Party Games Books

I saw the Thomson logo at the top left on the front cover and thought it was textbook quality. I was dead wrong!! As the engineer said, the directions are incoherent and you don't even know when he has given instructions or just an example. I had to search the web for help answers just to do the "Hello World" application. There is no troubleshooting guide in case you get stuck. If you get stuck you better clear up your schedule cause you will be searching for answers for a while. Why not spend that time and buy a good book on programming. I would expect more from a programmer than this garbled mess of words.

This programming book was just what my son was wanting. He thinks it will really help refine his gaming progams.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who is trying to start out in game programming. I am a grad student engineer and have been programming for over 5 years. I just recently got into game and graphics programming and this book is really terrible compared to some others I've seen. The only reason I gave it two stars is because the chapter on graphics mathematics is fairly complete, and the book provides a good high level picture of how a game is structured. However, the code specifics are downright horrible, the listings seem to be randomly thrown in without any clue as to where they should go in an actual program, the writing is boring, the directions are sparse and inchoerent, and much of the source code provided on the CD is incredibly difficult to get running (if it runs at all). Also, there is a discussion board on wazoo, but don't excpect much help. Many of the forums end with unanswered questions including many that I had. For an intro book to programming games, save your money for another book, because this book just isn't worth the cost in wasted time and money.

It's ironic that a programmer would be so terrible at giving directions. To start out with, the directions for setting up SDL (a necessary programming toolkit) were almost non-existant. Just this small task took me 8+ hours, and I had to resort to browsing web-forums!

Often the directions were so terrible that it wasn't even clear whether or not he'd just given directions for a procedure or was just providing an example. As a programmer, the author should be able to give sequential, succinct, and easily-followable directions. At this,the author, unfortunately, fails miserably.

Erik Yuzwa's GAME PROGRAMMING IN C++: START TO FINISH will lend particularly well to prior C++ programmers and users who want to learn game programming. Chapters use current game programming information and take a lesson plan graded learning approach to building an entire course in C++ game programming, from the basics to creating a complete game.

This book arrived as described. Nice source for some simple to moderately challenging balloon sculptors. Easy enough to teach others from.

I've got 4 books already and this one has designs that they don't. So if your looking for something new to make this one is good source for that. The directions are easy to follow and the pictures are understandable. Several of the images you can't tell what they are unless you draw faces on them. I even played what's this with my family and they didn't know what it was then I made eyes and smile and they all said it right away!

It also has other things besides just animal balloons. Like things to do with apple balloons and making balloon hats. Also several games you can play with balloons.

All together I like it cause it's got designs that I didn't have before.

This book is contain many form of animals with one 260 Q balloon. It's a good book but you must have some experience to twist with it. This book is not in colour pages. Your customer will like it but you must do some joke while you twist any.

If you are in need of new jokes to crack while you create balloon shapes, this is a nice resource. If you want to create recognizable balloon animals, you will find better instructions in other balloon books.

The black and white illustrations show the infated balloon with all the bubbles you will need for the shape. The connections between bubbles are indicated by arrows, but the size of each bubble isn't always mentioned in the text and is never indicated on the illustration. The finished product is shown, complete with the faces you'll need to add to the shapes to make them distinguishable.

This book does contain a wider variety of balloon animals and shapes than other books I've used. It covers basic and advanced animals as well as balloon hats and games.

Overall, it is a good visual reference for possible balloon creations, but other balloon books are better for actual instructions on how to make each shape. Perhaps this book will inspire creativity in people who have already mastered and become bored with the basics.

My last comment refers to the paperback edition of this book. It is a challenge to keep the book open to the correct page while using both hands to make your balloon creations! I recommend finding a spiral bound book so it will stay open while you work.

I got this book for my daughter after she learned a little balloon making in camp. She loves it and is able to make the shapes with no adult help. There are some very cute balloon ideas in this book. My daughter says, "I'm nine years old and I think if you know a few twists, you'll love it. Most things are easy to make and a lot of fun if you like doing balloons. I hope you try it."

Don't waste your time buying this book. Most teenagers would not find the book naughty in any way. Prudes might think this book is useful but anyone who has lived a little will find it a complete waste of time.

This book should have been called "Thirty Variations of Truth or Dare". Most of the games are just slight variations of each other. Not at all what I was hoping for. The title and cover are the most provocative part of this book.

Where the hell has this guy been? I can not *wait* to try these games out with friends (and strangers ;-) alike). If you don't have a copy, you're not just missing out, honey, you *ain't* the life of the party! Nuff' said.

This was one of the funniest and funnest books I've ever read! And you can really have fun playing the games too!

"Haunt Your House for Halloween", despite its ominous title, isn't really geared towards the scary side of Halloween. The book presents mainly tame Halloween décor and on that level it works very well. You just have to know what you're getting. Author Cindy Fuller wastes no time with lengthy histories of Halloween myths and traditions...we've all read those time and time again. She jumps right into the many projects found in this 96 page book.

One of the semi-scary projects to be found is the Floating Phantom, made with just a handful of items that you may have at home or can be picked up at the local craft store. Made from primarily a piece of old white bed sheet (I prefer an off white or gray to make it seem no so "pure") and some line for hanging, you can achieve more of a terrifying look by drawing a more evil face on your phantom before hanging from a tree or perhaps an awning.

Halloween wreaths are becoming quite common place today and allow a decorator to really use their own imagination in coming up with unique designs. There's a wonderful Halloween wreath, decorated with tiny ghosts that serves a dual function. It not only looks good, but you can stick suckers all around the wreath for a distinctive way of passing out candy to trick-or-treaters.

A very simple, yet effective way to make scary décor for Halloween is to cut various shapes of ghosts, or bats, or other traditional Halloween characters out of Acetate and stick them to your windows, using light to create some very spooky silhouettes.

Fuller also has many projects for décor inside the home including a neat little pumpkin patch village that can go on top of your mantle or on a table. There are also a number of items that can be made out of pine if you have the right tools to cut the wood. The book contains patterns for all of these wood projects.

There are also things like recipes and décor for Halloween parties. The book features a full color photograph of each completed project and each is detailed in clear, concise instructions, and is accompanied by a full materials list. While it's more crafty than scary, "Haunt Your House for Halloween" presents some great-looking and simple projects to accent your home's holiday look.

Reviewed by Tm Janson

This book has a lot of ideas for decorating your house. The majority of the items are "country" style wood cutouts. They are cute but not what I thought would be in a book that is called "Haunt you house for Halloween"! The directions are thorough and easy to follow. The book has a lot of photographs of the actual finishes projects as well. The ideas are probably good for houses with little children who may scare easy or for people who like the painted wood decorations.

Being a Halloween aficionado, I find this book cute, and full of good for ideas for a mild Halloween, but "haunted" is not what I would call the decorations. I still can't understand why some of the pumpkins have jester hats. Personally, I would call this more fall country decor than anything, but very cute and good ideas all around.

I'm a serious Halloweenie. When I heard the title "Haunt Your House For Halloween: Decorating Tricks & Party Treats" the last thing I expected were cutsie country painted wood cutouts of pumkpin men (stacked 3 hight like snowmen), pigeon-looking blue crows, and BUNNIES with harlequin diamond painted ears. There were even oversided EGGS painted in yellow, orange, and white as if to be candy corn.

If you're a serious country crafter who wants to spend a lot of time cutting shapes out of pine with your jigsaw and then painting them, this book has great ideas for you. Personally, I found that a lot of the instructions were quite lengthy and involved, and required a lot of money spent on materials and tools.

I bought two Halloween books online this year in preparation for my 2nd annual haunted costume party. This one was a big disapointment for me. If you're looking for some really fantastic, easy, original and genuinely SPOOKY decorating and party ideas, try "Scary Scenes For Halloween" by Jill Williams Grover. I've left rave reviews for the wealth of amazing ideas I've gathered from her book.

There are so many party books available, and I have quite a few. This is my least favorite of the ones I've seen or own. It's very confusing and has to refer to the other chapters too many times.

This book lacked things like putting the page number so can quickly find the party theme. So you page through until you find it. Once I got there it had the basic things you or I would come up with. Then they go on to says invitations, decorations, games, activities, food and favors but again then you have to search in other places to find each topic. No pictures!

However once you get to Invites there are 8 different ideas. Same goes for decorations, games, activities, food and favors.

Within each section there are some really cute ideas, recipes on how-to.

Over all the book is helpful and cute ideas and themes, just not put together well.

This book was a fabulous book, I was looking for some ideas for an upcomming birthday and have been inspired!! This book has the basics of how to plan a great party, invitations, games, food, favors, it has it all. Outstanding!!!

This book is full of stupid childish games. No one over the age of ten would ever play these games. You would get your ass kicked if you tried to play any of these games with your friends. I can't stress how stupid they are. Anyone who says this is a good book must not have ever drank a beer in their life or partied with anyone ever.

A college must -- goes well with your collection of Webster's Dictionary and Shakespeare's Orthello. A book that comes in handy at any college gathering. Fun games to engage in whether you are with your fraternity brothers or University Professors. Knowledge is the power!

The dares were not realistic for the party. We had other cards that were much better.

My best friend had a great time using these for her bachelorette party! The dares were fun and entertaining, but not inappropriate. Great gift for the bride to be

Like the other Klutz books, Birthday Parties for Birthday Girls is written with an eye toward children doing things for themselves. There are plenty of fun activities (although some can be messy). Your basic preteen girl will be enthralled and will start planning her party eleven months in advance. The ideas work for "last day of school" parties, "halfway to Halloween" parties and "the boy I like looked in my general direction" parties just as well as a boring old birthday party. My favorite girl loved it, as do my four preteen nieces.

of paper. There are some good tips, but it is not fair to characterize this as a "full color book."

Also, the "Boys' Book" and the "Girls' Book" are word for word identical in most places, only a couple of the suggested games are different.

If you're just looking for a handy quick tips guide on throwing a kid's party, this would be great for you, but if you're looking for something more comprehensive, move on to another book!

This book has some wonderful ideas for memory makers, door prize and game ideas, however, the majority of this book is tear out game sheets. Out of about 112 pages, 102 are tear out! (4 games repeated for 12 guests) That doesn't mean this book should be totally overlooked, it has a few great ideas to offer, but it was disappointing to see so many tear outs! Just be forewarned what to expect

a few Basic Games for anyone new to Baby Showers and that's it. nothing on themes,favours,recipes or all the rest. SO if you're looking for an all rounder - look somewhere else

This book is not detail or very descriptive as a how-to guide, but there are some good creative ideas, if you can see ahead and personally know how to expand on them. I was slightly disappointed after reading the Penny Whistle party planner and birthday planner, and the Family Fun Parties. But since I bought at a discount bookstore online for $..., it was adequate. I use it for coming up with ideas and expand from there to other resources are the internet.

This is a collection of more than 30 party themes submitted by parents throughout the US with party tips, recipes and suggestions by the authors.The themes vary in originality from "Barney" to a "Make-It and Bake-It Party" with some themes being repeated in subtly different forms (Beachless Beach Party, Splash Party, and Backyard Seashore Party). This is not a book for the mom who needs specific directions (try the Penny Whistle series) but, for the creative mom, this book has several original themes. The Mystery Party is especially well thought out and has a realistic number of activity descriptions (at least four). Others such as the Dump Truck Party for a 7-year-old had only one activity description - "Pin the Wheel on the Truck" game. Not for everyone, but a parent with imagination and time, can turn many of these themes into a their child's "best party ever."