Games development and programming Books
Taylor & Francis Ltd Game Balance
Book SynopsisWithin the field of game design, game balance can best be described as a black art. It is the process by which game designers make a game simultaneously fair for players while providing them just the right amount of difficulty to be both exciting and challenging without making the game entirely predictable. This involves a combination of mathematics, psychology, and occasionally other fields such as economics and game theory. Game Balance offers readers a dynamic look into game design and player theory. Throughout the book, relevant topics on the use of spreadsheet programs will be included in each chapter. This book therefore doubles as a useful reference on Microsoft Excel, Google Spreadsheets, and other spreadsheet programs and their uses for game designers.FEATURES The first and only book to explore game balance as a topic in depth Topics range from intermediate to advanced, while written in an accessible style that demystifies even the most challenging mathematical concepts to the point where a novice student of game design can understand and apply them Contains powerful spreadsheet techniques which have been tested with all major spreadsheet programs and battle-tested with real-world game design tasks Provides short-form exercises at the end of each chapter to allow for practice of the techniques discussed therein along with three long-term projects divided into parts throughout the book that involve their creation Written by award-winning designers with decades of experience in the field Ian Schreiber has been in the industry since 2000, first as a programmer and then as a game designer. He has worked on eight published game titles, training/simulation games for three Fortune 500 companies, and has advised countless student projects. He is the co-founder of Global Game Jam, the largest in-person game jam event in the world. Ian has taught game design and development courses at a variety of colleges and universities since 2006.Brenda Romero is a BAFTA award-winning game director, entrepreneur, artist, and Fulbright award recipient and is presently game director and creator of the Empire of Sin franchise. As a game director, she has worked on 50 games and contributed to many seminal titles, including the Wizardry and Jagged Alliance series and titles in the Ghost Recon, Dungeons & Dragons, and Def Jam franchises.Table of ContentsForeword. Preface. Kinds of Balance. Critical Vocabulary. Numeric Relationships. Economic Systems. Trading Systems. Transitive Mechanics and Cost Curves. Probability and Randomness (Dice). Probability and Dice (Cards). Managing Luck and Skill. Human Intuition. Pseudorandom Numbers. Infinite Probabilites. Situational Balance. Progression in PvE Games. Progression in PvP Games. Statistics. Analytics. Metagame Systems. Intransitive Mechanics and Payoff Matrices. Beyond Balance.
£112.50
CRC Press Games as Transformative Experiences for Critical
Book SynopsisAll games are potentially transformative experiences because they engage the player in dynamic action. When repurposed in an educational context, even highly popular casual games played online to pass the time can engage players in a way that deepens learning. Games as Transformative Experiences for Critical Thinking, Cultural Awareness, and Deep Learning: Strategies & Resources examines the learning value of a wide variety of games across multiple disciplines.Organized just like a well-made game, the book is divided into four parts highlighting classroom experiences, community and culture, virtual learning, and interdisciplinary instruction. The author crosses between the high school and college classroom and addresses a range of disciplines, both online and classroom practice, the design of curriculum, and the transformation of assessment practices.In addition to a wealth of practical exercises, resources, and lesson ideas, the book explains how to use a wide Trade Review"I would posit that David Seelow should be esteemed in the same way we treat John Paul Gee, Jane McGonigal, Jesse Schell, and Lee Sheldon. The book contains significant benefits and is well worth the investment of time and money required to acquire and read the book. This book is highly recommended if you are looking to experiment with GBL in the classroom, either via online, virtual, or hybrid approaches. You will find a wide range of successfully applied games that could be used to stimulate your learners’ interest in achieving a deeper level of learning."- Michael J. D. Sutton, Journal of Applied Learning & Teaching"I would posit that David Seelow should be esteemed in the same way we treat John Paul Gee, Jane McGonigal, Jesse Schell, and Lee Sheldon. The book contains significant benefits and is well worth the investment of time and money required to acquire and read the book. This book is highly recommended if you are looking to experiment with GBL in the classroom, either via online, virtual, or hybrid approaches. You will find a wide range of successfully applied games that could be used to stimulate your learners’ interest in achieving a deeper level of learning."- Michael J. D. Sutton, Journal of Applied Learning & TeachingTable of ContentsIn Memoriam. Author. Introduction: The Power and Potential of Games for Learning. Part I Games as Transformative Classroom Experiences. Chapter 1 My Favorite Game: The Power of Personal Learning. Chapter 2 Ask the Sphinx: Power Up Student Motivation with Superpower Challenges. Chapter 3 Gen Con in the Classroom: Board Games. Chapter 4 Video Games in the English Classroom: Supercharging Critical Literacy. Chapter 5 Playing through Stories: Teaching Interactive Narrative. Part II Games as Transformative Classroom Experiences. Chapter 6 Using a Game to Counter the Prejudice, Bias, and Discrimination against the Transgender Community: If Found and Transformative Storytelling. Chapter 7 "Smart Bets" Balancing Uncertainty with Clear Thinking: Annie Duke’s Poker Skills for Everyday Life. Chapter 8 Chess for Self, School, and Society. Chapter 9 War from the Other Side: Playing Games to Save Democracy. Chapter 10 The Child as Mother to Man: A Game for Saving Nature. Chapter 11 Turning Strangers into Neighbors: Improving the World through a Game of Gratitude. Part III Casual Games as Transformative Online Learning Experiences. Chapter 12 Three Small Games for Big Learning in Math and Physics. Chapter 13 Playing Small Business Owners: Teaching Management, Self-Efficacy, and Authentic Skills through Casual Games. Chapter 14 Teaching Teamwork with a Public Health Game. Chapter 15 There Is an Imposter Among Us: Teaching Truth in the Time of "The Big Lie". Chapter 16 Teaching Tragedy in Real Time: The Syrian Refugee Crisis. Chapter 17 Games for College Orientation: Social Emotional Learning. Part IV Playing across Boundaries: Interdisciplinary Instruction with Films, Games, and Literature. Chapter 18 Teaching the Disclosure Scene: Empathy and Understanding for Transgender People. Chapter 19 Teaching Over the Top: The Great War through a Game, Painting, Poem, and Superhero Film. Chapter 20 How "Memoirs" about the Iranian Revolution Can Help Change Stereotypical Perceptions of the Muslim as "Other". Chapter 21 Teaching about Pandemics During a Pandemic. CONCLUSION A SHORT HIKE TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: TEACHING THE TRANSCENDENT OR WALKING THE DOG. INDEX.
£50.34
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Business of Indie Games
The Business of Indie Games provides exceptional insight into how the video games industry works. It shares valuable information on how to successfully self-publish and secure publisher support. Whether you're making your first game or tenth, this book is a must read. Paul Baldwin, Curve DigitalThe video game industry is a tough business and anyone looking to succeed in indie development should give The Business of Indie Games a read. Graham Smith, Co-Founder of DrinkBox StudiosThis book is a fast track to success for anyone managing a game launch and looking to raise funding for their projects. It shares knowledge that you only learn after years of triumphs and failures within this industry. Scott Drader, Co-Founder of Metalhead Software There's nothing like The Business of Indie Games taught in school. You learn how to make a game, but not how to conduct business, market, and laun
£44.64
Taylor & Francis Ltd What UX is Really About
Book SynopsisIn this not-too-long and easy-to-read book, author Celia Hodent presents a clear overview of the challenges, demands, and rewards of becoming a user experience professional. If this field interests you, thereâs no better place to start than with the volume you now hold in your hand. Alan Cooper, Ancestry Thinker, Software Alchemist, Regenerative Rancher, Author of The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the SanityThe main objective of What UX is Really About: Introducing a Mindset for Great Experiences is to provide a quick introduction to user experience (UX 101) for students, professionals, or simply curious readers who want to understand this trendy yet commonly misunderstood practice better. Readers will learn that UX is much more than a set of techniques, guidelines, and tools. It is a mindset; a philosophy that takes the perspective of the humans that will use a product. It is about solving their problems, offering them a pleasurable experience, and building a win-win, long-lasting relationship between them and the company developing the product. Above all, it is about improving peopleâs lives with technology. What UX is Really About is informative, concise, and provides readers with a high-level overview of the science, design, and methodologies of UX. KEY FEATURES: â The most approachable and concise introduction book about UX. â Easy to read and aims to popularize the UX mindset while debunking its main misconceptions. â Small format size makes it easy to carry around. â Includes content relatable and meaningful to the readers by taking many examples from everyday life with a conversational and light writing style. â Tackles the psychology, design, research, process, strategy, and ethics behind offering the best experience with products, systems, or services.â Includes a glossary.Celia Hodent holds a PhD in psychology, and is a leading expert in the application of cognitive science and psychology to product development, with over 13 years of experience in the development of UX strategy in video game studios, such as Ubisoft, LucasArts, and Epic Games (Fortnite). She currently leads an independent UX consultancy, working with a wide range of international media and enterprise companies to help ensure their products are engaging, successful, and respectful of users. Celia conducts workshops and provides guidance on the topics of game-based UX, playful learning (gamification), ethics, implicit biases, and inclusion in tech. Celia is the author of The Gamerâs Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Video Game Design and The Psychology of Video Games.Trade Review"In this not-too-long and easy-to-read book, author Celia Hodent presents a clear overview of the challenges, demands, and rewards of becoming a user experience professional. If this field interests you, there’s no better place to start than with the volume you now hold in your hand." Alan Cooper, Ancestry Thinker, Software Alchemist, Regenerative Rancher, Author of The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity"This is a clear and compelling introduction to a topic that affects us all--UX and how it shapes the technology experiences we have every day. I can see using this in my general education HCI introduction course--it covers key aspects of the field and also raises important questions of ethics and of inclusion."Katherine Isbister, Professor of Computational Media, Jack Baskin School of Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Author of How Games Move Us: Emotion by Design“In this approachable book, Celia Hodent distills her decades of knowledge and experience into a practical guide. She gives her voice to typical topics, such as the importance of understanding human capability and limitations, but also to rare ones, such as ethics in design. Light on jargon and heavy on practical questions, this is an ideal book for anyone exploring the possibility of a career in UX.”Anne Collins McLaughlin, PhD Professor, North Carolina State UniversityCo-author of Aging, Technology and HealthTable of ContentsChapter 1 What Is UX?Chapter 2 What UX Is NotChapter 3 The Science behind UXChapter 4 The Process and Methodologies of UXChapter 5 Ethics and the UX MindsetChapter 6 Conclusion
£19.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Game Audio Fundamentals
Book SynopsisGame Audio Fundamentals takes the reader on a journey through game audio design: from analog and digital audio basics, to the art and execution of sound effects, soundtracks, and voice production, as well as learning how to make sense of a truly effective soundscape.Trade Review"With his Game Audio Fundamentals, Keith Zizza has delivered a solid, hands-on book that touches on all the important aspects of creating sound and music for video games!"Brian Schmidt, Game Composer/Sound Designer, Executive Director of GameSoundConTable of ContentsPART I: Theory and Tools 1. Acoustics and Analog Audio 2. Digital Audio 3. Music Theory for Audio Designers 4. Production Tools PART II: Soundscapes and Disciplines 5. DAW Essentials, Part I: Editing, Workflow, and Rendering 6. DAW Essentials, Part II: An Overview of Plug-ins 7. Understanding Soundscapes for Games 8. Sound Design 9. Music 10. Dialogue PART III: Practice 11. Production and Development 12. Implementation 13. Listening 14. Finding Game Audio Work
£39.99
CRC Press Demystifying Creativity
Book SynopsisThis book is a study of the psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy of creativity, originality, and inspiration viewed from the lens of a seasoned game developer. It introduces the concept of creative sobrietyâa practice that advocates better understanding our own sources of inspiration so that we can intellectually drive our creative voice closer to originality.The creative process is an improvised dance between the conscious and the subconscious mind, where knowledge, experience, intuition, observation, imagination, and projection meet in ways that are completely unique to each person. Presenting practical and theoretical approaches to originality and game concept generation, this book explores the notion of creative sobriety before moving to chapters that blend theory and practice, covering topics such as innovation, the creative process, auteurship, collaboration, and creative vision.This book will be of great interest to students of game design and creative profe
£35.14
CRC Press Level Design
Book SynopsisIn this book, veteran game developers, academics, journalists, and others provide their processes and experiences with level design. Each provides a unique perspective representing multiple steps of the process for interacting with and creating game levels â experiencing levels, designing levels, constructing levels, and testing levels. These diverse perspectives offer readers a window into the thought processes that result in memorable open game worlds, chilling horror environments, computer-generated levels, evocative soundscapes, and many other types of gamespaces. This collection invites readers into the minds of professional designers as they work and provides evergreen topics on level design and game criticism to inspire both new and veteran designers.Key Features: Learn about the processes of experienced developers and level designers in their own words Discover best-practices for creating levels for persuasive play and designing Table of ContentsChapter 1. Kamuro Nights: A Personal Retrospective of the Yakuza Series Gavin Greene Chapter 2. Cracking the Resident Evil Puzzle Box Daniel Johnson Chapter 3.From Construction to Perception: Three Views of Level Design for Story-Driven Games Huaxin Wei and Chaoguang Wang Chapter 4. Everything I Learned About Level Design at an Orlesian Ball Heidi McDonald Chapter 5. Hell, Hyboria, and Disneyland; The Origins and Inspirations of Themed Video Game Level Design Scott Rogers Chapter 6. Level Design Practices for Independent Games Fares Kayali and Josef Ortner Chapter 7. Making the Most of Audio in Characterization, Narrative Structure, and Level Design Chanel Summers Chapter 8. Procedural Content Generation: An Overview Gillian Smith Chapter 9. P.T. and the Play of Stillness Brian Upton Chapter 10. The Illusion of Choice – How to Hide the Linearity of Levels from Players Joao Raza and Benjamin Carter Chapter 11. Integrating Procedural and Handmade Level Design Dr. Mark R. Johnson Chapter 12. Level Design Planning for Open World Games Joel Burgess PART 4: TESTING LEVELS Chapter 13. Play-Personas: Mental Tools for Player-Centered Level Design Alessandro Canossa Chapter 14. Evaluating Level Design Using Public Events Jonathan Moriarty Chapter 15. The Rule of 27’s: A Comparative Analysis of 2D Screenspace and Virtual Reality Environment Design Hadar Silverman Chapter 16. Expression vs. Experience: Balancing Art and Usability Needs in Level Design Christopher W. Totten
£46.54
CRC Press Narrative Design for Mobile and Live Games
Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive guidebook for long-term storytelling in mobile games and games-as-a-service (also known as live games). This book formalizes creative techniques of game writing and narrative design for a platform (and revenue model) that has shown drastic growth and changes over the past few years. The unique challenges of mobile games and live games are also increasingly relevant across the whole games industry. With hybrid consoles such as the Nintendo Switch, cloud gaming, and cross-platform titles, the lines between mobile and console have begun to blur. Additionally, many games now offer live support to extend player engagement.This book starts with an introduction to narrative design and the world of mobile games, followed by a deep dive into open-ended and seasonal storytelling. Besides the creative aspect of development, it covers areas of production such as documentation, collaboration, and monetization. To illustrate its solutions, it uses examples from videTable of ContentsPart I IntroductionChapter 1 What Is Narrative Design?Chapter 2 An Overview of Narrative DesignChapter 3 Why Does Narrative Design Matter?Part II Interactive StorytellingChapter 4 Introduction to Interactive StorytellingChapter 5 Interactive Storytelling StructuresChapter 6 Open-Ended Storytelling StructuresPart III Live Game StorytellingChapter 7 Introduction to Mobile Game StorytellingChapter 8 Introduction to Live Game StorytellingChapter 9 Learning from Other MediaChapter 10 Building the Narrative FoundationChapter 11 Narrative ToolsChapter 12 Planning Your SeasonsChapter 13 Writing Your Seasonal PlotChapter 14 Keeping a Long-Running Story InterestingChapter 15 Best PracticesPart IV Beyond a Game’s StoryChapter 16 Transmedia StorytellingChapter 17 Narrative MonetizationPart V ConclusionConclusion
£42.74
Taylor & Francis Ltd Videogames and Agency
Book SynopsisVideogames and Agency explores the trend in videogames and their marketing to offer a player higher volumes, or even more distinct kinds, of player freedom. The book offers a new conceptual framework that helps us understand how this freedom to act is discussed by designers, and how that in turn reflects in their design principles.What can we learn from existing theories around agency? How do paratextual materials reflect design intention with regards to what the player can and cannot do in a videogame? How does game design shape the possibility space for player action? Through these questions and selected case studies that include AAA and independent games alike, the book presents a unique approach to studying agency that combines game design, game studies, and game developer discourse. By doing so, the book examines what discourses around player action, as well as a game's design can reveal about the nature of agency and videogame aesthetics.This book will aTrade ReviewVideogames and Agency offers an important contribution to debates around a central concept in Game Studies, providing a new framework to think through the relationship between production context, design and player agency. Using paratextual and textual analysis, Dr Bettina Bódi works adeptly across three engaging case studies to broaden our understanding of how games and their designers afford and constrain player action. This is vital reading for anyone who wants to understand more about one of the key questions in games research.Dr Nick Webber, Associate Professor in Media, Birmingham City University, UKBettina Bódi’s Videogames and Agency is a unique and indispensable book for scholars, students, and game designers. By considering agency as an affordance of videogames that is firmly rooted in their developers’ design ethos, Bódi ties together theoretical perspectives and industry practices of agency. Thoroughly researched, yet immensely readable, the book gives a much needed introduction to a central issue in the study of video games.Hans-Joachim Backe, Associate Professor, Center for Digital Play, ITU Copenhagen, DenmarkTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Understanding Agency; Agency in Game Studies; Agency in Game Design; Toward a Conceptualisation of Agency; 2. A Multidimensional Heuristic Framework for Analysing Player Agency; Agency Afforded in Space: The Spatial-Explorative Dimension; Agency Afforded in Time: The Temporal-Ergodic Dimension; Agency Over the Avatar and its Surroundings: The Configurative-Constructive Dimension; Agency and Narrativity: The Narrative-Dramatic Dimension; 3. An “Active Cinematic Experience”: Naughty Dog’s Uncharted Series; Naughty Dog and the Uncharted Franchise; Developing Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End; Agency and a “Cinematic Feel”; 4. “A Compelling Story with Choices That Matter”: BioWare’s Mass Effect Series; BioWare and the Mass Effect Franchise; Developing Mass Effect: Andromeda; Narrativity, Eventfulness, and Agency; 5. “The World is Your Play-Doh”: System Era Softworks and Astroneer; Independent Games: Definitions and TrendsDeveloping Astroneer; Agency and Playfulness; Conclusion; Index
£33.24
Taylor & Francis The Science of Esports
Book SynopsisThe Science of Esports draws from contemporary research and coach expertise to examine esports athlete health and performance from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including physiology, psychology, sociology, and nutrition. The rapid expansion of the esports industry has elevated competitive video gaming into the realm of high performance, requiring players, coaches, and practitioners to implement interdisciplinary approaches to performance support.The book covers key topic areas such as: What esports is and similarities and differences to sport Game-specific training Physiological and psychological consideration for esports athletes Social aspects of player performance and the social environment of esports Esports coaching and structure of esports performance environments Technology and its use in esports Safeguarding, cheating, and gambling<Table of Contents1. What is Esports? 2. Aspects of Game-Specific Training 3. Physiological Considerations for E-athletes 4. Psychological Considerations for Esports Athletes 5. Nutrition, Supplementation, and Regulation 6. Social Aspects of E-Athletes Performance 7. Structure of Esports Performance Environments 8. Esports Coaching and Support 9. Talent Identification and Development 10. Technology in Esports 11. Social Environment and Health in Esports 12. Safeguarding, Cheating, and Gambling 13. Key Considerations for the Future
£34.19
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Ludotronics Game Design Methodology
Book SynopsisThis book supports readers to transition to more advanced independent game projects by deepening their understanding of the concept development process. It covers how to make concepts sufficiently viable, ambitious, and innovative to warrant the creation of a polished prototype in preparation of a publisher pitch.The book is divided into six sections. After a brief tutorial (Preliminary Phase), readers embark on a journey along the book's methodology. They travel through successive conceptual phases (Preparations, Procedures, Processes, and Propositions); advance through levels and action beats in each of these phases; master challenges (conceptual tasks) and overcome level bosses (design decisions) that become successively harder; collect items (fulfilled documentation tasks); and win the game by having progressed from a raw, initial idea to a full-fledged, polished game treatment. Additional resources for the bookare available at Table of ContentsPhase 01: Preliminaries. 1. Level One: The Thing. 2. Level Two: The Map. 3. Level Three: The Stage. Phase 02: Preparations. 1. Level One: Spawning Ideas. 2. Level Two: Panning for the Core. 3. Level Three: Tough Investigations. 4. Level Four: An Army of Avatars. 5. Level Five: Enter the Value Matrix. 6. Level Six: Serve with Distinction. Phase 03: Procedures. 1. Level One: The Enchanted Theme. 2. Level Two: The Design-Driven Goal. 3. Level Three: The Desire-Driven Goal. Phase 04: Processes. 1. Level One: Integral Perspectives I. 2. Level Two: Interactivity. 3. Level Three: Plurimediality. 4. Level Four: Narrativity. 5. Level Five: Architectonics. 6. Level Six: Integral Perspectives II. Phase 05: Propositions. 1. Level One: Prototyping. 2. Level Two: Polishing. 3. Level Three: Presenting. Phase 06: Postmortems. 1. Level One: References. 2. Level Two: Rightsholders. 3. Level Three: Responses.
£42.74
CRC Press The Board Game Designers Guide to Careers in the
Book SynopsisAre you thinking about working in the board game industry? Hereâs what you need to know.There are so many jobs and roles that need to be filled in the board game industry. You might just have the right skills and experience to excel. But first you need to know what opportunities exist and what the hardest gaps are to fill!In this book, youâll discoverâ What jobs are really in demandâ How you can get your foot in the door with a publisherâ Jobs in the industry youâve never even thought ofâ What other opportunities exist for people with skills just like yoursWith insights from over 40 industry pros, as well as the authorâs many years of experience, youâll be able to put your own skills and experience to great use in an amazing, growing industry.Table of ContentsOther Books by Joe Slack. Acknowledgements. About the Author. Introduction. Section I Game Creation. 1 Game Design. 2 Game Development. Section II Publishing 3 Becoming a Board Game Publisher. 4 Working for a Board Game Publisher. 5 Product Development & Project Management. 6 Communications/Marketing/Sales. 7 Other Roles Within a Publishing Company. Section III Freelancing. 8 True Stories of How Being Helpful Landed Paying Gigs. 9 Graphic Designer. 10 Artist/Illustrator. 11 Writer/Editor (or Rulebook Creator). Section IV Everything You Wanted to Know about Other Roles but were Too Afraid to Ask. 12 Help Games Get to Customers. 13 Marketing, Consulting, and Video Production. 14 Content Creation. 15 Ancillary Jobs and Other Outside-the-Box Ideas. 16 Making Games Part of Your Own Job. 17 Conclusion. Suggested Resources. Endnotes. Thank You!
£999.99
CRC Press Animation in Germany
Book SynopsisThis book provides a comprehensive account of German animation history, as well as an analysis of the current state of the industry in competition with American and cheaper international products in the face of dwindling budgets.Covering film and TV, 2D and 3D animation, the book considers how Europe has lost its domestic territory of narratives to international competitors. A connection is made between film history and contemporary history: World War I, the Weimar Republic, National Socialism, World War II, the Federal Republic and German Democratic Republic, Reunification, the European Union, Digitalization and Globalization, and a turn of eras initiated by pandemic, war and inflation.This book will be of great interest to academics, students, and professionals working and researching in the field of animation.
£47.49
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Complete Guide to Blender Graphics
Book SynopsisBlenderTM is a free Open-Source 3D Computer Modeling and Animation Suite incorporating Character Rigging, Particles, Real World Physics Simulation, Sculpting, Video Editing with Motion Tracking and 2D Animation within the 3D Environment.Blenderis FREE to download and use by anyone for anything.The Complete Guide to Blender Graphics: Computer Modeling and Animation, Eighth Edition is a unified manual describing the operation of the program, updated with reference to the Graphical User Interface for Blender Version 3.2.2, including additional material covering Blender Assets, Geometry Nodes, and Non-Linear Animation.Divided into a two-volume set, the book introduces the program's Graphical User Interface and shows how toTable of ContentsIntroduction. The Author. Preamble. CH01 Objects in the 3D View Editor. CH02 Editing & Add-Ons. CH03 Editing with Generate Modifiers. CH04 Editing with Deform Modifiers. CH05 Editing Using Curves. CH06 Material Assignment. CH07 Rendering. CH08 Animation. CH09 Constraints. CH10 Armatures & Character Rigging. CH11 Shape Keys & Action Editors. CH12 Particle Systems. CH13 Physics and Simulation. CH14 Dynamic Paint. CH15 Geometry Nodes. CH16 Drivers. Ch17 Non Linear Animation. CH18 Rigging – Rigify – Animbox. CH19 Blender Render Engines. Index.
£50.34
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Complete Guide to Blender Graphics
Book SynopsisBlenderTM is a free Open-Source 3D Computer Modeling and Animation Suite incorporating Character Rigging, Particles, Real World Physics Simulation, Sculpting, Video Editing with Motion Tracking and 2D Animation within the 3D Environment.Blender is FREE to download and use by anyone for anything.The Complete Guide to Blender Graphics: Computer Modeling and Animation, Eighth Edition is a unified manual describing the operation of the program, updated with reference to the Graphical User Interface for Blender Version 3.2.2, including additional material covering Blender Assets, Geometry Nodes, and Non-Linear Animation.Divided into a two-volume set, the book introduces the program's Graphical User Interface and shows howTable of ContentsIntroduction. Download and Installation. The Author. Preamble. CH01 Understanding the Interface. CH02 Editors-Workspaces-Themes. CH03 Navigate and Save. CH04 Objects in the 3D View Editor. CH05 Editing Objects. CH06 Editing Tools. CH07 Editing with Modifiers. CH08 Editing Techniques- Examples. CH09 Materials- Textures- Nodes. CH10 Textures. CH11 Node Systems and Usage. CH12 Scene Lighting & Cameras. CH13 Viewport Shading. CH14 Rendering. CH15 Animation. CH16 Armatures & Character Rigging. CH17 3D Text. CH18 Blender Assets. CH19 Making a Movie. CH20 The Outliner and Collections. Index.
£50.34
Taylor & Francis Ltd Traveling through Video Games
Book SynopsisThis book unlocks an understanding of video games as virtual travel. It explains how video game design increasingly takes cues from the promotional language of tourism, and how this connection raises issues of power and commodification.Bridging the disciplinary gap between game and tourism studies, the book offers a comprehensive account of touristic gazing in games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Minecraft, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. Traveling through video games involves a mythological promise of open-ended opportunity, summarized in the slogan you can go there. Van Nuenen discusses the scale of game worlds, the elusive nature of freedom and control, and the pivotal role of work in creating a sense of belonging. The logic of tourism is fundamentally consumptiveâbut through design choices, players can also be invited to approach their travels more critically. This is the difference between moving through a game world, and being moved by it.This interdisciplinary and innovative study will interest students and scholars of digital media studies, game studies, tourism and technology, and the Digital Humanities.
£18.99
CRC Press Fundamental Level Design and Analysis
Book Synopsis
£42.74
Taylor & Francis Ltd Representation of Disability in Childrens Video
Book SynopsisRepresentation of Disability in Children's Video Games looks at how children's engagement with characters and stories in video games helps create the perception of disability they have as teens and adults. Drawing on child development theory supported by neuroscience, the book shows how the scaffold of information, the schema, adults have of disability is first created at a very young age as they interact through play with characters with disabilities in narrative video games.Positing that early video game play experiences should provide exposure to narrative schemas that add understanding and help create meaning about the disability represented, the book presents how such representation in children's video games maps against cognitive development and the psychomotor and cognitive needs and abilities of children 312. Through close readings of over 40 PEGI 3 and PEGI 7 (ESRB E, 10+) games and analysis of games as diverse as Backyard Baseball and Sly CooperTable of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2 Child Development 1: Schema, Play, the Dreamworld, and Societal Norms Chapter 3: Child Development 2: Children’s Cognitive Development Chapter 4: The Games I, Representation of Physical DisabilityChapter 5. The Games II, Neurodevelopmental Disability Chapter 6. Content Rating Systems Chapter 7: Final Words
£47.49
CRC Press Taking Video Out of the Game
Book SynopsisThis book aims to provide information and in-routes to one of the most complex forms of video game accessibility. It promises to explain how a developer might make their game accessible to the totally blind. It will break down what that means and provide plenty of examples and ideas for how developers might achieve total blind accessibility, even in the largest, most complex games. As an experienced accessibility consultant who has worked on multiple AAA titles, the author brings a wealth of practical experience to the reader.
£50.34
CRC Press Thematic Integration in Board Game Design
Book SynopsisTheme is often described as the why of a game. Themes help with rules comprehension by giving reasons for the mechanics. Themes can help set playersâ expectations for what kind of experiences or emotions the game provides. Themes can also help to create the experience and provide atmosphere to the gameplay.Thematic Integration in Board Game Design examines the design and integration of theme from the standpoints of technical structure, narrative building, and the design process. This book presents multiple approaches to designing theme as well as developing and replacing themes in existing projects.The focus is on developing the design skill of mechanical integration of theme rather than developing creative writing skills. Multiple guides and exercises are included that designers can reference at various points in the design process.Key Features: Fills a void in board game design theory by discussing theory-craft relating to theme inTable of ContentsSection One Principles of Theme, 1. What is Theme?, 2. Modes of Thematic Expression, 3. Thematically Structuring Games, Section Two Theme-Building, 4. Connecting Story to Gameplay, 5. Narrative Structure, 6. Building Characters, 7. Fleshing Out Characters, 8. Setting, 9. Putting It All Together, Section Three Thematic Design Process, 10. Ideas and Research, 11. Editing for Resonance, 12. Design Reference Guides, 13. Conclusion
£42.74
CRC Press The Game Business Guidebook
Book SynopsisThis book is the perfect toolkit for any developer who wishes to transform an idea into a viable business. From the experience of a game designer and a business developer, it covers every step from the conception of the game to signing a deal with a publisher; finding the right type of funds, sending follow-up e-mails, and attending trade shows are just a few of the tools the reader will find in the book.Benefitting from the authors combined 30+ years of experience in the industry, the book provides an in-depth business strategy for games. The book is divided into four sections: introduction, preparation, execution, and contingencies. The reader is presented with the knowledge required to get started, both for the companyâs culture and strategy and for the teamâs pitching abilities and material. In the action phase, the authors explain how to prepare a budget, deal with the publisher, and cultivate their professional relationship. Lastly, the book explains how to deal with un
£46.54
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
£133.00
CRC Press Running a Successful Live Service Game
Book SynopsisThis book unveils the secrets of extraordinarily successful games and hands you a smarter way to create exceptional engagement and convert it into revenue. It teaches you detailed LiveOps techniques that show you how to keep your game appealing through engaging events, personalized experiences, and smart monetization.Youâll discover the 3 LAPs of Operations frameworkâa dynamic, question-driven process that you can implement to systematically boost retention and achieve your game's financial goals. The book delves into the intricate business of live service games, explaining how to enhance your operational efficiency with precise toolset implementations and analytics.While some studio leaders merely talk about riding the trend, this approach is far too passive. Embrace the shift towards people-driven game development, where your players evolve from mere consumers into active co-creators. This transformation allows you to construct your own trend, known as People's LiveOps, where you engage your most devoted fans and offer them opportunities to earn a living through their creations.Essential for professionals in live service games, this book is also invaluable for aspiring talents and seasoned experts aiming to enter or excel in the gaming industry.
£114.00
CRC Press Game Design Deep Dive
Book SynopsisGame Design Deep Dive: RealâTime Strategy focuses on what was once one of the most popular genres in the world and the one that truly kicked off the rise of eSports. It has seen more fundamental changes as a genre than any other genre, and Game Design Critic Josh Bycer will talk about its history and where it stands today with regard to its relevancy in the market.Key Features: Discusses balancing and designing asymmetrical features and units. Explores user interface (UI)/user experience (UX) design and building effective GUIs. Examines the differences between multiplayer and singleâplayer balancing and how to appeal to both audiences. Provides predictions on the next big trend for the genre.
£42.74
CRC Press The Complete Guide to Videogame Performance
Book Synopsis
£999.99
CRC Press The Definitive Game Narrative Guide
Book SynopsisThe Definitive Game Narrative Guide is the ultimate start and end point for storytelling in video games. Whether you're an aspiring writer or a seasoned game developer, this book offers an in-depth, comprehensive look at the entire narrative process.Written by two industry veterans with experience across some of the biggest AAA franchises, this guide covers the basics to the advanced, including the âœwhyâ for each topic as much as the âœhowâ.The book explores the nuances of world-building, character development, interactive storytelling, and the technical challenges unique to game narrative. With real-world examples, practical insights, and expert advice, it provides a look into how game stories come together, from the smallest indie project to massive AAA teams.The Definitive Game Narrative Guide is more than a how-to book, as it also serves as an industry insiderâs perspective on what makes game storytelling truly great. It discusses techniques to navigate the creative workplace, working as a creative, and most importantly, collaborating with other creatives and disciplines, such as art and design.An essential tool for anyone looking to level up their understanding of game narrative. This book will help you bring unforgettable stories to life in interactive form.
£133.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd Essential Effects
Book SynopsisEssential Effects will help you plan, draw, design, and animate traditional 2D effects, taking your ideas all the way from rough sketch to finished product. Using a series of full-color visual breakdowns and diagrams, this book gives you a clear, concise understanding of what it takes to create credible, compelling effects in your own projects.Table of ContentsChapter 1 A history of Effects in Animation Chapter 2 What Exactly is an Animated Effect Chapter 3 What Does it Take to become an Effects Animator Chapter 4 Thumbnails Chapter 5 Caricaturing of an Effect Chapter 6 Perspective Chapter 7 Water Chapter 8 Fire Chapter 9 Smoke Chapter 10 Dust Chapter 11 Tones, Shadows and High Lights Chapter 12 Rocks, Props and Things Chapter 13 Trees, Leaves and Grass Chapter 14 Pixie Dust, Mattes and Slot Gags Chapter 15 Fantasy Effects, Ectoplasm Chapter 16 Lava and Mud Chapter 17 Lightning and Electricity Chapter 18 Explosions Chapter 19 Fire Hose and Faucets Chapter 20 Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose Chapter 21 Bouncing Ball Chapter 22 Exposure Sheets
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Game Audio with FMOD and Unity
Book SynopsisGame Audio with FMOD and Unity introduces readers to the principles and practice of game audio through the process of creating their own First Person Shooter (FPS) game. All the basics are covered, as well as a simple introduction to coding. Using the free software Unity and FMOD Audio Middleware, the reader will be able to create a game of their own and develop a portfolio that demonstrates their capacities in interactive sound design. Perfect for classroom use or independent study, Game Audio with FMOD and Unity also comes with a full suite of audio assets provided on a companion website. Table of ContentsContentsList of FiguresPrefaceChapter 1: Game EnginesChapter 2: Audio MiddlewareChapter 3: Game Audio vs Film SoundChapter 4: Getting Started with FMODChapter 5: LoopingChapter 6: 2D vs 3D SoundChapter 7: Getting Started in UnityChapter 8: Level Building in UnityChapter 9: Exploring the Game EnvironmentChapter 10: Integrating FMOD and UnityChapter 11: Interactive Game ObjectsChapter 12: Crate SoundsChapter 13: Putting the "S" into FPSChapter 14: Changing FootstepsChapter 15: The Enemies Shoot BackChapter 16: ParametersChapter 16b: Parameters 2Chapter 16b: Bonus Chapter – Parameters 2Chapter 17: Signal Routing in FMODChapter 18: FMOD Effect PluginsChapter 19: Ambience and TransceiversChapter 20: Real-Time MixingChapter 21: Mix SnapshotsChapter 22: The Health SystemChapter 23: Game Over Man!Chapter 24: Game Music Part 1 – VariationChapter 25: Game Music Part 2 – Parameter ControlChapter 26: Setting Up Unity for MusicChapter 27: Mixing the Game – SidechainsChapter 28: Optimizing the GameChapter 29: Building the GameIndex
£47.49
Taylor & Francis Ltd Dungeons and Desktops
Book SynopsisComputer role-playing games (CRPGs) are a special genre of computer games that bring the tabletop role-playing experience of games such as Dungeons & Dragons to the computer screen. Thisnew edition inlcudes two new chapters: The Modern Age, and a chapter on Indies and Mobile CRPGs. The new modern age chapter will cover, among other topics, Kickstarter/FIG crowdfunded projects such as Torment: Tides of Numenera and Pillars of Eternity. It''ll also bring the book up to date with major games such as Dragon Age, Witcher, Skyrim. Expanded info in first chapter about educational potential of CRPGs. Color figures will be introduced for the first time. Key Featuresgives reviews of hundreds of games across many platforms. comprehensive book covering the history of computer RPGs.comprehensive index at the back, letting you quickly look up your favourite titlesTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsChris Avellone’s PrefaceAuthors’ PrefaceChapter 1 ◾ Introduction to Computer Role-Playing GamesChapter 2 ◾ OriginsChapter 3 ◾ The Dark AgeChapter 4 ◾ The Bronze AgeChapter 5 ◾ The Silver AgeChapter 6 ◾ The Birth of the Golden AgeChapter 7 ◾ SSI’s Golden AgeChapter 8 ◾ Origin’s Golden AgeChapter 9 ◾ Sir-Tech, New World Computing, and SierraChapter 10 ◾ Early Japanese Role-Playing GamesChapter 11 ◾ Dungeon Master and the Rise of Real-Time 3DChapter 12 ◾ Other Games of the Golden AgeChapter 13 ◾ The Epic FailsChapter 14 ◾ The Platinum AgeChapter 15 ◾ Diablo and the Rise of Action RPGsChapter 16 ◾ Fallout and Baldur’s GateChapter 17 ◾ Other Highlights of the Platinum AgeChapter 18 ◾ The Birth of the Modern AgeChapter 19 ◾ Modern JRPGsChapter 20 ◾ The Rise of the MMORPGChapter 21 ◾ The Late Modern AgeChapter 22 ◾ The Renaissance, KickstartedChapter 23 ◾ The Road Ever Ventures ForthShane’s Afterword: Surprise EncounterAPPENDIX: THE CRPG BESTIARYINDEX
£46.54
Taylor & Francis Ltd 3D Game Environments
Book SynopsisFrom a steamy jungle to a modern city, or even a sci-fi space station, 3D Game Environments is the ultimate resource to help you create AAA quality art for a variety of game worlds. Primarily using Photoshop and 3ds Max, students will learn to create realistic textures from photo source and a variety of techniques to portray dynamic and believable game worlds. With detailed tutorials on creating 3D models, applying 2D art to 3D models, and clear concise advice on issues of efficiency and optimization for a 3D game engine, Luke Ahearn gives you everything students need to make their own realistic game environments.Key FeaturesThe entire game world development process; from planning to 3D modeling, UV layout, and creating textures.Exercises and projects to practice with; each section includes projects to guide you through creating different world genres.The updated companion websiteâwww.lukeahearn.com/textures/ now includTable of ContentsChapter 1: Orientation to Game World Optimization Chapter 2: 3D Concepts Chapter 3: Shaders and Models Chapter 4: Planning the Low Polygon Urban Environment Chapter 5: Modeling the Large Urban Environment Chapter 6: Texturing the Large Urban Environment Chapter 7: Introduction to Natural Environments Chapter 8: Terrain Chapter 9: Filling the World—Trees, Plants, Rocks, Water, and Sky Chapter 10: Modeling and Texturing the Jungle Base Chapter 11: Focus on the Futuristic Interior—Normal Maps and Multipass Shaders
£78.84
Taylor & Francis Ltd A Practical Guide to Indie Game Marketing
Book SynopsisLearn how to market for your indie game, even with a small budget and limited resources.For those who want to earn a regular income from making indie games, marketing can be nearly as vital to the success of the game as the game itself. A Practical Guide to Indie Game Marketing provides you with the tools needed to build visibility and sell your game. With special focus on developers with small budgets and limited staff and resources, this book is packed with recommendations and techniques that you can put to use immediately. As a seasoned marketing professional, author Joel Dreskin provides insight into practical, real-world experiences from marketing numerous successful games and also shares tips on mistakes to avoid. Presented in an easy to read format, A Practical Guide to Indie Game Marketing includes information on establishing an audience and increasing visibility so you can build successes with your studio and games.Through case studies, exaTable of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Marketing Fundamentals Chapter 3: Branding Written by Guest Author Tom ByronCase Study: Klei Entertainment Chapter 4: Developing Your Market Campaign and Calendar Chapter 5: Marketing Vehicles That Can Work Well for Indies Case Study: Supergiant Games Chapter 6: Developing the Marketing Plan Case Study: The Binary Mill’s Mini Motor Racing Chapter 7: PR Written by Guest Author Emily MorgantiCase Study: Additional PR Examples Chapter 8: Marketing Materials Chapter 9: Audience/Community Development Case Study: Telltale Games Chapter 10: Post-Launch Case Study: Flippfly’s Race the Sun Chapter 11: What if Something Goes Wrong?! Appendix 1: Glossary Appendix 2: Marketing Fundamentals Worksheet Appendix 3: Marketing Plan Outline Appendix 4: Check Lists Appendix 5: Press Release Worksheets
£42.74
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Indie Game Developer Handbook
Book SynopsisThe indie game developer's complete guide to running a studio.The climate for the games industry has never been hotter, and this is only set to continue as the marketplace for tablets, consoles and phones grow. Seemingly every day there is a story of how a successful app or game has earned thousands of downloads and revenue. As the market size increases, so does the number of people developing and looking to develop their own app or game to publish. The Indie Game Developer Handbook covers every aspect of running a game development studiofrom the initial creation of the game through to completion, release and beyond. Accessible and complete guide to many aspects of running a game development studio from funding and development through QA, publishing, marketing, and more. Provides a useful knowledge base and help to support the learning process of running an indie development studio in an honest, approachable and easy to understand wTable of ContentsIndie Game Development: The Best Job in the World! Chapter 1: Development Tools and Resources Chapter 2: Self-Publishing Chapter 3: QA, Localizations & Age Ratings Chapter 4: PR & Reaching Out to the Press Chapter 5: Marketing Chapter 6: Advertising Chapter 7: Websites, Forums & Source Control Chapter 8: Funding Chapter 9: Tax, Legal & Other Odds and Ends
£44.64
Taylor & Francis Ltd 3D Game Textures
Book SynopsisThe new edition of 3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop features the most up-to-date techniques that allow you to create your own unique textures, shaders, and materials. Revised to take new technology into account, it is an ideal hands-on resource for creating online worlds, simulations, web-based applications, and architectural visualization projects.Continuing the practical, no-nonsense approach of its predecessors, the fourth edition shows you how to advance your digital art skills with textures and shaders by exploring their interactions in single objects or entire scenes. It contains expanded coverage of shader nodes, and the companion websitewww.lukeahearn.com/textureshas been updated to include video tutorials as well as updated sample textures, shaders, materials, actions, brushes, and all of the art from the book. Table of ContentsIntroduction. The Basics of Art. The Basics of Computer Graphic Technology. Introduction to Shaders and Materials. Preparing for Texture Creation. Sci-Fi Hallway, Basic Shaders: Diffuse, Illumination, and Opacity. The Urban Setting: Low-Polygon, High-Texture Detail. The Fantasy Setting: High-Polygon, High-Texture Detail. Exteriors. Game Effects. Normal Maps and Multipass Shaders.
£49.39
Abrams Video Game of the Year
Book Synopsis
£15.99
Johns Hopkins University Press Knowledge Games
Book SynopsisThis accessible book critiques the limits and implications of games and considers how they may redefine what it means to produce knowledge, to play, to educate, and to be a citizen.Trade ReviewThis book is accessible on many levels and creates opportunities for game players, game designers and game scholars to understand their own knowledge-building processes when working with games. Times Higher Education ... a substantial literature review of the vast - and rapidly growing - field of games that contribute to knowledge production. Reflective Teaching ... Knowledge Games serves as our entry point into a new conversation about the potential-and soon to be reality-of video games. elearn Magazine ... Schrier does a great job of clearing a space where we can chat about games' potential for giving us new perspectives on old problems. NEW SCIENTISTTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I What Are Knowledge Games?1. Contribution2. DesignPart II Why Knowledge Games?3. Problem Solving4. Motivation5. Social InteractionPart III Perspectives, Potentials, and Pitfalls6. Amateurs7. Participation8. Data9. KnowledgeAppendix A. Categories and ExampleAppendix B. Design Principles, Recommendations, Considerations, and ImplicationsAppendix C. Guiding QuestionsNotesIndex
£30.50
Apress Beginning Lua with World of Warcraft Addons
Book SynopsisGetting Started.- Lua Basics.- Using the WoW API to Create a Hello, World Mod.- Working with Game Events.- Using XML and Frames.- Advanced Lua.- Using Advanced Lua to Extend the Texas Hold'em Poker Addon.- Building a Poker Game Client with Addon Communication.- Using the Combat Log to Build a Cooldown Monitor.- Using Libraries.- Working with Secure Templates.- Macros.- Tips, Tricks, and Optimization.- Other Uses for Lua.Table of Contents Getting Started Lua Basics Using the WoW API to Create a "Hello, World" Mod Working with Game Events Using XML and Frames Advanced Lua Using Advanced Lua to Extend the Texas Hold'em Poker Add-on Building a Poker Game Client with Add-on Communication Using the Combat Log to Build a Cooldown Monitor Using Libraries Working with Secure Templates Macros Tips, Tricks, and Optimization Other Uses for Lua
£59.99
Apress Advanced Game Design with HTML5 and JavaScript
Table of Contents1. Level-up: New JavaScript Tricks2. The Canvas Drawing API3. Working with Game Assets4. Making Sprites and a Scene Graph5. Making Things Move6. Interactivity7. Collision Detection8. Juice It Up: Keyframe Animation and Particles Effects9. Sound with the WebAudio API10. Tweening11. Make Your Own Game EngineAppendix A: Vectors for Movement and Collision Detection
£63.99
Apress Physics for JavaScript Games Animation and Simulations
Book SynopsisIt doesn’t matter if you’re modeling the Lorentz force in an electromagnetic field or you’re modeling the lift force in a flight simulator, Physics for JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations enables you to fill your games and applications with accurate and realistic effects.Table of Contents Introduction to Physics Programming JavaScript and HTML5 Canvas Some Math Background Basic Physics Concepts The Laws Governing Motion Gravity, Orbits, and Rockets Contact and Fluid Forces Restoring Forces: Springs and Oscillations Centripetal Forces: Rotational Motion Long-Range Forces Collisions Particle Systems Extended Objects Numerical Integration Schemes, Accuracy, and Scaling Doing Physics in 3D Simulation Projects
£58.49
Peter Lang Publishing Inc GameBased Learning in Action
Book SynopsisHow are expert educators using games in their classrooms to give students agency, while also teaching twenty-first century skills, like empathy, systems thinking, and design thinking? This question has motivated Matthew Farber's Game-Based Learning in Action: How an Expert Affinity Group Teaches With Games showcasing how one affinity group of K12 educatorsknown as The Tribeteaches with games. They are transformational leaders outside the classroom, in communities of practice. They mentor and lead newcomers to game-based learning, as well as advise game developers, academics, and policymakers. Teachers in The Tribe do not teach in isolationthey share, support, and mentor each other in a community of practice. Farber shares his findings about the social practices of these educators. Game-Based Learning in Action details how the classrooms of expert game-based learning teachers function, from how they rollout games to how they assess learning outcomes. ThereTrade Review“If you want to become an expert on games for learning, I know no better way than Game-Based Learning in Action. It makes research accessible, and is full of thoughtful case studies on exemplary games as well as great advice about how to integrate all of it into a classroom. It is rare to find a book that is great for researchers, game designers, and teachers, but here it is!”—Jesse Schell, CEO Schell Games, and Distinguished Professor of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon University“Game-Based Learning in Action by Matthew Farber is an excellent and timely book. It offers fresh and imaginative solutions that are all too rare in charting the future of American education. By documenting an innovative tribe of remarkable teachers who have proven, compelling ways to use games to revolutionize twenty-first century teaching, learning and assessment, Farber has done the field a real service. Chock full of practical insights on ways to catalyze the ‘playful learning movement’ the book delivers the passion, knowledge and ‘game plan’ of the real heroes who can, if given a shot, transform America’s classrooms.”—Michael Levine, Founder and Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame WorkshopTable of ContentsList of Figures – James Paul Gee: Foreword – Acknowledgments – Introduction – The Tribe – Learning from the Experts – Games in School – "The Godmother of Educational Gaming" – "For the Next 3 Hours, You Have a License to Snoop Around the House" – "Life Just Got Epic!" – Playful Learning – Gameful Learning – Games as High Quality Curricular Materials – "How Can I Twist This Game to My Purposes?" – The Case for Experiential Learning – Open-Ended Assessments for Open-Ended Games – The Role of the Game-Based Teacher – Conclusion – Index.
£44.08
Rowman & Littlefield Virtual Ascendance
Book SynopsisFrom school lunchrooms to the White House press room, video games are an integral part of our popular culture, and the industry behind them touches all aspects of our lives, gamer and non-gamer alike. Business and entertainment, health and medicine, politics and war, social interaction and education, all fall under its influence. Virtual Ascendance tells the story of a formerly fringe enterprise that, when few were paying attention, exploded into a multi-billion dollar industry affecting the very way we live. Griffiths paints a thorough and vivid picture of the video game industry, illuminating the various, and often bizarre, ways it's changing how we work, play and live. He brings readers along on his own journey of discovery, from the back room of a small Irish pub where members of the second-largest industry enclave meet each month, to a university clinic where the Wii is being used to treat Parkinson's sufferers and everywhere in between.Virtual Ascendance is more than just a storTrade ReviewThis slim volume (171 pages of text) will be an eye-opener for anyone wanting to understand the world of gaming from a sociological viewpoint. Griffiths (who runs his own business communication company) is quick to both acknowledge and dispel cultural clichés surrounding gamers (geeks and dorks, socially maladjusted young males), and in a sense, this is the key to the book. While providing a concise popular history of computer and console gaming, the author demonstrates that gamers and gaming are pervasive in contemporary society–to an extent that few are aware of. He points to the money generated by the industry, to its emerging champion players, and to its prominence in all forms of media. This book should be required reading for legislators as they grapple with violence and attempt to link it to video gaming, if only to force them to look at the phenomenon in its entirety. It is an excellent primer on video gaming and its present place in culture. Summing Up: Essential. All readers. * CHOICE *His brief history of gaming time periods is well-researched, and never once do you question his enthusiasm....he clearly has an affection and wistfulness for his subject, and a desire to see their wonders go even further mainstream than they already are. At best, Virtual Ascendance is an enthusiastic piece, perfect for the gamers and open-minded parents of gamers who don't understand the background behind their favorite flashing lights and sounds. * Notes from the Conquistadork *Virtual Ascendance is an excellent descriptive account of the increasingly widespread use of digital games in our lives, from serious games to playful entertainment. -- J. Talmadge Wright, graduate program director, department of sociology, Loyola University ChicagoVideogames matter. Probably more than you even realize. And here Devin Griffiths sets out, in an informed and engaging manner, exactly why and how they matter. From hardcore gamers, to those with a passing interest, or even for those with no knowledge of gaming at all, this book will tell you what you need to know, and why you need to know it. -- Garry Crawford, professor of sociology, author of Video GamesReading Virtual Ascendence is like playing a great videogame – the paths taken are often surprising, the environment is rendered in engaging detail, and the characters are richly drawn. From casual games to war games, Devin Griffiths writes with a warmly intellectual sense of wonder, purpose and play. -- Derek A. Burrill, associate professor of Media and Cultural Studies, U.C. RiversideTable of ContentsIntroduction 1: Down The Rabbit Hole I Am Therefore I Game 2: From The Coin-op To The Console: How Did We Get Here? Let The Games Begin 1972: A Pong Odyssey 3: Let The Games Begin: Competitive Videogaming And The Birth Of The Cyberathlete Cyberathletes And The Leagues Who Love Them 4: Alphabet Soup: MMOs, MUDs, And RPGs—D&D In The 21st Century 5: No Console Required: Casual Games (or, Gaming For The Rest Of Us) 6: Dressed For The Symphony: Videogames Take Center Stage 7: From The Flat Screen To The Big Screen: Videogames Invade Hollywood Star Wars 1313: The Empire Strikes Back 8: Virtual Life 9: And We Are Merely Players: Videogames And Society Good Enough For Government Work: CDC Gets Into The Game 10: Games For Health From Rehab to Wii-hab:Using Videogames to Heal 11: War Games: Combat Evolved 12: It’s William Gibson’s World, We’re Just Living In It Bibliography
£37.80
Rowman & Littlefield Virtual Ascendance
Book SynopsisFrom school lunchrooms to the White House press room, video games are an integral part of our popular culture, and the industry behind them touches all aspects of our lives, gamer and non-gamer alike. Business and entertainment, health and medicine, politics and war, social interaction and education, all fall under its influence. Virtual Ascendance tells the story of a formerly fringe enterprise that, when few were paying attention, exploded into a multi-billion dollar industry affecting the very way we live. Griffiths paints a thorough and vivid picture of the video game industry, illuminating the various, and often bizarre, ways it's changing how we work, play and live. He brings readers along on his own journey of discovery, from the back room of a small Irish pub where members of the second-largest industry enclave meet each month, to a university clinic where the Wii is being used to treat Parkinson's sufferers and everywhere in between.Virtual Ascendance is more than just a stor
£27.00
O'Reilly Media Intro to MultiPlatform HTML5 Game Development
Book SynopsisFlash is one of the best platforms for developing games on. Whether you want to deploy it to web, desktop or mobile Flash offers one of the largest user bases around.
£13.59
O'Reilly Media Kinect Hacks
Book SynopsisMuch more than a game controller, Microsoft's Kinect is a bundle of high quality sensors for capturing data on depth, motion, and form. It was only a matter of time before spirited hackers got involved, and this hands-on guide - written by an editor of developkinect.com - highlights the best projects to come out of OpenKinect.
£20.99
O'Reilly Media Learning XNA 4.0
Book SynopsisWant to develop games for Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7? This hands-on book will get you started with Microsoft's XNA 4.0 development framework right away -- even if you have no experience developing games.
£23.99
Taylor & Francis Inc iOS Game Development
Book SynopsisThe book offers information about the iOS platform. It explains the use of OpenGL ES for 2D/3D graphics and OpenAL for sound, both of which are recommended for game performance on the iOS platform. It covers new APIs such as the GLKit, GameKit, and Box2D Physics Engine.Table of ContentsIntroduction—Let There Be…Games! The Basics—How Does It All Work? Game Development from 0 to 60 in No Time Flat. Making Connections: Multiplayer Games with Game Kit and Game Center. OpenGL ES: Turbocharged! The Third Dimension: 3D Games. On the Trail of Angry Birds—Physics Engine Box2D. The GLKit Framework—OpenGL ES Made Easy. Complete Control: Game Sounds with OpenAL. Waiting to Be a Millionaire. Bibliography. Index.
£44.64
Taylor & Francis Inc Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics
Book SynopsisPractical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics, Second Edition covers the fundamental algorithms that are the core of all 3D computer graphics software packages. Using Core OpenGL and OpenGL ES, the book enables you to create a complete suite of programs for 3D computer animation, modeling, and image synthesis.Since the publication of the first edition, implementation aspects have changed significantly, including advances in graphics technology that are enhancing immersive experiences with virtual reality. Reflecting these considerable developments, this second edition presents up-to-date algorithms for each stage in the creative process. It takes you from the construction of polygonal models of real and imaginary objects to rigid body animation and hierarchical character animation to the rendering pipeline for the synthesis of realistic images.New to the Second Edition New chapter on the modern approach to real-timTrade Review"A valuable book to accompany any course that mixes the theory and practice of 3D graphics. The book’s web site has many useful programs and code samples."—Karen Rafferty, Queen’s University, Belfast "The topics covered by this book are backed by the OpenFX modeling and animation software. This is a big plus in that it provides a practical perspective and encourages experimentation. … [This] will offer students a more interesting and hands-on learning experience, especially for those wishing to pursue a career in computer game development."—Naganand Madhavapeddy, Game Developer Table of ContentsBASIC PRINCIPLES: Introduction. Basic Theory and Mathematical Results. Data Structures for 3D Graphics. Basic Visualization. Realistic Visualization. Computer Animation. PRACTICAL 3D GRPAHICS: Real-Time 3D: OpenGL. Mobile 3D: OpenGLES. The Complete Package: OpenFX. PRACTICAL ALGORITHMS FOR MODELING AND PROCEDURAL TEXTURES: Modeling with Polygonal Datasets. Algorithms for Procedural Textures. Bibliography. Index.
£78.84
McFarland & Co Inc Narrative Design and Authorship in Bloodborne
Book Synopsis In the vein of their cult-classic dark fantasy titles Demon''s Souls (2009) and the Dark Souls franchise (2011, 2014, 2016), game developers FromSoftware released the bleak Gothic horror Bloodborne in 2015. Players are cast in the role of hunters in a hostile land, probing the shadowy city of Yharnam in search of paleblood. The game achieved iconic status as both a horror and an action title for its rich lore and for the continuity of story elements through all aspects of game design. This first full-length study examines Bloodborne''s themes of dangerous knowledge and fatal pride and its aesthetics in the context of other works on game studies, horror and the Gothic. The book''s three parts focus on lore and narrative, the game''s nightmarish world, and its mechanics. Table of Contents Introduction 1 Part I. Lore 1. Hunters 16 2. Healers 33 3. Kin 52 Part II. World 4. City 78 5. Environs 99 6. Nightmare 120 Part III. Mechanics 7. Insight 140 8. Echoes 157 9. Dreams 175 Conclusion 191 Chapter Notes 199 Bibliography 203 Index 207
£20.89
Apple Academic Press Inc. Interaction Design for 3D User Interfaces
Book SynopsisIn this new era of computing, where the iPhone, iPad, Xbox Kinect, and similar devices have changed the way to interact with computers, many questions have risen about how modern input devices can be used for a more intuitive user interaction. Interaction Design for 3D User Interfaces: The World of Modern Input Devices for Research, Applications, and Game Development addresses this paradigm shift by looking at user interfaces from an input perspective.The book is divided into four parts: Theory of input devices and user interfaces, with an emphasis on multi-touch interaction Advanced topics on reducing noise on input devices using Kalman Filters A collection of hands-on approaches that allows the reader to gain experience with some devices A case study examining speech as input Most of the chapters contain exercises that provide practical experience to enhance knowledge of the material in the related chapter. With its handTable of ContentsTHEORY. Introduction. Input Interfaces. Output Interfaces and Displays. Computer Graphics. 3D Interaction. 3D Navigation. Descriptive and Predictive Models. Multi-Touch. Multi-Touch for Stereoscopic Displays. Pen and Multi-Touch Modeling and Recognition. Using Multi-Touch with PetriNets. Eye Gaze Tracking as Input in Human–Computer Interaction. Brain–Computer Interfaces: Considerations for the Next Frontier in Interactive Graphics and Games. ADVANCED TOPICS. 3D Input Math Basics. Introduction to Digital Signal Processing. Three Dimensional Rotations. MEMS Inertial Sensors and Magnetic Sensors. Kalman Filters. Quaternions and Sensor Fusion. HANDS-ON. Hands-On: Inertial Sensors for 3D Input. Simple Hands-On Project with Unity3D and Oculus Rift. Hands-On Approach with Leap Motion. Hands-On Approach with Kinect Sensor v2. Creating Home-Brew Devices with Arduino Microcontrollers. Autonomous Bicycle with Gyroscope Sensor. Input Implementation Details. CASE STUDY: SPEECH AS INPUT. Multimodal Human-Like Conversational Interfaces. Adaptive Dialogue Systems for Health. CONTENTS OF ONLINE SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL. The World of Gesture Recognition. Input Frameworks and Development Considerations for Input Technologies. Hands-On: Multi-Touch and Pen Using Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows 10 with Microsoft Surface Pro. Hands-on: Intel RealSense SDK. APPENDICES. Displays. Creating Your Own Virtual Reality Headset.
£80.74
