Virtual Cities

Virtual cities are places of often-fractured geographies, impossible physics, outrageous assumptions and almost untamed imaginations given digital structure. This book, the first atlas of its kind, aims to explore, map, study and celebrate them. To imagine what they would be like in reality. To paint a lasting picture of their domes, arches and walls. From metropolitan sci-fi open worlds and medieval fantasy towns to contemporary cities and glimpses of gothic horror, author and urban planner Konstantinos Dimopoulos and visual artist Maria Kallikaki have brought to life over forty game cities. Together, they document the deep and exhilarating history of iconic gaming landscapes through richly illustrated commentary and analysis. Virtual Cities transports us into these imaginary worlds, through cities that span over four decades of digital history across literary and gaming genres. Travel to fantasy cities like World of Warcraft’s Orgrimmar and Grim Fandango’s Rubacava; envision what could be in the familiar cities of Assassin’s Creed’s London and Gabriel Knight’s New Orleans; and steal a glimpse of cities of the future, in Final Fantasy VII’s Midgar and Half-Life 2’s City 17. Within, there are many more worlds to discover – each formed in the deepest corners of the imagination, their immense beauty and complexity astounding for artists, game designers, world builders and, above all, anyone who plays and cares about video games.

The book " REAL CITIES- VIRTUAL CITIES - How to build the real world environmentally and financially sustainable based on the New Telematic City - NTC" shows how, using tools currently known and popular, you can set that world ecologically and financially sustainable, which many hope. Expression of this new mode is the NTC - New Telematic City, not just an acronym, but a business, technological, social opportunity to detail and to achieve. The book first discusses the so-called "pillars" upon which the NTC is based: 1. 1. The first one is the ICT, namely information and communication technologies. 2. 2. The second one is the set of rules and regulations of the European Union, to ensure security and development within Europe. 3. 3. The third one consists of the oriental arts like yoga and martial arts, secular heritage of the East, capable of ensuring the personal development of each individual. It is then shown how, using the pillars with the help of innovative concepts never before assumed, it is possible to redesign the organization of society in the manner proposed by the author.

"This book covers a multitude of newly developed hardware and software technology advancements in urban and spatial planning and architecture, drawing on the most current research and studies of field practitioners who offer solutions and recommendations for further growth, specifically in urban and spatial developments"--

Immerse yourself in 45 spectacularly imagined virtual cities, from Arkham City to Whiterun, in this beautifully illustrated unofficial guide. Spanning decades of digital history, this is the ultimate travel guide and atlas of the gamer imagination. Dimopoulos invites readers to share his vision of dozens of different gaming franchises like never before: discover Dimopoulos’s Half-Life 2’s City 17, Yakuza 0’s Kamurocho, Fallout’s New Vegas, Super Mario Odyssey’s New Donk City, and many more. Each chapter of this virtual travel guide consists of deep dives into the history and lore of these cities from an in-universe perspective. Illustrated with original color ink drawings and—of course—gorgeous and detailed maps, readers can explore the nostalgic games of their youth as well as modern hits. Sidebars based on the author’s research tell behind-the-scenes anecdotes and reveal the real-world stories that inspired these iconic virtual settings. With a combination of stylish original maps, illustrations, and insightful commentary and analysis, this is a must-have for video game devotees, world-building fans, and game design experts.

The Virtual Workplace explores the forces that are driving the virtual workplace and the consequential issues and problems that will influence it: social issues, legal concerns and performance compensations.

How does virtuality affect reality? Fourteen experts consider this question from the perspective of law, architecture, rhetoric, philosophy, and art. Nearly all of the contributors have been online since before Netscape and a graphical World Wide Web; thus they have a thorough understanding of the cultural shifts the Internet has produced and been affected by, and they have a keen appreciation for the potential of the medium. Most scholarship on cyberculture has repeatedly emphasized that our offline selves determine how we are able to use technology, that real life affects what we do online. This volume is an attempt to reverse that discussion, to demonstrate that how we live online affects our lives offline as well. A virtual public is not an unreal one.