Playing with Videogames documents the richly productive, playful and social cultures of videogaming that support, surround and sustain this most important of digital media forms and yet which remain largely invisible within existing studies.James Newman details the rich array of activities that surround game-playing, charting the vibrant and productive practices of the vast number of videogame players and the extensive 'shadow' economy of walkthroughs, FAQs, art, narratives, online discussion boards and fan games, as well as the cultures of cheating, copying and piracy that have emerged. Playing with Videogames offers the reader a comprehensive understanding of the meanings of videogames and videogaming within the contemporary media environment.
Playing with Videogames documents the richly productive, playful and social cultures of videogaming that support, surround and sustain this most important of digital media forms and yet which remain largely invisible within existing studies.James Newman details the rich array of activities that surround game-playing, charting the vibrant and productive practices of the vast number of videogame players and the extensive 'shadow' economy of walkthroughs, FAQs, art, narratives, online discussion boards and fan games, as well as the cultures of cheating, copying and piracy that have emerged. Playing with Videogames offers the reader a comprehensive understanding of the meanings of videogames and videogaming within the contemporary media environment.
Despite record sales and an ever-growing global industry, the simple fact is that videogames are disappearing.Most obviously, the physical deterioration of discs, cartridges, consoles and controllers means that the data and devices will crumble to dust and eventually will be lost forever. However, there is more to the disappearance of videogames than plastic corrosion and bit rot. Best Before examines how the videogames industry's retail, publishing, technology design, advertising and marketing practices actively produce obsolescence, wearing out and retiring old games to make way for the always new, just out of reach, 'coming soon' title and 'next generation' platform.Set against the context of material deterioration and the discursive production of obsolescence, Best Before examines the conceptual and practical challenges faced within the nascent field of game preservation. Understanding videogames as rich, complex and mutable texts and experiences that are supported and sustained by cultures of gameplay and fandom, Best Before considers how - and even whether - we might preserve and present games for future generations.
Despite record sales and an ever-growing global industry, the simple fact is that videogames are disappearing.Most obviously, the physical deterioration of discs, cartridges, consoles and controllers means that the data and devices will crumble to dust and eventually will be lost forever. However, there is more to the disappearance of videogames than plastic corrosion and bit rot. Best Before examines how the videogames industry's retail, publishing, technology design, advertising and marketing practices actively produce obsolescence, wearing out and retiring old games to make way for the always new, just out of reach, 'coming soon' title and 'next generation' platform.Set against the context of material deterioration and the discursive production of obsolescence, Best Before examines the conceptual and practical challenges faced within the nascent field of game preservation. Understanding videogames as rich, complex and mutable texts and experiences that are supported and sustained by cultures of gameplay and fandom, Best Before considers how - and even whether - we might preserve and present games for future generations.
In the few decades since they first blipped their way onto television screens, videogames have become one of the most culturally, socially and economically significant media forms. Newman’s volume considers how we might approach videogames as media texts to be read, experiences to be played and played with, systems and simulations to be decoded and interrogated, and performances to be captured, codified and preserved. The updated second edition examines the emergence of new platforms as well as changing patterns of production and consumption in its analysis of Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and mobile gaming. The new final chapter explores recent developments in games scholarship with particular focus falling on the study of gameplay as socially situated, ‘lived experience’, and on strategies for game history, heritage and preservation. In drawing attention to the fragility and ephemerality of hardware, software and gameplay, this new edition encourages readers and players not only to consider how games might be studied but also what can, will and should be left behind for the next generation of games researchers.
In the few decades since they first blipped their way onto television screens, videogames have become one of the most culturally, socially and economically significant media forms. Newman’s volume considers how we might approach videogames as media texts to be read, experiences to be played and played with, systems and simulations to be decoded and interrogated, and performances to be captured, codified and preserved. The updated second edition examines the emergence of new platforms as well as changing patterns of production and consumption in its analysis of Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and mobile gaming. The new final chapter explores recent developments in games scholarship with particular focus falling on the study of gameplay as socially situated, ‘lived experience’, and on strategies for game history, heritage and preservation. In drawing attention to the fragility and ephemerality of hardware, software and gameplay, this new edition encourages readers and players not only to consider how games might be studied but also what can, will and should be left behind for the next generation of games researchers.
The Roland x0x Series: A History of Early Roland Synthesizers and Drum Machines from SH-101 to TR-909 offers an authoritative but accessible investigation of how the design of these most influential musical instruments is shaped by technological factors, institutional contexts, market forces and imagined users and uses. Drawing on the perspectives of designers and engineers along with musicians and producers from around the world, the book explores how these iconic instruments both enable and constrain the creative work made with them. Providing detailed analysis of these seminal instruments, this book combines archival research that draws on contemporary reviews, instruction and service documentation, advertising and marketing materials, and technical analysis of the underlying analogue and digital circuits, with discussion of creative composition and performance practice, hardware and software modifications and modern remakes, emulations and clones. The Roland x0x Series is dedicated to demystifying these mainstays of popular music, and revealing the ‘hidden histories’ of the creation, lives and afterlives of these most important, recognisable, yet often misunderstood, synthesizers and drum machines. This is an essential reference for music producers and music technology enthusiasts, as well as those studying music technology, instrument design and human interaction in the context of electronic music.
The Roland x0x Series: A History of Early Roland Synthesizers and Drum Machines from SH-101 to TR-909 offers an authoritative but accessible investigation of how the design of these most influential musical instruments is shaped by technological factors, institutional contexts, market forces and imagined users and uses. Drawing on the perspectives of designers and engineers along with musicians and producers from around the world, the book explores how these iconic instruments both enable and constrain the creative work made with them. Providing detailed analysis of these seminal instruments, this book combines archival research that draws on contemporary reviews, instruction and service documentation, advertising and marketing materials, and technical analysis of the underlying analogue and digital circuits, with discussion of creative composition and performance practice, hardware and software modifications and modern remakes, emulations and clones. The Roland x0x Series is dedicated to demystifying these mainstays of popular music, and revealing the ‘hidden histories’ of the creation, lives and afterlives of these most important, recognisable, yet often misunderstood, synthesizers and drum machines. This is an essential reference for music producers and music technology enthusiasts, as well as those studying music technology, instrument design and human interaction in the context of electronic music.
Gantira didn't plan for her lover to die on the Island of Ko Samui that morning. Nor did she plan for the Finnish backpacker to drown. She didn't plan to be trapped in a gilded cage by her narcissistic millionaire husband. Or maybe she did? Fraud expert Joe Dylan is back in the land of sin investigating the death of two backpackers on the island of Ko Samui. He's working the steps and trying to delay gratification. Easier said than done in the big mango. Burnt out expat James Hale just wants to get out of the city before the mob catch up with him and collect what's owed. These lives come together in an exotic action-packed thriller revised and rewritten for 2012. "James Newman is the next big thing in Bangkok fiction." - Thailand Writing and Book Reviews. Step on the express train and enjoy the ride.
If there is one thing that distinguishes videogames from other media forms surely it is their interactivity. What it quite means to be a ‘player’, or what constitutes the distinctive ‘play position’, has never been more complicated, contested and confusing – so much so that it need not involve touching a controller at all, far less becoming an accomplished performer. We see players learning from one another as they observe technique, and shifting between playing and spectating as they take turns sharing gameplay one level or life at a time. Spectate! Recording, Streaming and Watching Videogames explores the phenomenon of videogame spectatorship and presents a historically-grounded case for a reconsideration of our conceptualization and approaches to videogame play. Renowned games scholar James Newman covers player activities, how platforms enable spectating in interesting ways, and how spectating helps play a role in archiving and preserving game history. Recognizing that the playability of a videogame is a temporary state, Newman argues that spectatorship is not merely a viable alternative to first hand play but that it might offer insights into the nuance and variety of possible playings impossible to attain in any other way. Newman's analysis for understanding how games have been integrated into the landscape of new media will become required reading.
If there is one thing that distinguishes videogames from other media forms surely it is their interactivity. What it quite means to be a ‘player’, or what constitutes the distinctive ‘play position’, has never been more complicated, contested and confusing – so much so that it need not involve touching a controller at all, far less becoming an accomplished performer. We see players learning from one another as they observe technique, and shifting between playing and spectating as they take turns sharing gameplay one level or life at a time. Spectate! Recording, Streaming and Watching Videogames explores the phenomenon of videogame spectatorship and presents a historically-grounded case for a reconsideration of our conceptualization and approaches to videogame play. Renowned games scholar James Newman covers player activities, how platforms enable spectating in interesting ways, and how spectating helps play a role in archiving and preserving game history. Recognizing that the playability of a videogame is a temporary state, Newman argues that spectatorship is not merely a viable alternative to first hand play but that it might offer insights into the nuance and variety of possible playings impossible to attain in any other way. Newman's analysis for understanding how games have been integrated into the landscape of new media will become required reading.
AN ANCIENT EVIL RISES...BURNS...KILLS...After a fire consumes the Heller Home for Children, the residents of Morganville, North Carolina thought they knew evil...They were wrong.Unaware of the turmoil in their new hometown, the Littles--David, Kate, and seven-year-old Becca--are moving from New York City to Morganville in hopes of repairing their own lives, which were recently shattered by an act of sexual violence.Before long, David realizes that his family's troubles are worse than he could ever have imagined.An ancient demon lurks beneath the town of Morganville, an unholy creature conjured into existence by the Heller Home tragedy.Its name is Moloch.It is hungry for the souls of the townspeople.But most of all, Moloch wants the children. It will not rest until it has them.All of them.
Nick Bullman was a wrestling superstar. His alter ego, The Widowmaker, was the monster heel all the marks loved to hate.Now, after a brutal encounter with two psychotic fans that left his face horribly disfigured, he's just a monster.Yanked from the spotlight and thrust into the shadows, these days Nick tries to live the life of an average Joe. He avoids mirrors. He's angry. He's alone. And he likes it just fine that way...Until he receives a desperate phone call from a young lady he barely knows-his daughter.For the first time in over thirty years, Nick returns to his hometown of Midnight, North Carolina. There he will come face to face with old demons, forge new friendships, and make enemies far more dangerous than those who ruined his face, all in a quest to save the granddaughter he's never met...and maybe find a little bit of redemption along the way.Ugly As Sin is an electrifying tale of "white-trash noir," a taut page-turner that skates the razor edge of a familiar, horrifying reality. At times heartbreaking, funny, and terrifyingly suspenseful. Encyclopocalypse Publications is proud to bring one of Newman's best works back into print.
James Newman returns with a collection of tales of violence, sickness, depravity, and of course, blood. The Long n' Short of It includes: Baggage, The Forum, Big Girls Help Their Mommy, Duty, Olden, Under the Mistletoe, The Virgin of Full Moon Falls, Revenge Flick , A Serial Killer Walks Into a Bar (script), and Ugly as Sin (comic script excerpt).James Newman's tales of horror and suspense have earned praise from some of the best in the genre. In these pages, you can read for yourself what all the fuss is about: from flash fiction, to fan-favorite novellas, and even a peek at an unproduced script or two.Here you will learn that even serial killers need a place to make friends and share tricks of their trade . . . you'll fight to survive in a roomful of people stuck in the worst place to be when the world goes to hell . . . you'll attend the last Christmas party on Earth, where a drunken tryst with a co-worker is sure to be the least of your worries . . . and you'll meet a struggling actor who becomes a household name for all the wrong reasons.That's the long n' short of it. And it barely scratches the surface (just enough to bleed).
Most kids dream about a new bike, a pair of top-dollar sneakers endorsed by their favorite athlete, or that totally awesome videogame everyone's raving about. But thirteen-year-old Jake and his little brother Matthew want nothing more than to escape from their abusive father. As soon as possible, they plan to run away to California, where they will reunite with their mother and live happily ever after.It won't be easy, though. After a scuffle with a local bully puts Jake's arch-nemesis in the hospital, Sheriff Theresa McLelland starts poking her nose into their feud. During a trip to the family cabin for the opening weekend of deer-hunting season, Jake and Matthew kick their plan into action, leaving Dad tied to a chair as they flee into the night. Meanwhile, the bully and his father have their own plans for revenge, and the events to follow will forever change the lives of everyone involved . . .Authors: Mark Steensland self-published his first book while in fourth grade and has been telling stories ever since-some of them true. He became a professional journalist before graduating high school, writing about movies for such magazines as Prevue, Millimeter, and American Cinematographer. He holds a bachelor's in film studies from UC Santa Barbara, a master's in creative writing from CSU Sacramento, and an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman University. His award-winning films (including Peekers and The Ugly File) have played in festivals around the world. His first novel-Behind the Bookcase-was published in 2012 by Random House. A movie based on The Special, a novella co-written with James Newman, was released in October 2020. He most recently wrote Jakob's Wife, starring Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, and Bonnie Aarons.James Newman lives in the mountains of North Carolina. He is the author of the novels MIDNIGHT RAIN, THE WICKED, ANIMOSITY, and UGLY AS SIN, the collections PEOPLE ARE STRANGE and THE LONG N' SHORT OF IT, and the novellas ODD MAN OUT, RIDE OR DIE, and IN THE SCRAPE (co-written with Mark Steensland)
From Adam Howe, writer of Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and the winner of Stephen King's On Writing contest... and James Newman, acclaimed author of Odd Man Out and Animosity. March 29, 1987... For metalheads Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop, an RV road trip to Wrestlemania III becomes a one-way ticket to hell. While delivering an illegal shipment of counterfeit wrestling merchandise, an ill-fated shortcut through the Kentucky backwoods leads them to a teenaged girl carved head to toe in arcane symbols. Soon our unlikely heroes are being hunted through the boonies by a cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys
Videogames are one of the most culturally, socially and economically significant, not to mention pervasive, media forms. The global videogames industry is worth billions of dollars and growing year on year as it releases yet more innovative products that synthesize cutting edge technology, ease of use, accessibility and, most importantly, fun. It is hardly surprising then that every day, millions of adults and children around the globe dedicate countless hours to exploring virtual worlds, assuming alternative identities and engaging in digital play. Yet for all this, there is relatively little critical discussion of videogames and they remain the poor relation of contemporary media criticism, leaving those new to videogames struggling to find information about key titles and the cognoscenti hungry for insight into their favourite titles. James Newman and Iain Simons' guide provides a map of the most important games from the 1960s to the present day that will satisfy both novices and acolytes alike as it journeys through the most interesting, innovative and entertaining titles of the first forty years of videogames.
In a house on the edge of town, there is a room. In that room, there is a box. And in that box await pleasures beyond your wildest imagination...Jerry Harford is fed up. Overworked. Underpaid. And damn near certain his wife is cheating on him. He's never been one for revenge, but his friend Mike talks him into thinking about JERRY just this once.Now Jerry can't get enough of The Special. He's obsessed, and he wants it all to himself.Before long, Jerry's going to learn that pleasure has a price and whoever said "Hell is the truth seen too late" was right ... terribly right.
