Games development and programming Books
O'Reilly Media Theory of Fun for Game Design
Book SynopsisNow in full color, the 10th anniversary edition of this classic book takes you deep into the influences that underlie modern video games, and examines the elements they share with traditional games such as checkers.
£26.99
Abrams Doom Guy
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewJohn Romero’s remarkable memory called up names and events that I hadn’t thought about in a very long time, taking me back to the stress and joy of throwing everything we had at projects that truly did break new ground and touched millions of people. It was an amaz- ing mad dash from humble beginnings to the well-known classics Wolfenstein 3-D, DOOM, and Quake, filled with exploration, learning, and the sharing of knowledge. For years, I thought that I had been born too late and missed out on participating in the heroic eras of computing. Only much later did I realize that Romero and I were at the nexus of a new era—the 3D game hackers. -- John Carmack, cofounder of id Software and founder of Keen TechnologiesDOOM made gaming cool and transformed game developers from nerds into rock stars, and John Romero’s brazen public persona defined the era. Reconciling the legend of John Romero with the warm, supportive game designer with whom I met as an unknown young programmer is a mystery that this book finally reveals in a wonderful narrative following Romero from modest game programming roots to the apex of video game stardom. -- Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic GamesA fascinating deep dive into one of the game industry’s greatest success stories, Romero’s autobiography does for aspiring game designers what Stephen King’s On Writing did for budding writers. DOOM Guy is an engaging account of Romero’s extraordinary life and career. A must for industry professionals, newcomers, and enthusiasts. -- Rhianna Pratchett, writerJohn Romero is a gaming legend and seminal figure in video game history, known for his prodigious technical and design skills. In DOOM Guy, John offers valuable game design lessons, but as important he introduces readers to a man with a real commitment to helping others achieve their dreams. Deus Ex, the game I always dreamed of making, wouldn’t have been possible if John hadn’t lived up to every promise he made to me (a story you’ll read about in the pages of DOOM Guy). John’s games have inspired countless gamers and game developers. In his memoir you’ll learn that his life is as inspirational as his work. -- Warren Spector, creator of Deus ExYou know John as the designer of seminal games Wolfenstein 3-D, DOOM, and Quake, but this memoir also captures the essence of John as an innovator and business leader. While John tells the behind-the-scenes stories about making many elements of today’s gaming industry—first-person shooting style games, multiplayer games, free-to-play games, to name just a few—it’s the personal stories about his challenges, his choices, and his relationships that I love in this book. -- Reggie Fils-Aimé, former president and COO of Nintendo of America“The video game–creating legend recounts a life in the programming trenches…Students of game-making and business alike will find useful, sometimes rueful lessons.” * Kirkus *“[a] surprisingly moving autobiography…[Romero] manages to appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike with this celebration of triumphing over adversity.” * Publisher's Weekly *“DOOM GUY: Life in First Person is the best piece of historical nonfiction that has been written about video games to date and everyone should read it.” * Screenrant *??“a straight-talking insider account of an inspiring self-made career marked by amazing highs and difficult lows.” * Daily Beast *"Romero’s Doom Guy: Life in First Person is not only among the most interesting windows into the rapidly evolving videogame scene of the 80s and 90s–it’s arguably the best non-fiction gaming book of all time, giving a unique insight into one of the industry’s most transformative eras through the eyes of one of its groundbreaking pioneers.” * Forbes *“Enthralling, informative, entertaining, exciting, mesmerizing, jaw-dropping, a wild ride, brilliant, well-written, fun, and so much more. These are just some of the terms I can use when describing John Romero’s new book.” * Native Viewpoint *“[a] highly entertaining and thoughtful memoir” * The Wall Street Journal *“[an] exuberant firsthand account” * Wired.com *“Doom Guy tells the fascinating story of the life and times of one of the greatest PC game developers of them all.” * New York Journal of Books *“It’s this openness that makes Doom Guy absolutely necessary reading for anyone with even a passing interest in the history of the video game medium.” * Comic Book Video Games *
£18.69
Pearson Education (US) Coding with Roblox Lua in 24 Hours
Book SynopsisRoblox's mission is to bring the world together through play. Roblox enables anyone to imagine, create, and have fun with friends as they explore millions of immersive 3D experiences, all built by a global community of developers. Roblox is powered by a global community of more than 2 million developers who produce their own immersive multiplayer experiences using Roblox Studio, Roblox's intuitive desktop design tool. Roblox is ranked as one of the top online entertainment platforms for audiences under the age of 18 based on average monthly visits and time spent (ComScore). Table of ContentsHour 1: Coding Your First Project Installing Roblox Studio Let's Take a Tour Opening the Output Window Writing Your First Script Error Messages Leaving Yourself Comments Hour 2: Properties and Variables Object Hierarchy Keywords Properties Finding Properties and Data Types Creating Variables Changing the Color Property Instances Hour 3: Creating and Using Functions Creating and Calling Functions Understanding Scope Using Events to Call Functions Understanding Order and Placement Hour 4: Working with Parameters and Arguments Giving Functions Information to Use Working with Multiple Parameters and Arguments Returning Values from Functions Returning Multiple Values Returning Nil Dealing with Mismatched Arguments and Parameters Working with Anonymous Functions Hour 5: Conditional Structures if/then Statements elseif Logical Operators else Hour 6: Debouncing and Debugging Don't Destroy, Debounce Figuring Out Where Things Go Wrong Hour 7: while Loops Repeat Forever, while true do Some Things to Keep in Mind while Loops and Scope Hour 8: for Loops How for Loops Work Nested Loops Breaking Out of Loops Hour 9: Working with Arrays What Are Arrays? Adding Items Later Getting Information from a Specific Index Printing an Entire List with ipairs() Folders and ipairs() Finding a Value on the List and Printing the Index Removing Values from an Array Numeric for Loops and Arrays Hour 10: Working with Dictionaries Intro to Dictionaries Adding and Removing from Dictionaries Removing Key-Value Pairs Working with Dictionaries and Pairs Returning Values from Tables Hour 11: Client Versus Server Understanding the Client and the Server Working with GUIs Understanding RemoteFunctions Using RemoteFunctions Hour 12: Remote Events: One-Way Communication Remote Events: A One-Way Street Communicating from the Server to All Clients Communicating from the Client to the Server Communicating from the Server to One Client Communicating from Client to Client Hour 13: Using ModuleScripts Coding Things Just Once Placing ModuleScripts Understanding How ModuleScripts Work Naming ModuleScripts Adding Functions and Variables Understanding Scope in ModuleScripts Using Modules in Other Scripts Don't Repeat Yourself Dealing in Abstractions Hour 14: Coding in 3D World Space Understanding X, Y, and Z Coordinates Refining Placement with CFrame Coordinates Offsetting CFrames Adding Rotations to CFrames Working with Models Understanding World Coordinates and Local Object Coordinates Hour 15: Smoothly Animating Objects Understanding Tweens Setting TweenInfo Parameters Chaining Tweens Together Hour 16: Solving Problems with Algorithms Defining Algorithms Sorting an Array Sorting in Descending Order Sorting a Dictionary Sorting by Multiple Pieces of Information Hour 17: Saving Data Enabling Data Stores Creating a Data Store Using Data in the Store Limiting the Number of Calls Protecting Your Data Saving Player Data Using UpdateAsync to Update a Data Store Hour 18: Creating a Game Loop Setting Up Game Loops Working with BindableEvents Hour 19: Monetization: One-Time Purchases Adding Passes to Your Experience Configuring the Pass Prompting In-Game Purchases Hour 20: Object-Oriented Programming What Is OOP? Organizing Code and Projects Making a New Class Adding Class Properties Using Class Functions Hour 21: Inheritance Setting Up Inheritance Inheriting Properties Working with Multiple Child Classes Inheriting Functions Understanding Polymorphism Calling Parent Functions Hour 22: Raycasting Setting Up the Function to Raycast 3D Math Trick: Getting the Direction Setting Raycast Parameters 3D Math Trick: Limit Direction Hour 23: Plopping Objects in an Experience: Part 1 Setting Up the Object Creating a Plop Button Tracking Mouse Movements Previewing the Object Hour 24: Plopping Objects in an Experience: Part 2 Detecting Mouse Input Sending a Message to the Server Getting the Message Appendix A: Roblox Basics Keywords DataType Index Operators Naming Conventions Animation Easing Possible Solutions to Exercises 9780136829423 TOC 10/19/2021
£23.39
Taylor & Francis Ltd Game Design Workshop
Book SynopsisCreate the digital games you love to play.Discover an exercise-driven, non-technical approach to game design without the need for programming or artistic experience with Game Design Workshop, Fifth Edition.Tracy Fullerton demystifies the creative process with clear and accessible guidance on the formal, dramatic, and dynamic systems of game design. Using examples of classic and popular games, illustrations of design techniques, and refined exercises to strengthen your understanding of how game systems function, this book gives you the skills and tools necessary to create a compelling and engaging game.This updated 5th edition brings deeper coverage of playcentric design techniques, including setting emotion-focused experience goals and managing the design process to meet them. It includes a host of new diverse perspectives from top industry game designers.Game Design Workshop puts you to work prototyping, playtesting, and revis
£46.54
Pearson Education (US) Game Programming in C
Book SynopsisSanjay Madhav is a senior lecturer at the University of Southern California, where he teaches several programming and video game programming courses. He has taught at USC since 2008. Prior to joining USC, Sanjay worked as a programmer for several video game developers, including Electronic Arts, Neversoft, and Pandemic Studios. His credited games include Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault, Tony Hawk's Project 8, Lord of the Rings: Conquest, and The Saboteur. Sanjay is also the author of Game Programming Algorithms and Techniques and co-author of Multiplayer Game Programming. He has a B.S. and an M.S. in computer science and is pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science, all from USC. Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 Game Programming Overview Chapter 2 Game Objects and 2D Graphics Chapter 3 Vectors and Basic Physics Chapter 4 Artificial Intelligence Chapter 5 OpenGL Chapter 6 3D Graphics Chapter 7 Audio Chapter 8 Input Systems Chapter 9 Cameras Chapter 10 Collision Detection Chapter 11 User Interfaces Chapter 12 Skeletal Animation Chapter 13 Intermediate Graphics Chapter 14 Level Files and Binary Data Appendix A Intermediate C++ Review Index
£33.29
Unbound Itchy, Tasty: An Unofficial History of Resident
Book SynopsisThis is the definitive behind-the-scenes account of Capcom’s horror video game series Resident Evil – one of the most popular, innovative and widely influential franchises of all time. Industry expert Alex Aniel spent two years interviewing key former members of Capcom staff, allowing him to tell the inside story of how Resident Evil was envisioned as early as the late 1980s, how its unexpected and unprecedented success saved the company from financial trouble, how the series struggled at the turn of the century and, eventually, how a new generation of creators was born after the release of Resident Evil 4. Itchy, Tasty narrates the development of each Resident Evil game released between 1996 and 2006, interspersed with fascinating commentary from the game creators themselves, offering unique insight into how the series became the world-conquering franchise it is today.Trade Review'A valuable insight into the chaos, calamity and resulting magic of Resident Evil in its formative first years' Eurogamer
£13.49
Taylor & Francis Ltd Game Engine Architecture Third Edition
Book SynopsisIn this new and improved third edition of the highly popular Game Engine Architecture, Jason Gregory draws on his nearly two decades of experience at Midway, Electronic Arts and Naughty Dog to present both the theory and practice of game engine software development. In this book, the broad range of technologies and techniques used by AAA game studios are each explained in detail, and their roles within a real industrial-strength game engine are illustrated.New to the Third Edition This third edition offers the same comprehensive coverage of game engine architecture provided by previous editions, along with updated coverage of: computer and CPU hardware and memory caches compiler optimizations C++ language standardization the IEEE-754 floating-point representation 2D user interfaces plus an entirely new chapter on hardware parallelism and concurrent programming This book is intended to serve as an introductory text, but it also offers the experienced game programmer a useful perspective on aspects of game development technology with which they may not have deep experience. As always, copious references and citations are provided in this edition, making it an excellent jumping off point for those who wish to dig deeper into any particular aspect of the game development process.Key Features Covers both the theory and practice of game engine software development Examples are grounded in specific technologies, but discussion extends beyond any particular engine or API. Includes all mathematical background needed. Comprehensive text for beginners and also has content for senior engineers. Table of ContentsSection I Foundations Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Tools of the Trade Chapter 3 Fundamentals of Software Engineering for Games Chapter 4 Parallelism and Concurrent Programming Chapter 5 3D Math for Games Section II Low-Level Engine SystemsChapter 6 Engine Support SystemsChapter 7 Resources and the File System Chapter 8 The Game Loop and Real-Time Simulation Chapter 9 Human Interface Devices Chapter 10 Tools for Debugging and Development Section III Graphics, Motion and Sound Chapter 11 The Rendering Engine Chapter 12 Animation Systems Chapter 13 Collision and Rigid Body Dynamics Chapter 14 Audio Chapter 15 Introduction to Gameplay Systems Chapter 16 Runtime Gameplay Foundation Systems Section V Conclusion Chapter 17 You Mean There’s More?
£78.84
Unbound Shareware Heroes: The renegades who redefined
Book SynopsisShareware Heroes is a comprehensive, meticulously researched exploration of an important and too-long overlooked chapter in video game history.Shareware Heroes: The renegades who redefined gaming at the dawn of the internet takes readers on a journey, from the beginnings of the shareware model in the early 1980s, the origins of the concept, even the name itself, and the rise of shareware's major players — the likes of id Software, Apogee, and Epic MegaGames — through to the significance of shareware for the ‘forgotten’ systems — the Mac, Atari ST, Amiga — when commercial game publishers turned away from them.This book also charts the emergence of commercial shareware distributors like Educorp and the BBS/newsgroup sharing culture. And it explores how shareware developers plugged gaps in the video gaming market by creating games in niche and neglected genres like vertically-scrolling shoot-'em-ups (e.g. Raptor and Tyrian) or racing games (e.g. Wacky Wheels and Skunny Kart) or RPGs (God of Thunder and Realmz), until finally, as the video game market again grew and shifted, and major publishers took control, how the shareware system faded into the background and fell from memory.
£12.99
Little, Brown & Company Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game
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.
£14.24
Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG Learning C# by Programming Games
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.
£42.74
Piggyback Interactive The Legend of Zelda(tm) Tears of the Kingdom -
Book Synopsis
£25.00
Blizzard Entertainment The Art of Hearthstone: Year of the Mammoth
Book SynopsisIt was a year of exploration, adventures… and loot! draws back the curtain to a massive creative undertaking, showing how a huge team came together to deliver one of Hearthstone’s most impressive years ever.
£21.99
Taylor & Francis Architecture for the Commons Participatory
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
£35.14
Pearson Education (US) Captain Code
Book Synopsis Ben Forta is, first and foremost, an educator who has been teaching in some capacity since he was a teenager (many centuries ago). He is Adobe's Senior Director of Education Initiatives, and has more than three decades of experience in the technology sector in product development, support, training, and product marketing. Ben is the award-winning author of more than 40 books, some of which have been translated into 16 languages, and many of which have become college textbooks. Through his books, lectures, lessons, and videos, Ben has taught coding skills to over a million people. Ben lives in Oak Park, MI, with his wife Marcy and their children. He welcomes your emails at ben@forta.com and invites you to visit him online at http://forta.com/. Shmuel Forta is an engineer, coder, maker, tinkerer, and teacher. He is a software developer at General Motors and has years of programming experience, including both writingTrade Review" This is the book I needed that I did not know I needed. Having taught myself Python and having taught students, there are still some gaps in my knowledge that Captain Code quickly filled. The overall design of the book is wonderful and easy to read. All of the questions I have normally had when it comes to Python are answered on the pages. The code is cleanly written and the ability to scan a QR code so you can copy the code digitally is a major time-saver. What is most evident about this book is that it has been written by people that have worked with students. Too often books are written for students by people who have never taught and it never translates well on the pages. Captain Code is accessible for students and teachers and I think it is a must have for any classroom that is exploring Python. I know I will keep one at home for me and a few more in the classroom." ---Nicholas Provenzano, TheNerdyTeacher, MACUL OutstandingTechnology Using Teacher of the Year, and ISTE Outstanding Teacher of the YearTable of ContentsIntroduction xv PART I: IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES 1 Chapter 1 Getting Started 3 Understanding Computer Programming 4 What is a computer? 4 How do we talk to computers? 5 What is Python? 8 Setting Things Up 9 Installing Python 9 Installing and Configuring Visual Studio Code 10 Creating a Work Folder 13 Writing Your First Python Program 15 Selecting Your Work Folder 16 It's Coding Time! 17 Summary 19 Chapter 2 Mad Libs 21 Understanding Functions 22 Using Variables 23 Creating a Variable 24 Using a Variable 24 Some Important Variable Rules 25 Variables, More Variables, and Even More Variables 26 Getting User Input 28 Playing Mad Libs 30 Write Your Story 30 Add Variables 30 Get User Input 32 Summary 33 Chapter 3 Roll the Dice 35 Using Libraries 36 The random Library 36 Generating Random Numbers 37 Choosing a Random Item 38 “3” Is Not 3 41 Commenting Your Code 43 One Die, Two Dice 45 Summary 49 Chapter 4 Calculate the Day 51 Working with Dates 52 The datetime Library 52 Using the datetime Class 55 Making Decisions 56 The if Statement 56 What else? 58 if Revisited 59 Testing for Other Options 61 Using in 62 Beating the Mathematician 63 Handling Numeric Inputs 63 Putting It All Together 64 An Alternate Solution 67 Summary 67 Chapter 5 Rock Paper Scissors 69 More Strings 70 Game Time 72 Handling User Input 72 The Game Code 74 One Last Tweak 76 Summary 77 Chapter 6 Secret Codes 79 Lists 80 Creating Lists 80 Accessing List Items 82 Changing List Items 83 Adding and Removing Items 84 Finding Items 85 Sorting 86 Loop-de-Loop 89 Looping Through Items 90 Looping Through Numbers 92 Nested Loops 93 Cracking the Code 95 Encrypting Characters 96 Modulus Math 97 Encryption Code 98 Decryption Code 102 Summary 104 Chapter 7 Guess the Number 105 Conditional Loops 106 Game Time 111 The Basic Game 111 Putting It All Together 116 Summary 120 Chapter 8 Becoming a Coder 121 How Coders Code 122 Have a Plan 122 Think Small 123 Game Components 124 Restricting User Input 125 Storing User Guesses 128 Displaying Lists 129 Masking Characters 131 Summary 136 Chapter 9 Hangman 137 Game Time 138 So How Does It Work? 141 Summary 148 Chapter 10 Keep Going 149 Birthday Countdown 150 Program Requirements 150 Program Flow 150 Some Tips 151 Tip Calculator 152 Program Requirements 152 Program Flow 153 Some Tips (Pun Intended) 153 Password Generator 154 Program Requirements 154 Program Flow 155 Some Tips 155 Summary 159 PART II: ON AN ADVENTURE 161 Chapter 11 Getting Func-ky 163 Functions Revisited 164 Creating a Function 165 Passing Arguments 167 Returning Values 171 Summary 175 Chapter 12 Exploring 177 Game Concept 178 Game Structure 179 Prompting for Options 181 Processing Options 182 Create a Work Folder 183 Game Time 184 Test It 189 Summary 191 Chapter 13 Cleanup Time 193 Optimizing Your Code 194 String Externalization 196 Creating the Strings File 196 Using Externalized Strings 200 Summary 201 Chapter 14 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refactor 203 Understanding Refactoring 204 Identifying Refactoring Opportunities 205 Creating a User Choice Component 207 Designing a Reusable Component 208 Creating the User Options Function 213 Updating Your Code 218 Summary 221 Chapter 15 Carrying (and Using) Stuff 223 Planning the Inventory System 224 Creating a Dictionary 225 Working with Dictionaries 226 Lists of Dictionaries 228 The Inventory System 229 Creating an Inventory 230 Plugging In the Inventory System 232 Using the Inventory System 233 Displaying the Inventory 238 Summary 239 Chapter 16 Keeping It Classy 241 The Player System 242 Creating a Player Class 243 Creating the Class 243 Defining Properties 244 Creating Methods 247 Initializing the Class 250 Using Our New Class 251 Summary 255 Chapter 17 Color Your World 257 Installing Third-Party Libraries 258 Using Colorama 259 Importing and Initializing the Library 259 Coloring Your Output 260 Summary 264 Chapter 18 Keep Going 265 Health and Lives 266 Shopping for Items 271 Random Events 275 Battling Enemies 277 Saving and Restoring 280 Summary 282 PART III: RACING AROUND 283 Chapter 19 Crazy Driver 285 Introducing Pygame 286 Prepping the Game 286 Game Concept 286 Installing Pygame 288 Creating Work Folders 288 Obtaining Images 289 Getting Started 289 Initializing Pygame 290 Displaying Stuff 294 The Game Loop 295 Summary 300 Chapter 20 Image-ine the Possibilities 301 Files and Folders 302 Setting the Background 305 Placing the Cars 310 Summary 317 Chapter 21 We Like to Move It 319 Moving the Enemy 320 Moving the Player 323 Summary 327 Chapter 22 Crash, Bang, Boom 329 You Crashed, Game Over 330 Tracking Score 332 Increasing Difficulty 334 Summary 336 Chapter 23 Finishing Touches 337 Game Over Revisited 338 Pause 341 Varying Enemies 343 Ice Cubes 348 Summary 351 Chapter 24 Keep Going 353 Splash Screen 354 Scores and High Scores 354 Oil Slick 356 Multiple Enemies 357 And Then 358 Summary 359 What Next? 361 There's a Lot More to Python 362 Web Development 362 Mobile App Development 364 Game Development 364 And Then 365 Index 367 Bonus Online Chapter 25 Tinkering, Testing, and Debugging Revisited (Online Only)
£18.04
In Easy Steps Limited Coding with Scratch - Create Awesome Platform
Book SynopsisCoding with Scratch Create Awesome Platform Games shows kids how to create amazing platform games with Scratch. They will learn how to: Use code to make a series of games where sprites leap from platform to platform.Design different levels, draw graphics, and make simple animations. Use variables to keep the score and to simulate gravity in games. Make code blocks and functions. Add sound to bring games to life. Starting with an introduction about how Scratch works, this book is suitable for beginners but with lots of tips, challenges, and extensions for experienced Scratch coders. To create the games in this book, children will need a desktop computer or a laptop. The games require a proper keyboard so will not work well on a tablet or iPad. It is recommended that children should be supervised when using the internet, especially when using a new website. This is the UK English edition.
£9.49
John Wiley & Sons Inc Level Up The Guide to Great Video Game Design 2e
Book SynopsisProvides examples that forgo theoretical gobbledygook with charmingly illustrated concepts and solutions based on years of professional experience. This book helps you teach how to develop marketable ideas, and learn what perils and pitfalls await during a game's pre-production, production and post-production stages.Table of ContentsIntroduction Press Start! 1 If You Are Anything Like Me 1 No, You Can’t Have My Job 3 Who Is This Book For? 4 Why a Second Edition? 6 Level 1 Welcome, N00bs! 7 A Brief History of Video Games 10 The Brave New World of Gaming: Mobiles, Online Distribution, and Touchscreens 14 Game Genres 16 Who Makes This Stuff? 17 Programmer 18 Artist 19 Designer 20 Producer 20 Tester 21 Composer 22 Sound Designer 23 Writer 23 Have You Thought about Publishing? 25 Product Manager 25 Creative Manager 25 Art Director 26 Technical Director 26 Marketing Team 26 And the Rest 26 Level 2 Ideas 29 Ideas: Where to Get Them and Where to Stick Them 30 Getting Ahead of the Game 32 What Do Gamers Want? 35 Brainstorming 36 Breaking Writer’s Block 38 Why I Hate “Fun” 40 Level 3 Writing the Story 43 Once Upon a Time 43 The Triangle of Weirdness 50 A Likely Story 52 Time to Wrap It Up 55 A Game by Any Other Name 56 Creating Characters Your Players Care About 58 A Few Pointers on Writing for Kids of All Ages 62 Writing for Licenses 62 Level 4 You Can Design a Game, but Can You Do the Paperwork? 65 Writing the GDD, Step 1: The One-Sheet 68 ESRB Ratings 69 Unique Selling Points 70 Competitive Products 70 Writing the GDD, Step 2: The Ten-Pager 71 The Rule of Threes 72 The Ten-Pager Outline 73 Page 1: Title Page 73 Page 2: Game Outline 73 Page 3: Character 74 Page 4: Gameplay 75 Page 5: Game World 76 Page 6: Game Experience 76 Page 7: Gameplay Mechanics 77 Page 8: Enemies 79 Page 9: Multiplayer and Bonus Materials 80 Page 10: Monetization 80 Writing the GDD, Step 3: Gameplay Progression 81 Writing the GDD, Step 4: The Beat Chart 82 Writing the GDD, Step 5: The Game Design Document (and the Awful Truth about Writing It) 85 Writing the GDD, Step 6: Above All, Don’t Be a Jerk 89 Level 5 The Three Cs, Part 1: Character 93 Who Do You Want To Be Today? 94 Personality: Do We Really Need Another Kratos? 96 Let’s Get Personal 98 Using All the Parts 102 Games Without Characters 103 We Are Not Alone 104 When More Is More 107 Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood? 109 Finally, We Talk About Gameplay 111 Metrics for Non-Characters 114 Be Kind to Our Four-Legged Friends 114 Why Walk When You Can Run? 114 The Art of Doing Nothing 119 Might as Well Jump 120 Hoists and Teeters 124 What Goes Up Must Fall Down 125 Me and My Shadow 126 The Water’s Fine . . . or Is It? 127 Level 6 The Three Cs, Part 2: Camera 131 Get It Right: Camera Views 132 First Person Camera 136 Third Person Camera 138 Giving Up Control 142 So You’ve Decided to Let the Player Control the Camera 142 So You’ve Decided Not to Let the Player Have Control over the Camera 144 So You’ve Decided to Let Players Sometimes Have Control over the Camera 145 Two and a Half D 145 Isometric Camera 146 Top-Down Camera 148 AR Cameras 149 Special Case Cameras 149 Tunnel Vision 150 Camera Shot Guide 150 Camera Angle Guide 153 Camera Movement Guide 154 Other Camera Notes 157 Always Point the Camera to the Objective 158 Never Let the Character Get out of the Camera’s Sight 159 Multiple-Player Cameras 159 Level 7 The Three Cs, Part 3: Controls 163 Control Is in Your Hand 164 You’ve Got the Touch 167 Dance, Monkey, Dance 169 Character or Camera Relative? 175 Shake, Rattle, and Roll 177 Level 8 Sign Language: HUD and Icon Design 181 Heads Up! 181 Health Bar 182 Targeting Reticule 183 Ammo Gauge 184 Inventory 185 Score/Experience 185 Positive Messaging 186 Radar/Map 187 Context-Sensitive Prompts 188 The Clean Screen 190 Icon Has Cheezburger? 191 Creating Icons for Mobile Games 194 Don’t Get QTE 196 HUDs and Where to Stick ‘Em 198 There Are Other Screens Than the HUD 199 A Final Word on Fonts 207 Level 9 Everything I Learned About Level Design, I Learned from Level 9 209 The Top 10 Cliché Video Game Themes 212 The Name Game 218 Everything I Learned About Level Design, I Learned from Disneyland 220 Mapping the World 221 Foreshadowing 222 Goal Setting 223 Following Procedure 225 You’ve Got the Beat 227 Re-using Re-use 229 The Gary Gygax Memorial Mapping Section 230 Sandbox Play 233 Illusional Narrative 236 The Dave Arneson Memorial Mapping Section 237 Wrapping Up Mapping 248 Gray Matters 251 Leave the Training Level for Last 253 Levels without Characters 254 Level 10 The Elements of Combat 257 400 Quatloos on the Newcomer! 259 Put ‘Em Up! 262 And a One and a Two 266 The Big Finish 268 Live by the Sword 270 Now You Have to Kiss Me 273 Let’s Get Defensive 273 Dodging the Bullet 276 On Guarding 277 State of the Art Bang Bang 281 The Best Gun for You 286 Run and Gun 290 Not Just Shooting 293 Dang it, Jones! Where Doesn’t It Hurt? 297 Death: What Is It Good For? 299 Conflict Without Combat 301 Level 11 They All Want You Dead 305 Sizing Up the Enemy 307 Bad Behavior 308 How Rapid is Rapid? 313 Movement Style 316 Bring on the Bad Guys 318 I Love Designing Enemies 327 The Alphabetical Bestiary of Choices 328 I Hate You to Pieces 337 Non-Enemy Enemies 341 How to Create the World’s Greatest Boss Battle 342 Who’s the Boss? 342 Size Matters 344 Location, Location, Location 349 Why Not to Create the World’s Greatest Boss Battle 351 Level 12 The Nuts and Bolts of Mechanics 353 The Mechanics of Mechanics 353 Holy Death Trap! 357 What I Learned from Making Kids Cry 360 Time to Die 361 The Music of Mechanics 364 Chip Off the Old Block 368 A Nice Little Calm Spot 371 Riddle Me This 372 Puzzle Me That 375 Minigames and Microgames 377 Level 13 Now You’re Playing with Power 381 Powering Up 381 “Love Thy Player” 388 Seriously. “Love Thy Player.” 390 More Wealth Than You Can Imagine! 391 High Score 394 Achievements 395 Money! Money! Money! 395 Souvenirs 399 Bonus Section about Bonus Features 400 How to Win at Losing 402 Level 14 Multiplayer—The More the Merrier 405 How Many Is the Right Number? 410 MMORPGS, or Hell Is Other People 410 Designing Multiplayer Levels 415 Planning Your Level 415 Mapping Your Level 416 Building Your Level 417 The Dirty Half Dozen 418 Level 15 Everybody Wins: Monetization 419 Cashing In 422 Money Is the Root of Something Something 423 Level 16 Some Notes on Music 427 I Know It When I Hear It 429 Music with Style 430 And the Beat Goes On 431 Sounds Like a Game to Me 434 Level 17 Cutscenes, or No One’s Gonna Watch ‘Em Anyway 441 A Cut Above 442 How to Write a Screenplay in Eight Easy Steps 444 Finding Your Voice 448 Level 18 And Now the Hard Part 451 No One Cares About Your Stupid Little World 452 Who’s Paying? 455 Video Games Is a Haaaard Business 456 When Reality Gets in the Way 457 Emergent, Vertical, or Horizontal? 459 What to Do for an Encore? 462 Continue? 467 Time to Level Up! 467 Bonus Level 1 The One-Sheet Sample 469 Bonus Level 2 The Ten-Page Design Document Sample 473 Bonus Level 3 Game Design Document Template 485 Bonus Level 4 The Medium-Sized List of Story Genres 493 Bonus Level 5 Game Genres 495 Bonus Level 6 The Big List of Environments 503 Bonus Level 7 Mechanics and Hazards 507 Bonus Level 8 Enemy Design Template 509 Bonus Level 9 Boss Design Template 511 Bonus Level 10 High-Concept Pitch Presentation 513 Bonus Level 11 Achievement Unlocked: Exactly Like Making Chili 521 Index 523
£21.00
In Easy Steps Limited Coding with Scratch - Create Fantastic Driving
Book SynopsisCoding with Scratch Create Fantastic Driving Games will take you from Scratch basics through to creating your own fantastic driving games in easy steps. Each game comes with challenges to take you to the next level of coding. Even includes mods to make your games more exciting. Have fun and amaze your friends and family! You'll learn how to:Use code to make a series of driving games including parking, racing, scrolling and two-player games.Design your own game levels, cars and tracks.Use variables to keep the score and to store the speed in your games.Add sounds and create your own code blocks and functions.To create the games in this book, children will need a desktop computer or a laptop. The games require a proper keyboard so will not work well on a tablet or iPad. It is recommended that children should be supervised when using the internet, especially when using a new website.This is the UK English edition.
£9.49
APress Ray Tracing Gems II
Book SynopsisThis Open Access book is a must-have for anyone interested in real-time rendering. Ray tracing is the holy grail of gaming graphics, simulating the physical behavior of light to bring real-time, cinematic-quality rendering to even the most visually intense games. Ray tracing is also a fundamental algorithm used for architecture applications, visualization, sound simulation, deep learning, and more. Ray Tracing Gems II is written by industry experts with a particular focus on ray tracing, and it offers a practical means to master the new capabilities of current and future GPUs with the latest graphics APIs. What You''ll Learn: The latest ray tracing techniques for developing real-time applications in multiple domains Case studies from developers and studios who have shipped products that use real-time ray tracing. Guidance, advice and best practices for renderingTable of ContentsPrefaceForewordIntroductionChapter 1: Ray Tracing FundamentalsChapter 2: APIsChapter 3: Shading and SamplingChapter 4: Denoising, Reconstruction, and FilteringChapter 5: Performance and OptimizationChapter 6: Transitioning Ray TracingChapter 7: Hybrid Rendering TechniquesChapter 8: Global IlluminationChapter 9: Ray Tracing in the Wild (Case Studies)
£38.24
CRC Press Architectural Approach to Level Design
Book SynopsisThoroughly updated, this book discusses level design, the discipline of creating interactive game environments, with an emphasis on architectural principles. These principles can help level designers create meaningful user experiences and emotional responses for players.. Table of ContentsChapter 1 A Brief History of Architecture and Level Design. Chapter 2 Drawing for Level Designers. Chapter 3 Level Design Workflows. Chapter 4 Basic Gamespaces. Chapter 5 Communicating through Environment Art. Chapter 6 Building exciting levels with dangerous architecture. Chapter 7 Rewards in Gamespaces. Chapter 8 Level 1-1: The Tutorial Level . Chapter 9 Storytelling in Gamespaces. Chapter 10 Possibility Spaces and Worldbuilding. Chapter 11 Working with Procedurally Generated Levels. Chapter 12 Influencing Social Interaction with Level Design. Chapter 13 Sound and Music in Level Design .
£52.24
BPB Publications Game Development with Unreal Engine 5: Learn the
Book Synopsis
£25.64
In Easy Steps Limited Coding with Python - Create Amazing Graphics: The
Book SynopsisCoding with Python Create Amazing Graphics introduces coding in Python through a variety of projects. Each one teaches new coding concepts and results in some amazing graphics.Python is a powerful, text-based programming language essential to grasp for serious coding but can be dull to learn. This book focuses on inspired learning. Step-by-step, it illustrates how to use Python code to create exciting and colourful graphics making learning Python great fun!Learn Python code to:Use random numbers to create unique artworkMix colours together using variables to create amazing effectsUse loops to repeat your code and create intricate patternsCode your own functions and build up your own designs
£9.49
Pearson Education (US) Introduction to Game Systems Design
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface xx Chapter 1 Games and Players: Defined 1 Defining Game 2 Agreed Upon, Artificial Rules 2 Players Have an Impact on the Outcome 3 People Can Opt Out 4 Game Sessions Are Finite 4 Intrinsic Rewards 4 Game Attributes Summary 5 Finding the Target Audience for a Game: Player Attributes 6 Age 6 Gender 7 Tolerance for Learning Rules 7 Interest in Challenge 9 Desired Time Investment 10 Pace Preference 11 Competitiveness 11 Platform Preference 12 Skill Level 12 Genre/Art/Setting/Narrative Preference 13 Value Gained from Players 13 Payment 13 Other Forms of Value 16 Target Audience Value 17 Target Audience Composite 18 Chess 18 Galaga 18 Mario Kart 19 The Battle for Wesnoth 20 Bejeweled 20 What to Do with a Target Audience Profile 21 Further Steps 22 Chapter 2 Roles in the Game Industry 23 Core Management Team 24 Vision Holder 24 Lead Engineer 25 Lead Artist 25 Lead Designer 25 Producer 25 Lead Sound Designer 25 Team Subdisciplines 26 Art 26 Engineering 27 Production 28 Design 28 Sound Team 29 QA Team 29 Narrative Designer 30 Additional Roles 30 Further Steps 30 Chapter 3 Asking Questions 31 How to Ask a Theoretical Question 32 Steps of the Scientific Method 32 Defining a Question for Data Analysis 35 How to Ask for Help with a Problem 36 Why How You Ask Matters 36 Steps to Writing a Good Question 37 Further Steps 41 Chapter 4 System Design Tools 43 What Is Data? 44 Game Industry Tools 44 Documentation Tools 45 Image Editing Tools 45 3D Modeling Tools 46 Flowchart Tools 47 Databases 48 Bug-Tracking Software 49 Game Engines 49 Further Steps 50 Chapter 5 Spreadsheet Basics 51 Why Spreadsheets? 52 What Is a Spreadsheet? 54 Spreadsheet Cells: The Building Blocks of Data 54 Cells 54 The Formula Bar 55 Spreadsheet Symbols 56 Data Containers in Spreadsheets 60 Columns and Rows 60 Sheets 61 Workbooks 61 Spreadsheet Operations 63 Referencing a Separate Sheet 64 Hiding Data 65 Freezing Part of a Sheet 66 Using Comments and Notes 68 Using Formfill 71 Using Filters 77 Data Validation 80 The Data Validation Dialog 81 Time Validation 83 List Validation 84 Named Ranges 84 Further Steps 88 Chapter 6 Spreadsheet Functions 89 Grouping Arguments 90 Function Structure 90 More Complex Functions 93 Functions for System Designers 96 SUM 96 AVERAGE 97 MEDIAN 97 MODE 98 MAX and MIN 99 RANK 99 COUNT, COUNTA, and COUNTUNIQUE 100 LEN 100 IF 101 COUNTIF 101 VLOOKUP 102 FIND 102 MID 103 NOW 103 RAND 104 ROUND 105 RANDBETWEEN 105 Learning About More Functions 106 How to Choose the Right Function 106 Further Steps 107 Chapter 7 Distilling Life into Systems 109 An Abstract Example 114 Throwing 114 Sticks 115 Running 115 Teamwork 115 Putting Together the Mechanics 115 Story in Games 116 Further Steps 117 Chapter 8 Coming Up with Ideas 119 Idea Buffet 120 Sample Idea Buffet 120 Running a Brainstorming Session 121 Having Goals 121 Gathering the Troops 122 Giving Yourself a Block of Time 123 Don't Accept the First Answer 123 Avoiding Criticism 124 Keeping on Topic (Kind Of) 124 Capturing the Creativity 125 Keeping Expectations Reasonable 125 Percolating 125 Methods to Force Creativity 126 Bad Storming 126 Jokes 126 Building Blocks 127 Future Past 127 Iterative Stepping 127 Halfway Between 128 Opposite Of 129 Random Connections 130 Stream of Consciousness Writing 130 Further Steps 131 Chapter 9 Attributes: Creating and Quantifying Life 133 Mechanics Versus Attributes 134 Listing Attributes 134 Initial Brainstorming 135 Blue-Sky Brainstorming 136 Researching Attributes 136 Referring to Your Own Personal Attribute Bank 138 Defining an Attribute 139 Considerations When Defining an Attribute 140 Grouping Attributes 141 Further Steps 143 Chapter 10 Organizing Data in Spreadsheets 145 Create a Spreadsheet to Be Read by an Outsider 146 Avoid Typing Numbers 146 Label Data 147 Validate Your Data 148 Use Columns for Attributes and Rows for Objects 148 Color Coding 149 Avoid Adding Unneeded Columns or Rows or Blank Cells 151 Separate Data Objects with Sheets 152 Reference Sheet 152 Introduction Sheet 153 Output/Visualization Sheets 154 Scratch Sheet 155 Spreadsheet Example 155 Further Steps 156 Chapter 11 Attribute Numbers 157 Getting a Feel for Your Attributes 158 Determining the Granularity for Numbers 158 Numbers Should Relate to Probability 158 Some Numbers Need to Relate to Real-World Measurements 159 User Smaller Numbers for Easier Calculations 160 Use Larger Numbers for More Granularity 161 Very Large Numbers Are Confusing 162 Humans Hate Decimals and Fractions, but Computers Don't Mind Them 163 Numbering Example 163 The Tension Trick 163 Searching for the Right Numbers 165 Further Steps 167 Chapter 12 System Design Foundations 169 Attribute Weights 170 DPS and Intertwined Attributes 173 Binary Searching 176 How Binary Searching Works 176 Lacking a Viable Range 179 Naming Conventions 180 Naming Object Iterations 185 The Problem with “New” 185 Iteration Naming Method 1: Version Number 186 Iteration Naming Method 2: Version Letter and Number 186 Special Case Terms 187 Using the Handshake Formula 188 Further Steps 194 Chapter 13 Range Balancing, Data Fulcrums, and Hierarchical Design 195 Range Balancing 196 How Range Balancing Works 197 Who Adjusts What 201 Data Fulcrums 203 What Is a Fulcrum? 203 Creating a Fulcrum 204 Testing a Fulcrum 204 Locking a Fulcrum 206 Using a Fulcrum for Data Creation 206 Unavoidable Cross-testing 208 Fulcrum Progression 209 Hierarchical Design 210 Starting the Hierarchy 211 Advantages of Hierarchical Design 212 Further Steps 213 Chapter 14 Exponential Growth and Diminishing Returns 215 Linear Growth 216 Exponential Growth 217 Parts of the Basic Exponential Growth Formula 218 Building Blocks of the Exponential Growth Formula 220 Tweaking the Basic Exponential Growth Formula 226 A Note on Iterations 227 Exponential Charts and Game Hierarchy 227 Further Steps 228 Chapter 15 Analyzing Game Data 229 Overview Analysis 230 Next-Level Deep Analysis 238 Practicing Data Analysis 240 Comparison Analysis 240 Canaries 241 Further Steps 244 Chapter 16 Macrosystems and Player Engagement 245 Macrosystem Difficulty Adjustment 246 Flat Balancing 246 Positive Feedback Loops 247 Negative Feedback Loop 249 Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment 251 Layered Difficulty Adjustment 253 Cross-Feeding 254 Balancing Combinations 255 Further Steps 255 Chapter 17 Fine-Tuning Balance, Testing, and Problem Solving 257 Balance 258 Why Balance Matters 258 General Game Balance 259 Breaking Your Data 261 Problems with Balancing Judged Contests 261 How to Start Balancing Data 263 Performing Playtests 265 Minimum Viability Testing 266 Balance Testing 267 Bug Testing 268 User Testing 269 Beta/Postlaunch Telemetry Testing 273 Solving Problems 275 Identify the Problem 276 Eliminate Variables 277 Come Up with Solutions 277 Communicate with the Team 277 Prototype and Test 277 Document the Changes 277 Further Steps 278 Chapter 18 Systems Communication and Psychology 279 Games as Conversations 280 Word Meanings 281 Noise 284 Reciprocity 286 Overstepping Bounds 286 Shallow Relationship 287 Right Balance 287 Reward Expectations 288 Further Steps 289 Chapter 19 Probability 291 Basic Probability 292 Probability Notation 292 Calculating One-Dimensional Even-Distribution Probability 293 Calculating One-Dimensional Uneven-Distribution Probability 299 Calculating Compound Probability 301 Calculating 2D6 “Or Higher” Cumulative Probability 309 Calculating the Probability of Doubles 310 Calculating a Series of Single Events 311 Calculating More Than Two Dimensions 316 Calculating Dependent Event Probability 318 Calculating Mutually Exclusive Event Probability 321 Calculating Enumerated Probability with an Even Distribution 321 Calculating Enumerated Probability with an Uneven Distribution 322 Calculating Attributes Weights Based on Probability 325 Calculating Imperfect Information Probability 327 Perception of Probability 328 Probability Uncertainty 328 Mapping Probability 329 Attributes of a Random Event 329 Mapping Probability Examples 331 Measuring Luck in a Game 334 Testing for Pure Luck 335 Testing for Luck Dominant 335 Testing for Luck Influenced 336 Adjusting the Influence of Luck 336 Chaos Factor 338 Further Steps 338 Chapter 20 Next Steps 341 Practice 342 Analyze Existing Games 342 Play New Games 342 Modify Existing Games 342 Work on Your Game 343 Keep Learning 343 Index 345
£22.49
Pearson Education (US) Advanced Game Design
Book SynopsisMichael Sellers is Director of the Game Design program and a Professor of Practice at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Sellers has worked as a professional game designer since 1994, with a focus on designing social, mobile, and massively multiplayer online games (MMOs). He has started and run three successful game studios and has also worked for notable game developers such as 3DO, Electronic Arts, Kabam, and Rumble Entertainment as a lead designer, executive producer, general manager, and creative director. His first commercial game was the award-winning Meridian 59, the first 3D MMO, released in 1996. He was also the lead designer on The Sims 2, Ultima Online, Holiday Village, Blastron, and Realm of the Mad God, among other games. In addition to his woTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Foundations Chapter 1 Foundations of Systems Chapter 2 Defining Systems Chapter 3 Foundations of Games and Game Design Chapter 4 Interactivity and Fun Part II: Principles Chapter 5 Working as a Systemic Game Designer Chapter 6 Designing the Whole Experience Chapter 7 Creating Game Loops Chapter 8 Defining Game Parts Part III: Practice Chapter 9 Game Balance Methods Chapter 10 Game Balance Practice Chapter 11 Working as a Team Chapter 12 Making Your Game Real Bibliography Index
£40.04
CRC Press Architectural Approach to Level Design
Book SynopsisWritten by a game developer and professor trained in architecture, An Architectural Approach to Level Design is one of the first books to integrate architectural and spatial design theory with the field of level design. It explores the principles of level design through the context and history of architecture. Now in its second edition, An Architectural Approach to Level Design presents architectural techniques and theories for you to use in your own work. The author connects architecture and level design in different ways that address the practical elements of how designers construct space and the experiential elements of how and why humans interact with that space. It also addresses industry issues like how to build interesting tutorial levels and how to use computer-generated level design systems without losing the player-focused design of handmade levels. Throughout the text, you will learn skills for spatial layout, evoking emotion through gamespaces, and cTable of ContentsChapter 1 A Brief History of Architecture and Level Design. Chapter 2 Drawing for Level Designers. Chapter 3 Level Design Workflows. Chapter 4 Basic Gamespaces. Chapter 5 Communicating through Environment Art. Chapter 6 Building exciting levels with dangerous architecture. Chapter 7 Rewards in Gamespaces. Chapter 8 Level 1-1: The Tutorial Level . Chapter 9 Storytelling in Gamespaces. Chapter 10 Possibility Spaces and Worldbuilding. Chapter 11 Working with Procedurally Generated Levels. Chapter 12 Influencing Social Interaction with Level Design. Chapter 13 Sound and Music in Level Design .
£117.00
Taylor & Francis Inc Game Feel
Book SynopsisGame Feel exposes feel as a hidden language in game design that no one has fully articulated yet. The language could be compared to the building blocks of music (time signatures, chord progressions, verse) - no matter the instruments, style or time period - these building blocks come into play. Feel and sensation are similar building blocks where game design is concerned. They create the meta-sensation of involvement with a game. The understanding of how game designers create feel, and affect feel are only partially understood by most in the field and tends to be overlooked as a method or course of study, yet a game's feel is central to a game's success. This book brings the subject of feel to light by consolidating existing theories into a cohesive book. The book covers topics like the role of sound, ancillary indicators, the importance of metaphor, how people perceive things, and a brief history of feel in games.The associated web site contains a playset wiTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION PART 1: Deconstruction1. Why Feel, Why Now?This chapter focuses on the impetus behind the book, asking the reader to recall the sensation of controlling a virtual avatar and talking about why feel is so important (and why it is often overlooked.)2. The Grand Scheme of Game DesignThis chapter assigns feel a place in the larger realm of game design, defining its scope and boundaries, talking about how it fits into creating the Ultimate Game Experience of life-enriching flow and empowerment. Using diagrams and research derived from Maslow's Pyramid of Wants and Will Wright's concept of Granularity, feel is identified as one of the atomic units of game construction, one of the most basic building blocks of interactivity. 3. Games that don't Feature Virtual Sensation There are some types of digital games - Civilization, Solitaire, the Sims, and so on - that don't focus on feel or utilize it as one of their core elements, separating them from what will be discussed in the book. An interesting aside is that we are indeed experiencing virtual sensation whenever we use a mouse but that it is so intuitive and familiar that there's really no rational motion translation or skill to build. This brings up an interesting point: much of the pleasure of controlling something purely visual is in the challenge of mastering it, in the obfuscation. In fact, we're wired to receive pleasure for remapping our neural pathways to gain skill and mastery in this way, and it's one of the reasons that overcoming challenges (playing games) is so pleasureable. 4. What is Feel?How do players experience feel? It seems to be mostly subconscious, though there are some artifacts that will be of use to us. Citations here of various forum scrapings and interviews with players looking for feel des
£42.74
CRC Press Game Physics Engine Development
Book SynopsisPhysics is really important to game programmers who need to know how to add physical realism to their games. They need to take into account the laws of physics when creating a simulation or game engine, particularly in 3D computer graphics, for the purpose of making the effects appear more real to the observer or player.The game engine needs to recognize the physical properties of objects that artists create, and combine them with realistic motion. The physics ENGINE is a computer program that you work into your game that simulates Newtonian physics and predict effects under different conditions. In video games, the physics engine uses real-time physics to improve realism. This is the only book in its category to take readers through the process of building a complete game-ready physics engine from scratch. The Cyclone game engine featured in the book was written specifically for this book and has been utilized in iPhone application developmentTrade ReviewPraise for 1st edition:"The first game physics book to emphasize building an actual engine...his book fills a gap by demonstrating how you actually build a physics engine." - Dave Eberly, President, Geometric Tools."A competent programmer with sufficient mathematical sophistication could build a physics engine just from the text and equations--even without the accompanying source code. You can't say this about a lot of books!" - Philip J. Schneider, Industrial Light & Magic.Table of ContentsIntroduction. Particle Physics: The Mathematics of Particles. The Laws of Motion. The Particle Physics Engine. Mass Aggregate Physics: Adding General Forces. Springs and Spring-Like Things. Hard Constraints. The Mass Aggregate Physics Engine. Rigid-Body Physics: The Mathematics of Rotations. Laws of Motion for Rigid Bodies. The Rigid-Body Physics Engine. Collision Detection: Collision Detection. Generating Contacts. Contact Physics: Collision Resolution. Resting Contacts and Friction. Stability and Optimization. Putting It All Together. Further Topics in Physics: Physics in Two Dimensions. Other Programming Languages. Other Types of Physics. Appendices: Useful Inertia Tensors. Useful Friction Coefficients. Mathematics Summary
£52.24
Pearson Education Starting Out with Games Graphics in C
Book SynopsisTony Gaddis is the principal author of the Starting Out with series of textbooks. He has nearly two decades of experience teaching computer science courses, primarily at Haywood Community College. Tony is a highly acclaimed instructor who was previously selected as the North Carolina Community College Teacher of the Year, and has received the Teaching Excellence award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development. Tony, Haywood Community College 1981 Business Administration and 1985 Electronic Data Processing graduate, was selected as Outstanding Alumni Recipient for 2012 for the college. His Starting Out with series includes introductory textbooks covering Programming Logic and Design, Alice, C++, Java, Microsoft Visual Basic, and Python.
£145.42
Pearson Education (US) Players Making Decisions
Book SynopsisZack Hiwiller is a game designer, educator, and writer living in Orlando, Florida. He is a department chair for the Game Design degree program at Full Sail University and does consultant work for many large and small companies. Previously, in addition to independent projects, he was a designer at Gameloft and Electronic Arts. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master's degree in Modeling and Simulation from the University of Central Florida. His writings at hiwiller.com have been reposted by Kotaku, GameSetWatch, and others and have reached over two million readers. Table of ContentsIntroductionPart I. StartingPart II. Prototyping and PlaytestingPart III. Meaningful DecisionsPart IV. Game ElementsPart V. Game Theory and Rational Decision MakingPart VI. Actual Human Behavior and GamesPart VII. Game Design ToolsPart VIII. The Game Design BusinessConclusion
£35.14
Pearson Education (US) Unreal Engine VR Cookbook
Book Synopsis Mitch McCaffrey is an independent game developer and the Creator of the community VR Template for UE4. He is also Creator of the very popular YouTube tutorial series Mitch's VR Lab. Mitch has been a very active member of the UE4 VR community and instrumental in teaching VR best practices through his Unreal Engine forum posts, VR Templates, and Youtube channel for some time. http://www.mitchellmccaffrey.com Table of Contents Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii About the Author xix Part I: Getting Started 1 Chapter 1: Terminology and Best Practices 3 Terminology 4 Best Practices 10 Summary 11 Chapter 2: Head Mounted Display Setup 13 Gear VR 14 Rift and Vive 32 Summary 42 Chapter 3: Toolkit 43 Generic Function Library 44 Oculus Function Library 45 Steam VR Function Library 47 Summary 47 Part II: Recipes 49 Chapter 4: Trace Interaction 51 Understanding Trace Interaction 52 Understanding Interfaces 55 Setting Up Trace Interaction 57 Setting Up a Basic Interactive Object 75 Summary 79 Exercises 80 Chapter 5: Teleportation 85 Setting Up Teleportation 86 Visualizing the Teleport 92 Simple Teleportation Volume 95 Summary 101 Exercises 101 Chapter 6: Unreal Motion Graphics and 2D User Interfaces 103 Challenges with 2D UI in VR 104 History and Compatibility of UMG 105 Basic VR Menu 105 Custom Menu Interaction 113 Summary 123 Exercises 123 Chapter 7: Character Inverse Kinematics 125 Introduction to Inverse Kinematics 126 Setting Up Head IK 127 Setting Up Hand IK 137 Summary 144 Exercises 145 Chapter 8: Motion Controller Interaction 147 Why Motion Controller Interaction Works 148 What to Look Out For: The Importance of Affordance 148 Shared Input of the Current Generation of Motion Controllers 149 Setting Up the World Interaction Project 149 Interacting with Objects 151 Creating the Interactive Objects 163 Summary 187 Exercises 188 Chapter 9: VR Locomotion 189 Simulator Sickness 190 Locomotion Types 190 Locomotion Implementation 194 Summary 205 Exercises 205 Chapter 10: VR Optimization 207 Requirements of VR Rendering 208 Latency Mitigation 209 Performance Improvements 215 VR Project Settings 221 Summary 229 Exercises 229 Part III: Appendices 231 Appendix A: VR Editor 233 Enabling the VR Editor 234 Controlling the VR Editor 235 Summary 241 Appendix B: Resources 243 Epic 244 Oculus 244 Valve 244 Google 245 Community 245 Physical Meetups 245 Conferences 246 Index 247
£28.02
Oxford University Press The Game Designers Playbook An Introduction to
Book SynopsisVideo games have captivated us for over 50 years, giving us entire worlds to explore, new ways to connect with friends, thought-provoking stories, or just a fun way to pass the time. Creating games is a dream for many, but making great games is challenging. The Game Designer''s Playbook is about meeting that challenge. More specifically, it''s a book about game interaction design; in other words, shaping what players can do and how they do it to make a game satisfying and memorable. Our time with a game is built on interaction, from basic things like pushing buttons on a controller, to making complicated strategic decisions and engaging with the narrative. If you''ve ever felt the adrenaline rush from beating a perfectly tuned boss fight or been delighted by the fanfare of picking up that last collectible, you''ve experienced good interaction design firsthand. The Game Designer''s Playbook is about learning what makes for great (or terrible!) interaction design in games, exploring things like controls, feedback, story, and tutorial design by analyzing existing games. It also looks at how newer and still-developing tech like VR and streaming are changing the ways we play, and how you can bring great interaction design to your own games.Table of ContentsTanya X. Short: Foreword 1: Caveman Arcade 2: The Parlance of Play 3: The Long Con 4: Say What You Mean 5: Control Freaks 6: The Play's the Thing 7: Rejecting Your Reality 8: The Audience Is Listening 9: Rise of the Machines 10: Making the Thing 11: Testing Your Patience 12: What Comes Next? Glossary List of Acronyms Ludography
£33.72
Taylor & Francis Ltd Creating Games with Unity and Maya
Book SynopsisUnity brings you ever closer to the author once, deploy anywhere dream. With its multiplatform capabilities, you can target desktop, web, mobile devices, and consoles using a single development engine. Little wonder that Unity has quickly become the #1 game engine out there. Mastering Unity is absolutely essential in an increasingly competitive games market where agility is expected, yet until now practical tutorials were nearly impossible to find. Creating Games with Unity and Maya gives you with an end-to-end solution for Unity game development with Maya. Written by a twelve-year veteran of the 3D animation and games industry and professor of 3D animation, this book takes you step-by-step through the process of developing an entire game from scratch-including coding, art, production, and deployment. This accessible guide provides a non-programmer entry point to the world of game creation. Aspiring developers with little or no coding experience will learn charaTrade Review"Watkins (Univ. of the Incarnate Word) devotes most of the first half of the book to 3-D digital asset creation in Maya with a very light overview of animation. The remainder of the book provides an artist-friendly introduction to game scripting that should be enough to get beginners started on developing games on their own using the game engine. Therefore, those who are new to 3-D modeling, texturing, and character rigging will likely benefit most from this book. 3-D artists who have a working proficiency in Maya or those who are more interested in game design or programming may be b etter served elsewhere. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Students of all levels in digital arts or game art programs, researchers/faculty, and professionals/practitioners."--A. Chen, Cogswell Polytechnical CollegeTable of ContentsIntroduction; Chapter 1 Game Production Process; Chapter 2 Asset Creation; Chapter 3 Asset Creation; Chapter 4 Asset Creation; Chapter 5 Asset Creation; Chapter 6 Asset Creation; Chapter 7 Asset Creation; Chapter 8 Asset Creation; Chapter 9 Asset Creation; Chapter 10 Asset Creation; Chapter 11 Unity Sound; Chapter 12 Introduction to Unity Scripting Basics and Graphical User Interface; Chapter 13 Unity Triggers; Chapter 14 Unity Raycasting; Chapter 15 Unity Prefabs and Instantiation; Chapter 16 Unity; Chapter 17 Health Systems, Winning, and Losing the Game; Chapter 18 Unity Debugging, Optimization, and Builds;
£49.39
MIT Press Ltd Persuasive Games The Expressive Power of Video
Book SynopsisAn exploration of the way videogames mount arguments and make expressive statements about the world that analyzes their unique persuasive power in terms of their computational properties.Videogames are an expressive medium, and a persuasive medium; they represent how real and imagined systems work, and they invite players to interact with those systems and form judgments about them. In this innovative analysis, Ian Bogost examines the way videogames mount arguments and influence players. Drawing on the 2,500-year history of rhetoric, the study of persuasive expression, Bogost analyzes rhetoric's unique function in software in general and videogames in particular. The field of media studies already analyzes visual rhetoric, the art of using imagery and visual representation persuasively. Bogost argues that videogames, thanks to their basic representational mode of procedurality (rule-based representations and interactions), open a new domain for persuasion; they realize a new
£29.45
Pearson Education (US) Fundamentals of Game Design
Book Synopsis
£46.79
Taylor & Francis Ltd Fundamentals of Computer Graphics
Book SynopsisDrawing on an impressive roster of experts in the field, Fundamentals of Computer Graphics, Fifth Edition offers an ideal resource for computer course curricula as well as a user-friendly personal or professional reference.Focusing on geometric intuition, this book gives the necessary information for understanding how images get onto the screen by using the complementary approaches of ray tracing and rasterization. It covers topics common to an introductory course, such as sampling theory, texture mapping, spatial data structure, and splines. It also includes a number of contributed chapters from authors known for their expertise and clear way of explaining concepts.HIGHLIGHTS Major updates and improvements to numerous chapters, including shading, ray tracing, physics-based rendering, math, and sampling Updated coverage of existing topics The absorption and reworking of several chapters to create a morTable of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Miscellaneous Math 3 Raster Images 4 Ray Tracing 5 Surface Shading 6 Linear Algebra 7 Transformation Matrices 8 Viewing 9 The Graphics Pipeline 10 Signal Processing 11 Texture Mapping 12 Data Structures for Graphics 13 Sampling 14 Physics-Based Rendering 15 Curves Michael Gleicher 16 Computer Animation Michael Ashikhmin 17 Using Graphics Hardware Peter Willemsen 18 Color Erik Reinhard and Garrett Johnson 19 Visual Perception William B. Thompson 20 Tone Reproduction Erik Reinhard 21 Implicit Modeling Brian Wyvill 22 Computer Graphics in Games Naty Hoffman 23 Visualization Tamara Munzner
£143.08
Taylor & Francis Ltd Unity Game Audio Implementation
Book SynopsisUnity Game Audio Implementation offers a unique, practical, project-based approach to learning about aspects of Interactive Game Audio for those who have never used a game engine before and don't want to learn computer programming right now.The book offers insight into the skills needed to design game-ready sounds in current Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and shows how to implement these sounds within the Unity game engine. The reader will also learn about interactive music and how to set this up to respond to a variety of events in the game, with the option of adding in their own story and dialogue.All the information is presented in a practical working context from an established Game Audio Sound Designer with AAA games experience. The chapters are accompanied by several game levels teaching all about the techniques and theories before offering instructive steps for how to put them into action. After completing the practical tasks in this bookTable of Contents1 Introduction to Game Audio and the Unity game engine 2 Game Audio Sound Design and creation 3 Game sound editing techniques 4 Importing assets into Unity and placing sounds in gameworld 5 Understanding basic game mechanics and generic Unity tools 6 Set up main game project, creating a project plan and Game Audio Design documentation 7 Trigger Areas and Reverb Zones 8 Recording, processing, and implementing dialogue 9 Audio Implementation of character and enemy SFX 10 Audio Implementation of game mechanics and cutscenes 11 Interactive music 12 Unity Mixer routing and effects and additional audio scripts13 Bonus chapter – expanding/improving upon existing implementation 14 What to do next
£52.24
Taylor & Francis Ltd Leading with Sound
Book SynopsisLeading with Sound is the must-have companion guide to working on video game projects. Focused on the creative, collaborative, philosophical and organizational skills behind game sound and eschewing the technical, this book celebrates the subjects most essential to leading with sound in video game development at any level. Refuting the traditional optics of sound as a service in favour of sound as a pro-active visionary department, , this book examines each of the four food-groups of dialogue, sound design, music and mix, not through the usual technical and production lenses of âhowâ and âwhenâ, but the essential lens of âwhyâ that enables leadership with sound. Leading with Sound is essential reading for aspiring sound designers, inside and outside of the classroom, as well as experienced professionals in the game industry.Table of ContentsPart One: Ports of Entry01 What is this Book About?02 The Big Four: Understanding the Four Food-groups of Audio (and how they inter-relate)03 What Drives the Mix of Your Game.04 Taking a Psychological Approach to Sound Categorization05 What is a Game Developer?06 What is Game Audio?07 What You May be Missing: Vision to Drive Your Tools and Pipelines 08 Communication Essentials: Managing Expectations of Quality (The ‘L’ Scale)09 Developing Early Audio VisionsPart Two: Sound Design10 Why do we Need Sounds?11 Working with Sound.12 Higher Level is Better.13 What is Causing these Sounds and Where are they Located? 14 Ambiguity and Clarity.15 Designing for Three Audiences. (Player, Spectator, Creator) 16 Thinking Horizontally, Vertically, and Diagonally about Asset Design.17 Designing a Moment: Temporality in Interactive Sound Design.18 Leading with Sound: Spectacle and Immersion.Part Three: Music19 Why do we Need Music?20 Music as Creative Crutches: Reaching for Music Too Soon & Too Late.21 Defining the Sound: Towards an Iconic Music Design 22 The Shape of Emotion: We Can’t Feel Emotion All the Time.23 Diegetic, Non-Diegetic and Trans-Diegetic Musical Spaces.24 Non-Diegetic Space in Recorded Music25 Leading with Music: Music as Spectacle Throughout Production and Post-Release Part Four: Voice26 Why do we Need Voice?27 Early Dialogue Development28 The Sound of Voice: Dialects, Culture and Meaning29 Casting Philosophies (Auditions, Recording, Iteration) 30 Let’s do it Again31 Rethinking Dialogue Production: Infinite Alternatives32 Leading with Voice: Leveraging the Spectacle of Performance Part Five: Mix33 Why do we Need to Mix?34 Mix Essentials35 Philosophy of the Mix: Narrative Dynamics (Pushing, Pulling, Shaping) 36 Some Defining Terminology and Features of Non-Linear Mixing 37 Mix Consistency38 Building the Mix39 Planning and Surviving the Major Milestone and Final Mixes. 40 Leading with the Mix: The First and Last Thing You Think About. Part Six: Fade Out41 The Importance of a Holistic (Four-Food-group) Vision 42 Studio Culture: A Theory of Everything 43 Game Audio Studio Spaces: Architectural Problems in Video Game Sound. 44 Games are for Everyone: Accessibility, Options and Customization in Audio for Gamers.45 Finding Our Place, Between Vision and Service.
£32.29
Taylor & Francis Ltd Forms and Functions of Endings in Narrative
Book SynopsisThis book looks closely at the endings of narrative digital games, examining their ways of concluding the processes of both storytelling and play in order to gain insight into what endings are and how we identify them in different media. While narrative digital games share many representational strategies for signalling their upcoming end with more traditional narrative media such as novels or movies they also show many forms of endings that often radically differ from our conventional understanding of conclusion and closure. From vast game worlds that remain open for play after a story's finale, to multiple endings that are often hailed as a means for players to create their own stories, to the potentially tragic endings of failure and game over, digital games question the traditional singularity and finality of endings. Using a broad range of examples, this book delves deeply into these and other forms and their functions, both to reveal the closural specificities Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Transmedial Narratology and the Multimodality of Narrative Digital Games ; 2. What Makes an Ending an Ending? Point of Departure ; 2. Ending and Closure as Part of the Narrative Frame ; 3. Ludic and Narrative Micro Forms – The Ending in Isolation ; 4. Ludic and Narrative Macro Functions – The Ending as Part of the Entire Playing Process ; What Makes an Ending an Ending? Conclusion ; References
£37.04
Taylor & Francis Ltd AI for Games
Book SynopsisWhat is artificial intelligence? How is artificial intelligence used in game development?Game development lives in its own technical world. It has its own idioms, skills, and challenges. Thatâs one of the reasons games are so much fun to work on. Each game has its own rules, its own aesthetic, and its own trade-offs, and the hardware it will run on keeps changing. AI for Games is designed to help you understand one element of game development: artificial intelligence (AI).Table of ContentsAuthor. Introduction. 1 What Is AI? 2 Model of Game AI. 3 Algorithms and Data Structures. 4 Game AI. 5 Techniques. 6 Supporting Technologies. Index.
£21.84
CRC Press Practical Rendering and Computation with Direct3D
Book SynopsisDirect3D 11 offers such a wealth of capabilities that users can sometimes get lost in the details of specific APIs and their implementation. While there is a great deal of low-level information available about how each API function should be used, there is little documentation that shows how best to leverage these capabilities. Written by active members of the Direct3D community, Practical Rendering and Computation with Direct3D 11 provides a deep understanding of both the high and low level concepts related to using Direct3D 11. The first part of the book presents a conceptual introduction to Direct3D 11, including an overview of the Direct3D 11 rendering and computation pipelines and how they map to the underlying hardware. It also provides a detailed look at all of the major components of the library, covering resources, pipeline details, and multithreaded rendering. Building upon this material, the second part of the text includes detailed examplesTrade ReviewPractical Rendering and Computation with Direct3D 11 packs in documentation and in-depth coverage of basic and high-level concepts related to using Direct 3D 11 and is a top pick for any serious programming collection. … perfect for a wide range of users. Any interested in computation and multicore models will find this packed with examples and technical applications.—Midwest Book Review, October 2011The authors have generously provided us with an optimal blend of concepts and philosophy, illustrative figures to clarify the more difficult points, and source code fragments to make the ideas concrete. Of particular interest is the chapter on multithreaded rendering, a topic that is essential in a multicore world. Later chapters include many examples such as skinning and displacement, dynamic tessellation, image processing (to illustrate DirectCompute), deferred rendering, physics simulations, and multithreaded paraboloid mapping. As if all this is not enough, the authors have made available their source code, called Hieroglyph 3. Books do not get any better than this!—David Eberly, Geometric ToolsTable of ContentsOverview of Direct3D 11. Direct3D 11 Resources. The Rendering Pipeline. The Tessellation Pipeline. The Computation Pipeline. High Level Shading Language. Multithreaded Rendering. Mesh Rendering. Dynamic Tessellation. Image Processing. Deferred Rendering. Simulations. Multithreaded Paraboloid Rendering. Appendices. Bibliography. Index.
£44.64
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Cloud Computing Book
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
£42.74
CRC Press Game Anim
Book SynopsisGame Anim teaches the technical and artistic fundamentals of video game animation and goes further to provide practical advice and industry insights to help you become a rounded and successful game animator. Covering every stage of game production from the animatorâs perspective, it is packed with the lessons learned from working on a variety of game types in both in-game and cinematic roles in animator, lead, and director positions. These have been successful across multiple studios regardless of team, size and culture.The 2nd edition includes a new chapter on 2D and Pixel Art Animation, an enhanced mocap chapter covering the latest developments in Motion Matching, and even more interviews with top professionals in the field. Game Anim provides essential guidance to those looking to break into the industry and successful animators wishing to take the next step in their career. Key Features â 20 Years of Insight: Accumulated knowledge fromTable of ContentsChapter 1 The Video Game Animator What It Means To Be A Video Game AnimatorChapter 2 The Game Development EnvironmentChapter 3 The 12 Animation PrinciplesChapter 4 The Five Fundamentals of Game AnimationChapter 5 What You Need To KnowChapter 6 The Game Animation WorkflowChapter 7 Our Project: Pre-productionChapter 8 Our Project: Technical AnimationChapter 9 Our Project: Gameplay AnimationChapter 10 Our Project: Cinematics & FacialChapter 11 Our Project: Motion CaptureChapter 12 Our Project: Animation Team ManagementChapter 13 Our Project: Polish & DebugChapter 14 2D & Pixel Art AnimationChapter 15 The Future
£42.74
Taylor & Francis Ltd iOS Game Programming with Xcode and Cocos2d
Book SynopsisThis book is written by a professional instructor and founder of CartoonSmart.com, a company specializing in new media tutorials for nearly a decade. The book is a start-to-finish guide for anyone looking to begin iOS development using Cocos2d and Xcode and submit their finished app to Apple. Even if you haven't read code before, you can begin with this book. This book is a handy reference guide, with easy to look-up sections of code snippets, pictures and links to video examples.Features: Code Video examples 5 hours of tutorial videos on Box2d, which can take the reader even further beyond what they learned in the book Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Hardest Part: StartingChapter 2: Objective-C BasicsChapter 3: Cocos2d BasicsChapter 4: Create Your Own ClassChapter 5: Collisions, Touches & GesturesChapter 6: Accelerometer and ActionsChapter 7: Animation & Particle FXChapter 8: Menus, Sounds, Scenes & TextChapter 9: Game StructureChapter 10: Extending Cocos2dChapter 11: The Back
£50.34
O'Reilly Media Learning XNA 3.0
Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered what it takes to become a game developer? Or what about taking it a step further and developing for a next-gen console like the Xbox 360 instead of just a PC? This book takes you through introductory and intermediate game development concepts from 2D animation to 3D cameras and effects.
£20.99
Manchester University Press Videogame Player Text
Book SynopsisVideogame, player, text examines the playing and playful subject through a series of analytical essays focused on particular videogames.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Videogame, player, text - Barry Atkins and Tanya Krzywinska1. Beyond Ludus: narrative, videogames and the split condition of digital textuality - Marie-Laure Ryan2. All too urban: to live and die in SimCity - Matteo Bittanti3. Play, modality and claims of realism in Full Spectrum Warrior - Geoff King4. Why am I in Vietnam? – The history of a video game - Jon Dovey 5. “It’s Not Easy Being Green”: real-time game performance in Warcraft - Henry Lowood6. Being a determined agent in (the) World of Warcraft: text/playidentity - Tanya Krzywinska7. Female Quake players and the politics of identity - Helen W. Kennedy8. Of eye candy and id: the terrors and pleasures of Doom 3 - Bob Rehak9. Second Life: the game of virtual life - Alison McMahan10. Playing to solve Savoir-Faire - Nick Montfort11. Without a goal - on open and expressive games - Jesper Juul12. Pleasure, spectacle and reward in Capcom’s Street Fighter series - David Surman13. The trouble with Civilization - Diane Carr14. Killing time: time past, time present and time future in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - Barry Atkins
£76.50
Manchester University Press Videogame player text
Book SynopsisVideogame, player, text examines the playing and playful subject through a series of analytical essays focused on particular videogames. -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: Videogame, player, text - Barry Atkins and Tanya Krzywinska1. Beyond Ludus: narrative, videogames and the split condition of digital textuality - Marie-Laure Ryan2. All too urban: to live and die in SimCity - Matteo Bittanti3. Play, modality and claims of realism in Full Spectrum Warrior - Geoff King4. Why am I in Vietnam? – The history of a video game - Jon Dovey 5. “It’s Not Easy Being Green”: real-time game performance in Warcraft - Henry Lowood6. Being a determined agent in (the) World of Warcraft: text/playidentity - Tanya Krzywinska7. Female Quake players and the politics of identity - Helen W. Kennedy8. Of eye candy and id: the terrors and pleasures of Doom 3 - Bob Rehak9. Second Life: the game of virtual life - Alison McMahan10. Playing to solve Savoir-Faire - Nick Montfort11. Without a goal - on open and expressive games - Jesper Juul12. Pleasure, spectacle and reward in Capcom’s Street Fighter series - David Surman13. The trouble with Civilization - Diane Carr14. Killing time: time past, time present and time future in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - Barry Atkins
£18.99
Running Press,U.S. Fight Magic Items
Book SynopsisTake a journey through the history of Japanese role-playing games—from the creators who built it, the games that defined it, and the stories that transformed pop culture and continue to capture the imaginations of millions of fans to this day.The Japanese roleplaying game (JRPG) genre is one that is known for bold, unforgettable characters; rich stories, and some of the most iconic and beloved games in the industry. Inspired by early western RPGs and introducing technology and artistic styles that pushed the boundaries of what video games could be, this genre is responsible for creating some of the most complex, bold, and beloved games in history—and it has the fanbase to prove it. In Fight, Magic, Items, Aidan Moher guides readers through the fascinating history of JRPGs, exploring the technical challenges, distinct narrative and artistic visions, and creative rivalries that fueled the creation of countless iconic games and their quest to bec
£13.49
CRC Press GPU Pro 360 Guide to Rendering
Book Synopsis This volume is complete with 32 articles by leading programmers that focus on the ability of graphics processing units to process and generate rendering in exciting ways. GPU Pro 360 Guide to Rendering is comprised of ready-to-use ideas and efficient procedures that can help solve many rendering programming challenges that may arise.Table of ContentsCh 1 Fast Conventiona lShadow Filtering; Ch 2 Hybrid Min / Max Plane-Based Shadow Maps; Ch 3 Shadow Mapping for Omnidirectioanl Light Using Tetrahedron Mapping; Ch 4 Screen Space Soft Shaddow; Ch 5 Variance Shadow Maps Light- Bleeding Reduction Tricks; Ch 6 Fast Soft Shadows via Adaptive Shadow Maps Ch 7 Adaptive Volumetric Shadowe Maps; Ch 8 Fast Soft Shadows with Temporal Coherence; Ch 9 Mipmapped Screen-Space Soft Shadows; Ch 10 Efficient Online Visability for Shadow Maps; Ch 11 Depth Rejected Gobo Shadows; Ch 12 Real-Time Deep Shadow Maps; Ch 13 Practical Screen-Space Soft Shadows; Ch 14 Tile-Based Omnidirectional Shadows; Ch 15 Shadow Map Silhouette Revectorization
£42.74
Watson-Guptill Publications How to Become a Video Game Artist
Book SynopsisStarting with the basics of game creation and a look at the artistic skills necessary to get started, this title offers key roles for creators - from concept artists to character animators to marketing artists and beyond. It also features interviews with video game art professionals who've worked for top gaming companies.
£14.24