I have read many books and played many more games, the most memorable characters for me are the characters I could relate to. A good character is one that has a very detailed background and one who goes through so many emotions and experiences that the player can feel emotions for. For some characters that are going through hardships, you feel sorrow, whereas difficult enemy characters can stir hate in your soul.
•The character’s natural activities, as part of his or her job.
•The challenges that these sorts of actions suggest.
•The character’s primary emotional attitude, and how that is displayed visually and in language.
•The character’s visual appearance and movement animations, both voluntary and involuntary.
•Attributes and powerups that might affect the character’s abilities, and how they grow.
•The character’s natural environment and enemies that may be found there.
Game designers use the list above when creating a character in order to create emotional bonds between the character and the player. Game designers must ensure that they know their character intimately so that no detail is lost from the characters lifestyle.
Although a lot depends on the aesthetic appeal of a character, a lot more of the revealing the characters personal life depends on the script. A good script allows the player to discover more about character through gradual progression of the game. A good script also makes the character go through key points in their story that makes them feel emotions and this in turn makes the player feel emotions towards this character. Sorrow when something bad happens to them, joy for them when something good happens to them etc.
Personally I love a good RPG game that gives you a background story but allows you to play out the story of the character yourself. For instance, one of my favourite games is Fable for the Xbox. This is because you start off as a boy in a village, but then your family gets killed. Then throughout the game you make choices which decide the personality of your character. I find this amazing as you can play the game over and over making new choices and ending up with a character with a whole new personality. What makes this so great is that your personality around you so that if you’re evil, people will fear you’re whereas if you’re a good guy they practically worship you. Its having the power give your character its own story created by you that makes a game fun for me.
Tuesday 8 December 2009
Monday 7 December 2009
Ergonomics
Out of the many consoles I have played I found that the Sega master system probably had the easiest controllers to get a hang of. It was so simple even for me when I was like 4/5 years old. A simple two button control system with a d pad was just so easy to work. Whereas nowadays the average console has around 8 eight buttons, a d pad and 2 analog sticks. No wonder everyone’s mother struggles at the very thought of playing on a console nowadays. Whereas I imagine it would have been a lot easier for an inexperienced gamer to work out the controls of the earlier consoles.
Out of all the platforms released today, I find the Wii to be the most aesthetically appealing. It looks almost futuristic with its blue might and its sleek design. It also looks perfect next to almost any TV.
I think that the future of interaction with consoles will be based on emotions and movement. I believe that in the not too distant future with the ever increasing understanding of the brain, Console Company designers will discover a way of controlling games with our thoughts. I also believe that consoles will be based around our senses so that not only can we see and hear the world inside the computer game, but we will be able to smell and taste it. The way of the controller and joystick is on the extinction path already with Sony inventing the Eye Toy and Microsoft releasing project Natal the human being is the controller of the future.
Out of all the platforms released today, I find the Wii to be the most aesthetically appealing. It looks almost futuristic with its blue might and its sleek design. It also looks perfect next to almost any TV.
I think that the future of interaction with consoles will be based on emotions and movement. I believe that in the not too distant future with the ever increasing understanding of the brain, Console Company designers will discover a way of controlling games with our thoughts. I also believe that consoles will be based around our senses so that not only can we see and hear the world inside the computer game, but we will be able to smell and taste it. The way of the controller and joystick is on the extinction path already with Sony inventing the Eye Toy and Microsoft releasing project Natal the human being is the controller of the future.
Thursday 3 December 2009
Story writing
I find that most games that progress through levels in a game often need a strong storyline in order to grasp the gamers attention and to stop them putting down the controller through boredom. The main reason I buy games is for the story, of course i enjoy the graphics and the game play but for me the best part about playing a game is the way i can step into someone else’s shoes through a story.
I definitely feel that a storyline makes for a better game, as i find that the story is the reason the player wants to progress, to find out what happens in the end. I find that the human race a species love stories, we grow up with them, it’s a good story that can bring out emotions in us and keep us hooked.
However, it is true how some games have no stories, but it usually these games that require interaction with other people, in games such as second life. However, are the actions on second life creating the players own story?
I feel that as a player of a game the story does happen to you but the way the game and story plays out makes you feel like you’re making the story happen.
I definitely feel that a storyline makes for a better game, as i find that the story is the reason the player wants to progress, to find out what happens in the end. I find that the human race a species love stories, we grow up with them, it’s a good story that can bring out emotions in us and keep us hooked.
However, it is true how some games have no stories, but it usually these games that require interaction with other people, in games such as second life. However, are the actions on second life creating the players own story?
I feel that as a player of a game the story does happen to you but the way the game and story plays out makes you feel like you’re making the story happen.
Wednesday 2 December 2009
Art Director
The art director oversees the whole design process of the game to make sure that the game designers are creating manageable goals for themselves. The art director unifies the vision and goal that they want their team to work towards. The art director is the one person who has a fixed knowledge of what the overall finish of the game is going to look like. To ensure that their team sticks to the theme set the art director makes decisions that affect the visual appeal, contrast features, psychological appeal and anything else that creates an appeal to the target audience within the game.
The art director works closely with the art manager to ensure that the project schedule is met and that all artistic goals are manageable. The art director must give constructive feedback to their team so that there is visual consistency across all assets. They also help with all problem solving. So in short the art director is a lieutenant in charge of a small band of soldiers and it is their job to keep their teaming working to the best standard as well as keeping schedule ensuring the team work together to produce the best and most relevant stuff they can for the project.
The art director needs to be as creative as their team so that they themselves can see what needs to be produced to make the game aesthetically appealing. They also need to have a sense of leadership as well as teamwork; this would be greatly improved with social skills. This is so that they can connect well with their team to create a harmonious but productive environment to get the best out of the game designers.
The art director works closely with the art manager to ensure that the project schedule is met and that all artistic goals are manageable. The art director must give constructive feedback to their team so that there is visual consistency across all assets. They also help with all problem solving. So in short the art director is a lieutenant in charge of a small band of soldiers and it is their job to keep their teaming working to the best standard as well as keeping schedule ensuring the team work together to produce the best and most relevant stuff they can for the project.
The art director needs to be as creative as their team so that they themselves can see what needs to be produced to make the game aesthetically appealing. They also need to have a sense of leadership as well as teamwork; this would be greatly improved with social skills. This is so that they can connect well with their team to create a harmonious but productive environment to get the best out of the game designers.
Below
Ooooooooo....scary. Do ghosts not kill for the simple pleasure of killing anymore? Why is there always some cliché back plot that just dilutes the tension? The best thing about the film was the portrayal of madness spreading through the crew. I found that the whole explosion thing seemed just like a shortcut way to kill so many characters instead of actually making it a little more interesting such as a desperate escape from the sub that goes wrong, something a little more visually grasping. Worst thing...... The way over the top smg scene of the guy running slow mo over the sub marine, a little too much as the main build up of the suicide is over and that just tries too hard to drag out the action. As a game designer I would like to see how I could create the sense of psychological disorder within a game to help build up tension.
I give below 7/10.
I give below 7/10.
Tuesday 1 December 2009
Game Design
Game design is generally the overall experience of playing a game excluding factors such as movement and challenges. It is the common was to describe and review how ‘good’ a game is.
Game design is a process that must be done throughout the making of the game. It must be there at the start of creation so that the idea and intent of the designer can be produced and worked on. From this the design must be researched and designed with the main intent in mind. The designer must ensure that they have a clear idea in their head and what they aim to bring to the consumer. This is one of the most important stages in game development. But as development continues the designer must work and rework the designs to create the set pieces and characters that bring forth and show the idea and theme they are aiming for. Even when the game is in its final stages the game designer must continuously rework the design to add and remove and improve the games look and feel.
As this is a lot of work for one person many companies will have a team of game designers who will work on an idea together.However, it is not unheard of for a singer game designer to work alone to ensure that the idea does not get diluted in any way. The teams will usually work on a subject or a genre that they are all interested in. This allows the team to work as one and all see the way the game design is working towards. This also allows the company to have different teams developing different games at a single time that are completely different genres. This is because genres of games have different principles in terms of design. This is because many genres concentrate on the way the game is played in an otherworldly environment changes, whereas other game rely on history and current world events to guide the development process. The designers must also decide how the genre of game they are designing for can satisfy the consumer and how they can incorporate that into a game. A racing game for instance makes the gamer feel good when there is a lot of speed and crashes in the game, whereas fps games rely on getting the perfect kill and the thrill of mayhem.
I personally look for a game to bring out emotions in me like fear, sadness and joy by using the storyline. A game that can make you feel as if you are part of the game and it is you and not the character that is doing everything in the game.
Game design is a process that must be done throughout the making of the game. It must be there at the start of creation so that the idea and intent of the designer can be produced and worked on. From this the design must be researched and designed with the main intent in mind. The designer must ensure that they have a clear idea in their head and what they aim to bring to the consumer. This is one of the most important stages in game development. But as development continues the designer must work and rework the designs to create the set pieces and characters that bring forth and show the idea and theme they are aiming for. Even when the game is in its final stages the game designer must continuously rework the design to add and remove and improve the games look and feel.
As this is a lot of work for one person many companies will have a team of game designers who will work on an idea together.However, it is not unheard of for a singer game designer to work alone to ensure that the idea does not get diluted in any way. The teams will usually work on a subject or a genre that they are all interested in. This allows the team to work as one and all see the way the game design is working towards. This also allows the company to have different teams developing different games at a single time that are completely different genres. This is because genres of games have different principles in terms of design. This is because many genres concentrate on the way the game is played in an otherworldly environment changes, whereas other game rely on history and current world events to guide the development process. The designers must also decide how the genre of game they are designing for can satisfy the consumer and how they can incorporate that into a game. A racing game for instance makes the gamer feel good when there is a lot of speed and crashes in the game, whereas fps games rely on getting the perfect kill and the thrill of mayhem.
I personally look for a game to bring out emotions in me like fear, sadness and joy by using the storyline. A game that can make you feel as if you are part of the game and it is you and not the character that is doing everything in the game.
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Black Hawk Down
Before it broke, i found the film visually stunning the way they portrayed modern warfare from all views of the battlefield. The acting in the film was top notch as it combined the comedy of the banter between the soldiers with the seriousness of death in the field. The director used the locations way to show how wars are fought in enclosed areas and the troubles soldiers face. This combined with the views from helicopters and the view from the command centre allowed the viewer to see all the different things that were occuring around the city. The visual effects including the explosions and the graphic scenes of dying men really made me feel close to the action and allowed me to feel what the soldiers were feeling when they saw their dying comrades. all together 8/10
German Impressionism
Expressionism was a form of art that rejected earlier artforms and searched to display the deeper meanings in the subjects they painted rather than focusing on the external appearance.
Under Nazi ragime expressionism was regarded as decadent and in 1937 it was outlawed. Thousands of artworks were seized and many of the artists that tried to save their work were persucted with imprisonment and/or death.
The artworks that were saved now form the german expressionism exhibit that is shown around many museums around the world. They consist of many variaties of artwork from simple monotonal prints to large scale paintings of soldiers of the World Wars.
Under Nazi ragime expressionism was regarded as decadent and in 1937 it was outlawed. Thousands of artworks were seized and many of the artists that tried to save their work were persucted with imprisonment and/or death.
The artworks that were saved now form the german expressionism exhibit that is shown around many museums around the world. They consist of many variaties of artwork from simple monotonal prints to large scale paintings of soldiers of the World Wars.
Friday 13 November 2009
Blitz
The presentation showed gave me inspiration and bulked my confidence a little. Especially with the....Pink Fox thingy...(shudder). It has shown me however, that I am definitely not at a high enough level to be a professional game artist just yet. I found that his way of taking a photo of every detail of the world around him was a very effective way to get reference for his projects. As a result i have started to do this a lot more than just when doing projects. It also made me feel a lot better about the industry as he described the way they set mini fun projects for them just to exercise their imaginations and design muscles. From the presentation I have taken the inspiration to take photos of EVERYTHING and also to research more deeply into the subject I am designing for. This will allow me to gather as much reference as possible and basically emerge myself into the chosen subject. However, i neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddd to start doing as much work as possible to improve my drawing and get an idea of the workloads i am going to be facing if and when i enter the industry.
Thursday 5 November 2009
Writing about games
Game reviewers who give an objective report of a game are under constant pressure from the readers as well as the creators of the games. The readers of the magazines that publish these reviews want an accurate layout of the game that shows the pro’s and con’s of the game as well as giving a well argued opinion. The creators of the games need good reviews of the games they make in order to get readers to buy the game. This puts the reviewer under pressure from both the readers and the creators to give an accurate review of the game. This pressure is increased due to the fact that the reviewer had very little time to do any research on the game or get a real good account of playing the game before the review has to be published. This is because a modern day magazine is put together in 19 working days so the reviewer has barely any time to get their review done before they have to start on the next one. And there is no way of cutting corners or extending their deadline as it is the companies they work for that pay their wages and if they can’t get the job done in the time the company will fire the reviewer and find someone who can.
However, I feel that the objective way of reviewing games gives the gamer a more fixed rating of the game than NGJ. I feel that the reviews given in magazines are very opinion based, but the people who play and review have obviously played many games in their time and reviewed many games so that makes their opinion a little more relevant than a normal reader. I feel that this is the case due to it being their job instead of their hobby and so it is their job to know what makes a great game. I also feel that the objective way of reviewing games is a little more straight to the point and the way magazine reviews are put together i believe provides the reader with more information on the game.
NGJ is a load of rubbish in my opinion and the way it is written seems unproffesional and does not give a good account or review about the game. I much prefer reading an objective report in a magazine as it gives me a better quality of report and tells me what i want to know about the game.
However, I feel that the objective way of reviewing games gives the gamer a more fixed rating of the game than NGJ. I feel that the reviews given in magazines are very opinion based, but the people who play and review have obviously played many games in their time and reviewed many games so that makes their opinion a little more relevant than a normal reader. I feel that this is the case due to it being their job instead of their hobby and so it is their job to know what makes a great game. I also feel that the objective way of reviewing games is a little more straight to the point and the way magazine reviews are put together i believe provides the reader with more information on the game.
NGJ is a load of rubbish in my opinion and the way it is written seems unproffesional and does not give a good account or review about the game. I much prefer reading an objective report in a magazine as it gives me a better quality of report and tells me what i want to know about the game.
Thursday 22 October 2009
My Computer game future
In the future I hope computer technology becomes so advanced that i am able to link my biology with the console itself. I’d like it to be in such a way that i feel pain when my character does and that when i look around the character looks the direction i am looking so that i am almost infused into a 3D world where i can look around 360 degrees. With the increase of understanding of the brain and the increasing abilities of computer gaming i am hoping that the advancement in technology will make this possible.
I’d like to play fantasy games where i could wonder around a world and i could see, smell, hear, taste and feel what it would be like to be there. A game where my senses and abilities are enhanced in the game although i have to make the movements to make the interactions occur.
I’d like to play fantasy games where i could wonder around a world and i could see, smell, hear, taste and feel what it would be like to be there. A game where my senses and abilities are enhanced in the game although i have to make the movements to make the interactions occur.
A History of Computer Games- 2000’s and the future
Contemporary computer games have risen exponentially in cost and time to make. Income from games has increased, however this is due to the amount of games available on the market rather than the income from a single game title.
Games are now mainly funded by publishers who desire a large return on the sales of the games. However, due to this most publishers dismiss many new game ideas in favour of sequels and licensed properties from movies/ comics and TV shows.
The 2000’s saw another major increase in the popularity of computer consoles and PC’s. The 200’s saw the console industry taken over by the 3 major competing companies on today’s console market; Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. With the release of the ‘Next Generation console’; the PS3, Xbox 360 and the Wii came a new marker set in graphics and gameplay quality. The Wii especially, gives the player a more interactive way of playing a game. Nintendo and Sony seem to be the innovators in creating new ways of playing, whereas Microsoft concentrates more on the release of a variety of games rather than the way to play them.
Because of this competition game developers are always seeking to invent the next new way of making and playing games, and this is increasing difficult as publishers decide to mainly fund projects that they know they’ll make a profit on. Because when a new idea is created there is always a risk that it will fail on the market.
Bibliography
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/hardware/crossplatform.ars/2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_games
Games are now mainly funded by publishers who desire a large return on the sales of the games. However, due to this most publishers dismiss many new game ideas in favour of sequels and licensed properties from movies/ comics and TV shows.
The 2000’s saw another major increase in the popularity of computer consoles and PC’s. The 200’s saw the console industry taken over by the 3 major competing companies on today’s console market; Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. With the release of the ‘Next Generation console’; the PS3, Xbox 360 and the Wii came a new marker set in graphics and gameplay quality. The Wii especially, gives the player a more interactive way of playing a game. Nintendo and Sony seem to be the innovators in creating new ways of playing, whereas Microsoft concentrates more on the release of a variety of games rather than the way to play them.
Because of this competition game developers are always seeking to invent the next new way of making and playing games, and this is increasing difficult as publishers decide to mainly fund projects that they know they’ll make a profit on. Because when a new idea is created there is always a risk that it will fail on the market.
Bibliography
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/hardware/crossplatform.ars/2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_games
Thursday 15 October 2009
Computer Game History Part 2 1980's- 1990's
In the 1980’s personal computers were becoming a more common sight in the homes of the general public in developed countries. Businesses started to become more dependent on computer systems and jobs were becoming available that required a knowledge of using a computer.
With the increase in popularity computer games and consoles and the publishing costs so low, more and more computer games were being developed. Although large proportions were based on existing games, new games were being developed. It was at this time that computer games began to fit into different genres including; Adventure games, Beat ‘em up, Interactive movie, Maze games, Platform games, Platform- adventure games, Racing games, Role playing games, Rhythm games, Scrolling shooters, Stealth games, Survival horror and Vehicle simulation games.
The 1980’s continued to revolutionize computers through the creation of newer and more advanced consoles. The Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum found instant success and quickly became the most popular consoles in the UK and Europe.
This second generation of computer gaming came to an end in 1983 when there was a ‘crash’ in the industry. Many companies were made bankrupt due to huge losses. The ‘crash’ is suspected to have been caused due to the production of poorly designed video games.
In 1985 the video game industry was revived with the arrival of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and so the third age of computer gaming begun. The NES was an instant success and dominated the North American and Japanese markets. It was at this time that the Sega Master System (yay!) became a huge success across Europe, Australia and Brazil. 1986- 1989 saw the release of some of the most successful gaming series today, make their debut. These included Zelda, Final Fantasy and Metal Gear.
The 1990’s saw the rapid increase in home consoles as the fourth and fifth generations of consoles were released. Consoles became more popular due to the transition from pixels to 3D graphics. Games came in the form of CD ROM’s instead of cartridges. Major success came to Sega’s Megadrive, Nintendo’s N64 and Sony’s newly created Playstation. Video gaming success was increased with the creation of handheld consoles and the ability to play games on a mobile phone.
This did however have a devastating effect on arcades as less and less people went to arcades to play games now they had access to a console at home.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Revolution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_games
http://www.computerhope.com/history/198090.htm
With the increase in popularity computer games and consoles and the publishing costs so low, more and more computer games were being developed. Although large proportions were based on existing games, new games were being developed. It was at this time that computer games began to fit into different genres including; Adventure games, Beat ‘em up, Interactive movie, Maze games, Platform games, Platform- adventure games, Racing games, Role playing games, Rhythm games, Scrolling shooters, Stealth games, Survival horror and Vehicle simulation games.
The 1980’s continued to revolutionize computers through the creation of newer and more advanced consoles. The Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum found instant success and quickly became the most popular consoles in the UK and Europe.
This second generation of computer gaming came to an end in 1983 when there was a ‘crash’ in the industry. Many companies were made bankrupt due to huge losses. The ‘crash’ is suspected to have been caused due to the production of poorly designed video games.
In 1985 the video game industry was revived with the arrival of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and so the third age of computer gaming begun. The NES was an instant success and dominated the North American and Japanese markets. It was at this time that the Sega Master System (yay!) became a huge success across Europe, Australia and Brazil. 1986- 1989 saw the release of some of the most successful gaming series today, make their debut. These included Zelda, Final Fantasy and Metal Gear.
The 1990’s saw the rapid increase in home consoles as the fourth and fifth generations of consoles were released. Consoles became more popular due to the transition from pixels to 3D graphics. Games came in the form of CD ROM’s instead of cartridges. Major success came to Sega’s Megadrive, Nintendo’s N64 and Sony’s newly created Playstation. Video gaming success was increased with the creation of handheld consoles and the ability to play games on a mobile phone.
This did however have a devastating effect on arcades as less and less people went to arcades to play games now they had access to a console at home.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Revolution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_games
http://www.computerhope.com/history/198090.htm
Thursday 8 October 2009
Computer Games History Part 1
A Review of the early history of computer games
The ultimate beginning of computer games happened in 1947. It was in 1947, that the Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device was filed for patent. The device was used in missile defence systems using eight vacuum tubes to simulate a missile being fired. The missile speed and curve were controlled using a series of knobs. However, this was not designed for entertainment purposes only. 1952 saw A.S. Douglas create a graphic Tic-Tac-Toe game to illustrate his thesis on Human-Computer interaction. Tennis for Two was the next computer based game to be created in 1958. This was played using an oscilloscope. It allowed two players to compete against each other using hand controls.
For many, the game ‘Spacewar!’ is considered the very first video game. However, as it did not use a video display it cannot be counted as the first video game. It was created in 1962 and consists of two players controlling a spaceship each and trying to destroy each other before their opponent.
So it is believed that the very first video game is indeed ‘Chase’ as it was played on a television set. Created in 1967 by Ralph Baer, the game consisted of two squares chasing each other. Baer came up with the concept of playing a computer game on a Television set in 1966; he had the idea of having an alternative and interactive use for the television in millions of homes.
In the 1970’s video games began to become more popular as arcade versions of games were created for the general public to play worldwide. The first game to have major success was ‘Pong’ created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney in 1972. ‘Pong’ was a simple table tennis game, but it a global phenomenon that led to successors including ‘Space Raiders’ and ‘Asteroids’ becoming available as arcade games. This popularity was increased as the first consoles were being created around this time. Ralph Baer and his associates created the very first console in 1972; it was called the ‘Magnavox Odyssey’. This allowed the people to play video games on a console for the first time ever. Throughout the 1970’s more games and consoles were created with added improvements to each one as they were released.
After researching the history of video games, it seems to me that the creation of video games was almost by accident. The birth of the video game came out of the need to display the way a missile defence system could work and as a result one of the most popular form of modern entertainment was born.
My Computer Game History
My history of playing computer games started with ‘Alex the Kid in Miracle World’ for the Sega Master system. I regard it still as one of the most legendary games ever as it just gave me so many hours of fun as a kid. And if anyone can suggest a more random way to beat a boss than rock, paper, scissors, I’ll be keen to hear how. From then on I have never been without a computer console. The games always presented a challenge and could always infuse emotions in me. I was always interested and amazed through each generation by the quality of the graphics. Even now I still admire the graphics and quality in computer games. The most memorable games in my history include Sonic the Hedgehog (mega drive), Crash Bandicoot (Playstation 1), Grand Theft Auto(PC), Jade Cocoon(Playstation 1), The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers(Game Cube), Halo 1 & 2(Xbox), Ninja Gaiden(Xbox), Guitar Hero 2(Xbox 360) and Assassin’s Creed(Xbox 360). The most recent game I have played to date is Bioshock for the Xbox 360. I am enjoying the game so far as I find it incredible how games are able to infuse fear and suspense into the player.
Bibliography
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blcomputer_videogames.htm
http://www.jesperjuul.net/thesis/2-historyofthecomputergame.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_computer_and_video_games
http://www.designboom.com/eng/education/pong.html
http://www.pong-story.com/
The ultimate beginning of computer games happened in 1947. It was in 1947, that the Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device was filed for patent. The device was used in missile defence systems using eight vacuum tubes to simulate a missile being fired. The missile speed and curve were controlled using a series of knobs. However, this was not designed for entertainment purposes only. 1952 saw A.S. Douglas create a graphic Tic-Tac-Toe game to illustrate his thesis on Human-Computer interaction. Tennis for Two was the next computer based game to be created in 1958. This was played using an oscilloscope. It allowed two players to compete against each other using hand controls.
For many, the game ‘Spacewar!’ is considered the very first video game. However, as it did not use a video display it cannot be counted as the first video game. It was created in 1962 and consists of two players controlling a spaceship each and trying to destroy each other before their opponent.
So it is believed that the very first video game is indeed ‘Chase’ as it was played on a television set. Created in 1967 by Ralph Baer, the game consisted of two squares chasing each other. Baer came up with the concept of playing a computer game on a Television set in 1966; he had the idea of having an alternative and interactive use for the television in millions of homes.
In the 1970’s video games began to become more popular as arcade versions of games were created for the general public to play worldwide. The first game to have major success was ‘Pong’ created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney in 1972. ‘Pong’ was a simple table tennis game, but it a global phenomenon that led to successors including ‘Space Raiders’ and ‘Asteroids’ becoming available as arcade games. This popularity was increased as the first consoles were being created around this time. Ralph Baer and his associates created the very first console in 1972; it was called the ‘Magnavox Odyssey’. This allowed the people to play video games on a console for the first time ever. Throughout the 1970’s more games and consoles were created with added improvements to each one as they were released.
After researching the history of video games, it seems to me that the creation of video games was almost by accident. The birth of the video game came out of the need to display the way a missile defence system could work and as a result one of the most popular form of modern entertainment was born.
My Computer Game History
My history of playing computer games started with ‘Alex the Kid in Miracle World’ for the Sega Master system. I regard it still as one of the most legendary games ever as it just gave me so many hours of fun as a kid. And if anyone can suggest a more random way to beat a boss than rock, paper, scissors, I’ll be keen to hear how. From then on I have never been without a computer console. The games always presented a challenge and could always infuse emotions in me. I was always interested and amazed through each generation by the quality of the graphics. Even now I still admire the graphics and quality in computer games. The most memorable games in my history include Sonic the Hedgehog (mega drive), Crash Bandicoot (Playstation 1), Grand Theft Auto(PC), Jade Cocoon(Playstation 1), The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers(Game Cube), Halo 1 & 2(Xbox), Ninja Gaiden(Xbox), Guitar Hero 2(Xbox 360) and Assassin’s Creed(Xbox 360). The most recent game I have played to date is Bioshock for the Xbox 360. I am enjoying the game so far as I find it incredible how games are able to infuse fear and suspense into the player.
Bibliography
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blcomputer_videogames.htm
http://www.jesperjuul.net/thesis/2-historyofthecomputergame.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_computer_and_video_games
http://www.designboom.com/eng/education/pong.html
http://www.pong-story.com/
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