New Releases by James Newman

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.

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.

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.

This accessible guide provides a stimulating introduction to teaching this new and exciting topic, offering practical and helpful advice on classroom approaches and clear reference to critical and theoretical writing. It links the study of video games to the key concepts, includes detailed case studies of a range of video games, and summarises recent educational research. As with all the guides in this series, this title is supported by additional student materials on dedicated password accessible web pages.

No Rest for the Wicked... What do ancient Satanic curses, rock n'' roll, the Mafia, urban legends, Internet porn, Tourette''s Syndrome, and zombies have in common? Read Night of the Loving Dead, and you''ll find out. You''ll also never go to sleep again. Night after night, in Grady Memorial Hospital''s Autopsy Room #1, the dead awaken. For several hours they rise, with an unholy urge. But these reanimated corpses are driven not by a hunger for human flesh, but by an evil lust for carnal knowledge! Night of the Loving Dead is a novella of hardcore horror, a trashy, B-movie hybrid of The Sopranos, Day of the Dead and Showgirls. Throw in a demented dash of drive-in camp and a blood-spattered ode to sex on the information superhighway, and you''ve got a story that might just be the most twisted tale you''ve ever read. Night of the Loving Dead. You''ll never look at sex and death the same way again...

A twelve-year-old boy witnesses a gruesome murder, yet no one will believe him—except the murderer.

Report of a study to determine if a biodegration potential exists in the Beaufort Sea, determine rates of degradation at various temperatures by various cultures and determine optimum temperatures for oil degradation.