history of video games

19
History of Video Games

Upload: ismet

Post on 24-Feb-2016

24 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

DESCRIPTION

History of Video Games. Spacewar !. Video Arcade Age: 1979 - 84. Dragon's Lair - 1983. Galaga - 1981. Star Wars - 1983. Paperboy - 1984. Zaxxon - 1982. The Rise of the Console . Atari 2600 – 1977 Intellivision - 1978 ColecoVision – 1982 PCs Commodore 64 – 1982 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TRANSCRIPT

Spacewar!

History of Video Games

A mixture of Genres and history, expects some familiarity with gaming history.

Interesting numbers to note:GTA IV - 2008$500 Million in the first week$100 Million production costDark Knight - 2008$500 Million in 2 Weeks$185 Million Production costHalo 3 2007$300 Million first week$45 million production Spiderman 3$240 Million First week$258 Million ProductionIndustry 17% growth from 2003-2006US Growth 4%2007 $6.6 Billion in console sales$910 Million in Computer games $2 Billion in portable game software38% of homes have a console65% of households play computer/video games

1Spacewar!

2(Arguable) the first computer game for the PDP-1 at MIT in 1961. Two ships attacking each other around a star with gravity, controlled with test switches. A simulation is at http://spacewar.oversigma.com/. Still a working version at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA.

Represented the possibility of computers for games and the idea that computers could also be entertainment devices. Most games were developed as personal projects on university mainframes.

There was a game called Tennis for two playable on an analog computer with an oscilloscope display in 1958.Video Arcade Age: 1979 - 84

Galaga - 1981

Star Wars - 1983

Dragon's Lair - 1983

Paperboy - 1984

Zaxxon - 19823Video arcade age introduces a lot of advancements in technology and gameplay:Galaga Color screens. Dragons Lair Laserdisk and live-action gameplay.Star wars Vector GraphicsZaxxon 3D gamesPaperboy Alternate interfaces

The arcade was eventually supplanted by the console due to cost and convenience, despite arcades having games with better graphics. Cost of the arcade machine with technology advances eventually required price hikes and diminished return (plus cost to maintain, and service). The nature of arcade play also restricted the types of games that could be played.

Arcades are still viable in Asia, along with gaming cafs. So most newer machines in American arcades are Asian hand-me downs.

Sidenote: Chuck-E Cheeze was started by the founder of Atari to give him some place to put his machines. The Rise of the Console Atari 2600 1977Intellivision - 1978ColecoVision 1982PCsCommodore 64 1982Apple IIe - 1983

4Introduction of affordable PCs generated a industry for games which lead to the early consoles. Though the graphics were behind the arcade games they still had significant impact of opening up gameplay options.

Atari 2600 was launched with several popular games like Combat and Pac-Man, and Atari became the catch-all for video game systems till the NES.

Intellivision and ColecoVision standardized the 8-bit console, providing multiple controller options and viable arcade ports (like Donkey Kong).

Affordable PCs allowed for higher end gaming and access to cottage industry of computer game makers. Console Wars8-bit Gaming Standard '83 - '88Exclusivity contractsPrice Drops make consoles affordable

5Solidified standard, access to larger game libraries and price wars made consoles more viable.

Final tally was:NES 1985 61.9 million units (includes Japan)Sega 1986 13 million units

NES courts third-party developers and tied them with exclusivity contracts for the NES and using lockout chips to prevent unauthorized cartridge production. Bundling games and a base of games from the Famicom in Japan (1983-84) helped grab market share after hard console years in 1983 (ET[had to by landfill space] and Pac-Man [More carts then consoles] fiasco).

Nintendo also started aggressive video game branding, i.e. Captain NConsole Wars Round. 216-bit Gaming Standard '88 to '95Sonic and Console BrandingGame Franchise CreationConsequences of the original console warsRemember TurboGrafx and NeoGeo?

6Round 2 16-bit standardNES 49.1 Million unitsGenesis 29 Million

Beginning of franchises such as Zelda, Mario, Sonic, etc. Along with console/character identification.

Aggressive branding:Nintendo = Family FriendlySega = Edgy, hip, violent

Market Domination by the time of second console made it extremely hard for new contenders to enter the market, even consoles with advanced capabilities like the NeoGeo. There was the beginnings of CD add-ons (Sega Man CD) and other peripherals, but never got off the ground. Waiting for the next big thing ...Sega CD 1991Atari Jaguar 1994Sega Saturn 1995ESRB Video Game ratings 1993

7There was some stagnation in the 90s waiting for the next console advance, there were some important abortive steps:Sega CD Introduction of the CD cartridge idea, to spendy and obscure.Atari Jaguar Failure pushed Atari out of home console market, Earliest 64-ish machine. Bad titles and bad engineering slowed growth, Playstation finished it off. Sold little more then half the initial inventory. Sega Saturn Dual core system (which no one knew how to use), hard to develop for, Playstation was cheaper. Started in Japan and the titles didnt go over very well in the west. ESRB - Industry group formed to head off Game content regulation (like with Movies). EC teletubbies stuff educationalEveryone Lego Star WarsEveryone 10+ - Lego Star Wars IITeen Soul Caliber 4, Mirrors EdgeMature Gears, HitmanAO GTA San Andreas (for a time), BonetownRP Pre-rating

Console and retailer agreements Keep AO games off consoles and shelves (like NC-17 in movies). Touch of death for games, a lot of editing to get out of this area. The Slaystation Overwhelming dominance of marketAdult demographic / Heavy Marketing Switch from cartridge to CDComputer-like graphics quality

8Playstation radically changes console landscape:Playstaion 130 Million UnitsN64 32.9 Million UnitsSaturn 9.5 Million

Heavy marketing and advertising push to break into market (Copied by Microsoft with the Xbox). Skews gaming age upward by focusing on adult titles and presenting it as just another home electronic. Originally designed as SNES add-on, falling out with Nintendo lead Sony to take tech solo.

Switch to CD standard:CD cost $.35Cartridge - $3.50

Computer/Arcade comparable if not superior. The 90s Computer Renaissance Creation of almost all the current genresDoom(FPS), SimCity(Simulation), Alone in the Dark(Survival Horror), Warcraft (RTS), Myst/Kings Quest (Adventure)Stand-alone 3D cards (True 3D Games - Quake)Online Multiplayer

Often overlooked, the 90s produced almost every major genre in use today and still dominates some due to interface (i.e. simulation and MMOG). Extensible hardware, excess processing and graphics power combined with no console manufacturers wanting a cut leads to creativity.

First True 3D games (not 3D for 2D Duke Nukem 3D/Doom)Online Multiplayer and simulation still dominates for MMOG Consoles cant handle scope or interface. 9Action - Twitch and TweekPlatformersFirst Person ShootersThird Person ShootersRacingFighting

Makes up the majority of console titles and has been the biggest technological motivator for better performance. Action encompasses games in which success is primarily based on skill and speed with the controller.

Platformers dominated the early consoles due mostly to processer restriction. Third and first person are a result of computer advances in the 90s. Racing and Fighting both have long pedegries going back to the arcades. 10AdventureYou are in a room

The traditional Text-based game Adventure set off the whole Kings/Space/Police quest series by Sierra. Myst popularized the genres with a larger audience and brought in a lot of new gamers. Fell off the map in the mid 90s as most games integrated more action-based elements and FPS took over the market.

Currently it has found a resurgence in episodic games like Sam & Max and Strong Bad . The introduction of action elements have lead to the Action-Adventure genre that uses both puzzle elements and action elements ala Hitman.

The Text-based adventure genre continues as Interactive Fiction, annual festival is held and there is a special language for writing the games easily

11CasinoZero Sum Games are Fun!

Popular due to ease of development and built in fan base. Though still of some questionable legality, online gambling is a big forum for these types of games, though stand alone games have been around since the beginning of computer games.

Question: Why cant we get online Madden gambling? Gaming for money like in Asia.

Legality of Internet Gambling?12Puzzle

Puzzle elements are integrated into almost all games but true puzzle games have moved online as Flash apps due to light weight (content not enough to justify full content title). Puzzle was also another popular brand with early consoles.

Current incarnations focus on the multiplayer aspects, such as Worms.

Puzzle quest interesting mix of puzzle and RPG. 13RPGs

Extension of original D & D games into the computer realm. From text -> top-down 2d -> turn based 3D -> real time, first person 3D. Basics of game mechanics have changed little.

RPG dominated by the fantasy realm but have brached out with Fallout and Mass Effect. 14SimulationsVehicleProcess

Vehicle Simulations come out of the work with flight simulators in the military. Simulators provided the best visual experiences in the early days, but with graphics card those interested more in gameplay turned elsewhere.

Process simulations are different from strategy games in that they involve less critical decision making and more activity. Will Wright is big in this genre for the Sims game (and to a lesser extent Spore), and the less competitive nature of them appeal to wider audiences than hard-core gamers.

Process are a popular gender neutral category.15Sports

Another big genre and unique for its yearly update schedule. A big motivator for the Playstation explosion as Madden became as acceptable as watching the game. Niche market make this a cash cow for licensed makers like EA.

Wii and analog control hold big promise for this genre. 16Strategy Turn basedReal Time (RTS)

The classic SimCity and Command & Conquer genre comes from 90s computer games and is split down the turn-based/real-time lines. RTS has become more standard but the Civilization series keeps turn based alive. The complexity and interfaces of these games favors the computer platform. 17MMOGs and PSWs

Massively Multiplayer Online Worlds such as WoW and Star Wars Galaxies represent the bulk of online computer gaming and a major market. The worlds are fueled by interaction and become a real-world economic and social force.

Persistent State Worlds like Second Life are like MMOGs but without specific focus on how users interact with the world. Like process simulations, this provides a broader audience and focuses on interaction. 18Social

The Wii has really taken hold of the social genre that emphasizes teamwork and in-person interaction. As games have become more acceptable, they are integrating into parties and gatherings, fueling a specific type of gaming experience. 19