Featuring interviews with the creators of 36 popular video games--including Deus Ex, Night Trap, Mortal Kombat, Wasteland and NBA Jam--this book gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of some of the most influential and iconic (and sometimes forgotten) games of all time. Recounting endless hours of painstaking development, the challenges of working with mega publishers and the uncertainties of public reception, the interviewees reveal the creative processes that produced some of gaming's classic titles.

Historian Johan Huizinga once described game playing as the motor of humanity's cultural development, predating art and literature. Since the late 20th century, Western society has undergone a "gamification," as the influence of game play has grown ever more prevalent. At the same time, new theories of Postmodernism have emphasized the importance of interactive, playful behavior. Core concepts of Postmodernism are evident in pen-and-paper role-playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons. Exploring the interrelationship among narrative, game play, players and society, the author raises...

Call of Duty is the one of the most culturally significant video game franchise of the 21st century. Since the first game was released for PC in 2003, the first-person shooter has sold over 250 million copies across a range of platforms, along with merchandise ranging from toys and comic books to a special edition Jeep Wrangler. Top players can compete for millions in prize money in tournaments sanctioned by the Call of Duty World League. While the gaming community has reported on and debated each development, Call of Duty has received little scholarly attention. This...

Explores video games as important cultural artifacts and as sources of powerful, compelling storytelling. It begins by considering the fundamental structures of video games. The book then moves from the theoretical to the practical by considering numerous modern games and the stories they tell through careful, considered analysis of each title's story.

Digital role-playing games can help players develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, digital literacy and engagement. The author examines both the benefits and the drawbacks of role-playing games and their application to real-world teaching techniques. Readers will learn how to incorporate games-based instruction into their own classes and workplace training.

"More than 30 years after its 1985 release on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Mario Bros. continues to be one of the best-selling video games of all time. Through 10 interviews with Darbian and other elite speedrunners, this book explores the history and techniques of this intense and competitive type of gaming"--

Through the lens of game studies and narratology - traditional storytelling concepts applied to the gaming world - this book explores the synergy of board games, designers and players in story-oriented designs. The author provides development guidance for game designers and recommends games to explore for hobby players.

In this examination of how video gaming and video gaming culture are depicted in science fiction, Jason Barr examines how preconceived, media-fueled paranoia about video gaming, first formed almost fifty years ago, still resonate in modern science fiction prose.

This collection of new essays explores what Pokemon Go can tell us about how and why we play. Covering a range of topics from mobile hardware and classroom applications to social conflict and urban planning, the contributors approach Pokemon Go from both practical and theoretical angles.