Computers : Entertainment & Games

From EverQuest to World of Warcraft, online games have evolved from the exclusive domain of computer geeks into an extraordinarily lucrative staple of the entertainment industry. People of all ages and from all walks of life now spend thousands of hours—and dollars—partaking in this popular new brand of escapism. But the line between fantasy and reality is starting to blur. Players have created virtual societies with governments and economies of their own whose currencies now trade against the dollar on eBay at rates higher than the yen. And the players who inhabit these synthetic worlds are starting to spend more time online than at their day jobs. In Synthetic Worlds, Edward Castronova offers the first comprehensive look at the online game industry, exploring its implications for business and culture alike. He starts with the players, giving us a revealing look into the everyday lives of the gamers—outlining what they do in their synthetic worlds and why. He then describes the economies inside these worlds to show how they might dramatically affect real world financial systems, from potential disruptions of markets to new business horizons. Ultimately, he explores the long-term social consequences of online games: If players can inhabit worlds that are more alluring and gratifying than reality, then how can the real world ever compete? Will a day ever come when we spend more time in these synthetic worlds than in our own? Or even more startling, will a day ever come when such questions no longer sound alarmist but instead seem obsolete? With more than ten million active players worldwide—and with Microsoft and Sony pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into video game development—online games have become too big to ignore. Synthetic Worlds spearheads our efforts to come to terms with this virtual reality and its concrete effects. “Illuminating. . . . Castronova’s analysis of the economics of fun is intriguing. Virtual-world eco more...

Price: $18.00

Today is the greatest time in history to be in the game business. We now have the technology to create games that look real! Sony's Playstation II, XBOX, and Game Cube are cool! But, all this technology isn't easy or trivial to understand - it takes really hard work and lots of Red Bull. The difficulty level of game programming has definitely been cranked up these days in relation to the skill set needed to make games. Andre LaMothe's follow-up book to Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus is the one to read for the latest in 3D game programming. When readers are finished with Tricks of the 3D Game Programming Gurus-Advanced 3D Graphics and Rasterization , they will be able to create a full 3D texture-mapped, lit video game for the PC with a software rasterizer they can write themselves. Moreover, they will understand the underlying principles of 3D graphics and be able to better understand and utilize 3D hardware today and in the future. more...

Price: $47.99

One of the hottest trends in pop culture, Second Life®, is a virtual, 3-D “world” that exists on the Internet. Populated by adults and teens alike—in numbers going into the tens of millions—those who use Second Life® barter and buy much the way they do in real life. They’re also just as open to ads, products, and marketing—and businesses are just now discovering the enormous potential. A comprehensive, in-depth guide to the opportunities in this new marketplace, The Second Life® Business Builder gives readers practical tips and strategies for creating an income stream, and marketing or extending a brand on the site. The book provides relevant examples—from IBM creating a collaborative virtual work­space, to start-up companies with virtual goods, to Princeton University offe­ing Second Life® classrooms—and provides proven techniques for successfully generating buzz through Second Life®-centered promotions and adver­tisements. This is one book that reveals the best ways to make money using the hottest thing online. more...

Price: $24.95

Written in partnership with White Wolf, the creators of the Vampire role-playing game (RPG), this book helps readers through character creation, choosing the right path, understanding Bloodlines, and deciding which secret Vampiric Orders to join so that they can create the kind of vampire they most desire to play Readers will feast on advice for Storytellers, which includes new tricks for creating mood and tension in the stories and ways to engender unique creative experiences The authors, who are also the game’s designers, include an original piece of fiction for inspiration at the gaming table as well as a Coterie chart, which depicts the organization of power in Chicago, one of the main settings for Vampire White Wolf estimates that there over 1. more...

Price: $19.99

Loguidice and Barton shed light on the most influential video games of all time! more...

Price: $34.95