5 comments about Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. If you're knee-deep into Dragon Quest and you're thinking about buying this strategy guide, don't hesitate. This is the most well constructed guide I have ever used. There weren't any big spoilers and there wasn't a 'take you by the hand because you don't know how to play games' walkthrough section.
   
   This is a great guide. It has all of the items, most of the chest locations, extensive bestiary, great alchemy info that you can easily cross reference with other sections, and pages on the different locations with recommended level info. The illustrations are beautiful, and the format is well presented. I find myself constantly using this guide while, at the same time, feeling like I am figuring out the game for myself. People who didn't like this guide were probably looking for a little more 'hand holding.' Nothing wrong with that, but I preferred this format.



2. This guide does have great info and it's huge has lots of maps but it doesn't hold your hand and tell ya how to get from point A to B. Doesn't give away any story but there's alot of missing infomation i was more frustrated because the lack of info. It give's info on some aspects of the game while others just non-existent. This is more of a game atlas then a game guide with some side information i suggest gamefaqs or other online sites be better if you really want to have a guide then i suggest getting the piggyback uk version of the guide be bit more expensive but has full info and walkthrough i got mine at amazon.co.uk i give the piggyback version 5 stars but this guides just falls quite bit short as a game guide.



3. The good about this guide is that it is NOT a walkthrough, is a GUIDE, meaning that you don't get spoilers of any kind, just a guide to optional interesting items, a bestiary, treasure chest locations and maps of cities, a guide, if you want someone to tell you where to move the cursor you are probably better off with some IGN text one. To me this is a good thing because you still have the story to look forward to and don't have to worry about impossible mazes or whatever, and it is fair.



4. This is useful to use along with online walkthroughs. A detailed walkthrough, with specific strategy suggestions for each boss, would require a book much longer than this one. This book does give a primer on how to begin and then goes on to describe the various battle skills and spells, as well as handy descriptions and recipes of armor and weapons and items. The maps are nice also. This book has enough information to play the game, even without the walkthroughs. The walkthroughs, though, give some protection from the trauma of being beaten in battle and their suggestions can get you through parts of the game more speedily.



5. Was delivered in perfect condition and very quickly. A must for anyone who wants to have 100% completion of the game.

5 comments about Introduction to 3D Game Programming with Direct X 9.0c: A Shader Approach (Wordware Game and Graphics Library).

1. I've been programming for two years now and have relied on online tutorials and sample code for "learning" how to do graphics programming with directX. I needed a basic knowledge of 2D graphics programming for a class, but after a semester of blindly using the directX sprite drawing funtions, I decided to stop, step back, and actually understand directX from the bottom, up.
   
   I purchased this book recently and have been working through the chapters (currently up to the first shader and effects content). I find this book to be a great way to learn to be comfortable with using directX for graphics programming (and some game programming in general with very handy sections on win32 programming for games, input, etc). Like a previous reviewer said, this book is by no means meant to be all about shaders. Instead, this book will give you a strong foundation on graphics with the API with a little taste of shaders. Im sure you could learn all of this content if you got lucky enough to find all the right well writen tutorials, but its very convenient for me to have everything I need in one book.
   
   Recommended if:
   - You have never done graphics and wish to take a directX method
   - You have done graphics before and want to learn the API (makes a great reference)
   - You want a complete 'beginners guide' to graphics for games and game programming with the API
   
   Not if:
   - You do not meet the author's prerequesits
   - You want a book on shaders



2. In terms of learning Direct3D and HLSL, this book is absolutely fantastic, 5 stars, can't fault it.
   However.
   The title is somewhat misleading. This book isn't really about 3D game programming. It's about 3D graphics programming, in a games context. As some others have written, it lacks detailed info on things like how to structure your whole game to bring it all together, how to construct a proper scene graph, or how to implement other important things for a game like collision detection etc etc.
   That said, you can't expect to get everything out of one book, no matter what some books try to sell themselves as. So don't let my criticism put you off getting this wonderful text! This is still my number one recommendation for anyone looking to get a D3D book! Just be aware that you're going to need other resources for things beyond the graphical side of your game. But with the amount of books and tutorials specifically for things like AI, game physics etc, and websites like gamedev.net, this is hardly an issue.
   In short, buy this book, you won't regret it!



3. This is a very good book for DirectX. The author uses a Framework for all of his examples. I have always been against using Frameworks when learning a new subject, but Luna does a good job presenting it. You must know the ins-and-outs of object oriented programming to fully understand this book.
   
   As far as the code. The code was written for Visual Studio 2005, but you can use it in VS2003 by opening up the .vcproj file in a text editor, (like Notepad), and changing the number at the top of the file from 8.00 to 7.10 (7.00 for VS 2002). Then open the .vcproj (not the .sln file) file in VS200X and re-save everything and your ready to go.



4. Excellent introduction to DirectX 9.0c. Material is explained very clearly. You need to have at least an intermediate knowledge of C++. What is good about this book is that it also improves your knowledge of C++. I consider myself an average C++ programmer because I only use it occasionally for my work projects but this book has also improved my C++. Strongly recommended as an intro text to Direct3D. Keep a reference book like Deitel's C how to program or Horton's Visual C++ 2008 at hand in case you get lost and you are golden as far as how much you will learn.



5. Great read, I read 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development (Wordware Game Math Library) along with this book to cover the math portion in greater depth.

4 comments about OpenGL ES Game Development (Game Development Series).

1. I was pleasantly surprised to see a book on OpenGL ES already in commerce after such a short time from the birth of the specification and first implementation. Indeed this book, as said in its preface, came out in "cell-phone time", (that is, very quick) but unfortunately also in "cell-phone-quality" (that is, very poor). It is an incoherent puzzle containing disparate info about EGL, some basic considerations about OpenGL ES functionality, audio for mobile devices, fixed point math and advertising for a few commercial game engines. If you think that looking hard enough you will find at least some info on how to choose and configure your development environment, to see working code for some basic functionality and maybe a little game.. well you are sadly mistaken. Another "book" hastily put together to make a few extra bucks at the expense of the unsuspecting reader. Buy only if love rough toilet paper.



2. I have finally finished reading this book. I found most of the information in this book very helpful. I've been developing 2D Java games on cell phones for a while. I found a lot of great infomation on OpenGL ES and EGL. There is enough here to really get started and some great insight on how to do fixed-point math. I found the sample code lacking at little and there isn't an actual 3D game from cover to cover, but the chapter on writing an OpenGL ES game was pretty good insight from a real 3D professional game developer. The audio chapter could be left out and the book still would have been good. If your looking at learning OpenGL ES gaming for cell phones you should at least consider this book as a good starter.



3. I've been reading up on OpenGL ES and just finished my first commerical game project that will be using OpenGL ES for a phone that will be out soon. I really enjoyed this book and it was a great help for our team to get the right info and tools. Lacking a full game, but not needed to get all the info you need - and every game developer already knows how to write a game mate :-)



4. The book does not talk much about OpenGL ES, but lots of the difference between OpenGL and OpenGL ES. It is good for the people that are experienced in PC 3D graphics.

5 comments about The Sims 2 FreeTime: Prima Official Game Guide.

1. This book is a must for anyone that plays Sims2. There is so much information & hints that it is well worth it.



2. The game guide is very helpful. We are always referring back to it for one thing or another. For me it's a must have item for the new EPs.



3. I figured out most of it before I got the book , but is helpful for different career . I like all of mt Prima books for my Sims games.The Sims 2: FreeTime



4. EA released a patch to fix this, but then recalled the patch with no word as to when (or if) it will be released again. Do not buy this until it has been confirmed that a new patch has been released, it is basically unplayable as is...



5. If you play Sims then consider adding this game.Freetime is a great way to keep your Sims happy and entertained.There are some surprises that are amusing.If you have never added a pack to your Sims this one would be a great addition! It takes a bit of time to see your Sim get to the max,but it is worth it!!!

1 comments about Too Human (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. While the material in the guide is very excellent, the print is quite small at least to me. In Fact, I would have no problem paying a bit more for the guide if the print was larger. I would've liked to see maps for the cyberspace items as well.
   
   Still, all in all a good guide for the game.

No comments about Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

5 comments about Sims 2 Castaway: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. I was very happy with everything about the product, the delivery, the product itself everything.



2. While the book was a very good read, it was useless to me as the web site never stated what platform the guide was for. I brought it for my DS game, and the guide only covered the PS2 and Wii versions. There is a VERY small spot actually on the picture of the guide itself (you have to enlarge the photo to see it clearly. The web page needs to clearly state what system the book is for. While it read very well, and IF I HAD the game, I'm sure it would be a great help, I gave the book to a friend. It was useless to me.



3. If you like the TV show, Lost, you will probably like this game. It is like the show, but you get to control what is happening.
   We were totalling addicted to it. We played everyday until we accomplished all the goals. Now, we don't play anymore. We had a great time all playing. All of our family members had fun playing the characters and making things.



4. This guide is pretty useful for this game. It definately helps out. I've found every question I had answered by finding it in the book.



5. This book gives you the exact location of the map pieces and the hieroglyphic pieces. It lists the available resources on each island and gives lots of helpful tips!

5 comments about Beginning Flash Game Programming For Dummies.

1. I have no complaints about the book itself; I didn't get far enough into it to comment either way, but it does appear to be very well written and complete.
   
   A friend ordered this book about the same time I did, and we were both shocked to find out that we needed Flash MX 2004. I suppose we should have assumed that, but nowhere was it mentioned in any of the descriptions or reviews on this or any other site. I ended up returning the book because I can't afford the program right now.
   
   So if you don't already have Flash MX 2004, check the price before deciding to buy this book.



2. IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS: This book is not written for the current Flash CS3, so you need to make a few accommodations. When the book tells you to create a new Flash program, be sure to choose the option to create an ActionScript 2.0 Flash File, NOT the current ActionScript 3.0. In the very first line of game programming code described in this book (on p.38), it uses the "onRelease" property of a button, which is no longer available in ActionScript 3.0. The program won't compile or run, and right out of the blocks, the reader is stuck. However, if you create an ActionScript 2.0 program, it works fine, and then you can continue.
   
   NOTE: I just noticed that Adobe is releasing their CS4 suite about a week from now, which will probably also update Flash again to CS4. Hopefully, Flash CS4 will still provide the ability to create ActionScript 2.0 files, so that Flash CS4 can still be used with this book.
   
   This is as far as we have gotten in the book so far. I will update this review if we discover more things to watch out for when using this book with Flash CS3.
   
   This updated version of the book is copyrighted in 2006 but was released in November 2005, and was written for Macromedia Flash MX 2004. Since then, Adobe has acquired Macromedia, and Flash has gone through two more releases. Flash 8 was released in September 2005 (two months before the book was released), and Flash CS3 was released in April 2007. Flash CS3 added support for ActionScript 3.0, but fortunately also supports ActionScript 2.0 files.
   
   Except for this slight hiccup, this book is working well for us. I've started reading it, and it is very accessible, jumping right into the game programming topics to keep the reader interested. I am a software engineer by training, but I bought the book for my 15-year-old son because he is extremely interested in writing computer games. Flash is the best platform for game writing for teens, because it's fairly easy to use, is quite powerful, and it's incredibly easy to post their completed Flash games to web sites like Kongregate where zillions of other teens will find them and play them. My excited son took to this book like a duck to water, but then got stumped on the very first programming task, because of this ActionScript 3.0 issue. I figured out the problem and got him straightened out, using ActionScript 2.0 instead.
   
   One significant issue, which I'm sure you've discovered, is that the Flash development environment is very expensive. Flash CS3 Professional costs $699 from Adobe, or $670 on Amazon. I was able to find a legal, new, shrinkwrapped copy on eBay for $499, but that's still a lot of money to allow my teen to learn how to program games. I'm sure we'll find other uses for Flash, though, in our web site work, and overall I think it is worth it to keep my son interested in software engineering as a career.



3. This book teaches you how to program games using Flash MX 2004. Unfortunately, that product is no longer available and hasn't been for quite some time. Newer flash programming environments are very different, so many of the samples and techniques in this book will be useless unless you already have Flash MX 2004.



4. I got a lot out of this book but wish there would have been more time spent of multi-players. Overall, a strong recommendation.



5. Although I have looked to this book for answers many times, it rarely if ever comes through with the info I need. This book fails to give the reader/ game designer the conceptual info to fill in the blanks of their own personal issues with their own game ideas.
   I found the info in here to be scattered and poorly organized, and utterly useless in terms of "back-bone" game programming basics. I have taken game prototyping classes using Flash and this book was useless. Unless you plan to build the most basic games, exactly as they are presented in this book, you will find very little info in here to help you on your more creative and ambitious game projects.

5 comments about Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Signature Series Guide (Bradygames Signature Series).

1. This guide is required reading for any gaming fan of Marvel Ultimate Alliance who wishes to find everything but does not wish to invest significant time.



2. The cinematics in this game are fantastic.
   However the characters in the game are to small.
   The camera angles are disapointing. The same way with some of the sports games. Camera angles are important in any game! Camera angles need to be on the ground level with the characters.



3. This is, as always from Bradygames, an excellent strategy guide. From trivia questions to cheat codes, this one has them all. The only thing not included? Which X-Man to kill at the end of Mephisto's Realm (and yes it does matter.) Hint: Don't kill the one who's known to come back from death.



4. This is an excellent game guide book with everything you would need to 100% complete the game. I am disappointed that the pages began pulling away from the binding within a few days of light use. Now, whole sections of pages are falling out as if the binding dried out. I guess I am stuck with it!!



5. Marvel Ultimate Alliance is filled with hidden items, choices that change the story and puzzles that take some serious thought. This guide will help you not only get through the game and save the Marvel Universe, but it will teach you a few little known facts about Marvel comics (which will also help you get some serious XP). I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to see and do everything this great game offers

No comments about Disgaea Compilation Strategy Guide (DS, PSP, PS2).