character TD at the Animation Farm in Austin, Texas. He has taught animation, character design, and setup at Full Sail, trained 2D animators on SOFTIMAGE® in Manila, and has headed up internal training on motion capture, character rigging, and scripting for artists while with Acclaim Austin. His credits include the films "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and "Major Damage", television series "Quest: Tales from the Ramayana", and the VEXX and NBA JAM ?04 video games. John Hood began his journey at Full Sail, where he was a Course Director for computer animation. After moving to California to work in interactive entertainment, he gained experience working for many major companies in the field such as Eidos, Microsoft®, and Oddworld Inhabitants. He is currently a Technical Animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Los Angeles where he is working on the feature film "Open Season". His interactive entertainment credits include Soul Reaver I and II, Age of Mythology, and Stranger. Joe Harkins is a Character TD at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Los Angeles, currently working on visual effects for the feature film, "Ghost Rider". Most recently, he worked on Open Season. Previously, he worked as a Creature TD at Tippett Studio in Berkeley, California on "Mask 2: Son of the Mask" and "Constantine". While at Tippett, he also worked on "The Matrix Revolutions", "Hellboy", and "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". He has written for industry magazines such as 3D World and Computer Graphics, taught a Maya Master Class at SIGGRAPH 2004, and mentored students and professional artists. He has also served as a guest speaker at 3December, the Academy of Art University, the Expression Center, and Full Sail.

The Art of Game Characters

Leo Hartas — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description

Computer and video games are the entertainment media of the 21st century, and game characters like Lara Croft and Mario are now as famous as Mickey Mouse and Homer Simpson. This definitive guide examines the appeal of these iconic characters from the early days of gaming to the present.

A follow-up to the successful Art of Game Worlds, this book examines the remarkable work that goes into the creation of captivating, realistic game characters. Each subsection takes an in-depth look at a specific type of character and uses examples to discuss how that type is used effectively in games. All games enthusiasts, from amateur to expert, will benefit from this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated volume.

About the Author

Leo Hartas is a well-known and highly regarded illustrator, skilled in both traditional and computer-generated techniques. He is the co-author of The Art of Game Worlds and the author of numerous bestselling children's books. Hartas also creates digital imagery for computer games, video animation, and TV programs.

Beginning Flash Game Programming For Dummies

Andy Harris — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
* Shows how to create five games-a top-down shooter, a sports game, a board game, a pong game, and an adventure game-using Flash MX 2004 and ActionScript
* Explains basic game development concepts to would-be designers, including the math and physics behind video games, object-oriented programming techniques, and XML data in gaming
* The video gaming industry earned more than the movie industry in 2003, and game-programming instruction is now a mainstay at leading technical universities and computer science departments

What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy

James Paul Gee — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Norman A. Lockman,USA Today,
"These games succeed because, according to Gee, they gradually present informatiion that is actually needed to perform deeds."

Review

"[Gee is] a serious scholar who is taking a lead in an emerging field."--Scott Carlson, Chronicle of Higher Education
"Am I a bad parent for letting [my child] play video games at 4? Not at all, according to Gee."--Jim Louderback, USA Weekend Magazine
"Rather than be reined in, today's successful game designers should be recognized as modern masters of learning theory..."--Mike Snider, Cincinnati Enquirer
"...an astoundingly insightful manifesto on teaching and learning..."--Michael Hoechsmann, McGill Journal of Education
"Gee astutely points out that for video game makers, unlike schools, failing to engage children is not an option."--Terrence Hackett, Chicago Tribune
"Gee...says the most challenging games prod players to push the boundaries of their skills and to adapt..."--Shannon Mullen, Asbury Park Press
"These games succeed because, according to Gee, they gradually present information that is actually needed to perform deeds."--Norman A. Lockman, USA Today
"...Gee suggests that...schools...are 'in the cognitive-science dark ages.'"--Jeffery Kurz, Meriden-Wallingford Record-Journal

Playstation Ultimate Strategy Guide: Unofficial (Playstation Ultimate Strategy Guide)

Zach Meston — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Video game meisters Shane Mooney and friends reveal strategies, secrets, cheats, and solutions for more than thirty of the latest and greatest games for the Sony PlayStation. Included in this monster compilation are Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy VII, Soul Blade, Bushido Blade, Jet Moto, Wipeout XL, Crash Bandicoot, WarCraft 2, and many more. Sybex's Ultimate Strategy Guides provide more information per game than any other compilations. The easy-to-read layout avoids the confusion of other guides, and the dazzling covers ensure that customers won't be able to resist grabbing them off the shelves. At $9.99, PlayStation Ultimate Strategy Guide is an irresistible bargain!

PlayStation Game Secrets Unauthorized, Volume 3

Edward Soper, Amateur video game historian (15 item list) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Review
So many games . . . So many TIPS and TRICKS!

Book Description
Playstation's hottest games are in here with tips, cheats, and strategies for more than 30 games, previews for 10 upcoming releases, and a special cheat codes section!
Adidas Power Soccer Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Bubble Bobble/Rainbow Islands Crash Bandicoot Destruction Derby 2 Die Hard Trilogy Final Doom
Formula One Madden '97Mortal Kombat Trilogy NBA Jam Extreme NHL Faceoff '97 Soviet Strike Star Gladiator Street Fighter Alpha 2 Tobal No. 1 Tomb Raider Tunnel B1 Wipeout XLAbout the Author
Prima Creative Services is a team of gaming experts that has produced over 60 strategy guides for Prima Publishing, and collectively has two decades of experience in the gaming magazine field.

Game Plan: The Insider's Guide to Breaking In and Succeeding in the Computer and Video Game Business

Alan Gershenfeld, et al — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description

The $20 billion computer and video gaming business is the fastest-growing entertainment medium in the worldæon track to surpass both the movie and record businesses. More than 200 million computer and video games are sold to the 140 million gamers in America every year.
Game Plan: The Insiders Guide to Breaking In and Succeeding in the Computer and Video Game Business is the first book that clearly explains how to get a foot in the door to this incredibly dynamic and exciting field.

This essential guide includes everything job seekers need to know about:

· How the computer and video game business really works
· How to break into the industry
· How to get your dream game made
· The many different jobs in the field
· Surviving and thriving in the marketplace

Three top game veterans provide all the information readers need to begin their search: Alan Gershenfeld, former senior vice-president of Activison Studios, Mark Loparco, one of the industry’s top edutainment producers, and Cecilia Barajas, an acclaimed game producer/ director and a design consultant on hundreds of games.

Game Plan also features expert advice by top gamemakers from such leading game publishers and developers as Electronic Arts, Activision, Microsoft, Midway, LucasArts, and THQ.

No matter what your background or job qualifications are, Game Plan will help you to decide which area of the video and computer game business appeals to you the most, and how to attain your goals of working in the industry.

For anyone who’s ever dreamed of one day making a game, or is simply curious if this is the field to go intoæthis book is a must-read.

Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design

Andrew Rollings, Ernest Adams — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description

How often have you heard "anyone can design a game?" While it seems likean easy job, game ideas are cheap and plentiful. Advancing those ideasinto games that people want to play is one of the hardest, and mostunder-appreciated, tasks in the game development cycle. Andrew Rollingsand Ernest Adams on Game Design introduces both students and experienced developers to the craft of designing computer and video games for the retail market. The first half of the book is a detailed analysis of thekey game design elements: examining game concepts and worlds,storytelling, character and user interface design, core mechanics andbalance. The second half discusses each of the major game genres(action, adventure, role-playing, strategy, puzzle, and so on) andidentifies the design patterns and unique creative challenges thatcharacterize them. Filled with examples and worksheets, this book takesan accessible, practical approach to creating fun, innovative, andhighly playable games.

From the Publisher
Andrew and Ernest have compiled a wonderful book for both potential and experienced gamers alike. The best part about this book is the worksheets that appear in almost all the chapters. They enable you to stop and consider various game design questions even before starting your own design – questions such as "What process is the player going to manage?" "What actions will the player take in managing that process?" and "Who is the central character in the game, the player’s avatar?"

Here's what Will Wright (creator of The Sims and SimCity) says about the book: "A very useful book for anyone working in (or hoping to work in) interactive media. Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams approach the topic with very practical advice for both new and experienced designers."

We hope you like it, too. Please send me your thoughts.

Lisa Thibault, New Riders (lisa.thibault@newriders.com)

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Break Into The Game Industry: How to Get A Job Making Video Games

Ernest Adams — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Find out from an industry veteran exactly what you need to do to become a game designer, tester, artist, producer, programmer, writer, soundtrack composer, videographer, or sales/marketing professional. You’ll get full-spectrum coverage of positions available within the game industry as well as details on how a game is created--from start to finish--and much more.

From the Back Cover

"Ernest Adams has been around the gaming block many times; his industry insights coupled with the developer war stories should give any aspirant that extra edge to break into the game industry." --Jason Della Rocca, Program Director, International Game Developers Association

Practical Advice for Landing the Job You Want!

Join the fun! Learn how to become part of the excitement and creativity of game development--one of the hottest and most profitable industries today. Author, game designer, and producer Ernest Adams takes you inside the game industry, then delivers an action plan for you to break in--even without any game industry experience. Get great career advice and learn the different jobs that are available. Whether you're a curious gamer, a student, or a career changer seeking immediate help, this handy guide provides the information and insider advice you need to land a job in the game industry.

Learn how a game is built and published
Understand and acquire the skills you need to get into the industry
Discover the inner workings of the game business
Get your foot in the door as a game tester or with other entry-level jobs
Exercise your creativity as a game designer, artist, producer, or programmer
Get the right education for the job you want
Gain insightful advice from more than 20 industry professionals
Includes hundreds of useful resources for job seekers

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The World Market for Video Games for Use with a Television Receiver: A 2004 Global Trade Perspective

trisha maier, Horror Buff (25 item list) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
OUR APPROACH

This report was created for strategic planners, international executives and import/export managers who are concerned with the market for video games for use with a television receiver. With the globalization of this market, managers can no longer be contented with a local view. Nor can managers be contented with out-of-date statistics that appear several years after the fact. I have developed a methodology, based on macroeconomic and trade models, to estimate the market for video games for use with a television receiver for those countries serving the world market via exports or supplying from various countries via imports. I do so for the current year based on a variety of key historical indicators and econometric models.

On the demand side, exporters and strategic planners approaching the world market face a number of questions. Which countries are supplying video games for use with a television receiver? What is the dollar value of these imports? How much do the imports of video games for use with a television receiver vary from one country to another? Do exporters serving the world market have similar market shares across the importing countries? Which countries supply the most exports of video games for use with a television receiver? Which countries are buying their exports? What is the value of these exports and which countries are the largest buyers?

In what follows, Chapter 2 begins by summarizing the regional markets for imported and exported video games for use with a television receiver. The total level of imports and exports on a worldwide basis, and those for each region, is based on a model which aggregates across country markets and projects these to the current year. From there, each country represents a percent of the world market. This market is served from a number of competitive countries of origin. Based on both demand- and supply-side dynamics, market shares by country of origin ar

Hacking the Xbox: An Introduction to Reverse Engineering

Andrew Huang — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Amazon.com
This--this being the attitude encapsulated in Andrew "bunnie" Huang's Hacking the Xbox--is why a lot of people got into the computer industry in the first place. These people liked taking things apart and figuring out how they worked, then making them serve purposes they weren't originally designed for and sharing the new discoveries with others of like mind. Sure, Huang's book is about how to how to turn Microsoft's game console into a high-performance, general-purpose personal computer with a small price tag, and it contains lots of details about the how the heavily advertised gizmo is put together. But you can get the technical material on the Web. What's valuable about Huang's work is that he communicates the pure joy of taking the Xbox apart, figuring out how it works--despite its many designed-in anti-hacking features--and making it do new things. This book reads like the journal of a seventeenth-century voyage of discovery.

There's a wealth of information in these pages about how to disassemble and reverse-engineer electronics, and Huang is careful to show you what tools you need, and how to use them (don't worry if you don't know how to use a soldering iron--that's covered here). There also are step-by-step guides (complete with photos) to a couple of projects, and interviews with key figures in the Xbox-hacking community. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to enjoy a Microsoft Xbox game console without the mindless tedium of playing video games. This book shows you how to open an Xbox, make modifications to it (from a cosmetic LED color change, to putting in a new power supply, to adding a USB connector), and make the changes needed to get Linux running on it. In the process, readers get an education in reverse engineering electronic circuits, as well as in basic electronic techniques (soldering, crimping, etc) and in the intellectual property law that governs hacker activity.

Peter Wayner, Slashdot.org, June 26, 2003
"Although it's a technical book, it unfolds like a spy novel."

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Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984

Van Burnham — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

From Publishers Weekly
The generation now in its 30s pumped innumerable quarters into free-standing video consoles with protruding joysticks, steering wheels, and "fire" buttons the quaint precursors of today's dollar-based sensory overload and sleekly sophisticated home systems. Burnham, an L.A.-based Wired contributing editor and a member of the Video Arcade Preservation Society, lovingly collects screen shots of faves like Space Invaders, Pac-Man and Q*bert, along with early games like Computer Space and Pong, and home games from Atari and Nintendo. The cheeky capsule descriptions of each game from Burnham and others are matched with longer essays from writers like Julian Dibble (My Tiny Life: Crime and Passion in a Virtual World), who writes about the text-based game Adventure, and former Feed editor Steven Johnson (Emergence) on Atari competitor Intellivision. The chronological organization holds the book's disparate games and players together adequately, but readers looking for a straight narrative history should look elsewhere: this is all about memory jogging and rapturous description. Notably, Burnham did the book's text, design and production; the layout is quirky and provocative but not disorienting, and the print quality is excellent. (Nov.) Forecast: While the book can't compete with the actual experience of playing the games, Burnham's time capsule will given as a gift among gamers (not a small subculture), and browsers from its demographic will at least flip through. The MIT imprint could lead to some campus acquisitions, especially for schools with modern media and culture departments.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal
Initially thought to be mere fads, video games have become entrenched in global popular culture. These two books use different approaches to document the phenomenon. Kent, a freelance writer, interviewed video game innovators such as Atari founder Nolan Bushnell and Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani, among hundreds of others, to provide a definitive history. He includes photos of the major video game players and quotes extensively from his interviewees in an academic but highly readable style. The promised index will be needed to navigate the text, but this remains a fascinating and well-researched account of the games many of us grew up with or have encountered in an arcade.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Replay: Game Design and Game Culture (New Literacies and Digital Epistemologies, V. 18)

Amy Scholder (Editor), Eric Zimmerman (Editor) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Computer and video games are only a few decades old, but in that short time they have exploded into our culture—as high-tech playtoys, as controversial popular media, and as a major economic force. Re:Play brings together game designers, new media artists, interdisciplinary curators and players in debate and conversation about technology and design, gaming addictions and geek subcultures, the aesthetics of violence, gender transgressions, the erotics of gaming, and the business of play—capturing the zeitgeist that is digital games. User-friendly and fully illustrated, Re:Play includes a comprehensive game glossary.

Video Games from Start to Finish

William Kier — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

2004 Video Game Price Guide (Video Game Price Guide)

Highland Dynamics Inc — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
The most comprehensive reference on the market with values for over 10,000 video games from thirty of the most popular game system manufacturers of the past 30 years, including Atari, Bally, Colecovision, Fairchild, Nintendo, Sony, Sega, Microsoft, 3DO and more.

Game Art for Teens (Game Development Series)

Les Pardew — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Wouldn?t you love to create really great art for your games? The kind of art that keeps players coming back for more? Now you can! Game Art for Teens is full of step-by-step, hands-on projects that allow you to begin creating art right away. Each project includes easy-to-follow examples that help you master each concept, making it easy to put what you?ve learned to use in your own games. You?ll cover all of the basics?from 2D art creation and animation to 3D models, lighting, and reflections. Set the scene for your game by creating realistic settings, including buildings, terrain, rooms, and corridors. Draw players into your game by designing, developing, and animating compelling characters. Bring it all together as you cover game platforms and technical limitations. With a little bit of skill, a lot of imagination, and Game Art for Teens, the possibilities are endless!

About the Author
Les Pardew is a video game and entertainment industry veteran with 15 years of experience. His work in the industry includes more than 100 video game titles. He currently serves as president of Alpine Studios, which he founded with Ross Wolfley in the fall of 2000. He was also the founder of Saffire, one of the industry?s preeminent game developers. In 1995, Saffire was named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of America?s hottest new companies and in 1999, it was 32nd on the Utah 100 list. Les' career began in video games in 1987 doing animation for Magic Johnson Fast Break Basketball for the Commodore 64. He went on to create art for dozens of major games including Star Wars, Wrestle Mania, NCAA Basketball, Stanley Cup Hockey, Jack Nicholas Golf. He has overseen and participated in the development of many games for the biggest companies in the video game industry, some of which include: NINTENDO OF AMERICA ? Nestor?s Funky Bowling ? Virtual Boy, James Bond 007 ? Game Boy, ELECTRONIC ARTS ? Cyber Tiger Woods Golf N64, ACCOLADE ? Hardball 95 ? Genesis

The Dark Side of Game Texturing

David Franson — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Charred ruins, bullet holes, rusted metal?if you ?re a fan of 3D first-person-shooter games, then you ?re familiar with those amazing, ominous textures that draw you into your character?s surroundings. Get ready to analyze?and re-create?the textures and graphics used in these games. All you need is a decent PC, Photoshop, and a digital camera. Once you learn how to create the textures within this book, you can create any texture for any game. Not a born artist? That?s okay. You?ll learn how to let Photoshop do most of the work. Begin with texturing basics, including pixel sizes, color modes, and alpha channels. Then jump right into hearty texture tutorials as you create everything from sci-fi backgrounds and molten lava to medieval castle walls and dragon skin. If you?re ready to travel to the grim back alleys of your imagination, then you?re ready for "The Dark Side of Game Texturing".

From the Publisher
The only game texturing book on the market dedicated to game texturing. Contains full color, stepwise tutorials of the coolest game textures. Useful and informative for both game artists and general 2D digital artists. Includes a CD that contains all software including the Photoshop CS demo, hundreds of textures, and a Photoshop tutorial, so no previous experience is required. Covers every class of texture for all forms of adult (PG-13 and above) video games.

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Creating the Art of the Game

Matthew Omernick — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description

The key word here is art: the dynamic 3D art that defines the world of computer games. This book teaches you everything you need to know about the planning, modeling, texturing, lighting, effects creation, and interface design that go into creating today's most advanced and stunning video games. You'll be learning from a master-veteran 3D artist and instructor Matthew Omernick-as you progress through the carefully chosen, software-agnostic tutorials that make up this beautiful, full-color volume. The end result will be skills you can apply to whatever 3D tool you choose and whatever wildly imaginative game you can think up. Through a unique combination of explanation, tutorials, and real world documentation-including discussions of the creative process entailed in some of today's most popular games augmented by screen captures and descriptions--you'll quickly come to understand the workflow, tools, and techniques required to be a successful game artist. In addition to learning the ropes of game art, you'll also find in depth tutorials and techniques that apply to all aspects of 3D graphics. Whether you are using Photoshop, 3ds max, Maya, or any other computer graphics software, you'll find a wealth of information that you can continue to come back to time and time again.

About the Author

Matthew Omernick currently works as a lead artist for LucasArts Entertainment Company near San Francisco, CA. With a B.F.A from The Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL, Matt has more than seven years of industry experience as a 3D artist and animator.

Matt has also taught college-level 3D graphics for four years at Cal State Fullerton and the Academy of Art College in downtown San Francisco. He has worked for companies such as DreamWorks, Day 1 Studios, and Electronic Arts. He began his career working for various film and broadcast studios in Florida and Chicago, then branched into creating 3D art for video games. Some of Matt's credited titles include the Medal of Honor series, RTX Red Rock, and Secret Weapons Over Normandy. He is currently working on several cutting edge projects for multiple platforms.

What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy

James Paul Gee — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Norman A. Lockman,USA Today,
"These games succeed because, according to Gee, they gradually present informatiion that is actually needed to perform deeds."--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Gee astutely points out that for video game makers, unlike schools, failing to engage children is not an option."--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Japanese Game Graphics : Behind the Scenes of Your Favorite Games

Works Corporation — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Japan is the world power in video games, producing the most popular video hardware and software in the world that has won countless fans worldwide. Now these fans can take a look at the making of their favorite games in Japanese Game Graphics, which goes behind-the-scenes of the most-talked about and popular titles released for Playstation 2 and other consumer videogame hardware. Each of the 26 games covered (including Final Fantasy X2, Soulcalibur 2, and Oni Musha 2) gets its own fully illustrated chapter to describe the game and take readers beyond what is seen on the screen.The artists, illustrators, and creators of each game are extensively interviewed and they themselves describe what is unique about their game, what challenges they had to overcome to create the game, and how the characters and stories were created. They also describe what software and digital techniques (often invented especially for the game) were used to create the look and feel of each game and game world.

About the Author
For the past ten years, Japan-based Works Corporation has published various magazines on graphic design, animation, and computer graphics including "DTP World" and "CG World," whose circulations are the largest in the Japanese market.

Beginning Game Programming

Michael Morrison — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description

If you are hooked on video games and have a basic knowledge of C++ and visual programming, you will be hooked on Beginning Game Programming. Clear, practical lessons based on C++ programming are the basis of this book's lessons. By focusing on the Windows API to construct games, you will learn game theory in double-buffered graphics, sprite animation, digitized sound effects and music. A fully functional game engine provided on CD, along with tools, code and graphics, will give you the ability to create your own games in the future. Learn the art and science of game programming with help from Beginning Game Programming.

About the Author

Michael Morrison is a writer, developer, toy inventor and author of a variety of computer technology books and interactive Web-based courses. In addition to his primary profession as a writer and freelance nerd for hire, Michael is the creative lead at Stalefish Labs, an entertainment company he co-founded with his wife, Masheed. The first commercial debut for Stalefish Labs is a traditional social/trivia game called Tall Tales: The Game of Legends and Creative One-Upmanship (http://www.talltalesgame.com). When not glued to his computer, playing hockey, skateboarding or watching movies with his wife, Michael enjoys hanging out by his koi pond. You can visit Michael on the Web at http://www.michaelmorrison.com.

Game Development Essentials: Video Game Art

Todd Gantzler — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
The premiere title in the Game Development Essentials series explores the art of bringing a game designer?s concepts to life. A strong foundation in game artistry is the essential first step, and leading game art designer Todd Gantzler takes readers behind the scenes to show them how to create the entire visual world ? from characters to environments ? that a game player encounters on the computer screen. Hands-on tutorial instruction suitable for beginning-to-intermediate-level game artists explains the process involved in creating art for real-time 3D digital games and, specifically, video games. The book highlights the technical aspects of preparing art quickly and effectively while conforming to the limitations and specifications of today?s most widely used 3D game engines.

About the Author
Todd Gantzler is the Program Leader for the Computer and Video Games degree program at the University of Salford in England. Todd designed and taught the first game art classes at the San Francisco State University Multimedia Studies Center and the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. He has been teaching 2D and 3D computer graphics since 1997, and has taught digital game art and design for the last four years, and worked as a 3D artist on such games such as Gex 3D, Cyberia, and Akuji the Heartless.

Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games : Console, Arcade, and Handheld Games

DAVID ELLIS — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Remember those classic games like Pong and Intellivision? Whether you are an experienced or novice collector, or if you just have a spot in your heart for video games, The Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games is ideal for anyone searching for a reliable price guide to their beloved collectibles. From Atari and Coleco to Pac-Man and Space Invaders, this book offers prices and history on video and arcade games as well as information on arcade game restoration, troubleshooting, and minor repairs. This book also features a list of collectors' Web sites , amusement auctions, and conventions around the U.S.

“…this book is a few pages shy of 500 PAGES! It is one thick resource and quite frankly, we are majorly impressed!” -- GameRoom magazine

Ultimate Game Design: Building Game Worlds

Tom Meigs — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
Build games with techniques and insights from a pro. Author and game developer Tom Meigs shows you the finer points of world building and behavior scripting. Learn about level stubbing, lighting, prop and item placement, camera tricks, particle and effects systems, communication loops, Massively Multiplayer Online Games, and much more.

From the Back Cover

Filled with tips and techniques from veteran game designers at Sony, Blizzard, Disney, LucasArts, Activision, 3DO, and many others!

Plan, design, and create enthralling game environments complete with richly animated characters and objects by applying the expert techniques described in this one-of-a-kind resource. Veteran game developer Tom Meigs covers the foundations of game design, including previsualization, level stubbing and layout, lighting, texturing, behavior scripting, and using particles, and explains in detail each stage of game development and design. Each chapter features an in-depth interview with a game industry expert as well as case a study based on Tom's real-world experiences working on Sony PlayStation games and various other projects. Plus, you'll get priceless advice on how to get into the game development industry now with details on the different types of jobs available.

Develop a comprehensive previsualization process for your game project
Create topographic maps and reference drawings for level planning and layout
Build up your game scenes with lighting, texturing, particles, effects, and audio
Place actors, props, and items and tune specific camera details
Learn about game design by genre--sports, fighting, RTS, role-playing, FPS, sims, MMOG, and others
Script action events using JavaScript, Visual Basic, Python, Perl, and other tools
Develop and design games for wireless devices including PDAs and mobile phones
Implement a testing loop
Learn how to avoid mistakes and set yourself up for success

Videogames (Routledge Introductions to Media and Communications)

James Newman — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
James Newman's lucid and engaging introduction guides the reader through the world of videogaming, providing a history of the videogame, from its origins in the computer lab to its contemporary status as a global entertainment industry, with characters such as Lara Croft and Sonic the Hedgehog familiar even to those who've never been near a games console. Newman introduces: What is a videogame?; Why study videogames?; a brief history of videogames, from Pac-Man to Pokemon; the videogame industry; who plays videogames?; are videogames bad for you?; the narrative structure of videogames; and the future of videogames. Newman traces the battle for dominance among key players such as Atari, Nintendo and Sega, explains how new videogames are developed and produced, and outlines research into the effects of videogaming on players, challenging the popular notion that too much Playstation is bad for your health.

About the Author
James Newman is Lecturer in Media at Edge Hill University College.

The Art of Producing Games

David McCarthy, et al — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
"The Art of Producing Games" analyzes everything that goes into designing and building a successful videogame, from initial concepts, sketches, and storylines, through early prototypes, to the full-scale production of all the component elements?script, storyboards, screenplay, graphics, video, music, sound effects, code, and so on. Featuring Q&A interviews with some of the world?s leading game designers, artists, programmers, and production gurus, "The Art of Producing Games" is the essential reference for anyone wanting to work in the industry, or who is curious to know more about it.

About the Author
David McCarthy has spent the last three years writing for Edge magazine, the world?s most respected magazine about videogaming. He is currently a freelance journalist, specializing in the field of videogames, and has written for a range of publications, including Official PlayStation2 Magazine, PSM2, PC Gamer, MacFormat, and Sight & Sound. He has provided comment and expert opinion for a variety of media outlets, such as BBC News 24 and Radio One Newsbeat, and has been a member of the advisory board of the Game Developers Conference Europe since the event?s inception. He read Modern History at Oxford University, and has worked as an investment banker with Salomon Smith Barney. A qualified teacher, mediocre dancer and published author, Ste Curran spent the first few years of his writing career at Edge Magazine, then considered the world's leading videogame journal. Now he survives as a freelance journalist specialising in pithy, dark-eyed commentary, and makes irregular media appearances on national media to douse gaming hyperbole. In August Ste aims to take his first musical, "Pong! A Brief History of Videogames: The Musical (Abdridged) (Working Title)" to the Edinburgh Fringe with the help of his friends and coauthors. He lives in Shepherds Bush with his beautiful, tolerant girlfriend and far too much Japanese gaming ephemera. Simon started work in the games industry in 1992. Joining as a Staff Writer at EMAP Images on the firm's Amiga games magazine "The One," he quickly worked his way through the ranks to become editor of the title within 18 months. He switched to PR in 1994 and helped build some of the industry's most prestigious franchises, working in varying capacities on the launches of Sony PlayStation, Resident Evil, Command and Conquer and the Neo Geo Pocket Color, to name but a few. He joined BHPR in March 2003, having helped establish his previous agency as a global player in the videogame market. A keen gamer, he continues to write for a variety of gaming publications and has won two awards for his service to the videogames industry.

The Rough Guide to Videogaming (Rough Guide Reference Series)

Kate Berens, Geoff Howard — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
INTRODUCTION

Just a decade ago, a guide to videogaming would have been inconceivable. Back then, gaming was a relatively small and exclusive club whose members were overwhelmingly male and mainly adolescent. Now, however, videogaming has emerged from the teenage bedroom to join the TV and VCR in millions of living rooms, and its audience is expanding at such a rate that the games industry is often able to present itself as a bigger economic sector than the movies. But, as you’ll know if you’ve ever set foot in a games store, buying a game isn’t at all like buying a movie, where chances are you know which actors or directors you like – you’d need to be thoroughly immersed in gaming history and culture to be able to choose a game by its designer, who generally doesn’t even get a credit on the box. What’s more, with a flurry of hyped games released on a monthly basis, if you’re a typical gamer who buys a handful of new titles each year, it’s hit and miss as to whether you’ll get value for money. While for those who are new to gaming, it can be a daunting task even to choose a console, especially since much of the specialist media restricts itself to covering a single platform, while denigrating the others.

In fact, all the games platforms – from established machines such as PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and the PC (and Mac) to newcomers Xbox and GameCube, and increasingly marginalized ones such as the Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 – are worthwhile in their own right, and they all have quality games to play on them. This is where the Rough Guide to Videogaming comes in: an informed, independent handbook, it picks out the best releases across all formats and genres, and identifies the platforms that suit your gaming tastes and budget. With the industry in constant flux, this book isn’t influenced by shortlived hype, concentrating instead on the tried and tested platforms. Each platform gets its own section starting on p.1, including a summary of its past and future. Technical jargon has been kept to a minimum, though we’ve provided a handy glossary (p.512) for useful and/or unavoidable terms.

As for the games themselves, which make up the bulk of this guide, we’re not forced – as many magazines are – to concentrate on the latest releases, good or otherwise, but take a broader outlook to bring you those that have justified their initial hype. These are organized according to genre rather than platform, so that you can easily identify other titles you might enjoy, and each is accompanied by hints, tips and addresses of useful websites. There are no bad reviews in these pages; every game we’ve included is a personal recommendation, though that’s not to say you’ll always agree with our opinions. If a game’s not here, we either didn’t rate it (for reasons of mediocrity or worse, to being too similar to other titles), or the full game wasn’t released in time for this edition. Unfinished versions, as used by many magazines for preview purposes, often mask more than they reveal about a title’s true quality: all the games we’ve tested are the products you’ll find in the shops.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Half-Real : Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds

Jesper Juul — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
A video game is half-real: we play by real rules while imagining a fictional world. We win or lose the game in the real world but we slay a dragon (for example) only in the world of the game. In this thought-provoking study, Jesper Juul examines the constantly evolving tension between rules and fiction in video games. Discussing games from Pong to The Legend of Zelda, from chess to Grand Theft Auto, he shows how video games are both a departure from and a development of traditional non-electronic games. The book combines perspectives from such fields as literary and film theory, computer science, psychology, economic game theory, and game studies, to outline a theory of what video games are, how they work with the player, how they have developed historically, and why they are fun to play.

Locating video games in a history of games that goes back to Ancient Egypt, Juul argues that there is a basic affinity between games and computers. Just as the printing press and the cinema have promoted and enabled new kinds of storytelling, computers work as enablers of games, letting us play old games in new ways and allowing for new kinds of games that would not have been possible before computers. Juul presents a classic game model, which describes the traditional construction of games and points to possible future developments. He examines how rules provide challenges, learning, and enjoyment for players, and how a game cues the player into imagining its fictional world. Juul's lively style and eclectic deployment of sources will make Half-Real of interest to media, literature, and game scholars as well as to game professionals and gamers.

About the Author
Jesper Juul is Assistant Professor, Center for Computer Games Research, IT University of Copenhagen.

Designing Characters With Personality: For Film, Tv, Animation, Video Games, And Graphic Novels

Tom Bancroft — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Edition: Paperback

Understanding Video Games; The Essential Introduction

J. Smith — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Edition: Paperback

Other Editions:	List Price:	Our Price:	Other Offers:
Hardcover	$95.00	$95.00

Difficult Questions About Video Games

Iain Simons, James Newman — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Video Games: a Report on the Supply of Video Games in the UK (Cm.: 2781)

G.D.W. Odgers, H.H. Liessner — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Digital Gameplay: Essays on the Nexus of Game and Gamer

Nate Garrelts (Editor) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Book Description
In recent years, computer technology has permeated all aspects of life—not just work and education, but also leisure time. Increasingly, digital games are the way we play.

This volume addresses the world of digital games, with special emphasis on the role and input of the gamer. In fifteen essays, the contributors discuss the various ways the game player interacts with the game. The first half of the book considers the physical and mental aspects of digital game play. The second section concentrates on other factors that influence play. Essays cover the full range of digital gaming, including computer and video games. Topics include several detailed investigations of particular, often controversial games such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as well as a consideration of the ways in which game-playing crosses socioeconomic, age, gender and racial lines. The concluding essays discuss scholars’ perceptions of digital media and efforts to frame them.

About the Author
Nate Garrelts is an assistant professor of English at Saginaw Valley State University in University Center, Michigan.

Xbox 360 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Brian Johnson — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Microsoft’s Xbox now accounts for 37 percent of the game console market, and the new Xbox 360 is due out for the 2005 holiday season, months before Sony’s PlayStation 3. When gamers take the new Xbox home, however, they’ll soon discover that it’s more than a just a game machine–it’s a full-fledged home media hub with more power than most PCs. This friendly guide shows how to maximize both gaming and non-gaming features of this amazing machine...

Digital Gameplay: Essays on the Nexus of Game and Gamer

Nate Garrelts (Editor) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

In recent years, computer technology has permeated all aspects of life—not just work and education, but also leisure time. Increasingly, digital games are the way we play.

Got Game: How the Gamer Generation Is Reshaping Business Forever

John C. Beck, Mitchell Wade — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

From Publishers WeeklyThose who are looking for a contrarian view of video games will find it in these pages. While many parents fret about their children’s minds turning to goo as they squander hour after hour absorbed in electronic diversion, the authors argue that gamers glean valuable knowledge from their pastime and that they’re poised to use that knowledge to transform the workplace.

Xbox 360 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Brian Johnson — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Digital Gameplay: Essays on the Nexus of Game and Gamer

Nate Garrelts (Editor) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

In recent years, computer technology has permeated all aspects of life—not just work and education, but also leisure time. Increasingly, digital games are the way we play. This volume addresses the world of digital games, with special emphasis on the role and input of the gamer. In fifteen essays, the contributors discuss the various ways the game player interacts with the game.

The Art of Producing Games

David McCarthy, et al — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

"The Art of Producing Games" analyzes everything that goes into designing and building a successful videogame, from initial concepts, sketches, and storylines, through early prototypes, to the full-scale production of all the component elements?script, storyboards, screenplay, graphics, video, music, sound effects, code, and so on. Featuring Q&A interviews with some of the world?s leading game designers, artists, programmers, and production gurus, "The Art of Producing Games" is the essential reference for anyone wanting to work in the industry, or who is curious to know more about it.

Programming the Nintendo Game Boy Advance: The Unofficial Guide (Game Development)

Jonathan S. Harbour — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Develop your own games for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance! Now you can write, compile, and run Game Boy programs right on your Windows desktop!

Xbox 360 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Brian Johnson — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

Microsoft's Xbox now accounts for 37 percent of the game console market, and the new Xbox 360 is due out for the 2005 holiday season, months before Sony's PlayStation 3. When gamers take the new Xbox home, however, they'll soon discover that it's more than a just a game machine-it's a full-fledged home media hub with more power than most PCs. This friendly guide shows how to maximize both gaming and non-gaming features of this amazing machine.

MIDWAY LAUNCHES "NHL HITZ 20-02" FOR XBOX VIDEOGAME. ...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

This digital document is an article from Multimedia Publisher, published by Worldwide Videotex on December 1, 2001. The length of the article is 711 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details

Half-Real : Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds: Books: Jesper Juul

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
A video game is half-real: we play by real rules while imagining a fictional world. We win or lose the game in the real world, but we slay a dragon (for example) only in the world of the game. In this thought-provoking study, Jesper Juul examines the constantly evolving tension between rules and fiction in video games.

Programming the Nintendo Game Boy Advance: The Unofficial Guide (Game Development): Books: ...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
Develop your own games for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance! Now you can write, compile, and run Game Boy programs right on your Windows desktop! "Programming the Nintendo Game Boy Advance: The Unofficial Guide" will show you how you can use the free HAM SDK to create your own games for the Game Boy Advance.

Synthetic Worlds : The Business and Culture of Online Games

Edward Castronova — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00

From EverQuest to World of Warcraft, online games have evolved from the exclusive domain of computer geeks into an extraordinarily lucrative staple of the entertainment industry. People of all ages and from all walks of life now spend thousands of hours--and dollars--partaking in this popular new brand of escapism. But the line between fantasy and reality is starting to blur. Players have created virtual societies with governments and economies of their own whose currencies now trade against the dollar on eBay at rates higher than the yen. And the players who inhabit these synthetic worlds are starting to spend more time online than at their day jobs.

Retro Gaming Hacks

Chris Kohler — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
Maybe it was the recent Atari 2600 milestone anniversary that fueled nostalgia for the golden days of computer and console gaming. Every Game Boy must ponder his roots from time to time. But whatever is driving the current retro gaming craze, one thing is certain: classic games are back for a big second act, and they're being played in both old and new ways.

Despite Allure, Using Digital Games For Learning Seen as No Easy Task : An article from: ...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
Efforts to merge popular digital games with education seem to rev up with every new generation of technology. Researchers, however, point out that using digital games to improve education and bridge the entertainment-education divide is often risky, money-losing propositions.

Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing & Design

John Z. Platten , Flint Dille — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
There are other books about creating video games out there. Sure, they cover the basics. But The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design goes way beyond the basics. The authors, top game designers, focus on creating games that are an involving, emotional experience for the gamer. Topics include integrating story into the game, writing the game script, putting together the game bible, creating the design document, and working on original intellectual property versus working with licenses. Finally, there's complete information on how to present a visionary new idea to developers and publishers. Got game? Get The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.

Networking and Online Games: Understanding and Engineering Multiplayer Internet Games

Grenville Armitage , Mark Claypool , Philip Branch — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
Networking and Online Games concisely draws together and illustrates the overlapping and interacting technical concerns of these sectors. The text explains the principles behind modern multiplayer communication systems and the techniques underlying contemporary networked games. The traffic patterns that modern games impose on networks, and how network performance and service level limitations impact on game designers and player experiences, are covered in-depth, giving the reader the knowledge necessary to develop better gaming products and network services. Examples of real-world multiplayer online games illustrate the theory throughout.

Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture

T. L. Taylor — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
In Play Between Worlds, T. L. Taylor examines multiplayer gaming life as it is lived on the borders, in the gaps--as players slip in and out of complex social networks that cross online and offline space. Taylor questions the common assumption that playing computer games is an isolating and alienating activity indulged in by solitary teenage boys. Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), in which thousands of players participate in a virtual game world in real time, are in fact actively designed for sociability. Games like the popular Everquest, she argues, are fundamentally social spaces.

Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing & Design

John Z. Platten , Flint Dille — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
There are other books about creating video games out there. Sure, they cover the basics. But The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design goes way beyond the basics. The authors, top game designers, focus on creating games that are an involving, emotional experience for the gamer. Topics include integrating story into the game, writing the game script, putting together the game bible, creating the design document, and working on original intellectual property versus working with licenses. Finally, there's complete information on how to present a visionary new idea to developers and publishers. Got game? Get The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.

Paid to Play: An Insider's Guide to Video Game Careers

Alice Rush , David Hodgson , Bryan Stratton — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
The authors will be interviewing over 100 professionals, all of them in different jobs within the video game industry. This will give readers a complete overview of what jobs there are in the industry and which ones may be suited to their talents. Rather than a vague list or a focus on programming and development, Paid to Play will blanket the various fields that are utilized in the world of video games

Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing & Design

John Z. Platten (Author), Flint Dille (Author) — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
There are other books about creating video games out there. Sure, they cover the basics. But The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design goes way beyond the basics. The authors, top game designers, focus on creating games that are an involving, emotional experience for the gamer. Topics include integrating story into the game, writing the game script, putting together the game bible, creating the design document, and working on original intellectual property versus working with licenses. Finally, there's complete information on how to present a visionary new idea to developers and publishers. Got game? Get The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.

Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing & Design

John Z. Platten , Flint Dille — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
There are other books about creating video games out there. Sure, they cover the basics. But The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design goes way beyond the basics. The authors, top game designers, focus on creating games that are an involving, emotional experience for the gamer. Topics include integrating story into the game, writing the game script, putting together the game bible, creating the design document, and working on original intellectual property versus working with licenses. Finally, there's complete information on how to present a visionary new idea to developers and publishers. Got game? Get The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.

Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy

Craig A. Anderson , Douglas A. Gentile , Katherine E. Buckley — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
Violent video games are successfully marketed to and easily obtained by children and adolescents. Even the U.S. government distributes one such game, America's Army, through both the internet and its recruiting offices. Is there any scientific evidence to support the claims that violent games contribute to aggressive and violent behavior?

The Video Games Guide

Matt Fox — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00
Ever dipped into a film guide and thought you might love to own something comparable for video games? Then this is the book for you. Over the last three years, dedicated game player Matt Fox has lovingly compiled nothing less than a gamers bible, a comprehensive overview of every significant game from 1962s Spacewar to the present.