Video Books

Its hard for me to treat the books of this series separately (ShaderX 3, ShaderX 4, ShaderX 5). They are all very good books of GPU-Gems level or higher. In comparison with GPU Gems, they are more academic, i. e. they are rather short and more applicable to wide range of applications then GPU Gems ones (while GPU Gems series is more scientific, state of the art, considering one particular research) and the accompanying CD is much more better (lots of working examples, most with source code).
Sections (Image-Space, Shadows) are also very helpful to figure out what is useful for you.
This series is not for beginners anyway, so please, go Cg Tutorial or DX SDK Tutorial and don't put 2 or 3 marks for these books because you can't cope with them.

I've bought many other rendering books like GPU Gems series, and I think this book is more practical for game developers compared with the other books. It explains many useful algorithms in good details and covers many aspects that a serious game developer should consider. As a game engine programmer, I think this book is a very good reference for me.

This book is a collection of forty-seven articles around the common theme of shading images in real time. Many of these effects have been common in the movie world for many years, but in that application the shading can be done on very expensive machines and the time it takes to produce an image is not important because the resulting image is to be shown on screen rather than immediately on a display. Now, with the increasing power in the PC's in widespread use, these techniques are being brought down to the standard desktop.

In this book a wide selection of authors discuss the start of the art in shading. They are, for the most part, active professionally in the graphics display business. A number of them work for ATI, the video card manufacturer, a number work for gaming companies, or for companies producing software used in gaming.

This approach provides for a fast time to print, rather than one author taking a year to write the book. In this industry a year is a lifetime, well, at least a generation in the software.

Shader X3: Advanced Rendering With DirectX And Open GL compiled, organized, and deftly edited by Wolfgang Engle (Senior Special FX Engineer at Wings Simulations) is packed from cover to cover with 630-pages of insightful new techniques, innovative approaches to common problems, as well as practical tools and tricks that will help in all areas of shader programming. All of the articles comprising Shader X3 evolved from the the working experiences of industry professionals, and all of the sections were expertly edited by shader programming experts. This comprehensive collection of ready-to-use techniques will enable even the most novice programmer to get up to speed quickly, and the more experienced programmers will find a wealth of insights and techniques to improve efficiency and avoid redundancies. Shader X3 is an essential, "user friendly", and highly recommended instructional reference for shader programmers.

Sand Pirates is not only a romance, it's a breezy mix of suspense, mystery and thrills beyond ones wildest dreams. It takes you far away to a land of fantasy. I was intrigued by the characters that were well developed and interesting. The story moves fast and keeps the blood pumping. The twist and turns of the plot and the island of Sava made me feel as if I were there.

by- Kim Sandford author of Secret Fears

This is a fairly good book, but is rather thin for the price. It seems targeted to the Intermediate Civ2 player -- anyone who is looking to refing winning high-level play strategy will find it rather redundant.

However, if you are struggling at King or Emperor level, this book will help you. It's targeted to building a sound empire, then winning (albiet sloppily) at Emperor and Diety levels; however, it will not help with most of the more subtle play at those levels (e.g., getting your score from 3,000 to 15,000 by 1850 AD, etc.).

This book does discuss solid fundamentals, how to deal with unhappiness, how to start a strong empire, etc. It does not cover things such as the OCC (one city challenge), getting your top Diety score above 20,000, and the game's more subtle idiosyncracies (max advances, the food caravan 'trick', cheapest way to rush build, etc.).

The cutting edge strategies still reside on the Internet, or maybe you'll discover them during extended gameplay.

PS, If you still seek a challenge, take the OCC (though this book does not help). OCC game rules are simple: you are only allowed ONE--that's right--ONE city, no cheating, no takebacks (unless a hut gives you a city); game setup: Diety level, small world, 7 civs, raging hordes. Your single city against the world... Top players can LAND a spaceship by 1900 AD, and the best have done it before 1850... Questions? My email is civII@bigfoot.com

This is a great book for types on building your civilization from scratch. I learned many strategies from this book. It is not like other Civ2 books I've seen, that are pretty much a extension of the manual and the Civilopedia. The only thing lacking is the tip's for scenarios from Civ2 Conflicts in Civilization (to be bundled with Ultimate Civ2: Gold Edition.) It had two pages for tip's on some scenarios, and only a half on others. It also didn't rate any of the scenarios. Still, if you are yet to fully master Civ2, I would buy this book.

Unlike most so-called strategy guides, which are really rehashes of the game manual, Rymaszewski's book outlines a legitimate strategy which players of CivII can use to succeed at the game on its hardest settings (Emperor and Deity).

The author knows his book is different; he recommends that the most effective way to use it is to simply "read it, and then play the game again". In other words, _Advanced Strategies_ is not a step-by-step walkthrough, nor is it a comprehensive references source full of charts and tables. Instead, it is an outline of a new way of thinking about the game.

I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with CivII. While Rymaszewski's advice cannot compete with the level of detail available on some CivII-related Web sites, his clear writing style and no-nonsense approach to the game make _Advanced Strategies_ well worth its list price.

In the strange world of film collectors Klepper's book guide to silents on video is oddly not obsolete - most of us have huge video collections that will not be easily replaced for a long time to come. His reiews and insights are on target and the book is just generally a joy. This is a good one.

This is a terrific reference book! Klepper, a regular columnist for CLASSIC IMAGES, reviews videos and is both a fan and a scholar. One anxiously awaits for a sequel or another book from this writer!

It's about time someone paid attention to the thousands of silent films available on video, which are ignored in the mainstream video guides. Klepper gives an amazingly exhaustive overview of what's out there, even the video quality included. It's a shame he had to go with a small press; no doubt mainstream publishers though this was "not marketable" enough. But hurrah to Klepper for a much-needed work, which helps bring silent films into the video age.

Klepper has detailed reviews of 29 silent films, and compares the different versions available on video. Over half of the book is taken up with a listing of silent feature films (and a few shorts) that are available on video. If you are looking for a rare silent video, this is a great reference book. Addresses and phone numbers of silent film video distributors are listed in an appendix. The book has a few drawbacks. While Klepper does praise video companies like Kino, he doesn't say anything bad about companies that produce unwatchable tapes other than to say that tapes under $10 are usually of poor quality. He doesn't mention anything about whether or not a film is still under copyright or whether the video company went to the trouble to legally sell the video. And a few of the short blurbs at the back are a little off. Raymond Griffith's PATHS TO PARADISE (1925) is listed as a "crime drama" instead of a "caper comedy".

Leonard Kohl's book fills a much needed gap in my personal knowledge of cinema history. The serial is a form I remember with great fondness. As a child, it was a part of my first forays into the world on my own when my chums and I hoofed it to the Strand Theater on Saturday mornings for an hour of cartoons, a cowboy double feature, a humiliating go in the yo-yo contest and, of course, to catch the latest installment of ..... Radio Patrol....Don Winslow of the Navy...Tim Tyler's Luck... Whatever! By then (circa 1950), the heyday of the cheap and keep-em-coming-back cinema serial was ending and the subjects of Mr. Kohl's excellent work had gone on to bigger things (except, sadly, for Bela Lugosi, who -- as I discovered in "Sinister Serials" -- began his American film career with bigger things, only to slide into the world of serials).

This book is clear, concise, and well written. Kohl spins out the stories of these three seminal film figures and provides us with an outstanding look at a now-past era in film history. An excellent piece of work!

Because Mr. Kohl will blow you away!!!! This is a fine book. The research is impeccable. The photos are sublime. Kudos to the author!!! I saw Mr. Kohl give the commencement address at the University of Chicago and the crowd was mesmerized. Most likely, because he hadn't been invited by the school to give it.

Kudos to Kohl, who has done a fine job of presenting an informative, and always fair-handed, look at a fascinating period in movie making. This is clearly the product of painstaking research, resulting in a heaping-helping of historical data, elucidating testimonials, with a rich array of pictures to boot. Every true fan of "The Sreamsome Threesome"--Karloff, Lugosi, and Chaney--and the too-often overlooked serials genre, should get their hands on this.

Leonard Kohl's first book is a fine effort, a splendid purchase for any fan of the big three horror icons who made serials. It is loaded with interesting facts. Where else could you discover that silent comedy star Harry Langdon almost co-starred with Lugosi in THE WHISPERING SHADOW. The book is chock full of rare photos, and they are a genuine treat. Fans of Charle Chan would be happy to find rare photos of Warner Oland from silent serials. This volume is a recommended purchase. As an author myself, I can see the hard work and dedication that went ito this volume.

Who would ever guess it would be so much fun to weave one's way through the mysterious words that appear on mastheads and screen credits? Richard Weiner has provided us with delightful stepping stones into the glamour of movie sets and editorial rooms. He's a best boy, and then some!

Teachers, writers, midtown bartenders, and anyone else who needs a crash course in today's media terminology should pick up Richard Weiner's new book, The Skinny about Best Boys, Dollies, Green Rooms, Leads, and other Media Lingo. It's a great desk reference and a good gift for media junkies, theatre and film buffs and crossword types. The author has a wit as quick as Google and a nice prose style. I was informed and delighted by this book.

Great reference book written in an entertaining manner. All the jargon I wanted to know in the media fields.
I question a few of the entries (the few I knew something about !).
The "Telestrator" was not invented by John Madden, and
ironically (if you read the introduction to the entry)I believe "clap track" should be "clap trap".
In the Introduction, the author solicits corrections, but only provides a snail mail address ! "Old School"

Ever wondered about the meaning of terms listed at the end of a movie? (It's called a "crawl".) Here's a book that, for the first time, explains it all. I found it indispensable for understanding the various terms involved not only in tv, but media in general. Weiner has provided an easy-to-read, interesting compilation of these terms, written in an engaging personal style. More than a straight-laced dictionary, it gives you insight into newspapers (see the entry of the Los Angeles Times), public relations (see marcom), politics (see Beltway), tv and motion pictures (see Lucille Ball), football (see John Madden), comics (see Borscht Belt) and thousands more. All in all, a fascinating look into the insider's world of communications. I can not recommend it more highly.

"Small Talk" has less vocabulary than other Jazz Chants books, and thus is good for true beginners. Chants are wonderfully empowering for students; they make students feel fluent right away, as well as starting them down the road of acquiring the rhythmn and intonation so particular to American English. Great concept!

These chants not only demonstrate the intonation and rhythm of American English, they are American culture at its best. If you have been speaking American English all your life, you hear yourself and laugh because the small talk chants are so typically American. I have used the chants and worksheets with beginners and intermediate students in the upper elementary grades. The students have enjoyed them and the worksheets that go with them. At first, it's hard for everyone, but the students get the hang of it and look forward to new ones.

From the first moment I heard these everyday conversations put to classic jazz music, I knew that I would be using Jazz Chants as long as I was involved in ESL. As the author of American Accent Training, I use Jazz Chants in conjunction with Dr. Seuss for a well-rounded accent program. The songs are catchy, and students find that the rhythms and patterns become ingrained in their memories far more effectively than with text study. They are constantly amazed that "Americans really talk this way!" and "I can actually hear the speech music!" Mere words cannot convey what a wonderful series of exercises this is. Carolyn Graham is a musical genius.

I am a Korean MATESOL student studing in the US. I have heard that Grahamn's Jazz chant is very good ESL source,and I have used her chants in my classes in Korea. The Jazz chant is very helpful in teaching rhythm and flow that English cotains. However the Jazz chants I have used before was just chants. They didn't have any guide lines. However,what drove me to attempt to write review of this book is that while I was looking for a book for pronunciation micro teaching, I happened to find this book in the library(Actually I didn't know this book was what my professor recommanded in class until I went over my notebook couple of minutes ago!) This book is very well organized and presents clear lesson points. It is definately wonderful to teach oral skills to English learners with fun. Not only does this book present chants but also has written exercises. I strongly recommand this book to ESL/EFL teachers.

If the goal of secondary English education is to foster in our students the ability to read texts closely and well, and an ability to think independently and critically, then Victor Moeller's Socrates Does Shakespeare: Seminars and Film is spot on. The book is not burdened with theory over practice, but it is thoroughly grounded in sound theoretical and pedagogical principles. For the beleaguered secondary and college English teacher facing all those students in classes or blocks every day, the practical helps in the book are life-savers. For anyone who wants to help the process of effective learning in the Shakespeare classroom, this book is a "must have." Do yourself a favor; read the book-and use it. Michael E. Travers, Ph.D., Professor of English, Southeastern College at Wake Forest (NC)

A teacher's teacher, former Great Books leader-trainer Professor Victor Moeller applies the insightful questioning methods of Socrates to selected works of Shakespeare with detailed time-lined lesson plans incorporating films, time-saving quizzes and original essay exams. Every English department's treasure and every English teacher's must-have, this busy-teacher-friendly resource is indeed the gift that keeps on giving and is never returned.
Geri Secora
High School English Honors 9 teacher

Moeller's book is very helpful to a high school teacher interested in better teaching his students how to think about literature. After laying some helpful groundwork about how and why his socratic method works, Moeller offers seminar guidelines for students to co-lead fifteen-minute discussions of specific Shakespeare plays.
In addition to useful film guides and writing assignments, the lesson plans feature effective scaffolding techniques which lead students to compose their own effective socratic questions for use in a class discussion to facilitate thinking and understanding.
Supplemental reading suggestions, such as John Updike and James Thurber stories for "Macbeth", invite students to make connections beyond the Shakespeare text, and are well chosen and relevant to students' lives.
"Socrates Does Shakespeare" is a framework that will equip teachers like me, already employing socratic methods once in a while, to do it more consistently with texts I already teach, and to consider new units based on texts and films not yet part of our curriculum. Moeller has done much of the work for us by creating thought-provoking questions which lead students to explore the ambiguity of the plays and appreciate their complexity. I know my own students will benefit from the carefully thought out sequences he employs.
I recommend this volume to teachers of upper division or honors high school students or adults.

Finally, I have found a most useful book that has already helped me to conduct good discussions that involve all my students with the plays of Shakespeare that I take up in my Advanced Placement classes (on a two-year cycle)--Macbeth, Hamlet, Much Ado, Henry V, King Lear, and Merchant of Venice. The focus of the book is not on expert critical opinion but on helping teachers and students to arrive at their own individual interpretations based on a close and active reading of the text. Comparison-contrast
discussions of the film versions of these plays involves today's visually-minded students in ways that I have been unable to do until now.
John Bardin, Jacobs High School, Algonquin, IL

The SA2 Prima Guide is very helpful but is has a few mistakes in it. 1. Page 5 In the section Knuckles and Rouge Punch or Kick attack. They have a picture of Eggman instead of Knuckles. 2. Page 6 In the swimming section it shows Rouge using her treasure scope instead of swimming. 3. Page 39 For Mission 4 In Metal Harbor it says you have 5 minutes. This is not true you only have 2 minutes in the game.

This guide is great helped me alot to find those things that I just couldn't seem to be able to find as well as with the chaos I like giudes to help me get te full experience from a game and this one did.

I really liked this book.It follows the game of Sonic Adventure 2 very well.In the beginning, sonic is making his way down a down-hill slope, escaping some sort of military attack,and in the end,he has to do some more running escaping from a giant truck that takes up the entire road!!!!This book will keep you on the edge of your seat,folks!So, to all of you readers out there, this is a book you'll enjoy. Chow!!!

Very resourceful and complete. Detailed maps for each stages, hints, tips and boss explanations! Covers the Story, Characters, Controls, Hero Story, Dark Story and Last Story. Highly Recommended!! If you have Sonic Adventure 2 BUY THIS ITEM!

This is a great book for any Sonic Adventure owner. Extremely detailed and (as corny as it may sound) fun to read. It helped me beat the game.

Absolutely great! A little confusing with the maps. Very detailed and the best Sonic Adventure strategy guide that I've seen. Even includes information about the chao. Racing, caring and even a map showing the names of the different areas on the VMU for Chao Adventure! Also includes the places for the bullies. This strategy I would recommend out of all of the others!

This is a great book for any Sonic Adventure owner. It is very detailed and has great tips with roll-through maps of all the levels. It's the only way to get all the A emblems.

This is an excellent book. it has everything you need to finish the game. It also shows you all about the chao.

I recomend it to evryone.

Good introduction to digital audio, but not much help in trouble shooting.
A good reference for the price

For non-audiophiles this book answers a lot of questions and clears up a few mysteries about the Live!, multi-speaker setups, surround sound, Dolby Digital and DTS, and PC sound in general. Very will written, enjoyable to read. Even though we are now in the "Audigy era", Creative's retirement of their Live! 5.1 line in lieu of a slightly inferior budget Live! 5.1 card is rather premature and clearly business driven (ie, push the Audigy series), since I am convinced that a Live! 5.1 system meets and exceeds the needs of many (possibly most) PC users, gamers, and movie watchers, and will continue to do so for several years. Its a great card with a lot of power left in it and this book really does it justice. True Audigy-brandishing audiophiles will probably find nothing new here, although they might still find it interesting to read

The collaborative effort of website developer Lars Ahlzen and software engineer Clarence Song, The Sound Blaster Live! Book is a complete and through guide to the single most popular computer sound card on the current market. Individual chapters deftly address how to physically connect the Sound Blaster Live! hardware and peripherals, configuring the sound card to play games, creating a music library, connecting MIDI instruments, and much, much more. An accompanying CD-ROM contains music and audio files, sample sound clips, SoundFonts, and useful freeware ans shareware in this succinct and useful guide which is especially recommended for anyone with a keen interest in quality computer audio.

Although some information has become obsolete at the time of printing, much of the audio-engineering technology and concepts still applies.

The book is by as far I have seen, the best reading material for the uninitiated in exploiting the use of sound cards. It also serves as a good external reference for developers as well, as there seems to be a lack of them in this area.

Like Strict Evaluation pointed out, the book is "encyclopaedic". A topic such as EAX itself is worth writing the whole book about. The authors deserves credit for covering so much breadth and depth.

I look forward to coverage of these topics, if there's an upcoming Audigy version:
- Code samples for using EAX
- Prodikeys (that'll definitely be interesting)