I need help with my term paper!!!

[Fighter17]

I have to go a term paper, and I want to do it on shmups, but the problem is this: For the sources, you need to have 5 computer ones, and 5 books ones. I don't know any books that have shmups on it, help me please!!!???

[Dewclaw]

Yikes..good luck with that. You'll have a hard time finding any actual published books for it, but look up Game Over and Joystick Nation, they may have the info you want.

[alpha5099]

What class could you possibly write a term paper about shmups for? I've long harbored desires to research shmups, a comprehensive history of the genre, its significance to the industry, what not.

Perhaps you should ask your professor/teacher about this. As Dewclaw says, books on the subject are probably non-existent. Maybe something in Japanese. Your professor/teacher might have better suggestions for how to go about researching the paper, better than what a bunch of strangers online could suggest. Or he/she might be able to talk you out of this fool's errand you've set up for yourself.

Good luck man, and be sure to post your paper if/when you've written it.

[Fighter17]

I'm gonig to write on 2D gaming, any books?

[iatneH]

I'd be interested in doing an experiment of tracing eye movements while playing shooting games.... along with brain activity and all that more obvious stuff...

But yeah... the first thing that came to my mind is you should probably come up with a different topic. If there were any academic literature on this subject, I bet a lot of us here would have read it already...

[dczx]

I just checked out "Game Hacks" from the library. It's an O'Reilly type book with a ram I think on the front. It has a section on shmups, at least on beating them.

I have to go a term paper, and I want to do it on shmups, but the problem is this: For the sources, you need to have 5 computer ones, and 5 books ones. I don't know any books that have shmups on it, help me please!!!???

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

If it's for a college course, change topic ASAP. Otherwise (HS, Junior high?), it doesn't matter.

[postman]

I just checked out "Game Hacks" from the library. It's an O'Reilly type book with a ram I think on the front. It has a section on shmups, at least on beating them.

That was me who wrote the shmups section in Gaming Hacks, BTW. If you quote me in your paper, that would make me an "official" on the topic and I'd be your best friend!

Another book I can recommend is called "Video Game Nation". I can't remember the authors name, but it was a woman, and a good read too......not shmup specific but video gaming in general.

You can always use unconventional sources too, like an encyclopedia or dictionary. I would always fall back on stuff like that just to fill requirements of "x amount of book sources..."

[dczx]

Wow! You wrote that section! cool! Way to go. Write some more stuff!

I just checked out "Game Hacks" from the library. It's an O'Reilly type book with a ram I think on the front. It has a section on shmups, at least on beating them.

That was me who wrote the shmups section in Gaming Hacks, BTW. If you quote me in your paper, that would make me an "official" on the topic and I'd be your best friend!

Another book I can recommend is called "Video Game Nation". I can't remember the authors name, but it was a woman, and a good read too......not shmup specific but video gaming in general.

You can always use unconventional sources too, like an encyclopedia or dictionary. I would always fall back on stuff like that just to fill requirements of "x amount of book sources..."

[Diabollokus]

Congrats Postman.

I'm thinking of writting my life story someday, I'll devote a chapter to Shmups if I ever get around to it.

[Sly Cherry Chunks]

and 5 books ones.

Would instruction manuals count?

[system11]

Back issues of magazines from all those years ago. Source a copy of ZZap 64 where they actually use the term for example.

[mirkvid]

you can at least hunt down "high score: the illustrated history of videogames" and "the ultamate history of videogames" for some info on older shmups (galaga, galaxian, space invaders. etc)
plus, both of these books are great reads for any game fan.
linkies:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... 91-4345451

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... ce&s=books

[IlMrm]

and 5 books ones.

Would instruction manuals count?

[dpful]

and 5 books ones.

Would instruction manuals count?

Make the paper about the psychology of shmups and the manuals will work fine

[5parrowhawk]

Raph Koster's book

[url]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... glance/url]

has a quick overview of the evolution of the shmup.

I can't say I agree with everything he says, but it's OK for a reference, and fun to read. Pinch of salt advised.

[Fighter17]

thanks guys, keep the books comming. Also other books or things will be good as well.

[professor ganson]

I assume this is for a college course? As a professor, my guess is that your professor won't mind if at least one of your resources is a journal/magazine rather than a book. There is one article I'd recommend: "GMR's really useful guide to shooters: from A to Zaxxon", GMR issue 05. I assume it's written by James Mielke, but he doesn't take credit for it. At one point he writes, "sorry, but you won't catch us using the word "shmups"."
I nearly memorized this article because it was one of the very few sources about shmups I had before I found this site.

[Fighter17]

I'm in high school, sorry I should said this sooner.

[nullpointer]

trigger happy - steven poole
difficult questions about videogames - public beta
Arcade Fever: The Fan's Guide to the Golden Age of Video Games - John Sellers
http://www.odessadesign.co.uk/codespace/shmup.htm my essay

hope this helps.. i got more but im not at home right now.
the first 2 books are fairly theoretical and deal with videogames in general. the arcade one is fun (im sure thers loads more of this sort of book) and the last is a talk i have given before based around shmups