Book Description
The art. The craft. The business. Animation Writing and Development takes students and animation professionals alike through the process of creating original characters, developing a television series, feature, or multimedia project, and writing professional premises, outlines and scripts. It covers the process of developing presentation bibles and pitching original projects as well as ideas for episodes of shows already on the air. Animation Writing and Development includes chapters on animation history, on child development (writing for kids), and on storyboarding. It gives advice on marketing and finding work in the industry. It provides exercises for students as well as checklists for professionals polishing their craft. This is a guide to becoming a good writer as well as a successful one.
* Filled with writing exercises that will challenge your writing limits
* Understand inspiration, idea gathering, and story development
* Tips on how to write for kids and why certain stories appeal to different ages
* The how and why of dialogue-what works, and what doesn't
Customer Reviews:
Animation writing and Development From script to development to pitch.......2007-08-23
An excellent book that covers all aspects of writing for animation, and I do mean ALL aspects. Nothing is left out. Jean Ann Wright really knows her stuff. And buying the book from Amazon was easy and painless. That's why I use them and why I will continue to use them.
Too much information.......2006-09-22
The book covers tons and tons of topics, which is good for a person with no background in animation writing. But the topics written about, from dialogue to outlining, come with no context, no examples to back up what the author is talking about. Wright writes "Keep your characters consistent. They must be true to their core traits and to what has made them who they are." An example from a current or classic cartoon is direly needed. This happens throughout the book. Under the subheading Conflict Can Reveal Information in the dialogue chapter, she writes "conflict in dialogue...is a good way to get information out and keep it interesting." How? Once again this book screams for examples.
The book trys to explain every thing and any thing about animation. A daunting task. But in the process, every thing seems trite. The chapter on writing features, aka movies, is skimmed, and after reading it, will not make your more apt at writing animation films. Scriptwriting for film is different, in many aspects, from tv animation, and in this book it's made to sound that it's the same.
Overall the book is informative, but for someone who grew up with Scooby Doo, He-Man, Thundercats and saw every Disney film and could write endless thesis on Scooby Doo's tremendous appetite, this book lacks substance.
Typical "Mainstream" book........2006-08-08
This book is abit of a bore and turnoff with all it tips and trixs to create scripts that will please the "buyer". It is colored with a tone of a moral panic that is typical for experts that clame to know what people want and don't want. I think it is safe to say that if the creators of "South Park" or "The Simpson" would have read this book and followed it, thoose series would have never been made - maybe not even Bambi with its horrid shooting of bambis mother?
It also deals with animation at its simplest blocks, it tries to show the steps to a finished product - poorly. It does contain a good hint here and there but as a hole it is a complete waist of time, and a poor candidate for a book to understand the teqnical aspects of animation. If you have some basic knowleadge of character, animation and storyboarding and want to learn how to write for animation, buy books about writing instead.
>RS
Animation Writing and Development : From Script Development .......2005-03-10
Jean Ann Wright's "Animation Writing and Development : From Script Development to Pitch", is a comprehensive and well written book, on the subject.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in writing for animation.
Wow!.......2005-03-07
Every industry has its own special requirements. This book "Animation Writing and Development" by Jean Ann Wright should be titled "A Manual for the Working World of Animation". There are not many books that give all the working aspects of a creative vocation. Wow! What to do, how to do it, and still nurture creative desires! Being a college art instructor, all my classes will know about the existence of this fine work. B. McInerney
Book Description
Innovation Through Understanding
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The toughest part of innovation? Accurately predicting what customers want, need, and will pay for. Even if you ask them, they often can’t explain what they want. Now, there’s a breakthrough solution: Innovation Games. Drawing on his software product strategy and product management consulting experience, Luke Hohmann has created twelve games that help you uncover your customers’ true, hidden needs and desires.
You’ll learn what each game will accomplish, why it works, and how to play it with customers. Then, Hohmann shows how to integrate the results into your product development processes, helping you focus your efforts, reduce your costs, accelerate time to market, and deliver the right solutions, right from the start.
- Learn how your customers define success
- Discover what customers don’t like about your offerings
- Uncover unspoken needs and breakthrough opportunities
- Understand where your offerings fit into your customers’ operations
- Clarify exactly how and when customers will use your product or service
- Deliver the right new features, and make better strategy decisions
- Increase empathy for the customers’ experience within your organization
- Improve the effectiveness of the sales and service organizations
- Identify your most effective marketing messages and sellable features
Innovation Games will be indispensable for anyone who wants to drive more successful, customer-focused product development: product and R&D managers, CTOs and development leaders, marketers, and senior business executives alike.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent, practical, extremely effective.......2007-07-17
Luke Hohmann's Innovation Games makes current paradigm obsolete.
What if the decay in the learning rate from kindergarten to high school is not only related to wrong educational policies and practices?
What if adolescent are treated "seriously", when being serious is a barrier to learning?
Hohmann's exported the "learning by playing" environment from kindergarten to market research and other fields.
The panoply of games he proposed support an ample variety of opportunities.
I'm glad I dedicated the time to read Innovation Games, and organized to use them.
Let life be fun!
Innovation Games extends the Software Requirements Paradigm.......2007-05-21
Luke Hohmann's Innovation Games bring an extension to the complex areas of software requirements. The games bring out the essence of requirement gathering, namely the importance of the users' feedback to the requirement gatherers and close relationship between the user and the requirements gatherers. Two thumb up for this book!
Save Your Money: Book is Just a Long Infomercial for the Author.......2007-03-09
Most of the content of this book belongs in sales brochure not a book. A large proportion of this book is a long, overblown ad for the author's services.
Some of the ideas, while creative, are just repackaging of many well-known and established techniques.
In addition, there is one reality the author ignores. The exercises are not going to work well with "average," everyday people. They require a degree of creativity and acumen that quite honestly, most people (including very well-educated ones) just do not possess. I work in this industry everyday and if there is one thing I've learned it is most individuals are much better reacting to ideas than creating them.
Gets to the Creative part of the Brain.......2007-02-22
The process of eliciting requirements suffers from some of the same problems as the process of collecting information for expert systems. A person does not really know how much he or she knows about a subject. Each of us knows something so well, that much of what we know is not part of our conscious awareness. It is hard to bring that information to the conscious mind to share with another person.
What this tells me is when I am in the role of eliciting requirements from another person, I need many different ways of getting information, because different means will achieve different results. I can take an analytical approach (tell me about...), a physical approach (show me ...), and a creative approach (let's play a game ...). The more approaches I use, the more information I will get.
What I love about Innovation Games is that games use a part of the brain that we tend to ignore when "at work", bypassing the analytical parts and tapping into the fun, creative areas. This is a great way to find new information about the requirements of a product or service. I think it works especially well because most people I interview are expecting an analytical approach, and using games brings a fresh perspective.
Luke Hohmann has really captured a great set of games. He explains the games very clearly, and gives detailed instructions for how to organize an Innovation Games session so that everyone can make effective use of his techniques.
Thanks so much Luke for bringing us another great book.
Skinning the Onion on Customer Needs.......2006-11-27
With the disclaimer that I worked with Luke while some of the ideas that turned into the Games where bouncing around in his head, I have seen these games work to produce tangible results. (We used an early version of Remember the Future to develop the successful plan for our first product deployment.)
In "Blink", Malcom Gladwell makes the point that if you ask people what they want, they will tell you what they *think* they want. (When asked, nobody thought they wanted the Aeron chair. Oops.) It takes a bit of digging to get beneath the thought level, tapping into real emotional wants and needs to extract ideas for products that stand a chance of being wildly successful. The Innovation Games help with that digging, engaging players above and below the level of concious thought.
Average customer rating:
- If you feel like you're in over your head...
- Good book but...
- Good start
- Eric Bethke has written the book I wanted to write
- Game Development & Production by Erik Bethke: A Review
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Game Development and Production (Wordware Game Developer's Library)
Erik Bethke
Manufacturer: Wordware Publishing, Inc.
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The Game Producer's Handbook
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Secrets of the Game Business (Game Development) (Game Development)
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The Game Asset Pipeline (Game Development Series)
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Game Production Handbook (Game Development Series)
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Macromedia Flash MX ActionScript for Fun and Games (With CD-ROM)
ASIN: 1556229518 |
Book Description
This is the first handbook for game development with detailed coverage of both team management topics, such as task tracking and creating the technical design document, and outsourcing strategies for content, such as motion capture and voice-over talent.
Customer Reviews:
If you feel like you're in over your head..........2004-05-26
I recently started a game development enterprise program at my school (Michigan Tech) and we had no clue where to start. This book is great if you feel like I did. I felt there was no way we were going to be able to pull this off in a resonable time. This book gives us the guidance we need. Although we may not take all the suggestions in the book, it still is great and helps you produce a great game. It includes detail on the many preproduction documents, outsourcing, and even a chapter on how to start a company. Well done, just what I had expected from the Wordware Game Developer's Library.
Good book but..........2003-11-13
I found the book to have lots of good advice and insight. However, the information in it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The company he was running has all bit folded. So I wouldn't suggest using this book as a "how-to" handbook.
Good start.......2003-10-08
This book provides a good start for someone who has yet to dive into the highly competitive world of entertainment design and software. It does seem to lean more towards 3D games and reflect on personal experiences; but over all is a good guide to game development. Experienced developers and designers will most likely have devised their own systems that work best for them, not to mention would already know about 75% of the material listed within.
Once again, I would only really recommend this book to a beginner in game development. Experienced users may find some good information, but most likely can spend a lot less money finding it out on one of the hundreds of game development websites out there.
Eric Bethke has written the book I wanted to write.......2003-04-08
Eric Bethke gives us the actual battle-tested techniques his team uses to develop games. Most of his wisdom I completely agree with, and he makes some points that had not occurred to me that I will have to think long and hard about. His central, recurring "less is more" thesis is persuasively argued. He has confirmed my suspicion that we may have to rethink our plan for the current game we're working on. I recommend everybody in game development read this book and take it either as a springboard for developing their own methodology or as a sounding board on the quality of their methodology, if one is already in place.
So why only four stars? I have the feeling that Erik isn't being completely honest with us. On my team chaos is the norm even though we scored an AA on Erik's "Game Project Survival Test." Erik makes his team sound like a smoothly running factory, and I have trouble believing it's due to those extra ten points his team is getting on the test. Give it up, Erik: either admit that business is chaos and let us reconcile ourselves to that cold truth, or tell us the deep dark secrets that makes your team work so well.
Also, stuff is missing here: how do you hire great talent? How do you prevent your team from breaking the build on a regular basis without slowing them to a crawl? (That's the question that has been keeping me up nights.) How can you be productive if you're waiting until alpha to fix all your bugs? I bet Erik has some insight into these questions, but he didn't get it on the page.
Still, don't let my nitpicking stop you from reading this book. I'm going to try to make everyone on my team read it. And I'll be eagerly awaiting a sequel.
Game Development & Production by Erik Bethke: A Review.......2003-04-03
Erik Bethke, CEO and co-founder of Taldren, has written a book about the design and development of a game. According to Erik and others, this is one of the first, if not the only book that discusses the over-all design, planning and production of a game. I am sure you can find many other books that deal with specific parts of game programming, like using Lightwave, but this is the first one that talks about the actual business and production part.
In his book, Erik talks about many different elements of the business. One of which is the question of should you or should you not make a game. Do you really want to go to the hassle of finding funding, developing the game and then trying to find a way to get it to the market? If you decide you want to, then he gives examples of the different steps to making a game and what they require. An example of this is his lengthy discussion of the planning and design aspects and how the more in depth and specific your planning is, the better the chances will be that your game will turn out well. One topic that is threaded throughout the book is different management techniques that are used at Taldren. An example of this is how he gets people motivated and focused on the different tasks that are necessary for proper completion of the game.
There were a number of areas that really stood out to me personally. There are a lot of topics that I have studied in my college career that Erik covers in this book. One example is how Erik discusses that in every project, there are three main areas or constraints that need to be considered: Time, Scope and Performance. A project leader is good to achieve one of these constraints and very fortunate if they achieve two. If you get all three, you need to write a book on how you did it because there are many people that would love to hear about it. ;-) Also Erik discusses Unified Modeling Language (UML), Use Cases, tools like Rational Rose and other techniques that are useful in designing a game. These tools are also used in many other industries and I found that the examples clarified and enhanced what I have been taught throughout my education. The book also discusses when and what to outsource. Should you outsource coding, sound, video, design or any other part of the project? All of these are topics that I have studied somewhere, sometimes more than once, in my undergraduate and graduate career.
There is much more than what I've talked about here in the book of course but I'm not going to take the time to list everything. :-)
To me, the book was very interesting, well written and easy to follow. When he talks about technical issues, such as UML, the explanations are clear, straight forward and usually come with an example, if not several examples, to help illustrate the concept. This helped because I have not studied or used some of the concepts in a long time and needed the extra visualizations to aid in my understanding.
Who would I recommend this book to? I would suggest that those who have a burning desire to create a game take a look at this and then decide if you really want to go to the hassle. I'd also recommend this book to those who work on other types of software projects who might find a pearl of wisdom that they can put to use. Students who are studying MIS or Project Management like I am should enjoy reading the book, if only for examples of how to use different tools and techniques that are useful for running a project.
Book Description
Managing the production of games in the 21st century is a challenge, especially because there is no standardized process to ensure the successful completion of every game. But game production isn't a science, so you can't expect each game to present the same challenges and rewards as the last. Fortunately, common elements do exist for every game development team, and improving upon these commonalities and anticipating new challenges is the purpose of The Game Production Handbook: it brings some order to the chaotic world of game production. Written by a veteran game producer, The Game Production Handbook is the ultimate industry reference. It answers the questions new leads, managers, and producers have, and it gives the pros new insights and valuable tips to improve their existing processes. It includes cutting-edge advice from industry experts on managing teams, tracking production cycle from pre-production to post-production, and offers detailed practical advice on how to run a project. The focus throughout is on the nuts and bolts of managing development, including defining goals, creating a plan, managing, hiring, and motivating people effectively, and dealing with the inevitable bumps along the way. This is an indispensable training manual for the entire team! What You'll Find: * Best practices and answers to all types of pre- and post-production issues that arise during the development cycle * Tips for managing and motivating teams * Methods for brining structure and order to your game production processes * Details for organizing mo-cap shoots, voice over sessions, and localizations * Specifics on the console submission process, software ratings, and working with publishers * Customizable checklists for pre-production, production, and post-production
Customer Reviews:
How to produce more organized games.......2006-04-14
Heather Chandler's THE GAME PRODUTION HANDBOOK adds to others in the 'Game Production' series and offers a range of methods and tips for producing more organized games. From voice over sessions and submission processes to brainstorming, developing concepts, and marketing them with publishers, THE GAME PRODUCTION HANDBOOK covers it all.
Book Description
Welcome to the exciting world of game programming! If you're already familiar with the C++ programming language and want to learn how to program games, this book is for you. Game Programming in C++: Start to Finish will help you learn how to turn your own game fantasies into playable realities! Over the course of the book, you'll learn the popular techniques and practices behind today's games. Not only will you add a lot of theory to your game programming toolkit, but you'll also create a small basic game from scratch - SuperAsteriodArena. While you'll focus on using the SDL and the OpenGL libraries to learn game programming, you'll also learn the essential Windows principles that you'll need to create just about any kind of game with any other API such as DirectX. This easy-to-follow book takes current game programming information and filters it down to a practical level. Each chapter and subsection builds upon previous chapters and topics in a tutorial format, allowing you to progress at your own pace. As you work through the book, you'll build the SuperAsteriodArena game, beginning with engine creation and 3D programming with SDL and OpenGL. From there you'll move on to animation effects, audio, collision detection, networking, and finalizing the game. A variety of tools are used throughout, including Visual Studio and OpenGL, SDL, Autodesk 3ds Max, and the Audacity sound tool.
Customer Reviews:
designing games.......2007-09-07
This programming book was just what my son was wanting. He thinks it will really help refine his gaming progams.
Made me Dizzy.......2007-03-20
It's ironic that a programmer would be so terrible at giving directions. To start out with, the directions for setting up SDL (a necessary programming toolkit) were almost non-existant. Just this small task took me 8+ hours, and I had to resort to browsing web-forums!
Often the directions were so terrible that it wasn't even clear whether or not he'd just given directions for a procedure or was just providing an example. As a programmer, the author should be able to give sequential, succinct, and easily-followable directions. At this,the author, unfortunately, fails miserably.
Avoid This Book.......2006-08-21
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who is trying to start out in game programming. I am a grad student engineer and have been programming for over 5 years. I just recently got into game and graphics programming and this book is really terrible compared to some others I've seen. The only reason I gave it two stars is because the chapter on graphics mathematics is fairly complete, and the book provides a good high level picture of how a game is structured. However, the code specifics are downright horrible, the listings seem to be randomly thrown in without any clue as to where they should go in an actual program, the writing is boring, the directions are sparse and inchoerent, and much of the source code provided on the CD is incredibly difficult to get running (if it runs at all). Also, there is a discussion board on wazoo, but don't excpect much help. Many of the forums end with unanswered questions including many that I had. For an intro book to programming games, save your money for another book, because this book just isn't worth the cost in wasted time and money.
A graded learning approach.......2006-04-14
Erik Yuzwa's GAME PROGRAMMING IN C++: START TO FINISH will lend particularly well to prior C++ programmers and users who want to learn game programming. Chapters use current game programming information and take a lesson plan graded learning approach to building an entire course in C++ game programming, from the basics to creating a complete game.
Fairly good.......2006-03-26
Overall, the book is fairly useful. However, it lacks several things:
1. Contains many snippets of code that cannot be determined where they go
2. Constantly uses forward-slashes (/) instead of backslashes (\) for filenames (even if outside of code).
3. Does not justify certain variable names; ie a local variable one would normally call "fontSize", he calls "m_pFontSize".
4. What exactly is something such as a "PNFGLGETQUERYOBJECTIVEARBPROC"? He uses types like this alot, but never says what they are (even in the introduction to OpenGL).
Book Description
Creating graphics for Flash games can be fun and rewarding, especially when you can channel your imagination into your art and provide potential players with a fun entertainment experience. Written for anyone creating games with Flash, Macromedia® Flash(TM) Professional 8 Game Graphics teaches the essentials of Flash game art. You'll learn all about what Flash graphics are, how to create your own, and how to import them into working game source files. The book covers vector and raster graphics and explains how both can be used to improve the performance of your game. Helpful tips and techniques are included throughout to help you become more efficient at creating user interfaces, game character sprites, and special effects. And several real-world game examples are used to teach about the development process for creating game graphics and preparing them correctly for a smooth transition to programming. You don't have to be an artist to use this book, because the graphic techniques taught don't require a painter's hand. So if you want to create awesome graphics for your Flash games, this is the place to get started.
Book Description
The Games Trainers Play Series--now in a durable binder! Scannell and Newstrom's bestselling Games Trainers Play series is now more rewarding than ever! We've taken the same collection of 300+ field-tested training games and activities, organized them in a single pop-open binder, and added an exclusive ``Master Trainer's Kit'' that shows you how to plan, produce, and evaluate high-impact training sessions from start to finish. Result: The Complete Games Trainers Play packs virtually everything you need to conduct productive seminars and workshops--including games that help you build teams, teach creative problem-solving skills, change perceptions, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Helpful resource that could be improved.......2007-05-14
The best thing about The Complete Games Trainers Play is its sheer size. Actually, it isn't nearly as big as some reviews imply. It is really around 1000 pages, not 2000+. And for some reason, a significant percentage of those pages are left blank. But even with that caveat, this is still a sizable resource.
If you are willing to devote 30+ minutes to finding an activity, you are sure to find one (or five) that are ideal for your training event. The fact that individual "games" can be removed from the ring binder is also helpful. This allows you to use the activities without carrying the whole book around, and to easily photocopy sheets for individual participants as some activities require.
However, there are some significant downsides. There is no real way to find appropriate activities without flipping through virtually the entire book. A large number of the activities aren't very good. And, most of the book is in a strange "typewriter" typeface that makes it look like it came from 1972. (Oddly, there are some pages which are randomly sprinkled through the book that use a different, more recent-looking typeface.)
To really upgrade its usefulness, Games . . . would benefit from taking a leap into the computer age. In other words, along with the printed book, a computer CD should be included. This could feature a good, searchable index, which is now lacking. It would also make it possible to print out games, and modify handouts on the computer to your organization's needs.
I've never bought any other resources like this, so I can't say if this is better or worse than others. I can say that in spite of the steep price and the drawbacks, I'm definitely glad I purchased it. It was very useful to me, and will be again in the future. However, there are a few simple steps the authors and publishers could take to greatly improve it.
Trainers Dream.......2006-11-03
This is a great tool of Trainers. Keeping your trainees engaged throughout the training is always a challenge. This tool give creative ways to assess retention of information. The games are great and the administrative forms and suggestions are wonderful.
Lots of games here.......2004-12-08
People love playing games a lot more than listening to lectures; this is indisputable. I didn't like all of the games listed here, but so what. Several I found helpful and intend to use.
Not Impressed.......2003-09-30
Although there is a lot of information packed into this book, I was very unimpressed with the layout and visual design. It looks like it was typed up in 1970. The graphics are ancient and the layout is just one big binder with no cross-referencing or indexing available. To find a useful game, you have to sift through hundreds of pages. It really is a shame, as there are some clever games here to loosen up an audience.
Frankly for this price, I expected something a bit flashier and filled with reproducibles that I would want to copy and hand out. The way it looks now, and with it's unwieldy format, it's going to sit on my shelf.
If I hadn't spilled water on it, I would have sent it back for a refund.
The Complete Games Trainers Play.......2000-05-23
This book was helpful in planning an in-house managment training session. The book is divided into sections making it easy to locate games targeted at specific areas. The book is actually a 3" 3 ring binder. It is a large book, however, it does contain a wealth of information.
Book Description
Game Development Essentials: An Introduction, 2nd Edition offers a thorough and insightful introduction to the game development industry, with industry updates that will keep readers current and well-prepared for a career in the field. The book begins with a highly informative chapter on the evolution of game development, providing a historical context for later chapters, and moves on to examine content creation and the concepts behind the development of story, character, environment, level design, user interface, and sound. With the same engaging writing style and examples that made the first edition so popular, this new edition features expanded coverage of today's hottest topics - such as next-generation platforms (Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii), level design, interface design, project management, serious games, game accessibility, and online social networks. New game-related technology, development techniques, and the latest research in the field make this an invaluable resource for anyone entering the exciting, competitive, ever-changing world of game development.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book.......2007-09-24
It's an excellent book. The fact that she included my incredibly detailed game design document in no way influenced my rating.
Classroom Warning.......2007-09-13
Just wanted to let people know there is a later version if you missed it, and you should check with instructors before buying this book and be sure it is the dated version needed!
Gwenn McElwee's Review.......2007-08-15
I find this book to be well rounded in the history and in the aspect to the gaming and simulation world. It was not what I originally expected to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and now can look at the gaming world a lot differently with more respect.
I purchased this book because it was required for the class I am taking at DeVry University Online, but now that I have read it, I am interested in purchasing a few of the other books in this series by Jeannie Novak.
Interesting side notes, but not worth the effort.......2007-07-09
One interesting thing this book contains is little sidebar interviews with people from the game industry. It might serve people who are looking for jobs and want to get names of people in industry.
This book might also be a good read for parents of kids who want to learn more about the gaming industry. It is a very simple introduction (hence the title).
For anyone who has played computer games however, it will be overly simple and offer little value add.
It really is an intro and nothing more.
I enjoyed it.......2007-05-28
I would probably have given it 5 stars if it weren't for the few mistakes made. For example on page 218 there is a screenshot of C&C Generals and the caption says "Praetorians uses terrain as a boundary" with the image credit given to Eidos Interactive! Wow... It's probably just a mistake someone else made and not Novak, but still. I haven't been able to locate an errata list on either the publisher's website nor Novak's, but aside from a few minor typos I haven't found any other mistakes.
For a book published in late 2004, an updated edition seems a long time coming for a book that needed it. I see the second edition is due out August 2007 so that's good. Too bad my class didn't wait until then. I was required to purchase this first edition.
I don't know if I'd recommend this to anyone just browsing the shelves for a book on game design, unless you have more money than the typical student. At $64, I would hold this book to higher standards. Thomson Delmar Learning doesn't really target the mass market, so you'd expect to pay a little extra and receive a little extra in return. But price aside, I agree with all the other positive comments. If you are interested in the subject matter then I really would recommend this book. Maybe just wait a few months for the 2nd edition.
The demo CD is lackluster in my opinion. All it had were URLs to demo games and game engine trial versions. They could have saved some money and just had a page at the end of the book list the URLs.
The interviews with and comments by the industry pros are very nice for the beginning student to read. The book is very colorful and has lots of pictures. That makes it sound childish but it really does help with the reading. I'm used to reading technical books on programming and even I found this format to be useful and it fit well with the subject.
In places, the author talks about generic game ideas and then references a specific game, as if this game is a shining example of the topic and it beat out all others. The topics are so generic that any game in the genre discussed could be used as a reference. To me this reeks of product placement.
One other thing that bothers me is the inclusion of "credible" studies and surveys by renowned research organizations like Nielsen. It isn't so much the fault of the author as it is the proliferation of surveys. One study sampled 33 medical professionals, came up with surprising results, and made the following statement: "The next step? Surgery simulations!". I'm sorry, but sampling 33 doctors means absolutely nothing. Get back to me when you sample 33,000. A different survey of 1,000 males in 2003 found 10% watched less television, 33% said in-game ads helped them decide which products to buy, and 50% actually liked the inclusion of real products in games. The next statement makes a conclusion: "Major corporations are now considering product placement in games as a significant form of advertising." How many millions of males in the United States alone play video games regularly? Wow, 1,000 sure is representative. Now the rest of us have to be subjected to in-game ads, which are repulsively annoying, thanks to the wrong set of 1,000 people surveyed. Sigh. Yes, I know it's impossible to survey a representative sample. So don't bother with surveys. I'm going off on a tangent, but the point is this book is pretty good. Just ignore the surveys.
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The New Industrial Economics: Recent Developments in Industrial Organization, Oligopoly and Game Theory
George Norman
Manufacturer: Edward Elgar Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1852781394 |
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Are auctions more efficient than fixed price schemes when bidders learn?: An article from: Australian Journal of Management
Atakelty Hailu , and
Steven Schilizzi
Manufacturer: Australian Graduate School Of Management
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This digital document is an article from Australian Journal of Management, published by Australian Graduate School Of Management on December 1, 2004. The length of the article is 8955 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Are auctions more efficient than fixed price schemes when bidders learn?
Author: Atakelty Hailu
Publication:
Australian Journal of Management (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2004
Publisher: Australian Graduate School Of Management
Volume: 29
Issue: 2
Page: 147(22)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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