5 comments about X-Men(tm) Legends Official Strategy Guide.

1. I had already finished X-Men Legends before I got this guide; after all, it's a pretty short game. But I can definitely say it's more fun with the guide in hand.
   
   By and large this guide is free of the bad writing and false information that had plagued so many BradyGames guides I've used before. There's a large number of charts, lists, analytical databases and other devices which make the unlockables in the game much easier to find. And while the maps aren't exactly easy to read, the layout of the levels in X-Men Legends is so cluttered that I think the authors and layout artists did a good job of translating the maps into useful, legible form. The combat strategies they suggest almost always work, and they summarize each level succinctly so that you know what you're about to get into.
   
   Why only four stars? The layout of the book can sometimes be awkward -- too much eye candy sacrificing legibility and flow. For example, it's often not clear on a page whether you're supposed to read the upper-right map first or the lower-left one. The written passages are often up to half a page behind the maps and sidebars, making for confusing navigation. And they did have omissions on the maps, leaving out one or two items, but not enough to spoil everything.
   
   All in all, a very good guide with minor flaws.



2. It has been some years since I played a role-playing game (RPG). Having recently bought a PS2, I simply have to take on the X-Men: Legends. Afterall, I'm a Marvel fanboy, and what better way to rekindle my obsession with RPGs with Xavier's team of anti-heroes?
   
   By the time I got this guide, I was already in the H.A.A.R.P. mission. To be honest, I was stuck. I was facing Pyro, who seemed (notice the past tense) unbeatable, especially when I've no more health packs, and apart from Wolverine who self heals, the rest of my team are in really bad shape. I read through the guide for a lifeline, and I found it. It taught me how to go to the danger room to do some training, and earned myself some health packs. I recuperated, went back to fight Pyro, and defeated him.
   
   I went on to beat the game, slowly (I've read the guide and play at the same time, you know), and I was extremely delighted! I can only say I won't have go so far without the book.
   
   Just for that, 5-stars.



3. I first must say that the game XMen Legends is a piece of camel crap, but man, does the strategy guide rule!!! It told me, like, strategies and stuff about the game, even though the game bites cow butt!! I apologize to all meat eaters!!! But, alas, I am a vegetarian, so bite me!!!Anyway, the point is that this strategy guide reeks of awesomeness!!! DO NOT buy the game!!!These are 5 reasons not to buy the game: #1, It sucks!!!; #2, all you do is fight and other crap like that!!; #3, It doesn't work very well as a frisbee!!!; #4, Dog lovers beware!!! This game depicts images of dogs getting their tails stepped on and/or bitten off!! I found this very offensive!! #5, Why waste your money on this piece of crap when you could own the best book in the history of the world!!! [ Well, besides Hamlet, of course!!! ]



4. HI this x-men guide is good i wonder if anybody is selling one in good shape used no mess ups on the pages thanks so much have a nice day all sincerley michael serrano.



5. Whoever the used (second party)sellers are for this guide, they should be ashamed for jacking up the price. There are plenty of free guides and walkthroughs for this game. Just use a search engine; they're easy to find. Don't waste your hard-earned money on something that you can get for free.

2 comments about World in Conflict: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. I am age old gamer. I love these type of games that are similar to the C&C games. A totally great feel and the AI will kick your butt if you not sharp. This is all about Kill. Not farming for resources. Kill, Kill and get resources. That the game. I love the view zoom. Down to my shoes almost totally free moving around the field of view. It a Winner to any gamer collection.



2. This is a well-written guide for new players. It focuses on the single player campaign, but much of what you learn can be used in multi-player. I would purchase it again.

5 comments about The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages: Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

1. I'll list the pros and cons of this book one after the other; hopefully it's not too confusing...

   Pros:

   A great enemy list!

   Okay boss strategies

   Only guide so far to use coordinates (I find that fact surprising; the Zelda games are THE games to use coordinates with!)

   Has an okay section about passwords

   Nice cartoons

   Cons:

   Maps are TINY, boundaries not well marked, does not show inside of houses

   Screenshots are small and blurry

   Walkthrough is confusing; it might say something like, "In the next room, push the block and open the chest. In the next room, use the key," and it doesn't give details on WHICH keyhole to use the key on, and WHICH room is the "next" one. The could have used coordinates to their advantage way better than they did

   The whole thing is somewhat monotonous

   Cartoons, while cool, are VERY distracting. They are just plopped down anywhere; you might be in a section when you're encountering Zoras, and right there is a picture of a Goron!

   Some AWFUL typos; it got me all confused about the Harp of Ages. It said that the Tune Of Currents made a temporrary Time Portal, that the Tune of Ages activated Time Portals, and that the Tune of Echoes gave you tital freedom to travel in time. Then it said that you wouldn't get the ToC until later on in the game. The real scoop on the Harp is this: The Tune of Echoes (the frist tune you get) activates Time Portals; the Tune of Currents (the second tune you get) lets you move from the past to the present (it does create a temporary Time Portal, but that's not it's main purpose) and the Tune of Ages lets you go from Past to Present and Present to Past. Those typos really got me mixed up.

   Overall, this guide seemed like it was carelessely slapped together, and though it has some stuff you won't find in the Versus Guide, it has a lot more stuff that Versus does WAY better in.




2. This book is the WORST zelda book EVER!!! The map are so tiny! I need a microscope to see the it! It make me and my friends so confused! I would suggest to get The Lengend of Zelda oracle of Ages&Seasons from Versus Books.



3. I was disappointed in this book. It's too much page flipping. If you don't do EXACTLY what the book says, you get totally lost!!! I quit playing the game early out of frustration. That's just me. OH well.. if you decide to buy this, have patience...



4. its a good guide. I think i could have managed w/o it though.



5. I must say that I've been playing Zelda games since 1987 when the first one was released. I've been using Prima guides for Zelda games since the first book came out in the early 90s covering "A Link to the Past". Since then I've been using Prima Guides ever since after beating the Zelda games at least once in order to find the secrets I just couldn't find prior, and I have always found Prima to be the BEST at making guides, particularly for Zelda games. In fact, I can categorically say that their guide "Link's Awakening DX" is one of the best ever released for any game in the industry.

   Now I am faced with two very recent exceptions. One is their guide for "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker", and the other is this guide. In fact, this guide isn't just bad for Prima, it is possibly the worst Zelda guide I have ever tried to use.

   As mentioned I had already beaten the games, each twice: Once starting with Oracle of Seasons, and then linking to Oracle of Ages, and then once starting with Oracle of Ages, and linking to Oracle of Seasons. Yet even after beating these games, and knowing most of the secrets and details of both of them, I found this guide EXTREMELY confusing. I couldn't easily map my experience to the guide's content, and often found it in error. It was difficult to view the maps, as they were very small, and usually sectioned off with little context. The details of game play were simply not instructive (or even comparable) to direct game play. The best thing about it was the cartoons, but that is the most cosmetic and least instructive thing about the whole guide.

   I suggest skipping this guide altogether. Heck, even the Nintendo Power guide was better than this one. I won't be giving up on Prima, but I hope this latest trend doesn't continue.

No comments about The Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft: The Wrath of the Lich King.

3 comments about Taking Back Childhood: Helping Your Kids Thrive in a Fast-Paced, Media-Saturated, Violence-Filled World.

1. I heard this author discuss her book on NPR. I immediately bought a copy for my daughter, a new mother. She is very pleased with it. I hope it will be widely appreciated.



2. Dr. Carlsson-Paige's "Taking Back Childhood" is a profoundly affecting and gripping read. Reading this eye-and heart-opening book should be mandated for all parents and caregivers of children 0 - 10. Short of that, I highly recommend this compassionate and sensitive tome for anyone hoping to see the world through a child's eyes. Children are not creatures of logic and thus parents and caregivers need the insights presented here in order to assure our children of the (relatively simple and readily available) tools they need to flourish as upstanding human beings.
   
   If we don't like the changes we see in the world it is incumbent upon us as adults to institute the changes we want to see. There's no time like the present and no better place to start than with our "greatest natural resource": our babies and children. Dr. Carlsson-Paige gives us the tools to do just that with her straightforward advice and real-life examples. This may be more than just a good read; it could be a wake-up call and godsend for humanity. Bravo!



3. As a parent and former teacher, I was drawn to Nancy Carlsson-Paige's new book because I have been familiar with her groundbreaking work on young children's war play, "The War Play Dilemma" and know that she has been working, quietly and not so quietly, to effect change in the way we raise our children in this culture. She is a strong advocate for the kind of childhood I have been trying to provide for my own children, but I find it increasingly difficult to find kindred spirits who limit "screen time" and allow for plenty of "down time" for their kids. Nancy's book gives me hope that we can rescue creative play and advocate for its importance to healthy development, build closer connections to our children, help them develop the kind of empathy the world needs, and teach them to "talk back to consumerism." Most of all, it helps me feel that it's not just me against the corporations--that we parents can support each other as we try to hang on to childhood for our children--and it reminds us that childhood is not a race, but a journey....Every parent, grandparent, caregiver, and teacher needs a copy of this book!

5 comments about Gaming: Essays On Algorithmic Culture (Electronic Mediations).

1. Interesting book, but not entirely what I was expecting. It takes a very filmic approach to videogames, focusing on gaze and perspective. There are some interesting parallels draw between film and games, but for the most part, the author seems more comfortable in a critical eye outside of games themselves.
   
   I lost interest in the book about halfway through, but I may pick it up again. If you are looking for a book about interaction or theories of play and leisure, this is not the book for you.



2. After Protocol, one of the best books in cyberculture, Galloway bring us Gaming, one of the best books in gameculture.
   Remembering Protocol's way, a bit of history, with some criticism after. The only problem is the book is toooo short, and very important issues, like gameart and mods, stay basics. I hope these can be developed in the next future.
   
   And I love cover, with the Unreal Healt PickUp int the hospital.



3. This is a fun book to read that is written in an accessible and engaging style that contains some really interesting ideas about gaming. Because this is more a collection of interrelated essays than a sustained argument, it makes sense to approach each essay individually.
   
   In the first chapter-essay, to understand the relationship between the player and the game space, the author arrives at a cartesian plane of possible gaming moments: The x-axis moves between the operator's and the machine's actions, and the y-axis moves between diegetic and non-diegetic actions. The result is that some common gaming moments can be reliably plotted in this plane. The author's approach here presents a way to initiate a discussion around action, but the entire argument doesn't hang on the validity of this model. This diagram forces the author to define game diegesis somewhat narrowly within the confines of certain kinds of games, and it seems somewhat arbitrary where he draws the line between diegetic and non-diegetic. However, it's an interesting beginning, and the terms and relationships Galloway sets up here permeate the remainder of the essays, contextualizing them all within the idea of game action.
   
   In chapter 2, the author goes to great lengths to justify his central claim that where film uses the subjective shot to represent a problem with identification, games use the subjective shot to create identification. The problem with first-person or subjective camerawork is that the perspective suggests agency or the ability to interact. It is in these moments in cinema where the camera exposes itself as an agent of looking, and the audience is confronted with its own status as observer. In other words, it is the fact that the first-person perspective holds forth the possibility of action that makes it such an uncomfortable technique in cinema, but such a natural arrangement in gaming where the possibility of interaction exists. The author then identifies certain cinematic situations that adopt visual "patina" derived from gaming. Some obvious examples of this "gamic vision" include the Heads-Up Display subjective shots from Terminator and RoboCop.
   
   In chapter 3, Galloway unpacks the idea of realism in gaming, distancing it from the so-called "realism" of high-end graphics that purport to be faithful representations of real world objects. Instead, since gaming is for Galloway an action and not an image, realism should be imagined on different terms. Again taking cues from cinema, Galloway argues that a better kind of realism for gaming would follow the model of neorealism in film in which neorealisticness depends on narrative and not form. Galloway mentions games like September 12th and The Sims as possibilities of a better realism in gaming because they engage social reality at a level in which the game action parallels the real-world action it comments on. In other words, a person is more likely to order a pizza than shoot aliens. Again orienting his discussion on action, Galloway concludes that the true correspondence obtained in realistic gaming is a congruence between the "material substrate of the medium" and the gamer's social reality.
   
   In the fourth chapter and the concluding one, Galloway makes a compelling case for the expressive potential of video games. In outlining the allegories of control in gaming, Galloway claims that, to the extent that successfully navigating daily life increasingly relies on selecting options from series of menus, gaming simply emulates this by enclosing it within the gaming action. The main example here is Civilization, which has been criticized for its Imperialistic politics. For Galloway, though, the problem with Civlization is not so much that it presents other nations and people groups as fodder for conquering, but that it condenses politics into a series of quantities that can be balanced and varied according to menu configurations. So Galloway does criticize the game, but mainly does so because it represents an index for the very dominance of informatic organization and how it has entirely overhauled, revolutionized, and recolonized the function of identity.
   
   In chapter five, Galloway ends up with six theses for countergaming, one of which is hypothetical. Though the book as a whole claims to be a collection autonomous essays, it's hard not to read in this essay the culmination of ideas oulined in the first four. Put briefly, countergaming involves establishing and then subverting the formal poetics of gameplay. One theme in this is the foregrounding of apparatus, or when games break. The author's main example in this essay is Jodi's untitled game in which the interface frequently breaks down or appears to reveal its underlying code. Similarly, countergaming can become visible in subverting representational modeling of objects with degraded artifacts. Note that this is not simply bad modeling or the modeling of abstract objects. Rather, the spatiality of objects is threatened by their exposed status as images. This discussion is useful not only for outlining a potential direction for artistic or activist game design, but also for providing a context for discussing more mainstream activity like Alternate Reality Gaming in which the game world is very much defined by its juxtaposition with its representation and underlying code, or more sinister-seeming accidents like actual rendering errors in game worlds. These phenomena are not countergaming as such, but it is possible to understand the disruption of their presence better if we see it as a kind energy working against the dominant hegemony of the game structure. Such things break the framework of social realism.
   
   Although I found this book intelligent and engaging, I'm still not sure what to do with it. The author proposes alternatives to popular critical models, but these are mostly gestures toward a way of thinking about gaming rather than a declaration of How Things Are. It is this approach, along with the approach to gaming as an action rather than games as objects, that is this book's most valuable contribution. I would recommend it to high-level game architects and virtual world architects who aren't afraid of a somewhat academic read.



4. Excellent book. Until now, I have read the first two essays. In the first one, Gamic Actions - Four Moments, the author has developed an analysis framework for games based on the concept of diegesis. In the second, he digs the origins of the First-Person Shooter based on the film history. Definitely, this book will be an important reference in my doctorate research.



5. I work in the video game industry and have launched over 10 titles on both console and PC, 4 of which have sold over 1 million units. This book, while academically interesting in the abstract (and that's why it's not getting 1 star from me), does not describe anything relevant to the real world of game creation or development. It does not contain anything that I would recommend to my business as either prescriptive for development activities or descriptive of player behaviors. Other than the need to publish for academic politics reasons, I don't know why the author wrote this book.

5 comments about Riven: The Sequel to Myst: The Official Strategy Guide (Secrets of the Games Series).

1. This book not only gives you the answers that you've been struggling for, but it also tells you why the answer is what it is as we follow the author in an interesting and easy to read story. I found myself on several occasions saying, "Oh yeah. I noticed that too, but I never knew what it meant." Even reading about the many answers I was able to solve on my own was enjoyable.



2. I fell in love with the game Riven right from the start. I had not played very many computer games before this, and had never played Myst, so therefore, Riven turned out to be a bit difficult for me. Just when I had solved a fairly easy section I would hit an impasse and thought I'd maybe end up banging my head against the table. I was hopelessly stuck at a point in the game when I came across this book - a blessing I thought! It's actually more of a curse due to the fact that the book makes it much too tempting and easy to cheat. There is nothing as thrilling as finally breaking the code, solving the mystery, and finding the answer to the great puzzle - the book eventually gives you all the answers and thus spoils the fun. I for one will NOT buy this "cheat sheet" type of book again, however, I highly recommend it to those individuals who get a thrill out of cheating!



3. This is the best book. It is a lot like the Myst srategy guide.



4. This is a great book, if you are too lazy to even walk around in Riven. I had completed everything, except for 2 of the last 3 puzzles, and all I wanted was a couple of general hints to point me in the right direction. Instead, the first half of the book, which is supposed to do just that, was more of a smoothed out walk through - not every step, but it pushed you through the whole game and revealed all of the secrets and solutions. The real walkthrough in the back is basically the same thing, just bulleted and put into command sentences. Don't buy this book if you want to take your time and figure things out on your own. If you just want to beat the game quickly, with no respect for the beauty of the programming and the story, this will do fine.

   On the brighter side, after I bought this and read it, I stopped hitting my head, solved the puzzles again for myself, and finished the game in 2 hours. I would still be playing around in the ceremonial chamber and with the marble puzzle if I didn't get this book. I missed the small things, which made so much difference, and I couldn't make the connections, which is what this is all about. Please, try Riven on your own first, and if you are really stuck (I mean really), then get this book. It will alleviate your headache.




5. Another good book to have if into older games and need some help. The Myst games are great for all ages and the whole family can enjoy them. Great if one does the controls and another does the reading, it really makes these games a lot more fun to enjoy. The Larghe's

5 comments about Neverwinter Nights(tm) 2 Official Strategy Guide (Forgotten Realms) (Forgotten Realms).

1. Do you remember when games were an actual an art-form and were sold with respect to the paying customers? Innovative games that came in beautiful detailed cardboard boxes. Included were a number of artwork items (paper or cloth maps, pewter figurines) and thick, detailed guide booklets. Nowadays, all we get is a cheap plastic case. Usually broken.
   
   Well, now the faceless accountants that run the gaming business decided to take the next shameless step: they are trying to sell the Game Guide as a Strategy Guide! Yes, this is the case here: a weak walkthrough (one can find much more detailed and helpful ones on the internet) and then whatever should have been included in a classic Game Guide: general maps, weapons list (without unique items), and incomplete lists of NPCs & enemies (bestiary).
   Check your good old BALDUR's GATE: the above were all included in the Game guide!
   
   My advice: Don't even think about it!



2. It was very informative on the new structure of NWN2 over what we are used to from the original NWN but as most guides go it could use more detail on actual gameplay (walk-through) and not spend so much of the book on character creation & game stats.



3. I have only just gotten to the city Neverwinter, but have already noticed a number of things that don't sync up in the game and the guide. The most likely reason is patches have changed certain things. All in all a good guide, but not the best I have ever had. The maps are just so so, often not containing all the information that you might need, as well as some maps not being included at all. Also the orientation of the maps is often much different than the starting point in game, which calls for alot of book turning. There also doesn't seem to be a list of crafting recipes in the book, only a list of items that you can make.
   
   You most likely will need another source of information (online guide, etc) if you are like me and want to find and locate all the items and quests located in this game.
   
   Good luck!!!



4. Invariably, when you play this game, you're not going to have a clue as to where to go or what to do next. To this extent, getting this guide is a major Godsend. This gives you maps for what to do, where to go and how to get your alignment to the one you're aiming for. So if you plan to spend several hours trying to figure out the next big move in Neverwinter Nights 2, this is the guide that puts it all together for you.



5. This is perhaps the worst strategy guide I have ever purchased. The only thing I can say that is even a little positive is that it has maps. Other than that this was a waste of money. There are at best a small blurb on a very select few side quests. No information on item creation and even the walkthrough portion is lacking critcal details. Go to GameFaqs and save your money.

5 comments about SimCity Societies: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. This kind of games are interesting because let you use you imagination with no limits.



2. This game didn't invite me in like previous titles. I bought the help book to see if I was missing clues or ideas to help with game play. It is fun - but other games have pushed SimCity Societies to the background.



3. This book is the best. It tells you and shows you how to do anything you want in the game. I love it



4. Well, I bought the game as well as the guide but the game refuses to load on my computer so the guide is no use to me, whatsoever! I've handed the game over to someone else to see if the problem is the disk or my computer. sigh. I suppose it might be helpful if you actually had the game running.



5. This is horrible, waaay not worth what I paid for it. I wouldn't suggest this to anyone that likes SimCity 4!

2 comments about Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing.

1. Written and edited by members of the International Game Developers Association, Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing is a no-nonsense guide to the professional craft of writing the story, narrative, dialogue, tutorials, manuals, strategy guides, and anything else that needs to be written for modern-day video games. All contributors are themselves seasoned video game writers; they give the down and dirty on how to break into the business, what it means to be part of a writing team, principles of narrative design, and much, much more. Script samples offer illuminating examples that enhance this absolute "must-have" for anyone contemplating or pursuing a career in video game writing or technical writing, even (or especially) if they already have experience in crafting standard prose.



2. This is a must-have book for aspiring video game writers. The various script samples, game-writing instructions, and "war stories" of how working professionals made the jump into game writing from other fields provide a handbook of how to get-in and stay-in.
   
   As games get more complex, I imagine the production guides are going to get more and more complex, too. Sticking to books written and edited by the Writer's Special Interest Group from the International Game Development Association (Wendy Despain, Richard Dansky, etc.) is very wise. These *are* the people who know how to do this.