Overview

 Filmaker history study Orson Welles & Citizen Kane, » Film more successful but Video Games are catching up.  Shigeru Mihamoto’s Chapter 1.1 » Donkey Kong A Brief History of Video Games » The Legend of Zelda PPT content from Introduction to Game  Time Line Approach Development  Other: Robert Bakie (Chapter Author) » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_games Editor Steve Rabin

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First Patent & TV History Early History

 1947 – Thomas Godsmith, Jr. & Estle Ray Mann filed a patent described as  1949-1950 First Bouncing Ball program, not » “Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device” interactive. – Interactive, simulate firing of air-borne  1952 Graphical Tic Tac Toe by AS Douglas to targets demonstrate human computer interaction.  http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/ » EDSAC computer, player competed against a a/Television_Time.htm (television history, 1831 computer. electronic communication, 1862 first transmission of a still image, 1880 Bells photophone to transmit sound, 1900 “television”, 1924 moving silhouette images)

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First Video Game … The First Video Games

 William Higginbotham and Tennis for Two  Steve Russell and Spacewar » Created in 1958 for the Brookhaven National » Created in 1961 at MIT for the DEC PDP-1 computer Laboratorys annual visitor day » 2 player, maneuver spaceship while trying to shoot » Display was an oscilloscope (side view) other player with torpedoes » Game ran on an analog computer » Switches to control game » Sound effects were a side-effect of the relays » Hugely popular within MIT that made the game run » Required prohibitively expensive equipment ($120K) » No one realized its significance » Eventually shipped as a diagnostic program with PDP-1s » Knob for trajectory & button for » 1969 ARPANET » gravity controlled ball. Maria Hybinette, UGA 5 Maria Hybinette, UGA 6 Games for the Masses Games for the Masses

 The Advent of Home Video Games:  Breaking Into the Amusement Business: Ralph Baer and the Magnavox Odyssey Nolan Bushnell and Atari » 1966, initial idea for a game machine that » Engineering major at the University of Utah would work on home TVs » Background in coin-operated amusement » Created a shooting game and ice hockey devices game » Tried to bring Spacewar to arcades as » Sold to Magnavox in 1972 Computer War

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Games for the Masses The Console Kings

 Bringing Games to the ! Atari and the 2600 Masses ! Atari VCS (1600) released in » Atari founded by Nolan 1977 Bushnell in 1972 ! Not quite the first cartridge- » Brought Pong to arcades based home system » Sued by Baer and ! Open architecture allowed Magnavox easy development » Paid a one-time license ! First to introduce licensing of fee of $700,000 a system

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The Console Kings The Console Kings

 Sega  Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto » Created in 1952 in Japan to sell amusement games on US » Released Donkey Kong army bases (Service Games) arcade machine in 1981 » Released the popular Sega » Released Nintendo Genesis in 1990 Entertainment System in 1985 » Final console was 1999s Sega Dreamcast » During late 80s Nintendo owned 90% of the market » Now dedicated to software

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Maria Hybinette, UGA 11 Maria Hybinette, UGA 12 The Console Kings The Console Kings

 Sonys PlayStation  Microsoft and the Xbox » Created out of an aborted attempt to launch a CD-ROM » Xbox released in 2001 based system with Nintendo » Based on a PC-like architecture » Released PlayStation in 1994 » Initially significant money lost on » PlayStation 2 released in 2000, each console sold maintaining backwards –Foothold in living rooms compatibility with hugely popular PS1 world wide » PS3 and PSP current » Halo and Halo 2 are its most » (ATARI Jaguar (1993) popular games cartridges, stick in CD into cartridge Maria Hybinette, UGA 13 Maria Hybinette, UGA 14

Home Computers The Designers

! Apple Computer  Maxis and Will Wright ! Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Mike Markkula in 1976 ! Apple II was released in 1977 » SimCity released in 1989 ! Revolutionized the home computer market » Other Sim games ! Commodore followed (SimAnt, ! Commodore Vic-20 Released in 1981 SimCopter) ! Low price and shrewd marketing lead to success » Maxis becomes part of ! Commodore 64, released in 1982, became the best selling computer in history Electronic Arts ! IBM » Released The Sims in ! IBM PC introduced in 1981 2000 http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ ! Moderate pricing helped it gain a foothold in the business world will_wright_makes_toys_that_make_worlds .html ! BIOS licensing model backfired on them, allowing cheap clones to » The Sims has sold more enter the market than 6 million copies so far Maria Hybinette, UGA 15 Maria Hybinette, UGA 16

The Designers The Designers

 Sierra and Ken and  MicroProse and Sid Meier Roberta Williams » Founded by Sid Meier and Wild BillStealey » Created first graphical adventure game, Mystery » Concentrated on strategic simulations in early years House in 1980 » Sid Meiers Pirates! in » Great success followed with 1987 was Sids first Kings Quest series, Police signature game Quest series, and Leisure » Genre-defining Railroad Suit Larry series Tycoon and Civilization » Published Half-Life followed

Maria Hybinette, UGA 17 Maria Hybinette, UGA 18 The Designers The Phenomenons

 Space Invaders » Introduced to the US in 1978  Origin Systems and Richard Garriott » First big Japanese success » Created the Ultima series » Introduced the High Score list to video games » In 1997 created Ultima Online, one of the first  Pac-Man Massively Multi-Player » American debut in 1981 Online Role-Playing » Attempt to create a completely Games non-violent game » Studios disbanded in » Generated $100 million in sales 2000 by EA during its lifetime 19

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The Phenomenons The Phenomenons

 The Tangled History of Tetris » Created by Russian programmer Alexy Pajitnov ! Square and Final Fantasy in 1985 ! In 1987 released Final Fantasy as a last-ditch effort to » Became a pop culture sensation stave off bankruptcy » Helped drive the success of Nintendos Game ! 15 games have been released since then, selling more Boy than 40 million copies ! Computer-animated Hollywood movie released in 2001  Capcom and Resident Evil ! Cyan and Myst » Capcom founded in 1979 ! Created by Rand and Robyn Miller » Created Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident !Released in 1993 on the Apple Macintosh Evil ! Helped popularize the CD-ROM drive » Resident Evil has spawned 15 variations and sequels as well as two Hollywood movies

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The Phenomenons The Studios

 Activision and Infocom  Pokémon » Activision founded » Created by Japanese video game enthusiast Satoshi by former Atari Tajiri programmers » Pokémon Red and Green released for Nintendo Game Boy in 1996 » Lawsuit by Atari created the royalties system still » Movies, TV series and multiple sequels have followed employed by console makers  The Rise and Fall of the Video Game Mascot today » Early mascots helped sell game systems » Merged with Infocom and » Mascots are seemingly less popular now gutted it » Over-exposure and an aging audience may be » Still a strong player today explanations for this trend

Maria Hybinette, UGA 23 Maria Hybinette, UGA 24 The Studios The Studios

 Electronic Arts (EA) » Created by Trip Hawkins in  Interplay 1982 » Formed in 1983 » Revolutionary business plan » First big hit was The Bards Tale in 1985 did three things » Famous for their CRPGs, including Wasteland, – Creative talent treated like artists Fallout, Baldurs Gate, Baldurs Gate II: Shadows – Creation of in-house tools to aid of Amn cross-platform development – Handle own distribution » Since de-listed from the NASDAQ » Now the largest game software company in the world

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The Studios The Studios

 LucasArts » Formed in 1982 as an offshoot of LucasFilm Ltd.  Blizzard » Released Maniac » Started in 1991 by Mansion in 1987 Frank Morhaime, Allen Adham, and Frank Pearce. » Created strong » Released one of the seminal Real-Time Strategy history of games, Warcraft, in 1994 adventure games » Their latest release, the MMORPG World of and Warcraft, has become the fastest selling PC game Star Wars universe in history games

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The Studios Genres

 Adventure » Sub-genres include text-based adventure and graphical adventure » Zork by Infocom  id Software » Kings Quest by Sierra » Formed on February 1, 1991  Action » Successfully utilized Apogees shareware » Superset of all other action-oriented genres formula » Typified by fast-paced combat and movement » Created the defining first-person shooter » Spacewar, Pong, and Space Invaders helped with DOOM define the genre

Maria Hybinette, UGA 29 Maria Hybinette, UGA 30 A Genres Genres

 Action-Adventure » Adventure games with action elements  Fighting » The Legend of Zelda was first break-out hit » Players typically fight other players or the computer using swordplay or martial arts » Jak 3, Metroid Prime 2 Echoes, and Resident » Double Dragon is an example of a side-scrolling Evil 4 are modern examples of the genre fighter  Platformer » Virtua Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Street Fighter are examples of versus fighters, where the players fight » Typified by a character running and jumping each other in a side-scrolling playing field  First-Person Shooter » Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, » Action game where player is behind the eyes of the Pitfall! and Super Mario 64 are examples game character in a first-person perspective

» id Softwares Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM are the32 Maria Hybinette, UGA 31 Mariaearliest Hybinette, UGA popular examples 32

Genres Genres

 Real-Time Strategy (RTS)  Role-Playing Game (RPG) » Typically, a game in which the goal is to » The video game counterpart to pen and pencil games like Dungeons and Dragons collect resources, build an army and combat the other player or computer » Final Fantasy, Baldurs Gate and Wasteland are some popular examples of the genre » Popularized by Westwoods Dune 2 and Command and Conquer and Blizzards  Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Game Warcraft (MMORPG) » An RPG set in a persistent virtual world populated by  Turn-Based Strategy thousands of other players » Like real-time strategy games, but turn- » Ultima Online in 1997 was the first popular one based » World of Warcraft is currently the most popular one » Civilization, X-COM, Master of Orion, and Jagged Alliance are standouts of the genre Maria Hybinette, UGA 33 Maria Hybinette, UGA 34

Genres Genres

! Stealth ! Characterized by a focus on subterfuge and planned-out, deliberate play ! Metal Gear in 1987 was one the first ! Popular modern series include Metal Gear,  Simulation Splinter Cell, and Thief » Based on the simulation of a system ! Survival Horror » SimCity and The Sims are example of God ! An action-adventure or first-person simulations where you control the lives of a shooter where survival elements and a town or a family fight against the undead are stressed » Wing Commander and X-Wing are popular ! Resident Evil is easily the most popular space combat simulation games series in this genre

Maria Hybinette, UGA 35 Maria Hybinette, UGA 36 Genres Genres

 Racing  Rhythm » Games that involve competing in a race in a » Gauge players success based on the ability vehicle to trigger the controls in time to the beat of » Typically try to re-create a real-world activity music » Pole Position was first popular racing game » Sometimes require specialized controllers such as dance pads or bongo drums  Sports » Konamis Dance Dance Revolution is the » Games that simulate the sporting experience pre-eminent title of the genre » Breakouts include John Madden Football and » Rock Band & Guitar Hero Tiger Woods Golf

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Genres Genres

 Puzzle » Games that combine pattern matching, ! Traditional logic, strategy and luck with a timed element ! Computerized versions of board, word, and card games » Tetris is the breakout hit of this genre ! Battle Chess and the Hoyle series are standouts of this genre  Mini-Games ! Educational » Short, simple games that exist within the ! Games designed to teach grade-school concepts to context of a larger game children and young adults » Mario Party and Wario Ware are popular ! Oregon Trail was the first popular game in this genre examples of this genre ! The Carmen Sandiego series and Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing are more modern popular examples

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Genres

 Serious Chapter 1.2 » A game designed to teach real-world events Games and Society or processes to adults » Most are privately funded » Popular with the US Government and the medical field

Maria Hybinette, UGA 41 Maria Hybinette, UGA 42 Why Do People Play Video Games? Audience and Demographics

 Goals  What good are demographics?  Stages  Are they always accurate?  Real-Time Interaction  Facilitating Community

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Audience and Demographics: Audience and Demographics: ESA 2003 Survey Results ESRB

 Provides broad brushstrokes  EC (Early Childhood)  Snapshots of a particular place and  E (Everyone) period of time  E10+ (Everyone 10+)  What information stands out?  T (Teen) » 50% of all Americans play games  M (Mature)  AO (Adults Only)  32 different Content Descriptors

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Audience and Demographics: Audience and Demographics: ESRB 2003 Statistics ESRB 2003 Statistics (2)

 57% of games received an E rating  70% of best-selling console games  32% of games received a T rating were E or T rated   10% of games received an M rating 90% of best-selling PC games were E or T rated  1% received an EC rating  Buying habits or development habits?

Maria Hybinette, UGA 47 Maria Hybinette, UGA 48 Societal Reaction to Games Societal Reaction to Games

 Misleading perception of games as  Legal Issues: Night Trap (1992) being childs play » Undue attention given quality of  Violence in video games drawing the game parental attention » Content comparable to a B-grade slasher movie » Misleading press reports about the players role

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Societal Reaction to Games Societal Reaction to Games

 Legal Issues: Mortal Kombat  Legal Issues: 1993 Senate hearings (1992) » Industry was called to the carpet » Featured quasi-realistic violence » Threatened with government regulation » Created a 12-point plan for self- » Virtual gouts of blood regulation » Home release drew attention » Birth of the ESRB where the arcade release was largely ignored

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Societal Reaction to Games Societal Reaction to Games

 Legal Issues: Doom (1994) and the  Legal Issues: Grand Theft Auto: Vice 1999 Columbine Massacre City » Shooters were known to play Doom » Haitian-American Rights Groups protest » Lawsuits were initiated against the game content, launch Federal case industry, but eventually dropped » Rockstar Games changes game content » Lawsuit moved to Florida courts in hopes of a stringent ruling

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 Legal Issues: St. Louis County  Games and Youth Violence Ordinance » Current studies on games and youth » Ordinance was passed regulating game violence are not flawed and not access definitive » Lawsuit filed by the ESA » How does one define violence in the context of video games? » Judge upheld ordinance specifying that video games did not contain speech » Ruling was over-turned

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Societal Reaction to Games Cultural Issues

 Root of All Evil, or Good, Old-  Worst…Stereotype…Ever Fashioned Fun? » Shadow Warrior (1997) lampooned » Games are seen as meaningless fun Asian cultures and stereotypes » Games are also seen as a troubling » Japanese-American community wasnt source of youth violence amused » Are these views contradictory? » Risk of offending market

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Cultural Issues: Cultural Issues: Foreign Diplomacy Foreign Diplomacy

 Germany  China » The Index – List of banned games » Controversial elements » Partial list of controversial elements – Changing Historical Facts – Nazi Iconography – Red Blood – Recognizing the sovereignty of – Extreme violence disputed territories

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 Japan  The rules are . . . there are no rules » Controversial elements » Violence and sex may lead to a game – Sex being banned – Violence » . . . Or they may not » Surprisingly, not controversial » Past bans may be the only accurate – EAs Medal of Honor: Rising predictor of what game types are truly objectionable to a specific culture Sun, a game that depicted the Pacific campaign in WWII

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Society Within Games: Online Behavior Society Within Games

 The Good » Everquest Weddings  Tools  The Bad » Moderators » Addictive properties » Communication tools » Online rivalries becoming offline rivalries » Fan sites to discuss gameplay and » Can games contribute to erratic offline community outside of the game behaviors?  The Ugly » Disinhibition and deindividuation occur because of perceived anonymity. » Crimes

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