Novedades del último mes en eBooks de Otras aplicaciones

"When its done." That was the release date for Duke Nukem Forever. Announced in 1997, it wasnt released until 2011. For fifteen years, the game became a punchline, a myth, and a tragedy. It burned through engines, developers, and millions of dollars, trapped in a cycle of endless restarting driven by the desire to be the best.This book takes you inside the chaotic offices of 3D Realms. It is a lesson in project management gone wrong, illustrating the dangers of feature creepthe compulsion to add every new shiny technology until the project becomes impossible to finish. It captures the rise and fall of the 90s shooter kings and asks the question: At what point does the pursuit of perfection become a refusal to ship?

In 1997, Richard Garriott (aka Lord British) was the god of his own digital world, Ultima Online. His character was supposed to be immortal. But during a server stress test, a player named Rainz cast a fire field spell. To everyones shock, the King died.This book uses this legendary moment as a starting point to explore the lawless early days of MMORPGs. Its a story about the clash between developers who want order and players who crave chaos. From the first virtual ecology (that players destroyed by killing every animal) to the first economy and the first digital assassination, this is the history of how we learned to live together in virtual worldsby first burning them down.

John Romero was a god of gaming. He co-created Doom and Quake. So when he founded Ion Storm and announced "Daikatana," the world listened. The marketing slogan was infamous: "John Romeros about to make you his bitch." It was the height of 90s arrogance.But the game was a disaster. Delayed for years, plagued by engine switches, and marred by an AI sidekick that couldnt open doors, Daikatana destroyed Romeros reputation and his company. This book is a post-mortem of the dot-com eras excess in the gaming industry. It shows what happens when rock star egos collide with the hard reality of software development, and why hype is a debt that eventually must be paid.

Why do we feel a genuine pang of guilt when we make an evil choice in a video game, even though we know it is just code and pixels? How Games Hack Our Morals dives deep into the psychological architecture of virtual worlds. We examine how game designers use ethical dilemmas to create emotional resonance and how these digital experiences influence our real-world moral compass. It is an analysis of the game played with our conscience.We investigate the neurobiological reactions to moral gray areas in interactive media. Learn how empathy is artificially generated and why the boundaries between avatar and identity often blur in the heat of play. This book offers a technical understanding of emotional manipulation through mechanics and narrative. We deconstruct the patterns of player guidance and show how virtual consequences can create a psychological burden that extends far beyond the screen. It is the forensic study of the digital soul.Become the architect of your own perception. We show you how to integrate the principles of ethics, gaming into your life to achieve a sovereignty that others only admire from afar. It is about returning to causality in a world of symptoms. Understand the mechanics behind your digital decisions and what they reveal about your true self. Knowledge of these hacking methods is the first step toward mental freedom in the game and in life. Become the master of your morals. The game is more real than you think.

In 1995, Nintendo could do no wrong. They dominated the market with the Game Boy and SNES. Then, they released the Virtual Boy. It was a bulky, tripod-mounted headset that displayed games in only two colors: black and stinging red. It caused nausea, neck pain, and headaches within minutes. It was discontinued in less than a year."The Red Headache" is the story of Gunpei Yokoi, the legendary inventor of the Game Boy, and his tragic fall from grace. It details the rushed development of the Virtual Boy, driven by a fear of missing out on the "VR craze" of the 90s. The book explains the fatal design flaws: the decision to use cheap red LEDs to save battery life and the warning labels that terrified parents into thinking the device would permanently blind their children.This is a business cautionary tale about what happens when marketing hype overrides engineering reality. It shows how the failure of the Virtual Boy humbled Nintendo, leading to the departure of its greatest visionary and a strategic pivot that eventually birthed the modern era of gaming.

In December 1993, the US Senate put Mario and Sonic on trial. Led by Senator Joe Lieberman, politicians launched a moral crusade against the video game industry, citing two games as evidence of the corruption of Americas youth: the bloody fighting game "Mortal Kombat" and the B-movie vampire trap "Night Trap." They threatened federal regulation if the industry didnt police itself."The Senate vs. The Joystick" takes you inside the courtroom drama where executives from Nintendo and Sega, instead of uniting, turned on each other. Nintendo, projecting a "family-friendly" image, happily threw Sega under the bus for allowing violent games on their Genesis console.This book details the cultural panic that led to the creation of the ESRB rating system (the E, T, and M symbols on every game box today). It explores the hypocrisy of the hearingswhere politicians admitted they had never actually played the gamesand how the controversy ironically fueled the sales of the very violent games they tried to ban. It is the origin story of gaming growing up.

In July 2016, the world changed. Millions of people poured out of their homes, wandering streets, parks, and landmarks with their eyes glued to their phones. Strangers talked to strangers. Police officers played with protesters. For one glorious month, "Pokemon GO" didnt just become the most popular mobile game in history; it created a utopian social experiment."The Walking Summer" documents the chaotic launch of Niantics augmented reality hit. It tells stories of stampedes in Central Park for a Vaporeon, the server crashes that united nations in frustration, and the weird collisions between virtual monsters and real-world locations (like Holocaust museums and private backyards).This book analyzes why this specific moment happeneda perfect storm of nostalgia, new technology, and a summer where the world desperately needed a distraction. It explores the physical health benefits (millions of kilometers walked) and the sudden collapse of the hype. A nostalgic trip back to the closest thing weve had to world peace.

Before the App Store, Steam, and high-speed downloads, there was the browser. For a glorious decade, the internet was a playground of creativity powered by a buggy, insecure, but revolutionary plugin called Adobe Flash. It changed how we consumed media forever."The Flash Era" chronicles the rise and fall of the golden age of browser gaming, from the stick figure violence of "Xiao Xiao" to the addictiveness of "Bloons Tower Defense" and the surrealism of "Salad Fingers." It tells the stories of teenage developers who became millionaires overnight on sites like Newgrounds and Kongregate, creating a punk-rock meritocracy where anyone could publish anything.This book explores how Flash democratized game development, birthed the modern indie game industry (leading to hits like Super Meat Boy and Hollow Knight), and how corporate warfare and the iPhone eventually killed it. It is a tribute to the "Loading..." bars of our youth and the anarchic spirit of an internet that no longer exists.

For decades, it was the gaming worlds most famous urban legend: Did Atari really bury millions of unsold cartridges of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" in a New Mexico landfill? The answer, unearthed in 2014, was yes. But the story behind the burial is far more fascinating than the plastic in the ground."The Atari Burial" chronicles the meteoric rise and catastrophic fall of Atari in the early 1980s. It details the hubris of a company that spent millions to license the E.T. brand but gave the developer only five weeks to code the game for the Christmas rush. The resulting product was practically unplayable, triggering a collapse in consumer confidence that nearly destroyed the entire video game industry in 1983.This book is a business case study on quality control and a nostalgic trip to the era of the console wars. It explains how a market flooded with low-quality "shovelware" led to a crash that paved the way for Nintendo to save the day. It is the story of the most expensive mistake in pixel history.

In 1993, a small team of misfits in Mesquite, Texas, unleashed a piece of software that changed the world. It was violent, it was fast, and it was technically impossible. It was called Doom. "The Shareware Demon" tells the adrenaline-fueled story of Id Software, focusing on the volatile partnership between the coding genius John Carmack and the design rockstar John Romero.The book explores the revolutionary business model of "Shareware"giving away the first episode for free to get players hookedwhich led to Doom being installed on more computers than Windows 95. It details the technical wizardry of the Doom engine, which brought 3D graphics to the masses, and the cultural panic it incited among parents and politicians who feared it was a "murder simulator."From the deathmatch parties that crashed university networks to the Ferrari-driving excess of the founders, this is the definitive history of the First Person Shooter. It is a story of brilliance, ego, and the chainsaw that carved a path for the entire video game industry.

"The Billion Dollar Ring The hardware failure that almost killed Xbox" tells the story of the "Red Ring of Death" (RROD). When Microsoft launched the Xbox 360, it was a hit. But soon, consoles started dying. Three red lights flashed on the front, signaling general hardware failure caused by overheating and brittle solder.Tech journalist David Cooper reveals the internal panic. Failure rates hit 30%. Microsoft faced a choice: Deny the problem and kill the brand, or pay up. executive Peter Moore asked Steve Ballmer for $1.15 billion to extend warranties and fix every console.This book is a case study in crisis management. It shows how owning up to a massive mistake saved the Xbox division, allowing them to survive and eventually thrive, despite shipping a broken product.

"The Accidental Shooter How a team of rookies created the greatest multiplayer game" tells the story of GoldenEye 007. In 1997, licensed movie games were usually terrible. The team at Rare was inexperienced; many had never made a game before.Gaming historian Chris Baker reveals the twist: The famous 4-player split-screen modethe feature that defined a generation of sleepoverswas added secretly by one programmer (Steve Ellis) in the final weeks of development, without Nintendos permission.This book celebrates the creativity of constraints. Because the team didnt know "how things were supposed to be done," they invented objectives, stealth mechanics, and console FPS controls that are still used today. A story of passion over planning.

Behind every colorful box in your favorite game is a billion-dollar industry. The Lootbox Mechanic deconstructs the mechanics of the variable reward scheme that already drove pigeons in the lab crazy. We examine why the uncertainty of winning is more addictive than the win itself.Learn about the psychological triggers: from the near-win illusion to artificial scarcity. We look at the parallels between modern gaming and classic gambling and why the boundaries are intentionally blurred today. This book offers the defense strategy for players and parents against the manipulative power of algorithms.Understand your own brain. We show you how to recognize the dopamine trap and how to become a conscious consumer again. Learn how pay-to-win logic is destroying gaming culture and what we as a society can do about it. This book is a wake-up call in a world where game fun is often just the facade for a digital casino. Reclaim your control before the next drop.

Good players master the controlsmasters master the system behind the game. The Metaspiel Protocol enters the world of strategic over-reaching, in which not just the game character, but the opponents expectations are controlled.It is the analysis of the game above the game. Learn how to find shortcuts to victory through unconventional thinking and deep data analysis. We deconstruct the tactics of the worlds best in e-sports and strategy games. This book shows that gaming is the purest form of strategic competition.Become the master of the metaspiel. We show you how to combine psychological warfare and mathematical optimization to become invincible. Learn how to adapt to constantly changing conditions and always stay one step ahead. This knowledge is valuable for everyone who wants to survive in competitive systems. The game begins in your head long before the first button is pressed. Master the protocol and change the rules of the game.

In the world of speedrunners, the game is not an adventure but an optimization problem. The Speedrun Axiom dives into the subculture of those who finish games in minutes for which others need weeks. We analyze glitching, the exploitation of code errors, and radical path analysis.What can we learn from these digital border crossers for our real work? This book shows how to deconstruct systems to find the fastest route to the goal. It is a school of unconventional thinking and obsessive optimization. We examine the psychological endurance required to deliver a perfect run.For everyone who sees time as their most valuable resource and wants to learn how to find shortcuts where others see walls. We show you how to transfer the radical problem-solving competence of speedrunners to your own projects. Learn how to achieve massive time gains by questioning every single movement in your workflow. Its not about running faster, but choosing the way more intelligently.

To the amateur, a game is a hobby. To the pro, it is a sequence of frame-precise inputs. The Frame Perfect Protocol enters the world of high-stakes e-sports, where 1/60th of a second is the difference between a champion and a footnote.We analyze the neurobiology of reaction time and the extreme mental conditioning required to maintain focus under pressure. Learn the technical mechanics of muscle memory and how top players eliminate the lag between thought and action. This book is a deep dive into the fusion of human biological limits and binary software. We explore the physics of controllers, the psychology of the zone, and the brutal discipline of the digital arena.Whether youre a competitor or a fan, understand the technical mastery required to be the best. Precision is the only law. We show you how to optimize your setup and your mind for the ultimate performance. Discover the training regimens of the worlds elite gamers and how they handle the psychological toll of high-stakes competition. In the world of milliseconds, there is no room for doubt. Master the protocol and claim the victory that others miss by a fraction of a second. The game is waiting; are you fast enough?

Are you playing the game, or is the game playing you? Behind every modern video game is an army of psychologists and data scientists whose only goal is your time. The Algorithm Trap deconstructs the mechanics of the modern entertainment industry. We look at loot boxes, daily quests, and the precise dosing of dopamine that keeps you glued to the screen.It is an analysis of digital manipulation that appeals to your primal instincts. Why cant we stop, even when were no longer having fun? We examine the dark patterns of game design and how to reclaim control over your free time. This book is a wakeup call for anyone who feels their hobby has become a second job. Understand the system before the timer runs out.Reclaim your agency in the digital world. We show you how to recognize the psychological hooks used by developers and how to build a healthy relationship with gaming. Its about making the game a joy again, not a digital chore. Learn the industrys tricks to defend your own freedom of action in the virtual space. Your attention is the currency they want to stealdont give it up without a fight. The trap is set; its time to learn how to walk through it without getting caught.

You died. Again. The screen fades, the counter ticks, and you are back at the checkpoint, minus experience, minus gold, minus twenty minutes of progress. Game designers call this the death penalty. Players call it frustrating. But both groups know it works.This book explores the psychology and design philosophy behind death penalties in video games. From the brutal corpse runs of early MMOs to the forgiving checkpoints of modern platformers, you will understand why different games punish failure differently and what that teaches players.The Death Timer examines the spectrum from permadeath roguelikes to consequence-free sandbox games. You will learn why Dark Souls made its reputation on punishment, why some players love losing everything, and why the trend toward easier respawns might be making games less memorable. Whether you design games or just play them, understanding the penalty system reveals what a game is really trying to teach you.

Before the living room, there was the arcade. Dark rooms filled with glowing cabinets, the clatter of joysticks, the communal competition for high scores. A quarter bought three lives and a chance to carve your initials into digital immortality. For a generation, this was gaming.This book chronicles the rise and fall of the arcade era. You will learn how Japanese innovation met American entrepreneurship to create an industry worth billions. You will understand why certain games became cultural phenomena while others vanished. And you will see how the social dynamics of the arcade, strangers competing side by side, created a gaming culture that home consoles could never fully replicate.The Quarter Slot is not pure nostalgia. The arcades were also loud, expensive, and sometimes rough. But something was lost when they died. The book examines what that something was and whether the current revival of arcade bars can recapture any of it. The quarter slot is empty now. The memories are not.

Professional esports players retire in their mid-twenties with wrecked wrists. Streamers develop chronic back problems. Casual gamers wonder why their hands ache after sessions. Gaming has physical consequences that nobody talks about until the damage is done.This book addresses the body side of gaming culture. You will learn the biomechanics of controller and keyboard use, why certain grips lead to injury, and how screen distance affects more than your eyes. The information applies whether you play two hours a week or ten hours a day.The Gamers Toll is not anti-gaming propaganda. It is maintenance knowledge for a hobby that deserves the same physical consideration as any sport. You will find practical interventions, from desk setup to exercise routines specifically designed for gamers. The goal is simple: play longer, hurt less, and never become another cautionary tale of talent ended by preventable injury.