5 comments about World of WarCraft Dungeon Companion, Volume 2 (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. The WoW Dungeon Companion, vol 2 book is a great book to assist the average to new gamer in the different advanced dungeons of the Outlands. This book along with the vol 1 is a great collection of the instances you can run with groups. It is very helpful in understanding the different characters you will go up against in battle and overall must kill to get the loot they will drop. Plus it gives you great insight on the dungeons itself, how to position the group and where to go if you need a guide due to going in the wrong direction. The book also gives you the different types of loot certain bosses carry and that you can possibly receive if you defeat them. I would highly recommend this books to all along with the other book available on for the World Of Warcraft.



2. This work is an improvement over the first volume that covered the instances for the original game. The layout and text are more user-friendly (and easier on the eyes) plus it lays out the instances in the order in which you are likely to encounter them, as in from lowest-level to highest. The strategy tips for (most) of the encounters are also highly helpful.
   
   What prevents this book from being a top-rated work are the same problems found in the first one. For one, with Blizzard constantly updating content, not all the material in the book is current, such as adding or subtracting encounters in instances or lowering how difficult a particular encounter is. In addition, not all the instance write-ups really give detailed advice on how to defeat it or offer alternatives to what is given; the section on Dark Portal: Black Morass readily springs to mind. Finally, the book suffers from the same lackidaisical proofreading as the first one, with numerous typographical and spelling errors that simply should not be in a published work.
   
   Overall, this book is an excellent reference for those who want to advance and succeed in the game as quickly as possible. Just remember to use other online references to supplement it for game updates and other perspectives on how to run the instances, or you may be in for a few nasty surprises.



3. I purchased the dungeon guide as a gift for my husband. It was exactly what he wanted as a WOW player. This guide gave fairly up to date information about the BC instances and bosses allowing him to get a decent preview of a dungeon before entering.



4. As numerous others have pointed out, print products age very quickly when related to an online game. If you are serious about raiding, skip this and download/install Atlas Loot Enhanced and Deadly Boss Mods. Read up on bosskillers.com and get the phat lewtz. This product is superfluous but nice if you want to read while offline i suppose.



5. Our guild was preparing to start raids in Kara and we needed information on how to fight the bosses. None of us had ever been in there, except maybe to replace someone for a boss fight. This guide has helped our group get a complete clear. When someone suggests doing something else other than the guide it seems to fail most of the time. The successes we have had were when we followed the advice in the guide. This is a great guide for all of the instances with burning crusade including the heroic dungeons. A HUGE Help! I highly recommend.

5 comments about Real-Time Rendering, Third Edition.

1. This is not a book of algorithms on computer graphics methods. Instead, it is a comprehensive high-level survey of rendering techniques for making the graphics appear to occur in real time. This book has a very academic tone to it, and with the exception of chapter 3 which is on matrix transforms, it has precious few implementation details. Some reviewers have called it a successor to Foley and Van Dam's classic text, but I find this misleading. That book is primarily about computer graphics techniques, and is not that concerned with real-time issues. The bibliography of this book is extensive and impressive, and if you are doing research on the subject it is probably essential, especially if you are interested in the subject of virtual reality where real-time presentation is a must. However, if you are just looking for pseudocode or more "cool effects" to insert into a game or graphics program you are writing/programming you would do best to look elsewhere.



2. I acually read this book cover to cover theres alot of information in the book and its a great book to refer back to. Its really good as a companion with OpenGL. theres some directx stuff in it too but there seems to be more with OpenGL references.



3. Real-time rendering is a perfect resource to bring always :) with you and read something about this world.
   
   I find it really useful and elegant and complete



4. The primarily reason to buy that book was reviews. There is no CD and no examples. So if you are a developer and want to see some code or examples, do not waste money on it. I think I am the only one who gave this book 1 star. This makes this book absolutely meaningless.



5. Must-have for anyone who cares about real-time rendering. It will save you a lot of time -- trust me

5 comments about The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.

1. Though I've been mostly interested in writing for animation and comics, while playing video games I questioned who came up with it's stories. Many games have little to no stories and focus mostly on mindless entertainment...which isn't always a bad thing. But some video game stories really touch the viewer (Half Life 2, Final Fantasy, Bioshock, etc. come to mind.)
   
   On a whim I bought this book and have enjoyed it immensely. Both the authors provided much more than I was hoping for. Both are seasoned game writers/designers who have worked on many games you know, and are still working on games. Stuff like UNCHARTED - DRAKE'S FORTUNE, CRIMSON SKIES, PROJECT ORIGIN, and FRANK MILLER'S SIN CITY - THE GAME. These guys know what they are doing.
   
   The book breaks down not only how to write for games, but what that entails, hardships you will find along the way (both with writing and people), they provide sheets you can fill out to create your own game bible to pitch. And as an added bonus they occasionally have writing exercises to help you hone your craft or understnad a point better.
   
   Leave no stone unturned and that's what these two have done. It has my highest regards! Buy it and truly educate yourself.



2. As a screenwriter, I wanted to dive into the challenges of writing for video games as I believe that it is the future medium of choice for storytelling and entertainment. Taking the advice of the many other consumer reviewers before me on Amazon, I bought this book and I haven't looked back since. It is very complete and helpful covering almost every aspect of game design and writing, but more importantly, how writing for games is a totally different craft than writing for film or literature, and how to tackle the many different challenges involved. The book takes you into the psyche of an average gamer and deconstructs what they're expectations are, and should be.
   
   I believe it helps greatly to have some storytelling experience, preferably screenwriting, to make the most use of this book and to understand it better. Otherwise, you might feel a bit confused and left out if you have never written narrative storytelling before.
   
   A great book for noobs and pros alike!



3. From what I've read, this book does a good job of covering many aspects of general game creation and can be used as a starter for ideas, especially for its price tag.



4. The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design balances the artistic and the technical sides of writing smoothly. The incorporation of writing exercises throughout coupled with examples in the back allows the fledgling writer to evaluate their own writing compared to the author's. The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design starts with basics for an beginning writer, continues with the nitty gritty of game specific writing, and finishes with a valuable look into the business aspects of writing for video games. Over all The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design is a comprehensive, easy-to-use tool for the first time writer and a great resource for the veteran as well.



5. I'm a would-be game developer and this book really gets you into how to add story elements to your game. It tells you what make good story elements and how to balance them against the needs of the game.
   
   The book is filled with practical tips and exercises. Definitely the best book I've read on the topic.

5 comments about Final Fantasy XII Signature Series Guide.

1. This book clearly and accurately guides the player through the games main storyline and through the many aspects of the this fun game. From tips on setting up gambits, side quests, hidden espers, bestiary, navigating the license board to full detailed maps of every area, this book has it all.



2. I'm adding a positive review here as a special educator for parents whose children play video games. Buying game guides for your kids is a good way for them to spend time reading and analyzing information. Buying guides is also a way for you to see what your children are playing. This game and the guide have some very educationally advanced concepts that you can take advantage of, if your child happens to want to play this game.
   
   Final Fantasy XII has a nomenclature that is based on many cultures around the world, and many languages. You will find culture and words that are Japanese, Irish, German, Sanskrit, Arabic and English. These can be found in names of characters, the espers (big monsters that help the game characters attack), maps and locations in the game, magic attacks, even weapons. All of these have names and descriptions that are based in many cultures around the world. Explore these with your child!
   
   Have your child describe to you what is happening in the game and explore the guide to get more depth. When your child revisits a location in the game, have them go around and talk to the people in that location. What are the people saying? For example, as the empire begins to amass for the war against Dalmasca, what are different townspeople saying? What are their interests?
   
   Doing the reading of the speech in the game and interpreting it by speaking aloud to you are ways to improve language use, expressive language skills. Reading improves receptive language. This guide has a lot of world history in it that can lead to many kinds of discussions, without you needing to actually play the game.
   
   There is nothing offensive in this game, and everything to be gained by reading the guide and discussing the languages and cultural historical details the game developers have written in.
   
   One good activity to explore with the help of the guide is the Bestiary, which is a list of the monsters in the game. The list actually contains pages of stories and myths. So, as your child captures various monsters, they will get a page about that monster, but also more pages that contain unrelated mythical stories. These stories are worth collecting and reading. You won't find these in the guide, just the list of the monsters. You have to catch the monsters to get the pages of stories. One of the best stories is the one you get by defeating the Garif hunter in the Greensnake area of the Ozmone Plain.
   
   On top of this, your child will likely play the game longer and get more time in, making the game purchase a good money buy. Eventually you can resell the game along with the guide, which adds value to a game resale.
   
   Everything to recommend! I have a child with a speech and language disorder and games with their guides have really improved his ability to process language. He is an honor student now, and good play like this has added to his reading.



3. If you want to enjoy your Final Fantasy experience you must get this book. Otherwise you have a long road ahead of you.



4. A MUST read if you have the game. It definitely helps you understand the game and you probably won't get through the game if you don't purchase this item. Also, a great buy and great price in comparison! [[Final Fantasy XII Signature Series Guide]]



5. hey gringos go and buy toyr videogames guide because you CANT play a videogame like this with no guide XD

5 comments about Mario Kart (Wii): Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. Not much to read in here that you couldn't find out for yourself after playing the game.



2. Main Review
   _______________
   
   After Nintendo stopped making guides, they left making guides in the hands of Prima. Prima has not done well with this, especially in guides for games like Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
   
   However, then the almighty David Hodgson, who writes many awesome guides, wrote the guide for Mario Kart Wii. And the first thing I want to say is: Welcome back, Prima.
   
   There may be one or two minor problems in this guide, but it's almost perfect! If you remember Nintendo Power guides for previous games, they had the numbers (numbers and letters, in this case) that correspond to the tips later.
   
   That's what made Nintendo Power guides so great. Now, Prima borrows that idea, and does it as well as Nintendo did it.
   
   The guide starts off with a simple introduction as well as easy-to-read lists of controls for all different types of ways to play the game.
   
   Next, is the Basic Info, which might be useful to Mario Kart Newcomers, but won't really do anything for veterans. It's still there if you need it, though.
   
   Next it has a list of the items and a few other basic things.
   
   Finally, we get to the meat of the guide. There's a guide for every course and this is how ever course in the drivethrough is set up.
   
   The first two pages contain the map of the track as well as Tactics for Time Trial Mode on that track. There are also course hazards and occasionally a coll little "Look at Mii!" box on the left.
   
   Next, they have notes on Laps 2 & 3 on Time Trial as well as their best time and how they acheived it. Then, they hav the guide for the Grand Prix. Finally, every drivethrough ends with the Mirror Mode Map.
   
   After the drivethrough is the guide for Battle Mode. Finally, they have easy-to-read lists of all the secrets in the game. Don't forget there's a poster included.
   
   If you get it from a store, it's around $20 (in the USA), but it's worth it, defenitely!
   
   Pros
   ___________
   
   - Easy to read maps.
   
   - Easy to read lists.
   
   - Organized basic section.
   
   - Full drivethrough for all modes.
   
   - List of all secrets.
   
   - Poster included!
   
   Cons
   __________
   
   - A bit unorganized.
   
   Grades
   ___________
   
   Maps: A+
   
   Walkthrough: A
   
   Setup: A-
   
   Overall: A



3. My wife and I have never played any of the Mario Kart games before, so this was new to us. We really enjoyed it! It was a great deal of fun, and about the only complaint is that it is so addictive as you try to get that 1st place finish to open new screens. Get it, very good fun.



4. I have learned a lot from reading this manuel. I'm not a hardcore gammer, but I am addictedd to Mario Kart and it has improved my game. It taught me how to boost start, where to drop items, and just overall how to get better ratings. I am now a one star player and I owe it to this book. (Still working on getting more stars, but I'm happy with one, for now...)



5. This book not only helped me unlock some of the fastest karts in the game, it helped me knock several seconds off each lap. The techniques, suggestions, and shortcuts are invaluable for the serious gamer, especially those that wish to dominate online!

5 comments about Final Fantasy X Official Strategy Guide.

1. It would be impossible to accomplish all of things you can accomplish in this game without some help. There are simply too many secret places, special weapons, hidden aeons, etc. than one person could unlock on their own. The book is easy to use, easy to understand, and put together in a helpful, comprehensive manner. You will enjoy this game even more with this valuable resource.



2. There is no getting lost in the game with this by your side. You'll always know what you need to do next.



3. Helped in some complicated situation, very good quality for a book, in color,i received it very quickly with the other final fantasy book that i had ordered. very good product



4. This guide works great for me. Easy to find the more obscure quests and items.



5. The item is exactly as described. It shows everthing needed to beat the game easily. Great on showing all bonus features too.

5 comments about Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. This book contains the location of all the items in the game and is overall very straight foward.



2. Has a lot of good info as far as it goes. Leaves a lot to be desired but like I said, it's a lot of bang 4 your buck.



3. This is a great game my son has enjoyed it alot. Highly recommend for children who like video games and legos.



4. I found the guide very helpful. It was well written and not at all confusing as many are. My grandchildren like to play the games and try to figure out where all of the items are but when they get stuck we need the book. This is a well put together aid.



5. It drives me crazy when I can't find all the secrets in a game! It also makes me feel extremely thick when I can't figure out a puzzle. This books sorts out both problems, in addition to making this mom look "cool" when she plays with her kids. I like the addition of the checklists- that was one of the biggest drawbacks of the Lego Star Wars Guide.

1 comments about Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. If you were a fan of the original Viva Pinata...you'll love this one... It's got alot of the same game play with so much more. If you've never played a Viva Pinata game you should try the demo off xbox live...if you enjoy the demo you'll love Trouble in Paradise...It's also very addictive at first...

5 comments about Grand Theft Auto IV Series Guide (Bradygames Signature).

1. The Grand Theft Auto series of games have always been crammed full of things to do in addition to following the main story -- there are tons of hidden secrets and various other activities and missions.
   
   The Bradygames Guide has literally everything you need to know about GTA IV, in order to obtain 100% completion. Considering how much information is involved, this is no small task. The book has a ton of colorful pictures, as well as detailed descriptions on beating every mission and finding every. last. secret. period.
   
   The only downside to the book, and it is a major one, is the way in which the information is organized. The book is laid out from the standpoint of "this is what will happen next if you play the way we played". In other words, there is no organization of topics, only a 'flow' of information from one event to the next.
   
   The problem with this methodology is that because GTA IV is an open ended game, it is extremely unlikely that anyone will play through the game in the order the book was written -- this means that you're not going to be able to easily find specific information in the book unless you also know what event preceded it in the main story.
   
   Anyway, even though the data organization is a major annoyance, the fact remains that this guide has everything you ever wanted to know about GTA IV, so it is a must buy! You can find the same information scattered across a variety of websites, but the book is cheap and is very convenient to have next to you on the couch!



2. I found this book really helpful, although I had already finished the game by the time it got to me.



3. This is an excellent guide to have if you're looking for all of the achievements in the game. It gives you detailed maps of all of the items you can find, side missions, cars, etc. The guide does an excellent job with the story walkthrough and with the story characters. The guide is lacking a lot of hidden information that I believe it should include. Cheats, some tips on getting the achievements, general strategy for the game. What it does not cover can be easily discovered on your own if you spend time exploring the huge city and just messing around, still, if you're going to pay for a guide, you would expect it to have everything.



4. This guide really helped my on a couple of missions that I had a hard time with. Its detailed on how to complete a misson. so if your stuck pick this guide up its worth it.



5. I expected more out of this guide. Usually I play the game first then use the GTA guides to go back and collect packages etc. In this instance there is not much to collect except shooting rats which you get nothing for doing and takes ages. Stunt jumps are good but again gives you nothing for it.
   
   It has a good map and tells you about the characters in the game and the best places to take them. Overall the guide is good but won't add to the experience unless you are determined to get 100%.

5 comments about Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots Real World Training.

1. This book is a bargain for FSX users. Very detailed with over 700 pages of information. I am a private pilot and throughly enjoyed reading through this manual, especially when flying my FSX program. In addition the extra missions, charts & challanges, are certainly worth the book. The extras are free off the internet, and you'll probably have to wait until the web site is "free" as I suspect it is very busy. The book is great for learning a "new" aircraft, and best of all it gets you in the air quickly if you have never flown before. The internet stuff comes up inside the FSX program itself, and it quite complete with charts etc. for each mission. This book is certainly worth the money for what you get.



2. I'm not a pilot and don't intend to be one. I'm mostly interested in IFR flight and have some experience with previous version of FS back to '98. I just got this book and it really looks good. Lots of pics. It's geared towards training for actual flying but I recommend it for flight sim fans also. If my opinion changes are reading the book I will change this review.



3. Well written, clear and fun to read. I'm not a real pilot but I've been an enthusiastic if somewhat casual user of Flight Simulator for years and I have learned so much from this book. It's accurate, no glaring typos and assembled in a logical format.
   
   The accompanying exercises (down loadable from the Wiley Site)are very well done and are a testament to the devotion of the authors to fulfill the purpose as stated in the title of their book.
   
   It has taken me to the next level of flight simulation. Thanks.



4. This volume was suggested to us by our flight instructor, who found that the mental exercize of simulated inflight practice increased his efficiency in learning. I found it slightly overwhelming at first, but perhaps it is the challenge of the older generations to conquer the electronic media. It is a bit like learning to speak French to learn Spanish, but the overall concept should help decrease actual flight costs. Looking forward to the process.



5. The page designs for this book appear to have been intended for printing in full color. There was liberal use of spot color and much use of full color screen caps in the design; but as the book is printed with only black ink, the illustrations and other graphic elements are lacking in contrast--like printing a color negative on b&w photo paper. The title should have gone through a redesign to optimize it for one-color printing. While it's still legible, the effect makes me feel like I missed out on something.