Four decades after the Oblivion Crisis, Tamriel is threatened anew by an ancient and all-consuming evil. It is Umbriel, a floating city that casts a terrifying shadow-for wherever it falls, people die and rise again.
And it is in Umbriel's shadow that a great adventure begins, and a group of unlikely heroes meet. A legendary prince with a secret. A spy on the trail of a vast conspiracy. A mage obsessed with his desire for revenge. And Annaig, a young girl in whose hands the fate of Tamriel may rest . . . .
Based on the award-winning "The Elder Scrolls," The Infernal City is the first of two exhilarating novels following events that continue the story from "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion," named 2006 Game of the Year.

Despite the pervasive rhetorics of immersion and embodiment found in industrial and social discourses, playing a video game is an exercise in non-linearity. The pervasiveness of trial and error mechanics, unforgiving game over screens, loading times, minute tweakings of options and settings, should lead us to consider video games as a medium that cannot eschew fragmentation. Every Game is an Island is an analysis and a critique of grey areas, dead ends and extremities found in digital games, an exploration of border zones where play and non-play coexist or compete. Riccardo Fassone describes the complexity of the experience of video game play and brings integral but often overlooked components of the gameplay experience to the fore, in an attempt to problematize a reading of video games as grandiosely immersive, all-encompassing narrative experiences. Through the analysis of closures and endings, limits and borders, and liminal states, this field-advancing study looks at the heart of a medium starting from its periphery.

This book provides insights into the state of the art of digital cultural heritage using computer graphics, image processing, computer vision, visualization and reconstruction, virtual and augmented reality and serious games. It aims at covering the emergent approaches for digitization and preservation of Cultural Heritage, both in its tangible and intangible facets. Advancements in Digital Cultural Heritage research have been abundant in recent years covering a wide assortment of topics, ranging from visual data acquisition, pre-processing, classification, analysis and synthesis, 3D modelling and reconstruction, semantics and symbolic representation, metadata description, repository and archiving, to new forms of interactive and personalized presentation, visualization and immersive experience provision via advanced computer graphics, interactive virtual and augmented environments, serious games and digital storytelling. Different aspects pertaining to visual computing with regard to tangible (books, images, paintings, manuscripts, uniforms, maps, artefacts, archaeological sites, monuments) and intangible (e.g. dance and performing arts, folklore, theatrical performances) cultural heritage preservation, documentation, protection and promotion are covered, including rendering and procedural modelling of cultural heritage assets, keyword spotting in old documents, drone mapping and airborne photogrammetry, underwater recording and reconstruction, gamification, visitor engagement, animated storytelling, analysis of choreographic patterns, and many more. The book brings together and targets researchers from the domains of computing, engineering, archaeology and the arts, and aims at underscoring the potential for cross-fertilization and collaboration among these communities.

It was over a decade ago that experimental psychologists and media-effects researchers declared the debate on the effects of violent video gaming as "essentially over," referring to the way violence in videogames increases aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in players. Despite the decisive tone of this statement, neither the presence nor popularity of digital games has since diminished, with games continuing to attract new generations of players to experience its technological advancements in the narration of violence and its techniques of depiction. Drawing on new insights achieved from research located at an intersection between humanities, social and computer sciences, Gareth Schott's addition to the Approaches in Digital Game Studies series interrogates the nature and meaning of the "violence" encountered and experienced by game players. In focusing on the various ways "violence" is mediated by both the rule system and the semiotic layer of games, the aim is to draw out the distinctiveness of games' exploitation of violence or violent themes. An important if not canonical text in the debates about video games and violence, Violent Games constitutes an essential book for those wishing to make sense of the experience offered by games as technological, aesthetic, and communicational phenomena in the context of issues of media regulation and the classification of game content "as" violence.

Enter the world of Overwatch, the smash-hit from Blizzard Entertainment, in this five-story anthology chronicling some of the video game's most fascinating and celebrated characters, now available for the first time in print! Since its initial launch in 2016, Overwatch has captivated the imaginations of over 50 million players worldwide. Now fans can join some of the game's most iconic heroes-and villains-on a series of missions ranging from the lush Caribbean to southern India, and everywhere in between. Authored by some of the most compelling voices in science fiction today, including Michael Chu, Brandon Easton, Christie Golden, and Alyssa Wong, this short story anthology is rife with themes of love and loss, ambition and despair, alliances and conflict, all pointing toward a common hope, that the future is worth fighting for.

For two decades, Rockstar Games have been making games that interrogate and represent the idea of America, past and present. Commercially successful, fan-beloved, and a frequent source of media attention, Rockstar's franchises are positioned as not only game-changing, ground-breaking interventions in the games industry, but also as critical, cultural histories on America and its excesses. But what does Rockstar's version of American history look like, and how is it communicated through critically acclaimed titles like Red Dead Redemption (2010) and L.A. Noire (2011)? By combining analysis of Rockstar's games and a range of official communications and promotional materials, this book offers critical discussion of Rockstar as a company, their video games, and ultimately, their attempts at creating new narratives about U.S. history and culture. It explores the ways in which Rockstar's brand identity and their titles coalesce to create a new kind of video game history, how promotional materials work to claim the "authenticity" of these products, and assert the authority of game developers to perform the role of historian. By working at the intersection of historical game studies, U.S. history, and film and media studies, this book explores what happens when contemporary demands for historical authenticity are brought to bear on the way we envisage the past - and whose past it is deemed to be. Ultimately, this book implores those who research historical video games to consider the oft-forgotten sources at the margins of these games as importance spaces where historical meaning is made and negotiated. Watch our talk with the author Esther Wright here: https://youtu.be/AaC_9XsX-CQ

Though once considered purely for their entertainment value, computer and online games have applications as learning tools in learning in a variety of different environments. Computer Games as Educational and Management Tools: Uses and Approaches considers the many uses of games and simulations, focusing specifically on their use in organizational and educational settings. Providing perspectives on gaming for distance learning, gaming for rehabilitation, business simulators, and motivational games, this publication explores new and emerging trends in this ever-evolving area of research.

Music Video Games takes a look (and listen) at the popular genre of music games - video games in which music is at the forefront of player interaction and gameplay. With chapters on a wide variety of music games, ranging from well-known console games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band to new, emerging games for smartphones and tablets, scholars from diverse disciplines and backgrounds discuss the history, development, and cultural impact of music games. Each chapter investigates important themes surrounding the ways in which we play music and play with music in video games. Starting with the precursors to music games - including Simon, the hand-held electronic music game from the 1980s, Michael Austin's collection goes on to discuss issues in musicianship and performance, authenticity and "selling out," and composing, creating, and learning music with video games. Including a glossary and detailed indices, Austin and his team shine a much needed light on the often overlooked subject of music video games.

Computer and online games have emerged as a critical area of study due to their implications for business and society, as well as their increased presence in individuals lives. Business, Technological and Social Dimensions of Computer Games: Multidisciplinary Developments is a collection of the most recent developments in all areas of game development, encompassing planning, design, marketing, business management, and consumer behavior. This publication explores a number of aspects of gaming, which include supporting technologies, human interaction, psychological and behavioral effects, business opportunities, and intellectual property considerations, offering readers a complete perspective on the evolution of games and gaming technologies.

Recent advancements have put Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations at the forefront of technology and learning. A closer look at these topic areas opens the door for development and innovation and the implications that go with it. Discoveries in Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations: New Interdisciplinary Applications explores and promotes a deep conceptual and empirical understanding of the roles of electronic games and computer-mediated simulations across multiple disciplines. This book helps build a significant bridge between research and practice on electronic gaming and simulations, supporting the work of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Drawing on history allows this publication to help move this field forward.

The definitive guide to mastering the essentials behind making, marketing and promoting product to the world's fastest-growing, most exciting entertainment business-the $13.5 billion computer and videogame industry-is finally here. Everything you need to play with the pros is right at your fingertips. LEARN TO: TOP THE CHARTS MAKE HEADLINES IMPROVE REVIEW SCORES INSPIRE MILLIONS OF FANS ENHANCE JOB PERFORMANCE INCLUDES: IN-DEPTH HOW-TO'S EXPERT ADVICE HANDS-ON FEEDBACK PROVEN TIPS CEO-LEVEL INSIGHT

Online gaming is widely popular and gaining more user attention every day. Computer game industries have made considerable growth in terms of design and development, but the scarcity of hardware resources at player or client side is a major pitfall for the latest high-end multimedia games. Cloud gaming is one proposed solution, allowing the end-user to play games using a variety of platforms with less demanding hardware requirements. Emerging Technologies and Applications for Cloud-Based Gaming explores the opportunities for the gaming industry through the integration of cloud computing. Focusing on design methodologies, fundamental architectures, and the end-user experience, this publication is an essential reference source for IT specialists, game developers, researchers, and graduate-level students.

This comprehensive and timely publication aims to be an essential reference source, building on the available literature in the field of Gamification for the economic and social development of countries while providing further research opportunities in this dynamic and growing field. Thus, the book aims to provide the opportunity for a reflection on this important issue, increasing the understanding of the importance of Gamification in the context of organizations' improvements, providing relevant academic work, empirical research findings and, an overview of this relevant field of study. This text will provide the resources necessary for policymakers, technology developers, and managers to adopt and implement solutions for a more digital era.

The first wave of Overwatch cinematics captured the imagination of millions of fans around the world. After the game released in 2016, Blizzard Entertainment embarked on a new mission to take cinematic storytelling to the next level. From the intense, action-packed rush of "Shooting Star" to the somber, noble ethos of "Honor and Glory," the creative team wanted to highlight a different side of the game's beloved heroes. In pursuit of their objectives, the crew added new artists in the mix, devised novel methods for making movies, and ventured into formats they hadn't tried before, such as in-game cinematics and stop-motion animation. Covering all the official Overwatch cinematics made from 2017-2020, including the Overwatch 2 announcement trailer, The Cinematic Art of Overwatch: Volume II showcases hundreds of pieces of never-before-seen artwork and documents the epic creative journey that Blizzard took to bring these films to life.