Games are poised for a major evolution, driven by growth in technical sophistication and audience reach. Characters that create powerful social and emotional connections with players throughout the ga
Video games have been a central feature of the cultural landscape for over twenty years and now rival older media like movies, television, and music in popularity and cultural influence. Yet there have been relatively few attempts to understand the video game as an independent medium. Most such efforts focus on the earliest generation of text-based adventures (Zork, for example) and have little to say about such visually and conceptually sophisticated games as Final Fantasy X, Shenmue, Grand Theft Auto, Halo, and The Sims, in which players inhabit elaborately detailed worlds and manipulate digital avatars with a vast—and in some cases, almost unlimited—array of actions and choices. In Gaming, Alexander Galloway instead considers the video game as a distinct cultural form that demands a new and unique interpretive framework. Drawing on a wide range of disciplines, particularly critical theory and media studies, he analyzes video games as something to be played rather than as texts to be
From security training simulations to war games to role-playing games, to sports games to gambling, playing video games has become a social phenomena and the increasing number of players that cross g
This book explores the development of the video game as a new form of interactive media and a template for future modes of entertainment. While television programs and movies are predominantly passiv
From security training simulations to war games to role-playing games, to sports games to gambling, playing video games has become a social phenomena and the increasing number of players that cross ge
This book explores the lifecycle of digital games. Drawing upon a broad range of media studies perspectives with aspects of sociology, social theory, and economics, Aphra Kerr explores this all-perva
Written in an informal and accessible format this text includes the history and background of storytelling, story creation and character profile strategies; interactive and collaborative storytelling
This book takes readers on an in-depth walkthrough of the Torque Game Engine--one of the most popular, powerful, and easy to use game engine available today. With clear explanations of how to use Tor
Sure, it's just what you've been clamoring for: an ultra slick, portable version of the most popular console gaming system in the world. But Sony's new PlayStation Portable (PSP) isn't just a handheld
The computer gaming industry is on the rise, but has been ignored by the marketing industry. The authors describe the computer gaming scene, how brands and advertising can be used, cultural trends, de
Electronic games have established a huge international market, significantlyoutselling non-digital games; people spend more money on The Sims than on "Monopoly" or even on"Magic: the Gathering." Yet i
This book focuses on key formal aspects of video games and the experiences and pleasures offered by the activities they require of the player. A wide range of games are considered, from first-person s
The POSITIVE Guide for Parents Concerned About Their Kids' Video and Computer Game Playing"Marc knows it all depends on how we use our games. He knows that if parents place good video games into a lea
In Play Between Worlds, T. L. Taylor examines multiplayer gaming life as it is lived on the borders, in the gaps—as players slip in and out of complex social networks that cross online and offl
&a>breaks new ground in game development by bridging the alien worlds of hardware and software together for the first time! The Black Art of Video Game Console Design is written for the
‧ Complete moves lists for every character‧ All gameplay secrets revealed--never lose a match again‧ Walkthrough for Story Mode‧ Tips and tricks for every character‧ A guide to retrieving all unlockab
Classic and cutting-edge writings on games, spanning nearly 50 years of game analysisand criticism, by game designers, game journalists, game fans, folklorists, sociologists, and mediatheorists.
From EverQuest to World of Warcraft, online games have evolved from the exclusive domain of computer geeks into an extraordinarily lucrative staple of the entertainment industry. People of all ages a
A video game is half-real: we play by real rules while imagining a fictional world. We win or lose the game in the real world, but we slay a dragon (for example) only in the world of the game. In this
You can start game programming in a flash Here's how to create five different cool games - no experience necessary! Ever think you could come up with a better computer game? Then this book is for yo
