In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer." —Satoru IwataSatoru Iwata was the former Global President and CEO of Nintendo and a gifted programmer who played a key role in the creation of many of the world’s best-known games. He led the production of innovative platforms such as the Nintendo DS and the Wii, and laid the groundwork for the development of the wildly successful Pokémon Go game and the Nintendo Switch. Known for his analytical and imaginative mind, but even more for his humility and people-first approach to leadership, Satoru Iwata was beloved by game fans and developers worldwide. In this motivational collection, Satoru Iwata addresses diverse subjects such as locating bottlenecks, how success breeds resistance to change, and why programmers should never say no. Drawn from the "Iwata Asks" series of interviews with key contributors to Nintendo games and hardware, and featuring conversations with renowned Mario franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto and creator of EarthBound Shigesato Itoi, Ask Iwata offers game fans and business leaders an insight into the leadership, development and design philosophies of one of the most beloved figures in gaming history.

    Dungeon Masters will discover a rich hoard of new tools and information for designing dragon-themed encounters, adventures, and campaigns. Discover a host of new dragons and other creatures. Learn about the lairs and hoards of each type of dragon, and how hoards focus the magic that suffuses dragons and connects them to the myriad worlds of the Material Plane. Discover everything there is to know about the most iconic monsters of D&D with help from Fizban, your expert advisor on dragonkind!Introduces gem dragons to fifth edition!Reveals the story of the First World and the role Bahamut and Tiamat played in its creation and destruction.Adds new player character options, including unique draconic ancestries for dragonborn, dragon-themed subclasses for monks and rangers, and new feat and spell options.Offers everything a Dungeon Master needs to craft adventures inspired by dragons across the worlds of D&D, with new dragon lair maps and details on 20 different kinds of dragons.Presents a complete dragon bestiary and introduces a variety of new dragons and dragon-related creatures, including aspects of the dragon gods, dragon minions, and more.On the CoverFizban the Fabulous protects a group of innocents as a crystal dragon and a red dragon clash in the sky, in this painting by Chris Rahn.

    Expanded with never before seen works of art, this new edition delves deeper than ever into the sci-fi saga that changed video games forever.Contains extensive new material from the DLCs for all three games--including the award-winning "Lair of the Shadow Broker" from Mass Effect 2 and the fan-favorite "Citadel" from Mass Effect 3.Experience the evolution of the aliens, planets, ships, and technology that define this iconic science fiction universe, as the developers who brought BioWare's masterpiece to life take you from the earliest design sketches through to the meticulous final renders.Brimming with concept art and commentary, this expanded edition is the ultimate companion to one of the greatest series in the history of gaming!

    In his eagerly anticipated, deeply researched new book, Schreier trains his investigative eye on the volatility of the video game industry and the resilience of the people who work in it. The business of videogames is both a prestige industry and an opaque one. Based on dozens of first-hand interviews that cover the development of landmark games -- Bioshock Infinite, Epic Mickey, Dead Space, and more -- on to the shocking closures of the studios that made them, PRESS RESET tells the stories of how real people are affected by game studio shutdowns, and how they recover, move on, or escape the industry entirely. Schreier's insider interviews cover hostile takeovers, abusive bosses, corporate drama, bounced checks, and that one time the Boston Red Sox's Curt Schilling decided he was going to lead a game studio that would take out World of Warcraft. Along the way, he asks pressing questions about why, when the video game industry is more successful than ever, it's become so hard to make a stable living making video games -- and whether the business of making games can change before it's too late.

    A mix of ethnobotany, folklore, green witchcraft, occult, and science. A fully-illustrated, thoroughly-researched resource for writers and worldbuilders.An all-in-one book for druids, healers, alchemists, and poisoners—perfect as an in-world item and applicable in all fantasy (and most modern) settings.A system-agnostic toolkit for game masters everywhere, complete with tips on including the plants in your campaigns—and creating new, exciting pieces of flora.- 100 illustrated, detailed descriptions of magically-inclined plants from around the world – from aconite to yew.- Short, sweet, and useful lore chapters on the basics of botany, herb gathering, preparation, alchemy, poisons & antidotes, and more!- Recipes for magical and medicinal concoctions, written in-world and in accordance with occult lore of the ages past (mix aconite with animal fat, then rub it on a broom handle for an excellent flying experience!).- Tools for creating original magical plants, plot hooks, quest ideas, and a botanical Latin primer to give your custom, fantastical plants a semi-proper scientific name.- Convenient tables with magical and medicinal properties of plants, astronomical correspondences, and the language of flowers – all according to the highest authorities in the fields.- An index, a detailed table of contents, references, bibliography—everything you’d expect from a popular-science publication that will make your herbalist cry the tears of joy.

    We will befriend stag beetles the size of houses, argue with the King of the Floating Mountain, fall in love in the basket of a hot air balloon up in the clouds, and go on a journey with some of the most amazing people you could ask for. Where will we go? What will we see? We’ll have to find out together. Will you join me?

    In Game Wizards, Jon Peterson chronicles the rise of Dungeons & Dragons from hobbyist pastime to mass market sensation, from the initial collaboration to the later feud of its creators, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. As the game's fiftieth anniversary approaches, Peterson--a noted authority on role-playing games--explains how D&D and its creators navigated their successes, setbacks, and controversies.Peterson describes Gygax and Arneson's first meeting and their work toward the 1974 release of the game; the founding of TSR and its growth as a company; and Arneson's acrimonious departure and subsequent challenges to TSR. He recounts the Satanic Panic accusations that D&D was sacrilegious and dangerous, and how they made the game famous. And he chronicles TSR's reckless expansion and near-fatal corporate infighting, which culminated with the company in debt and overextended and the end of Gygax's losing battle to retain control over TSR and D&D.With Game Wizards, Peterson restores historical particulars long obscured by competing narratives spun by the one-time partners. That record amply demonstrates how the turbulent experience of creating something as momentous as Dungeons & Dragons can make people remember things a bit differently from the way they actually happened.

    Historians, sages, and others who crave knowledge flock to this library fortress to peruse its vast collection of books, scribbled into which are the answers to the mysteries that bedevil them. Many of these books contain their own mysteries—each one a doorway to adventure. Dare you cross that threshold?Candlekeep Mysteries is a collection of seventeen short, stand-alone D&D adventures designed for characters of levels 1-16. Each adventure begins with the discovery of a book, and each book is the key to a door behind which danger and glory await. These adventures can be run as one-shot games, plugged into an existing Forgotten Realms campaign, or adapted for other campaign settings.This book also includes a poster map of the library fortress and detailed descriptions of Candlekeep and its inhabitants.

    

    Attempts to organize resistance, or to establish authority over any territory larger than a city, are quickly and brutally crushed. In this dark time, the only way to survive is to be inconspicuous and hope to be overlooked. Amidst this chaos, however, thousands of independent operators--smugglers, relic hunters, freedom fighters, and mercenaries--roam the dead stars in small ships, scratching out a living anyway they can.In Stargrave, players take on the role of one of these independent operators. Perhaps they are a cybernetic veteran of the Last War, a psion fleeing slavers, or a mystic warrior attempting to preserve ancient wisdom. Maybe they are a bounty hunter collecting blood money, a robotics expert pushing the bounds of current technology, or a biomorph bred in the genetanks of some forgotten laboratory. Having chosen their own background, players must hire a crew for their ship, choosing a lieutenant with their own unique skill-set, and a handful of soldiers, mechanics, hackers, and other specialists. Some captains may even recruit strange alien lifeforms with abilities no humanoid could ever possess.Once the players' crews are assembled, they are ready to dive into a campaign. Over a series of games, their crews will have the chance to carry out a variety of missions--recovering lost technology, stealing data, freeing slaves, and fighting back against the pirate fleets. In time, as the crews gain experience, they will become more powerful and hire more talented specialists. The more they grow, however, the more likely it is that a pirate fleet will take note of their activities and come after them!

    

    They rocket through the stars to safeguard diplomats ending a generations-old conflict. Even when swords are crossed, they seek peace with their opponent—and sometimes connect more deeply than anyone expects.A sword duel can end in kissing, a witch can gain her power by helping others find love, and an entire campaign can be built around wandering matchmakers flying from system to system.Thirsty Sword Lesbians is a roleplaying game for telling queer stories with friends. If you love angsty disaster lesbians with swords, you have come to the right place.

    Valor and sacrifice are the order of the day, and when it's all over, none will remain unchanged.

    With Rust, you have a shiny new playground where your game ideas can flourish.Each chapter in this book presents hands-on, practical projects that take you on a journey from “Hello, World” to building a full dungeon crawler game. Start by setting up Rust and getting comfortable with your development environment. Learn the language basics with practical examples as you make your own version of Flappy Bird. Discover what it takes to randomly generate dungeons and populate them with monsters as you build a complete dungeon crawl game. Run game systems concurrently for high-performance and fast game-play, while retaining the ability to debug your program. Unleash your creativity with magical items, tougher monsters, and intricate dungeon design. Add layered graphics and polish your game with style.

    The continuation of Dragon Age: Blue Wraith!

    The deadly elven warrior Fenris and a team of the Inquisition's best race to keep the Venatori from unleashing a power that will reshape Thedas in this canonical continuation of BioWare's dark fantasy RPG! Will they be fast enough to outrun their own pasts and stop what's coming? The continuation of Dragon Age: Blue Wraith!

    Issue #6 features cover art by Doug Kovacs of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser as we launch our new series of stories set in Fritz Leiber’s Lankhmar! Licensed by Leiber’s estate, these new stories and novellas faithfully expand upon the legendary tales of Lankhmar’s most famous duo.STORIESCalicask’s Woman by John HockingA TALE OF THE KING’S BLADE • “I can’t hold them back for long,” gasped the apprentice. His face had gone pallid and sweat dripped from his chin. “Stand by the opening and try to take them one at a time. Perhaps we can… where are you going?!” The Feathered Shroud by Howard Andrew JonesA TALE OF HANUVAR • The water behind the soldier erupted, and Hanuvar lunged past him to jam the pitchfork at a shovel-shaped reptilian head. The tines bit deep, and the dark water reddened.Guilty Creatures by Nathan LongA TALE OF FAFHRD AND THE GRAY MOUSER • In the circle, Mouser stared cross-eyed at the tip of Kalphin’s blade, knowing death was coming to him at last.Shadows of a Forgotten Queen by Greg MeleI’ve seen a maiden’s veins opened as she is led through the fields, watering the new crops with her life’s blood in honor of Majawl, Our Lady of Maize, and lit my own father’s funeral pyre. But what manner of man owned books made of human flesh?Cold in Blood by James EngeA STORY OF MORLOCK AMBROSIUS • She moved with a lithe, muscular dancer’s grace as she walked around him to enter the room. Her hair was a waterfall of starless night. Her eyes were the stars, shining with tears. Morlock had seen a more beautiful woman, but not recently.Isle of Fog by Violette MalanDhulyn judged from the way his mouth moved now that he was screaming. That was easy to fix, she thought, as she brought her sword up and sent the head bouncing and rolling across the tiled floor.ARTICLESA Profile of Fritz Leiber by Michael CurtisLeiber replied, “I feel more certain than ever [that this field] should be called the sword-and-sorcery story.” And thus a sub-genre, while not quite newly born, received a name for the first time…The Monster Pit by Terry OlsonEnter the monster pit! Down here in the pit, we provide tabletop RPG fans with playable DCC RPG game statistics for the creatures in this issue of Tales From The Magician’s Skull.The Skull Speaks by The Skull Himself

    Or, just as often, an adventure won't have fully fleshed out characters in place for the locations and encounters outlined for gameplay. The Game Master's Book of Non-Player Characters solves these issues and more by providing Game Masters with the information they need to “fill in the holes” in their campaign play. It will enable GMs to instantly add depth, color, motivation and unique physical characteristics at a moment's notice to unexpected or underwritten characters as they pop up during gameplay, ensuring every session is a memorable one for players and GMs alike.This edition also includes more than 50 hand-drawn illustrations of select NPCs detailed in the book, 3 bonus one-shot adventures, and a foreword by online influencer Jasmine Bhullar.

    You won’t want to put this one down.”—Eddie Adlum, publisher, RePlay MagazineAs video games evolve, only the fittest companies survive. Making a blockbuster once cost millions of dollars; now it can cost hundreds of millions, but with a $160 billion market worldwide, the biggest players are willing to bet the bank.Steven L. Kent has been playing video games since Pong and writing about the industry since the Nintendo Entertainment System. In volume 1 of The Ultimate History of Video Games, he chronicled the industry’s first thirty years. In volume 2, he narrates gaming’s entrance into the twenty-first century, as Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Microsoft battle to capture the global market.The home console boom of the ’90s turned hobby companies like Nintendo and Sega into Hollywood-studio-sized business titans. But by the end of the decade, they would face new, more powerful competitors. In boardrooms on both sides of the Pacific, engineers and executives began, with enormous budgets and total secrecy, to plan the next evolution of home consoles. The PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Sega Dreamcast all made radically different bets on what gamers would want. And then, to the shock of the world, Bill Gates announced the development of the one console to beat them all—even if Microsoft had to burn a few billion dollars to do it. In this book, you will learn about• the cutthroat environment at Microsoft as rival teams created console systems• the day the head of Sega of America told the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog to “f**k off”• how “lateral thinking with withered technology” put Nintendo back on top• and much more!Gripping and comprehensive, The Ultimate History of Video Games: Volume 2 explores the origins of modern consoles and of the franchises—from Grand Theft Auto and Halo to Call of Duty and Guitar Hero—that would define gaming in the new millennium.

    Configure your target-interlock circuits and hold the line with technical readouts, conspiracy theories, in-depth equipment and tactics articles, a planetary digest, an a glimpse into the future of the new ilClan era- all from BattleTech veterans and new authors.

    With Pikachu, Eevee, and all their friends, learning the alphabet has never been more enjoyable. Start off any young child with a journey into the world of Pokémon! This Pokémon Primer offers a captivating storyline and over 100 flaps to lift and reveal, each showing Poké Balls, Berries, and other items! Pokémon named in the book also contain their pronunciations to help both kids and parents alike. Illustrated by Pokémon and written by beloved children’s author Simcha Whitehill, this ABC book will create lasting memories. The book will appeal best to younger children, so take your Trainer in training on a Pokémon adventure today!

    In Magic: The Gathering: Planes of the Multiverse, author Jay Annelli presents a visual guide to the history behind lore-defining events from the Phyrexian Invasion to the War of the Spark, as well as character profiles for Karn, Narset, Vraska, Sorin Markov, and other fan-favorite Planeswalkers.    Planes of the Multiverse pairs original artwork—in many instances reproduced for the first time outside of the card frame—with detailed primers on each plane. This collection offers exclusive insight into the art and mythology of some of Magic: The Gathering’s most popular and enduring locales—and the characters that inhabit them.

    From humble beginnings to his meteoric rise as the force behind his eponymous studio, Mr. Drew offers a behind the scenes peek at his many animation innovations, such as Sillivision, his "Rules to Animate By," and of course his unique approach to franchising-among the first of its time.This re-release even includes never before seen information omitted from the original manuscript, cobbled together from the Joey Drew Studios archive as well as Mr. Drew's personal estate. Don't miss this exclusive peek inside the rise-and fall-of one of the most groundbreaking animators in history!

    

    

    The book outlines four project phases--ideation, preproduction, full production, and post-production--that give designers and developers the milestones they need to advance from the first glimmerings of an idea to a finished game.

    Featuring 50 classic and new games, make your get-togethers unforgettable with this games book with a difference.Game On makes your party, weekend escape, holiday or even staycation more fun, with a range of classic games which everyone will know (but often don't remember how to play!) such as Mafia or The Hat Game, as well as an array of modern games that will soon become firm favorites with family and friends.Most games don't need any special equipment (occasionally pen and paper or a dice are needed) and can be played in person or online.With a sleek and fun design, clear instructions and guidance for number of players and possible modifications, this is the perfect gift for avid gamers, as well as those looking for fun new ways to interact with friends and family.

    With this game in a book, use the pop-out Survival Spinner to learn your fate as you face peril after peril in a wild, rugged landscape. You become lost in the mountains after an emergency landing. Among the snowy peaks, you are at risk from dangers including falling victim to hypothermia, being buried by an avalanche, or stumbling into a deep crevasse. In your backpack, you have a sleeping bag, a thermal roll-mat, a bottle of water, a bag of nuts, waterproof matches, a pair of binoculars, a camera, a first aid kit, and an old survival journal belonging to your grandfather. As you confront each life-threatening challenge in this adventure-filled game book, place the Survival Spinner found inside the cover of the book on one of the circles on your current page, and spin. The place where the spinner points when it stops tells you if you have survived, are still living but injured, or that you have perished, with a corresponding page number to turn to for each fate. Throughout, you will learn about real-life survival techniques, including how to:Make a snow shelterBuild a fireSurvive a bear attackTreat a woundUse the sun and moon to navigateCross a frozen lakeHarrowing tales of real-life wilderness survivors provide glimmers of hope as you deal with the consequences of your choices. One bad decision could lead to disaster…Frozen Mountain is the debut book in the exhilarating Spin to Survive series. Discover real-life survival tips and stories as you navigate your own perilous journey through the wilderness guided by your decisions and the removable Survival Spinner.Have you got what it takes to survive?

    Hewn from living rock by peerless Dwarf skill, it is a striking fortress city where Ulric, the God of War, Winter and Wolves, reigns supreme. The sacred Eternal Flame burns pure and bright, in the heart of a city famed throughout the Old World, riven by dark cults, clambering merchants, and seditious schemers. Middenheim has little room for heroes, and less time for wasters, but for canny opportunists with the will and grit to carve a small piece of something better? Well, they might stand a chance.Middenheim: City of the White Wolf takes players out of the familiar Grand Province of the Reikland, and drops them in the centre of Ulrican influence and power in the Old World. Middenheim sits at the heart of the Empire’s Northern expanse, and is the perfect setting for endless grim and perilous adventure! Each district of the expansive city is carefully detailed, with locations, plot hooks and NPCs too numerous to list. A beautifully illustrated map, provided with both GM and Player versions, shows off the city in exquisite detail. Need an Inn in the Altmarket? A Pawnbroker in The Kleinmoot? Details on the Kisvilite Embassy? Middenheim has everything you require.Middenheim: City of the White Wolf distils the best of previous writing on the chosen city of Ulric, and combines it with new creatures, new NPCs, new locations, and rules to create the ultimate sourcebook for groups wishing to adventure in Middenheim and its surrounds. Full rules for creating Middenheimer, Middenlander and Nordlander Characters are included, along with a new career for true devotees of Ulric. A stand-alone book, Middenheim: City of the White Wolf also makes an excellent supplement for those intending to run Power Behind the Throne, part three of The Enemy Within campaign. While the companion content is very focused on the events of Power Behind the Throne, this book provides more details on the city for GMs who are happy to let their groups explore more widely. It details Middenheim around 2512 IC, prior to the events of The Enemy Within, but includes an appendix with updates on how future events are set to alter the city.Middenheim: City of the White Wolf includes:A History of Middenheim: A timeline of events leading up to the present day, detailing the cities past as a stronghold of the Ulrican faith and one time home to the usurper Wolf EmperorsA Visitors Guide: Eighty pages of detailed locations, NPCs and plot hooks set throughout the city’s many districtsDark Cults of Middenheim: A run down on the cults and conspiracies that make Middenheim their home, any one of which could threaten the very fabric of political, cultural, or religious life in the cityThe Duchy of Middenheim: Middenheim is more than just a city — it also commands the territories that surround it, as far away as coastal Nordland. The Duchy of Middenheim provides details on regions directly within ambit of the city, as well as the often fractious nobility that control themBestiary, Characters and more: Additional beasts, new Character options for creating local adventurers, and the Wolf Kin career for those willing to embody the spirit of Ulric in all things.Middenheim: City of the White Wolf is an excellent and entertaining addition to any gaming table. Packed with lore, NPCs, and exciting adventure hooks, it will kickstart your next adventure in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay!

    Years ago, this quaint village nearly fell prey to a great, neighboring evil. The nearby Temple of Elemental Evil, a grand edifice of wickedness, was defeated after a great battle and thrown into ruin forever…or was it?Bandits have started to ride the roads again, and there are other ominous signs afoot. It is whispered that the demonic evil at the heart of the Temple was not truly conquered but merely imprisoned. Even now, agents of evil, malevolent beasts, and far worse creatures are conspiring to return the Temple to power and enslave the surrounding lands. Hommlet and the neighboring ruins may hold clues, but not everyone is to be trusted. Surely danger lies hidden in this idyllic region.Sharpen your swords and axes. Purchase your iron rations and tinderboxes. And don’t forget at least one 10-foot pole. Great adventure awaits those that dare confront the Temple of Elemental Evil!This book collection is an homage to the origins of an adventure that began decades ago with T1: The Village of Hommlet and T1-4: The Temple of Elemental Evil. Herein you will find high-quality scans from multiple printings of the original first edition adventure modules, plus commentary by gaming legends. Full fifth edition conversions of both adventure books are included, as well as brand new adventure material that adds new wilderness encounters, expands the Village of Nulb, fully details the evil Elemental Nodes, and provides fifth edition updates of many original magic items, monsters, and spells.This is a fully playable mega-dungeon and mini-campaign—many hours of classic-style adventure await you! Designed to take characters from level 1 to level 7.

    Each new game transports gamers to a different era and locale, beginning with Jerusalem in the time of the Crusades and going on to explore Renaissance-era Italy, colonial America, Paris during the French Revolution, 19th-century London, and ancient Greece and Egypt. Assassin’s Creed has provided a means to walk through the past and experience world history in a firsthand, immersive way. In Assassin’s Creed: Atlas, previously unpublished maps, diagrams, and drawings illuminate all of the lands of antiquity featured across the series that have defined both real-world history and the games themselves. Throughout, gaming journalist Guillaume Delalande expands on Assassin's Creed’s fascinating lore and reflects on the critical moments that gamers experienced in these locations.

    It is the process by which game designers make a game simultaneously fair for players while providing them just the right amount of difficulty to be both exciting and challenging without making the game entirely predictable. This involves a combination of mathematics, psychology, and occasionally other fields such as economics and game theory. Game Balance offers readers a dynamic look into game design and player theory. Throughout the book, relevant topics on the use of spreadsheet programs will be included in each chapter. This book therefore doubles as a useful reference on Microsoft Excel, Google Spreadsheets, and other spreadsheet programs and their uses for game designers. Key Features:The first and only book to explore game balance as a topic in depthTopics range from intermediate to advanced, while written in an accessible style that demystifies even the most challenging mathematical concepts to the point where a novice student of game design can understand and applyContains powerful spreadsheet techniques which have been tested with all major spreadsheet programs and battle-tested with real-world game design tasksProvides short-form exercises at the end of each chapter to allow for practice of the techniques discussed therein along with three long-term projects divided into parts throughout the book that involve the creationWritten by award-winning designers with decades of experience in the field. Author Bios:Ian Schreiber has been in the industry since 2000, first as a programmer and then as a game designer. He has worked on eight published game titles, training/simulation games for three Fortune 500 companies, and has advised countless student projects. He is the co-founder of Global Game Jam, the largest in-person game jam event in the world. Ian has taught game design and development courses at a variety of colleges and universities since 2006. Brenda Romero is a BAFTA award-winning game director, entrepreneur, artist, and Fulbright award recipient and is presently game director and creator of the Empire of Sin franchise. As a game director, she has worked on 50 games and contributed to many seminal titles, including the Wizardry and Jagged Alliance series and titles in the Ghost Recon, Dungeons & Dragons, and Def Jam franchises. Away from the machine, her analog series of six games, The Mechanic is the Message, has drawn national and international acclaim, particularly Train and Sioch�n Leat, a game about her family's history, which is presently housed in the National Museum of Play. In addition to a BAFTA and a Fulbright, Brenda is the recipient of multiple lifetime achievement awards, a Grace Hopper Award, and a GDC Ambassador Award. Many of the games she has contributed to have won numerous awards. Romero is the CEO and co-founder of Romero Games based in Galway, Ireland.