On the Way to Fun


Book Description

How can video games be fun and immerse players in fantastic worlds where anything seems possible? How can they be so engaging to have become the main entertainment product for children and adults alike? In On the Way to Fun, the author proposes a possible answer to these questions by going back to the roots of gaming and showing how early games, as




Mazes


Book Description

Are you fascinated by mazes and labyrinths? Do you want to understand their origins, symbolism, and practical uses? Are you intrigued by the psychological aspects and mathematical principles behind these structures? If so, this book is for you. Mazes have been a part of human history for centuries, serving various purposes from practical to symbolic. In "Mazes: A Journey Through Their History and Impact", we delve into the origins and evolution of mazes, exploring their presence in mythology and religion, and their applications in art, architecture, and even warfare. We also examine the mathematical principles that make mazes such intriguing puzzles and discuss their psychological impact on the human mind. This comprehensive guide explores: - The world's most famous mazes, including the Cretan labyrinth and the Hampton Court Palace maze - The use of mazes in art and architecture - The role of mazes in mythology and religion - The mathematical principles behind maze design - How mazes have been used in history for practical purposes - Strategies and techniques for solving mazes - The therapeutic use of mazes for stress relief and memory improvement - Maze-solving competitions and their benefits - The future of mazes in virtual reality and digital environments If you want to satisfy your curiosity about mazes, understand their impact, and learn how to solve them, then you should buy this book today. It's a captivating journey through the history, design, and purpose of mazes that will leave you with a deeper understanding and appreciation for these fascinating structures.




Fun with Algorithms


Book Description

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference, FUN 2014, held in July 2014 in Lipari Island, Sicily, Italy. The 29 revised full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 49 submissions. They feature a large variety of topics in the field of the use, design and analysis of algorithms and data structures, focusing on results that provide amusing, witty but nonetheless original and scientifically profound contributions to the area. In particular, algorithmic questions rooted in biology, cryptography, game theory, graphs, the internet, robotics and mobility, combinatorics, geometry, stringology, as well as space-conscious, randomized, parallel, distributed algorithms and their visualization are addressed.




Make Fun!


Book Description

You don't need to own a factory to make toys. Author and toymaker Bob Knetzger has been making fun stuff all his life with simple technology like vacuum forming and mold-making. In an age where makers are tantalized by the capabilities of 3d printers and other digital fab technology, this book takes you back to old-school hand tools, simple electronics, and working with metal and plastic to make toys every bit as good as those you can find in a big-box store. This book has something for everyone, from a marble maze to a talking booby trap; from custom cookie cutters to an "EZ Make" oven. Discover the basic principles of science, electronics, and engineering through hands-on projects that range from easy to more challenging... and are always fun!




Vintage Games 2.0


Book Description

Super Mario Bros. Doom. Minecraft. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like today without video games, a creative industry that now towers over Hollywood in terms of both financial and cultural impact. The video game industry caters to everyone, with games in every genre for every conceivable electronic device--from dedicated PC gaming rigs and consoles to handhelds, mobile phones, and tablets. Successful games are produced by mega-corporations, independent studios, and even lone developers working with nothing but free tools. Some may still believe that video games are mere diversions for children, but today’s games offer sophisticated and wondrously immersive experiences that no other media can hope to match. Vintage Games 2.0 tells the story of the ultimate storytelling medium, from early examples such as Spacewar! and Pong to the mind blowing console and PC titles of today. Written in a smart and engaging style, this updated 2nd edition is far more than just a survey of the classics. Informed by hundreds of in-depth personal interviews with designers, publishers, marketers, and artists--not to mention the author’s own lifelong experience as a gamer--Vintage Games 2.0 uncovers the remarkable feats of intellectual genius, but also the inspiring personal struggles of the world’s most brilliant and celebrated game designers--figures like Shigeru Miyamoto, Will Wright, and Roberta Williams. Ideal for both beginners and professionals, Vintage Games 2.0 offers an entertaining and inspiring account of video game’s history and meteoric rise from niche market to global phenomenon. Credit for the cover belongs to Thor Thorvaldson.




Brain Games


Book Description

Get ready to train your brain with superfun activities, mystifying mazes, and cryptic codes. You will uncover hidden messages, hack your mind and learn how to harness your creative brain with imagination-boosting challenges. -- From back cover.




Cool Scratch Projects in easy steps


Book Description

Millions of children and young people worldwide are using Scratch to make their own games and animations. Following on from the success of Scratch Programming in easy steps, Cool Scratch Projects in easy steps gives you great ideas to create computer games and other projects that’ll impress your friends and family – and you’ll have endless fun creating and playing them! The book provides step-by-step instructions for building projects that show off some of the cool things you can do with Scratch. It starts with two simple projects to get you started. Find out how to: • Make a game with animated cartoon characters • Build a drum machine and make random music • Use anaglyph glasses for 3D effects and 3D Art • Design amazing mazes in a 3D environment • Create your own stop motion films • Use the ScratchJr app to create games and interactive stories anywhere using your iPad or Android tablet Cool Scratch Projects in easy steps has projects for Scratch 2.0 on a PC/Mac and Scratch 1.4 on the Raspberry Pi, and includes a Raspberry Pi Camera Module project. Each project includes suggestions for customizing it, so you can make it your own! Table of Contents: Magic Mirror Gribbet! Drum Machine 12 Angry Aliens 3D Artist Space Mine 3D Maze Maker and Circuit Breaker 3D Maze Explorer 3D Maze Explorer: Finishing touches Sprites, Cameras, Action! Super Wheelie in ScratchJr Five shorties




Space Time Play


Book Description

Computer and video games are leaving the PC and conquering the arena of everyday life in the form of mobile applications—the result is new types of cities and architecture. How do these games alter our perception of real and virtual space? What can the designers of physical and digital worlds learn from one another?







Mixed Reality for Education


Book Description

This book consists of chapters that present the state-of-the-art research on mixed reality, simulation and serious games with applications in four main educational topics: (1) K-12 STEAM Education; (2) Tertiary/Professional Education; (3) Special Needs Education; and (4) Cultural, Social & Museum Education. The chapters of the book present a multi-facet view on different approaches to deal with challenges that surround the uptake of educational applications of mixed reality, simulations and serious games in various practices. The different approaches highlight challenges and potential solutions and provide future directions for mixed reality, simulation and serious games research, for the design of learning material and for implementation. By doing so, the book is a useful resource for both students and scholars interested in research in this field, for designers of learning material and for practitioners that want to embrace mixed reality, simulation and/or serious games in their education. Chapter "Development of AR Interactive Components for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.