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.

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

Ever since the 'crown of Azeroth' assumed centre stage in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, millions of players have been captivated by the dark, stormy depths of the continent that has become synonymous with the dreaded Scourge. Now, venture into the icy, mysterious tundra of Northrend under the expert guidance of Clan Bronzebeard in this third instalment in the wildly popular World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth series!

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.

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

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.

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.

Game design has shifted from the development of games for entertainment to the creation of games with a more meaningful purpose. Game principles and theories can be applied to interactive programs in a variety of fields and professions. Researchers continue to examine the many ways games can be applied to real-world settings. Emerging Research and Trends in Gamification brings together innovative and scholarly research on the use of game-based design and technology in a variety of settings. Including discussions from both industry and academic perspectives, this publication explores the growing research in this interesting and dynamic field, serving as an essential reference source for academicians, professionals, researchers, and upper level students interested in the applications of game-thinking and gaming dynamics across various disciplines including marketing, journalism, education, and human resources. This publication presents timely, research-based chapters on the development of games and the real-world applications of game-thinking and game dynamics, as well as additional topics including, but not limited to, digital development, game design, human resource processes, market research, online journalism, social change, and video game learning.

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 book explores the ways in which the broad range of technologies that make up the smart city infrastructure can be harnessed to incorporate more playfulness into the day-to-day activities that take place within smart cities, making them not only more efficient but also more enjoyable for the people who live and work within their confines. The book addresses various topics that will be of interest to playable cities stakeholders, including the human-computer interaction and game designer communities, computer scientists researching sensor and actuator technology in public spaces, urban designers, and (hopefully) urban policymakers. This is a follow-up to another book on Playable Cities edited by Anton Nijholt and published in 2017 in the same book series, Gaming Media and Social Effects.

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.

Video games have become an increasingly ubiquitous part of society due to the proliferation and use of mobile devices. Video Games and Creativity explores research on the relationship between video games and creativity with regard to play, learning, and game design. It answers such questions as: Can video games be used to develop or enhance creativity? Is there a place for video games in the classroom? What types of creativity are needed to develop video games? While video games can be sources of entertainment, the role of video games in the classroom has emerged as an important component of improving the education system. The research and development of game-based learning has revealed the power of using games to teach and promote learning. In parallel, the role and importance of creativity in everyday life has been identified as a requisite skill for success.

This book presents an overview of the emerging field of emotion in videogame soundtracking. The emotional impact of music has been well-documented, particularly when used to enhance the impact of a multimodal experience, such as combining images with audio as found in the videogames industry. Soundtracking videogames presents a unique challenge compared to traditional composition (for example film music) in that the narrative of gameplay is non-linear - Player dependent actions can change the narrative and thus the emotional characteristics required in the soundtrack. Historical approaches to emotion measurement, and the musical feature mapping and music selection that might be used in video game soundtracking are outlined, before a series of cutting edge examples are given. These examples include algorithmic composition techniques, automated emotion matching from biosensors, motion capture techniques, emotionally-targeted speech synthesis and signal processing, and automated repurposing of existing music (for example from a players own library). The book concludes with some possibilities for the future.