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In many ways, the 20th century has been the Age of Physics. Out of Control is an accessible and entertaining explanation of why the coming years will probably be the Age of Biology -- particularly evolution and ethology -- and what this will mean to most every aspect of our society. Kelly is an enthusiastic and well-informed guide who explains the promises and implications of this rapidly evolving revolution very well.
John Kirk has written a book, Design Patterns of Successful Roleplaying Games, in which he tries to catalogue successful game mechanics, why they work, and when (and when not) to use them. Design patterns are a communication tool from software development -- the idea is that successful projects will tend to have recurring patterns, and that by naming and describing them and the situations that call for their use, we can make it easier to turn tacit, experiential knowledge into a teachable skill.
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In the past several years, grid computing has emerged as a way to harness and take advantage of computing resources across geographies and organizations. In this IBM Redbook, we describe a generalized view of grid computing including concepts, standards, and ways in which grid computing can provide business value to your organization. In a nutshell, grid computing is all about virtualization that enables businesses to take advantage of a variety of IT resources in order to be more responsive to demands of the business and increase availability of applications while reducing both infrastructure and management costs.
Physics for Game Programmers shows you how to infuse compelling and realistic action into game programming�even if you don�t have a college-level physics background! Author Grant Palmer covers basic physics and mathematical models and then shows how to implement them, to simulate motion and behavior of cars, planes, projectiles, rockets, and boats. This book is neither code heavy nor language specific, and all chapters include unique, challenging exercises for you to solve. This unique book also includes historical footnotes and interesting trivia. You�ll enjoy the conversational tone, and rest assured: all physics jargon will be properly explained.
Essa é a dica de leitura da semana. Massive Multiplayer Games for Dummies, de Scott Jennings. A série For Dummies (para idiotas) é uma série de muito sucesso nos Estados Unidos, que aqui no Bananão tem sido traduzida pela Berkerley com o título Para Leigos. Afinal de contas, por aqui não existem idiotas.
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Sai segundo dos seis volumes das Mil e uma noites traduzido pela primeira vez do árabe
O novo livro It´s Superman!, de Thomas de Haven, reconstrói a trajetória do mito do gênero, Clark Kent, o Super-homem, desde a problemática adolescência em Smallville, no Kansas, passando pelo período em que foi dublê em Hollywood até a mudança para Nova York, quando inicia sua vida dupla: repórter do The Daily Planet durante o dia e obstinado adversário do crime à noite.
Guide to designing, developing, and publishing your own game. Discover new and innovative ways to use the Internet to market, test, and deliver your game; explore the Indie game development business and find out if you're ready to develop your own game ideas. Softcover. DLC: Computer games--Design.
A Review of Turing (A Novel about Computation) Christos H. Papadimitriou MIT Press 2003/2005 paper 208 pp. $32.00/$13.95 paper
Um universitário paulista fanático por mensagens de celular quer ser a primeira pessoa do mundo a digitar por completo um livro clássico usando o teclado do seu telefone. Para facilitar a digitação, todo o processo será feito em "ddonês", um português fonético e abreviado, muito usado por jovens para enviar SMS.
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The story of bad behavior--fanaticism about small debates, gender-disguised "Netsex," the spending of other people's money on vast phone bills--has been told by others. In The Cybergypsies: A True Tale of Lust, War, and Betrayal on the Electronic Frontier, Indra Sinha tells the same story in a British context where the poverty and uncertainty of the Thatcher era made everything that much more intense and obsessive. This is also the story of the near collapse of the author's marriage: he withdrew from his wife or dragged her off to meet Net chums who never showed up--or showed up and never introduced themselves.
In Play Between Worlds, T. L. Taylor examines multiplayer gaming life as it is lived on the borders, in the gaps--as players slip in and out of complex social networks that cross online and offline space. Taylor questions the common assumption that playing computer games is an isolating and alienating activity indulged in by solitary teenage boys. Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), in which thousands of players participate in a virtual game world in real time, are in fact actively designed for sociability. Games like the popular Everquest, she argues, are fundamentally social spaces.
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Hanneman, Robert A. and Mark Riddle. 2005. Introduction to social network methods. Riverside, CA: University of California, Riverside ( published in digital form at http://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/ )
"Presen�a constante nas �ltimas semanas na lista de best-sellers da Inglaterra, Canad� e E.U.A., o SUDOKU (pronunciado como "sud�cu""
"Why is game design often overlooked as an important factor contributing to game sales? Perhaps because when most people in development companies talk about “good game design,” they mean “game design that produced a game I really like.” This sort of subjective validation of game design is of no use in business, which thrives on repeatable methods based around capturing a target audience—the market. Unable to see the profit resulting from “good design”— especially since many allegedly well-designed games fail commercially— most businessmen ignore design entirely."
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“Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution“ is the first book from husband-and-wife team Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby. Chaplin, a journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Fortune and Salon, agreed to answer some questions about the writing process for us.
Who were the five strangest mathematicians in history? What are the ten most interesting numbers? Jam-packed with thought-provoking mathematical mysteries, puzzles, and games, Wonders of Numbers will enchant even the most left-brained of readers. Hosted by the quirky Dr. Googol--who resides on a remote island and occasionally collaborates with Clifford Pickover--Wonders of Numbers focuses on creativity and the delight of discovery. Here is a potpourri of common and unusual number theory problems of varying difficulty--each presented in brief chapters that convey to readers the essence of the problem rather than its extraneous history. Peppered throughout with illustrations that clarify the problems, Wonders of Numbers also includes fascinating "math gossip." How would we use numbers to communicate with aliens? Check out Chapter 30. Did you know that there is a Numerical Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? You'll find it in Chapter 45. From the beautiful formula of India's most famous mathematician to the Leviathan number so big it makes a trillion look small, Dr. Googol's witty and straightforward approach to numbers will entice students, educators, and scientists alike to pick up a pencil and work a problem.
While our culture generally trusts experts and distrusts the wisdom of the masses, New Yorker business columnist Surowiecki argues that "under the right circumstances, groups are remarkably intelligent, and are often smarter than the smartest people in them."