Video games aren't just for kids anymore. This book will describe the "why" and "how" to start or expand a video gaming program in the library, including some specific examples of how to target adult and female gamer patrons. Gaming supplies more than just visual stimulation and empty entertainment; it can also promote socialization as well as the learning of both traditional and new literacies required to succeed in the modern world. Problem-solving, multi-tasking, complex decision-making on the fly, and "reading" the combination of words and graphics are vital skills for the 21st century—all of which are required to play video games. Crash Course in Gaming discusses the pros and cons of gaming, the types of games and game systems, circulating collections, and game programs. It explains how a library's video game program can—and should—do much more than simply draw younger users to the library, providing examples of how everyone from parents to senior citizens can benefit from a patron-oriented computer gaming program. The appendices also include specific games, programs, review sources, and sources for further information.

Detailed text and drawings illuminate how to conceive animated characters.

A fast-paced, thorough introduction to modern C++ written for experienced programmers. After reading C++ Crash Course, you'll be proficient in the core language concepts, the C++ Standard Library, and the Boost Libraries. C++ is one of the most widely used languages for real-world software. In the hands of a knowledgeable programmer, C++ can produce small, efficient, and readable code that any programmer would be proud of. Designed for intermediate to advanced programmers, C++ Crash Course cuts through the weeds to get you straight to the core of C++17, the most modern revision of the ISO standard. Part 1 covers the core of the C++ language, where you'll learn about everything from types and functions, to the object life cycle and expressions. Part 2 introduces you to the C++ Standard Library and Boost Libraries, where you'll learn about all of the high-quality, fully-featured facilities available to you. You'll cover special utility classes, data structures, and algorithms, and learn how to manipulate file systems and build high-performance programs that communicate over networks. You'll learn all the major features of modern C++, including: Fundamental types, reference types, and user-defined types The object lifecycle including storage duration, memory management, exceptions, call stacks, and the RAII paradigm Compile-time polymorphism with templates and run-time polymorphism with virtual classes Advanced expressions, statements, and functions Smart pointers, data structures, dates and times, numerics, and probability/statistics facilities Containers, iterators, strings, and algorithms Streams and files, concurrency, networking, and application development With well over 500 code samples and nearly 100 exercises, C++ Crash Course is sure to help you build a strong C++ foundation.

Python Crash Course is a fast-paced, thorough introduction to Python that will have you writing programs, solving problems, and making things that work in no time. In the first half of the book, you’ll learn about basic programming concepts, such as lists, dictionaries, classes, and loops, and practice writing clean and readable code with exercises for each topic. You’ll also learn how to make your programs interactive and how to test your code safely before adding it to a project. In the second half of the book, you’ll put your new knowledge into practice with three substantial projects: a Space Invaders–inspired arcade game, data visualizations with Python’s super-handy libraries, and a simple web app you can deploy online. As you work through Python Crash Course you’ll learn how to: –Use powerful Python libraries and tools, including matplotlib, NumPy, and Pygal –Make 2D games that respond to keypresses and mouse clicks, and that grow more difficult as the game progresses –Work with data to generate interactive visualizations –Create and customize Web apps and deploy them safely online –Deal with mistakes and errors so you can solve your own programming problems If you’ve been thinking seriously about digging into programming, Python Crash Course will get you up to speed and have you writing real programs fast. Why wait any longer? Start your engines and code! Uses Python 2 and 3

Liquid Reign is a work of speculative fiction, imagineering a fairly liveable future in 2051, neither dys- nor utopian.Melting the boundaries between science and fiction into a novel format, each chapter provides links to the sources of inspiration influencing it - ranging from Jean Jacques Rousseau's social contract of 1762 to blockchain startups from 2018."A vertiginous rollercoaster of ideas and a unique take on the future of (un)governance, delivered with irrepressible, unruly energy."- Jamie King of the Pirates, Host "Steal this Show""Tim Reutemann has become one of my favorite big brain boys over the past few months. In his book Liquid Reign he explores the future of democracy and civics in a way I have never seen done before... "- TheBurgerkrieg, Edgy Youtuber"Liquid Reign is a SciFi Novel about technology and our future and AI an all sorts of awesome shit and how it's gonna affect our world"- Jarred "PiG" Krensel, Ex Pro-Starcraft Player and e-Sports commentator "Wooow, what a reading experience - truly immersive! A world with liquid democracy, artificial intelligence,universal basic income and a limit on wealth accumulation. After you've read the book, you have a feeling of a possible future."- Raphel Fasko, Mastermind of the Circular Economy

Summary Manning's bestselling and highly recommended Unity book has been fully revised! Unity in Action, Second Edition teaches you to write and deploy games with the Unity game development platform. You'll master the Unity toolset from the ground up, adding the skills you need to go from application coder to game developer. Foreword by Jesse Schell, author of The Art of Game Design Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the Technology Build your next game without sweating the low-level details. The Unity game development platform handles the heavy lifting, so you can focus on game play, graphics, and user experience. With support for C# programming, a huge ecosystem of production-quality prebuilt assets, and a strong dev community, Unity can get your next great game idea off the drawing board and onto the screen! About the Book Unity in Action, Second Edition teaches you to write and deploy games with Unity. As you explore the many interesting examples, you'll get hands-on practice with Unity's intuitive workflow tools and state-of-the-art rendering engine. This practical guide exposes every aspect of the game dev process, from the initial groundwork to creating custom AI scripts and building easy-to-read UIs. And because you asked for it, this totally revised Second Edition includes a new chapter on building 2D platformers with Unity's expanded 2D toolkit. What's Inside Revised for new best practices, updates, and more! 2D and 3D games Characters that run, jump, and bump into things Connect your games to the internet About the Reader You need to know C# or a similar language. No game development knowledge is assumed. About the Author Joe Hocking is a software engineer and Unity expert specializing in interactive media development. Table of Contents PART 1 - First steps Getting to know Unity Building a demo that puts you in 3D space Adding enemies and projectiles to the 3D game Developing graphics for your game PART 2 - Getting comfortable Building a Memory game using Unity's 2D functionality Creating a basic 2D Platformer Putting a GUI onto a game Creating a third-person 3D game: player movement and animation Adding interactive devices and items within the game PART 3 - Strong finish Connecting your game to the internet Playing audio: sound effects and music Putting the parts together into a complete game Deploying your game to players' devices

The best fantasy manga drawing instruction...now with focus on fantasy! Manga artist and popular YouTuber, Mina "MISTIQARTS" Petrovic, helps you bring your wildest manga fantasies to life. Let your creativity loose as you learn how to draw hair that glows like a rainbow, animals that take human form, strange and outrageous scenery, and so much more. Following a friendly, step-by-step approach, you'll learn how to achieve the sleek, beautifully simple look of manga with a fantasy twist in no time. • Create your own unique manga fantasy characters, creatures and mascots • Design otherworldly fashions, fierce weapons, cool hairstyles and accessories • Put it all together into dynamic fantasy scenes and settings You'll find important basics on feature placement and body proportions, expert tips on everything from fixing mistakes to creating exciting compositions, and six start-to-finish demonstrations on drawing manga fantasy characters from sorcerers to samurai. This book has everything you need to strike the perfect balance in your art between compellingly believable and utterly fantastic.

Learn and use Python and PyGame to design and build cool arcade games. In Program Arcade Games: With Python and PyGame, Second Edition, Dr. Paul Vincent Craven teaches you how to create fun and simple quiz games; integrate and start using graphics; animate graphics; integrate and use game controllers; add sound and bit-mapped graphics; and build grid-based games. After reading and using this book, you'll be able to learn to program and build simple arcade game applications using one of today's most popular programming languages, Python. You can even deploy onto Steam and other Linux-based game systems as well as Android, one of today's most popular mobile and tablet platforms. You'll learn: How to create quiz games How to integrate and start using graphics How to animate graphics How to integrate and use game controllers How to add sound and bit-mapped graphics How to build grid-based games Audience“div>This book assumes no prior programming knowledge.

A fast-paced, thorough programming introduction that will have you writing your own software and web applications in no time. Like Python Crash Course, this hands-on guide is a must-have for anyone who wants to learn how to code from the ground up—this time using the popular JavaScript programming language. Learn JavaScript—Fast! JavaScript Crash Course is a fun-filled, fast-paced introduction to programming with JavaScript. Dive right in and you’ll be writing code, solving problems, and building working web applications and games in no time. You’ll start by learning fundamental programming concepts, such as variables, arrays, objects, functions, conditionals, loops, classes, and more. Aided by engaging examples and hands-on exercises, you’ll build on this foundation and combine JavaScript with HTML and CSS to create interactive web applications that you can run right away. Then you’ll put your new skills into play with three substantial projects: a Pong-style game with a virtual opponent, an app that generates electronic music, and a platform for visualizing data fetched from an API. Along the way, you’ll learn how to: • Update web pages in real time by manipulating the Document Object Model • Trigger functions in response to events like key presses and mouse clicks • Generate graphics and animations with JavaScript and HTML’s Canvas element • Visualize data with the D3.js library and scalable vector graphics (SVG) • Make electronic music with Tone.js and the Web Audio API If you’ve been thinking about digging into programming, JavaScript Crash Course will get you writing real programs fast. Why wait any longer? Jump on your magic carpet and ride!

The best-selling Python book in the world, with over 1 million copies sold! A fast-paced, no-nonsense, updated guide to programming in Python. If you've been thinking about learning how to code or picking up Python, this internationally bestselling guide to the most popular programming language is your quickest, easiest way to get started and go! Even if you have no experience whatsoever, Python Crash Course, 2nd Edition, will have you writing programs, solving problems, building computer games, and creating data visualizations in no time. You’ll begin with basic concepts like variables, lists, classes, and loops—with the help of fun skill-strengthening exercises for every topic—then move on to making interactive programs and best practices for testing your code. Later chapters put your new knowledge into play with three cool projects: a 2D Space Invaders-style arcade game, a set of responsive data visualizations you’ll build with Python's handy libraries (Pygame, Matplotlib, Plotly, Django), and a customized web app you can deploy online. Why wait any longer? Start your engine and code!