Book picks similar to
The Snes Omnibus: The Super Nintendo and Its Games, Vol. 1 (A-M) by Brett Weiss
games
non-fiction
videogames
historical
The Beatles: 365 Days
Simon Wells - 2005
Arranged chronologically, the photos trace the story of the band, from their emergence on the scene in England, through their rise to international superstardom, to their very public breakup in 1970. Every aspect of their evolution from mop-tops to legends is depicted, including their personal lives, performances, press conferences, recording sessions, public appearances, photo sessions, filmmaking, and more. The captions by Simon Wells are rich in detail and provide both band history and cultural context for the photographs, as well as quotes from members of the band and those associated with them that have never been published. The insatiable hunger for new books about the Beatles has never waned, and this arresting volume-with its wealth of never- and seldom-seen pictures that have long been embargoed at the Getty Images archive-will have a special appeal for all Beatles fans.
A History of Video Games in 64 Objects
World Video Game Hall of Fame - 2018
Pithy, in-depth essays and photographs examine each object’s significance to video game play—what it has contributed to the history of gaming—as well as the greater culture.A History of Video Games in 64 Objects explains how the video game has transformed over time. Inside, you’ll find a wide range of intriguing topics, including:The first edition of Dungeons & Dragons—the ancestor of computer role-playing gamesThe Oregon Trail and the development of educational gamingThe Atari 2600 and the beginning of the console revolutionA World of Warcraft server blade and massively multiplayer online gamesMinecraft—the backlash against the studio systemThe rise of women in gaming represented by pioneering American video game designers Carol Shaw and Roberta Williams’ game development materialsThe prototype Skylanders Portal of Power that spawned the Toys-to-Life video game phenomenon and shook up the marketplaceAnd so much more!A visual panorama of unforgettable anecdotes and factoids, A History of Video Games in 64 Objects is a treasure trove for gamers and pop culture fans. Let the gaming begin!
Thinking Basketball
Ben Taylor - 2016
Explore how certain myths arose while using our own cognition as a window into the game's popular narratives. New basketball concepts are introduced, such as power plays, portability and why the best player shouldn't always shoot. Discover how the box score can be misleading, why "closers" are overrated and how the outcome of a game fundamentally alters our memory. Behavioral economics, traffic paradoxes and other metaphors highlight this thought-provoking insight into the NBA and our own thinking. A must-read for any basketball fan -- you'll never view the sport, and maybe the world, the same again.
The Will to Keep Winning
DAIGO UMEHARA
Through his play, and through his approach to life, Daigo changes the way people think about the game, and inspires even his enemies to new heights. This is what separates a mere winner from an all-time great."—Seth Killian, Lead Game Designer at Riot Games"Daigo and I started an international journey to showcase Street Fighter competition in 1998. Today, he is the Grand Master of fighting games and true inspiration to players worldwide.”—Alex Valle, CaliPower, Mr. Street Fighter“It’s almost impossible to overstate the significance of The Beast for the practice and culture of gaming; as Bruce Lee was for the Martial Arts, so Daigo Umehara is for Fighting Games.”—Prof. Chris Goto-Jones, Professor of Comparative Philosophy & Political Thought, Leiden University"I’m a professional fighting gamer. I was first crowned World Champion at seventeen in 1998, and I was recognized as “the most successful player in major tournaments of Street Fighter” by Guinness World Records in August 2010.This is my chance to tell you how I became World Champion and share insights as only a multiple time World Champion can. What does it take to win? Why do so many eventually lose their edge? Let me share with you the professional skills necessary to become World Champion and keep winning. These skills will certainly help you to advance, in both the world of eSports and beyond."—Daigo "The Beast" UmeharaIn Daigo “The Beast” Umehara’s first book, the most successful Street Fighter player in history reveals the secrets of becoming-and remaining-a world champion.Daigo’s story of passion and perseverance offers seasoned pros and non-gamers alike an intensely personal view into the world of competitive video gaming, or eSports, starting from years before the term existed.Follow Daigo on his road to pro, beginning with his childhood love of games, his search for communi-ty in the arcades, and his first international victory at age 17 in the 1998 Street Fighter Alpha 3 World Championships against American champion Alex Valle.Get an insider’s account of “EVO Moment #37: The Beast Is Unleashed,” the most famous comeback in fighting game history, against long-time rival Justin Wong in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.Hear the real story behind Daigo’s mysterious disappearance from the fighting game scene and detour into the mahjong world, his personal low point, and his triumphant return from retirement in the 2009 EVO Street Fighter IV Grand Finals.Be Like Ryu: Learn from Daigo’s mix of stoic dedication, love for the game, and practice practice practice, as the Japanese master describes how to stay on top while constantly evolving, avoiding complacency, and seeking out new challenges.About the AuthorDAIGO "The Beast" UMEHARA(born 1981, Aomori Prefecture, Japan) was the first Japanese professional gamer, and is listed in Guinness Book as “the most successful player in major tournaments of Street Fighter (Capcom, 1987) at national and international level.” He became World Champion in Street Fighter Alpha 3 in 1998, signed a sponsorship contract with Mad Catz in April 2010 and with Red Bull in May 2016. He is also a Twitch's Global Ambassador.
The Dream Architects: Adventures in the Video Game Industry
David Polfeldt - 2020
He shares what it's like to manage a creative process that has ballooned from a low-six-figure expense with a team of a half dozen people to a transatlantic production of five hundred employees on a single project with a production budget of over a hundred million dollars.A rare firsthand account of the golden age of game development told in vivid detail, The Dream Architects is a seminal work about the biggest entertainment medium of today.
World of Warcraft Cataclysm - Signature Series Guide
Joe Branger - 2010
In this high-fantasy guide, you will be introduced to two new races, the Worgen and Goblins, and learn all about the unique races and classes that will help you complete your quests. You'll also discover how to battle enemies for gear and glory and how to join guilds with other players. There is a dedicated step-by-step guide, designed for brand-new players, to help you start your journey into World of Warcraft game. This "World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Signature Series Guide" features official artwork, designed for beauty and ease-of-use. It's a must-have guide for any World of Warcraft player.
The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia
NintendoHeidi Plechl - 2011
This handsome hardcover contains never-before-seen concept art, the full history of Hyrule, the official chronology of the games, and much more! Starting with an insightful introduction by the legendary producer and video-game designer of Donkey Kong, Mario, and The Legend of Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, this book is crammed full of information about the storied history of Link's adventures from the creators themselves! As a bonus, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia includes an exclusive comic by the foremost creator of The Legend of Zelda manga - Akira Himekawa!
Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System
Nick Montfort - 2009
The Atari VCS was affordable and offered the flexibility of changeable cartridges. Nearly a thousand of these were created, the most significant of which established new techniques, mechanics, and even entire genres. This book offers a detailed and accessible study of this influential video game console from both computational and cultural perspectives.Studies of digital media have rarely investigated platforms--the systems underlying computing. This book (the first in a series of Platform Studies) does so, developing a critical approach that examines the relationship between platforms and creative expression. Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost discuss the Atari VCS itself and examine in detail six game cartridges: Combat, Adventure, Pac-Man, Yars' Revenge, Pitfall!, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. They describe the technical constraints and affordances of the system and track developments in programming, gameplay, interface, and aesthetics. Adventure, for example, was the first game to represent a virtual space larger than the screen (anticipating the boundless virtual spaces of such later games as World of Warcraft and Grand Theft Auto), by allowing the player to walk off one side into another space; and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was an early instance of interaction between media properties and video games. Montfort and Bogost show that the Atari VCS--often considered merely a retro fetish object--is an essential part of the history of video games.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Creating a Champion
Nintendo - 2017
Witness the making of a champion!This book features: * Nearly 50 pages of sketches and official illustrations from Takumi Wada * 296 Pages of design artwork and commentary about the making of the game from creators * 55 Page historical section that divulges an in-depth history of the Hyrule of Breath of the Wild. * Interviews with key members of the development team including Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Satoru Takizawa, Takumi Wada, and Eiji AonumaMake sure to check out the other installments in this unparalleled collection of historical information on The Legend of Zelda franchise with the New York Times best selling The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts, and The Legend of Zelda: Encyclopedia which detail the first 30 years of this historic video game franchise!
Art of Atari
Tim Lapetino - 2016
Since its formation in 1972, the company pioneered hundreds of iconic titles including Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command. In addition to hundreds of games created for arcades, home video systems, and computers, original artwork was specially commissioned to enhance the Atari experience, further enticing children and adults to embrace and enjoy the new era of electronic entertainment. The Art of Atari is the first official collection of such artwork. Sourced from private collections worldwide, this book spans over 40 years of the company's unique illustrations used in packaging, advertisements, catalogs, and more. Co-written by Robert V. Conte and Tim Lapetino, The Art of Atari includes behind-the-scenes details on how dozens of games featured within were conceived of, illustrated, approved (or rejected), and brought to life! Includes a special Foreword by New York Times bestseller Ernest Cline author of Armada and Ready Player One, soon to be a motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg. Whether you're a fan, collector, enthusiast, or new to the world of Atari, this book offers the most complete collection of Atari artwork ever produced! "For me, revisiting the beautiful artwork presented in this book is almost as good as taking a trip in Doc Brown's time machine back to that halcyon era at the dawn of the digital age. But be warned, viewing these images may leave you with an overwhelming desire to revisit the ancient pixelated battlefields they each depict as well." -- from the Foreword by Ernest Cline, author of READY PLAYER ONE
Henry VIII's Health in a Nutshell
Kyra Cornelius Kramer - 2015
Tudor histories are rife with "facts" about Henry VIII's life and health, but as a medical anthropologist, Kyra Kramer, author of Blood Will Tell, has learned one should never take those "facts" at face value. In Henry VIII's Health in a Nutshell, Kramer highlights the various health issues that Henry suffered throughout his life and proposes a few new theories for their causes, based on modern medical findings. Known for her readability and excellent grasp of the intricacies of modern medical diagnostics, Kyra Kramer gives the reader a new understanding of Henry VIII's health difficulties, and provides new insights into their possible causes.
Leah Remini: My Escape from Scientology
Johnny Dodd - 2016
Ron Hubbard—begins in Brooklyn's working-class Bensonhurst neighborhood, where she was introduced to the religion by her mom. More than three decades later, Leah summoned the courage to leave the church—something few celebrities at her level of fame have ever done before and almost none have ever talked about. This People Spotlight Story explores Leah Remini and her escape from Scientology.
Top 300 Free Apps for the Kindle Fire: The complete guide to the best free Kindle apps
Edward C. Jones - 2012
As far as apps go, what do you put on your new Fire? With tens of thousands of apps out there and more appearing on a daily basis, how do you choose what's useful, as opposed to what may be a waste of your download time? Here is the answer, newly updated with over 300 of the best FREE apps for your Fire. Top 300 Free Apps for the Kindle Fire is your guide to 300 of the top rated apps that you'll find useful for your Kindle Fire. Jones has taken the time to research and compile this extensive list of apps for your Kindle Fire, and best of all, each of these apps are FREE. You'll find apps for the home office, for entertainment, for news, weather, and sports, for your health, for managing your finances, for playing games, and more. A new local news apps section provides news, weather, and traffic apps for over 50 major US cities, and a new travel section gives you an insight to the best apps that will help you find great deals on flights, hotel rooms, cruises, dining, and even the best gas prices around your hometown or when on the road.We’ve also taken the time to create each listing beginning with a clickable link back to the Amazon catalog. So as you read this book on your Kindle, if any particular app sounds like what you’ve been looking for, just tap the image or heading name. You’ll be taken directly to the Amazon page for the app, where you can click the button to install that app. (Active wi-fi connection required.)And this isn't just a list of names with little helpful information, like some guides out there that we'd prefer not to mention. In this book, you'll find detailed write-ups for each app, with specifics as to what the app can (and cannot) do for you. Let Top 300 Free Apps for the Kindle Fire be your guide to the best free apps for your new tablet!Top 300 Free Apps for the Kindle Fire comes from the pen of Edward Jones, the principal technology writer behind the "Get-it-Done" series of computer books. Jones is an experienced computer and technology writer, database applications development analyst, consultant, and trainer who understands the issues faced by people dealing with technology, day in and day out. His career spans years of technology training, database development, and consulting services for major law firms and government agencies in the Washington, DC area, and he currently resides in Charlotte, NC where he is concentrating on providing publications to the rapidly growing digital marketplace. Jones is also a best-selling author whose printed titles have sold over one million copies, and he has served as a technical editor on numerous computer books.
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 forceencouraging 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 opportunitiesand 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 servicesand 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
A Game Design Vocabulary: Exploring the Foundational Principles Behind Good Game Design
Anna Anthropy - 2013
We still don't know how to talk about game design. We can't share our visions. We forget what works (and doesn't). We don't learn from history. It's too hard to improve.The breakthrough starts here. A Game Design Vocabulary gives us the complete game design framework we desperately need--whether we create games, study them, review them, or build businesses on them.Craft amazing experiences. Anna Anthropy and Naomi Clark share foundational principles, examples, and exercises that help you create great player experiences...complement intuition with design discipline...and craft games that succeed brilliantly on every level.Liberate yourself from stale cliches and genres Tell great stories: go way beyond cutscenes and text dumps Control the crucial relationships between game "verbs" and "objects" Wield the full power of development, conflict, climax, and resolution Shape scenes, pacing, and player choices Deepen context via art, animation, music, and sound Help players discover, understand, engage, and "talk back" to you Effectively use resistance and difficulty: the "push and pull" of games Design holistically: integrate visuals, audio, and controls Communicate a design vision everyone can understand