Experience your very own theme park . . . Tips for all 72 rides Golden Ticket secrets revealed Make the most of your money Instant Action strategies Upgrade your rides Hire the right staff Keep the kids happy

Maximum PC is the magazine that every computer fanatic, PC gamer or content creator must read. Each and every issue is packed with punishing product reviews, insightful and innovative how-to stories and the illuminating technical articles that enthusiasts crave.

This book targets game developers, publishers, journalists, and any person who makes computer and video games their passion. The book analyses the best-selling games of 2001 by examining what made them commercial and critical successes. Computer game industry inside information, advice from well-known gaming sages, and interviews from notable developers provide tips on what makes games fun and great. Includes CD.

Discover the amazing true story behind the world's most extraordinary theme park! A two hundred-year-old mansion, decaying and largely abandoned. A deep, foreboding valley hosting pretty gardens and dozens of bizarre and unusual structures. A terrifying plunge into Oblivion, and a mysterious alien beast known as Nemesis. All of these things can be found in one truly unique place: Alton Towers. But how on earth did they get there? The story behind the UK's most popular theme park is just as thrilling and full of twists and turns as the rollercoasters that attract millions to the park every year. Prepare to be sucked into a tale of daring invention, personal tragedy, wanton destruction and brilliant creative minds... "While in reality, this is a work of non-fiction, recounting true events and factual details, it captivates and engages readers like a fantasy story." - Airgates Attraction News Two hundred years ago, a wealthy earl began the transformation of a barren patch of land in rural Staffordshire into the site of a stunning gothic mansion surrounded by eye-wateringly beautiful gardens. Mocked and ridiculed by his peers for his strange tastes and outlandish ideas, he nevertheless succeeded in attracting people from far and wide to come and marvel at his creations. Less than 50 years later, the house stood desolate and empty. The genius architect who had helped the earl's successor complete his vision lay dead at 40, having spent many of his final months incarcerated in London's brutal Bedlam mental asylum. How had the mighty fallen so far, so fast? It didn't end there. The earl's descendants fought bitterly over Alton Towers - and with each other - until finally the near-ruined property was sold into private hands in the 1920s. In "Tales from the Towers", you can experience what it was like to visit the estate in its early years as a tourist attraction, when spectacular fetes, fairground rides and exotic animals were all part of the appeal. As well as documenting - for the first time - the full and fascinating history of Alton Towers, "Tales from the Towers" also explains exactly how the park's most popular rides - such as Nemesis, Oblivion and The Smiler - were created. It even takes an in-depth look at rides that were designed for the park but never built, enabling you to take a voyage of discovery and imagine what might have been. What reviewers say about "Tales from the Towers" "This excellent book may call itself the UNOFFICIAL story behind Alton Towers, but actually it has the merit to become the OFFICIAL story. It is meticulously researched, well-written, and highly insightful. I had assumed that I would find within the sections of the story that involved my work many inaccuracies and myths, but nothing could be further from the truth. It tells the story exactly as I remember it happening!" - John Wardley, creator of Nemesis, Oblivion and Air "This is a book that anyone interested in Alton Towers should get their hands on." - Adam Perry, AltonTowersMemories.net "The book adds a new depth to the Alton Towers experience, and is a must-read for any park fan." - Airgates Attraction News "The level of detail about the park is incredible, everyone will enjoy it." - RideRater.co.uk Grab your copy now! "Tales from the Towers" is available in paperback format, or you can download it instantly to your Amazon Kindle or on your tablet or smartphone. You can even start reading right away for FREE by clicking the "Look Inside" button above or by downloading a sample to your Kindle. What are you waiting for? Start reading now and enjoy an adventure through time as you discover how Alton Towers developed into a place that has entertained tens of millions of people over nearly two centuries.

CMJ New Music Monthly, the first consumer magazine to include a bound-in CD sampler, is the leading publication for the emerging music enthusiast. NMM is a monthly magazine with interviews, reviews, and special features. Each magazine comes with a CD of 15-24 songs by well-established bands, unsigned bands and everything in between. It is published by CMJ Network, Inc.

This book offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary introduction to theme parks and the field of theme park studies. It identifies and discusses relevant economic, social, and cultural as well as medial, historical, and geographical aspects of theme parks worldwide, from the big international theme park chains to smaller, regional, family-operated parks. The book also describes the theories and methods that have been used to study theme parks in various academic disciplines and reviews the major contexts in which theme parks have been studied. By providing the necessary backgrounds, theories, and methods to analyze and understand theme parks both as a business field and as a socio-cultural phenomenon, this book will be a great resource to students, academics from all disciplines interested in theme parks, and professionals and policy-makers in the leisure and entertainment as well as the urban planning sector.

An exploration of how we see, use, and make sense of modern video game worlds. The move to 3D graphics represents a dramatic artistic and technical development in the history of video games that suggests an overall transformation of games as media. The experience of space has become a key element of how we understand games and how we play them. In Video Game Spaces, Michael Nitsche investigates what this shift means for video game design and analysis. Navigable 3D spaces allow us to crawl, jump, fly, or even teleport through fictional worlds that come to life in our imagination. We encounter these spaces through a combination of perception and interaction. Drawing on concepts from literary studies, architecture, and cinema, Nitsche argues that game spaces can evoke narratives because the player is interpreting them in order to engage with them. Consequently, Nitsche approaches game spaces not as pure visual spectacles but as meaningful virtual locations. His argument investigates what structures are at work in these locations, proceeds to an in-depth analysis of the audiovisual presentation of gameworlds, and ultimately explores how we use and comprehend their functionality. Nitsche introduces five analytical layers—rule-based space, mediated space, fictional space, play space, and social space—and uses them in the analyses of games that range from early classics to recent titles. He revisits current topics in game research, including narrative, rules, and play, from this new perspective. Video Game Spaces provides a range of necessary arguments and tools for media scholars, designers, and game researchers with an interest in 3D game worlds and the new challenges they pose.

Discover the amazing true story behind the world's most thrilling theme park resort! In the late 1980s, Universal decided to construct its first real theme park - right in Disney's backyard of Orlando, Florida. At the time, the company had never built a single theme park ride. Many predicted that it would be a disaster. It very nearly was. On Universal Studios Florida's opening day in 1990, all three of its major rides malfunctioned. Thousands of guests demanded refunds. And it got worse from there - eventually, the $30 million Jaws ride was closed permanently. It was three years and a further $40 million before it would reopen. Through a combination of outrageous risk-taking, technical ingenuity and sheer persistence, Universal eventually carved out its own niche in Orlando. For the first time, "Universal Orlando: The Unofficial Story" reveals how the resort's incredible, ground-breaking rides were created, from Kongfrontation to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Go behind the scenes at Universal Orlando! How was King Kong's banana breath generated? How hot are the flames in Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride? How does the The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man's "falling" effect work? What are the rocks underneath Hogwarts Castle made of? Does filming really take place on the streets of Universal Studios Florida? Whatever your questions about Universal Orlando, this book has the answers! Enhance your Universal Orlando visit As well as detailing the amazing special effects that are employed by the rides at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, "Universal Orlando: The Unofficial Story" is also packed with hidden secrets that you can look out for during your next visit. Want to know where you can rent a time machine, or how to boost your score on Men in Black: Alien Attack? Look no further! What reviewers say about "Universal Orlando: The Unofficial Story" "Universal Orlando: The Unofficial Story is the only book currently available that covers the complete history and creation of the resort, from the onset to the present day. I was a bit skeptical because it is a self-published book but I was blown away with how good it was." - Amusement Authority "Universal Orlando: The Unofficial Story is the ultimate book about the creation and development of the Universal Orlando Resort. Relive the history of the resort from conception through the present day including all the bumps in the road along the way." - Coaster101.com Grab your copy now! "Universal Orlando: The Unofficial Story" is available in paperback format, or you can download it instantly to your Amazon Kindle or a Kindle app on your tablet or smartphone. You can even start reading right away for FREE by clicking the "Look Inside" button above or by downloading a sample to your Kindle. What are you waiting for? Start reading now and enjoy an adventure through time as you discover how Universal Orlando developed into a place that has entertained tens of millions of people over more than two decades.

GameAxis Unwired is a magazine dedicated to bring you the latest news, previews, reviews and events around the world and close to you. Every month rain or shine, our team of dedicated editors (and hardcore gamers!) put themselves in the line of fire to bring you news, previews and other things you will want to know.