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Books > Computing & IT > Computer software packages > Computer games
The perfect gift for any fan of World of Warcraft. Journey through Azeroth and prepare to feast on new culinary delights inspired by World of Warcraft. This official gift set comes with World of Warcraft: New Flavors of Azeroth and an exclusive apron featuring celebrated Pandaren chef Nomi, equipped with a large front pocket and adjustable straps. As a young boy in Pandaria, Nomi answered the beckoning call of the Cooking School Bell and quickly grew into a promising chef. Through the years, this intrepid cook has traveled across Azeroth, learning countless regional recipes and techniques from Pandaria, the Broken Isles, and even the mysterious Shadowlands. In this cookbook, Nomi has collected the best recipes gathered during his travels, including: --Bladespire Bagel --Wild Berry Bread --Chewy Fel Taffy Equip your apron and let culinary expert Nomi be your guide in World of Warcraft: New Flavors of Azeroth Gift Set.
In this Element, the authors focus on the translational dimension of 'on-screen language' (OSL). They analyse a data set covering the Polish localisations of Tom Clancy's The Division 2 and Shadow Warrior 2, from which over 1000 cases of unique and meaningful OSL were extracted, almost exclusively in languages other than Polish. Close to 100 representative examples are examined in this Element to map out a comprehensive typological account of OSL. First, visual-verbal stimuli are categorised by their prominence in the 3D environment. The second typology focuses on the identified OSL functions. A supplementary typological distinction is proposed based on the technical (static vs. dynamic) implementation of OSL. The discussion of findings and implications notably comprises input from an interview that the authors conduced with a lead level developer behind Shadow Warrior 2 to provide a complementary professional perspective on OSL and its translation.
This Handbook offers a comprehensive overview of media domestication - the process of appropriating new media and technology - and delves into the theoretical, conceptual and social implications of the field's advancement. Combining the work of the long-established experts in the field with that of emerging scholars, the chapters explore both the domestication concept itself and domestication processes in a wide range of fields, from smartphones used to monitor drug use to the question of time in the domestication of energy buildings. The international team of authors provide an accessible and thorough assessment of key issues, themes, and problems with and within domestication research, and showcase the most important developments over the years. This truly interdisciplinary collection will be an important resource for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and academic scholars in media, communication and cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, cultural geography, design studies and social studies of technology.
Python Workout presents 50 exercises designed to deepen the reader's skill with Python. Readers will not only tackle exercises using built-in data structures, but also more advanced techniques, such as functional programming, object-oriented programming, iterators, and generators. With each engaging challenge, readers will practice a new skill and learn how to apply it to everyday coding tasks. Key Features 50 hands-on exercises and solutions Basic Python sequence types Python dictionaries and sets Functional programming in Python Creating your own classes Working with Python objects Generator functions Intended for readers with basic Python skills. About the technology Python is a versatile, elegant, general purpose programming language. Essential for data analysis, web development, artificial intelligence, games, desktop apps, and more, Python skills are a hot commodity. Reuven M. Lerner, an independent consultant for more than two decades, teaches Python, data science, and Git to companies around the world. His Better developers newsletter and blog are read by thousands of Python developers each week. Reuven has written a monthly column, "At the Forge," for Linux Journal since 1996 and is a panellist on the weekly Freelancers Show podcast. Reuven lives with his wife and three children in Modi'in, Israel, and can be reached at https://lerner.co.il/ or on Twitter at @reuvenmlerner.
Making a successful video game is hard. Even games that are well-received at launch may fail to engage players in the long term due to issues with the user experience (UX) that they are delivering. That's why makers of successful video games like Fortnite and Assassin's Creed invest both time and money perfecting their UX strategy. These top video game creators know that a bad user experience can ruin the prospects for any game, regardless of its budget, scope, or ambition. The game UX accounts for the whole experience players have with a video game, from first hearing about it to navigating menus and progressing in the game. UX as a discipline offers guidelines to assist developers in creating the optimal experience they want to deliver, including shipping higher quality games (whether indie, triple-A or "serious" games) and meeting business goals -- all while staying true to design vision and artistic intent. At its core, UX is about understanding the gamer's brain: understanding human capabilities and limitations to anticipate how a game will be perceived, the emotions it will elicit, how players will interact with it, and how engaging the experience will be. This book is designed to equip readers of all levels, from student to professional, with cognitive science knowledge and user experience guidelines and methodologies. These insights will help readers identify the ingredients for successful and engaging video games, empowering them to develop their own unique game recipe more efficiently, while providing a better experience for their audience. "The Gamer's Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Video Game Design" Is written by Celia Hodent -- a UX expert with a PhD in psychology who has been working in the entertainment industry for over 10 years, including at prominent companies such as Epic Games (Fortnite), Ubisoft, and LucasArts. Major themes explored in this book: Provides an overview of how the brain learns and processes information by distilling research findings from cognitive science and psychology research in a very accessible way. Topics covered include: "neuromyths", perception, memory, attention, motivation, emotion, and learning. Includes numerous examples from released games of how scientific knowledge translates into game design, and how to use a UX framework in game development. Describes how UX can guide developers to improve the usability and the level of engagement a game provides to its target audience by using cognitive psychology knowledge, implementing human-computer interaction principles, and applying the scientific method (user research). Provides a practical definition of UX specifically applied to games, with a unique framework. Defines the most relevant pillars for good usability (ease of use) and good "engage-ability" (the ability of the game to be fun and engaging), translated into a practical checklist. Covers design thinking, game user research, game analytics, and UX strategy at both a project and studio level. This book is a practical tool that any professional game developer or student can use right away and includes the most complete overview of UX in games existing today.
Featuring interviews with the creators of 35 popular video games-including John Madden Football, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3, WCW/nWo Revenge, and RBI Baseball-this book gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of some of the most influential and iconic (and sometimes forgotten) sports video games of all time. Recounting endless hours of painstaking development, the challenges of working with mega-publishers and the uncertainties of public reception, the interviewees reveal the creative processes that produced some of gaming's classic titles.
World Of Warcraft: Chronicle - Volume 1 is a journey through an age of myth and legend, a time long before the Horde and the Alliance came to be. This definitive tome of Warcraft history reveals untold stories about the birth of the cosmos, the rise of ancient empires, and the forces that shaped the world of Azeroth and its people. This beautiful hardcover features twenty-five full-page paintings by World of Warcraft artist Peter Lee, as well as a cosmology chart, half a dozen maps charting changes through time, and other line art illustrations by Joseph Lacroix, and marks the first in a multipart series exploring the Warcraft universe; from the distant past to the modern era.
A host of digital affordances, including reduced cost production tools, open distribution platforms, and ubiquitous connectivity, have engendered the growth of indie games among makers and users, forcing critics to reconsider the question of who makes games and why. Taking seriously this new mode of cultural produciton compells analysts to reconsider the blurred boundaries and relations of makers, users and texts as well as their respective relationship to cultural power and hierarchy. The contributions to Indie Games in the Digital Age consider these questions and examine a series of firms, makers, games and scenes, ranging from giants like Nintendo and Microsoft to grassroots games like Cards Against Humanity and Stardew Valley, to chart more precisely the productive and instructive disruption that this new site of cultural production offers.
In the age of digital media, superheroes are no longer confined to comic books and graphic novels. Their stories are now featured in films, video games, digital comics, television programs, and more. In a single year alone, films featuring Batman, Spider-Man, and the Avengers have appeared on the big screen. Popular media no longer exists in isolation, but converges into complex multidimensional entities. As a result, traditional ideas about the relationship between varying media have come under striking revision. Although this convergence is apparent in many genres, perhaps nowhere is it more persistent, more creative, or more varied than in the superhero genre. Superhero Synergies: Comic Book Characters Go Digital explores this developing relationship between superheroes and various forms of media, examining how the superhero genre, which was once limited primarily to a single medium, has been developed into so many more. Essays in this volume engage with several of the most iconic heroes including Batman, Hulk, and Iron Man through a variety of academic disciplines such as industry studies, gender studies, and aesthetic analysis to develop an expansive view of the genre s potency. The contributors to this volume engage cinema, comics, video games, and even live stage shows to instill readers with new ways of looking at, thinking about, and experiencing some of contemporary media s most popular texts. This unique approach to the examination of digital media and superhero studies provides new and valuable readings of well-known texts and practices. Intended for both academics and fans of the superhero genre, this anthology introduces the innovative and growing synergy between traditional comic books and digital media."
For the first time in print, step into the fantasy world of The Elder Scrolls Online. Tales of Tamriel - Vol. II: The Lore takes readers on adventure throughout the war-torn landscapes and battlefields of Tamriel, featuring a horde of in-game texts and exclusive artwork. Lavishly bound and produced, this series of books is the definitive guide to lore from the Elder Scrolls Online.
The Game Design Deep Dive series examines specific game systems or mechanics over the course of the history of the industry. This book examines the history of jumping - one of the oldest mechanics in the industry - and how it has evolved and changed over the years. The author looks at the transition from 2D to 3D and multiple elements that make jumping more complicated than it looks from a design perspective. Key Selling Points: The first in a series of books that focus entirely on a singular game design system or mechanic, in this case: jumping. A perfect read for anyone interested in understanding game design, or just curious from a historical standpoint. A must read for anyone interested in building their own platformer or just interested in the history of the game industry's most famous game mechanic. This book is a perfect companion for someone building their first game or as part of a game design classroom. Includes real game examples to highlight the discussed topics and mechanics. Joshua Bycer is a Game Design Critic with more than seven years of experience critically analyzing game design and the industry itself. In that time, through Game-Wisdom, he has interviewed hundreds of game developers and members of the industry about what it means to design video games. He also strives to raise awareness about the importance of studying game design by giving lectures and presentations; his first book was titled 20 Essential Games to Study.
Is the art for your video game taking too long to create? Learning to create Pixel Art may be the answer to your development troubles. Uncover the secrets to creating stunning graphics with Pixel Art for Game Developers. The premier how-to book on Pixel Art and Pixel Art software, it focuses on the universal principles of the craft. The book provides an introduction to Pixel Art, its utility, foundational elements, and concepts such as light and shadow. It offers tutorials on creating animations and serves as a functional guide for the most common methodology in 2D game development. Gamers love the retro feel of Pixel Art, and lucky for you it is easy to create. You'll love the tiny file sizes that will reduce compile times and help your game run faster. Providing you with the skills to create the characters and environments needed for 2D games, this book will help you: Create tilesets to build game environments Understand light and shadow Work efficiently with pixels Use atmospheric and linear perspective Create professional-quality Pixel Art This book has chapters dedicated to theory as well as step-by-step tutorials, both of which describe the process explicitly. Whether you are an artist, programmer, indie developer, or certified public accountant, after reading this book, you'll understand the steps necessary to create production-quality Pixel Art graphics. Praise for the Book:Pixel Art and Pixel Art games are very popular and the technique is a great way for independent creators to create very good-looking games with limited resources. It's frankly shocking that there hasn't been a resource like this before ... a very timely book.-Chris Totten, George Mason University, Washington, DC, USA
Successfully Navigate the Evolving World of Mobile and Social Game Design and Monetization Completely updated, Mobile & Social Game Design: Monetization Methods and Mechanics, Second Edition explains how to use the interconnectedness of social networks to make "stickier," more compelling games on all types of devices. Through the book's many design and marketing techniques, strategies, and examples, you will acquire a better understanding of the design and monetization mechanics of mobile and social games as well as working knowledge of industry practices and terminology. Learn How to Attract-and Retain-Gamers and Make Money The book explores how the gaming sector has changed, including the evolution of free-to-play games on mobile and tablet devices, sophisticated subscription model-based products, and games for social media websites, such as Facebook. It also demystifies the alphabet soup of industry terms that have sprouted up around mobile and social game design and monetization. A major focus of the book is on popular mechanisms for acquiring users and methods of monetizing users. The author explains how to put the right kinds of hooks in your games, gather the appropriate metrics, and evaluate that information to increase the game's overall stickiness and revenue per user. He also discusses the sale of virtual goods and the types of currency used in games, including single and dual currency models. Each chapter includes an interview with industry leaders who share their insight on designing and producing games, analyzing metrics, and much more.
Perhaps no arcade game is so nostalgically remembered, yet so critically bemoaned, as Dragon's Lair. A bit of a technological neanderthal, the game implemented a unique combination of videogame components and home video replay, garnering great popular media and user attention in a moment of contracted economic returns and popularity for the videogame arcade business. But subsequently, writers and critics have cast the game aside as a cautionary tale of bad game design. In Dragon's Lair and the Fantasy of Interactivity, MJ Clarke revives Dragon's Lair as a fascinating textual experiment interlaced with powerful industrial strategies, institutional discourse, and textual desires around key notions of interactivity and fantasy. Constructing a multifaceted historical study of the game that considers its design, its makers, its recording medium, and its in-game imagery, Clarke suggests that the more appropriate metaphor for Dragon's Lair is not that of a neanderthal, but a socio-technical network, infusing and advancing debates about the production and consumption of new screen technologies. Far from being the gaming failure posited by evolutionary-minded lay critics, Clarke argues, Dragon's Lair offers a fascinating provisional solution to still-unsettled questions about screen media.
The 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 studio-from 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 way. Case studies, interviews from other studies and industry professionals grant an first-hand look into the world of indie game development
A mysterious group of phantom thieves skulks in the shadows of Tokyo, changing the hearts of corrupt adults. But behind their masks are... normal teenagers and a talking black cat?! PERSONA 5: MEMENTOS MISSION is an all-new mystery featuring the cast of PERSONA 5. IN THIS VOLUME: The attempted poisoning of an influential CEO... Suspicious happenings at a local doctor's clinic... Sketchy job requests at a back-street military shop... High schooler and phantom thieves leader Ren Amamiya tackles these mysterious incidents together with his trustworthy friends and the famous high school detective Goro Akechi!
- The first book dedicated to exploring key video games from the 1970s to present day. - Provides a highly accessible overview of the history of video games from PONG, Pac-Man and Tetris to Minecraft, Animal Crossing and Assassin's Creed. - The selection covers a range of historical periods and platforms, genres, commercial impact, artistic choices, contexts of play, typical and atypical representations, uses of games for specific purposes, uses of materials or techniques, specific subcultures, repurposing, transgressive aesthetics, interfaces, moral or ethical impacts, and more.
As the Allies advance towards Germany, they face dogged resistance from the hard-pressed German forces. Take command of the Allies in their final push to end the war in Europe, or hold fast as the German defenders as the fight is brought to your door. This new Campaign Book for Bolt Action offers new linked scenarios, rules, troop types and Theatre Selectors, and provides plenty of options for novice and veteran players alike.
Explores the basics of indie game marketing Helps the reader with how to communicate to talk to investors, pbulishers, and major platforms Illustrates different negotiation tactics
C# is the language of choice for learning how to program. It is a very well structured object-oriented language and avoids some of the problems of Java. An excellent free programming environment is available for C#, as well as a game programming framework. And (if necessary) moving from C# to C]+ is easy. Developing computer games is a perfect way to learn how to program in modern programming languages. This book teaches how to program in C# through the creation of computer games and without requiring any previous programming experience. Contrary to most programming books, Egges, Fokker and Overmars do not organize the presentation according to programming language constructs, but instead use the structure and elements of computer games as a framework. For instance, there are chapters on dealing with player input, game objects, game worlds, game states, levels, animation, physics, and intelligence. The reader will be guided through the development of four games showing the various aspects of game development. Starting with a simple shooting game, the authors move on to puzzle games consisting of multiple levels, and conclude the book by developing a full-fledged platform game with animation, game physics, and intelligent enemies. They show a number of commonly used techniques in games, such as drawing layers of sprites, rotating, scaling and animating sprites, showing a heads-up display, dealing with physics, handling interaction between game objects, and creating pleasing visual effects such as snow or glitter. At the same time, they provide a thorough introduction to C# and object-oriented programming, introducing step by step important aspects of programming in general, including many programming constructs and idioms, syntax diagrams, collections, and exception handling.The book is also designed to be used as a basis for a game-oriented programming course. For each part, there are concluding exercises and challenges, which are generally more complex programming endeavors. Lots of supplementary materials for organizing such a course are available on the accompanying web site http: //www.csharpprogramminggames.com, including installation instructions, solutions to the exercises, software installation instructions, game sprites and sounds.
Dress to impress! The Outfit you rock when you drop from the Battle Bus makes a big statement about who you are. This all-new official collectors' edition from Epic Games showcases the most exciting looks that have appeared in the latest seasons. Whether your choice of Outfit is fresh, fun, or fearsome, you'll find the style that's right for you here. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Get the lowdown to your look with top tips, stats, and facts. COOL CUSTOMIZING Check out the hottest Gliders, Back Bling, and Pets from Fortnite Chapter 2 GET THE GEAR Psych out your enemies with the best new Outfits - which will you be adding to YOUR locker?
Every month, hundreds of millions of people around the world are spending billions of hours on Roblox--and Roblox's fast-growing community of developers has already earned hundreds of millions of dollars from their creations. For every burgeoning game developer who is looking to take their Roblox skills to the next level fast, look no further than Roblox Game Development in 24 Hours: The Official Roblox Guide. In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, you will deepen your understanding of virtually every facet of Roblox game development. Each short and easy lesson builds upon everything that has come before, helping you take full advantage of this remarkable platform. Step-by-step instructions walk you through common questions, issues, and tasks; Q&As, Quizzes, and Exercises build and test your knowledge; "Try It Yourself" exercises encourage independent practice. By the time you're finished, you'll be a true Roblox game development expert. Learn how to... * Build immersive natural environments using built-in terrain and lighting tools * Model and import assets, models, weapons, and textures * Code game mechanics, animations, and camera movement * Design GUIs for store fronts, player HUDs, and interactive elements * Teleport players between multiple game places * Publish your game to multiple platforms with cross-platform play * Attract players, monetize your game, and earn real cash
Now that Apple has introduced the GameKit framework to its iOS SDK, you can integrate Game Center features directly into your iPhone and iPad apps. This concise cookbook shows you how it's done, with 18 targeted recipes for adding leaderboards, user authentication, achievements, multiplayer games, and many other features. How do you display players' scores and achievements? How do you create Game Center accounts and add friends? Each recipe in this book includes a simple code solution you can put to work immediately, along with a detailed discussion that offers insight into why and how the recipe works. Recipes include techniques to: Set up Game Center for an iOS App Use block objects and Grand Central Dispatch to write Game Center apps Authenticate a local player in Game Center Use iTunes Connect to create leaderboards and achievements Retrieve leaderboard and achievement information programmatically Handle players' state changes in multiplayer games |
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