Changing the Game: How Video Games Are Transforming the Future of Business


David Edery - 2008
    Microsoft has used games to painlessly and cost-effectively quadruple voluntary employee participation in important tasks. Medical schools have used game-like simulators to train surgeons, reducing their error rate in practice by a factor of six. A recruiting game developed by the U.S. Army, for just 0.25% of the Army’s total advertising budget, has had more impact on new recruits than all other forms of Army advertising combined. And Google is using video games to turn its visitors into a giant, voluntary labor force—encouraging them to manually label the millions of images found on the Web that Google’s computers cannot identify on their own.Changing the Game reveals how leading-edge organizations are using video games to reach new customers more cost-effectively; to build brands; to recruit, develop, and retain great employees; to drive more effective experimentation and innovation; to supercharge productivity…in short, to make it fun to do business. This book is packed with case studies, best practices, and pitfalls to avoid. It is essential reading for any forward-thinking executive, marketer, strategist, and entrepreneur, as well as anyone interested in video games in general. In-game advertising, advergames, adverworlds, and beyondChoose your best marketing opportunities—and avoid the pitfalls Use gaming to recruit and develop better employeesLearn practical lessons from America’s Army and other innovative case studies Channel the passion of your user communitiesHelp your customers improve your products and services—and have fun doing it What gamers do better than computers, scientists, or governmentsUse games to solve problems that can’t be solved any other way

Through Sand & Snow: a man, a bicycle, and a 43,000-mile journey to adulthood via the ends of the Earth


Charlie Walker - 2017
    Fleeing the boredom that comes with comfort, he set off on a secondhand bicycle. The aim was simple: to pedal to the furthest point in each of Europe, Asia and Africa. He didn’t train or plan. He just started. The journey was an escape from an unremarkable existence, a pursuit of hardship, and a chance to shed the complacency of middle England. From the brutality of winter on the Tibetan plateau, to the claustrophobia of the Southeast Asian jungle, the quest provided Charlie with ample opportunity to test his mettle. Ultimately, though, the toughest challenge was entirely unforeseen.

Cisco CCNA in 60 Days


Paul W. Browning - 2012
    Every year, tens of thousands of people embark towards taking the exam via private study, Cisco Academy courses, or online training. The sad truth is most students quit along the way, and for those few who actually do attempt it, only 50% pass. All that time, effort, and money wasted! If there are so many manuals, CBT courses, lab simulators, exam engines, and study resources out there, then what goes wrong? This is the question Cisco trainer Paul Browning wanted to get to the bottom of. After interviewing thousands of students, he discovered that most people quit because they are simply overwhelmed with the sheer volume of material they need to digest and, of course, the large number of hands-on skills they need to be able to demonstrate in the exam. Add to that the day-to-day stresses of commuting to work, bringing up a family, and the distraction of everyday problems and challenges; it's no wonder people quit. This is where Cisco CCNA in 60 Days can help. Devised by two industry experts and countless Cisco students just like you, the 60-day programme breaks down every exam requirement into a daily study task. All you need to do is open the book at the relevant day (from 1 to 60), read the theory, and complete the lab. Every lesson is reviewed several times in the form of exam questions, review sessions, a handy exam cram guide, and, of course, hands-on labs for you to follow. You can choose to take the CCENT after the first 30 days and the ICND2 after the next 30 days, or you can take the CCNA after 60 days of study. Here is what is included in your study guide: 60 daily study tasks Full explanations of theory Real-world tips and advice Over 47 hands-on labs, plus 15 bonus CCENT and ICND2 labs CCENT and ICND2 cram guides Bonus VLSM guide Motivational goal-setting guide Downloadable videos Author Paul Browning is a former police officer who used his CCNA qualification to help him make a career change to IT. He worked for Cisco in the UK for a while, and then went on to start his own Cisco training company, which he ran for 8 years before moving into online Cisco training. He is the author of several Cisco study guides. He has also created the online Cisco certification training sites, including www.howtonetwork.net and www.in60days.net. Technical author Farai Tafa used to work in a shoe shop but decided he wanted more out of life, so he began to study for his Cisco exams. He is now a dual CCIE and one of the leading Cisco consultants in the US. He currently designs, installs, and troubleshoots networks for large companies.

Significant Zero: Heroes, Villains, and the Fight for Art and Soul in Video Games


Walt Williams - 2017
     Williams pulls back the curtain on an astonishingly profitable industry that has put its stamp on pop culture and yet is little known to those outside its walls. In his reflective yet comically-observant voice, Williams walks you through his unlikely and at times inglorious rise within one of the world’s top gaming companies, exposing an industry abundant in brain power and out-sized egos, but struggling to stay innovative. Significant Zero also provides clear-eyed criticism of the industry’s addiction to violence and explains how the role of the narrative designer—the poor soul responsible for harmonizing gameplay with storylines—is crucial for expanding the scope of video games into more immersive and emotional experiences. Significant Zero offers a rare look inside this fascinating, billion-dollar industry and a path forward for its talented men and women—gamers and nongamers alike—that imagines how video games might inspire the best in all of us.

The C# Programming Yellow Book


Rob Miles - 2010
    With jokes, puns, and a rigorous problem solving based approach. You can download all the code samples used in the book from here: http://www.robmiles.com/s/Yellow-Book...

Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript


Kraig Brockschmidt - 2012
    

The Dark Side of the Felt


Tyler Nals - 2014
    Instead, I risked my life on a nightly basis playing in underground poker games on Long Island and in Charlotte. This story is about how I managed to survive, but just barely.

Unity in Action


Joseph Hocking - 2015
    You'll master the Unity toolset from the ground up, adding the skills you need to go from application coder to game developer. Based on Unity version 5.About the BookThis book helps readers build successful games with the Unity game development platform. You will use the powerful C# language, Unity's intuitive workflow tools, and a state-of-the-art rendering engine to build and deploy mobile, desktop, and console games. Unity's single codebase approach minimizes inefficient switching among development tools and concentrates your attention on making great interactive experiences.Unity in Action teaches you how to write and deploy games. You'll master the Unity toolset from the ground up, adding the skills you need to go from application coder to game developer. Each sample project illuminates specific Unity features and game development strategies. As you read and practice, you'll build up a well-rounded skill set for creating graphically driven 2D and 3D game applications.You'll need to know how to program, in C# or a similar OO language. No previous Unity experience or game development knowledge is assumed.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Prima Official Game Guide


Stephen Stratton - 2013
    ·      Discover something new every day – this guide will show you what special things you can do each day of the year, right down to the best time to do it so that you don’t miss a thing. ·      Detailed furniture catalog – see how to acquire each piece of furniture for customizing your house and each accessory for your character. ·      Checklists for everything – keep track of items you get with checklists that cover each type of collectable. ·      Smaller trim size for portability and over 400 pages of content.

The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design


Flint Dille - 2006
    Sure, they cover the basics. But The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design goes way beyond the basics. The authors, top game designers, focus on creating games that are an involving, emotional experience for the gamer. Topics include integrating story into the game, writing the game script, putting together the game bible, creating the design document, and working on original intellectual property versus working with licenses. Finally, there’s complete information on how to present a visionary new idea to developers and publishers. Got game? Get The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.

Carnival Chaos


Ron Bates - 2020
    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.

Space Is Open for Business: The Industry That Can Transform Humanity


Robert C. Jacobson - 2020
    Jacobson provides a comprehensive overview of this spectacular industry, allowing everyone on Earth to understand the integral role space plays in our lives, how it will continue to transform the world, and how you could participate.In the vein of Mary Roach, Jacobson makes a complex topic easily understandable—and accessible—for every reader.Space as an industry offers a triple bottom line: Return on Investment, Innovation, and Inspiration.INVESTMENTImagine if you had the opportunity to invest in Apple when it was new and undiscovered—would you do it?Space is a culmination of many disciplines, and it works in tandem with various industries. The sector’s growth depends on merging different fields with cutting-edge technologies, fantastical ideas with logical applications.Investors, including John Doerr, Khosla Ventures, Sequoia, RRE, Bessemer Venture Partners, First Round, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, and Andreesen Horowitz, took notice and are backing companies in this growing sector.INNOVATIONSpace is the sector with the most unlimited potential for progress and collaboration. When space advances, other industries benefit. When other industries advance, space benefits as well—innovations and progress multiply.From Hollywood to navigation, communications devices to streaming services, medical discoveries to robotics, agriculture to energy, all of these industries affect space and are affected by space—much like bees pollinating flowers.Jacobson proposes that space startups can borrow tactics and strategies developed by other entrepreneurs and thought leaders—such as Peter Thiel, Eric Ries, and Ben Horowitz—to improve space startups' probability for success.INSPIRATIONWhat do Jules Verne, Star Trek, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Stanley Kubrick, Jerry Pournelle, Andy Weir, and David Bowie have in common?For centuries, artists and creators have helped inspire real space efforts. They merged space with arts and entertainment to construct visions and stories that helped us articulate, amplify, and imagine what is possible—ultimately influencing and shaping reality, from Moon missions to mobile phones.What will we accomplish over the next decade? Is there a way to achieve great personal success and benefit others—maybe even all of humanity?

The WoW Diary: A Journal of Computer Game Development


John Staats - 2018
    It was written by the game's first level designer, John Staats, from notes he took during WoW's creation. The WoW Diary explains why developers do things and debunks popular myths about the games industry. In great detail he covers the what it took to finish the project; the surprises, the arguments, the mistakes, and Blizzard's formula for success.

Joystick Nation: How Videogames Ate Our Quarters, Won Our Hearts, and Rewired Our Minds


J.C. Herz - 1997
    In arcades, living rooms, student dorms, and (admit it) offices from Ohio to Osaka, video games have become a fixture in people's lives, marking a tectonic shift in the entertainment landscape.Now, as Hollywood and Silicon Valley rush to sell us online interactive multimedia everything, J. C. Herz brings us the first popular history and critique of the video-game phenomenon. From the Cold War computer programmers who invented the first games (when they should have been working) to the studios where the networked 3-D theme parks of the future are created, Herz brings to life the secret history of Space Invaders, Pac Man, Super Mario, Myst, Doom, and other celebrated games. She explains why different kinds of games have taken hold (and what they say about the people who play them) and what we can expect from a generation that has logged millions of hours vanquishing digital demons.Written with 64-bit energy and filled with Herz's sharp-edged insights and asides, Joystick Nation is a fascinating pop culture odyssey that's must-reading for media junkies, pop historians, and anyone who pines for their old Atari.

Earth's Final Moments: Powerful Insight and Understanding of the Prophetic Signs that Surround Us


John Hagee - 2011
    God is assembling the cast of characters and making preparations for the final scene--a scene so powerfully dramatic that nothing could possibly compare. In Earth’s Final Moments, New York Times best-selling author Pastor John Hagee unveils how biblical prophecy and current world events are intersecting to give us an unparalleled glimpse into our planet’s final days. Aligning prophecy with End Time signs, he describes Israel’s emerging opponent and reveals the shock and awe of God’s coming judgment against those who oppose His people. As the Jewish people return to their homeland and the situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate, you can’t afford to miss what comes next.