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The Stances of e-Government: Policies, Processes and Technologies
by Vinod Kumar Jain Puneet Kumar Kumar Sambhav PareekThis book focuses on the three inevitable facets of e-government, namely policies, processes and technologies. The policies discusses the genesis and revitalization of government policies; processes talks about ongoing e-government practices across developing countries; technology reveals the inclusion of novel technologies.
The StarCraft Archive
by Tracy Hickman Jeff Grubb Micky Neilson Gabriel MestaIn the distant future, a loose confederacy of terran exiles is locked in battle sixty thousand light-years from Earth, caught in the crossfire between two powerful alien races: the enigmatic protoss and the ruthless zerg swarm. Conflicts rage across the Koprulu sector as each of the three species fights for its existence among the stars. LIBERTY'S CRUSADE:Behind the attacks of the zerg and the protoss lies the story of a lifetime, and investigative reporter Mike Liberty is determined to uncover it. But every new piece of information only deepens the mystery. Thrown into the middle of a war that may determine the fate of humanity in the Koprulu sector, Liberty reports on the escalating conflict and wonders whom he can afford to trust. SHADOW OF THE XEL'NAGA:Bhekar Ro is a bleak, backwater world on the fringe of the Terran Dominion, and every day is a struggle to survive for the planet's human colonists. Yet when a violent storm unearths an unfathomable alien structure, Bhekar Ro becomes the greatest prize in the Koprulu sector. Zerg, protoss, and terran forces turn the planet into a bloody battlefield in their haste to claim the lost secrets of the most powerful species the universe has ever known. SPEED OF DARKNESS:All Ardo Melnikov ever dreamed of was living in peace on the verdant colony of Bountiful. That dream was shattered when the zerg attacked the colony and annihilated his loved ones. Now a marine charged with defending the worlds of the Terran Confederacy, he must come to terms with the painful memories of his past. . . and the unsettling truths that may dominate his future. UPRISING:She is the Queen of Blades. Her name has become legend throughout the galaxy, and that legend is death for all who dare oppose the swarm. Nevertheless, Sarah Kerrigan was once human, and an extraordinary human at that. Forced to become one of the Terran Confederacy's merciless psionic assassins, she carried out her orders without question until a twist of fate propelled her toward a destiny no one could have foreseen. This is the tale of Kerrigan's shadowy origins -- and the war that was fought for her very soul.
The Stark Trilogy: Release Me, Claim Me, Complete Me (Stark Series #10)
by J. KennerIt began with an irresistible indecent proposal... From international bestseller J. Kenner, comes the million-copy selling Stark trilogy in a collection for the first time: Release Me, Claim Me and Complete Me. For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, Sylvia Day, Meredith Wild and Jodi Ellen Malpas.He was the one man I couldn't avoid. And the one man I couldn't resist. Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me.Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past - and risk breaking us apart.But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him - and us. Forever.For more spellbinding romance and electrifying passion, don't miss J. Kenner's other sensational series: Most Wanted, Stark International and the S. I. N. series as well as the Stark novellas.
The StatQuest Illustrated Guide to Machine Learning!!!: Master the concepts, one full-color picture at a time, from the basics all the way to neural networks. BAM!
by Josh Starmer PhDWith over 300 pages of easy to follow, step-by-step illustrations, everyone can understand Machine Learning from the basics to advanced topics like neural networksKey FeaturesFully illustrated in color and written in the style of a graphic novel. BAM!Every concept is taught with a very gentle learning curve. DOUBLE BAM!!Every page is labeled as Main Ideas or Details, and you can focus on one, or the other, or both. TRIPLE BAM!!!Book DescriptionMachine Learning is awesome and powerful, but it can also appear incredibly complicated. That's where The StatQuest Illustrated Guide to Machine Learning comes in. This book takes the machine learning algorithms, no matter how complicated, and breaks them down into small, bite-sized pieces that are easy to understand. Each concept is clearly illustrated to provide you, the reader, with an intuition about how the methods work that goes beyond the equations alone. The StatQuest Illustrated Guide does not dumb down the concepts. Instead, it builds you up so that you are smarter and have a deeper understanding of Machine Learning.The StatQuest Illustrated Guide to Machine Learning starts with the basics, showing you what machine learning is and what are its goals, and builds on those, one picture at a time, until you have mastered the concepts behind self driving cars and facial recognition.What you will learnMaster the fundamentals to use, optimize and evaluate machine learningDevelop an intuition for fundamental statistics conceptsApply Statistical distributions, R-squared, p-values to your ML modelsGain deep insight into the building blocks like Gradient DescentVisualize machine learning methods, including Neural NetworksLearn about the limitations of machine learningWho this book is forThe StatQuest Illustrated Guide To Machine Learning is a great starting point for anyone who wants to get into the field of Machine Learning. It also serves as the perfect reference for seasoned practitioners who need to review key concepts for an upcoming job interview.For beginners, the illustrations and step-by-step approach ensure that the learning curve is as gentle as possible.For experts, the depth each topic is explored and the visualizations ensure “I finally understand!” moments occur in each chapter.
The State of Global Education: Learning with the World and its People (Citizenship, Character and Values Education)
by Jeremy Hilburn Brad MaguthA battle is being waged in classrooms and capitals around the world over the goals and objectives of the future of global education. While there is growing research in the area of global education, much remains to be uncovered, challenged, and learned through sound empirical research and conceptual explorations. What type of global citizens will schools promote? What types of policies, programs and instructional practices best promote effective global citizenship? Will global education curricula advance an unwavering loyalty to neoliberal ideologies and interests over the strengthening of human rights and the environmental health of our planet? This volume presents a series of research studies and innovative instructional practices centered on advancing global learning opportunities and literacies. The authors in this volume initiate a much needed conversation on ways students in multiple contexts can and should learn with the world and its people. Part I addresses global education in theory, with a particular focus on development, intercultural competence, and global citizenship. Part II addresses educational programs and practices that foster global learning and action to help build a better future for all citizens of our planet – including experiential education, university initiatives, and conceptual approaches to teaching and learning. This scholarship spans four continents in a multitude of educational contexts – primary, secondary, and tertiary - each with a focus on a different dimension of the possibilities and pitfalls in teaching about and with the world and its people.
The State of Play
by Daniel Goldberg Linus LarssonFEATURING: IAN BOGOST - LEIGH ALEXANDER - ZOE QUINN - ANITA SARKEESIAN & KATHERINE CROSS - IAN SHANAHAN - ANNA ANTHROPY - EVAN NARCISSE - HUSSEIN IBRAHIM - CARA ELLISON & BRENDAN KEOGH - DAN GOLDING - DAVID JOHNSTON - WILLIAM KNOBLAUCH - MERRITT KOPAS - OLA WIKANDERThe State of Play is a call to consider the high stakes of video game culture and how our digital and real lives collide. Here, video games are not hobbies or pure recreation; they are vehicles for art, sex, and race and class politics.The sixteen contributors are entrenched--they are the video game creators themselves, media critics, and Internet celebrities. They share one thing: they are all players at heart, handpicked to form a superstar roster by Daniel Goldberg and Linus Larsson, the authors of the bestselling Minecraft: The Unlikely Tale of Markus "Notch" Persson and the Game that Changed Everything.The State of Play is essential reading for anyone interested in what may well be the defining form of cultural expression of our time."If you want to explain to anyone why videogames are worth caring about, this is a single volume primer on where we are, how we got here and where we're going next. In every way, this is the state of play." --Kieron Gillen, author of The Wicked + the Divine, co-founder of Rock Paper ShotgunFrom the Hardcover edition.
The State of Public Administration: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities
by Donald C Menzel Jay D WhiteThe trends and practices of public administration are ever changing and it is essential that they be appraised from time to time. Designed as a capstone survey of the field, The State of Public Administration focuses on leading edge issues, challenges, and opportunities that confront PA study and practice in the 21st Century.
The State of Us: The good news and the bad news about our society
by Jon Snow'A fascinating call to arms full of insight' IndependentAfter four decades broadcasting to the nation each night, Jon Snow gives vent to his opinions on the state of our nation . . . the good news and the bad newsIt is rare in history that so many nations in the developed world are in crisis at the same time. There has been a disintegration of trust in political leaders and in the media that holds them to account. For all the progress humankind has made, for all the inventions and new technologies, our society is being undermined by inequality. To fix it, we must begin by seeking out the truth about our world.In The State of Us, Jon Snow traces how the life of the nation has changed across his five-decade career, from getting thrown out of university for protesting apartheid to interviewing every prime minister since Margaret Thatcher.In doing so, he shows how the greatest problems at home and abroad so often come down to inequality and an unwillingness to confront it. But that is not our fate. Despite the challenges, Snow has witnessed profound social progress. In this passionate rallying cry, he argues that at its best, journalism reflects not just who we are now, but who we can be.We've had enough of division; the future is for us.
The State of the Art in Intrusion Prevention and Detection
by Al-Sakib Khan PathanThe State of the Art in Intrusion Prevention and Detection analyzes the latest trends and issues surrounding intrusion detection systems in computer networks, especially in communications networks. Its broad scope of coverage includes wired, wireless, and mobile networks; next-generation converged networks; and intrusion in social networks.Presenti
The Stationary Bionic Wavelet Transform and its Applications for ECG and Speech Processing (Signals and Communication Technology)
by Talbi MouradThis book first details a proposed Stationary Bionic Wavelet Transform (SBWT) for use in speech processing. The author then details the proposed techniques based on SBWT. These techniques are relevant to speech enhancement, speech recognition, and ECG de-noising. The techniques are then evaluated by comparing them to a number of methods existing in literature. For evaluating the proposed techniques, results are applied to different speech and ECG signals and their performances are justified from the results obtained from using objective criterion such as SNR, SSNR, PSNR, PESQ , MAE, MSE and more.
The Statistics and Calculus with Python Workshop: A comprehensive introduction to mathematics in Python for artificial intelligence applications
by Peter Farrell Alvaro Fuentes Quan Nguyen Ajinkya Sudhir Kolhe Alexander Joseph Sarver Marios TsatsosWith examples and activities that help you achieve real results, applying calculus and statistical methods relevant to advanced data science has never been so easyKey FeaturesDiscover how most programmers use the main Python libraries when performing statistics with PythonUse descriptive statistics and visualizations to answer business and scientific questionsSolve complicated calculus problems, such as arc length and solids of revolution using derivatives and integralsBook DescriptionAre you looking to start developing artificial intelligence applications? Do you need a refresher on key mathematical concepts? Full of engaging practical exercises, The Statistics and Calculus with Python Workshop will show you how to apply your understanding of advanced mathematics in the context of Python.The book begins by giving you a high-level overview of the libraries you'll use while performing statistics with Python. As you progress, you'll perform various mathematical tasks using the Python programming language, such as solving algebraic functions with Python starting with basic functions, and then working through transformations and solving equations. Later chapters in the book will cover statistics and calculus concepts and how to use them to solve problems and gain useful insights. Finally, you'll study differential equations with an emphasis on numerical methods and learn about algorithms that directly calculate values of functions.By the end of this book, you'll have learned how to apply essential statistics and calculus concepts to develop robust Python applications that solve business challenges.What you will learnGet to grips with the fundamental mathematical functions in PythonPerform calculations on tabular datasets using pandasUnderstand the differences between polynomials, rational functions, exponential functions, and trigonometric functionsUse algebra techniques for solving systems of equationsSolve real-world problems with probabilitySolve optimization problems with derivatives and integralsWho this book is forIf you are a Python programmer who wants to develop intelligent solutions that solve challenging business problems, then this book is for you. To better grasp the concepts explained in this book, you must have a thorough understanding of advanced mathematical concepts, such as Markov chains, Euler's formula, and Runge-Kutta methods as the book only explains how these techniques and concepts can be implemented in Python.
The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything
by Mike Rothschild***"An ideal tour guide for your journey into the depths of the rabbit hole that is QAnon, and even shows you a glimmer of light at the exit." - Cullen Hoback, director of HBO's Q: Into the StormIn 2017, President Trump made a cryptic remark at a gathering of military officials, describing it as 'the calm before the storm'-then refused to explain himself to puzzled journalists. But on internet message boards, a mysterious poster called 'Q Clearance Patriot' began an elaboration all of their own.Q's wild yarn hinted at a vast conspiracy that satisfied the deepest desires of MAGA-America. None of Q's predictions came to pass. But did that stop people from clinging to every word, expanding Q's mythology, and promoting it ever more widely? No.Conspiracy culture expert Mike Rothschild is uniquely equipped to explain QAnon, from the cults that first fed into it, to its embrace by Trump and the right-wing media. With families torn apart and with the Capitol under attack, he argues that mocking the madness of QAnon will get us nowhere. Instead, he argues that QAnon tells us everything we need to know about global fear after Trump-and that we need to understand it now, because it's not going away.(p) 2021 Octopus Publishing Group
The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything
by Mike Rothschild*****'A chilling overview of a movement that should arguably have no place in any healthy, well-educated society.' - The Telegraph'A compelling book.' - The Guardian'The Storm Is Upon Us is an impressive piece of research and a gripping read. Rothschild's book reads like a thriller, with cliffhangers that leave you eager for the next episode. The trouble, of course, is that it's not fiction.' - The Times'An ideal tour guide for your journey into the depths of the rabbit hole that is QAnon, and even shows you a glimmer of light at the exit.' - Cullen Hoback, director of HBO's Q: Into the StormIn 2017, President Trump made a cryptic remark at a gathering of military officials, describing it as 'the calm before the storm'-then refused to explain himself to puzzled journalists. But on internet message boards, a mysterious poster called 'Q Clearance Patriot' began an elaboration all of their own.Q's wild yarn hinted at a vast conspiracy that satisfied the deepest desires of MAGA-America. None of Q's predictions came to pass. But did that stop people from clinging to every word, expanding Q's mythology, and promoting it ever more widely? No.Conspiracy culture expert Mike Rothschild is uniquely equipped to explain QAnon, from the cults that first fed into it, to its embrace by Trump and the right-wing media. With families torn apart and with the Capitol under attack, he argues that mocking the madness of QAnon will get us nowhere. Instead, he argues that QAnon tells us everything we need to know about global fear after Trump-and that we need to understand it now, because it's not going away.
The Storm is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything
by Mike Rothschild"An ideal tour guide for your journey into the depths of the rabbit hole that is QAnon. It even shows you a glimmer of light at the exit." —Cullen Hoback, director of HBO's Q: Into the Storm Its messaging can seem cryptic, even nonsensical, yet for tens of thousands of people, it explains everything: What is QAnon, where did it come from, and is the Capitol insurgency a sign of where it&’s going next? On October 5th, 2017, President Trump made a cryptic remark in the State Dining Room at a gathering of military officials. He said it felt like &“the calm before the storm&”—then refused to elaborate as puzzled journalists asked him to explain. But on the infamous message boards of 4chan, a mysterious poster going by &“Q Clearance Patriot,&” who claimed to be in &“military intelligence,&” began the elaboration on their own. In the days that followed, Q&’s wild yarn explaining Trump's remarks began to rival the sinister intricacies of a Tom Clancy novel, while satisfying the deepest desires of MAGA-America. But did any of what Q predicted come to pass? No. Did that stop people from clinging to every word they were reading, expanding its mythology, and promoting it wider and wider? No. Why not? Who were these rapt listeners? How do they reconcile their worldview with the America they see around them? Why do their numbers keep growing? Mike Rothschild, a journalist specializing in conspiracy theories, has been collecting their stories for years, and through interviews with QAnon converts, apostates, and victims, as well as psychologists, sociologists, and academics, he is uniquely equipped to explain the movement and its followers. In The Storm Is Upon Us, he takes readers from the background conspiracies and cults that fed the Q phenomenon, to its embrace by right-wing media and Donald Trump, through the rending of families as loved ones became addicted to Q&’s increasingly violent rhetoric, to the storming of the Capitol, and on. And as the phenomenon shows no sign of calming despite Trump&’s loss of the presidency—with everyone from Baby Boomers to Millennial moms proving susceptible to its messaging—and politicians starting to openly espouse its ideology, Rothschild makes a compelling case that mocking the seeming madness of QAnon will get us nowhere. Rather, his impassioned reportage makes clear it's time to figure out what QAnon really is — because QAnon and its relentlessly dark theory of everything isn&’t done yet.
The Strategic CIO: Changing the Dynamics of the Business Enterprise
by Philip WeinzimerRecognized as One of the Best Business Books for 2014 by CIO Magazine Based on interviews with more than 150 CIOs, IT/business executives, and academic thought leaders, The Strategic CIO: Changing the Dynamics of the Business Enterprise provides insight, success stories, and a step-by-step methodology to transform your IT organization into a strategic asset that drives customer value, increases revenues, and enhances shareholder wealth. The book details how strategic CIOs from FedEx, Procter & Gamble, McKesson, and other leading companies transformed their organizations. It illustrates the methods these CIOS used to become strategic partners that collaborate effectively within their organizations to leverage information and technology for a competitive advantage.The text will help you assess the key competencies and skills required by IT personnel to partner with your business teams to create new and enhanced products and services that create customer value, increase margin, and enhance shareholder wealth.The book includes powerful methodologies, time-saving templates, proven best practices, and helpful assessments. It also details a four-phase methodology, along with the associated activities and tools, to help your IT organization successfully transform into a strategic IT organization.Gain insight into the four domain competencies and twelve associated skills required to build effective strategic IT organizations. Build your roadmap to success using the transformation methodology described in the text and you will be on your way to making your organization a strategic IT organization. Read Philip Weinzimer’s recent article that appeared on CIO.com.
The Strategic Project Leader: Mastering Service-Based Project Leadership, Second Edition
by Jack FerraroThis second edition of the Strategic Project Leader prepares project managers to develop leadership competencies that translate into increased confidence to lead in a demanding environment. Like the first edition, this book motivates readers to take ownership of their leadership agenda and become disciplined in the processes of building a framework of leadership skills. This in turn will move readers beyond the basics of project management to true project leadership, positioning themselves for greater leadership opportunities.
The Strategic Project Office (PM Solutions Research)
by J. Kent CrawfordThe second edition of this award-winning reference provides step-by-step instructions for establishing and maturing a project management office (PMO). Concise and easy to read, The Strategic Project Office, Second Edition covers the four primary areas of knowledge and practice regarding the PMO: governance and portfolio management, resource optimization, organizational change, and performance measurement.Winner of the 2001 David I. Cleland Project Management Literature Award from the Project Management Institute, the first edition introduced the concept of PMO as a strategic resource. This second edition adds reporting on cutting-edge research on the status and roles of today’s PMO, highlights best practices, and includes case studies of award-winning PMOs. It explores the various aspects of planning and implementing the strategic PMO and provides readers with an assessment model for measuring PMO practice maturity.New in the Second Edition: New and updated information on the use of collaborative and social media tools in project management New chapters on Project Portfolio Management and aligning projects and strategy New information on using the Strategic Project Office as a strategy management center Updated content that reflects the latest version of the PMBOK® Guide Downloadable resources with time-saving templates and forms The first edition has been the foundation for much of my thinking about initiative management, and the second edition takes thought leadership to a new level. Crawford leverages years of experience to further improve an already excellent resource. The first edition of The Strategic Project Office sits on the top shelf of my bookcase. I’m sure that the second edition will have a similar pride of place … when I haven’t loaned it out to members of my team as homework.—Paul Ritchie, PMP, Director, Global PMO, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Inc.Praise for the Award-Winning First Edition:… provides a primer that is first-of-a-kind and best-of-class. Read it. Learn its lessons. Apply them. Improve your organization, your projects, and your global competitiveness.—PM Network, Books in Focus
The Strategic Storyteller: Content Marketing in the Age of the Educated Consumer
by Alexander JutkowitzThe world needs more storytellers. Storytelling is an inherently innovative activity. When organizations find their best stories and tell them to the world, they’re not only building a reputation, they're flexing the same muscles that allow them to pivot quickly around crisis or opportunity, and solve problems more creatively. For individuals, crafting stories is the primary way we can make sense of the world and our place in it. The Strategic Storyteller is a comprehensive, practical guide to transformative storytelling. In its pages you will learn how to: Tap into your and your organization's unique sources of wonder, wisdom, and delight Boost individual and collective creativity Understand the storytelling strategies behind some of the world’s most powerful brands Unlock the secrets of the great strategic storytellers of the past Build a place where your stories can live online Distribute stories so they have staying power and reach in the digital age Convene audiences by going beyond demographic stereotypes and tapping into enduring human needs Understand how unshakable reputations are built out of stories that accumulate over time Sooner or later all of us will be asked to tell stories in the course of our professional lives. We will be asked to make a case for ourselves, our work, our companies, and our future. The Strategic Storyteller tells you how.
The Strategic Web Designer
by Christopher ButlerExpand your strategic capabilities and technological understanding! Your clients are looking for an expert--someone who understands rapidly changing technology and can provide strategic insight into their web projects from inception and development to launch and beyond. Are you that person? Today, designers are expected to provide a level of web expertise that extends far beyond just good design. The Strategic Web Designer provides you with a foundation that will allow you to keep your bearings in an industry filled with constant technological change. You'll learn to: Plan web projects Organize information in ways that make sense Understand analytics Optimize content for search engines and mobile technology And more! More than a book about building websites, The Strategic Web Designer is your guide to thinking about the web in a strategic and comprehensive manner. Be more than just a web designer--take charge of your web projects and make yourself invaluable to clients.
The Strategic Web Designer
by Christopher ButlerExpand your strategic capabilities and technological understanding! Your clients are looking for an expert--someone who understands rapidly changing technology and can provide strategic insight into their web projects from inception and development to launch and beyond. Are you that person? Today, designers are expected to provide a level of web expertise that extends far beyond just good design. The Strategic Web Designer provides you with a foundation that will allow you to keep your bearings in an industry filled with constant technological change. You'll learn to: Plan web projects Organize information in ways that make sense Understand analytics Optimize content for search engines and mobile technology And more! More than a book about building websites, The Strategic Web Designer is your guide to thinking about the web in a strategic and comprehensive manner. Be more than just a web designer--take charge of your web projects and make yourself invaluable to clients.
The Strategic Web Designer: How to Confidently Navigate the Web Design Process
by Christopher ButlerExpand your strategic capabilities and technological understanding!Your clients are looking for an expert--someone who understands rapidly changing technology and can provide strategic insight into their web projects from inception and development to launch and beyond. Are you that person?Today, designers are expected to provide a level of web expertise that extends far beyond just good design. The Strategic Web Designer provides you with a foundation that will allow you to keep your bearings in an industry filled with constant technological change. You'll learn to:Plan web projectsOrganize information in ways that make senseUnderstand analyticsOptimize content for search engines and mobile technologyAnd more! More than a book about building websites, The Strategic Web Designer is your guide to thinking about the web in a strategic and comprehensive manner. Be more than just a web designer--take charge of your web projects and make yourself invaluable to clients.
The Stress Equation
by Marcus LagreWorkplace stress is not the weakness of individuals; it's caused by systemic problems. Armed with the insights in this book, you can identify, analyze, and systematically reduce the factors that lead to poor health, low productivity, and personal burnout. This book gives you a framework for understanding stress, and a vocabulary to make it easier to discuss it among colleagues. Stress can be fixed; find out how. The interviewer asks, "How well do you cope with stress?" Your response should be, "Let's fix your environment so we don't have to." Work-related stress is one of the leading causes of mental illness among white-collar workers. It hurts companies, projects, and (most importantly) people! Stress is a burden that's created when teams stop working well. The Stress Equation is a model and a tool to help talk about stress as a systemic issue. By exploring how pressure, complexity, and security interact in software teams, we move focus away from the individual, so that we can talk about stress from a team and organizational perspective. By exploring external factors, we discuss how to solve problems rather than cope with the consequences. Whether you're an individual feeling stressed or a manager who can help, you'll learn the causes of, fixes for, and how to talk about stress. We regulate pressure by how we decide how much work we have to do and when it needs to be finished. Complexity is decided by how we handle our product and organization design. Our security is less about our pay and benefits, and more about the support and trust we feel.Stress should not be a given. Instead, it's a symptom of a diseased organization. With this book, you can begin the healing process.What You Need:No special requirements.
The Structure of Game Design (International Series on Computer, Entertainment and Media Technology)
by Wallace WangThe Structure of Game Design is designed to help aspiring and existing game designers turn their ideas into working games. Creating a game involves understanding the core foundational elements of all types of games from paper-based games to the latest video games. By understanding how these core principles work in all types of games, you can apply these same principles to design your own game. Games are about goals, structure, play and fun. While everyone will always have their own idea of what might be “fun”, any game designer can maximize player enjoyment through meaningful choices that offer various risks and rewards. Such challenges, combined with rules and limitations, force players to overcome obstacles and problems using a variety of skills including dexterity, puzzle solving, intelligence, and strategy. Essentially games allow players to venture forth into new worlds and overcome problems in a safe but exciting environment that allows them to triumph in the end. Just as playing games have proven popular around the world to all ages, genders, and cultures, so has game designing proven equally popular. Games can challenge players to make the best move, solve puzzles, engage in combat, manage resources, and tell stories. By understanding how randomness, psychology, and balance can change the way games play, readers can decide what game elements are best for their own game creation. Whether your goal is to make money, learn something new, make a social statement, improve on an existing game idea, or challenge your artistic, programming, or design skills, game design can be just as much fun as game playing. By knowing the parts of a game, how they work, how they interact, and why they’re fun, you can use your knowledge to turn any idea into a game that others can play and enjoy.
The Structure of Style
by Shlomo Dubnov Kevin Burns Shlomo ArgamonStyle is a fundamental and ubiquitous aspect of the human experience: Everyone instantly and constantly assesses people and things according to their individual styles, academics establish careers by researching musical, artistic, or architectural styles, and entire industries maintain themselves by continuously creating and marketing new styles. Yet what exactly style is and how it works are elusive: We certainly know it when we see it, but there is no shared and clear understanding of the diverse phenomena that we call style. The Structure of Style explores this issue from a computational viewpoint, in terms of how information is represented, organized, and transformed in the production and perception of different styles. New computational techniques are now making it possible to model the role of style in the creation of and response to human artifacts--and therefore to develop software systems that directly make use of style in useful ways. Argamon, Burns, and Dubnov organize the research they have collected in this book according to the three roles that computation can play in stylistics. The first section of the book, Production, provides conceptual foundations by describing computer systems that create artifacts--musical pieces, texts, artworks--in different styles. The second section, Perception, explains methods for analyzing different styles and gleaning useful information, viewing style as a form of communication. The final section, Interaction, deals with reciprocal interaction between style producers and perceivers, in areas such as interactive media, improvised musical accompaniment, and game playing. The Structure of Style is written for researchers and practitioners in areas including information retrieval, computer art and music, digital humanities, computational linguistics, and artificial intelligence, who can all benefit from this comprehensive overview and in-depth description of current research in this active interdisciplinary field.
The Student Supercomputer Challenge Guide
by Asc CommunityThis guide provides a comprehensive overview of High Performance Computing (HPC) to equip students with a full skill set including cluster setup, network selection, and a background of supercomputing competitions. It covers the system, architecture, evaluating approaches, and other practical supercomputing techniques. As the world’s largest supercomputing hackathon, the ASC Student Supercomputer Challenge has attracted a growing number of new talent to supercomputing and has greatly promoted communications in the global HPC community. Enclosed in this book, readers will also find how to analyze and optimize supercomputing systems and applications in real science and engineering cases.