SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How the Nintendo Entertainment System Changed Gaming Forever

In Chip War, economic historian Chris Miller explores the rise of the semiconductor industry. Through his analysis and recounting of this history, Miller shows how semiconductor chips became the delivery mechanism for the binary code that powers our digital world—from personal computers to household appliances to advanced weapons systems. As Miller writes, chips have become a linchpin of geopolitical power and a resource that powerful actors, from entrepreneurs to national security strategists and politicians, have sought to control.

In this guide, we’ll explore the founding of the chip industry in the US, the emergence of Japan and Taiwan as major centers of chip design and manufacturing, and the rise of China as a new geopolitical rival in the global semiconductor competition—sparking concerns among Western firms and governments as national security interests became intertwined in the chip industry.

Throughout the guide, we’ll supplement Miller’s analysis with insights from other experts and analysts.

Video games are meant to be fun, but making video games can be anything but. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, video game journalist Jason Schreier gives a rare look into the inner workings of the video game industry and the harsh reality of being a game developer: long hours, enormous pressure to meet deadlines, and an unpredictable, constantly changing work environment. Schreier discusses the development cycles of 10 games, ranging from indie darlings to AAA flops, as told by developers whom Schreier interviewed.

This guide organizes the themes and key ideas from the case studies in Blood, Sweat, and Pixels into four challenges that video game developers face: accounting for games’ interactivity, constantly evolving technology, the impossibility of making and adhering to a schedule during development, and interference from people outside of the development studio. Our commentary adds background information for readers less familiar with the gaming industry and further explores the human impact of industry practices.

Video games are meant to be fun, but making video games can be anything but. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, video game journalist Jason Schreier gives a rare look into the inner workings of the video game industry and the harsh reality of being a game developer: long hours, enormous pressure to meet deadlines, and an unpredictable, constantly changing work environment. Schreier discusses the development cycles of 10 games, ranging from indie darlings to AAA flops, as told by developers whom Schreier interviewed.

This guide organizes the themes and key ideas from the case studies in Blood, Sweat, and Pixels into four challenges that video game developers face: accounting for games’ interactivity, constantly evolving technology, the impossibility of making and adhering to a schedule during development, and interference from people outside of the development studio. Our commentary adds background information for readers less familiar with the gaming industry and further explores the human impact of industry practices.

From the first home computers to the smartphone revolution, Steve Jobs was a guiding force in the worldwide electronics industry. His innovations, his obsessions, and even his shortcomings impacted the way we use computers today. To understand Jobs’s life is to understand why the modern information landscape functions the way it does.

Walter Isaacson’s biography is considered to be the definitive work on Steve Jobs’s life. He was given full access to Jobs and those who knew him with no limitations on what he might uncover. The result is an intimate portrait of a man who was thoughtful and callous, insightful and blind, and whose passions left a mark on the world.

This guide gives an overview of Steve Jobs’s life, then explores the themes that emerge from Isaacson’s narrative—Jobs’s knack for innovation and his emphasis on design, coupled with a domineering personality and his will to reshape reality to his liking.

If you’ve ever pushed a “pull” door or accidentally flipped the wrong light switch, you’ve experienced the impact of bad design. You may have blamed these mistakes on yourself, but in reality, the way we interact with the physical world is often driven by design. From smartphones to stovetops, faucets to fighter jets: Every object we encounter on a daily basis is designed. Good design streamlines our lives and makes everyday tasks easier. Bad design, on the other hand, causes frustration, errors, and even dangerous accidents.

In order to tell the difference, we need to understand how we perceive the objects all around us, and how our brains make sense of that information. Combining the principles of cognitive psychology and engineering makes all of us smarter consumers and helps designers create products that work with users, rather than against them.

Video games are meant to be fun, but making video games can be anything but. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, video game journalist Jason Schreier gives a rare look into the inner workings of the video game industry and the harsh reality of being a game developer: long hours, enormous pressure to meet deadlines, and an unpredictable, constantly changing work environment. Schreier discusses the development cycles of 10 games, ranging from indie darlings to AAA flops, as told by developers whom Schreier interviewed.

This guide organizes the themes and key ideas from the case studies in Blood, Sweat, and Pixels into four challenges that video game developers face: accounting for games’ interactivity, constantly evolving technology, the impossibility of making and adhering to a schedule during development, and interference from people outside of the development studio. Our commentary adds background information for readers less familiar with the gaming industry and further explores the human impact of industry practices.

Humans play a wide variety of games, from basketball and chess to video games and poker. Why are we so enthralled with these games, even when they don’t really have an impact on our lives outside the game?

Theory of Fun for Game Design, by veteran game designer Raph Koster (lead designer of Ultima Online), discusses why games are fun, what games teach their players, and ultimately how to make a meaningful game.

From the first home computers to the smartphone revolution, Steve Jobs was a guiding force in the worldwide electronics industry. His innovations, his obsessions, and even his shortcomings impacted the way we use computers today. To understand Jobs’s life is to understand why the modern information landscape functions the way it does.

Walter Isaacson’s biography is considered to be the definitive work on Steve Jobs’s life. He was given full access to Jobs and those who knew him with no limitations on what he might uncover. The result is an intimate portrait of a man who was thoughtful and callous, insightful and blind, and whose passions left a mark on the world.

This guide gives an overview of Steve Jobs’s life, then explores the themes that emerge from Isaacson’s narrative—Jobs’s knack for innovation and his emphasis on design, coupled with a domineering personality and his will to reshape reality to his liking.

Video games are meant to be fun, but making video games can be anything but. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, video game journalist Jason Schreier gives a rare look into the inner workings of the video game industry and the harsh reality of being a game developer: long hours, enormous pressure to meet deadlines, and an unpredictable, constantly changing work environment. Schreier discusses the development cycles of 10 games, ranging from indie darlings to AAA flops, as told by developers whom Schreier interviewed.

This guide organizes the themes and key ideas from the case studies in Blood, Sweat, and Pixels into four challenges that video game developers face: accounting for games’ interactivity, constantly evolving technology, the impossibility of making and adhering to a schedule during development, and interference from people outside of the development studio. Our commentary adds background information for readers less familiar with the gaming industry and further explores the human impact of industry practices.

If you’ve ever pushed a “pull” door or accidentally flipped the wrong light switch, you’ve experienced the impact of bad design. You may have blamed these mistakes on yourself, but in reality, the way we interact with the physical world is often driven by design. From smartphones to stovetops, faucets to fighter jets: Every object we encounter on a daily basis is designed. Good design streamlines our lives and makes everyday tasks easier. Bad design, on the other hand, causes frustration, errors, and even dangerous accidents.

In order to tell the difference, we need to understand how we perceive the objects all around us, and how our brains make sense of that information. Combining the principles of cognitive psychology and engineering makes all of us smarter consumers and helps designers create products that work with users, rather than against them.

From the first home computers to the smartphone revolution, Steve Jobs was a guiding force in the worldwide electronics industry. His innovations, his obsessions, and even his shortcomings impacted the way we use computers today. To understand Jobs’s life is to understand why the modern information landscape functions the way it does.

Walter Isaacson’s biography is considered to be the definitive work on Steve Jobs’s life. He was given full access to Jobs and those who knew him with no limitations on what he might uncover. The result is an intimate portrait of a man who was thoughtful and callous, insightful and blind, and whose passions left a mark on the world.

This guide gives an overview of Steve Jobs’s life, then explores the themes that emerge from Isaacson’s narrative—Jobs’s knack for innovation and his emphasis on design, coupled with a domineering personality and his will to reshape reality to his liking.