The Video Games Textbook 2nd Edition

Dr. Brian J. Wardyga utilized his extensive expertise in video games, coupled with more than 20 years in the media sector and over 20 years of experience in higher education, to produce The Video Games Textbook. His journey with video games began in the early 1980s, commencing with the Atari VCS. Since then, he has amassed video games for nearly every major system and lived through most of the events chronicled in this book. As an authority on a topic that represents both his passion and hobby, Brian crafted and designed this textbook with the intention of fostering student learning and being the ultimate handbook for all video game aficionados. The visually stimulating presentation of the book promotes learning and showcases vivid examples of each major platform, its controllers and peripherals, as well as instances of print advertisements, game graphics, and box art that were pertinent to each era of video games.

Brian embarked on his teaching career in 2002 at Boston College and has delivered communication and production courses at Curry College, Fisher College, Lasell College, and University of Massachusetts, Boston. Since 2004, he has held a full-time teaching position at Lasell College, where he commenced teaching courses on video games in 2009. His repertoire of courses encompasses Advanced Television Production, Communication Research (at a graduate level), Digital Audio Production, Digital Filmmaking, Digital Video Editing, Effective Speaking, Fundamentals of Communication, Interactive Broadband Television, Life Skills & Video Games, Media Literacy, Oral Communication, Public Speaking, Radio Production, Television Studio Production, Understanding Mass Media, Understanding Video Games, Video Games & Culture, Video Production (both at a graduate and undergraduate level), and Writing for the Media.

Brian possesses a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Liberty University, a Master of Science in Television from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Bridgewater State. His professional background includes stints at organizations such as Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture, Borders Books & Music, The Boyds Collection Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline, and Ty, Inc. He has dedicated over 10 years to serving as the advisor to LCTV – Lasell Community Television and the Lasell College Video Games Club (VGC). His career in the media industry spans over 20 years and encompasses roles such as the founding General Manager of the award-winning 102.9FM WLAS. His clubs have secured the Student Organization of the Year accolade on three occasions, and Brian has garnered distinctions such as the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts Award of Excellence, Intercollegiate Broadcasting System winner for Best Television Station Advisor, and the Tom Gibson Award for Outstanding Engineering.

In addition to WLAS, Brian spent a decade in the Boston media market as a Stage Manager and Computer Graphics Technician at WCVB-TV ABC5 for programs including Chronicle, City Line, Commitment 2000, The Evening News, Eye Opener News, Jerry Lewis Telethon, Noon News, Patriots Pregame Show, Patriots 5th Quarter, and the PGA Tour. Prior to WCVB, Brian served as an Associate Director for WLVI-TV WB56 for programs such as Keller At Large, New England Tales, Patriots GameZone Kickoff, The Sports Zone, and The Ten O’Clock News. Furthermore, he worked as a Postproduction Assistant at WGBH PBS2 on the Building Big documentary series.