From the Amish country in Pennsylvania, Ron Ransom has been inspired to create patterns and carvings of an Amish family. Six patterns, clear instructions, and color photos guide you in carving a family in traditional Amish dress. Out of respect for their preferences, Ron has left the faces blank. Reflecting the Amish lifestyle, Ron's tools, techniques and instructions are plain and simple. When the carvings are complete, painting and antiquing methods are demonstrated as well. A color photo gallery provides a last, close look at these charming basswood carvings. As with all of Ron Ransom's books, the projects presented here will engage the beginner and provide solid bases upon which advanced carvers may add their own creative touches.

Final Fantasy VII altered the course of video game history when it was released in 1997 on Sony's PlayStation system. It converted the Japanese role-playing game into an international gaming standard with enhanced gameplay, spectacular cutscenes and a vast narrative involving an iconic cast. In the decades after its release, the Final Fantasy VII franchise has grown to encompass a number of video game sequels, prequels, a feature-length film, a novel and a multi-volume remake series. This volume, the first edited collection of essays devoted only to the world of Final Fantasy VII, blends scholarly rigor with fan passion in order to identify the elements that keep Final Fantasy VII current and exciting for players. Some essays specifically address the game's perennially relevant themes and scenarios, ranging from environmental consciousness to economic inequity and posthumanism. Others examine the mechanisms used to immerse the player or to improve the narrative. Finally, there are several essays devoted specifically to the game's legacy, from its influence on later games to its characters' many crossovers and cameos.

"A must have. I warmly welcome this milestone work." -Tina Christensen, President of the European Mahjong Association. "The best book about mahjong I have ever read." -Martin Divis, European Riichi Mahjong Champion 2013-2016. "A wonderful journey through both the rules and the spirit of riichi mahjong." -David Bresnick, President of the United States Professional Mahjong League. Mahjong; the most popular game in the world. This is the game that legends adorn, of scholars, and treasures, where dragons are borne. With winds that blow and fortunes that flow, it's here through it all, our good fortune will call. Prepare to learn about a four-player tile game of winning hands, lucky tiles, sacred discards, glory, and woe. Are you up to the challenge?

One the most familiar characters of American folk art is Uncle Sam. His image has spurred people to join the army, give blood, and wave the flag. He has appeared in cartoons and parades across the nation. In his red, white, and blue costume, he is the symbol of America, yet for each artist he takes on just a little different attitude and pose. Al Streetman captures the spirit of Uncle Sam in these 25 patterns. Al's creative talent comes through in each one, and his skill as a carver is demonstrated in the carving section. In addition to the patterns the book contains carving tips, step-by-step instructions for carving one of the Uncle Sams, and painting instructions. A gallery of many of Al's creations gets the carvers imagination roaring. Al's first book, 41 Santa Patterns for Carvers,has already found an excited audience. We're sure that this one will be a welcome addition to every caricature carver's library.

Beat the boredom and take time out from screens with this pocket-sized book packed with facts, photos and fantastic spots for hours of fun! Kids will have fun collecting points when visiting churches and cathedrals with more than 140 things to find. From altars to spires, choirs to bell ringers, they’ll learn all about these places of worship along the way. And once they’ve scored 1000 points, super-spotters can claim their official i-SPY certificate and badge. With more than 30 i-SPY books to collect, there’s something for everyone! For even more spotting fun check out i-SPY London (ISBN 9780008386450).

The age old pastime of kite flying has recently experienced a dramatic increase in popularity owing to the introduction of bold new designs and materials for improved standards of efficiency. In this completely revised and updated edition of one of the best books ever written on the hobby, Ron Moulton (founder of the British Kite Flying Association) and Pat Lloyd (an internationally respected draughtsman) provide all the latest information on making and flying modern kites. The authoritative text and detailed drawings and even more colour photographs combine to describe the new era of advanced models, the latest materials and the expert skills required. Specialities such as kit fighting with the Rokkaku design, aerial photography, Parabear drops and team aerobatics are supported by 30 fully-dimensioned kite plans that embrace the traditional, the simple and the sophisticated.

Using textual analysis, interviews with game designers, audience surveys, and close analysis of player forum discussion, this book examines the unique nature of the producer/consumer relationship within promotional Alternate Reality Games (ARGs). Historically, ARGs are rooted in advertising as much as they are in narrative storytelling. As designers often have to respond to player actions as the game progresses, players can have an impact on the storyline, on character behaviour, and potentially on the final resolution of the narrative. This book explores how both media consumers and producers are responding to this new reconfiguration of the producer/consumer/prosumer dynamic in order to better understand the diverse advertising experiences available to media audiences today. With a focus on participatory culture and the political economy of promotional communications, this in-depth analysis of ARGs will appeal to academics and researchers in the fields of games, film, advertising, and media and cultural studies.

Explore Wales with i-SPY - facts, photos and fantastic spots! Beat the boredom and take time out from screens with this pocket-sized book packed with facts, photos and fantastic spots for hours of fun! It's ideal for holidays, family road trips or simply exploring your local area. Kids will have fun collecting points with more than 140 things to find in Wales. From mountains and beaches to landmarks and attractions, they'll learn all about the country and its history along the way. And once they've scored 1000 points, super-spotters can claim their official i-SPY certificate and badge. With more than 30 i-SPY books to collect, there's something for everyone! For even more spotting fun check out: i-SPY On a Car Journey (ISBN 9780008386443) i-SPY On a Train Journey (ISBN 9780008431730) i-SPY At the Seaside (ISBN 9780008386528) i-SPY Nature (ISBN 9780008386467)

Digital and analog games have long served modern public libraries as educational tools and as drawcards for new patrons - from dedicated gaming zones and children's spaces to Minecraft gaming days, makerspaces, and virtual reality collections. Much has been written about the role of games and play in libraries' programming and collections. But their wider role in transforming libraries as public institutions remains unexplored. In this book, the authors draw on ethnographic research to provide a rich portrait of the intersection between games, play, and public libraries. They look at how games and play are increasingly spilling out of designated zones within libraries and beyond their walls, as part of a broader reconfiguration and "reimagining" of libraries in the digital era. The library's association with play has historically been understood through its classification as a "third place" somewhere to relax, socialise and experiment outside of the utilitarian demands of work and home. But far from just offering patrons an opportunity for detached leisure, this book illustrates how libraries are connecting games and play to policies agendas around their municipality's economic and cultural development. Attending to the institutionalisation of play, the book sheds new light both on the contradictions at the heart of play as a theoretical concept, and what libraries are in contemporary public life.

Trainieren Sie Ihre kleinen grauen Zellen Sudokus sind das perfekte Gehirn - training. Dieses Buch enthalt 180 Ratsel in verschiedenen Schwierigkeitsstufen: von ganz leicht bis hollisch kniffelig, so dass Sie je nach Tagesform wahlen konnen. Und es lasst Sie mit den Ratseln nicht allein, sondern gibt Ihnen Losungstipps fur besonders kniffelige Ratsel, so dass Sie fur die richtig harten Nusse Ihr eigene Losungsstrategie entwickeln konnen. Viel Spass und Erfolg beim Knobeln!

Augmentative play is a special activity that substantially aids the pursuit of a larger, encompassing leisure activity. This approach to the study of play is unique. It recognizes the hundreds of activities in which play and leisure come together.

The Game of Logic is a recreational activity devised by author Lewis Carroll - this edition contains all of his original and vitally demonstrative illustrations. Although Carroll is best known for his short stories and novels for children, he also harbored a great passion for mathematics and logic puzzles, which he felt held great facility for developing the minds of young and old. He designed a game of logic which attained popularity following his enormously successful stories for children. Although old fashioned and dated by today's standards, Carroll's game offers profound insight into the recreational mathematics and number games of the late 19th century. This book contains a set of detailed instructions for playing Carroll's game, which requires sheets of paper, a ruler and pencil for drawing the tables, and a set of counters. This edition contains all the diagrams and tables crucial for understanding what the author describes.

Bring the fun on your next road trip with this handy book, Family Road Trip Games, from beloved children's book author Jack Henseleit. Featuring over 60 new and classic games - and more than 150 brain-burning trivia questions - plus a top secret treasure hunt (yippee!), this is the definitive collection of games and puzzles for the whole family. Whether it's a fresh take on I Spy, an on-the-go scavenger hunt, or a modern favourite like Snaps, you'll find a diverse group of games and ideas to appeal to any age or attention span. There are also fun illustrations throughout, making this book both an excellent gift or self-purchase. Put away the screens and find new ways to entertain, get creative and improve memory with kids and adults of any age.

A Mother Goose nursery rhyme comes to life when you open the pages of Carving The Old Woman's Shoe. With over 20 years of shoe carving experience, Larry's step-by-step instructions will lead you through carving his concept of this famous shoe. He even wrote his own poem. He helps you construct a scene for the shoe with a carved yard and flowers carved from round toothpicks! The book gives suggestions on tools which you will need and provides complete instructions on painting and finishing the shoe. The patterns and full-color photos combine to make this an excellent instructional book. Larry's first book, Carving Boots and Shoes has helped many carvers to get started on the "right foot" in their boot and shoe carving.