Games development and programming Books

Book SynopsisThis latest textbook from bestselling author, Douglas E. Comer, is a class-tested book providing a comprehensive introduction to cloud computing. Focusing on concepts and principles, rather than commercial offerings by cloud providers and vendors, The Cloud Computing Book: The Future of Computing Explained gives readers a complete picture of the advantages and growth of cloud computing, cloud infrastructure, virtualization, automation and orchestration, and cloud-native software design.The book explains real and virtual data center facilities, including computation (e.g., servers, hypervisors, Virtual Machines, and containers), networks (e.g., leaf-spine architecture, VLANs, and VxLAN), and storage mechanisms (e.g., SAN, NAS, and object storage). Chapters on automation and orchestration cover the conceptual organization of systems that automate software deployment and scaling. Chapters on cloud-native software cover parallelism, microservices, MapReduce, controlTable of ContentsPreface PART I The Era Of Cloud Computing The Motivations For Cloud 1.1 Cloud Computing Everywhere 1.2 A Facility For Flexible Computing 1.3 The Start Of Cloud: The Power Wall And Multiple Cores 1.4 From Multiple Cores To Multiple Machines 1.5 From Clusters To Web Sites And Load Balancing 1.6 Racks Of Server Computers 1.7 The Economic Motivation For A Centralized Data Center 1.8 Origin Of The Term “In The Cloud” 1.9 Centralization Once Again Elastic Computing And Its Advantages 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Multi-Tenant Clouds 2.3 The Concept Of Elastic Computing 2.4 Using Virtualized Servers For Rapid Change 2.5 How Virtualized Servers Aid Providers 2.6 How Virtualized Servers Help A Customer 2.7 Business Models For Cloud Providers 2.8 Intrastructure as a Service (IaaS) 2.9 Platform as a Service (PaaS) 2.10 Software as a Service (SaaS) 2.11 A Special Case: Desktop as a Service (DaaS) 2.12 Summary Type Of Clouds And Cloud Providers 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Private And Public Clouds 3.3 Private Cloud 3.4 Public Cloud 3.5 The Advantages Of Public Cloud 3.6 Provider Lock-In 3.7 The Advantages Of Private Cloud 3.8 Hybrid Cloud 3.9 Multi-Cloud 3.10 Hyperscalers 3.11 Summary PART II Cloud Infrastructure And Virtualization Data Center Infrastructure And Equipment 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Racks, Aisles, And Pods 4.3 Pod Size 4.4 Power And Cooling For A Pod 4.5 Raised Floor Pathways And Air Cooling 4.6 Thermal Containment And Hot/Cold Aisles 4.7 Exhaust Ducts (Chimneys) 4.8 Lights-Out Data Centers 4.9 A Possible Future Of Liquid Cooling 4.10 Network Equipment And Multi-Port Server Interfaces 4.11 Smart Network Interfaces And Offload 4.12 North-South And East-West Network Traffic 4.13 Network Hierarchies, Capacity, And Fat Tree Designs 4.14 High Capacity And Link Aggregation 4.15 A Leaf-Spine Network Design For East-West Traffic 4.16 Scaling A Leaf-Spine Architecture With A Super Spine 4.17 External Internet Connections 4.18 Storage In A Data Center 4.19 Unified Data Center Networks 4.20 Summary Virtual Machines 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Approaches To Virtualization 5.3 Properties Of Full Virtualization 5.4 Conceptual Organization Of VM Systems 5.5 Efficient Execution And Processor Privilege Levels 5.6 Extending Privilege To A Hypervisor 5.7 Levels Of Trust 5.8 Levels Of Trust And I/O Devices 5.9 Virtual I/O Devices 5.10 Virtual Device Details 5.11 An Example Virtual Device 5.12 A VM As A Digital Object 5.13 VM Migration 5.14 Live Migration Using Three Phase5.15 Running Virtual Machines In An Application 5.16 Facilities That Make A Hosted Hypervisor Possible 5.17 How A User Benefits From A Hosted Hypervisor 5.18 Summary Containers 6.1 Introduction 6.2 The Advantages And Disadvantages Of VMs 6.3 Traditional Apps And Elasticity On Demand 6.4 Isolation Facilities In An Operating System 6.5 Linux Namespaces Used For Isolation 6.6 The Container Approach For Isolated Apps 6.7 Docker Containers6.8 Docker Terminology And Development Tools 6.9 Docker Software Components 6.10 Base Operating System And Files 6.11 Items In A Dockerfile 6.12 An Example Dockerfile 6.13 Summary Virtual Networks 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Conflicting Goals For A Data Center Network 7.3 Virtual Networks, Overlays, And Underlays 7.4 Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) 7.5 Scaling VLANs To A Data Center With VXLAN 7.6 A Virtual Network Switch Within A Server 7.7 Network Address Translation (NAT) 7.8 Managing Virtualization And Mobility 7.9 Automated Network Configuration And Operation 7.10 Software Defined Networking 7.11 The OpenFlow Protocol 7.12 Programmable Networks 7.13 Summary Virtual Storage 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Persistent Storage: Disks And Files 8.3 The Disk Interface Abstraction 8.4 The File Interface Abstraction 8.5 Local And Remote Storage 18.6 Two Types Of Remote Storage Systems 8.7 Network Attached Storage (NAS) Technology 8.8 Storage Area Network (SAN) Technology 8.9 Mapping Virtual Disks To Physical Disks 8.10 Hyper-Converged Infrastructure 8.11 A Comparison Of NAS and SAN Technology 8.12 Object Storage 8.13 Summary PART III Automation And OrchestrationAutomation 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Groups That Use Automation 9.3 The Need For Automation In A Data Center 9.4 An Example Deployment 9.5 What Can Be Automated? 9.6 Levels Of Automation 9.7 AIops: Using Machine Learning And Artificial Intelligence 9.8 A Plethora Of Automation Tools 9.9 Automation Of Manual Data Center Practices 9.10 Zero Touch Provisioning And Infrastructure As Code 9.11 Declarative, Imperative, And Intent-Based Specifications 9.12 The Evolution Of Automation Tools 9.13 Summary Orchestration: Automated Replication And Parallelism 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The Legacy Of Automating Manual Procedures 10.3 Orchestration: Automation With A Larger Scope 10.4 Kubernetes: An Example Container Orchestration System 10.5 Limits On Kubernetes Scope 10.6 The Kubernetes Cluster Model 10.7 Kubernetes Pods 10.8 Pod Creation, Templates, And Binding Times 10.9 Init Containers 10.10 Kubernetes Terminology: Nodes And Control Plane 10.11 Control Plane Software Components 10.12 Communication Among Control Plane Components 10.13 Worker Node Software Components 10.14 Kubernetes Features 110.15 SummaryPART IV Cloud Programming ParadigmsThe MapReduce Paradigm 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Software In A Cloud Environment 11.3 Cloud-Native Vs. Conventional Software 11.4 Using Data Center Servers For Parallel Processing 11.5 Tradeoffs And Limitations Of The Parallel Approach 11.6 The MapReduce Programming Paradigm 11.7 Mathematical Description Of MapReduce 11.8 Splitting Input 11.9 Parallelism And Data Size 11.10 Data Access and Data Transmission 11.11 Apache Hadoop 11.12 The Two Major Parts Of Hadoop 11.13 Hadoop Hardware Cluster Model 11.14 HDFS Components: DataNodes And A NameNode 11.15 Block Replication And Fault Tolerance 11.16 HDFS And MapReduce 11.17 Using Hadoop With Other File Systems 11.18 Using Hadoop For MapReduce Computations 11.19 Hadoop’s Support For Programming Languages 11.20 Summary Microservices 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Traditional Monolithic Applications 12.3 Monolithic Applications In A Data Center 12.4 The Microservices Approach 12.5 The Advantages Of Microservices 12.6 The Potential Disadvantages of Microservices 12.7 Microservices Granularity 12.8 Communication Protocols Used For Microservices 12.9 Communication Among Microservices 12.10 Using A Service Mesh Proxy 12.11 The Potential For Deadlock 12.12 Microservices Technologies 12.13 Summary Controller-Based Management Software13.1 Introduction 13.2 Traditional Distributed Application Management 13.3 Periodic Monitoring 13.4 Managing Cloud-Native Applications 13.5 Control Loop Concept 13.6 Control Loop Delay, Hysteresis, And Instability 13.7 The Kubernetes Controller Paradigm And Control Loop 13.8 An Event-Driven Implementation Of A Control Loop 13.9 Components Of A Kubernetes Controller 13.10 Custom Resources And Custom Controllers 13.11 Kubernetes Custom Resource Definition (CRD) 13.12 Service Mesh Management Tools 13.13 Reactive Or Dynamic Planning 13.14 A Goal: The Operator Pattern 13.15 Summary Serverless Computing And Event Processing 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Traditional Client-Server Architecture 114.3 Scaling A Traditional Server To Handle Multiple Clients 14.4 Scaling A Server In A Cloud Environment 14.5 The Economics Of Servers In The Cloud 14.6 The Serverless Computing Approach 14.7 Stateless Servers And Containers 14.8 The Architecture Of A Serverless Infrastructure 14.9 An Example Of Serverless Processing 14.10 Potential Disadvantages Of Serverless Computing 14.11 Summary DevOps 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Software Creation And Deployment15.3 The Realistic Software Development Cycle 15.4 Large Software Projects And Teams 15.5 Disadvantages Of Using Multiple Teams 15.6 The DevOps Approach 15.7 Continuous Integration (CI): A Short Change Cycle 15.8 Continuous Delivery (CD): Deploying Versions Rapidly 15.9 Cautious Deployment: Sandbox, Canary, And Blue/Green 15.10 Difficult Aspects Of The DevOps Approach 15.11 Summary PART V Other Aspects Of Cloud Edge Computing And IIoT 16.1 Introduction 16.2 The Latency Disadvantage Of Cloud 16.3 Situations Where Latency Matters 16.4 Industries That Need Low Latency 16.5 Moving Computing To The Edge 16.6 Extending Edge Computing To A Fog Hierarchy 16.7 Caching At Multiple Levels Of A Hierarchy 16.8 An Automotive Example 16.9 Edge Computing And IIoT 16.10 Communication For IIoT 16.11 Decentralization Once Again 16.12 Summary Cloud Security And Privacy17.1 Introduction 17.2 Cloud-Specific Security Problems 17.3 Security In A Traditional Infrastructure 17.4 Why Traditional Methods Do Not Suffice For The Cloud 17.5 The Zero Trust Security Model 17.6 Identity Management 17.7 Privileged Access Management (PAM) 17.8 AI Technologies And Their Effect On Security17.9 Protecting Remote Access 17.10 Privacy In A Cloud Environment 17.11 Back Doors, Side Channels, And Other Concerns 17.12 Cloud Providers As Partners For Security And Privacy 17.13 Summary Controlling The Complexity Of Cloud-Native Systems 18.1 Introduction 18.2 Sources Of Complexity In Cloud Systems 18.3 Inherent Complexity In Large Distributed Systems 18.4 Designing A Flawless Distributed System 18.5 System Modeling 18.6 Mathematical Models 18.7 An Example Graph Model To Help Avoid Deadlock 18.8 A Graph Model For A Startup Sequence 18.9 Modeling Using Mathematics 18.10 An Example TLA+ Specification 18.11 System State And State Changes 18.12 The Form Of A TLA+ Specification 18.13 Symbols In A TLA+ Specification 18.14 State Transitions For The Example 18.15 Conclusions About Temporal Logic Models 18.16 Summary Index

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Book SynopsisAll games are potentially transformative experiences because they engage the player in dynamic action. When repurposed in an educational context, even highly popular casual games played online to pass the time can engage players in a way that deepens learning. Games as Transformative Experiences for Critical Thinking, Cultural Awareness, and Deep Learning: Strategies & Resources examines the learning value of a wide variety of games across multiple disciplines.Organized just like a well-made game, the book is divided into four parts highlighting classroom experiences, community and culture, virtual learning, and interdisciplinary instruction. The author crosses between the high school and college classroom and addresses a range of disciplines, both online and classroom practice, the design of curriculum, and the transformation of assessment practices.In addition to a wealth of practical exercises, resources, and lesson ideas, the book explains how to use a wide Trade Review"I would posit that David Seelow should be esteemed in the same way we treat John Paul Gee, Jane McGonigal, Jesse Schell, and Lee Sheldon. The book contains significant benefits and is well worth the investment of time and money required to acquire and read the book. This book is highly recommended if you are looking to experiment with GBL in the classroom, either via online, virtual, or hybrid approaches. You will find a wide range of successfully applied games that could be used to stimulate your learners’ interest in achieving a deeper level of learning."- Michael J. D. Sutton, Journal of Applied Learning & Teaching"I would posit that David Seelow should be esteemed in the same way we treat John Paul Gee, Jane McGonigal, Jesse Schell, and Lee Sheldon. The book contains significant benefits and is well worth the investment of time and money required to acquire and read the book. This book is highly recommended if you are looking to experiment with GBL in the classroom, either via online, virtual, or hybrid approaches. You will find a wide range of successfully applied games that could be used to stimulate your learners’ interest in achieving a deeper level of learning."- Michael J. D. Sutton, Journal of Applied Learning & TeachingTable of ContentsIn Memoriam. Author. Introduction: The Power and Potential of Games for Learning. Part I Games as Transformative Classroom Experiences. Chapter 1 My Favorite Game: The Power of Personal Learning. Chapter 2 Ask the Sphinx: Power Up Student Motivation with Superpower Challenges. Chapter 3 Gen Con in the Classroom: Board Games. Chapter 4 Video Games in the English Classroom: Supercharging Critical Literacy. Chapter 5 Playing through Stories: Teaching Interactive Narrative. Part II Games as Transformative Classroom Experiences. Chapter 6 Using a Game to Counter the Prejudice, Bias, and Discrimination against the Transgender Community: If Found and Transformative Storytelling. Chapter 7 "Smart Bets" Balancing Uncertainty with Clear Thinking: Annie Duke’s Poker Skills for Everyday Life. Chapter 8 Chess for Self, School, and Society. Chapter 9 War from the Other Side: Playing Games to Save Democracy. Chapter 10 The Child as Mother to Man: A Game for Saving Nature. Chapter 11 Turning Strangers into Neighbors: Improving the World through a Game of Gratitude. Part III Casual Games as Transformative Online Learning Experiences. Chapter 12 Three Small Games for Big Learning in Math and Physics. Chapter 13 Playing Small Business Owners: Teaching Management, Self-Efficacy, and Authentic Skills through Casual Games. Chapter 14 Teaching Teamwork with a Public Health Game. Chapter 15 There Is an Imposter Among Us: Teaching Truth in the Time of "The Big Lie". Chapter 16 Teaching Tragedy in Real Time: The Syrian Refugee Crisis. Chapter 17 Games for College Orientation: Social Emotional Learning. Part IV Playing across Boundaries: Interdisciplinary Instruction with Films, Games, and Literature. Chapter 18 Teaching the Disclosure Scene: Empathy and Understanding for Transgender People. Chapter 19 Teaching Over the Top: The Great War through a Game, Painting, Poem, and Superhero Film. Chapter 20 How "Memoirs" about the Iranian Revolution Can Help Change Stereotypical Perceptions of the Muslim as "Other". Chapter 21 Teaching about Pandemics During a Pandemic. CONCLUSION A SHORT HIKE TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: TEACHING THE TRANSCENDENT OR WALKING THE DOG. INDEX.

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Book SynopsisGame Audio Fundamentals takes the reader on a journey through game audio design: from analog and digital audio basics, to the art and execution of sound effects, soundtracks, and voice production, as well as learning how to make sense of a truly effective soundscape.Trade Review"With his Game Audio Fundamentals, Keith Zizza has delivered a solid, hands-on book that touches on all the important aspects of creating sound and music for video games!"Brian Schmidt, Game Composer/Sound Designer, Executive Director of GameSoundConTable of ContentsPART I: Theory and Tools 1. Acoustics and Analog Audio 2. Digital Audio 3. Music Theory for Audio Designers 4. Production Tools PART II: Soundscapes and Disciplines 5. DAW Essentials, Part I: Editing, Workflow, and Rendering 6. DAW Essentials, Part II: An Overview of Plug-ins 7. Understanding Soundscapes for Games 8. Sound Design 9. Music 10. Dialogue PART III: Practice 11. Production and Development 12. Implementation 13. Listening 14. Finding Game Audio Work

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Book SynopsisThis book is a study of the psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy of creativity, originality, and inspiration viewed from the lens of a seasoned game developer. It introduces the concept of creative sobrietyâa practice that advocates better understanding our own sources of inspiration so that we can intellectually drive our creative voice closer to originality.The creative process is an improvised dance between the conscious and the subconscious mind, where knowledge, experience, intuition, observation, imagination, and projection meet in ways that are completely unique to each person. Presenting practical and theoretical approaches to originality and game concept generation, this book explores the notion of creative sobriety before moving to chapters that blend theory and practice, covering topics such as innovation, the creative process, auteurship, collaboration, and creative vision.This book will be of great interest to students of game design and creative profe

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThis book unlocks an understanding of video games as virtual travel. It explains how video game design increasingly takes cues from the promotional language of tourism, and how this connection raises issues of power and commodification.Bridging the disciplinary gap between game and tourism studies, the book offers a comprehensive account of touristic gazing in games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Minecraft, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. Traveling through video games involves a mythological promise of open-ended opportunity, summarized in the slogan you can go there. Van Nuenen discusses the scale of game worlds, the elusive nature of freedom and control, and the pivotal role of work in creating a sense of belonging. The logic of tourism is fundamentally consumptiveâbut through design choices, players can also be invited to approach their travels more critically. This is the difference between moving through a game world, and being moved by it.This interdisciplinary and innovative study will interest students and scholars of digital media studies, game studies, tourism and technology, and the Digital Humanities.

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Book SynopsisRepresentation of Disability in Children's Video Games looks at how children's engagement with characters and stories in video games helps create the perception of disability they have as teens and adults. Drawing on child development theory supported by neuroscience, the book shows how the scaffold of information, the schema, adults have of disability is first created at a very young age as they interact through play with characters with disabilities in narrative video games.Positing that early video game play experiences should provide exposure to narrative schemas that add understanding and help create meaning about the disability represented, the book presents how such representation in children's video games maps against cognitive development and the psychomotor and cognitive needs and abilities of children 312. Through close readings of over 40 PEGI 3 and PEGI 7 (ESRB E, 10+) games and analysis of games as diverse as Backyard Baseball and Sly CooperTable of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2 Child Development 1: Schema, Play, the Dreamworld, and Societal Norms Chapter 3: Child Development 2: Children’s Cognitive Development Chapter 4: The Games I, Representation of Physical DisabilityChapter 5. The Games II, Neurodevelopmental Disability Chapter 6. Content Rating Systems Chapter 7: Final Words

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe indie game developer's complete guide to running a studio.The climate for the games industry has never been hotter, and this is only set to continue as the marketplace for tablets, consoles and phones grow. Seemingly every day there is a story of how a successful app or game has earned thousands of downloads and revenue. As the market size increases, so does the number of people developing and looking to develop their own app or game to publish. The Indie Game Developer Handbook covers every aspect of running a game development studiofrom the initial creation of the game through to completion, release and beyond. Accessible and complete guide to many aspects of running a game development studio from funding and development through QA, publishing, marketing, and more. Provides a useful knowledge base and help to support the learning process of running an indie development studio in an honest, approachable and easy to understand wTable of ContentsIndie Game Development: The Best Job in the World! Chapter 1: Development Tools and Resources Chapter 2: Self-Publishing Chapter 3: QA, Localizations & Age Ratings Chapter 4: PR & Reaching Out to the Press Chapter 5: Marketing Chapter 6: Advertising Chapter 7: Websites, Forums & Source Control Chapter 8: Funding Chapter 9: Tax, Legal & Other Odds and Ends

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Book SynopsisThe new edition of 3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop features the most up-to-date techniques that allow you to create your own unique textures, shaders, and materials. Revised to take new technology into account, it is an ideal hands-on resource for creating online worlds, simulations, web-based applications, and architectural visualization projects.Continuing the practical, no-nonsense approach of its predecessors, the fourth edition shows you how to advance your digital art skills with textures and shaders by exploring their interactions in single objects or entire scenes. It contains expanded coverage of shader nodes, and the companion websitewww.lukeahearn.com/textureshas been updated to include video tutorials as well as updated sample textures, shaders, materials, actions, brushes, and all of the art from the book. Table of ContentsIntroduction. The Basics of Art. The Basics of Computer Graphic Technology. Introduction to Shaders and Materials. Preparing for Texture Creation. Sci-Fi Hallway, Basic Shaders: Diffuse, Illumination, and Opacity. The Urban Setting: Low-Polygon, High-Texture Detail. The Fantasy Setting: High-Polygon, High-Texture Detail. Exteriors. Game Effects. Normal Maps and Multipass Shaders.

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Book SynopsisExpert Guidance on the Math Needed for 3D Game ProgrammingDeveloped from the authors' popular Game Developers Conference (GDC) tutorial, Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications, Third Edition illustrates the importance of mathematics in 3D programming. It shows you how to properly animate, simulate, and render scenes and discusses the mathematics behind the processes.New to the Third EditionCompletely revised to fix errors and make the content flow better, this third edition reflects the increased use of shader graphics pipelines, such as in DirectX 11, OpenGL ES (GLES), and the OpenGL Core Profile. It also updates the material on real-time graphics with coverage of more realistic materials and lighting.The Foundation for Successful 3D ProgrammingThe book covers the low-level mathematical and geometric representations and algorithms that are the core of any game engine. It also explores all thTrade ReviewPraise for Previous Editions:"It’s the book with all the math you need for games."—Neil Kirby, Researcher, Alcatel-Lucent"Even though I’ve worked with these systems for years, this book showed me new ways of looking at several topics that make them easier to remember and use. For someone new to 3D programming, it is extremely useful—it gives them a solid background in pretty much every area they need to understand."—Peter Lipson, Toys for Bob, Inc.Table of ContentsRepresenting Real Numbers. Vectors and Points. Linear Transformations and Matrices. Affine Transformations. Orientation Representation. Interpolation. Viewing and Projection. Geometry and Programmable Shading. Lighting. Rasterization. Random Numbers. Intersection Testing. Rigid-Body Dynamics.

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Book SynopsisThe evolution of story-telling is as old as the human race; from the beginning, when our ancestors first gathered around a campfire to share wondrous tales through oral traditions, to today, with information and stories being shared through waves and filling screens with words and images. Stories have always surrounded us, and united us in ways other disciplines can''t. Storytelling for Interactive Digital Media and Video Games lays out the construct of the story, and how it can be manipulated by the storyteller through sound, video, lighting, graphics, and color. This book is the perfect guide to aspiring storytellers as it illustrates the different manner of how and why stories are told, and how to make them interactive. Storytelling features heavy game development as a method of storytelling and delivery, and how to develop compelling plots, characters, settings, and actions inside a game. The concept of digital storytelling will be explored, and how this differs frTable of ContentsChapter 1 What is a Story? Fundamental Components of the StoryChapter 2 Who is Telling the Story? Teller/Audience RelationshipChapter 3 How Do We Tell Stories? Formats of StorytellingChapter 4 What Are Stories About? The Content of StoriesChapter 5 Why Do We Tell Stories? Functional StorytellingChapter 6 Activities For StorytellersChapter 7 ConclusionChapter 9 The Moving ImageChapter 10 Memes and SymbolsChapter 11 AudioChapter 12 ExercisesChapter 13 ConclusionChapter 14 Interaction BasicsChapter 15 Interactive Media TypesChapter 16 GamesChapter 17 Stories and GamesChapter 18 ActivitiesChapter 19 Conclusion

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Book SynopsisCOLLADA is a COLLAborative Design Activity for establishing an open standard Digital Asset schema for interactive 3D applications. This book explains in detail how to use the COLLADA technology in a project utilizing 3D assets, and ultimately how to create an effective content creation pipeline for the most complex development. Errata are posted at http://collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/COLLADA_book.Trade Review" book presents comprehensive and enlightening coverage of COLLADA from a practical perspective. NVIDIA is proud of the continuing collaboration on this project, and we look forward to seeing users fully utilize COLLADA to deploy next-generation 3D rendering content in future graphics applications."--Sebastien Domine, Director of Developer Technology Tools, NVIDIA Corporation, August 2006 compatible, reliable, and predictable communications between content creation applications in a tool chain has long been the dream of developers. At last there is a solution. The creators of COLLADA have come up with a schema, which is supported by Khronos, an independent standards body, that allows the applications to communicate in an open and efficient manner-an industry standard for 3D interchange is finally here." --Dr. Jon Peddie, President, Jon Peddie Research, August 2006 is redefining game development and promises, for once, to make it simpler and more fun to create 3D content. This authoritative book-detailed, engaging and written by the fathers of COLLADA-will enable game developers to better understand and benefit from this popular technology, so they can focus on creating bold new games instead of maintaining yet another proprietary file format." --Christian Laforte, President, Feeling Software, Inc., August 2006 book provides a first and comprehensive introduction to COLLADA, the digital asset exchange schema, which enables a standardized way for physics to be implemented into a variety of game development environments using a variety of creative tools. It will help the AGEIA mission of expanding the role of artists in the game development process through open physics standards." --Emmanuel Marquez Ageia, Worldwide Senior Producer, AGEIA Technologies, Inc., August 2006 "I highly recommend this book. If you are a programmer with a reasonable understanding of 3D graphics programming and/or authoring using 3D scene graphs, you will be able to learn the basics of Collada. If you are an experienced 3D toolmaker, Collada contains everything you need to get up and running to build your game, game engine or content pipeline tool. If you are a manager or decision maker, you get the added comfort of knowing that - finally - you just might be able to write that tool once and not over and over again." -Tony Parisi, Slashdot.org, December 2006 [The Authors] provide insight into the design of COLLADA so that readers can understand how design decisions were made and how this standard may evolve. The book will be useful to content developers interested in exchanging data between several tools, to application developers planning to use COLLADA, and to tool providers who want to add COLLADA compatibility. -Book News, December 2006 Jon Peddie gives us an interesting perspective on the games industry and the efforts being made to make asset exchange as easy as possible. --Jon Peddie, Hexus, September 2006 "COLLADA: SAILING THE GULF OF 3D DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION is for any game developer beyond the novice stage: it discusses the pros, cons, applications and future of a bold new technology for creating games, and comes from a joint industry effort focusing on effective 3D interaction in game developments. The Collada initiative surveys the history and especially the applications of the 3D industry tool, offering up a basic guide to the Collada 1.4 specifications and reviewing foundation concepts, tools, and applications and design. It's simply a must for any serious game developer." -California Bookwatch: The Computer Shelf, California Bookwatch, November 2006 book makes available the results of a joint industry effort, spearheaded by Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., to create a standard for digital asset exchange that enables Playstation(R) 3 to bring more realistic content to life and into the home like never before." -Ken Kutaragi, President and CEO Sony Computer Entertainment -President and CEO Sony Computer Entertainment, August 2006 welcomes the publication of COLLADA: Sailing the Gulf of 3D Digital Content Creation, where the centerpiece of the digital asset tool chain for the 3D interactive industry is clearly explained and presented for the first time. Softimage is proud to have contributed to COLLADA since the beginning of its development, and to watch it grow into a powerful resource supported by the industry as a whole." --Gareth Morgan, Senior product manager for Softimage Co.,a subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc., August 2006 COLLADA initiative is a demonstration of Sony's leadership and commitment to the games development industry. Autodesk is very supportive of this effort; it helps the games community become more productive as it tackles the requirements and opportunities of new generation consoles." --Marc Petit, VP Media & Entertainment, Autodesk, August 2006 book is an excellent first-hand account of the origins of COLLADA straight from the people that made it happen. These pages are much more then just an authoritative technical primer on enabling great content-they are also a glimpse into the passion and vision that bought COLLADA to life. The Khronos Group is honored to provide a good home to COLLADA-an open standard that is truly changing the 3D industry." -Neil Trevett, President, Khronos Group -President, Khronos Group, August 2006"Table of Contents1. Introduction to COLLADA 2. COLLADA Document 3. COLLADA Geometry 4. COLLADA Scenes 5. COLLADA Effects 6. COLLADA Animations 7. COLLADA Physics 8. COLLADA Content Pipeline

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Book SynopsisSolve your programming woes in Unity with practical design propositionsKey Features Gain a comprehensive overview of Unity engine architecture and coding model Build a complete racing game using software design patterns and understand how to implement them in Unity Download the source code of the complete prototype demonstrating each of the software patterns used Book DescriptionThis book is written for every game developer ready to tackle the bigger picture and start working with advanced programming techniques and design patterns in Unity.Game Development Patterns with Unity 2021 is an introduction to the core principles of reusable software patterns and how to employ them to build components efficiently.In this second edition, you'll tackle design patterns with the help of a practical example; a playable racing game prototype where you’ll get to apply all your newfound knowledge. Notable updates also include a game design document (GDD), a Unity programming primer, and the downloadable source code of a complete prototype.Your journey will start by learning about overall design of the core game mechanics and systems. You’ll discover tried-and-tested software patterns to code essential components of a game in a structured manner, and start using classic design patterns to utilize Unity's unique API features.As you progress, you'll also identify the negative impacts of bad architectural decisions and understand how to overcome them with simple but effective practices.By the end of this Unity book, the way you develop Unity games will change – you’ll adapt a more structured, scalable, and optimized process that will help you take the next step in your career.What you will learn Structure professional Unity code using industry-standard development patterns Identify the right patterns for implementing specific game mechanics or features Develop configurable core game mechanics and ingredients that can be modified without writing a single line of code Review practical object-oriented programming (OOP) techniques and learn how they're used in the context of a Unity project Build unique game development systems such as a level editor Explore ways to adapt traditional design patterns for use with the Unity API Who this book is forThis book is for Unity game developers who want to learn industry standards for building Unity games. Knowledge of the Unity game engine and programming in the C# language is a must, so if you’re a beginner, try our Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 2021 handbook instead.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Before We Begin The Game Design Document A Short Primer to Programming in Unity Implementing a Game Manager with the Singleton Managing Character States with the State Pattern Managing Game Events with the Event Bus Implement a Replay System with the Command Pattern Optimizing with the Object Pool Pattern Decoupling Components with the Observer Pattern Implementing Power-Ups with the Visitor Pattern Implementing a Drone with the Strategy Pattern Using the Decorator to Implement a Weapon System Implementing a Level Editor with Spatial Partition Adapting Systems with an Adapter Concealing Complexity with a Facade Pattern Managing Dependencies with the Service Locator Pattern

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Book SynopsisThe book takes a clear, step-by-step approach to building small, simple game projects. It focuses on short, attainable goals so that the reader can finish something, instead of trying to create a complex RPG or open-world game that never sees the light of day. This book encourages readers hungry for knowledge. It does not go into gory detail about how every little knob and dial functions that's what the software manual is for! Rather, this book is the fastest path from zero to finished game using the Unity game engine. If you've ever wanted to develop games, but have never felt smart enough to deal with complex programming, this book is for you. It's also a great kick-start for developers coming from other tools like Flash, Unreal Engine, and Game Maker Pro.

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Book SynopsisHot on the heels of Raspberry Pi 5, this update to our best-selling Retro Gaming with Raspberry Pi line opens up a new generation of 1990s and 2000s consoles to rediscover. Building a retro console is one of the most popular starter projects. Retro Gaming with Raspberry Pi 3rd Edition walks new Raspberry Pi owners step-by-step to build their own games console with the latest cases, screens, joysticks, and gaming components. Readers learn how to program their own games, including nineties virtual pets, text adventures, Pong, and Mole-Bop. Build arcade machines. Recreate consoles. Rediscover classic computers. It's packed with projects and inspiration!

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Book SynopsisThis book will teach you fundamental mathematical concepts using Unity-based custom examples, explaining the implementations and demonstrating how these concepts are applied in building modern video game functionality. You will learn the theoretical foundation of each concept, and then interact, examine, and modify the implementation to inspect the effects. Basic Math for Game Development with Unity 3D begins by explaining points in the 3D Cartesian Coordinate system. From there, you'll gain insight into vectors and details of dot and cross products, quaternions, rotation and decomposition of vectors. These basic mathematical foundations are illustrated through Unity-based example implementations. Associated with these concept presentations are separate examples of how the concepts are applied in creating typical video game functionality, such as collision support, motion simulations, autonomous behaviors, shadow approximations, and reflections off surfaces with arbitrary orientationTable of Contents

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. From the bestselling author of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels comes the next definitive, behind-the-scenes account of the video game industry: how some of the past decade's most renowned studios fell apart-and the stories, both triumphant and tragic, of what happened next.Jason Schreier's groundbreaking reporting has earned him a place among the preeminent investigative journalists covering the world of video games. In his eagerly anticipated, deeply researched new book, Schreier trains his investigative eye on the volatility of the video game industry and the resilience of the people who work in it.The business of videogames is both a prestige industry and an opaque one. Based on dozens of first-hand interviews that cover the development of landmark games-Bioshock Infinite, Epic Mickey, Dead Space, and more-on to the shocking closures of the studios that made them, Press Reset tells the stories of how real people are affected by game studio shutdowns, and how they recover, move on, or escape the industry entirely.Schreier's insider interviews cover hostile takeovers, abusive bosses, corporate drama, bounced checks, and that one time the Boston Red Sox's Curt Schilling decided he was going to lead a game studio that would take out World of Warcraft. Along the way, he asks pressing questions about why, when the video game industry is more successful than ever, it's become so hard to make a stable living making video games-and whether the business of making games can change before it's too late.

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Book SynopsisDeveloping computer games is a perfect way to learn how to program in modern programming languages. This book teaches how to program in C# through the creation of computer games – and without requiring any previous programming experience.Contrary to most programming books, van Toll, Egges, and Fokker do not organize the presentation according to programming language constructs, but instead use the structure and elements of computer games as a framework. For instance, there are chapters on dealing with player input, game objects, game worlds, game states, levels, animation, physics, and intelligence. The reader will be guided through the development of four games showing the various aspects of game development. Starting with a simple shooting game, the authors move on to puzzle games consisting of multiple levels, and conclude the book by developing a full-fledged platform game with animation, game physics, and intelligent enemies. They show a number of commonly used techniques in games, such as drawing layers of sprites, rotating, scaling and animating sprites, dealing with physics, handling interaction between game objects, and creating pleasing visual effects. At the same time, they provide a thorough introduction to C# and object-oriented programming, introducing step by step important programming concepts such as loops, methods, classes, collections, and exception handling.This second edition includes a few notable updates. First of all, the book and all example programs are now based on the library MonoGame 3.6, instead of the obsolete XNA Game Studio. Second, instead of explaining how the example programs work, the text now invites readers to write these programs themselves, with clearly marked reference points throughout the text. Third, the book now makes a clearer distinction between general (C#) programming concepts and concepts that are specific to game development. Fourth, the most important programming concepts are now summarized in convenient “Quick Reference” boxes, which replace the syntax diagrams of the first edition. Finally, the updated exercises are now grouped per chapter and can be found at the end of each chapter, allowing readers to test their knowledge more directly.The book is also designed to be used as a basis for a game-oriented programming course. Supplementary materials for organizing such a course are available on an accompanying web site, which also includes all example programs, game sprites, sounds, and the solutions to all exercises.Table of Contents1 Building Your First Game Application.- 2 What Is Programming?.- 3 Game Programming Basics.- 4 Creating a Game World.- 5 Showing what the Player is Doing.- 6 Reacting to Player Input.- 7 Basic Game Objects.- 8 Communication and Interaction Between Objects.- 9 A Limited Number of Lives.- 10 Organizing Game Objects.- 11 Finishing the Game.- 12 Dealing with Different Screen Sizes.- 13 Arrays and Collections.- 14 Game Objects in a Structure.- 15 Gameplay Programming.- 16 Finishing the Game.- 17 Better Game State Management.- 18 User Interfaces and Menus.- 19 Loading Levels from Files.- 20 Gameplay Programming.- 21 Finishing the Game.- 22 Creating the Main Game Structure.- 23 Animated Game Objects.- 24 Game Physics.- 25 Intelligent Enemies.- 26 Finishing the Game.

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Book SynopsisGet up and running with Roblox environment and Luau programming basics to build and share your gamesIncludes an exclusive invite to join the online Roblox game development community Key Features * Begin coding in Luau: build player avatars, battlefields, game physics, countdown timers, a nd more * Learn tips, tricks, best practices, and advanced Roblox coding techniques for game creation * Join the Roblox coding bookclub to discuss queries, provide solutions, and ask Zander for advice on Roblox gaming Book Description Roblox is a huge entertainment platform like no other for both playing and creating games. With over 200 million monthly active users, Roblox has enabled new and experienced developers to create successful games, often called experiences, that can be played globally at no cost. Coding Roblox Games Made Easy, 2nd edition builds a solid foundation of concepts you need to embark on the journey of building 3 games in Roblox in an increasing order of complexity. Create obstacles and traps for an Obby and overcome them to win the game alongside other players and earn rewards. In the next game, manage player avatars, their weapons, a battlefield, add programming logic for the players to find their weapons and fight, with a reward for the last player standing. Take your game development skills to another level, building a multi-player game. Add a timer for players to locate items to escape while Granny hunts for each player to eliminate all of them before the time ends. Finally, you'll delve into the logistics of game production, focusing on optimizing your games' performance by implementing impressive mechanics, monetization, and marketing practices. We also discuss how metaverse is set to change the dynamics of user experience and what the future holds for Roblox game developers. Let's create and share experiences through play! What you will learn * Understand how to use Roblox Studio and other free resources * Learn coding in Luau: basics, game systems, physics manipulation, etc. * Test, evaluate, and redesign to create bug-free and engaging games * Use Roblox programming and rewards to make your first game * Move from lobby to battleground, build avatars, locate weapons to fight * Character selection, countdown timers, locate escape items, assign rewards * Master the 3 Ms: Mechanics, Monetization, Marketing (and Metaverse) Who This Book Is For Get started with building your first game on the Roblox platform. This book is for anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of Luau programming and Roblox Studio and needs direction to build and share games. If you're already familiar with Roblox and are looking for tips, tricks, and the best Roblox and Luau practices for efficient development, you'll find this book helpful. The book requires no prior knowledge of game development.Table of ContentsTable of Contents * Introducing Roblox Development * Knowing Your Work Environment * Introduction to Roblox Lua * Roblox Programming Scenarios * Creating an Obby * Creating a Battle Royale Game * The 3 Ms * 50 cool things to do in Roblox

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Book SynopsisArchitecture for the Commons dives into an analysis of how the tectonics of a building is fundamentally linked to the economic organizations that allow them to exist. By tracing the origins and promises of current technological practices in design, the book provides an alternative path, one that reconsiders the means of achieving complexity through combinatorial strategies. This move requires reconsidering serial production with crowdsourcing and user content in mind. The ideas presented will be explored through the design research developed within Plethora Project, a design practice that explores the use of video game interfaces as a mechanism for participation and user design. The research work presented throughout the book seeks to align with a larger project that is currently taking place in many different fields: The Construction of the Commons. By developing both the ideological and physical infrastructure, the project of the Commons has become an antidote to current economic practices that perpetuate inequality. The mechanisms of the production and governance of the Commons are discussed, inviting the reader to get involved and participate in the discussion. The current political and economic landscape calls for a reformulation of our current economic practices and alternative value systems that challenge the current market monopolies. This book will be of great interest not only to architects and designers studying the impact of digital technologies in the field of design but also to researchers studying novel techniques for social participation and cooperating of communities through digital networks. The book connects principles of architecture, economics and social sciences to provide alternatives to the current production trends.Table of ContentsIntroduction - A Call for a Post-2008 Architecture 1. Architectural Progress 2. The Coalescence of Parts 3. In Defense of Parts 4. Immaterial Architectures 5. Reconstruction through Self-Provision Index

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Book SynopsisCreate games from start to finish while learning game design and programming principles using the GameMaker. Game Development with GameMaker covers all aspects of game design and development from the initial idea to the final release. You will learn how to make a 2D game from start to finish using GameMaker covering important features and topics related to game development.The book will cover design and development of a top-down action game from start to finish leveraging on best practices according to the current state of the industry's standards. It will cover all the building blocks of 2D game development: movements, combat, AI, UI, level design, inventory, power ups, etc. This edition also aims to implement the many changes that has come to GameMaker: new features as well as best practices. You WillMaster GameMaker Language (GML) programmingApply game design principles and programming patternsLearn about 2D game development techniques and best practicesReview the visual programming tool of GameMakerWho This Book is ForGame enthusiasts interested in game development and design with GameMaker would benefit from the book. No prior programming experience is required.

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Book SynopsisDiscover how shaders can enhance your game and mesmerize players by making graphic gameplay elements more realistic and attractive. This book provides easy-to-follow recipes that will show you how to leverage the Unity Shader Graph to create more immersive, enjoyable games. Author Álvaro Alda takes you through each effect step by step, so that you gain a foundational understanding of how they are created using the Shader Graph tool. Practical projects help you put what you're learning into context, from simple effects like 3D scan lines to more complicated effects such as black holes, bubble particles, water, and even interactive snow. Twelve different effects are demonstrated, to cover almost everything related to shader graph. On completing this book, you will have a thorough understanding of the Shader Graph tool and samples to replicate and continue learning from. Whether you are an indie game developer or technical artist,Beginner's Guide to Unity Shader Graph will give you the Table of ContentsChapter 0: Unity Set Up and GuidelinesChapter 1: Introduction to ShadersSub -Topics:•What is a shader?•Vertex and fragment shader•Working spaces (world, object, view, tangent)•Light in URP•Create your first shader in URPChapter 2: Shader Graph EditorSub -Topics:•Master nodes Connecting nodes•Properties•Connecting nodes•SubshaderChapter 3: Noise Sub -Topics:•What is a procedural noise?•Noise samples (Simple, Gradient, Voronoi)•Dissolve effectChapter 4: Movement and Time Control Sub -Topics:•Scanlines 3D•UI transitionChapter 5: SciFi Shaders Sub -Topics:•Hologram effect•SciFi shieldChapter 6: Scene Depth Sub -Topics:•Water Shader•Acid Shader•Ice refraction•Black holeChapter 7: Vertex DeformationSub -Topics:•Bubbles•Snow deformation•Stroke EffectsChapter 8: PBR MaterialsSub -Topics:•What is PBR?•Lava EffectChapter 9: Bonus Effects Sub -Topics:•Retro particles•Interactive Snow•Toon shaderAppendix A: Maths Review Sub -Topics:•Trigonometry•Vector mathematics•Matrix and algebraAppendix B: Shader Graph NodesSub -Topics:•Coordinate nodes.•Mathematic operation nodes (add, subtract, multiply...)•Restrictive nodes (clamp, frac)•Master nodes (position, base color, normals, smoothness)•Custom functions•Mix nodes (blend, lerp)•Color nodes (color, gradient, etc.)

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Book SynopsisClassical music is everywhere in video games. But what does it reveal about the cultural value we place on entertainment? Replay Value offers a new perspective on the possibilities and challenges of trying to distinguish between art and pop culture in contemporary society.Trade ReviewUnlimited Replays occupies a significant place in game music scholarship. It is the first book devoted to ever-intriguing instances of classical music in video games, and through addressing that topic, it seeks to build a bridge from ludomusicology toward more longstanding fields of enquiry ... an accessible, thoughtful, and thought-provoking work on a topic of interest across academic disciplines, and beyond -- classical-music concert programmers and critics might find much to consider here in regard to the music's future, for instance. Indeed, the book could be recommended to almost anybody with an interest in its topic. * Jonathan Godsall, Journal of Sound and Music in Games *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Press Start to Replay Chapter 1: Terms and Conditions Chapter 2: Playing with Music History Chapter 3: A Requiem for Schrödinger's Cat Chapter 4: Allusions of Grandeur Chapter 5: A Clockwork Homage Chapter 6: Remixed Metaphors Chapter 7: Love in Many Monstrous Forms Chapter 8: Violent Offenders and Violin Defenders Chapter 9: Playing Chopin Chapter 10: Gamifying Classical Music Chapter 11: Classifying Game Music Conclusion

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Book SynopsisAn examination of subversive games like The Sims—games designed for political, aesthetic, and social critique.For many players, games are entertainment, diversion, relaxation, fantasy. But what if certain games were something more than this, providing not only outlets for entertainment but a means for creative expression, instruments for conceptual thinking, or tools for social change? In Critical Play, artist and game designer Mary Flanagan examines alternative games—games that challenge the accepted norms embedded within the gaming industry—and argues that games designed by artists and activists are reshaping everyday game culture.Flanagan provides a lively historical context for critical play through twentieth-century art movements, connecting subversive game design to subversive art: her examples of “playing house” include Dadaist puppet shows and The Sims. She looks at artists’ alternative computer-bas

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisGetting Started.- Lua Basics.- Using the WoW API to Create a Hello, World Mod.- Working with Game Events.- Using XML and Frames.- Advanced Lua.- Using Advanced Lua to Extend the Texas Hold'em Poker Addon.- Building a Poker Game Client with Addon Communication.- Using the Combat Log to Build a Cooldown Monitor.- Using Libraries.- Working with Secure Templates.- Macros.- Tips, Tricks, and Optimization.- Other Uses for Lua.Table of Contents Getting Started Lua Basics Using the WoW API to Create a "Hello, World" Mod Working with Game Events Using XML and Frames Advanced Lua Using Advanced Lua to Extend the Texas Hold'em Poker Add-on Building a Poker Game Client with Add-on Communication Using the Combat Log to Build a Cooldown Monitor Using Libraries Working with Secure Templates Macros Tips, Tricks, and Optimization Other Uses for Lua

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Table of Contents1. Level-up: New JavaScript Tricks2. The Canvas Drawing API3. Working with Game Assets4. Making Sprites and a Scene Graph5. Making Things Move6. Interactivity7. Collision Detection8. Juice It Up: Keyframe Animation and Particles Effects9. Sound with the WebAudio API10. Tweening11. Make Your Own Game EngineAppendix A: Vectors for Movement and Collision Detection

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Book SynopsisIt doesn’t matter if you’re modeling the Lorentz force in an electromagnetic field or you’re modeling the lift force in a flight simulator, Physics for JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations enables you to fill your games and applications with accurate and realistic effects.Table of Contents Introduction to Physics Programming JavaScript and HTML5 Canvas Some Math Background Basic Physics Concepts The Laws Governing Motion Gravity, Orbits, and Rockets Contact and Fluid Forces Restoring Forces: Springs and Oscillations Centripetal Forces: Rotational Motion Long-Range Forces Collisions Particle Systems Extended Objects Numerical Integration Schemes, Accuracy, and Scaling Doing Physics in 3D Simulation Projects

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Book SynopsisThis book provides readers with an introductory resource for learning how to create compelling games using the open source Python programming language and Pygame games development library. Authored by industry veteran and Python expert Will McGugan, readers are treated to a comprehensive, practical introduction to games development using these popular technologies. They can also capitalize upon numerous tips and tricks the author has accumulated over his career creating games for some of the world's largest gaming developers.Table of ContentsA table of contents is not available for this title.

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