Xbox Fan Book: Rock the Box (Ibook Fan Books) (Paperback)

by Mark Walker (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The video game industry has come a long way from those early Pac-Man and Centipede games at the arcade. Just one look at Microsoft's Xbox--the most powerful and popular gaming machine ever created--proves that. With cool 3-D graphics, mind-boggling animation, and devastatingly real audio, Xbox just blows the competition away. More than 15 million people worldwide own an Xbox system--and that number is growing at a rapid rate. The problem is, these gamers don't have a reliable, all-purpose reference book to help guide them in their quest for that video game triumph: the top score! Until now, that is. Enter the Xbox Fan Book from O'Reilly, a nifty, four-color guide for new Xbox gamers who want a quick and fun way to learn all the features and capabilities of Microsoft's popular game console so they can get down to the business of dominating the high scores list right away. Thanks to this one-of-a-kind book, Xbox users can learn how to make their favorite piece of hardware even more powerful and fun to use. With gamer extraordinaire Mark Holt Walker at the helm, the Xbox Fan Book takes you through the basics of using the console, enhancing the multimedia experience, and online play. It also covers must-have games like Halo 2, and accessories like the Xbox DVD Playback Kit. There's virtually nothing Xbox-related that isn't packed into this authoritative guide, and yet, it's accessible enough that you can sit down and read in one afternoon. Compact, colorful, and loaded with the stuff you need to master your game console, the Xbox Fan Book is the perfect accessory for Xbox gamers of any level.

About the Author
Gathering of Developers, a Texas-based computer and video game publishing company, was founded in January 1998 in response to the industry's need for a publisher who understands and respects independent game developers. Fueled by past publishing experiences and frustrations, several experienced, hit-making development companies bound together to form The Gathering, a relationship-based publisher that treats developers as professional entertainment artists. Now a subsidiary of Take Two Interactive, The Gathering remains committed to its priniciples of cultivating strong developer relations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.; 1 edition (November 17, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596008848
• ISBN-13: 978-0596008840
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,719,161 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good XBOX related stocking stuffer, December 14, 2004

By	Jack D. Herrington "engineer and author" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is a well written collection of XBOX hacks, tips, tricks and recommendation. There are game recommendations, pointers to hardware, and advice on how to hook it up and hack it. It's fairly current as of late 2004, but the information about the games will stale rapidly as 2005 starts up. There is some excellent information here on network setup and XBOX live.

This is a good additional gift for someone getting their first XBOX for the holidays.

4.0 out of 5 stars Should come packaged with each Xbox..., December 4, 2004

By	Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Since my son is an Xbox fan, I decide to review the new book Xbox Fan Book by Mark Holt Walker (O'Reilly). This book surprised me by being more than I expected...

Chapter List: Preface; Up and Running; Maximizing Your Xbox Experience; Networking the Xbox; Take It Online with Xbox Live; Xbox Accessories; Xbox Buyer's Guide: The Best Games Now and in the Future; The Future Is Bright; Index

This is a really small book, both in number of pages (104) and dimension (like 6 inches by 6 inches). Very colorful, with lots of photographs and screen shots of different games. I was expecting something that would appeal to total newbies to gaming and the Xbox, but surprisingly there's more to it than that. The Up and Running chapters are the typical "how do you hook it up" material, but the networking and Xbox Live chapters are very useful for any level of Xbox'er who hasn't taken that step. Not only does the author explain how to network your Xbox, but there's a pretty good troubleshooting section there also. He also references other websites and books that will take you much deeper into the internal workings of the console if you want to move in that direction. Couple all this with an irreverent wit and writing style, and this is actually fun to read as more than just an instructional manual.

So... If you're buying an Xbox (for yourself or someone else), spend the few extra dollars and pick up this book to go with it. It's the book that probably *should* have been packaged with the Xbox in the first place.