This important report, Global Trends 2030-Alternative Worlds, released in 2012 by the U.S. National Intelligence Council, describes megatrends and potential game changers for the next decades. Among the megatrends, it analyzes: - increased individual empowerment - the diffusion of power among states and the ascent of a networked multi-polar world - a world's population growing to 8.3 billion people, of which sixty percent will live in urbanized areas, and surging cross-border migration - expanding demand for food, water, and energy It furthermore describes potential game changers, including: - a global economy that could thrive or collapse - increased global insecurity due to regional instability in the Middle East and South Asia - new technologies that could solve the problems caused by the megatrends - the possibility, but by no means the certainty, that the U.S. with new partners will reinvent the international system Students of trends, forward-looking entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades will find this essential reading.

This book gathers selected research papers presented at the International Conference on Communication and Intelligent Systems (ICCIS 2019), organised by Swami Keshvanand Institute of Technology, Management & Gramothan (SKIT), Jaipur, India and Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, India on 9–10 November 2019. This book presents a collection of state-of-the-art research work involving cutting-edge technologies for communication and intelligent systems. Over the past few years, advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning have sparked new research efforts around the globe, which explore novel ways of developing intelligent systems and smart communication technologies. The book presents single- and multi-disciplinary research on these themes in order to make the latest results available in a single, readily accessible source.

The discipline of user experience (UX) design has matured into a confident practice and this edition reflects, and in some areas accelerates, that evolution. Technically this is the second edition of The UX Book, but so much of it is new, it is more like a sequel. One of the major positive trends in UX is the continued emphasis on design—a kind of design that highlights the designer's creative skills and insights and embodies a synthesis of technology with usability, usefulness, aesthetics, and meaningfulness to the user. In this edition a new conceptual top-down design framework is introduced to help readers with this evolution. This entire edition is oriented toward an agile UX lifecycle process, explained in the funnel model of agile UX, as a better match to the now de facto standard agile approach to software engineering. To reflect these trends, even the subtitle of the book is changed to "Agile UX design for a quality user experience. Designed as a how-to-do-it handbook and field guide for UX professionals and a textbook for aspiring students, the book is accompanied by in-class exercises and team projects. The approach is practical rather than formal or theoretical. The primary goal is still to imbue an understanding of what a good user experience is and how to achieve it. To better serve this, processes, methods, and techniques are introduced early to establish process-related concepts as context for discussion in later chapters. - Winner of a 2020 Textbook Excellence Award (College) (Texty) from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association - A comprehensive textbook for UX/HCI/Interaction Design students readymade for the classroom, complete with instructors' manual, dedicated web site, sample syllabus, examples, exercises, and lecture slides - Features HCI theory, process, practice, and a host of real world stories and contributions from industry luminaries to prepare students for working in the field - The only HCI textbook to cover agile methodology, design approaches, and a full, modern suite of classroom material (stemming from tried and tested classroom use by the authors)

The Must-Own Insider's Guide to the Gaming Sensation! Brawl Stars is one of the latest real-time multiplayer gaming phenomena to captivate players all over the world. Players team up in threes to navigate mazes, shoot at enemies, and collect colorful gem stones. In order to triumph, players must react quickly, aim precisely, and develop strategy to perform well in each three-minute match. To keep the game interesting, Brawl Stars offers several unique game play modes, each focusing on a different primary challenge. With the valuable tips in this illustrated, information-packed guide, gamers will be better equipped to: Develop strategies for success at each different level Master the various playing arenas (mazes) and snag more wins Take advantage of the unique features of each gameplay mode The Brawler’s Encyclopedia will introduce young readers to this exciting and challenging game. This full-color how-to guide includes hundreds of full-color screenshots showcasing some of the more collectible skins that can be unlocked or purchase and explaining all aspects of the game in a way that appeals to newbs and experienced gamers.

Playing the Past brings together a group of interdisciplinary scholars to examine the complementary notions of history and nostalgia as they are expressed through video games and in gaming culture. The scope of these related concepts moves from the personal to the cultural, and essays in this collection address video game nostalgia as both an individual and societal phenomenon, connecting the fond memories many of us have of classic gaming to contemporary representations of historical periods and events in video games. From Ms. Pac-Man and Space Invaders to Call of Duty and JFK: Reloaded, the games many of us have played since childhood inform how we see the world today, and the games we make and play today help us communicate ideas about real world history. By focusing on specific games, historical periods and media ecologies, these essays collectively take an in depth look at the related topics of nostalgia for classic gaming, gaming and histories of other media, and representations of real history in video games.

"This text is intended for a one-semester introductory course."--Page 1.