The Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty are carving up the lands around them, and only the greatest heroes would dare stand between them. Somewhere in the far corners of this war-torn landscape are secrets that could end this conflict and usher in a new age of peace--or burn the world to a cinder.Create a band of heroes and embark on a journey across the continent of Wildemount, the setting for Campaign 2 of the hit Dungeons & Dragons series Critical Role. Within this book, you'll find new character options, a heroic chronicle to help you craft your character's backstory, four different starting adventures, and everything a Dungeon Master needs to breathe life into a Wildemount-based D&D campaign...- Delve through the first Dungeons & Dragons book to let players experience the game as played within the world of Critical Role, the world's most popular livestreaming D&D show.- Uncover a trove of options usable in any D&D game, featuring subclasses, spells, magic items, monsters, and more, rooted in the adventures of Exandria--such as Vestiges of Divergence and the possibility manipulating magic of Dunamancy.- Start a Dungeons & Dragons campaign in any of Wildemount's regions using a variety of introductory adventures, dozens of regional plot seeds, and the heroic chronicle system--a way to create character backstories rooted in Wildemount.Explore every corner of Wildemount and discover mysteries revealed for the first time by Critical Role Dungeon Master, Matthew Mercer.

    Her enemies wouldn't want these treasured secrets scattered across the multiverse, so in defiance, she has collected and codified these tidbits for the enrichment of all.EXPANDED SUBCLASSES. Try out subclass options for every Dungeons & Dragons class, including the artificer, which appears in the book.MORE CHARACTER OPTIONS. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything introduces a host of class features and feats, plus straightforward rules for modifying a character's racial traits and customizing their origin.INTRODUCING GROUP PATRONS. Whether you're part of the same criminal syndicate or working for an ancient dragon, each group patron option comes with its own perks and types of assignments.SPELLS, ARTIFACTS & MAGIC TATTOOS. Discover more spells, as well as magic tattoos, artifacts, and other magic items for your campaign.EXPANDED RULES OPTIONS. Try out rules for sidekicks, supernatural environments, natural hazards, and parleying with monsters, and gain guidance on running a session zero.A PLETHORA OF PUZZLES. Ready to be dropped into any D&D adventure, puzzles of varied difficulty await your adventurers, complete with traps and guidance on using the puzzles in a campaign.Full of expanded content for players and Dungeon Masters alike, this book is a great addition to the Player's Handbook. Baked in you'll find more rule options for all the character classes in the Player's Handbook, including more subclass options. Thrown in for good measure is the artificer class, a master of magical invention. And this witch's brew wouldn't be complete without a dash of added artifacts, spellbook options, spells for both player characters and monsters, magical tattoos, group patrons, and other tasty goodies.

    Your one-stop guide to a perfect island vacation is right here!Animal Crossing™: New Horizons takes you to a deserted island and lets you craft it into your own personal paradise inhabited by a unique, character-filled community. This premium book is both the perfect guide for getting the most out of island life, and the ultimate reference for anyone who insists on having it all.

    Sid Meier’s Memoir! is the story of an obsessive young computer enthusiast who helped launch a multibilliondollar industry. Writing with warmth and ironic humor, Meier describes the genesis of his influential studio, MicroProse, founded in 1982 after a trip to a Las Vegas arcade, and recounts the development of landmark games, from vintage classics like Pirates! and Railroad Tycoon, to Civilization and beyond.Articulating his philosophy that a videogame should be “a series of interesting decisions,” Meier also shares his perspective on the history of the industry, the psychology of gamers, and fascinating insights into the creative process, including his ten rules of good game design.

    Delve into incisive lore to discover how the economic decline of the United States created a crippling dependence on devious corporations and birthed the Free State of California. Explore the various districts, gangs, and history of Night City. Learn all there is to know about the technology of tomorrow and research the cybernetics, weapons, and vehicles of Cyberpunk 2077.Dark Horse Books and CD Projekt Red present The World of Cyberpunk 2077--an extensive examination of the rich lore of Cyberpunk 2077. This intricately assembled tome contains everything you need to know about the history, characters, and world of the long-awaited follow-up from the creators of The Witcher video game series.

    Previously published as Guide to Exploration, the revised and updated Guide to Survival has even more insider info and tips from the experts at game-creator Mojang, making this is the definitive, fully illustrated guide to survival in Minecraft.The mysterious world of Minecraft is just waiting to be explored. But danger lurks around every corner and survival can prove difficult for even the bravest adventurer.Learn how to find resources, craft equipment, and protect yourself. Discover which biomes to avoid when starting out, how to build a mob-proof shelter, where to look for naturally-generated structures laden with loot, and so much more.Collect all of the official Minecraft books: Minecraft: The IslandMinecraft: The CrashMinecraft: The Lost JournalsMinecraft: The Survivors' Book of SecretsMinecraft: Exploded Builds: Medieval FortressMinecraft: Guide to ExplorationMinecraft: Guide to CreativeMinecraft: Guide to the Nether & the EndMinecraft: Guide to RedstoneMinecraft: MobestiaryMinecraft: Guide to Enchantments & PotionsMinecraft: Guide to PVP MinigamesMinecraft: Guide to FarmingMinecraft: Let's Build! Theme Park AdventureMinecraft for BeginnersMinecraft: Guide to Ocean SurvivalMinecraft: Guide to Survival

    Beyond this yawning fissure, the Caves of Hunger await. And past this icy dungeon is a secret so old and terrifying that few dare speak of it. The mad wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood long to possess that which the god of winter’s wrath has so coldly preserved—as do you! What fantastic secrets and treasures are entombed in the sunless heart of the glacier, and what will their discovery mean for the denizens of Icewind Dale? Can you save Ten-Towns from the Frostmaiden’s everlasting night?Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden is a tale of dark terror that revisits the forlorn, flickering candlelights of civilization known as Ten-Towns and sheds light on the many bone-chilling locations that surround these frontier settlements.

    From the temples of omen-speaking oracles to the five realms of the Underworld, the champions of the gods vie for immortal favor and a place among the world’s living myths.Choose a supernatural gift that sets you on the path of destiny, align yourself with one of Theros’s fifteen gods, then carve a tale of odysseys and ordeals across the domains of mortals, gods, and the dead.What legends will you challenge—mighty heroes, inevitable prophecies, or titans imprisoned by the gods? Where will destiny and immortal schemes lead you? And what tales will you leave behind, celebrated in the pantheon of myths and writ among the eternal stars? Receive a supernatural gift from the gods, a set of special traits that mark your character for greatness. Select one of the new races for your character—such mythic peoples as the leonin or a satyr. New subclasses include the Bard’s College of Eloquence, masters of oratory; and the Paladin’s Oath of Glory, an affirmation of destiny laid out for you by divine providence. Encounter mythic monsters, creatures whose power and renown are such that their names are truly living myths. More than simply legendary, these creatures have abilities that will create a challenge fit for the gods. Wield god-weapons, signature items of the gods that allow your character to stand apart from other heroes. These can be a gift from your deity or perhaps you boldly stole it from them in a bid for ultimate power.

    Yet his return to stasis is fraught with peril as a rogue AI - last legacy of the war that ended life on Earth - slaughters the crew.Once inside the game he realizes his troubles have only begun. Unable to destroy the ship, the hostile intelligence has invaded Argos.Partnered with the most powerful human player, the rogue has introduced a new mechanic: true death. With no way to leave stasis and regain his administrative controls, Michael Hobbes must quest, conquer, and gain allies to take on a seemingly unstoppable guild.Hobbes is no leader and ill-suited to become one, yet the fate of the human race rests on his shoulders, and his only hope of victory is to follow a unique and seemingly impossible quest chain.The Divine Koan.

    

    The author, Ken Williams, founded Sierra On-Line Sierra with his wife Roberta who went on to create many of the company's best selling games. Sierra grew from just Ken and Roberta to over one thousand employees and a fan base that still exists today, despite the fact that the company was torn apart by criminal activities, scandal and corruption that resulted in jail sentences and the collapse of Sierra. This is the behind-the-scenes story of the rise and fall, as it could only be told by the ultimate insider.

    Fans of all ages won't want to miss this never-before-published romp that brings to life the world of Bendy!

    This book is for beginners and assumes no knowledge of game development on the reader's part.As a first-time developer with no prior experience in coding, modeling, texturing, animation, game design, etc., I managed to launch DARQ to both commercial success and critical acclaim. With $0 spent on marketing, it was featured in major media outlets, such as IGN, Kotaku, PC Gamer, GameSpot, Forbes, and hundreds of others. DARQ won numerous awards, such as The Best Game of the MIX / PAX, and received a user rating of 9 out of 10. DARQ was in the TOP 50 of the most wishlisted games on Steam before launch. It made it to the "Top Selling," "New and Popular," and "Featured and Recommended" tabs on Steam. Ultimately, DARQ became #42 Most Shared PC Video Game of 2019 (Metacritic). In this book, I describe how I did it. If you're an aspiring developer wanting to make a living from making games, this book is for you.What is the book about?The book guides you through a step-by-step process of making a commercial game. It teaches you how to learn all the necessary skills and covers various aspects of game development: mindset, preproduction, funding, business, law, development, marketing, PR, publishing, distribution, as well as pre-launch, launch, and post-launch strategies.Endorsements"Reading this book is the shortest route toward a solid understanding of how to make indie games, both from creative and business perspectives."—Quentin De Beukelaer | Game Designer of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassin's Creed Unity, Ghost Recon Breakpoint"There are many books on game development, but none of them address the mindset you need for success. Wlad's philosophy very much reminds me of what it was like in the early days of making games for Blizzard."—Mark Kern | Former Team Lead for World of Warcraft, Producer of Diablo II and Starcraft."This book is a comprehensive guide to the business of game development."—Bjørn Jacobsen | Sound Designer of Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman"This book captures the process and creates a valuable resource for upcoming developers and creators alike."—Piotr Babieno | CEO of Bloober Team, Layers of Fear, Blair Witch, Observer, The Medium"This book is bursting with wisdom that will move you closer to realizing your dream."—Richard Gale | 3-time Emmy-winning directorThe foreword is written by Oscar, Pulitzer Prize, and 5-time Grammy Award-winning composer John Corigliano.CollaboratorsThe book features advice by a number of industry professionals, including:Mark Kern (former lead for World of Warcraft, producer of Diablo II and Starcraft)Quentin De Beukelaer (Game Designer of Assassin's Creed Unity and Ghost Recon Breakpoint)Bjørn Jacobsen (Sound Designer of Cyberpunk 2077 and Divinity: Fallen Heroes)Austin Wintory (Grammy-nominated composer of "Journey")Wojciech Piejko (Lead Designer of "Observer" and "The Medium")Barbara Kciuk (Narrative Designer of Blair Witch)Rami Ismail (Developer of Nuclear Throne and Super Crate Box)Dan Adelman (Biz Dev of "Chasm" and "Axiom Verge")Scott Millard (Publisher, Managing Director at Feardemic, Former Managing Director at Bandai Namco)Stephen McArthur (Video Game Attorney)Toms Martin (Video Game Investor)

    Join them on their adventure as they make merry mischief in the vibrant and topsy-turvy world of the Inkwell Isles! It's a special day on the Inkwell Isles: Elder Kettle's birthday! Yes, sirree, it's a very special day. So Cuphead and Mugman need to find the perfect gift to honor their beloved mentor. But along the way, the brothers and their new friend Ms. Chalice are captivated by the sights and sounds of the carnival that just rolled into town. Despite Elder Kettle's warning that the attraction is filled with liars and thieves, the trio gets reeled in.At the carnival, the friends are bamboozled and burgled by enemies, old and new. Will they escape the chaos and get their gift before it's too late?Includes over 20 never-before-seen illustrations drawn by Studio MDHR's Lance Miller that feature hidden items for an interactive treasure hunt!Cuphead in Carnival Chaos is the first book in an original series and perfect for players of Cuphead, and readers of Hello Neighbor, Bendy and the Ink Machine, and Five Nights at Freddy's.© 2020 StudioMDHR Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cuphead(TM), the Cuphead(TM) logo, StudioMDHR(TM) and the StudioMDHR(TM) logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of StudioMDHR Entertainment Inc. throughout the world.

    

    Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind's howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia.Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd's face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they came--all according to his plan.A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.Resting in this coffin is a premium edition of the award-winning Dungeons & Dragons adventure book Curse of Strahd, one of the most beloved D&D adventures of all time.Curse of Strahd: Revamped splits the adventure into three parts--a softcover D&D adventure book with updated content, a Creatures of Horror booklet detailing monsters and NPCs appearing in the adventure, and a Tarokka Deck bookletLearn what fortunes await you with an oversized 54-card foil stamped Tarokka deck with storage boxUse a sturdy, four-panel DM screen designed especially for this adventure with tables outlining encounters in Barovia, the Barovian calendar, a guide to reading Tarokka cards, and more.Navigate Barovia and Castle Ravenloft with a 21 x 30 double-sided map and give players 4 handouts from the original adventure as they unravel the mysteries of Ravenloft.Invite friends to the table with 12 postcards featuring beautifully eerie art of locations across Barovia.Here lies: Softcover Curse of Strahd D&D adventure book, Curse of Strahd DM screen, 1 oversized Tarokka deck (54 cards) and card box, Tarokka deck-reading booklet, Monsters & NPCs booklet, Strahd stat block sheet, 2-sided fold-out map, 4 handouts, 12 postcards

    Journey into the world of Peter Pan and its mysterious inhabitants in Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting.EXPLORE THE ISLE OF MISCHIEF & MYSTERYMany have heard of the island of Neverland. Stories of pirates, mermaids and Peter Pan are told by parents around the world to send their children off to a happy, dreaming sleep. But, it’s been a long time since the Darlings first flew to Neverland and a new story is about to be told. Your own.Take a journey into the world of Peter Pan and its mysterious inhabitants in Neverland: A Fantasy RPG Setting. The book is a feature-length hex crawl campaign, intended for sandbox exploration. Created by Andrew Kolb, you’ll find endless adventure inside, lovingly adapted from the tales of Peter Pan and tailored for an older audience. Each hex is self-contained, brimming with lore from Peter Pan and the Darlings’ escapades.It’s time to tell your own stories of pirates, mermaids and children who can fly.For use with the fifth edition of the world’s oldest role-playing game.

    This guide features easy-to-follow and entertaining explanations of where to find each beast, their strange abilities and magical powers, and how to defeat them, along with amazing illustrations that will ignite your imagination. Organized by size from small to large, bigger and more dangerous monsters are introduced with every turn of the page.Beasts & Behemoths is a perfect way for new players and young fantasy fans to learn about the monsters an adventuring party can meet, with profiles full of example encounters and storytelling tips that encourage creative problem-solving skills when battling beastly foes.

    Featuring easy-to-follow and entertaining explanations of how spells are created and used in the game, along with original illustrations of the game's essential magical characters, this book shines a spotlight on the mystical side of D&D.The perfect jumping-on point for young fans of fantasy looking to give D&D a try, Wizards and Spells also features prompts to encourage creative problem-solving skills in the dangerous situations that may be encountered in a Dungeons & Dragons adventure.

    Examining combat roles, class features, party composition, positioning, debilitating conditions, attacking combinations, action economy, and the ever-important consideration of the best ways to run away, Live to Tell the Tale will help you get the most out of your character’s abilities.

    They died when a floating cuboid interrupted the gaming night and vaporized everyone. Waking with powers reminiscent of his paladin character, William finds himself alone in a fantasy frontier of dungeoneers, desperadoes, and damsels of the monster girl varieties.Set on reuniting with his friends, William accepts the duties of a Frontier Ranger. Unfortunately, the job is a ticket to a lifetime of trouble.Local ruffians, a laser golem infested dungeon, and enemies from the deep seas force the former mall cop to stretch his magic of divine blessings to its limits. Thankfully, William has a nerdy faun archeologist and a psychic aboleth princess by his side. Together they explore the hidden mysteries of the Cursed Frontier.Ruinland Ranger contains explicit engagements between a monster girl harem and the main character.

    It is a dungeon-crawling, story-forward tabletop RPG that focuses on what characters have to lose in pursuit of their dreams in the chaotic darkness beneath the world.Contained inside are:• Rules for creating characters with curious abilities and frantic obsessions.• Full details of the strange subterranean world of the Heart.• Adversaries both horrific and pitiable to hunt or be hunted by.• Methods for mapping the unmappable, and creating your own personal Heart to explore.• Evocative and fascinating consequences for failure and misfortune that push the story onward.• Pages and pages of beautiful, full-colour art from Felix Miall.

    Paul "Redeye" Chaloner is quite simply a legend of the esports scene. And now, he will use all his years of experience to write the definitive book on the modern world of esports. What is it? What is life like in an esports team? Just how much corruption and cheating goes on behind it all? And what's it like to stand in front of thousands of people, broadcasting to millions over the world, as one team sits on the brink of earning millions? "Redeye" will reveal all.What is competitive gaming, and where did it come from? What makes it so exciting? The bitter esports team and country rivalries, the scandals, the money, the last-minute Hail Mary plays; it's all here, brought to you with the trademark wit--and access--of the industry's most respected and experienced broadcaster. He'll even tell you how to spell it. This is the world of esports according to its most famous presenter.

    The Game Master’s Book of Random Encounters provides an unbeatable solution. This massive tome is divided into location categories, each of which can stand alone as a small stop as part of a larger campaign. “Taverns, Inns, Shops & Guild Halls” section includes maps for 19 unique spaces, as well as multiple encounter tables designed to help GMs fill in the sights, sounds, smells and proprietors of a given location, allowing for each location in the book to be augmented and populated on the fly while still ensuring memorable moments for all players. Each map is presented at scale on grid, enabling GMs to determine exactly where all of the characters are in relation to one another and anyone (or anything) else in the space, critical information should any combat or other movement-based action occur.Perhaps more useful than its nearly 100 maps, the book's one-shot generator features all the story hooks necessary for GMs to use these maps as part of an interconnected and contained adventure. Featuring eight unique campaign drivers that lead players through several of the book's provided maps, the random tables associated with each stage in the adventure allow for nearly three million different outcomes.The book also includes a Random NPC Generator to help you create intriguing characters your players will love (or love to hate), as well as a Party Makeup Maker for establishing connections among your PCs so you can weave together a disparate group of adventurers with just a few dice rolls.Locations include taverns, temples, inns, animal/creature lairs, gatehouses, courts, ships, laboratories and more, with adventure hooks that run the gamut from frantic rooftop chases to deep cellar dungeon-crawls, with a total of 97 maps, more than 150 tables and millions of possible adventures. No matter where your players end up, they'll have someone or something to persuade or deceive, impress or destroy.

    Strategy You Can Use.In this follow-up to his best-selling Play Optimal Poker, renowned poker pro and coach Andrew Brokos demonstrates how to construct the right ranges for any situation.By investigating real no-limit hold ‘em scenarios, you'll learn to select hands that perform well individually but also complement one another, amplifying each other’s strengths and compensating for each other’s weaknesses. In the process, you’ll explore powerful concepts like:Bet sizingEquity denialEquity realizationBalanceLeverageBoard coverageExploitative playWhether you play tournaments or cash games, high stakes or low, online or live, you’ll gain fresh insights into the game you love. Real world examples demonstrate how to make the best decision every time, so you can reel in the biggest fish and hold your own when swimming with the sharksPlay with confidence. Play with precision. Play optimal poker.

    The Sierra Adventure tells the story of legendary computer game company Sierra On-Line, developer of industry defining titles such as King’s Quest, Quest for Glory, and Leisure Suit Larry.Through interviews with over fifty of the key players at Sierra, management, producers, artists, designers, musicians, and marketing tell the story of Sierra, in their own words.

    

    Since its inception, its titles have adopted names, themes and stories from across global mythology, including the beliefs of the Vikings.This book embarks on a detailed exploration of how Norse lore in particular influenced the writing and design of Final Fantasy VII – arguably the most critically-acclaimed of the franchise – and its wider compilation.Why is Midgar the political centre of the Planet, and Nibelheim the home of Cloud Strife?How are the Odin Materia, the Rune Blade and Vincent Valentine connected?What are the parallels between Ragnarok and the fall of the Shinra Corporation?These questions and many more will be examined and answered by award-winning community author M. J. Gallagher. Suitable for newcomers and enthusiasts alike.This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or person involved in creating or producing Final Fantasy®, the videogames, films, or publications.

    Who will win the competition for the best answers? Who will outsmart everyone?Laugh and learn with 160+ questions designed to make kids giggle, think, and figure out who's the wittiest (and silliest) of all! Would You Rather? Made You Think! Edition provides endless hours of fun for eight- to twelve-year-olds who love a challenge--and a good laugh.Would You Rather? Made You Think! features:- Learning through play. Kids will exercise their brains with these either/or scenarios that make them think creatively, use their imagination, and pull together facts quickly. - Family time away from screens. 160+ age-appropriate questions, ranging from the mind-boggling to the totally gross. - An exciting game for competitive kids. Try to outsmart family and friends with the most creative answer. - Levels organized by difficulty. As kids complete the levels, the next questions get harder. - Lots of laughs! The questions are funny; kids can make the answers even funnier! - Perfect for road trips, camping trips, restaurants, sleepovers, and dinner conversations. - Classroom fun. These questions can be used to increase student engagement, practice reading and writing comprehension, promote critical thinking skills, and create a fun classroom environment!

    Complete with easy-to-follow, accessible instructions, Düngeonmeister also includes funny jokes and hilarious asides that will take your campaign (or your next gathering) to the next level!

    This localization of the original Japanese publication holds nearly 300 pages of colorful pixel art, and is an invaluable addition to any Final Fantasy fan's collection.

    It includes:The Monster Approaches... Create your own terrible foe with this monster generator. Determine appearance, behavior, abilities, goal and strange habits for your new friend.Roads to Damnation. Simple rules for overland travel, including distances, road encounters, village types and destinations.Eat Prey Kill. Rules for hunting for food (or sport). Also 54 fully statted monsters, 6 for each major area of the dying world.The Death Ziggurat. A delve into the ruins of a lost temple city where something is awakening. A descent into undead madness. A Cosmic Necrocrawl at the end of time. The Death Ziggurat is a short adventure about postponing the inevitable.d100 Items & Trinkets. What can be scored in the darkest of cellars and the rucksacks of the fallen? Use this list of keepsakes and trinkets to find out.The Goblin Grinder. The streets of Galgenbeck are overrun with goblins, turning burgher and pauper alike into their own cursed kin. But not to worry! For a low cost, a local chemist can whip up a cure. Until the price rises anyway. Risks? Of course not, it's tested and guaranteed to work! A cursed urban slaughterfest of an adventure about plagues, panic and profit.The Tenebrous Reliquary. A d66 table of terrible treasures. The Volt Thrower and the Plasmatic Idol. The Cauldron of Lies and the Zodiac Lung. Tyrant's Tongue and the Foehammer.The Grey Galth Inn. Welcome to this fine (ish) establishment in the bad part of Galgenbeck where you can eat, drink and hope to multiply your coins with a game of Three Dead Skulls.The Tablets of Ochre Obscurity. Ancient, sought-after clay tablets containing Powers that only the most enlightened mystic (or forlorn philosopher) can hope to wield.Four additional classes: The shapeshifting Cursed Skinwalker, the alien Pale One, the blasphemous Dead God's Prophet and the despondent Forlorn Philosopher. MÖRK BORG is designed by Pelle Nilsson (Ockult Örtmästare Games) and Johan Nohr (Stockholm Kartell), published by Free League Publishing.

    

    Why say "Mama is really mad" when you can say she "threw a hissy fit"? This book has some examples of colorful Southern words to help folks learn the alphabet the way it should be heard.

    Speaking with insight and candor about their creative practices as well as their politics and passions, these influential and innovative game makers tell stories about their lives and inspirations, the challenges they face, and the ways they understand their places within the wider terrain of video game culture. Their insights go beyond typical conversations about LGBTQ representation in video games or how to improve “diversity” in digital media. Instead, they explore queer game-making practices, the politics of queer independent video games, how queerness can be expressed as an aesthetic practice, the influence of feminist art on their work, and the future of queer video games and technology. These engaging conversations offer a portrait of an influential community that is subverting and redefining the medium of video games by placing queerness front and center. Interviewees: Ryan Rose Aceae, Avery Alder, Jimmy Andrews, Santo Aveiro-Ojeda, Aevee Bee, Tonia B******, Mattie Brice, Nicky Case, Naomi Clark, Mo Cohen, Heather Flowers, Nina Freeman, Jerome Hagen, Kat Jones, Jess Marcotte, Andi McClure, Llaura McGee, Seanna Musgrave, Liz Ryerson, Elizabeth Sampat, Loren Schmidt, Sarah Schoemann, Dietrich Squinkifer, Kara Stone, Emilia Yang, Robert Yang

    Games work in the medium of agency. Game designers tell us who to be and what to care about during the game. Game designers sculpt alternate agencies, and game players submerge themselves in those alternate agencies. Thus, the fact that we play games demonstratesthe fluidity of our own agency. We can throw ourselves, for a little while, into a different and temporary motivations.This volume presents a new theory of games which insists on their unique value. C. Thi Nguyen argues that games are an integral part our systems of communication and our art. Games sculpt our practical activities, allowing us to experience the beauty of our own actions and reasoning. Bridgingaesthetics and practical reasoning, he gives an account of the special motivational structure involved in playing games. When we play games, we can pursue a goal, not for its own value, but for the value of the struggle. Thus, playing games involves a motivational inversion from normal life. Weadopt an interest in winning temporarily, so we can experience the beauty of the struggle. Games offer us a temporary experience of life under utterly clear values, in a world engineered to fit to our abilities and goals.Games also let us to experience forms of agency we might never have developed on our own. Games, it turns out, are a special technique for communication. They are a technology that lets us record and transmit forms of agency. Our games form a library of agency and we can explore that library todevelop our autonomy. Games use temporary restrictions to force us into new postures of agency.

    Yet this industry generates billions in revenue by thinking creatively about digital distribution, free-to-play content, and phenomena like e-sports and live streaming. What lessons can we draw from its major successes and failures about the future of entertainment?One Up offers a pioneering empirical analysis of innovation and strategy in the video game industry to explain how it has evolved from a fringe activity to become a mainstream form of entertainment. Joost van Dreunen, a widely recognized industry expert with over twenty years of experience, analyzes how game makers, publishers, and platform holders have tackled strategic challenges to make the video game industry what it is today. Using more than three decades of rigorously compiled industry data, he demonstrates that video game companies flourish when they bring the same level of creativity to business strategy that they bring to game design. Filled with case studies of companies such as Activision Blizzard, Apple, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Microsoft, Nexon, Sony, Take-Two Interactive, Tencent, and Valve, this book forces us to rethink common misconceptions around the emergence of digital and mobile gaming. One Up is required reading for investors, creatives, managers, and anyone looking to learn about the major drivers of change and growth in contemporary entertainment.

    The Spiritfarer Digital Art Book chronicles the artistic journey of Spiritfarer® the cozy management game about dying, of our small team of artists and how we ended up making what became Thunder Lotus’ most ambitious game ever.

    Ready to go beyond the basics? Expand the limits of what's possible with the Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide! This 272-page Pathfinder Second Edition rulebook contains exciting new rules options for player characters, adding even more depth of choice to your Pathfinder game! Inside you will find brand new ancestries, heritages, and four new classes: the shrewd investigator, the mysterious oracle, the daring swashbuckler, and the hex-slinging witch! The must-have Advanced Player's Guide also includes exciting new options for all your favorite Core Rulebook classes and tons of new backgrounds, general feats, spells, items, and 40 flexible archetypes to customize your play experience even further!

    In the outside world, people grow increasingly alienated from their own identities, trapped in a miasma of advertising and corporate branding. Isolated from civilization, this summer camp is a beacon of safety, a refuge for misfit kids defined by their marginalization. As time pushes past and the world grows older, this camp also shelters the survivors of the Lindworm.The Lindworm is a shapeshifter, or so the stories go; a creature that flays the skin of humans and hides within. As counselors of this summer camp, you’ve each been traumatized by the Lindworm, in your own ways. You remember little of that time.Just that you don’t want anyone else to experience it either, and you’ll keep this camp safe no matter what.

    Super Fun Family Card Games is bursting with all kinds of easy-to-learn, enjoyable, and challenging games that are perfect for family game nights.Shuffle up your evening with hundreds of hours worth of engaging, screen-free fun that every member of the family can get in on! This giant collection of card games features everything from all-time classics to schoolyard favorites to beloved solo-play options. There are even handy tips for making sure your game nights are a big success!Inside Super Fun Family Card Games you’ll find: 75 Delightful card games—From Crazy Eights and Spider Solitaire to Speed and Rummy, this comprehensive collection makes it easy to find something new to play. All ages, any number of players—Get action-packed games that are perfect for the whole family, including young children, teens, and adults. Easy-to-understand instructions—Learn each game in no time with the help of simple and complete instructions that include helpful pictures. Take family fun to the next level with Super Fun Family Card Games!

    You watch as the copper snakes twist and turn around the lock that keeps students like you out. But you’ve been left with no choice. Your barn owl hoots softly upon your shoulder as you raise your wand to the knob and whisper the unspoken words.Kids on Brooms is a collaborative role-playing game about taking on the life of a witch or wizard at a magical school you all attend- a place full of mystery, danger, and thrilling adventure. From dealing with strict professors to facing down mythical beasts, players will get the opportunity to ride brooms, brew potions, and cast powerful magic as they uncover the incredible secrets their school and its inhabitants hold. Built using the ENnie Award-Winning Kids on Bikes framework, it is a rules-light, narrative-first storytelling game perfect for new players and gaming veterans alike! - Create your own unique magical school for witches and wizards! - Face down fantastical beasts, search for school secrets, and make sure you hand your homework in on time! - Wield wands, ride brooms, brew potions, and cast powerful spells! - Tell your own stories filled with magical adventure using the Kids on Bikes framework for rules-light, narrative-first storytelling!

    This 256-page Pathfinder Second Edition rulebook contains a wealth of new information, tools, and rules systems to add to your game. Inside you will find handy advice for building your own adventures, designing towns, and creating vibrant characters alongside rules systems for dramatic chases, thrilling tournaments, and deadly duels. This book also includes more 40 pages of sample nonplayer characters, from the simple town guard to the vile cultist, presented to make your job as GM that much easier!

    Cortex Prime is the newest version of this much-loved set of game rules, refined and redesigned for a new, digitally-supported generation. Orc revolutionaries in love! Giant-sized mythic mecha! Swashbuckling cats in the far future! Hard-boiled and haunted police detectives! Whether you’re a fan of genres and genre mash-ups covering the full spectrum of RPG worlds and settings, or you’re just looking for a tabletop game system you can customize to your own specifications, Cortex Prime is primed for you.

    Packed with colorful illustrations and reader-friendly descriptions, as well as plenty of on- and off-page activities, the Sign Language for Kids Activity Book will help you feel comfortable and confident signing in no time!The Sign Language for Kids Activity Book shows you how to communicate nonverbally through easy-to-follow diagrams of more than 180 signs, plus the signed alphabet and numbers 1-100. You’ll master conversation basics, including commonly used phrases and everyday vocabulary. Then, you can try your hand at fun and unique exercises, games, and puzzles that will help you put together sentences, practice grammar, improve your memory of signs, and become the best signer you can be.Sign Language for Kids Activity Book includes:ASL in art―Illustrated diagrams and descriptions guide you through 180 signs for basic nouns, verbs, and adjectives for topics such as home, school, foods, and more.Say anything―Express yourself with helpful grammar practices in the Sign Language for Kids Activity Book, designed to teach you how to construct ASL sentences for conversations.Sign on―The Sign Language for Kids Activity Book gives you hands-on practice with 50 exercises, practice prompts, games, and activities designed to make signing and reading signs easy for anyone.Learn to communicate in a whole new way with the Sign Language for Kids Activity Book.

    Go find them on a frozen moon full of hostiles and get it done on the eve of war.Nothing you couldn't handle.But what those bastards stole - and how the hell it got inside them - is another thing altogether. It's all above your paygrade, marine - but somehow you're the one who's got to deal with it.Of course, now there's an invasion fleet incoming, and there's something else, too - something much worse. Something out there hates you - hate everyone. Something big and ugly. Something with metal teeth - and you're pretty sure it ain't alone.Yeah, the mission was supposed to be a simple manhunt. Instead it turned out to be just another glorious day in the corps.Destroyer of Worlds is a complete Cinematic scenario for the Alien roleplaying game, written by sci-fi novelist Andrew E.C. Gaska. In Destroyer of Worlds, player's take on the roles of Colonial Marines. The scenario is designed for 3-5 players plus the Game Mother, and it's gauntlet of one hell after another. Expect it to take at least three sessions to complete. This boxed set contains:-The main Destroyer of Worlds scenario book-A huge double-sided map (format 864x558mm) with Ariarcus colony on one side and the Fort Nebraska space elevator ground base on the other-Seven pre-generated characters to choose from-Custom cards for weapons, vehicles, and personal agendas-Player maps and handoutsNote: The Alien RPG core rulebook or the Alien RPG Starter Set is required to play Destroyer of Worlds.

    In Gamification Marketing For Dummies, you'll learn to use this proven strategy to capture the attention of your target markets and boost your results using valuable gamification data.Games are fun! That's why gamification is so successful--customers will jump at the chance to play and win your custom-developed marketing game. You'll connect with your customers and create lasting memories. Whether or not you are digitally savvy, this book will teach you the basics of gamification, from choosing the right game to capturing the user behavior data that the game generates.Use games to increase customer engagement and marketing results Learn how to choose or commission the right games for your market Plan and execute a successful gamification strategy Learn from data generated inside your game for valuable market insights From simple strategies like customer loyalty programs to complex, branded, social game apps, this book will point in the direction of gamification that works for you.

    Now, over two decades later, Keighley returns to Valve for The Final Hours of Half-Life: Alyx. This 25,000 word multimedia experience gives readers an unprecedented and unvarnished look at the past decade inside Valve. From the revelation of surprising canceled projects to never-before-seen images, photos and video, The Final Hours dissects Valve’s creative process and candidly explores the development history of Half-Life: Alyx.This interactive storybook does not use or require a virtual reality headset. It merges a 25,000 word traditional story with 3D video game technology to give customers a fly-on-the-wall perspective of Valve’s creative process. FEATURES INCLUDE:*INTERACTIVE “TONER” PUZZLES: Unlock never-before-seen concept art and images via interactive puzzles inspired by Half-Life: Alyx*NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PROTOTYPES: From early video prototypes of Alyx to other cancelled games, Valve reveals unknown – and unreleased – projects.*HEADCRAB SOUND MIXER: Create your own headcrab sound effects using the same source files as the development team.*DEVELOPMENT FLOOR EXPERIENCE: Explore the Valve office with an interactive 3D tour that showcases the development area for Half-Life: Alyx.*VALVE TIME: An interactive timeline details Valve’s software and hardware projects over the past decade – including previously unknown projects.*RHYS DARBY: Exclusive interview with Rhys Darby (“Russell”), one of the stars of Half-Life: Alyx

    Swamp Nagas and Magma Octopuses.Sasquatch and Shriekbats.Walled Horrors and Wraith Bears.Keep your players surprised, entertained, and terrified with all-new opponents they've never seen before-and won't be expected.

    They had not seen each other for many years. Their owners had grown up and moved out of their childhood home, separating Samantha and Stacey. They sat collecting dust, waiting for new children to play with them.Will Samantha and Stacey ever see each other again? Will they remain lonely forever just like other old, forgotten toys in the world?

    

    All about adventure gaming, you know, that niche of tabletop roleplaying games that’s also called OSR. KNOCK! is not the kind of magazine you flip through and throw in the recycling bin. It will set up shop on your bookshelf, between your collectible AD&D books and your favourite old school rulesets. It’ll take quite a few sittings by the fire with your drink of choice to go through. And years from now, you’ll pull it up for inspiration when prepping a game.

    An introverted artist’s hermitage upon a private space station is interrupted by a multi-limbed alien intent on absorbing him. A woman stalked by a sadistic killer through an apocalyptic landscape decides to make one last defiant stand against her tormentor, or become his next work of living art.And many more stories…Featuring works by: Scotty Milder, Michelle Tang, Amelia Gorman, S.R. Miller, Jude Reid, Maggie Slater, J.C. Martinez, Richard Beauchamp, P.L. McMillan, M.J. Mars, Jay Wilburn, Eric J. Guignard.

    But losing something makes you feel worse than getting the same thing makes you feel good. So finding $10 is a thrill; losing $10 is a tragedy. On an "intensity of feeling" scale, loss is more intense than gain. This is the core psychological concept of loss aversion, and in this book game creator Geoffrey Engelstein explains, with examples from both tabletop and video games, how it can be a tool in game design. Loss aversion is a profound aspect of human psychology, and directly relevant to game design; it is a tool the game designer can use to elicit particular emotions in players. Engelstein connects the psychology of loss aversion to a range of phenomena related to games, exploring, for example, the endowment effect--why, when an object is ours, it gains value over an equivalent object that is not ours--as seen in the Weighted Companion Cube in the game Portal; the framing of gains and losses to manipulate player emotions; Deal or No Deal's use of the utility theory; and regret and competence as motivations, seen in the context of legacy games. Finally, Engelstein examines the approach to Loss Aversion in three games by Uwe Rosenberg, charting the designer's increasing mastery.

    D&D is now popularly considered to be the first role-playing game. But in the original rules, the term "role-playing" is nowhere to be found; D&D was marketed as a wargame. In The Elusive Shift, Jon Peterson describes how players and scholars in the D&D community began to apply the term to D&D and similar games--and by doing so, established a new genre of games.Peterson examines key essays by D&D early adopters, rescuing from obscurity many first published in now-defunct fanzines. He traces the evolution of D&D theorizing, as writers attempted to frame problems, define terms, and engage with prior literature. He describes the two cultures of wargames and science fiction fandom that provided D&D's first players; examines the dialogue at the core of the game; explains how game design began to accommodate role-playing; and considers the purpose of the referee or gamesmaster. By 1977, game scholars and critics began to theorize more systematically, and Peterson explores their discussions of the transformative nature of role-playing games, their responsibility to a mass audience, and other topics. Peterson finds that the foundational concepts defined in the 1970s helped theorize role-playing, laying the foundation for the genre's shift into maturity in the 1980s.

    As our popular understanding of "gamer" shifts beyond its historical construction as a white, straight, adolescent, cisgender male, the troubles that emerge both confirm and challenge our understanding of identity politics. In Gamer Trouble, Amanda Phillips excavates the turbulent relationships between surface and depth in contemporary gaming culture, taking readers under the hood of the mechanisms of video games in order to understand the ways that difference gets baked into its technological, ludic, ideological, and social systems.By centering the insights of queer and women of color feminisms in readings of online harassment campaigns, industry animation practices, and popular video games like Portal and Mass Effect, Phillips adds essential analytical tools to our conversations about video games. She embraces the trouble that attends disciplinary crossroads, linking the violent hate speech of trolls and the representational practices marginalizing people of color, women, and queers in entertainment media to the dehumanizing logic undergirding computation and the optimization strategies of gameplay. From the microcosmic level of electricity and flicks of a thumb to the grand stages of identity politics and global capitalism, wherever gamers find themselves, gamer trouble follows. As reinvigorated forms of racism, sexism, and homophobia thrive in games and gaming communities, Phillips follows the lead of those who have been making good trouble all along, agitating for a better world.

    African-Americans flee the oppressive South for greener pastures, creating a new culture in Harlem. The music of Fats Waller and Duke Ellington pours out of the city’s windows, while women in stylish skirts and silk stockings, and men in white gloves and Chesterfield coats crowd the sidewalks. There’s a feeling of possibility in the air, like never before.But, even in this land of promise, Harlem is a powder keg, ready to explode. While classes and cultures collide, the horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos lurk beneath the streets, creeping through dark alleys and hidden doorways to infect the hopes and aspirations of the unwary.Can you hold it together and keep the terrors at bay for one more song?

    It presents a model for analyzing game design in terms of three interconnected levels--mechanics and systems, gameplay, and player experience--and explains how novice game designers can use these three levels as a framework to guide their design process. The text is notable for emphasizing models and vocabulary used in industry practice and focusing on the design of games as dynamic systems of gameplay.The book first introduces the core model and framework for analyzing and designing games. It then discusses the three levels in detail, explaining player experience and identifying design goals; introducing low-level structural analysis of gameplay in terms of basic mechanics; describing how mechanics build up into systems; and presenting concepts for understanding gameplay, defined as the dynamic behavior of players when they interact with mechanics and systems. Finally, the book offers students advice on creating game prototypes using an iterative, user-centered process. Each chapter offers a set of exercises for individuals and design challenges for groups.

    1 (A-L), covers the first half of the NES library in exhaustive and engaging detail. More than 350 games are featured, including such iconic titles asCastlevania, Donkey Kong, Double Dragon, Duck Hunt, Final Fantasy, and The Legend of Zelda. Each game, whether obscure or mainstream, is given the spotlight. In addition to thorough gameplay descriptions, the book includes reviews, memories, historical data, quotes from vintage magazines, and, best of all, nostalgic stories about many of the games from programmers, authors, YouTube celebs, and other industry insiders. The book also features more than 2,000 full-color images, including box art, screenshots, and vintage ads.

    Digital games alone engage an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide as of 2020, and other forms of gaming, such as board games, role playing, escape rooms, and puzzles, command an ever-expanding audience. At the same time, “gamification”—the application of game mechanics to traditionally nongame spheres, such as personal health and fitness, shopping, habit tracking, and more—has imposed unprecedented levels of competition, repetition, and quantification on daily life.   Drawing from his own experience as a game designer, Patrick Jagoda argues that games need not be synonymous with gamification. He studies experimental games that intervene in the neoliberal project from the inside out, examining a broad variety of mainstream and independent games, including StarCraft, Candy Crush Saga, Stardew Valley, Dys4ia, Braid, and Undertale. Beyond a diagnosis of gamification, Jagoda imagines ways that games can be experimental—not only in the sense of problem solving, but also the more nuanced notion of problem making that embraces the complexities of our digital present. The result is a game-changing book on the sociopolitical potential of this form of mass entertainment.

    If you're a girl, and you grow up, do you "play like a woman"--whatever that means? In this provocative and enlightening book, Shira Chess urges us to play like feminists. Furthermore, she urges us to play video games like feminists. Playing like a feminist is empowering and disruptive; it exceeds the boundaries of gender yet still advocates for gender equality. Playing like a feminist offers a new way to think about how humans play --and also a new way to think about how feminists do their feministing. Chess argues that feminism need video games as much as video games need feminism.Video games, Chess tells us, are primed for change. Roughly half of all players identify as female, and Gamergate galvanized many of gaming's disenfranchised voices. Games themselves are in need of a creative platform-expanding, metaphysical explosion; feminism can make games better. Chess reflects on the importance of play, and playful protest, and how feminist video games can help us rethink the ways that we tell stories. She proposes "Women's Gaming Circles"--which would function like book clubs for gaming--as a way for feminists to take back play. (An appendix offers a blueprint for organizing a gaming circle.) Play and games can be powerful. Chess's goal is for all of us--regardless of gender orientation, ethnicity, ability, social class, or stance toward feminism--to spend more time playing as a tool of radical disruption.

    Without the physical strength to dominate rivals or to endure the hardships of Necromunda, a Goliath is nothing. They were created as a slave race to work the refineries and forges of Necromunda and toil in places where even hardy Necromundans could not survive. While the members of the clan are practically abhuman in their size and strength, only fools underestimate their resourcefulness and low cunning. It was the folly of their creators, who believed the Goliaths could be kept docile and ignorant though genetic meddling, that allowed elements of the clan to gain their independence.Get the ultimate guide to the youngest of the six clan houses on Necromunda. This 160-page hardback book features the definitive history of the House and rules for fielding the six different types of fighters available to House Goliath – Forge Tyrants, Forge Bosses, Stimmers, Forge-born, Bruisers and Bullies. It is ideal for fans of House Goliath or anyone who wants to delve deeper into the dark side of the underhive.Inside this book, you will find:- House Goliath History and Background: an expansive and extensive background on the House Goliath, includes a timeline of the development of House Goliath over three millennia.- House Goliath Gang List: includes all the rules you need to know in order to field a Goliath Gang in games of Necromunda.- Hangers-on and Brutes: includes rules for hiring Hangers-on and Brutes, including Goliath-specific ones, for your Gang.- Hired Guns: includes rules for using Bounty Hunters, House Agents, and Hive Scum.- Strong Alliances: includes rules for using and forming alliances with three other organisations within Necromunda that House Goliath has connections with, including the Slave Guild, the Narco Guild and House Greim – the Noble House that backs Goliath.- Additional Rules: this section includes new and additional rules usable by House Goliath gangs in games of Necromunda, providing Goliath players a variety of new options, including Skills, Abilities, Gang-specific terrain.- Slave Ogryn Gang History and Background, and Gang List: contains a brief background section on the Slave Ogryn Gang, along with all the rules required to field a Slave Ogryn Gang.- Weapon Reference Chart: contains a comprehensive weapons reference chart for all weapons and wargear available to House Goliath and their Allies.- House Goliath Gang Tactics: contains a D66 table of Goliath Gang Tactics for use in Scenarios.- Dramatis Personae: includes rules for hiring and using six brand new Dramatis Personae characters in your games of Necromunda.This is an expansion to Necromunda – the Necromunda Rulebook is required to use the contents of this book.

    The little mermaid finding her voice. Alice struggling with the madness of a place unruled by the laws of reality. The queen. The child. The woodsman. The knight. When you think about fairy tales, who do you become? Where does your imagination take you?Fairy tales tap into myth and archetype, exploring the fundamental nature of the mind and of human experience. They’re filled with magic that’s big, bold, unexpected, and wondrous—and characters who, despite humble roots or broken foundations, achieve feats just as grand.Run one-shots based on traditional stories or those of your own devising. Or build entire campaigns that take the fairy tale concept in whole new directions.We Are All Mad Here is a setting and supplement for the Cypher System. It requires the Cypher System Rulebook for play.

    

    Yet some noble work remains to be done before the end. They come on, knowing that anything left undone, any chance let slide cannot be paid forward. Their game bags are heavy with a wealth meant to nourish the reader through the leanest of times. Four tales of a once-and-future apocalypse. Two meditations to challenge you to play harder in an already hard world. Introduced by Misha Burnett. Some say they are other than human; they are the penultimate men.

    Demacia is mourning. And in the eyes of Garen Crownguard, it’s his fault.But can he rise to the challenge when Demacia needs him again?While on a peacetime expedition beyond the borders of Demacia, Garen, Quinn, and the Dauntless Vanguard uncover a plot that threatens to destroy long-standing alliances. As the knight-ranger Quinn tries to get word back to Demacia, Garen and his comrades make a desperate last stand. How long can they last, and at what cost?

    No forgiveness. No respite. There is only war.The galaxy writhes in the mailed fist of all-consuming conflict. The Imperium of Mankind teeters on the brink of annihilation, beset upon all sides by heretic warlords, daemon-summoning witches and rapacious alien empires. In every star system and upon every planet, fierce battle rages as loyalists, heretics and aliens tear reality itself apart in their war for dominance. Every day the flames rise higher.This is a more terrible era than ever before, and there is no peace amongst the stars...The BookA 368-page hardback, this is the essential book for any fan of Warhammer 40,000 – everything you need to know to collect, build, paint and play with Citadel miniatures.It starts with an overview of the Warhammer 40,000 hobby, covering the four areas of Collect, Built, Paint and Play, including descriptions of open, matched, and narrative play.Dark ImperiumIn the first of the book’s huge lore sections, you can read all about the state of the galaxy after the Cicatrix Maledictum – the Great Rift – tore open across the galaxy, dividing the Imperium in two. Humanity faces its greatest challenge in more than ten millennia as the forces of Chaos run rampant across the reeling Imperium even as alien warlords seek to take advantage of the untold devastation wrought upon the Emperor’s realm.A gatefold also includes an ornate depiction of the planets and the Sol System, as well as a map of the entire galaxy, calling out key war zones so you can see where the action hot spots are currently situated. Dark Imperium continues by covering in brief the Imperium's military wings, its bureaucratic institutions and even its other, more clandestine organisations…As you read on, you'll learn more about the constant flux of the Imperium's borders and gain insight into the Imperial Creed's attitude towards abhumans, psykers and, worst of all, mutants and heretics!Lastly, Dark Imperium provides a brief overview of the four Dark Gods of Chaos – including their immortal daemonic legions, sycophantic followers and dread mortal champions – as an ever-present threat to the Imperium.The Saga ImperialisUpon delving into the next part of the lore, you'll enjoy a high-level overview of the history of Mankind, from its very beginnings, through the early Ages of Terra and Technology, the Ages of Strife and Darkness, all the way up to the Age of the Imperium in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy. It continues to reveal the events of the Age of the Dark Imperium and the Gathering Storm in the time before the Great Rift tore open – and the Age of Witches that followed during the Psychic Awakening. Finally, it lays the foundations of the Indomitus Crusade, following the reborn Primarch Roboute Guilliman's visitation with his father, the Emperor, on Holy Terra.As you continue, you’ll glean insights into the Imperium's stance against the Alien – covering the Orks, the T'au Empire, the Aeldari, the Necrons and the extragalactic Tyranids – the Daemon and the Heretic.Bringing this section to a close are four short pieces of fiction, which bring the grim reality of the Era Indomitus to life in incredible detail.The Warriors of the Emperor, The Lost and The Damned and Xenos InvadersThese sections cover every faction in Warhammer 40,000 and will offer you an in-depth understanding of each one, the threat they pose and their place in the galaxy. There is also a stunning miniatures showcase for each faction, depicting them as they would appear in battle and with narrative descriptions.The RulesThe first section of the core rules covers the basic rules of the game, and takes you through the rules that apply to the seven phases of the game: the Command phase, Movement phase, Psychic phase, Shooting phase, Charge phase, Combat phase and Morale phase.Additional rules also cover:- Playing missions and the process of building an army in readiness, using either Power Rating or points values- Battle-forged and Unbound armies, as well Command points that Battle-forged Armies can utilise- Battlefield Roles and 11 types of Detachment that can be included in your armies- Seven Core Stratagems that are universal and available to every army in Warhammer 40,000- Strategic Reserves – the option to hold back units during deployment and even send them to outflank the enemy line- Actions – such as planting explosives, hacking into a databank, or performing a ritual – and how they can be performed (and in some cases, prevented)- Rules for terrain features, such as Hills, Obstacles, Area Terrain and Buildings, including traits the terrain might have and its impact on the battlefield- Hints and tips for setting up a suitable battlefield, in terms of density and type of terrain, type of terrain, and ensuring that neither side of the battlefield is preferential to the otherOpen PlayLet your imagination run wild, as open play caters for reenacting every kind of narrative storyline or tactical challenge you can think of, without restrictions. This section centres around the Open Hostility Mission Pack – a 12-step guide to setting up and playing an open play game through to a conclusion and determining a victor. Includes the following:- Guidance on mustering armies, determining missions, creating the battlefield and a host of other key points to playing a game- Three bespoke open play missionsMatched PlayDesigned to put both players on an equal footing, matched play offers both players an even chance of victory, leaving it to your own mastery of army selection and tactics to earn you the advantage in battle. This section features an Eternal War Mission Pack – a 16-step guide to setting up and playing a matched play game through to a conclusion and determining a victor. Includes the following:- Guidance on selecting battle size, mustering armies, determining missions, creating the battlefield, selecting Secondary Objectives and a host of other key points to playing a game- 18 bespoke matched play missions, each specifically designed around the size of the game being played: three for Combat Patrol, six for Incursion, six for Strike Force, three for Onslaught- Secondary Objectives, featuring a list of 17 different Secondary Objectives that players can choose from, split over five separate categoriesNarrative PlayCrusade is a new way to play games of Warhammer 40,000. It allows you to take a collection of miniatures and, taking them on a Crusade, level up your units over any number of games, against any number of opponents, forging your own narrative for your miniatures collection as they engage with their enemies on the battlefields of the 41st Millenium. Over your Crusade games, will you be able to grow your army, gain experience and skills, and modify your weaponry. Though you may start off with a small band of inexperienced warriors, you can create an elite fighting force that is renowned and feared across the galaxy!Includes the following:- How to gather a Crusade force, and how it gains experience and levels up over its series of games- A balancing mechanic to allow for any two Crusade forces, from the greenest band of soldiers to the most legendary squad of battle brothers to be able to play an evenly matched game of Warhammer 40,000- Blank, photocopiable Crusade Cards and Order of Battle sheet for keeping track of your forces.- Four tables of Battle Honours – Battle Traits, Weapon Enhancements, Psychic Fortitudes and Crusade Relics – each offering different in-game bonuses and effects that the unit has earned through numerous hard-fought battles- A Battle Scars table for those units who fail to emerge from their battles unscathed…- Guidance on setting up and playing a Crusade narrative play game through to a conclusion, determining a victor, and updating your Crusade Cards and Order of Battle- A list of 17 different Agendas that players can choose from, split over five separate categories.- 18 bespoke Crusade missions, each specifically designed around the size of the game being played: three for Combat Patrol, six for Incursion, six for Strike Force, three for Onslaught.Rules AppendixA handy reference section that includes the following:- Designer's Commentary from rules designer Robin Cruddace- An alphabetised list of 174 existing weapons that gain the benefit of the Blast special rule- An alphabetised list of 22 existing miniatures/datasheets that gain the Aircraft keyword- A summary synopsis of 14 rarer rules/interactions that don't often arise in games, but are important to keep a note of- A Rules Terms Glossary, which provides precise and exacting definitions of 142 separate rules terms to aid in resolving more complex rules interactions

    One day, he sees the strange man living next door leaving in a panicked hurry, offering one brusque warning!The Greenery Has Come AgainBy PAUL LUCASJames's childhood home is no longer his own, and returning proves an uncanny experience as the mystery surrounding the giant tree his mother named Yggdrasil blooms like the greenwood itself!Mission 21By SCHUYLER HERNSTROMCodename Joker: he's the best at what he does-wet works ops against the reptilian aliens that eat human flesh! Can he keep his perfect record when a bystander gets caught in the crossfire?!Sail SafeBy VONNIE WINSLOW CRISTAt Port Crystal, the facility director's daughter is...not her daughter! Can Radko Urban get Sally Brogan, who was kidnapped as an embryo, off the station before they're both made?!Shakespeare Among the Stars By JILL HANDLured onto a space cruise by romantic letters from a handsome holo actor that turned out to be part of a marketing campaign, Kivrin has run out of money and is stuck working the waste tanks! How I Spent My Summer Vacation By TONY BEAULIEUA young girl's parents die mysteriously while investigating a strange book: The All Story! When Paige Hamil finds her parents' notes and The All Story, Valvidian Corp agents aren't far behind! Shallow Ripples By LAUREN E REYNOLDSPolluted yet picturesque, the streams and creeks near Andy and Joey's small town attract their fair share of partying teens despite the disturbing rumors and legends-and deaths! Scent of the Yaka Aka Yo By J. MANFRED WEICHSEL Three castaways find themselves on a mysteriousisland inhabited almost entirely by women... and their strange king who condemns the men to death by the sinister Yaka Aka Yo! The Fourth Gift By DAVID SKINNERBaltasar, one of Ulrik's many Menders, diligently performs his task of recreating the Solar System-until a mysterious anomaly forming around the Moon threatens the outcome of the Plan! The Sarcomancer By DONALD JACOB UITVLUGTZain, priest of the old gods, continues his trek across Leng in search of his brother and comes across a destitute village that has been deprived of its young by a mad flesh-crafting sorcerer! The Last Day in Iram By JAMES HUTCHINGSYou have had a vision that the city of Iram is doomed! The paranoid sultan is privy to the same portents, but refuses to allow any to leave the city-will you escape before the end comes?!

    Why? What’s the significance of the cargo or the destination? Nobody knows—but don’t get in its way!Like a hermit crab seeking out empty shells, the kalyptein crab makes its home in ancient devices. It often gains unexpected and powerful abilities from its dwelling, making it an unpredictable foe.The silvery liquid namnesis communicates by swapping memories—literally stealing those of its target while implanting its own startling thoughts. It changes form rapidly, even splitting into multiple attackers, and can sometimes steal a character’s abilities to use against them. . . .Add an element of the truly unexpected to your Fifth Edition game with this fantastic assortment of science-fantasy creatures born in the Ninth World—the award-winning, critically acclaimed setting created by legendary game designer Monte Cook.Beasts of Flesh and Steel contains:140 fascinating, dangerous new monsters that bring a science-fantasy element to your encounters. Beware the carnivorous color, a predator unlike anything from our dimension; the awakened ruin that breaks from its original location to prowl the landscape; and the shadowy clicker, which hunts any creature that makes sound.CRs ranging from 1 to 25—so you always have loads of challenges for parties at every level.Stunning artwork that shows off each of these weird and wondrous creatures, and a convenient layout that makes this book uniquely easy to use in prep and at the game table.A complete bestiary with everything you need to bring these monsters to your game table. These creatures complement Arcana of the Ancients, but you don’t need that book to use this one. Add these creatures to any 5e game!

    Sure, we might see tweets when a game launches about how nice a female character's big arse is, or we might giggle at GIFs of farts from time to time, but how often do we as lovers of interactive media stop to really think about the meaning of the butt?How often do we take some time out of our day to really think about the lore implications of Skull Kid from Majora's Mask shaking his booty, and what that tells us about his chances of redemption, or Miranda from Mass Effect, and the fact that her perfect cheeks are actually a sad reminder of her predestined upbringing? Probably not often enough.As an author, I have dedicated years of my career to the study of posteriors, from the large to the small, the formless to the toned, and in this book I hope to bring the fruits of that research to you. By the time we're done, you should hopefully know the difference between a but that's attractive for attractiveness sake, and one that's actually narratively informative, telling us something of worth about the person it belongs to, or the world it inhabits.

    We truly are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking something to play, and that dizzying degree of choice is growing by the day. Even so, there are a great many video games which have sadly never seen the light of day for a variety of reasons – and many of these have incredible mysteries and gripping tales attached to them, both unsolved and untold. The Games That Weren't aims to lift the lid on these stories and give these unknown titles a chance to shine – even if we weren't able to actually play them as their developers intended.Giving an illustrated snapshot of a wide range of unreleased games between the years of 1975 and 2015 and covering systems from the Atari 2600 right up to the Sony PlayStation 4, The Games That Weren't is the biggest book Bitmap Books has ever created and includes titles across a variety of arcade, home computer, console, handheld and mobile platforms. Years in the making, it's packed to bursting point with exclusive content, in-depth interviews and much more besides.Many of these lost classics are expanded upon in exceptional detail, with those involved with their design and development sharing their untold stories and recollections – as well as shedding some light on intriguing mysteries along the way. Assets and screenshots – some of which have never been seen until now – help illustrate the narratives, and in the case of games for which no images exist, there are specially-created artist's impressions which give a tantalising visual interpretation of what could have been.Covering more than 80 games – including Star Fox 2, Green Lantern and SimMars – across a 40-year span and packed with content such as five specially-created 'Hardware That Wasn't' blueprint pieces and interviews with industry legends such as David Crane, Jeff Minter, Matthew Smith, Dan Malone, Eugene Jarvis, Dylan Cuthbert, Andrew and Philip Oliver, Geoff Crammond, Scott Adams, Jon Hare and many more, The Games That Weren't showcases and pays tribute to well-known and not so well-known unreleased titles, as well as games you might never have heard of – until now. As if that wasn't enough, the book has been produced to the traditional high standard Bitmap Books readers have come to expect, with eye-catching fluorescent colours and high-quality binding on superb paper stock, and comes with a free digital copy so you can take it with you everywhere.While the games industry has much to celebrate, there's something uniquely captivating in looking at titles that never made it to the finish line – and The Games That Weren't will hopefully keep the memory of these failed masterpieces alive.Book specifications:644 pages, 170mm x 210mm. Lithographic print. Hardback. Sewn binding. Coloured bookmark ribbon. Special fluorescent ink throughout. Shrink wrapped.Detailed features cover games such as:Sebring (Arcade), The Last Ninja (Atari 800/130XE, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, Tandy Colour Computer 3 and ZX Spectrum 48K), Solar Jetman (Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga 500 and ZX Spectrum 128K), Chips Challenge (Nintendo Entertainment System), Green Lantern (Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, SEGA Mega Drive and Super Nintendo), Rolling Thunder (Atari Lynx), Virtual Tank (Nintendo Virtual Boy), Deathwatch (Atari Jaguar), Star Fox 2 (Super Nintendo), Ridge Racer (PC), SimMars (Apple Macintosh and PC), Half-Life (Nintendo GameCube and SEGA Dreamcast), Stunt Car Racer Pro (Microsoft Xbox, PC and Sony PlayStation 2), Eye of the Moon (Apple iOS) plus many more...

    

    Now, the buggy app has taken over his life, forcing him to leave his condo, interact with people in the real world and eat healthy to gain any gaming time.Problem is, Zack has the biggest tournament of his life coming up. The Star Fury tournament is Zack and his team's chance of going pro and making a name for themselves.Now, Zack's swapping women around like the components of his starship; trying to find the balance between love and DaEvo. Good thing Zack's a pro at gaming.But some things can't be quantified.Like love.Leveled Up Love! is a Gamelit comedy romance written by Tao Wong, author of the bestselling System Apocalypse LitRPG and A Thousand Li series, and A.G. Marshall, author of the Fairy Tale Adventures series of books.

    

    In their new world, they built a lavish manor for themselves, the fabulous Castle Amber. For a time, the Ambers flourished, their magical and military might having little equal. Then, however, jealousy and murder struck the heart of the family and the Curse of Stephen Amber descended upon the castle like a fell and heavy hand. Now, the Ambers dwell beyond space and time, imprisoned with their monstrously transformed servants and suffering under the family’s dead patriarch’s death-sent doom.It is into this mad manor that the party awakens, plucked from their home world and imprisoned in the heart of Castle Amber. To escape, the heroes must negotiate a path through the insane Amber family home, overcoming the clan’s machinations, dangerous servants, cunning traps, and bizarre phenomena. Only by finding a way to break the Curse of Stephen Amber will the party be able to return home. Failure means a lifetime of imprisonment in Castle Amber, a place where lifetimes can be very short indeed…This adventure is an homage to the original module X2: Castle Amber, written by beloved game designer Tom Moldvay in 1981 and partially inspired by the writings of acclaimed weird fiction author Clark Ashton Smith. Herein you will find high-quality scans of the original first edition adventure module, plus commentary by renowned contemporary game designers and writers. A full fifth edition conversion of the original adventure is included, as well as brand new additional adventure encounters and an expanded Castle Amber. This is the perfect old-school “funhouse dungeon” given new life for the fifth edition era. Won’t you please come in?

    Their new title, Sekiro, displays the same strengths: a demanding gameplay and a mysterious narrative.

    

    

    A humble servant from a village in the Punjab, Khan had little formal education and barely spoke English. He had learned the rules of Western chess only three years earlier, yet within a few months he created a sensation by becoming the British Empire champion. Sultan Khan was taken to England by Sir Umar Hayat Khan, an Indian nobleman and politician who used his servant's successes to promote his own interests in the turbulent years before India gained independence. Sultan Khan remained in Europe for the best part of five years, competing with the leading chess players of the era, including World Champion Alexander Alekhine and former World Champion Jose Raoul Capablanca. His unorthodox style often stunned his opponents, as Daniel King explains in his examination of the key games and tournaments in Khan's career. Daniel King has uncovered a wealth of new facts about Khan, as well as dozens of previously unknown games. For the first time he tells the full story of how Khan, a Muslim outsider, was received in Europe, of his successes in the chess world and his return to obscurity after his departure for India in 1933.

    

    For this new work, he teamed up with acclaimed theoretician International Master Richard Palliser to explore his old favourite.1 c4 remains an excellent choice for the club and tournament player. This book focuses on the set-up popularised by the sixth world champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, the so-called Botvinnik formation with 2 Nc3, 3 g3, 4 Bg2, 5 e4 and 6 Nge2. This system is compact but still aggressive and rewards an understanding of plans and strategies rather than rote memorisation of moves.In Opening Repertoire: The Iron English leading chess authors Simon Williams and Richard Palliser guide the reader through the complexities of this dynamic variation and carves out a repertoire for White. They examine all aspects of this highly complex opening and provide the reader with well-researched, fresh, and innovative analysis. Each annotated game has valuable lessons on how to play the opening and contains instructive commentary on typical middlegame plans.* A dynamic and easy-to-play repertoire for White* Complete coverage featuring several new ideas* Take your opponents out of their comfort zone!

    Unlike other books on the topic, which emphasize game development or best practices, Handbook of Game-Based Learning is based on empirical findings and grounded in psychological and learning sciences theory. The contributors, all leading researchers in the field, offer a range of perspectives, including cognitive, motivational, affective, and sociocultural. They explore research on whether (and how) computer games can help students learn educational content and academic skills; which game features (including feedback, incentives, adaptivity, narrative theme, and game mechanics) can improve the instructional effectiveness of these games; and applications, including games for learning in STEM disciplines, for training cognitive skills, for workforce learning, and for assessment. The Handbook offers an indispensable reference both for readers with practical interests in designing or selecting effective game-based learning environments and for scholars who conduct or evaluate research in the field. It can also be used in courses related to play, cognition, motivation, affect, instruction, and technology.ContributorsRoger Azevedo, Ryan S. Baker, Daphne Bavelier, Amanda E. Bradbury, Ruth C. Clark, Michele D. Dickey, Hamadi Henderson, Bruce D. Homer, Fengfeng Ke, Younsu Kim, Charles E. Kinzer, Eric Klopfer, James C. Lester, Kristina Loderer, Richard E. Mayer, Bradford W. Mott, Nicholas V. Mudrick, Brian Nelson, Frank Nguyen, V. Elizabeth Owen, Shashank Pawar, Reinhard Pekrun, Jan L. Plass, Charles Raffale, Jonathon Reinhardt, C. Scott Rigby, Jonathan P. Rowe, Richard M. Ryan, Ruth N. Schwartz, Quinnipiac Valerie J. Shute, Randall D. Spain, Constance Steinkuehler, Frankie Tam, Michelle Taub, Meredith Thompson, Steven L. Thorne, A. M. Tsaasan