Zergwatch: ReviewThis--this being the attitude encapsulated in Andrew "bunnie" Huang's Hacking the Xbox--is why a lot of people got into the computer industry in the first place. These people liked taking things apart and figuring out how they worked, then making them serve purposes they weren't originally designed for and sharing the new discoveries with others of like mind. Sure, Huang's book is about how to how to turn Microsoft's game console into a high-performance, general-purpose personal computer with a small price tag, and it contains lots of details about the how the heavily advertised gizmo is put together. But you can get the technical material on the Web. What's valuable about Huang's work is that he communicates the pure joy of taking the Xbox apart, figuring out how it works--despite its many designed-in anti-hacking features--and making it do new things. This book reads like the journal of a seventeenth-century voyage of discovery.
There's a wealth of information in these pages about how to disassemble and reverse-engineer electronics, and Huang is careful to show you what tools you need, and how to use them (don't worry if you don't know how to use a soldering iron--that's covered here). There also are step-by-step guides (complete with photos) to a couple of projects, and interviews with key figures in the Xbox-hacking community. --David Wall
Topics covered: How to enjoy a Microsoft Xbox game console without the mindlesstedium of playing video games. This book shows you how to open an Xbox, make modifications to it (from a cosmetic LED color change, to putting in a new power supply, to adding a USB connector), and make the changes needed to get Linux running on it. In the process, readers get an education in reverse engineering electronic circuits, as well as in basic electronic techniques (soldering, crimping, etc) and in the intellectual property law that governs hacker activity.
REVIEW
excellent excellent book. I don't even own an xbox but I want to get into commercial hardware reverse engineering, there aren't any books out there about hardware reverese engineering other than this one. I hope that the author (this book is very well written) writes more books on hardware hacking. Add a Review
Microsoft's Xbox now accounts for 37 percent of the game console market, and the new Xbox 360 is due out for the 2005 holiday season, months before Sony's PlayStation 3. When gamers take the new Xbox home, however, they'll soon discover that it's more than a just a game machine-it's a full-fledged home media hub with more power than most PCs. This friendly guide shows how to maximize both gaming and non-gaming features of this amazing machine.
Topics covered include hooking up Xbox 360, taking advantage of HDTV and Dolby capabilities, using built-in digital video recording and wireless functions, storing media files, playing music, and displaying photos
Shows how to have even more fun by taking an Xbox online for massively multiplayer gaming, instant messaging, and more
Discusses the social potential of the Xbox, which people can use to make new friends, join groups and teams, and even throw fantastic parties
Includes tips for securing the Xbox from online threats
REVIEW
If your DVD (or VCR) player is still flashing 12:00... Hi... I'm not a gamer, but I have one in my household. I can't tell you how many game consoles we've purchased over the last 20 years, but I don't think we've missed very many. I'm a bit surprised I haven't gotten the hard-sell from "da kid" on getting an Xbox 360 yet. But after reading Xbox 360 for Dummies by Brian Johnson and Duncan Mackenzie, I'm somewhat tempted to get one anyway for myself... :)
Contents:
Part 1 - Xbox 360 Out of the Box: Meet the Xbox 360; Setting Up Your Xbox 360
Part 2 - The Xbox 360 Blades: Dealing with the Dashboard; The Live Blade; The Media Blade; The System Blade; The Games Blade
Part 3- Xbox 360 in Your Entertainment System: HDTV, EDTV, Plain Old TV; Getting the Best Audio Experience; Customizing Your Console
Part 4 - Pushing the Outer Limits: Parental Control; LAN Parties; Windows Media Center Extender
Part 5 - The Part of Tens: Ten Great Web Sites; More Than Ten Great Games; Ten Tips for Parents; Ten Ways to Make Friends; Ten Great Accessories; Original Xbox Games; Index
Xbox has definitely crossed the line from being a gaming console with extra features to being a multimedia computer that happens to play games really well. Johnson and Mackenzie do a very good job of covering and demonstrating all the features of the Xbox 360, how it all meshes together, and how to get the most out of the platform. This includes everything from, of course, playing games, to making the device the central point of a multimedia setup for your home. The Xbox 360 integrates with Windows Media Center, so you can use it to watch TV, record shows, play music, etc. In fact, it's very possible to buy an Xbox 360 and never even play a game on it. :) Add in network connectivity, and now you can reach out to others as part of Xbox Live. The capabilities are truly impressive, and this book is an excellent way to delve into those areas that you may not have yet uncovered.
Granted, most 12 year olds will probably have most of this figured out an hour after opening the box, all without reading the directions. Yes, and my DVD player still flashes 12:00. At least it's not a VCR any more. But a book like this will appeal to those of us who are interested in the latest and greatest, but want a little structure and guidance added to our exploration.
Now to keep this book out of my kid's hands... Add a Review
Is installing a new operating system or tuning the BIOS on your PC second nature to you? Did you know you could do similar things to your Xbox system? The Black Art of the Xbox Mods can show you how to install a modchip to change your Xbox experience. Learn to use Evolution X, the most popular replacement user interface for Xbox, as well as how to install new software, run homebrew games and back up your Xbox games. The Black Art of the Xbox Mods can show you how to make your Xbox work "outside the box."
REVIEW
The last Xbox book you will ever need! This book describes how to do anything and everything you could ever want with an xbox.
It starts of very simple by describing how to open up the xbox and take out the parts. But by the end of the book you will have covered such things as;
-Installing Mod chips on all versions of xbox
-Choosing the right dashboard
-Learning the Xenium OS
-FTP your computer and xbox
-Flashing a bios and installing a dash board
-Customizing your own dashboard
-Replacing the case
-Installing hard drives over 137GB's
-Custom lighting
-Xbox Media Center
These are just a few of the many things that fascinated me about this book. A person who has never seen an xbox before could pick up this book and read it and have a completely pimped out xbox in a week.
It is FULL of very detailed explanations and it has tons of very useful photographs.
I would HIGHLY recommend this for ANY one who is going to open up their xbox. Add a Review
XNA Game Studio Express: Developing Games for Windows and the Xbox 360 is the ultimate resource for hobbyists and students who want to write games for Windows and the Xbox 360 game console. Learn how you can create your own games using the amazing tools of XNA and Game Studio Express, the free game development tools and APIs from Microsoft, based on the incredibly popular Visual Studio IDE. You'll begin with an introduction to the XNA platform and the Game Studio Express development environment. From there, you'll examine many different game genres and will develop your own working games. You'll also cover writing components and libraries and will develop reusable code that can be plugged into your game projects. Wrap things up with a collection of more advanced topics. To get the most out of this unique guide you will need a working knowledge of programming, but readers with a variety of backgrounds will still benefit from the comprehensive coverage found inside. XNA will turn players into developers, doing for game creation what YouTube and myspace have done for music and video.
REVIEW
Easy to read, very concise book about XNA Just real brief - this book is a must for developers who are familiar with programming concepts (i.e. conditions, loops, etc), and who wish to dabble in XNA. XNA's a different beast in itself, as the book will explain - and the author will strive to explain every single detail about the code he uses and the formulas he places in them. Reason why I only rated this book a 4 out of 5 is because all the code in the book is based off of XNA 1.0 - and the current version, XNA 2.0, deprecates some of the programs in the book. You can download the code from his site, however - but often times I want to be able to just thumb through the code in the book and not worry whether or not the code's deprecated. Otherwise, it's a highly recommendable book. Add a Review
Developer, XNA Game Studio Express, Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft XNA Unleashed provides comprehensive coverage and solid instruction on how to leverage the XNA Framework to create high quality games for Windows and the Xbox 360. The author shows you how to take full advantage of the many features the XNA Framework provides; you will learn the intricacies of important tasks such as adding sound and music to games, as well as creating, loading, and texturing 3D objects. In addition to providing coverage of 2D programming, the author shows you how to create sophisticated 3D games. All the important topics such as physics, artificial intelligence, and special effects are covered in detail. Chad Carter is the CTO at Robertson Marketing Group. Many Fortune 500 companies use the ecommerce system he architected and developed from the ground up for the promotional business sector. He has been creating DirectX applications since 1996 and has developed games using Managed DirectX. Chad created a 3D locomotive simulator for Norfolk Southern that is used to teach children to obey railroad crossings signals. Chad’s website devoted to the XNA Framework can be found at www.xnaessentials.com.
Learn how to install and use XNA Game Studio Express
Discover how to build, deploy, and debug games for the Xbox 360 and Windows
Examine the XNA Framework in depth: 2D, 3D, sound, input, and HLSL
Learn how to create game components and game services
Delve into performance tuning techniques
Discover how to extend the Content Pipeline
Learn how to use the Microsoft Cross-Platform Audio Creation Tool (XACT) to add sound and music to games
Create a full 2D parallax side-scroller game
Discover how to use sprite batches
Learn to make the most of sprite fonts
Create 2D components such as splash screens and progress bars
Examine the different sprite batch blending modes
Discover 2D cel animation
Examine the High Level Shader Language (HLSL) in detail covering basic HLSL as well as vertex deformations and post-processing effects
Create a full 3D game that includes a 2D radar in the Heads Up Display (HUD), and much, much more
CD-ROM includes
• All C# examples and source code presented in this book.
• Explosion Generator tool for generating explosion animations.
Introduction
Part I Get Up and Running with XNA on Your PC and Xbox 360
1 Introducing XNA and XNA Game Studio Express
2 XNA and the Xbox 360
3 Performance Considerations
Part II Understanding XNA Basics
4 Creating 3D Objects
5 Input Devices and Cameras
Part III Content Pipeline
6 Loading and Texturing 3D Objects
7 Sound and Music
8 Extending the Content Pipeline
Part IV 2D in XNA
9 2D Basics
10 2D Effects
11 Creating a 2D Game
Part V High Level Shader Language
12 HLSL Basics
13 Advanced HLSL
Part VI Physics and Artificial Intelligence
14 Physics Basics
15 Finite State Machines and Game State Management
16 AI Algorithms
Part VII 3D Effects
17 Advanced Texturing Techniques
18 Special Effects
19 Particle System
Part VIII Putting It Into Practice
20 Creating a 3D Game
21 Improving the Game
22 Finishing Touches
Index
REVIEW
one of the better books, too bad its not 2.0, well this isnt realy the publishers \ writer fault but this book is written for XNA 1.0, and once 2.0 had been released some of the code in the book needs a bit of tweaking,
i think that if you have some background knowledge about C# and programming, then this is the perfect book to take you into XNA.
it has a much better approach then most, "teach yourself" books,
and i recommand getting it,
it only got a 4 out a 5, but if a new edition with XNA 2.0 will be release i would have givven it a 5.
:)
A fascinating insider's look at the evolution of the Xbox 360 and Microsoft's ambitious gamble to become a leading force in the multi-billion dollar video gaming industry. Through extensive interviews and unprecedented access, San Jose Mercury News Technology and Gaming Writer Dean Takahashi takes you behind the scenes as he reveals... The birth of the machine as seen through the eyes of the Xbox 360 engineers who designed it... Blow-by-blow coverage of the heated internal debates as senior Microsoft executives battle to define the future of the Xbox brand... The strategic chess moves as Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and company take risk after risk, trying to outmaneuver their archrivals for the brass ring: dominance of the incredibly lucrative video game market... Sony, Nintendo, Electronic Arts, the entire Microsoft Xbox 360 team, and the industry's most celebrated video game developers -- all of the major players are included in this captivating story.
REVIEW
Greate inside look This book reminds me of Tracy Kidder's Soul of the New Machine. It is in inside look at what it takes to design state-of-the art hardware and software in the gaming business. I find the whole process fascinating. Add a Review
The Lost Odyssey strategy guide book contains 272 fully colored pages.Full Walkthrough for All Four Discs: Solve the mystery of Kaim's immortality. All side quests, optional areas, and super bosses revealed.Complete Area Maps: Detailed maps reveal every hidden item, invisible chest, and treasure-hunting spot.Full Data on Every Boss and Monster: Learn the weaknesses of each foe and discover elaborate strategies for beating Lost Odyssey's challenging boss monsters.All Rings, Skills, and Accessories Revealed: Learn deadly skill combos and find the hidden accessories that hold the game's most powerful abilities.Find Every Slot Seed: Max out your immortals by earning all 48 Slot Seeds.Earn All 1,000G Worth of Achievements: Everything you need to know to completely master Lost Odyssey andearn every Achievement on the way.Complete the Thousand Years of Dreams: Solve Kaim's mystery by finding each of his hidden dreams.
REVIEW
strategy guide Really helps with hidden treasures etc. Sometimes I wish it was a little clearer but all in all a great help. Add a Review
·Learn how to unlock every achievement ·All Agency Agility Orb locations detailed ·Every weapon detailed so you use the right tool for the job ·Labeled maps of every area ·Learn how to control every car ·Multiple infiltration points for every boss to fit your playstyle ·All stunt and race locations revealed
REVIEW
Completly Useless Does not help in any way, I got this for the help in finding orbs, but the only orb map is so jumbled because there are 500 orbs, you can't figure out what is where. And the pictures of each orb are horribly done, it'll show an orb on a rock next to the ocean and say "Goodluck", or on top of a building with nothing but sky in the background so there is no landmark to show where that building is. Doesn't help with any races, any Secret jumps, and if you need this guide to beat the bosses then you should trade in your 360. Add a Review
I have run my own computer repair business for 15 years and the interesting thing is 16 years ago I didn't know very much about computers at all. But what I did know was that I wasn't afraid to remove the cover.
REVIEW
Don't waste your money This booklet is really unorganized. The disassembly opening of Xbox should be in the beginning of the book. Also, the author does not show how an Xbox 360 looks like inside with the name of the most important parts. If you never have opened a PC and don't know what is a CPU or a heat sink, you are going to be lost. In other words, if you don't know anything about hardware this book is not for you. No technical information about fixing the three rings of dead problem. No graphical draw to help you understand how it is going to look whatever you are doing when the author explains the way to fix the three rings of dead. It does not tell you what tools you will need in the beginning either. The booklet itself shows poor quality. 36 pages with "supposedly" information. 18 blank pages. Total 56 pages...Don't waste your money Add a Review
You Call Him Dr. Jones, Doll!: Extensive walkthrough for every adventure and tight situation in all three movies, including Free Play Mode!
X Never, Ever Marks the Spot: Detailed area maps get you to your objectives as well as reveal the locations of artifact, parcels, and more!
Dr. Jones, the Eminent Archeologist: Complete information on all characters’ strengths and weaknesses, plus their unique weapons and abilities.
Give Me the Whip!: Tips on how to unlock hidden characters, levels, and other goodies.
Bonus Content: Concept Art Section!
Guide covers Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, PS2, PSP, and PC!
Free Preview includes: The Lost Temple: Area 1 walkthrough, basics, and characters. Guide Update includes: Free Achievements, Parcels and Character/Item Codes!
REVIEW
The best book to complete this game This bookcontains the location of all the items in the game and is overall very straight foward. Add a Review
