2 comments about Fans, Bloggers, and Gamers: Media Consumers in a Digital Age.

1. Henry Jenkins provides an excellent step away from our normal expectations of media philosophers. Coming in between the doom-and-gloom media affect tradition and the corporate schlock Jenkins writes (and speaks!) for the fans.
   
   The book is a collection of articles set in three chapters: In the first, Jenkins lets us into the world of fandom (if you aren't there already) and more specifically his early focus- that of science fan-fiction. The second chapter, Going Digital, co-incides with his other 2006 book "Convergence Culture" in its mapping the flow of information and analyis of everyday Americans' change in their day-to-day. Finally, Columbine and Beyond (my favorite) looks at, esentially, the fear our elders have of new media and youth culture.



2. This was a case of looking at the title rather then the book. I picked it up thinking it would be about games and blogging. It does talk about it but more in a study of participatory culture.
   
   The book is a compendium of Professor Jenkins articles through the years.
   
   It's not bad if you are studying this topic.
   
   The first chapter I didn't care about and in fact skipped it. But I should say that is me as I really don't care to read excerpts of an interview. In this case it was Matt Hill interviewing Jenkins.
   
   There were articles about the culture of Star Trek and the efforts of the Gay community to get a gay character on the show. Interesting if you hadn't heard about it but I had known about the effort and even remember some of the shows mentioned.
   
   There are articles about violence and video games especially after the Columbine affair. Jenkins made some rather valid points about the perception of violence and the fact that often overlooked is the amount of teenagers that play video games versus those that actually commit violence. The fact that the violence in Saving Private Ryan is ok but the fantasy sequence in Basketball Diaries is not. The notorious Grand Theft Auto 3 is mentioned as well. I found it interesting that he was ambushed by Phil Donahue in the manner of Fox News. As Jenkins mentioned Phil turned to the Dark Side of broadcasting.
   
   The final chapter involved and analysis of Buffy the Vampire Slayer between Jenkins and his son. It bored me but that is because this was not something I was expecting to read.
   
   Overall, it's not a bad book if you are into this type of study. It really didn't interest me overall. But, as I mentioned I was not expecting to read this type of topic.

5 comments about Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Signature Series).

1. this guide is a perfect complement to the game it, let get to the good points of this guide.
   1.it gives you an in depth guide to beat the missions, shotcuts to take if you are doing tricky missions.
   2. it gives you a map with the hidden packages on it to get rewards.
   3.gives you a look at the cars, wepons,and planes
   but using it is like cheating. still great buy.



2. This book is okay and moderately helpful, but why would you need to spend anything to get only one point of view on strategy for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City? Just go to GameFaqs.com and check out all the *free* stuff that has been written about this great game. (See: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/33074.html.) Waste your money, if you want, but at least check out GameFaqs.com before purchasing Bogenn's book.



3. ok this guide is helpful but i completed all the missions before i bought the guide i only got it to find the hidden packages easier but just like the gta 3 guide there is some wrong info in this guide so be careful



4. Now THIS is a real videogame strategy guide. The official strategy guide for "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" is an extremely helpful little tool in your quest of chaos and mayhem. It'll help you out if you're in a tough jam or need to know how to get out of a rough situation pronto. The guide offers step-by-step descriptions of what should be done in order to complete all of the missions that are thrown in your way. Pictures are included, as well as alternate routes and techniques to get the job done.

   Not only is this guide helpful by just merely explaining the missions and how to achieve successful outcomes of those missions, but the guide also gives you some excellent tips and secrets. You also get complete profiles of weapons, cars, and your friends (along with your enemies). The guide helps you figure out what vehicle/weapon would be the most useful to you on certain missions. Full details of side missions are also at your disposal as well. A downside of the guide is that there are some typos and errors present. Looks like somebody doesn't like to proofread--although, I should be the LAST person to complain about such things. Besides, it's not like you're reading the guide for literary qualities.

   The guide is most useful when you use it as a reference tool. This meaning that you only refer to it when you are in a tough spot and do not know how to get out of it. Or, you're stuck on a certain mission and no matter how many times you attempt it, you end up either dead or arrested. Then, this is when the guide becomes the most helpful. The pure fun of the game itself is how unpredictable it is. There's always a nasty surprise that awaits you around every dark and trashy corner. So, I would not recommend that you use the guide for the entire duration of your joyriding in Vice City.

   This very well laid out strategy guide for "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" is a more than helpful tool that will get you out of many binds during your stay in Vice City. With excellent step-by-step mission layouts, colorful pictures, and detailed profiles on characters, vehicles and weapons, this proves to be a truly informative guide that no "Grand Theft Auto" fan should be without. Keep it close to you, is my advice to you. You never know when you're going to need it... -Michael Crane




5. This is a review of this product: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Official Strategy Guide for PlayStation 2. Amazon may display this review on the page of another version of this product, for which this review may not apply. After reading this review, please click on the link so that you can be assured that the product this review applies to is the same one you thought it was for.
   --------------------------------------------------
   
   Although this is probably the least error-ridden volume in BradyGames' Grand Theft Auto strategy guide series, it does contain a few errors. Although BradyGames hasn't (to my knowledge) released a corrected-version, they have released some corrected information on their website:
   
   Page 9: Robbing Shops
   The correct location of the Deli is as follows: Deli (Cafe Robina) - The cafeteria in Little Havana where you receive the CUBANS: Umberto missions.
   * Screenshot: [see image uploaded to Product Images section on this item's page on Amazon]
   
   Page 144: Pizza Delivery Missions--150 Max Health
   During this side mission, you're tasked to complete a certain number of pizza deliveries. It starts out with one delivery, followed by two, three, all the way to 10. Successfully complete all 10 separate deliveries (from 1 to 10) in one attempt to unlock Max Health of 150hp.
   
   Page 147: Having trouble finding the PCJ Playground Odd Job?
   First, check out our Odd Jobs map on page 133. See where it says "Street Race 2"? Now find the little orange square just below the word "Street" on the map. That's where the PCJ Playground mission takes place (on a corner where Washington Beach becomes Vice Point). The PCJ cycle is parked right beside the wall of the apartment building on the NE corner of that intersection. If it's not there when you arrive, then perform a jump on the nearby ramp with any vehicle. When you return to the correct spot, the PCJ 600 will definitely be there.
   * Map: [see image uploaded to Product Images section on this item's page on Amazon]
   * Screenshot: [see image uploaded to Product Images section on this item's page on Amazon]
   
   Page 172: Having trouble finding Hidden Package #43?
   It is still located in Studio C on Prawn Island, but there isn't a bathroom stall. In the movie studio lot, enter the first building on the right. The hidden package is located just inside to the left.
   * Map: [see image uploaded to Product Images section on this item's page on Amazon]
   * Screenshot: [see image uploaded to Product Images section on this item's page on Amazon]
   
   Page 175: Airport Hidden Package #97
   This hidden package is located in Gate 1-8, not Gate 8-1.
   
   Hidden Stat Line: Keepie-Uppy beach ball
   Visit Starfish Island and go to the house across the street from Diaz's mansion, then find the beach ball in the empty pool in the back. Run into the ball to knock it into the air, then get it to bounce off Tommy's head. This adds the line "Highest score with Keepie-Uppy beach ball" to the Stats page.
   * Screenshot 1: [see image uploaded to Product Images section on this item's page on Amazon]
   * Screenshot 2: [see image uploaded to Product Images section on this item's page on Amazon]
   
   100% Completion
   If you are stuck at 99% complete, try the following: Return to shooting range downtown and get a score of 45 or higher.
   
   Info from: bradygames-DOT-com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=0744001943
   (click on "Updates & Corrections" in the grey "More Information" box)

3 comments about NFL Head Coach 09: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. This is a high quality guide for NFL Head Coach 09, which is currently (August 13, 2008) only available when you buy the bundled Collectors Edition of Madden 09.
   
   This is the guide that should have been included with the game itself. Nearly half of this guide is filled with instructions on HOW to play the game and HOW to use the Play Editor - and that's a good thing.
   
   The lame 12 page pamphlet that EA ships with the game itself is basically useless and this guide answers most of the gameplay questions. There are so many things happening behind the scenes in this game that you would have no idea about unless you either figured it out on your own (which would take hours and hours worth of restarting Career mode to fix your mistakes), or took a look at this Prima guide.
   
   The second half of the guide details various play strategies for each of the NFL teams. It breaks down each team's best offensive and defensive plays in easy to understand terms (strangely, it doesn't include any player names in any of the descriptions, only their jersey numbers). They've also included a pretty good primer on professional football offensive and defensive formations and strategies in general.
   
   I would have liked to see a bit more detail about the "strategy" of the off season and free agent tendencies. Instead, this guide acts more like the (missing!) instruction manual and doesn't give you many specific things to try, like bundling draft picks with signing bonuses in order to snag elusive players.
   
   Likewise, although the Play Editor section is descriptive and explains it's function very well, but doesn't offer you much advice regarding WHAT pieces and parts that will make for a great play. Unless you're already pretty good with football strategies, you'll learn HOW to move the X's and O's around, but you won't learn WHY. Some illustrated examples would have been great.



2. As the other review alluded to -- This makes for a great instruction manual. As far as a strategy guide, this is not. It more or less tells you how to play the game, and what different options mean. And a lot of the instructions are pretty much direct from the in game tutorial. For as in depth that this game seems to be, as well as being essentially a brand new franchise (I get Madden skimping on docs, since most owners already have played and know the controls), it needed a better manual than was provided.
   
   And maybe that's where the pain lies. The game itself isn't that good, but that's okay as it's only $30(as found with the Madden Collector's Edition), but since you need to buy this manual to know how to play, the game is now a $50 game. And, that is more money than the game itself is worse.
   
   Also adding to the dissapointment of this guide is the quality of the manual. The manual itself is very short at 160 pages. There are typos galore. And the paper it is printed on is about the quality that a cheap magazine comes in.



3. Good book and thorough enough on each aspect of the game. A must for Madden or NCAA Football players looking to get an edge in making their own plays. Gives you more control over features the other two dont.

5 comments about Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Official Strategy Guides).

1. There's a lot of unknowns in Age of Conan: from the peculiar stat system to the actual numerical effects of certain buffs and skills. I purchased this guide hoping it would expand on the pitiful game manual -- suffice to say, it doesn't.
   
   Everything in the guide can be read from the game tooltips, and there's no in-depth explanations at all. Class descriptions are sanitised and mostly the same ("an excellent solo class, but don't forget to buff up before a fight blah blah"). The back of the guide even devotes pages to "maps" of hyboria that are simply screenshots of the game... just press the "m" key.
   
   A total waste of money, especially considering the massive patch changes that Funcom continues to implement.



2. This was sort of helpful in picking what class to play, but didn't really give in depth guides to anything.



3. This guide is incomplete, its a rush rush job with very little help full detail. Maps are blank with no important details.
   
   you can't get updates from the website either.
   
   Wait for V.2 of the book to be released.
   lvl 45 ranger
   Wishbone



4. Complete waste of time and money. This "guide" frankly isn't any help at all. Most of the graphics are just screenshots and are very small and fuzzy. I can't believe that this is "official."



5. Worthless guide. Save your money! Not only that but I am very
   sorry I bott this game. Thott I would enjoy a change from WOW which I have played for about two years. It is a change alright. Be careful voting for change, might get an unpleasant surprise as I did. Actually the game is about par with Guild Wars which one can play without cost online after the purchase of the game. I will not pay to continue playing Conan. It is back to Wow. After my initial 30 days of free play ends it will be goodbye Conan.

No comments about StarCraft: Dark Templar: Twilight (Starcraft).

3 comments about Level Design for Games: Creating Compelling Game Experiences (New Riders Games).

1. This is an excellent book. It is straightforward and delivers very useful information. This book is devoid of the fluff, generalizations and pseudo-intellectual chatter so many books in the game development/design genre contain. This author speaks from experience, which is evident from his bio, but more so from the flow and genuine voice of his writing. I am particularly cynically and harsh on books in this genre so I didn't write this review lightly.



2. Page for page, this book is likely one of the most useful game design books on the market. Phil Co boils all the essentials needed to understand level design into this tightly written text. I wish others would follow his lead and give developers more useful information rather than a long winded history of the game industry.
   
   Time and time again I point to this book as the most useful, manageable, and clearly written text on the subject of level design.
   
   It's perfect for teens as well as pros who want to brush up on their level design.



3. The book is practical and easy to read. It is clear that this book is written by somebody with experience from the games industry. Inside the book you will find several useful level diagrams and design examples to help you improve the way you work with, think about and document your level designs. The book is very focused which means that even though it is relatively short, it probably has more (relevant) content than other books which mix in a lot of other subjects (at the expense of level design). If you are a games design student you should read this book.

5 comments about Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas(tm) Official Strategy Guide (XBOX and PC) (Signature).

1. I actually just found out that Bradygames released 2 books, (PS2, and XBOX + PC) for this game. This XBOX + PC Book is almost completely accurate in terms of where it says items or locations should be. Well, I should say that the maps in the "Odd Jobs" chapter are 100% accurate. The maps in the beginnings of the other chapters are -slightly- off (no idea why though), but if you like to explore in the GTA games, a rough location plus a description is all you need!
   
   Lots of maps, Racing maps, weapon locations, actual mission descriptions + storyline, a huge "Odd Jobs" chapter explaining every THING you can do if you're not on a mission, sprays, camera shots, horseshoes, bike jumps (unique stunt bonuses), and oysters will keep you busy for a long time if you're after the 100% completion mark. In addition, the last 5 things I mentioned above have in-game pictures in case you just can't find it.
   
   
   I recommend it. It makes a good addition to the game itself.



2. The book was excellent but for those who have a PC would prefer the
   X BOX hints also have hints for PC. The light was shining on those who had X BOX not a PC. It does not suggest any of the schools which makes it difficult for those who have trouble, lets say in driving school.



3. This guide is very well laid out. It will help you if you get stuck. It helps you find some of the bonuses in the game. I only use it when I get frustrated



4. This guide is in NO WAY easy to use. No index or table of content, and being as big as it is it's not easy to search through without them. However the content is very good, but you can save yourself some money and just Google 'Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas online strategy guide' and you'll find one with the same info,help,tips,secrets,etc you need to complete the game with 100% progress for free.



5. I have owned both versions of this guide, and I ended up giving away the PS2 Version. It was very inaccurate in some of the locations of items. For a specifice example, the locations of the Photo ops in San Fierro. The locations were not accurate, and not even matched up correctly by number. Even some of the horseshoe locations were completely inaccurate that they were not even the correct location, which annoyed me because I spent a large amount of time searching for something that was not there. I own a PS2, but I use the XBOX & PC version because of its accuracy. There is no real difference, as the guide does not tell you which button needs to be pressed, so the XBOX version still fits.
   
   Also, for those who I know are curious, the XBOX version gives more insight on the dating and "coffee" aspects, unlike the PS2, which skips over it.

5 comments about Mass Effect Collector's Edition: Prima Official Game Guide.

1. I found the hint guide to be very helpful, While I only referred to it after finishing a section or when getting stuck for awhile. It has information on all equipment, powers, locations and charecters and maps for all locations too.
   
   The art book was nice, with lots of background information, though it lacked the depth that went into Half Life 2 Raising the Bar, its a good addition to any collection.



2. Considering the Art-work had been given as well I couldn't recommend this one enough, this was a great guide, informative and helpful if only a little lack-luster when providing alternative strategies and approaches to certain bosses and enemies.
   
   Still, if you're like me and like extended manual's that you can pick up and start reading wherever you go, this one is great.
   
   A recommendation though, even as it is a guide and should be obvious, more guides should implement "SPOILER" warnings before key plot element's are given away.



3. What I like the best of this game is the atmosphere, the art of the game, and in the Artbook I have had what I expected, very good.
   
   The guide looks very very very complete, but it has A LOT of text and tables. It's a complete guide but not a funny read



4. This collectible book is rich of a beautiful illustration set and show the creation process of a such great game as Mass Effet. If you consider a video game as a piece of Art, you will find this item as a must have. It give you the opportunity to continue the Mass Effect journey.



5. I got this for the art book, so I don't have a strong opinion on the guide. That said, the guide is useful for completionists like me. The "collecting" side quests may be quite hard to complete without any help as many of the objects don't show up on the maps until you get near them. This book will save you a lot of time by marking them out for you. Although you can get all the information you need online, it's handy to have a printed version while you're within the game.
   
   The art book contains a lot of gorgeous concept art that really shows how much attention has gone into the design of this fabulous game. Mass Effect has one of the best game stories I've encountered, and if you love the story as much as I do, you'll enjoy reliving the game via the artwork and seeing how the design of the characters and aliens evolved into their final versions.
   
   The chapters cover the gamut: characters, races, environments, vehicles - there's even a "details" sections that covers miscellaneous stuff like furniture. The pages are dominated by the pictures, descriptive text is present but minimal; the way it should be.
   
   I would give the art book a 5 star, but overall the set receives a 4-star because the guide is pretty straightforward, and there's nothing really special about this so-called collector's edition.

2 comments about The Sims 2 Revised: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. If you don't get this book you won't fully understand all the featues of the sims 2. Everything you need to know is there.



2. When I ordered this, I was expecting a small, slim little guide with a few tips and strategies. I mean, how much could there be to a computer game? So as you can imagine, I was surprised when I pulled out a thick, 366 page book that broke down everything you could ever need to know (and more) about The Sims 2 into sections, explaining and describing everything, in detail, from Sim genetics, pre-made neighborhoods and the pre-made families that inhabit them, NPCs, Sim memories, Sim death, building a house... okay, I'm confusing myself (and probably you). Here is the complete chapter/section list:
   
   ---
   
   Part One: The Basics
   -Chapter One: Getting To Know The Sims 2
   -Chapter Two: Getting Started
   
   Part Two: Creating Families, Neighborhoods, And Sims
   -Chapter Three: Welcome To The Neighborhood
   -Chapter Four: Create-A-Sim And Genetics
   -Chapter Five: Simology
   
   Part Three: It's A Lot Like Life
   -Chapter Six: The Six Ages Of Sims: Playing The Generation Game
   -Chapter Seven: Needs
   -Chapter Eight: Aspirations, Wants, And Fears
   -Chapter Nine: Skills
   -Chapter Ten: Careers And School
   -Chapter Eleven: Social Interactions
   -Chapter Twelve: Family Life
   -Chapter Thirteen: NPCs
   -Chapter Fourteen: Community Lots
   -Chapter Fifteen: Objects
   -Chapter Sixteen: Disasters, Disease, And Death
   
   Part Four: All In The Family: Sims In Action
   -Chapter Seventeen: The Ex-Machina Family Blog
   
   Part Five:
   -Chapter Eighteen: Build Mode
   -Chapter Nineteen: Story Mode And Moviemaking
   -Chapter Twenty: Sim Autonomy
   -Chapter Twenty-One: The Sims 2 Body Shop
   -Chapter Twenty-Two: Custom Content
   -Chapter Twenty-Three: Appendix A: Cheats
   
   ---
   
   So, yes... if you play The Sims 2 at all, get this book. Even if you're just a casual player. I assure you, your Sim gaming experience will be much better. The only regret I have is not having this book around when I first started playing TS2.

5 comments about Beginning Game Development with Python and Pygame: From Novice to Professional (Beginning from Novice to Professional).

1. Here's my Pro/Con Opinions about this book:
   Pros:
   - Very easy to read.
   - Great examples that actually work
   - Chapters 1 & 2 give a great intro to python, so this would actually be a good book if you've never touched python before (but did have some programming experience)
   - Lots of info using pygame+opengl
   - A lot of examples use his gameobjects library, so a lot of the grunt-work coding is available to use already.
   
   Cons:
   - My biggest complaint is the lack of discussion on Sprites. Pygame is really a 2D library, and I think he left out a lot of very important information by not discussing how the Sprite class can be used.
   - Only cursory discussion Sound. If you're writing a game and just want the basic sound effects and/or background music, this is ok. However, if you want to do something really interesting with sound, you'll need to dig way beyond what this book offers.
   
   Overall, I think the book is worth getting unless you've already done
   a few significant projects using pygame. It's definately an Intro
   book, and it does a really good job giving the user an idea how to put
   a project together.



2. I wanted to write some simples game for my 3 yr. old son and looking for starting point as I don't know anything about Game programming. I am halfway done reading the book and so far I find this book very useful. The chapters are well laid out and I feel encourages to read page after next, unlike some 500 pages books that goes too far to make one sleep or loose interest. I am assuming some advance game programmer may expect more but a novice like me found this book very helpful and I found the information that I was looking. I think both me and my son will make some use of the money spend on the book



3. I have to say up front that I fit the "Novice" part of the title for this book, but if the book is really intended for such an audience then my review may be helpful for those in the same situation... What I am a Novice at is Python and Device driven programming. Although this is really a very good AND much needed book for the much under documented Pygame library, it missed an excellent opportunity to provide a novice level tutorial in "device driven" programming as supported by Pygame. Although it is possible to muddle through to an understanding (much as I did) by thinking through the implications of the example code, it leaves a lot to be desired to provide a working basis for a real "Novice". As an example, the need to know the function of the lines of code "while True:" combined with "pygame,display,update()" and what they mean about the code that lie between them is really crucial to getting any code using the library to work at all. Although this is addressed to some extent, I found quite a bit of experimentation (on my part) necessary to discover what code needed to be included in this loop and what did not... I hope Mr. McGugan , with his excellent writing skills and obvious enthusiasim for this kind of work, will soon provide us with a second edition that will provide us with more insight into how Pygame actually works, so we won't be programming by rote...



4. I bought this book for my son a few weeks ago. He likes the book and finds it helpful. But the book is falling apart at the binding. Very disappointing.



5. Ch3-6 provide a nice introduction to the basics of writing simple programs in pygame. The example code in these chapters was clear and effective at demonstrating the particular topic. Overall this book was helpful to me in developing a pygame centric design flow for the programs that I am writing.
   
   I would recommend this book to help in jump starting your understanding of this useful python module.
   
   Bryce Himebaugh