1 comments about Writing for Video Games.

1. There is one sentence toward the end of the book that I think sums up the whole book: "If this book has succeeded in its intention, you should now be in the position of understanding how a skilful writer fits within the game development process."
   
   In fact, that's what this book is all about - each chapter analyses one aspect of the writer's work within the game development business. What this book won't tell you is how to improve your work how the work actually is done, but it does tell valuable information about how it fits in the grand-scheme of game development with an emphasis of interaction between the writer and the rest of the team.
   
   If you are an indie and don't plan on ever becoming a professional game writer this book won't help you. It won't help you either if you are looking for techniques on writing for games. However, it is invaluable for people in the business or who plan entering it, covering even ways to promote yourself and your work.
   
   I was unsure about rating it 3 or 4 stars, because other books do manage to cover both the business and the craft. But the emphasis on interaction and the depth of what it does cover are favorable, and I decided upon 4 stars.

5 comments about Halo: Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

1. rocked me to my core. this game has kept me glued to the tv screen for a year and i don't plan on leaving. highly recommended!!!



2. Wow. Who'd be dumb enough to buy this when you could go to bungie.net and look at the walkthrough there? Even on Legendary Halo's not that hard.



3. I am a bad (as in unable to find my way out of a paper sack) gamer. I need books like this to help me get through even the simplest of levels. I need this book. I like this book. Need I say more.



4. This guide is helpful for some stages in the game,(one must bare in mind that the guide is written for Xbox; control references are for Xbox), but I found that the pictures are a bit dark. All in all it is still useful for the novice RPG player.



5. I was rather disappointed by this book. I expected good advice, and helpful walkthroughs. The walkthroughs were ok, if you are playing on Easy. The maps of the single-player and multiplayer levels were good. The "helpful" tips section would only really be useful for someone who has never played a FPS before, with gems like "if you move around, you are a tougher target". It does have nice sections about the vehicles, weapons, multiplayer maps, and gametypes. The walkthrough itself is only useful on Easy or maybe Normal. If you are trying to beat Legendary, this is not the book for you. Go buy Halo 2 instead.

2 comments about Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. Very good.
   
   Delivered on time.



2. the book is for all formats of the game ps2, xbox, pc, etc.. I bought the book becuase I got stuck and thought I missed some upgrades after resating the game again realized that this prince is nowhere as good as "sands of time" and "warrior within" it is a software glitch sometimes I was being attacked by swords with no villians or the game would lock up the Prima guides are not as good as the Bradygame books

5 comments about Focus On SDL (The Premier Press Game Development Series).

1. Most books on game development today simply rehash material that is already available in countless other books. The Focus On series is a refreshing change. Though considerably thinner than the fullsize counterparts, the Focus On books dive right into the material you want to learn. This was certainly true in the case of Focus On SDL.
   
   The book gets you going immediately, setting up your compiler and getting a window on the screen. From there, you build on what has already been covered to show off various features of SDL.
   
   My biggest complaint about this book, much like one of the other reviewers, was that the book did not give much information about setting SDL up with OpenGL. The information available on the internet is very good and will allow you to fill in any missing pieces of the book, but if you're like me and would like a physical book to thumb through rather than a web reference, this book is perfect.



2. I am a sophmore in college studying computer engineering, and I bought this book in the hopes that it would help me with a programming project for school. The main thing that this book has going for it is the fact that it is actually writing about SDL... not many other books go into this subject and it is refreshing to see a book that doesn't limit itself to the Windows/DirectX world.
   
   The book is written in easy to understand language and is very helpful in showing what SDL is capable of. It proceeds to show readers how to set up most of SDL's different subsystems.
   
   The main problem with this book is that it does not go into detail about any of the topics it covers. If you're curious about how to use SDL's video/graphics capablity, for instance, you will learn how to initialize the system and draw some circles on the screen. The book has smaller pages than most, and the 54 pages long chapter on the video subsystem doesn't take long to get through. It leaves you wanting to know more.
   
   In short, this book will skim over different topics in SDL and teach you enough to get started. You will need to look elsewhere for details. I recommend purchasing this book to get you on the right track, but just know that you will need to search the internet for tutorials and example applications before you can seriously write games. This book is only a beginning.
   
   Since you are looking at a book on SDL, I assume you are trying either to learn how to program games/graphical applications for Linux, or are trying to make it so that the code you write can have multi-platform support. If this is the case, I would recommend looking at "Linux Game Programming" by Mark Collins (in the same series as this book) and "Programming Linux Games" by Loki Software/John Hall as well. Of these three books, I like "Programming Linux Games" best since it goes into greater detail and walks you through the creation of a basic, but complete game for Linux. Even though it has Linux in the title, most of the APIs it touches on (SDL, OpenGL, OpenAL, etc.) are cross-platform, so what you learn is not limited to Linux alone. For the project I was working on, I found myself jumping amoung the aforementioned books and online tutorials such as those at NeHe.



3. I agree with most of the other reviews about this book. It does a good job of covering the basics of SDL, without tons of fluff. While I wish it had been a little bit longer, it included exactly what it said: an overview of SDL. The first two sections of the book, covering the core SDL library and some of the extra related libraries, were just the right amount of detail and explanation for someone who likes to peruse the material in book form. The author does a good job of talking to people who know how to write software, but who haven't had much experience with SDL.
   
   The last third of the book was also basically filler, with a brief and relatively useless explanation of the author's preferred infrastructure for writing SDL games and apps.
   
   Overall, I highly recommend this book, particularly if you can purchase it at it's relatively low cost used price. The quality was much higher than many of the other Premier Press/Prima Tech books.



4. It's a pretty good introduction to SDL I think. A bit misleading though being part of the 'Game Development Series' but it doesn't teach how to make a game at all. By the end of the book you'll be able to put a bmp on the screen and play a sound file.
   
   Also, the back cover says "This book teaches you how to write code and then distribute it to various platforms." Which is kind of a lie!
   
   It never explained how to distribute or even set up Mac OS X or Linux or anything besides setting it up in VC++. I mainly got this book because I want to create a game for Linux and Mac OS X and MS Windows. I had to search online and do a lot of trial and error to eventually get all the samples to compile on Linux and OS X. It never even mentions how to set up SDL on anything other than VC++.
   
   I think this might've been frustrating if you didn't know how to use VC++ and C++ pretty well and wanted to do truly cross-platform SDL code.
   After this book I read a couple online tutorials on SDL and am also now reading Programming Linux Games (which has to do with SDL too) and the official SDL documentation and after all that I think I'll have a decent grasp on SDL.
   
   For somebody with pretty good C++ knowledge and at least some VC++ IDE knowledge though it isn't a bad intro to SDL especially for its size. It's a very small book I read it in two days and then spent a day making sense of it all in Linux and Mac OS X besides just VC++ but I don't regret reading it.



5. In conversation and on GDNet I have been condescending of this book and for that I must apologize - It is a great book for learning the Simple Direct-Media Library.
   
   I would definitely recommend this book if it makes you feel better to own a hard copy guide to SDL. However, I learned more through trial-and-error using only the online documentation.

5 comments about Dark Cloud 2 (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. Dark Cloud 2 is one of those games that desperately need a strategy guide. The game simply has too much going on. While not knowing something is rarely fatal, you will miss a fair number of things if you play from the ground up. This means going back and redoing stuff when you finally figure out what is wrong (if you figure out that something is wrong) or overcompensating by extensive leveling up.

   It is no surprise that this guide is over 200 pages. Prima has a high standard for attractive packaging, and this is no exception. The material is generally accurate (I did find a few glaring mistakes) but is less successful from the viewpoint of clarity and coverage. This is one of the few guides I have read where so much effort has been made to avoid spoilers that the authors forgot that a strategy guide is supposed to be part spoiler. Because of this quirk, fairly straightforward information has been obscured or left out.

   Take maps, for instance. Unfortunately, there aren't any. This is a game that always rearranges its dungeons, so maps can generally be done without. But, there are fixed locations where maps would help. These areas are important sources of supplies and character improvement materials. Just the place where a little help could go a long way to ease the craziness of the game.

   Another example is improving weapons. As you move along in the game, it gradually comes clear that your weapons are never strong enough. It took me a while to realize that powering up is much more complicated than either the manual or the guide indicate. If you don't catch on to this, the last parts of the game can get very frustrating.

   So, this is a mixed review. I couldn't have done as well as I did with the game without the help provided by the guide. In that sense it is a great success. But what was left out contributed to a great deal of my frustration. I'm coming to the conclusion that guides are becoming too fixed on large amounts of supplemental, cool, (and basically useless) materials (to compensate for being expensive and of limited use) and less on making sure that coverage is good. Even so, I don't think the buyer is going to be disappointed, but be prepared for a lot of unexpected quirks.




2. This strategy guide is informative of what items you will acquire during the game. They do let you know when an inside scoop is coming up on the particular level you are on. That's as far as i can go though. Alot of info is left vague as far as step by step dungeon walk thrus which I think is why you want a strategy guide in the first place. So you don't miss key items in the game.



3. This strategy guide is extremely helpful for first time play-through, and as a reference for subsequent play-throughs, but there are a few wild inaccuracies, and some sections seemed to me to be incomplete. It contains detailed charts on fishing, weapons, photo scoops, and inventions that are invaluable and mostly accurate. It's well worth purchasing if you remember to take its information with a grain of salt.



4. This guide provides me a good strategy on how to progress through different stages, how to beat the boss and also have a pictoric preview of the stages I am going to walk through. This guide also have lists of photo ideas in each area and creature items list. I think this guide is valuable. I will keep it.



5. There are very few RPGs that have as much depth as Dark Cloud 2, it is one of those rare PS2 games that realizes the true potential of the PS2. I can't imagine how big a complete guide would have to be for DC2. Even if this guide had only helped me a little I would have been happy, but it helped me a lot. I'm one of those players that don't like to use guides but when I do I want it to hold my hand and walk me through it and this is the only thing that keeps this guide from being 5 stars.

No comments about Game Development Essentials: Online Game Development.

5 comments about Shadow Hearts: From the New World (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. Here we go! This strat guide was better than I thought it would be its one of the biggest guides I have ever seen {beside Radiata Stories}. I also would like to say that the walkthough portion of the guide is about as detailed as you can get. It explains just about every item locale on the map like ring fragments, stellars, accessories, and where key npc's are. The item lists, weapons, and equipment are all listed in detail, also gives you in depth ways on dealing with all the boss fights. The best part of the guide is the sidequest parts I don't think I have ever seen a more detailed sidequest index in my gaming life[except for the pifight portion]. There is a few minor flaws in this guide to make it a five, but a strat guide is to help you if you get stuck not to hold your hand and powder your bottom! What I am saying is if you are a gamer {RPG} then you should play the game without the guide first and then use the guide to see what you may have missed. In ending I would like to say I do reccomend this book Prima did a great job, unlike the job bradygames did on SH2!



2. This guide was extremely helpful in its layout, and is very informative. All the shadow heart games are worth buying IMHO, but this game goes farther then the first 2 in sidequests. Honestly, i like buying the guides, because reading them gives me an insight into what went into making the game. This guide wont disappoint.



3. The title says it all. I have tried to get this product three times from three sources and each time it ends up back ordered and eventually not available at all. I would love to review it because I have actually read it :(



4. This is a simple, businesslike guide that does an excellent job of giving you what you need to get every enjoyment out of the game. Prima seems tospecialize in this time of guide - printed nicely, clear maps and diagrams but without the extreme glitz of less useful guides that spend too much effort being souvenirs.
   
   From The New World in an interesting change of pace from the first games in this series. There are a lot of interesting side details, thand Prima makes sure you know about them. These guides get hard to track down after the game has been out for a while, but if you can find one consider getting it as a good companion while you are saving the world.



5. Just like an Prima guide, this one is a good addition.
   
   Prima have their feet on the ground and their hand's in the dirt, this guide is no exception, you actually get the feeling they really played this game.

No comments about Lair Signature Series Guide (Bradygames Signature Series Guide) (Bradygames Signature Series Guide) (Bradygames Signature Series Guide).

1 comments about SMARTLAB: 3rd Grade Challenge: Ages 8+.

1. This would be a great activity for a car or plane trip. It is not annoying loud (and you can turn the sound off). The questions in the 1st grade challenge were mostly easy for my almost-nine year old daughter, however, the format of the game kept her interested. If you had two children, you could definitely go with the younger age and the older one would enjoy playing along. You can play a two-player game, passing it back and forth.
   
   If a child can read, they could play this independently. It's easy to understand. However, my daughter and I even enjoyed involving my 3 year old, by telling him to press the right color button for the answer.
   
   The questions vary from simple math (6+5 =) to questions on money and geography, and even some that I didn't know (Who was the first modern woman doctor? A. Deborah Sampson B. Eleanor Roosevelt C. Elizabeth Blackwell D. Susan B. Anthony).
   
   One thing that increases the fun of it, is that on the display it tells the child to go to a certain number within a certain section (coded by color) for the next question. For example, 57 Red. This makes the combination of 500 questions have staying power. A child is not going to go through all of these in one day and be bored.

3 comments about Burnout Paradise (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. I rarely buy strategy guides, but the others I have for Nintendo Mario games are much more detailed and player friendly. This review is for the Xbox 360 version of this game.
   
   The fabled Paradise City where this game takes place is complex with lots of roads, shortcuts, secret areas, and alternate routes (train tracks, dirt roads and so forth). At every intersection there are events such as races, burning routes (time-limited dash between two points in the city), road rages (take out a certain number of competitive cars before time runs out) and so forth.
   
   The guide almost always uses intersections to locate these features as if the reader is already familiar with them instead of marking them on a map.
   
   In addition, the tip sections refer to information in previous tips, sometimes causing you to read back through several tips in order to get the whole story (still need to know the intersections, too).
   
   I had almost completed the game before purchasing this guide to help me locate the last little obscure bits, but it took some head scratching to make heads or tails of the info inside. Buy it if you need it, but search online for player-made guides first.



2. The old adage -Fool me once.... etc.
   Well I will not be fooled again with the Prima books. Like the review above, none of the areas are marked on the map as they should be.
   A big map is given (probably to compensate for Prima's inability to provide an excellent guide) with a matrix on it; okay that's good but none of the areas that you need to get achievements are details. I could go on but I don't want to bore you anymore. It suffices to say check with other players instead of
   purchasing any Prima books!



3. Good book, too much detail lol. All secrets revealed, but I only use it to check car stats, more fun this way.