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Good intro to game design.
Neal and Jana Hallford, Swords and Circuitry (Prima, 2001)

A word to prospective buyers: Swords and Circuitry is not a book about coding games. If that's what you're looking for, Prima has a number of other titles you can go to. This one's about designing games, and there's nary a line of code to be found.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, this book does have a lot to offer both for those who plan to specialize in game design and those who are running (or trying to run) one-man shops. The Hallfords offer a good deal of advice regarding the whole process of game design, from defining what it is (and having others interviewed by Neal Hallford do so as well) to details of design documents, proposals, etc. The benefits for the aspiring game designer are obvious; to the one-man shop, reading this may help clarify some things that will help when programming time comes, or shed a different light on things that may not have been thought of in quite that way. Definitely worth checking out, but know what you're getting. *** ½

Organized, detailed, and Enlightening
I really don't know where to begin in thoroughly recommending this book.If you have any interest in designing RPG games (or any game at all, for that matter) this is the best book for your bank.Neal Hallford lays it all right out in front.From story design to gameplay mechanics to writing your pitch documents, this book will show you the most important stages of game development.More importantly, this book is down to earth and easily digestible.The chapters and subsections were written in a very clear and concise manner.I've seen other game design books that failed to educate or even entertain.

Neal Hallford writes this book not only from the point of view of a veteran game designer (Betrayal at Krondor, Dungeon Siege, and others), but also from the point of view of a GAMER.It is from that point of view that really makes this title stand out.You can tell how much he enjoys his work, and his excitement for the focus medium (RPGs) is infectious as you read.He really helps you to craft a world in your own mind (and helps you think `outside of the box' as you design).Each chapter is complete with a handful of exercises to help the budding game designer expand the way in which they think about games

This title is also rife with interesting tidbits and trivia about past games and game development.Neal Hallford never forgets that, even though this is a billion-dollars-a-year industry, we make GAMES.Even though the process should be taken seriously, you should work very hard at both doing it well, and having fun while you do it.The process itself is, in fact, one of the strongest aspects of this title.Neal takes you through every step of the process including writing your design document (the game designer's bible, as it were).He points out critical features, and common oversights.Again, he does all of this in a way that is very easy to understand.

Finally, the appendix to this title is a treasure trove itself.Included in the back of the book are interviews with some of the top game developers in the business.And while many other books have included `fluff' interviews with game designers, this book actually focuses on the critical topic:game design.You learn about how different game designers work, how they approach certain problems, and where they get their inspiration.In addition to these interviews, you can also find sample design documents, descriptions of levels, and charts for gameplay mechanics.

I don't recommend this book.I demand that you buy it.If you have even a passing interest in game design, this book was written for you.Professionals should own it.This is even a great resource for mod authors who are looking for help in creating their own worlds within other game titles.You won't be sorry.

Highly recommended
This book has been out for a few years, and unfortunately, it has never really received the attention it so richly deserves. From the title, you might infer that it teaches how to design role-playing games, which it does, but what might not be immediately obvious is that the information contained in it can be applied to games from any genre.

This book discusses everything from product life cycles, to plot design, to team roles, to world building, to gameplay issues, and much more. Each topic is covered in detail, with advice and examples. The book includes in-depth interviews with people behind some of the top role-playing games (e.g. Dungeon Siege and Neverwinter Nights), as well as copies of real design documents from leading games (e.g. the world layout from Fallout and the design document from Nox).

The Halfords' writing style is colorful without being condescending. Neal's experience shows through as he is able to back up all of his advice with real-world experience on major titles.

This is quite simply one of the best game design books on the market, and an entertaining read to boot. I give it my highest recommendation. ... Read more

Isbn: 0761532994
Sales Rank: 119298
Subjects: 1. Computer Bks - Games 2. Computer Books: General 3. Computer Graphics - Game Programming 4. Computer games 5. Computers 6. Entertainment & Games - General 7. Games / Role Playing & Fantasy 8. Programming 9. Computers / Entertainment & Games / General 10. Games 11. Role Playing & Fantasy

$23.09

Dungeon Siege
Average Customer Review:

CD-ROM (04 April, 2002)
list price: $19.99
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Features

Reviews (281)

Looks amazing... but suprisingly vacuous
So many people have already reviewed this game, I'll keep my comments short. This is the best looking top-down view RPG you're likely to play right now. But under the hood it has tired old RPG mechanics which I lost interest in quite rapidly.

If you can enjoy any RPG regardless of the mechanics or repetititiveness, you will enjoy this game. For me, Dungeon Siege was all style and no substance, and I got bored and never completed it (which is exceptionally rare for me).

Dungeon Siege
I played this game for a few days now. It's one of the best fantasy games I played make that one of the best comp games overrall, I got this for my birthday and I was so excited.It starts out with you being a farmer you have to kill enemies and you're given missions in the chapters as you go through the chapters you can get more characters into your fellowship. There are different monsters to defeat in all the different dungeons! Shopping is probably the best part (if you have money of course) I like to make them look buff and awesome! The downside is that the music kind of creeps me out and i get sort of tired of the dungeons get lost now and then run out of health potions, i start to get a little lonely, and i spend an hour or two on something that is kind of worthless, but play it on the weekends! Anyway all in all it's a great game have fun playing it!

Fun at first, but then you realize it's tedious hack & slash
At first I thought this game was great, simple interface, good graphics and a beautifully crafted world to adventure through. But after playing it for a few days I realized that it was mindless hack and slash the whole way through. No strategy, no thought, just sit back and watch the mayhem, occasionally altering what spell you cast or telling your players to drink a potion. Halfway through the game the only thing that has changed from the first hour of play is the statistics and graphics of the monsters. The storyline is very weak and there is no where to go outside of the one linear path through the game.

However, I gave it 2 stars instead of one for the strengths I mentioned above. ... Read more

Asin: B00005KBRD
Sales Rank: 2431
Subjects: 1. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)

Betrayal at KrondorC/Dos/Us
by Sierra Originals Cmsie80622
Average Customer Review:

CD-ROM (October, 1996)
list price: $14.99
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Reviews (2)

Best Game Of All Time
Need I say more......

This game is what turned me into a Raymond E. Feist fan and a fantasy reader. I've read and played every one of his works since playing this game way back when. Probably not the best book series to read when you're 9 and 10 years old due to mature content but his stuff is just so much fun. I just wish he'd go and make a 3rd game, maybe set during the Conclave of Shadows time frame and try to tie it into the first game somehow. Maybe the spirits of Delekhan and Gorath could return, and we never did find out what happened to Owyn the magician. If there were to be a 3rd game, it would have to be the same game engine as the first game with obviouslly improved graphics and sound.

Complicated at First, but Tons of Fun
This game is a classic and I've been looking for it for a while. I played it when I was younger and it was a little complicated, but tons of fun. You get to control a group of 3 or 4 characters and take them around the 1st person world map, fighting enemies and encountering situations where you have to choose what to do. For example, in one area there's a silo of food, which is something you need to carry with you and eat in order to stay alive in the game, but if you take the food from the silo and eat it you get the plague and I'm pretty sure there's no way to cure that.

The fighting system is based on a grid sort of like Final Fantasy Tactics, with much worse graphics. You can cast spells or fight with regular medieval weapons. When you kill the enemies you can loot their corpses and bring their weapons or whatever they had to towns to sell. The game is honestly not incredibly amazing in any traditional way, but its a lot of fun for people who like to play medieval RPGs and go around collecting stuff from things you kill so you can go to a town and upgrade your own stuff. ... Read more

Isbn: 0871774933
Sales Rank: 847264
Subjects: 1. Consumer../DOS../

Krondor the Betrayal: : Book One of the Riftwar Legacy (Riftwar Legacy (Paperback))
by Raymond E. Feist
Average Customer Review:

Paperback (05 October, 1999)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
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Editorial Review

The video game industry has always drawn upon works offiction for inspiration--sooner or later, the process had toreverse itself. Krondor the Betrayal began its life as thebestselling role-playing video game of all time, written byRaymond E. Feist for Dynamix Inc. Feist, whose SerpentwarSaga has sold millions of copies and established him as one ofthe most popular fantasy authors of modern times, also wrote thisnovelization which places the action of the game in the context ofhis fully-realized fantasy setting, Midkemia.

Feist's fans are legion. Longtime readers will be delighted atthe return of popular characters Pug the Wizard, Squire Locklear,and others, as they face the menace of a marauding elfwar-chieftain and a mysterious cabal of wizards. But first-time Feistreaders may find Krondor the Betrayal baffling andtiresome--without the momentum of the larger series, much of thestory's effect is diminished. The video game influence in thisbook is unmistakable--as evidenced by an encumbrance of swordfights, multilevel conspiracy, and two-dimensional characters.Anyone who enjoys reading about Midkemia will be thrilled to playthe demonstration version of the CD-ROM game (included with thebook). --Brendan J. LaSalle ... Read more

Reviews (112)

Not for those new to Feist, not for all Feist fans either
Although I have never played the role playing game the book was based, I found myself playing it at many points in this book. The book definitely reflects its game.
However, it's not a bad read for Feist fans because the already present rich history and backdrop of Midkemia and the characters of Jimmy and Pug lend the book the character it lacks as a stand-alone (which is what makes it not so good a read for those new to Feist).
It could have used more imagination. Gorath's character was the best new thing in this book.

3/5 stars for effort and Gorath.

-Huge Feist fan

Satisfying But I Want More!!!
This book was not so bad as so many thought it was. If you expect gold all the time then you'll know disappointment. However for those of us who keep an open mind and understand that this book was based on a game AND enjoy the fact that we are blessed to get to see Jimmy and his best friend Locklear, it is just good enough. Those two joker's alone are worth the book. I hate to ruin things for any newbies, but all I can say is cherish them as long as you can. And they explain so much in the foreshadow of Prince of the Blood.

Now I'd like to say I want more! Who the heck is the Crawler? Why is he so powerful to have Keshian allies? Maybe he or she is Keshian. Or a mage? Maybe a Keshian Mage? And poor William...*sigh*. I did pre-order my Talon Part 2 book but PLEASE finish this series. I wanna know!

Thank you, a fan who cannot get enough.

What is this-Diablo II?
The worst thing that ever happened to Raymond Feist was when he made a bunch of money writing the screenplay for a role-playing game.His last several books are nothing but plots for computer games.Go to this location, find this item, take it to this individual.Go find a certain cave, kill the monster, take his stuff.Blech.
Forget his Legacy Series-it is not worth your time.Now the Riftwar Saga and Serpentwar Saga, that is Fantasy at its best! ... Read more

Isbn: 0380795272
Subjects: 1. Fantasy 2. Fantasy - Epic 3. Fantasy - General 4. Fantasy - Series 5. Fiction 6. Fiction - Fantasy 7. Fiction / Fantasy / Epic

$7.99

Nox
Average Customer Review:

CD-ROM

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Editorial Review

Though cast in the action/RPG game-play style of Diablo, Nox breaks its mold and offers up more than a few pleasant surprises. The third-person isometric perspective offers a refreshing dose of humor, served up by a slick interface and starring very distinct character classes. Much more than a clone, Nox takes the best the genre had and--for the most part--makes it better.

Nox's story of a harmless auto mechanic who gets accidentally sucked into a fantasy world immediately sets this game apart from its dark and dour brethren. Nox is funny, and it's refreshing to play an RPG that tries to put a smile on your face.

Game play, dungeons, puzzles, and even the story are slightly altered, depending on Jack's class, giving three separate single-player experiences, all leading to the same final showdown with Hecubah. The quests are typical RPG fare--find this, kill that, rescue these guys--spiced up with puzzles relating to the class's abilities or environment.

The Nox team's energies went toward creating a game that's fast, fun, and easy to play. It worked. No knock-off, it won't be long before we start seeing games influenced by the innovative designs of Nox. --Mike Fehlauer

Pros:

Very distinct, fun character classes
Innovative action/RPG multiplayer game modes
Slick interface
Refreshing humor

Cons:

No female characters
Unrealistic inventory system
Uninspired magic items

Reviews (20)

Fun! FUN! FUN!!!
Not the deepest storyline yet it will keep you up all night slashing and zapping and laughing!

Pretty Darn Good
This Game is very fun, and provides a lot of gameplay. There are three types of classes you can play as: the Warrior, the Conjuror, and the Wizard, each having unique stats to suit their class. for example, the wizard is EXTREMELY weak, but is excellent in the use of magic. The warrior does no magic, only skills, but is very strong. The conjuror can summon beasts to aid you during battle, and can do simple magic such as cure, stun, and meteor.

The overall difficulty is not that hard, as you will only need to replay a few things rarely (besides the last boss of course). The Wizards and Warriors hate each other, i might add. Each class has a different storyline view, as if you play as the warrior, you must overrun the wizards' tower in order to gain the heart of nox, a part of a powerful staff you are trying to assemble in order to defeat hecubah, the main enemy in the game. If you play as a wizard, however, you must defend the wizards' tower from hecubahs ogre army, and later on sneak into the warrior's main dwelling using a stealth spell. The conjuror is the friend of both wizard AND warrior, so not much of a challenge when you are getting some of the staff parts

regardless of what other people say, i think the multiplayer totally sucks in this game. There is no point or much fun in doing this. whichever character you choose, your character is at a really high level, and knows every spell and skill available, so this does not give much of a challenge at all, and becomes VERY irritating and frustrating

The story is pretty interesting, you are sucked into a new world from your....living room??? yes your living room, and it turnes out you do not know how to come back, but you know you are unsafe where you are, so you team up with good and chase after hecubah, the used-to-be last remaining necromancer who is plotting against ruling all "nox" which is the land in which you battle in.

the only problem i have is that there are not enough enemies a lot of times....in a dungeon a lot of the time you are running and running, then run into a few enemies...maybe 5 or 6...then you run more...and it goes on like this

overall, the game is not much of a challenge, but it is quite fun for quite a while, and I recommend you buy this game. If you enjoyed Diablo, then this is a game for you

The best game I ever played
This game is awsome it has great graphics and exiting characters.
It is my favorite game in the world. ... Read more

Asin: B000059XSI
Subjects: 1. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)

Return to Krondor
Average Customer Review:

CD-ROM

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Editorial Review

This sequel to Betrayal at Krondor offers many elements of the original game while taking advantage of technological advances. Players trek to investigate the disappearance of the Ishapian church's most sacred relic, the Tear of the Gods. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

NOTHAPPY
Wish I could write a review on Return to Krondor.But thats not what you sent me. The book Krondor the Betrayal that you sent me is green in color and looks good on my shelf. The video game in the back of the book says it has Return to Krondor and Betrayal at Krondor on it.But it doesn't. You have my money and I have your JUNK.
Thank You
Jim

good game
good game, great battles, but ends too quick. Its funner taking your time and finding fights in the first 3 chapters and getting better and getting better gear. Dissapoining ending, last boss was way easier than he should have been. I enjoyed it for 15 bucks

Fun game,dissaponiting ending
don't get me wrong it is a cool game the battles are great and i like the story line,but the ending was short and quick.did not know i beat it tell the cridts were roling. i paied 20 dollers for it and i thought it was worth it.i injoyed the game while it lasted. ... Read more

Asin: B00001LDC7
Subjects: 1. Fantasy (FRPG) 2. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs) 3. Havas

Aliens and Alien Societies (Science Fiction Writing Series)
by Stanley Schmidt
Average Customer Review:

Hardcover (01 January, 1996)
list price: $17.99
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Editorial Review

Whether you're a writer or a reader of science fiction, this how-to guide provides thought-provoking analyses of the ways in which aliens and alien societies can be portrayed convincingly. It's almost as fascinating as the many classic SF texts it analyses. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Light on useful information
I wanted this book in order to help me design alien races that would appear scientifically credible in a science-fiction universe. After having read its 220 pages what can I say? All the useful info could take a mere dozen pages.

There is lot of advice that could really be summarized like this: 1) be logical and think about the environment before inventing your race's characteristics; 2) read all you can about ethology; 3) Humans are obviously a scientifically credible race, thus in creating humanoid races you cannot be wrong. Ah great! I am glad to have read a whole book to learn just that. Then, here and there are a few tid bits of info really interesting, but in the end most of the text teach you very little on this subject.

Overall, I found this book disappointing.

What is Alien?
I don't feel this is the strongest book in the Science Fiction Writing Series, but it is still a good resource. The book isn't a step-by-step "How to Create Aliens" guide, so you might be disappointed if you buy it for that reason. It is more a book to help you "rethink" what you consider alien and opens you up to ideas about what makes a being/society alien to us as humans.

A great book for fans and would be authors.
The book is not just about aliens and alien societies. It also deals with making proper stars and planets and what alien science might be like. Could of used more details on the subject of planet building, but there are other works that get into the nuts-and-bolts of that subject. This book touches lightly on alien culture, view points and history, not just the science of building an alien creature.Also, some of it might be outdated with our increasing knowledge of other planets and solar systems.It looks more and more like our idea of planet forming and how systems form might be slightly incorrect (if not out right wrong).That is why I held back a star. ... Read more

Isbn: 0898797063
Subjects: 1. Authorship 2. Composition & Creative Writing - Genre Fiction 3. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy 4. Reference 5. Science Fiction And Fantasy 6. Science fiction 7. Writing Skills

The Day the Universe Changed : How Galileo's Telescope Changed The Truth and Other Events in History That Dramatically Altered Our Understanding of the World (Back Bay Books)
by James Burke
Average Customer Review:

Paperback (01 September, 1995)
list price: $24.45 -- our price: $16.63
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Reviews (21)

A great Book on the history of Technology
After you read this book, you will look at the world in a whole new way.It outlines on how random the pace of discovery of new ideas and technology really is. If you want to be really challenged intellecually, then go no further. Mr. Burke has done an outstanding job. I just wish that I could afford the DVD that is based on this book.

One of the Most Significant books written
James Burke, a superior communicator, takes you back to those moments when a sudden idea completely changes the entire manner in which everyone in the world perceives and understands an idea.
One night, the World is flat. At sunrise, the World is finally percieved to be round with consequences that may take centuries to evolve and fathom. One of the greatest books I've ever read. May also be available on video for schools. Drags you into the realization that everything you know today is wrong! Fantastic!

Fanfare for the Common Man
*This is a book to be read and enjoyed by those with only a cursory knowledge of history, science or art. The author offers a breezy, descriptive yet very informative explication of the seven events that he considers have "changed the universe."
If "changing the universe" means the way we as humans look at or perceive the universe then he succeeded admirably. The events cited - evolution, perspective, relativity or heliocentric astronomy - changed the way we thought not only of our species but ourselves and our beliefs. It is only natural that so many of these advances accompanied the Industrial Revolution which accompanied a scientific and political revolution that allowed backward Europe to dominate the world.

Many of these transformations were invoked by heroes who shall forever remain unknown. Some of these are still affecting us. Comparing the TV series and the book is difficult but it is apparent that the book followed the excellent series - not the other way around. There are excellent maps, charts, pictures and diagrams throughout and the cover shot sums the book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0316117048
Sales Rank: 23686
Subjects: 1. General 2. History 3. History - General History 4. History Of Science 5. History Of Technology 6. History: World 7. Science 8. Science/Mathematics 9. Technology 10. World - General 11. Science / General

$16.63

Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
by Steven Levy
Average Customer Review:

Paperback (02 January, 2001)
list price: $15.00 -- our price: $10.20
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Editorial Review

Steven Levy's classic book explains why the misuse of the word "hackers" to describe computer criminals does a terrible disservice to many important shapers of the digital revolution. Levy follows members of an MIT model railroad club--a group of brilliant budding electrical engineers and computer innovators--from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. These eccentric characters used the term "hack" to describe a clever way of improving the electronic system that ran their massive railroad. And as they started designing clever ways to improve computer systems, "hack" moved over with them. These maverick characters were often fanatics who did not always restrict themselves to the letter of the law and who devoted themselves to what became known as "The Hacker Ethic." The book traces the history of hackers, from finagling access to clunky computer-card-punching machines to uncovering the inner secrets of what would become the Internet. This story of brilliant, eccentric, flawed, and often funny people devoted to their dream of a better world will appeal to a wide audience. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

A hacker classic
Hackers is considered a classic of computer history (short as it is) and culture. Painstakingly compiled by Levy from both written accounts and hundreds of interviews with some of the most important figures in computing, ranging from Greenblatt and Gosper to Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, and Steve Jobs. It's an outstanding work and is required reading for anyone interested in the origins of the computer industry.

The story progresses in a mostly linear historical manner, as much as is possible. Early on its much easier since almost all the computing going on was taking place in a few concentrated locations. Later in the 70s and early 80s there is some parallel storytelling after the explosive growth in the personal computer market and there is just too much going on.

Up first is the story of the original "true hackers" of the legendary MIT Tech Model Railroad and the 9th floor Tech Central and AI lab. Rejecting the batch processed mentality of IBM and the big iron mainframes, these elite hackers originated the image of the geeky programmer and the `hacker ethic' still followed to this day. This is probably the most important section of the book culturally speaking, as we get an intimate look at their utopian little society and all the unique patterns of behavior that followed: the lock picking, hardware hacking, soda guzzling, Chinese food eating, 30 hour programming sprees, prank pulling, and the utter disdain for all bureaucracy and administration.

Next up, this time on the other side of the country in California a very different but equally important revolution is underway. The true birthplace of the personal computer was not the elite halls of MIT, but the grungy garages of the original hardware hackers, centering primarily around the legendary Homebrew Computer Club. While the MIT hackers pounded out nifty but largely uninteresting programs on multimillion dollar timesharing microcomputers - the hardware hackers believed in bringing the power of computers to every home - and made it happen. These were men (yes they were all men) who thought nothing of buying an early Altair computer kit that consisted of nothing more than a box full of circuit boards - soldering them together with little or no instruction into something that barely resembled what anyone today would consider a computer - only to have no monitor or keyboard or sound. The entire operating system would have to be entered by hand in arcane assembly language each time the machine was turned.

The hardware hackers knew computers could eventually find a home with regular people at a reasonable price, and quickly delivered. However, once this was accomplished (via the Apple and Atari home computers) it still would take some time to answer the eternal question - what the heck do you do with these computers? The formation of three grassroots companies solved this question - and the game hackers were born. In those days an individual gifted programmer could author an entire game, and reap an incredible 30% royalty rate from its sales. In computer circles they literally became like rock stars, including the rampant drug abuse.

Levy ends with a newly added epilogue entitled The Last of the True Hackers. Here he takes a look at what became of many of the young and idealistic hackers 10 years after the original publishing of the book. In particular he focuses on the lamentation of the self described Last True Hacker - Richard Stallman, aka RMS. RMS is an ultra socialistic hacker and founded the Free Software Foundation in accordance with his overzealous belief that all software should be free.

Overall Levy's book is a fairly objective account of this unusual history. However there are a number of important themes which are developed and explored along the way. Chief among them is defining the principle tenets of The Hacker Ethic and understanding its origins. It is a difficult concept, and simultaneously the reason for the success of the early hackers, and the making of their ultimate downfall. Their inability to understand anything but the computers they worked on, they failed in commercial success and in truly advancing the worldwide adoption of computer technology. Their elitist attitude persists to this day. It was only the hackers who understood not only the technology, but the business side and the practical application of technology that really succeeded.

A must read for a Computer History buff
If you saw Robert X Cringeley's "Triumph Of The Nerds" on PBS, this book pre-dates it by *years* Many of the people RXC mentions are here in the book. This book's a wild and wooly romp through the little-known side of the True History of computers and the unsung heroes who, only for the glory of solving a problem or impressing their friends brought us to the revolution/evolution of the Personal Computer. I got this when it was first published in hardcover and have long since lost the dust jacket and have read it countless times.

Required reading for computer programmers
Hackers, by Steven Levy, should be required reading for anyone who programs computers for a living. Starting from the late 1950s, when the first hackers wrote code for the TX-0 and every instruction counted, to the early 1980s, when computers fully entered the consumer mainstream, and it was marketing rather than hacking which mattered. Levy divides this time into three eras: that of the 'True Hackers,' who lived in the AI lab at MIT and spent most of their time on the PDP series, the 'Hardware Hackers,' mostly situated in Silicon Valley and responsible for enhancing the Altair and creating the Apple, and the 'Game Hackers,' who were also centered in California; expert at getting the most out of computer hardware, they were also the first to make gobs and gobs of money hacking.

The reason everyone who codes should read this book is to gain a sense of history. Because the field changes so quickly, it's easy to forget that there is a history, and, as Santayana said, "Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it." It's also very humbling, at least for me, to see what kind of shenanigans were undertaken to get the last bit of performance from a piece of hardware that was amazing for its time, but now would be junked without a thought. And a third takeaway was the transformation that the game industry went through in the early 80s: first you needed technical brilliance, because the hardware was slow and new techniques needed to be discovered. However, at some point, the hard work was all done, and the business types took over. To me, this corresponds to the 1997-2001 time period, with the web rather than games being the focus.

That's one of my beefs--the version I read was written in 1983, and republished, with a new afterword in 1993. So, there's no mention of the new '4th generation' of hackers, who didn't have the close knit communities of the Homebrew Computer Club or the AI lab, but did have a far flung, global fellowship via email and newsgroups. It would be a fascinating read.

Beyond the dated nature of the book, Levy omits several developments that I think were fundamental to the development of the hacker mindset. There's only one mention of Unix in the entire book, and no mention of C. In fact, the only languages he mentions are lisp, basic and assembly. No smalltalk, and no C. I also feel that he overemphasizes 'hacking' as a way that folks viewed and interacted with the world, without defining it. For instance, he talks about Ken Williams, founder of Sierra Online, 'hacking' the company, when it looked to me like it was simple mismanagement.

For all that, it was a fantastic read. The more you identify with the geeky, single males who were in tune with the computer, the easier and more fun a read it will be, but I still think that everyone who uses a computer could benefit from reading Hackers, because of the increased understanding of the folks that we all depend on to create great software. ... Read more

Isbn: 0141000511
Subjects: 1. Computer Bks - General Information 2. Computer Industry 3. Computer hackers 4. Computer programming 5. General 6. History 7. Science/Mathematics 8. Technology 9. Computer fraud & hacking 10. Data security & data encryption 11. True crime

$10.20

Dungeon Master's Guide: Core Rulebook II (Dungeons & Dragons, Third Edition)
by Monte Cook Jonathan Tweet Skip Williams
Average Customer Review:

Hardcover (01 September, 2000)
list price: $29.95 -- our price: $29.95
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Editorial Review

The 3rd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide focuses on how to createand run a fun Dungeons & Dragons game. Like previous editions, the 3rdEdition DMG further explains the rules introduced in the Player's Handbook. But thisbook goes beyond rules and offers valuable tips on pacing, story creation,conflict, villains, motivation, and player rewards.

Novice DMs will benefit from the sections on creating individual adventures anddescribing action, while even experienced DMs will appreciate the notes onextended campaigns, detailed world creation, and high-level play. We loved the"Behind the Curtain" blurbs, which explain the reasoning behind the changes madein 3rd Edition. Well-considered optional rules are offered to daring DMs,including rules for monsters as PC races (troll paladin, anyone?), hightechnology, and guidelines for creating custom races and classes.

The nuts and (lightning) bolts of DMing are also covered in great detail. Thebook teaches DMs how to gauge Challenge Ratings for players and monsters inorder to create balanced encounters. These encounters are easier to run thanksto 3rd Edition's standardized monster abilities, each of which are covered indepth. Rewarding players for successful encounters is also easier, now that thecumbersome treasure tables of 2nd Edition have been replaced. Particularattention is paid to magic items: how to award them, how players create them,how to adjudicate them, and how to take them away. The new magic itemenhancement rules (similar to the magic items in the computer game Diablo) are also detailed.

One dramatic departure from D&D as we knew it could have used a bit moreattention. The DMG introduces the concept of prestige classes, and includesrules for six sample prestige classes: arcane archer, assassin, blackguard,dwarven defender, loremaster, and shadowdancer. Characters can't take theseclasses at first level but must instead work toward them by choosing specificclasses, skills, and feats. For example, before taking a level in arcane archera character needs to be an elf or half-elf and have a high attack bonus,specific archery feats, and the ability to cast at least one arcane spell.Unsure how these classes will affect your game? Want tips on how to properlycreate and balance these classes? Sorry, the DMG does not provide adequateanswers.

But aside from this complaint the DMG stands out as an honestly useful guidebook to the incredible new Dungeons & Dragons game. The rules and tips are wellorganized and easy to find, thanks to a detailed table of contents and fullindex. Artwork, examples, and diagrams are liberally placed throughout the book.All this attention to detail makes the DMG an easy and effective read. Wewouldn't want to DM without it. --Mike Fehlauer ... Read more

Reviews (71)

DM'ing Made Simple
Let's face it. All my fellow DM's know Dungeon Mastering is hard. You need to be in tune with the entire game enviornment, and every NPC and every monster and...I could go on, but I'm not going to bore you. Anyway, I think 3rd Edition rules are pretty darn good, but this Dungeon Masters Guide is useless for experienced DM's.

There are many useful tables throughout the book based on almost everything imaginable. They are quite useful for in-game reference. The classes included are quite interesting. My personal favorite is the "Paladin Gone Bad." It's real name is the Fallen Blackguard, and he is very bad-arse. They have other interesting ones, like the Arcane Archer, and Loremaster. There are tips in the first chapter of the book for beginners, that could come in handy.

The problem is this book is geared for neophyte DMs. Experienced ones can rip out Chapters 1,4, and 5, because they just give you pointers on what adventures and campaigns are and how to control them. Trust me, If you've DMed for a fair amount of time, don't even bother buying this, and stick with your 2E Dungeon Master's Guide for reference. iF you are new to DMing, this is the perfect review for you.

The How and Why of D&D3e
The 3rd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide is exactly what it should be - a description of the how and why of 3rd Edition rules.

It is so much more than a collection of tables and charts. Sure, those are there as a short cut, an easy reference. What the book really brings to the table, though, is a system for knowing how to modify the system and add things to the game without throwing the power balance all out of whack. An example of the is the "Most important thing for a DM to know:" a quick and easy rule for modifying a situation. If it's easy, give a +2 bonus. Difficult? -2. REALLY difficult? -4. After the session is over, look up the actual 'rule' on the situation, and most times you'll find that you were right.

Most importantly, though, is that the book does this without cramming a default campaign setting down your throat. Many DMs out there, myself included, want to play in our own worlds that we've created, and the DMG lets you do exactly that.

This book is better laid-out than the Player's Handbook, which is why I gave it 5 stars. If half stars were available, I would have given it 4.5, since the book isn't perfect. Sure, there are some problems, but they're so much more minor than 2ed, with so many more possibilities for expanding the system that they're easily overlooked.

3rd Edition is what brougth my circle of gamers back to the table. It's so much easier to play that I can't imagine how we ever dealt with other systems. Much more time to roleplay, and less time taken looking up rules!

So much less than it seems...
The Third Edition DMG is not the book it should have been.It is a disjointed collection of rules that really don't fit together very well.

The most important flaw is the experience and rewards systems.It's designed to rocket the characters to 20th level without ever placing them in any real danger.Please, since when is one lone 4th level NPC a challenge for four 4th level characters?Any why are 1st and 3rd level characters treated the same on the experience chart?A 3rd level party is going to have more than triple the resources that a 1st level party has available.Combined with a reward chart that puts a truckloads of magical items into the characters hands, this book puts Third Edition D&D solidly into the munchkin world (For the RPG terminology impaired, that's like a Monty Haul campaign but without any danger of loosing).

Other irregularities include the fact that there are rules on drowning and being crushed to death by water pressure (deep under the sea), but no rules for actually moving in water or fighting under water.

There are rules for generating towns and cities.Those rules do not function in a reasonable manner, unless the DM manually saturates the cities with specifically placed characters.Even something as simple as using the tables to determine what the levels of the high priests of the religions present in a city breaks down unless there are less than four seperate religions present in the city.

The section on magic items is poorly laid our and difficult to use for anything other than random magic item rolls.Some of the magic items are undervalued, overly powerful, or both.

A lot of space is devoted to incomplete tutorials on how to be a game master.Ironically, that's not matieral that should actually be in the Dungeon Master's Guide.This is supposed to be a reference book for running a campaign, not "The Dummies Guide to Dungeon Masterery".

The rules for gunpowder weapons and lasers are useless filler that takes up space that could have been devoted to environments that average game master would actually like to see his characters in, like say astral combat rules and underwater combat rules.Who cares how much damage a laser might do if it were in the hands of a barbarian.Anyone who actually wants to use laser weapons is just going to use a d20 modern or futuristic sourcebook anyways.

The D&D economy is so disfunctional that no wizard or sorceror who can create any magic items (including scrolls) should ever be allowed to die.It's always worth a cleric's while to bring the chump back from the dead and make him work off the investment.Also it becomes blatantly clear that NPCs are supposed to give special respect to the PCs simply because they are PCs, otherwise how can you explain the fact that a character can earn a wage of 15 gps a week as a stablehand but only needs to pay his stablehands 1 gp per week.

The section on special abilities is redundant because most of it is repeated in the Monster Manual and the encounter tables are useless without the Monster Manual.Since they were also rendered useless by the first expansion printed for the Monster Manual, it is very obvious that they should have been printed in the Monster Manual itself.

Half of an entire chapter is dedicated to charts of stats for average characters of each of the classes at each level.This space is completely wasted.

Overall, the DMG is first book produced for Third Edition that was simply bad.No attempt was made to turn a collection of notes and rules into a good refence book for Third Edition D&D.Instead it seems to have been thrown together with a nice binding and cover and some artwork and rushed out the door.Not all of the material is bad, but all you have to do is try to use the book to realize how useless it really is.

I would only recommend this book to someone who is being forced to run Third Edition D&D. ... Read more

Isbn: 078691551X
Subjects: 1. Dungeons and dragons (Game) 2. Fantasy - Epic 3. Fiction 4. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords 5. Games/Puzzles 6. Role Playing & Fantasy - Dungeons & Dragons 7. Rules

$29.95

Game Design: Secret of the Sages
by Marc Saltzman
Average Customer Review:

Paperback (15 May, 2000)
list price: $24.99
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Reviews (28)

Not the Newest Edition of this Book
The newest edition of this book (the 5th) is for some reason published under a different name.The first four editions were published under this title (1st edition was copyrighted in 1999).The newer version of this book can be found on Amazon's website also, under the title "Game Creation and Careers: Insider Secrets from Industry Experts", published June 2003 with a 2004 copyright (1st edition), so be sure you get the newest copy (if you don't believe me just check the table of contents of both books - they are 95% identical and published by the same author).

Great Resource For Games Designers
This book covers all of the fundamentals for a games designer. The content is mostly theory and doesnt give many examples of design templates, but having worked for both EA and Acclaim I have come to realise that design templates are rarely alike in different companies and learning them is more a case of gaining experience at a particular company. I would certainly say that this book teaches, someone wanting to become a games designer, everything that a book can teach you. I would also recommend buying the following book on manga game characters, if you are serious about becoming a games designer (ISBN: 4766111206).

Great Resource For Games Designers
This book covers all of the fundamentals for a games designer. The content is mostly theory and doesnt give many examples of design templates, but having worked for both EA and Acclaim I have come to realise that design templates are rarely alike in different companies and learning them is more a case of gaining experience at a particular company. I would certainly say that this book teaches, someone wanting to become a games designer, everything that a book can teach you. I would also recommend buying a book on manga or storyboarding, if you are serious about becoming a games designer. ... Read more

Isbn: 1566869870
Sales Rank: 281767
Subjects: 1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming 2. Entertainment & Games - General 3. Games 4. Programming - Software Development 5. Psychology 6. Video & Electronic - General

The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books)
by Joseph Campbell
Average Customer Review:

Paperback (01 March, 1972)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $11.53
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Editorial Review

Originally written by Campbell in the '40s-- in his pre-Bill Moyers days -- and famous as George Lucas' inspiration for "Star Wars," this book will likewise inspire any writer or reader in its well considered assertion that while all stories have already been told, this is *not* a bad thing, since the *retelling* is still necessary. And while our own life's journey must always be ended alone, the travel is undertaken in the company not only of immediate loved ones and primal passion, but of the heroes and heroines -- and myth-cycles -- that have preceded us. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Love his works
-As an author myself, I recommend that you purchase this book for personal study. "The Hero With A Thousand Faces" is a fascinating book and video that helped me understand philosophical conceptions of life, death, and the hero.
Author. "Knowledge For Tomorrow" Quinton D. Crawford

Reads like an Arithmetic Proof of Jung's theory of the
Collective Unconscious:

Having commited a new age sacrilege by giving this book only 4 stars, I will go one step further:the best thing about this book is the title.If you or I had thought of this title back in 1949, when the ideas of Jung were "circulating round" as David Bowie later put it on the album "Ziggie Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" on the song "It Ain't Easy," we could have sold 1,000,000 copies too.But we didn't, and Joseph Campbell did, and even if we had thought of it, we could never be the most intelligent and learned professor who has ever lived, as Campbell was.(How do we measure something like who is the smartest professor?Doesn't matter, because it was Campbell by a mile.)Einstein may have been the most brilliant, but Campbell was just plain the smartest - smartest being a term for most knowledgeable about every possible academic subject.

Well, if you were the smartest, most knowledgeable professor who had ever lived, you'd probably want to write a book too, a magnum opus.This is Campbell's Magnum Opus.But don't expect a new age equivalent of Thomas Aquinas's "Summa Theologica."Rather this work reads more like a arithmetic proof of Carl Jung's theory of the collective unconcious.

"The Hero with a Thousand Faces," is written in a very straightforward and scholarly style.There are really two fundamental ideas in this work, 1) the same mythological motifs occur throughout the world;2) the hero's journey follows the same basic, carefully delineated sequence in all the different myths.This sequence, as you can see in the index, breaks down to departure, initiation, and return.

The beauty of this book is that it will give you a vision for the universality of mythological images.This is a huge achievement; but what it will not do is give you a feeling for the beauty of myth.The retellings of the various myths tend to be perfunctory, dry and abbreviated, with only a few exceptions.To me, a disappointment, especially when compared to Campbell's oral recountings available elsewhere.

To get an experience of the pathos of mythology, I think you should turn to Campbell's college lectures series, now available on CD.His enthusiasm for his favorite "stories" will come out in these lectures in spades as he tells them out loud to his enraptured students.

Therefore, for a more academic, less emotional, look at the universal images, read "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," or at least an online summary.If you do delve into this book, be sure to watch for the Pueblo indian myth of "Water Jar Boy," worth the price of the book and the time all on its own!

Finally, Campbell's introductory chapter is beautifully written and poetic, as he describes how these myths can illuminate and illustrate our own lives.Overall, a necessary if ultimately emotionally uninspiring read.

Still influential
Joseph Campbell's writings have had more influence on late 20th century culture than you might expect: The Hero with a Thousand Faces resonates obviously through Star Wars, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings and indeed almost any other contemporary Science Fiction work you could mention, and more subtly in any one of hundreds of films and novels of the last half century. Many indeed are the fruit of Campbell's tree.

In The Hero With A Thousand Faces Campbell sets out his stall early: his "monomyth" which is explained in fairly short order, and supported in more depth over the rest of the book by Campbell's account of hundreds instantiations of it embodied in myths from the Judaeo-Christian, Classical, Native American, Indian, African, Asian and Polynesian traditions. It is even illustrated, rather pointlessly, with sculptures and depictions of these various myths.

This means it's a fairly quick read: it is Campbell's argument that is interesting, not his field research in support of it, and his stentorian and humourless tone in recounting the legends is no incentive to dwell on them.

Campbell's main claim - to have extracted a solitary narrative essence common to all mythology - is unsustainable: even if you do allow the tortured interpretations Campbell makes of the myths he cites, the best that can be said is that any one of the dozen or more common features of the "monomyth" tend to show up in his examples (who knows whether they do in the myths he *doesn't* cite?); to say that they all do is false, even on the evidence Campbell presents in his book. And many of his examples don't fit comfortably into the roles which Campbell assigns them.

So in that regard, Campbell's thesis needs to be watered down to have any real value. As do the courage of his convictions in the validity of psychoanalysis: treating Freud and Jung as gospel in this day and age seems more than a little quaint.

But that's not to say there isn't something to be said for the importance of the subconscious in what makes a good story, nor that the elements of the "monomyth" do appear in mythology, nor that they don't make a great foundation for a mythology. Cogent evidence or that last point is provided by Messrs Wachowski and Lucas, who have openly used Campbell's template to create latter day myths of their - and, like it or not, our - own.

Where Campbell is persuasive is that myth a metaphor on which we can examine ourselves, and that as soon as we mistake metaphor for a genuine explanatory hypothesis, its very usefulness evaporates. In the current political climate, this is a point which can't be stressed enough.

In summary, this ought to be compulsory reading for any aspiring screenplay writer or novelist, and will be food for thought for anyone else interested in the structure of fiction. The Hero With A Thousand Faces may be the wrong side of fifty now, but it is no relic: as long as the likes of Luke Skywalker and Neo are part of the zeitgeist, Joseph Campbell's theories will have some significance in our culture, for better or for worse, for some time to come.

Olly Buxton ... Read more

Isbn: 0691017840
Subjects: 1. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology 2. Mythology 3. Philosophy 4. Psychoanalysis 5. Religion 6. Sociology 7. Mind, Body, Spirit 8. Psychology 9. Religion / Philosophy

$11.53

Call of Cthulhu (Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game)
by Sandy Petersen Lynn Willis
Average Customer Review:

Paperback (01 August, 1998)
list price: $29.95
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Reviews (34)

ia ia Cthulhu fhtagn!!!
I have been gaming for over 15 years, ond only recently picked this up and played at a con. I love it. It's simple, easy to learn and play, and has an inherent flexibilty that makes it easy for Keeper's to make a judgement call on events not covered in the rules. (When in doubt, the Luck roll is a good bet).

If you want real horror, ignore the WoD and make it Cthulhu!

Useful even to non-lovecraft fans...
The Call of Cthulhu system, as written in the 5.5 and 6.0 versions, is one of the most complete systems I've ever found.

That is amazing, considering exactly how LITE the rules system is. There are very few hard and fast rules, with almost everything being handled by percentile dice. The system is very organic, with characters increasing in skill by performing them.

The characters in a Call of Cthulhu game are more 'real' than some similar games from other companies. They have a great sense of depth due to the occupation system used. Also, considering how lethal combat is in the game, you are greatly encouraged to think your way out of problems.

One other area that has been found by my group to be important is the ease of transfer from one 'style' of play to another. Whenever we are wanting to run any type of realistic game set in any era, we always look to the Call of Cthulhu rulebook for ideas. So far, we have run a wild west game and several other genres using the rules in this book.

In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming...
The works of master horror writer H.P. Lovecraft of the 1920s have influenced almost every single good horror writer to date, from Ann Rice to Stephen King. COC is likely the best RPG ever put to print, and the publisher Chaosium just makes things easier for players by adding content from their various supplements with each new edition. A typical game session has your characters snooping aroundfor clues, and interrogating various NPCs (non player characters), and then implementing a course of action. The climax of a campaign also often (unfortunately for players) includes one of the hideous deities of the Cthulhu Mythos, such as Azathoth, Cthulhu himself, Dagon, or, possibly the worst, Nyarlathotep, trickster god with a thousand avatars or "masks". COC is the only game that has ever given me, as the gamemaster, chills reading a supplement in the middle of the day. I also recommend picking up one of the numerous Cthulhu Mythos anthologies of short stories. Prepare to be scared ... Read more

Isbn: 1568821344
Sales Rank: 774314
Subjects: 1. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords 2. Psychology 3. Role Playing & Fantasy - General

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