"The Gamer's Brain": How Neuroscience, and UX Can Impact Video Game Design by Celia Hodent

As a gamer we are mostly aware now of the mental gymnastics taking place within the corporate side of the gaming industry due to informative journalistic leaks regarding questionable moneymaking efforts. We are aware of the mental manipulation that takes place, and the UX (user experience) tactics that experts utilize to create lucrative business endeavors. As we are aware so too are the game developers, and publishers. Developers, and publisher who hire UX experts like Celia Hodent (Epic Games/Fortnite, Ubisoft ...) to be a panel adviser. While this particular book, "The Gamer's Brain", isn't directed at us as gamers in that regard I feel it can still serve a dual purpose for both gamers, and game creators alike if they care to learn a little more about the industry they partake of. The book is very telling in it's detailed breakdown of how the gamer brain works on a neurological/psychological level, and how to best work that knowledge into game design for profit sake, and business sustainability. Using college level explanations, and various graphic references to backup information such as data pertaining to neuroscience, and UX understanding Celia Hodent unveils the inner workings of the user experience through her own personal industry experience. Broken up into two parts that each span seven chapters Celia eases the reader into things like perception, attention, cognitive bias, and eventually methodology as well as application in the processes of the creation of successful video games. It's more or less a comprehensive guide for a better business perspective.

"Birds of Lore" by Ryan Durney (Book, ebook, iOS, Tablet)

Copyright © Ryan Durney 2013

As a fan of mythology, and art I consider myself lucky to have stumbled across a retweet that one of my fellow Twitter followers had passed along. The message was about a book kickstarter that had actually made it through the crowd funding process. Ryan Durney the author of this magnificent tale of mythological birds, and the time traveler who traveled through the past, present, and future to learn all that he could of them created a story that is not unlike an H.G.Wells novella. Both the art included, and the words that followed all held an exquisite tone that was truly rich in nature. Parts of the story definitely reminded me of H.G.Wells' "The Time Machine" while other parts seemed like tales inspired by pages, and inscriptions of ancient world myths. All of it came together quite nicely, and looked impressive enough to warrant the $30 price tag.