The essential guide to solving algorithmic and networking problems in commercial computer games, revised and extended Algorithms and Networking for Computer Games, Second Edition is written from the perspective of the computer scientist. Combining algorithmic knowledge and game-related problems, it explores the most common problems encountered in game programing. The first part of the book presents practical algorithms for solving “classical” topics, such as random numbers, procedural generation, tournaments, group formations and game trees. The authors also focus on how to find a path in, create the terrain of, and make decisions in the game world. The second part introduces networking related problems in computer games, focusing on four key questions: how to hide the inherent communication delay, how to best exploit limited network resources, how to cope with cheating and how to measure the on-line game data. Thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded to reflect the many constituent changes occurring in the commercial gaming industry since the original, this Second Edition, like the first, is a timely, comprehensive resource offering deeper algorithmic insight and more extensive coverage of game-specific networking problems than ordinarily encountered in game development books. Algorithms and Networking for Computer Games, Second Edition: Provides algorithmic solutions in pseudo-code format, which emphasises the idea behind the solution, and can easily be written into a programming language of choice Features a section on the Synthetic player, covering decision-making, influence maps, finite-state machines, flocking, fuzzy sets, and probabilistic reasoning and noise generation Contains in-depth treatment of network communication, including dead-reckoning, local perception filters, cheating prevention and on-line metrics Now includes 73 ready-to-use algorithms and 247 illustrative exercises Algorithms and Networking for Computer Games, Second Edition is a must-have resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking computer game related courses, postgraduate researchers in game-related topics, and developers interested in deepening their knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of computer games and in learning new approaches to game design and programming.

The essential guide to solving algorithmic and networking problems in commercial computer games, revised and extended Algorithms and Networking for Computer Games, Second Edition is written from the perspective of the computer scientist. Combining algorithmic knowledge and game-related problems, it explores the most common problems encountered in game programing. The first part of the book presents practical algorithms for solving “classical” topics, such as random numbers, procedural generation, tournaments, group formations and game trees. The authors also focus on how to find a path in, create the terrain of, and make decisions in the game world. The second part introduces networking related problems in computer games, focusing on four key questions: how to hide the inherent communication delay, how to best exploit limited network resources, how to cope with cheating and how to measure the on-line game data. Thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded to reflect the many constituent changes occurring in the commercial gaming industry since the original, this Second Edition, like the first, is a timely, comprehensive resource offering deeper algorithmic insight and more extensive coverage of game-specific networking problems than ordinarily encountered in game development books. Algorithms and Networking for Computer Games, Second Edition: Provides algorithmic solutions in pseudo-code format, which emphasises the idea behind the solution, and can easily be written into a programming language of choice Features a section on the Synthetic player, covering decision-making, influence maps, finite-state machines, flocking, fuzzy sets, and probabilistic reasoning and noise generation Contains in-depth treatment of network communication, including dead-reckoning, local perception filters, cheating prevention and on-line metrics Now includes 73 ready-to-use algorithms and 247 illustrative exercises Algorithms and Networking for Computer Games, Second Edition is a must-have resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking computer game related courses, postgraduate researchers in game-related topics, and developers interested in deepening their knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of computer games and in learning new approaches to game design and programming.

This book presents a comprehensive review of key distributed graph algorithms for computer network applications, with a particular emphasis on practical implementation. Topics and features: introduces a range of fundamental graph algorithms, covering spanning trees, graph traversal algorithms, routing algorithms, and self-stabilization; reviews graph-theoretical distributed approximation algorithms with applications in ad hoc wireless networks; describes in detail the implementation of each algorithm, with extensive use of supporting examples, and discusses their concrete network applications; examines key graph-theoretical algorithm concepts, such as dominating sets, and parameters for mobility and energy levels of nodes in wireless ad hoc networks, and provides a contemporary survey of each topic; presents a simple simulator, developed to run distributed algorithms; provides practical exercises at the end of each chapter.

Video games represent a unique blend of programming, art, music, and unbridled creativity. To the general public, they are perhaps the most exciting computer applications ever undertaken. In the field of computer science, they have been the impetus for a continuous stream of innovations designed to provide gaming enthusiasts with the most realistic and enjoyable gaming experience possible. Algorithmic and Architectural Gaming Design: Implementation and Development discusses the most recent advances in the field of video game design, with particular emphasis on practical examples of game development, including design and implementation. The target audience of this book includes educators, students, practitioners, professionals, and researchers working in the area of video game design and development. Anyone actively developing video games will benefit from the practical application of fundamental computer science concepts demonstrated in this book.

HANDBOOK ON INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING Discover the latest research on crafting compelling narratives in interactive entertainment Electronic games are no longer considered “mere fluff” alongside the “real” forms of entertainment, like film, music, and television. Instead, many games have evolved into an art form in their own right, including carefully constructed stories and engaging narratives enjoyed by millions of people around the world. In Handbook on Interactive Storytelling, readers will find a comprehensive discussion of the latest research covering the creation of interactive narratives that allow users to experience a dramatically compelling story that responds directly to their actions and choices. Systematically organized, with extensive bibliographies and academic exercises included in each chapter, the book offers readers new perspectives on existing research and fresh avenues ripe for further study. In-depth case studies explore the challenges involved in crafting a narrative that comprises one of the main features of the gaming experience, regardless of the technical aspects of a game’s production. Readers will also enjoy: A thorough introduction to interactive storytelling, including discussions of narrative, plot, story, interaction, and a history of the phenomenon, from improvisational theory to role-playing games A rigorous discussion of the background of storytelling, from Aristotle’s Poetics to Joseph Campbell and the hero’s journey Compelling explorations of different perspectives in the interactive storytelling space, including different platforms, designers, and interactors, as well as an explanation of storyworlds Perfect for game designers, developers, game and narrative researchers, academics, undergraduate and graduate students studying storytelling, game design, gamification, and multimedia systems, Handbook on Interactive Storytelling is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the deployment of compelling narratives in an interactive context.

Collects in four chapters single monographs related to the fundamental advances in parallel computer systems and their developments from different points of view (from computer scientists, computer manufacturers, end users) and related to the establishment and evolution of grids fundamentals, implementation and deployment.

Taking as its point of departure the fundamental observation that games are both technical and symbolic, this collection investigates the multiple intersections between the study of computer games and the discipline of technical and professional writing. Contributors engage with questions related to workplace communities and gamic simulations; industry documentation; manuals, gameplay, and ethics; training, testing, and number crunching; and the work of games and gamifying work.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the First International Symposium on Algorithmic Game Theory. It covers routing and scheduling, markets, mechanism design, a potpourri of games, solution concepts, and cost sharing.

This volume contains the papers presented at the Second International Sym- sium on Algorithmic Game Theory (SAGT 2009), which was held on October 18–20, 2009, in Paphos, Cyprus. This event followed the ?rst, very successful SAGT symposium, which took place in Paderborn, Germany, last year. The purpose of SAGT is to bring together researchers from computer s- ence, economics and mathematics to present and discuss originalresearchat the intersection of algorithms and game theory. It has been intended to cover all important areas such as solution concepts, game classes,computation of equil- riaandmarketequilibria,algorithmicmechanismdesign, automatedmechanism design,convergenceandlearningingames,complexityclassesingametheory,- gorithmicaspectsof?xed-pointtheorems,mechanisms,incentivesandcoalitions, cost-sharing algorithms, computational problems in economics, ?nance, decision theory and pricing, computational social choice, auction algorithms, price of - archyand its relatives, representationsof games and their complexity, economic aspects of distributed computing and the internet, congestion, routing and n- work design and formation games and game-theoretic approaches to networking problems. Approximately55submissionstoSAGT2009 werereceived.Eachsubmission was reviewed by at least three Program Committee members. The Program Committee decided to accept 29 papers. Out of these, a small number will be invited to a Special Issue of the Theory of Computing Systems journal with selected papers from SAGT 2009. The program of SAGT 2009 featured three invited talks from three outstanding researchers in algorithmic game theory: Elias Koutsoupias, Dov Monderer and Mihalis Yannakakis. We are very grateful toElias,DovandMihalisforjoiningusinPaphosandfortheirexcellentlectures.

At a time when computers are more widespread than ever, intelligent interactive systems have become a necessity. The term ‘multimedia systems’ refers to the coordinated storage, processing, transmission and retrieval of multiple forms of information, such as audio, image, video, animation, graphics and text. The growth of multimedia services has been exponential, as technological progress keeps up with the consumer’s need for content. The solution of 'one fits all' is no longer appropriate for the wide ranges of users with various backgrounds and needs, so one important goal of many intelligent interactive systems is dynamic personalization and adaptivity to users. This book presents 37 papers summarizing the work and new research results presented at the 6th International Conference on Intelligent Interactive Multimedia Systems and Services (KES-IIMSS2013), held in Sesimbra, Portugal, in June 2013. The conference series focuses on research in the fields of intelligent interactive multimedia systems and services and provides an internationally respected forum for scientific research in related technologies and applications.