5 comments about Microsoft® XNA Game Studio 2.0: Learn Programming Now!.

1. After going to numerous retail (Borders, Barnes and Nobles) and their onlince counterparts + Amazon, I've come to the conclusion that someone at Microsoft dropped the ball. Each time I ask them to key in the ISB for the book titled "XNA Game Studio Express and Visual C# express edition", expecting to find a book with a CD. And each time I locate it on the shelf there is a similar book called "Microsoft® XNA® Game Studio 2.0: Learn Programming Now", with the same ISBN, same Author, similar cover, but without the CD. What gives? Is this the same book, but with a changed name shortly before release (i.e. Revenge of the Jedi)? If so, where is the CD. If someone from MS Press reads this I hope they will clarify this.



2. I got this book at Barnes & Noble, so it was the 'newer version' without the CD or the promise thereof. It wasn't a problem at all for me, as everything is very easy to access online...and I'd prefer to buy the book at a cheaper cost and download the software than pay extra for a CD.
   
   The content, at least the part that I've read is very informative for a newbie programmer like me. I'm only on Chapter 3, but if you're already experienced in C#, this book might not be for you. Everything is clearly explained, and the length of the book is perfect - long enough to be thorough, but not so long to be intimidating. Highly recommended.



3. *NEWSFLASH*
   
   Forget about the not downloadable code... It can be found a very silly games dot com. If you want to learn more about XNA. Buy this book...
   
   *END NEWSFLASH*
   
   First of all let me say that I think that this book is very well written. It explains things quite easy and I think beginners are going to enjoy this book quite a lot. Even medior programmers can learn stuff from this book. And I think everyone gets a pretty good insight on how XNA works. Having said that, there is one complaint and preventing this book from getting more than 3 stars.
   
   The book tells you to look at examples quite often. And as I am one that likes to see code examples I find it very annoying that the CD is not available. But as some of the previous reviewers mentioned everything is downloadable so I went out for a search.
   
   So I thoughed I get it of the Microsoft press site. But as it turns out the CD is not downloadable atm. So well, lets try searching via Google. Nothing to be found. Perhaps I am looking in all the wrong places, but I you write a book and refer to code examles quite a lot I think they should be easily available. This is not the case atm. So herefore 3 stars and no more.
   
   Talk about a BIG shame.
   
   So in conclusion. When you think of buying this book make sure you have the code examples. Than this book is going bring you lots of joy. If you cannot find them, my advise would be. Leave this book be till you do.



4. This book is really simple. If you are just starting out, you may want to start here -- although I might would suggest starting with a straight C# book (or online tutorials).
   
   The book has 2.0 in the title, but I couldn't find anything new to 2.0 discussed in the pages.



5. I've been going through a lot of online tutorials, training videos and all the big XNA books out there. I'm at a 'middle' level of knowledge and I wanted to pick this up just to reaffirm what I've learned. Looking at it, I knew it was going to be more basic that most books and I knew that going into it (which allowed me to get through it fairly quickly).
   
   The book starts off as a great little intro to XNA, but as it progresses seems to get into the same issue as a lot of other XNA books, it just starts leaving things out and expects you to be following along with the source code (which is downloadable). I'm ok with more advanced books doing this, but for a complete beginner, I know this could end up a little confusing (and I believe this book is geared for that audience).
   
   The only other minor gripe would be (and the author alludes to it being an issue at the beginning of the last chapter) - the programs created begin to get to that point where they are starting to get a little complicated and keeping all the code in a single file starts to backfire. An introduction to OOP and classes would have greatly benefited the examples for the last few chapters. I don't think it has to get into great detail, but after explaining namespaces and even using structs, I don't see why the code couldn't be broken out to some basic OOP. Nothing fancy is needed but having some separate classes would have been nice and I think much easier (even for beginners).
   
   Other than those minor issues, I feel the book is a good intro for someone who knows some basic programming of any language and wants to dabble in XNA. Someone that hasn't done any programming would also be fine, but I'd recommend a C# book to get the full set of basics. The first 3/4 of the book are well written and go by quickly with some fun examples. It's an introductory book and a pretty good one at that. I recommend for anyone starting out and wants to get their feet wet.

No comments about Chaotic: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1 comments about FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Ring of Fates Official Strategy Guide (Bragygames Official Strategy Guides).

1. A nice strategy guide for an excellent game.
   
   The strategy guide is very informative, and makes sure that nothing is missed through the story-line of the game - with two exceptions. At a certain point, the story moves on to a new area of the game and it never goes back to the previous section. While the book does say to finish the tasks in the first section, it doesn't say that you will never have the opportunity to come back.
   
   The other exception is an event where Zack (the main character) has to save a boy's mother from a fire. But this event will only happen if you have completed another task and reported back to the boy. The book specifically says that there is no need to report back to the boy, but if you don't, you don't get the "fire event". I had to go back to a previous save when I realized what had happened.
   
   The above two exceptions are the only details that were deficient/incorrect though. The guide gives excellent instructions and tips for the rest of the story-line.
   
   The best part of the guide is the mini-strategies for the 300 missions in the game. There were no errors, and the strategies were accurate and helpful.
   
   The one big down-side of the guide, is the scant attention it gives to materia fusion. Part of it is the fault of the game itself, given that they made materia fusion so complex. But the guide could have shone here, by making it more understandable. However, it just provided explanations which were very basic, and difficult to understand. There was also a pull-out section that was nothing but horribly confusing. I had to get better instructions online. Even now, after I get the whole materia fusion thing, I still can't make head or tail of the pull-out fusion guide.
   
   Even so .. I did not regret getting the guide. Apart from the materia fusion let-down, it was otherwise an excellent guide. I would recommend it to other people, without a doubt.
   
   Oh, if anyone from Brady reads this ... you people have got to consider the over-40s people with your font-type sizes. I can't even see a lot of it with reading glasses, and have to resort to a magnifying glass. The over-40s demographic is fast being recognized as a major video-game consumer, so strategy guides are no longer the realm of "young eyes".

No comments about World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon (World of Warcraft).

2 comments about First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game.

1. A great overview of the intersections of games, linear stories, and interactive artworks. This book almost inevitably leaves you with a richer perspective, because the range of articles (the uses of voice synthesizers to the Sims) makes it unlikely that you are familiar with all the terrain. The commentary discussions parallel to the main text give a feeling like chatting with your smart friends about some brilliant lecture you just saw. Thought provoking and fun.



2. What has particularly excited me is the opening chapter on "Cyberdrama"... it discusses approaches to story, game play and engagement in terms that echo what we are trying to achieve in Drama education. Throughout the book (and this is from preliminary browsing) there are discussions about narrative and simulation and disticntions being drawn bewteen perceptual positions of players ... the writers that have contributed to this book have a very clear sense of the notion of "role" and I am starting to think that this book may well serve as the basis for investigation into the role of technology in Drama ( and possibly other) education for the next few years. Other promising looking chapters include such discussions as "Moving Through Me as I move: A Paradigm for Interaction", "Unusual Positions: Embodied Interactions in Symbolic Spaces", "Narrative, Interactivity, Play and Games: Four Naughty Concepts in Need of Discipline", " Videogames of the Oppressed: Critical Thinking, Education, Tolerance and other Trivial Issues", "A Preliminary Poetics for Interactive Drama and Games"
   
   The authors contributing to this book are well known to anyone who's started looking into Drama and technology - Janet Murray , Espen Aarseth and Brenda Laurel are all there, alongside more familiar "drama' voices such as Richard Schechner...
   
   As a high school drama teacher, I have a keen interest in new media applications in Drama education - it seems that many of our number are still focussed totally on their Drama classrooms and while they have an interest in technology are not actually making much headway with developing knowledge in the area - this retards developing discussions when there isn't a common language and some basic concepts upon which to build our discussions and investigations...
   
   I think this book "First Person" is probably as good a starting point as is available at the moment. It provides a broad overview of the scope of "new media" interactions and there is definitely what I would call a "drama sensibility" contained within it.
   
   The other book I've just started looking into is Marie-Laure Ryan's "Narrative as Virtual Reality"
   
   Narrative As Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Literature and Electronic Media
   
   What looks promising here is Chapter Nine: "Participatory Interactivity from Life Situations to Drama". I've yet to properly digest the chapter - I've been intrigued by some of the statements I've encountered, for instance "For interactivity to be reconciled with immersion, it must be stripped of any self-reflexive dimension"... I'm not sure that is exactly what we are trying to do with Drama (or any form of) education - we are generally trying to become aware of the symbolic forms we are engaging with... although in a Stanislavskian sense, it might just be that this ne dimension of building belief is somehow well placed in Drama... I tend to think the Brechtian requirement for distance might be better suited... but that can be a discussion for another day... for the time being we need to start to come to grips with some key concepts in the new paradigm we have the opportunity to define...
   
   Once again... as Drama people we know the need for social constructivist approaches... I'm hoping we can live that rather than just posit it....
   
   We are trying to establish a special interest group called DramaPlayShop.org... you're welcome to drop in!

5 comments about The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. I just got Zelda-the Wind Waker for Christmas and it's a great game! Though this isn't the game, I'd think the book would be good too. You start out as Link to run to your grandma's house. You get dressed in the green uniform and you save a girl from a bird. The bird kidnapps your sister and then your story begins.I'll try to find the game to tell more about it.....



2. what can I say, it has everything I need to know and more. Its Good.



3. First, let me state that this review should be considered only by those who play games for FUN.. This means, NOT those who play first person shooters online for 16 hours at a time, but those who play video games as a hobby, not a lifestyle; i.e. a few hours a week. Second, don't even consider this book if you're looking for help on the Ocarina of Time, because it won't help. Someone stated previously that it looks like a review out of a video game magazine, and their absolutely right. I've used an Ocarina book I got right here from Amazon for that game, and it was perfect..
   
   On to the review: The game is GREAT, and the book certainly compliments that. I know the first thing potential buyers are looking for is PROBLEMS, so instead of pretending there aren't any, I'll hit those first.
   
   The main problem here (as previously mentioned) is the organization of the book, and it all comes down to your playing style.. If you want to play the game yourself and only have the book as a reference for when you get stuck or for finding little extras, than it's perfect. However, if you want to have everything spelled out for you and not play the game at all without first consulting the book, than this probably isn't the right one for you.. It walks you through the quests for the first 3/4 of the book, and has little footnotes at the bottom of each page, referring you to the side-quests which are detailed towards the end of the book..
   
   If you've played the game, then you know that it's a HUGE ocean, broken up into 49 different squares, with 49 different islands, and once you've passed a few preliminary tasks, the entire world is open to you to explore on your own.. In my experience with the game, this book worked PERFECTLY, because the best part was sailing around the map and stumbling upon new islands and landmarks on your own, without someone or something telling you where to go.. The book complimented this, because it has an entire section showing what you can do on each island, and how far into the game you need to be in order to accomplish each task. This is separate from the walkthrough, which details the actual quests, and not the hidden items and extra goodies available on each island. Again, the organization of the book may be a problem for some, but it will be perfect for others..
   
   Otherwise, the problems are VERY minimal.. There are a few instances where the book will tell you something is worth 100 rupees (dollars) when in fact it's worth 200, or vice versa, but these are few and far between.. I'm 4/5 of the way through the game and I could count those mistakes on less than one hand..
   
   The pictures are clear and crisp, and plenty large enough to see if you have the ability of sight, and the walkthrough itself is well written, inclusive, and comprehensive. It's gotten me through all of those spots where your just scratching your head wondering what to do next, but at the same time the game is simple enough that you should be able to get through the majority of it without help.. Besides, exploring the vast world they created is the best part of the game!



4. The best ever,Prima's done it again...
   Prima made winners of all us gamers with this guide.



5. This guide was great it was helpfull in all the dungeaons and MOST of the ftriforce(More on this later). It helped me from Dragon roost to all the mini games. The one thing i found to my displeasure was that they messed up on the triforce pieces. When it shows you were to find them, it is messed up and i had to work for like a half an hour to match them. Also it is missing one ALL together. Again this one the best strategy guide i have used but I would not be so quick to buy it if you are nt great with the maps.

5 comments about How to Draw the Legend of Zelda.

1. I like this book a lot, but foir each charecter, there are only one pose. I love legend of zelda, so it automaticly gets 5 stars. but i reduced it to 4 cuz it only had the following:zelda, link, saria, ganon, deku scrub, link in a pose, a garon, and a tektite. i realy like twighlight princess, and wind waker, but it only had ocarina of time (also a great game). I think you should buy it if you want a blast from the past, or u r a total nerd(i'm a nerd :]).



2. I'm not a kid, I'm just too lazy to sign up for amazon.
   
   If you've ever used a How to Draw disney book, you'll recognize the similar steps here, which is a good thing. But to those who have been complaining that it is too complicated for kids, read this: Bambi and the Little Mermaid weren't drawn by kids, and niether was Zelda. Furthermore adding to the ridiculousness of these aruments is that Zelda isn't even a kid's game to start with, it's VERY violent. Back on topic, It takes a serious artist years to learn these techniques.
   
   This is a very nice drawing book for those interested in the characters. But be prepared to practice for many months. That's what it takes to draw cartoons, unlike portraits.



3. Remember those how-to-draw books you picked-up as a kid? Like, how to draw cats, dogs, cars, trees, or whatever? This book runs in that genre. The book is very short, and was meant for children roughly 9-12. It plays heavily on the "make it out of basic shapes, and then refine it" technique. The first steps usually involve drawing different sets of triangles, circles, or rectangles, which eventually lead to the character you're drawing. The "finished drawings" aren't so hot, usually done with very thick lines all around. As said, this is better for kids. It is, however, worth picking up at the library and taking a look at, if you want. If you do like it, after sampling it, then sure, buy it. ;D
   The best way to learn to draw Zelda characters, currently, is through learning anime or cartoon-animation styles of drawing, and then using official Zelda art as reference when you draw those characters.



4. The book covers a step by step on how to draw, but did not cover a lot of the characters in the game



5. This is a VERY light book with VERY little in the way of artistic instruction. It looks like it was made on a copy machine.
   
   Child was psyched but after 20 min it was over and she was back to copying things herself from the actual art.

3 comments about Obssessed With... Hollywood: Test Your Knowledge of the Silver Screen (Obsessed With) (Obsessed With...).

1. Its a game, its a book, its just plan fun. YOu don't have to be obsessed with film, Hollywood or Brittany to enjoy this great find. More than a book, its a great parlor game. Any group- young or old will enjoy the multiple choice question and answer format of this clever book. Just open to any page- punch in the question and your answer selection from the A/B/C/D format. Now puch it into the handy elctronic gadget attached to the book. It will let you know if you are right or wrong and direct you to the next level question.
   Its most fun with a group- Maybe your lunch crowd. A great way to pass the time. Great conversation starter- leave it out on the coffee table for anytime fun.



2. Never mind Hollywood, you will be obsessed with this book. Be careful, because if you have a relatively advanced knowledge of movies and Hollywood lore, be ready to spend the afternoon flipping pages and answering questions. Very cool idea.



3. Obssessed With... Hollywood: Test Your Knowledge of the Silver Screen (Obsessed With) (Obsessed With...)
   
   I'm so glad I finally got this movie trivia book! I passed over this book a few times over the holidays, but now that I've finally gotten myself a copy and taken time to read it / play with it, I'm wishing I would have gotten this earlier. I definitely could have seen giving this as a gift to my fellow movie junkies. And I would have certainly enjoyed playing this myself some more if I would have gotten it earlier.
   
   This book is packed with very good film trivia questions, though not too difficult. Over my first couple of hours of playing I was at about %50. Definitely easy enough to keep my interest and challenging enough to joggle my memory.
   
   The lower right corner houses an electronic answer box that randomly gives you question numbers to flip to. You also use this box to answer questions, and it gives you instant feedback and tracks your accuracy.
   
   The book itself, while solid, could have been put together better. The bookstore had a few copies where the electronic answer box had broken free from the book. In addition, after playing for a while I've come to think the binding is too tight. A spiral binding would have made flipping through the questions easier.
   
   Regardless, the content is very good and this thing is surprisingly addictive. If you love movie trivia and want something fun to kill a few hours, this will do it.
   
   They've also got a similar book about Baseball which I also bought. Obsessed with...Baseball: Test Your Knowledge of America's Pastime (Obsessed With...) I would definitely look into this series for other topics. This may not be as cool for home use as some of the newer multimedia trivia games, like the various "Scene It" games Scene It? Movie Travel DVD Game. Still, this book is very portable and well designed with great content. At the price of around $16-$17, it's not a bad value.
   
   Definitely give this one a try.
   
   Enjoy!!!

3 comments about My Sims: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. The Sims is a really fun game, and I play it when I have the chance to. It is a game where you create your own person from their voice to their clothes, and then create your own town by picking who lives in it and remodeling other peoples homes (and building your own). Before you do this though, you have to do a pretty long tutorial before you can play on your own. Also, the Prima Official Game Guide to the Sims is very helpful. It tells you who all the people in the game are, it shows you all the blueprints and tells you how to get them, and it also tells you about all the essences and where to find them. All in all, this is a really good game and I recommend it to anyone who likes building things or doing whatever you want in a game.



2. This is an extraordinary guide full of useful information and insightful vision of the game.
   Enjoyed every minute of it.
   Highly recommended.



3. This game guide is good and helpful, but not needed to enjoy the game. My wife likes the guide because she wants to know all the details, who to talk to and where to place their houses or businesses and their decorating likes in order to improve your relationship with the people in the MySims community. I recommend the guide only for those, like my wife, who like the additional information just for the fun of it.

5 comments about Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories - The Official Strategy Guide.

1. I can hardly remember about a missing topic. It's detailed, complete and it has an open layout. If you like any of the previous Doublejump guides, you will be more than satisfied with that.



2. Disagea 2 is a great game in many respects. It uses the old school boxes on a map , turn based system (which I happen to love) with a concept similar to games like Super Robot Wars or Final Fantasy tactics but with a twist. The characters are outrageous and there is no limit to how "powerful" you want to make your characters.. this can make for some crazy attacks with abnormous amounts of HP and crazy damage done if you choose to spend a of time with the game. All in all it's a fun game; one worth playing, with a high replay value.



3. I am blown away with every Doublejump guide I buy. The amount of detail they cram into these guides is insane. You can tell the writers at Doublejump have a passion for the games they create guides for, and a deep understanding of those games as well.
   
   The presentation of this guide is excellent, as is every Doublejump guide. The paper feels thick, and the pages are colorful and easy to read. One thing I really appreciate is how they invert a section of the guide called "Spoilers" so you can be sure you won't flip a page and find out something you wish you hadn't!
   
   As another reviewer has already said, I now consider buying games if they have a Doublejump guide. The extra price is well worth it, if only all guides could be this complete and well written!



4. No really, they rock. Best strategy guides in the industry. Did I mention they rock?



5. This is a really, REALLY detailed guide - perfect for such a deep and addictive strategy game. It has just about everything you could need to really blast the game apart. Only niggling issue is - some of the print is quite small (the book is paperback size) and hard to read especially late at night when my eyes aren't at their best! Heartily recommended if you like the game and want to really get into it - I bought it from Australia and had to pay an extra $20 for freight, but it is still worth every penny at that price.