Survey of Digital Games: Home Pong to Late 70s arcade

S u r v e y o f D i g i t a l G a m e s Home Pong -> Late 70s Arcade Games

Home Pong (The motivation)

Atari was on verge of bankruptcy due to severe over-production of Pong, lack of capital, accounting errors & failure of Atari Japan

Bushnell decides to try Pong as a console, despite marketing doubts

Codenamed ‘Darlene’

Goal: Pong circuitry compressed into a single chip that could fit inside a box, work on any TV

Home Pong (Tech Specs)

On screen digital scoring (unlike Odyssey)

Used 7400 series TTL integrated circuits (no processor or memory!)

The chip needed was the most sophisticated ever used in a consumer product, then

Developed by Al Alcorn, Bob Brown, Harold Lee

Home Pong (Selling it!)

Many toy chains afraid of consoles after Odyssey failure

Alcorn impresses Sears with demo

Sears signed exclusive deal with Atari to sell the units & get all the rights for 1 year

Sears requested twice the order Atari planned for, Atari lacked the capital

Don Valentine, venture capitalist, got Atari 10 million credit line

Originally called Sears Tele-games

Released in Christmas 1975 for $100

Was a phenomenal success because of easy connectivity (which Odyssey lacked)

Home Pong (Versions)

Super PONG (model C-140) followed PONG in 1976. It played four games for two players

Atari designed PONG Doubles for homes (C-160). This version did not reach the market for unknown reasons, but a Sears version was released as PONG IV

Atari designed more advanced versions, most of which were also sold by Sears.

Super PONG Ten (C-180, 10 games for two players)

Super PONG PRO-AM (C-200, playing Super PONG games in PRO or AM modes)

Super PONG PRO-AM TEN (C-202, same as before but playing 10 games)

Ultra PONG (C-402S, 16 games for 2 players),

Ultra PONG Doubles (C-402D, same as before for 4 players).

Home Pong (Consoles) Sears Pong Sears Hockey Pong Sears Super Pong Pong Sport II Sears Super Pong 4 Pong Sport IV

PONG Clones/GI Pong Chip

Following Atari's smashing success, several companies released PONG "clones" using General Instrument's " PONG -on-a-chip" integrated circuit.

Chief among these competitors were Coleco's Telstar and Magnavox's Odyssey 300 . None achieved the sales levels of the Sears- and Atari-branded games, but all managed to sell a fair number of units during the 1976 Christmas season.

General Instrument AY-3-8500

Created by GI as a “PONG-on-a-chip”

Sold to create pong clones

Played 4 PONG style games and 2 shooting games

There was a 5th, undocumented PONG style game available where the first player controlled 2 paddles at once while the second player controlled 3.

This game was available on the Teleclick, a PONG knockoff made by Magiclick in Argentina in 1979 and called Fútbol de 5

General Instrument AY-3-8500

The chip had 4 video outputs, one for each player’s paddle(s), one for the background, one for the ball and one for the line down the middle and the score

This allowed each signal to be colored separately and then mixed back together

Later joined by the AY-3-8700, a chip that played 4 variants on Kee Games’ Tank

CONSUMER PONG MADNESS

Country Manufacturer Pong Console Name Model Processor Chip(s) Year Games Accessories

UK Academy Video GameD-5654AY-3-850019774

USA Allied's Name Of The Game A-100MCS-7600-00119768 (4x2)

USAAPFMatch405AY-3-850019774 USAAPFTV FUN401AY-3-850019764

USAAPFTV FUN401AAY-3-850019774

USAAPFTV FUN Sportsarama402MPS-7600-00119778Pistol, Pads

USAAPFTV FUN405AY-3-850019774

USAAPFTV FUN405AAY-3-850019774

USAAPFTV FUN442TMS-195519774

FRA saflex? AY-3-850019776=Bi. Bip 8FRAsaflexVideo Sports AY-3-850019774

FRA saflex Video Sports2000AY-3-850019786

USAAtariPONGC-1003659-1C19761

USA Atari Super PONGC-140C010073-319764

USA, Atari Super PONG PRO-AMC-200C010073-01197710 (2x5)

USA Atari Super PONG PRO-AM TENC-202C010073-03197710

USA Atari Super PONG TenC-180C010073-01197610

USA Atari Ultra PONGC-402(S)C010765+Cxxxxx197716

USA Atari Ultra PONG DoublesC-402(D)C010765+Cxxxxx197732

USA Atari Video PinballC-380C011500, C01151219777white color

USA Atari Video PinballC-380C011500, C01151219777woodgrain

NL ?Audio sonic Color TV GamePP-160AY-3-850019824=small '2

EU Audio sonic Home's TV SetPP-600AY-3-850019774

UKBentleyCompu-Vision440AY-3-850019834

UK Binatone Colour TV Game01-4931AY-3-850019774

UK Binatone Colour TV Game 4 Plus 201-4850AY-3-850019786

UK Binatone TV Gaming Unit01-4990Analog19762clone TelePong

UK Binatone TV-Master MK 601-4907AY-3-85001977 ?6

UK Binatone TV-Master MK 801-????AY-3-861019788

UK Binatone TV-Master MK 1001-4834AY-3-86101978 ?10

UK Binatone TV Master MK IV01-4974AY-3-850019774

UKBinatoneTV-TRON01-4982AY-3-850019774

FR Bingo TVG 203 AY-3-850019774

FR Bingo Video GameHI-1012AY-3-850019774

GE Blaupunkt TV-Action AY-3-850019774 UKBootsAudioTG100AY-3-850019774

CA Canadian Tire Corp.Video Sports84-6072AY-3-850019764

VS-1 clone FRCIT AlcatelVisiomatic 101 AY-3-850019776Pistol

USA ColecoTelstar6040AY-3- 850019763 USAColecoTelstar Alpha6030AY-3-850019774

USA Coleco Telstar Alpha Europa AY-3-850019774

USA Coleco Telstar Classic6045AY-3-850019763

USA Coleco Telstar Colormatic6130AY-3-8500 SN7649919774

USA Coleco Telstar Colortron6135AY-3-851019784

USA Coleco Telstar Marksman6136AY-3-851219786Pistol

USA Coleco Telstar Ranger AY-3-850019776Pistol

USA Coleco Telstar Regent6032AY-3-850019774

EU Commodore T.V. Game3000HMPS-760119774x2

USA Concept 2000Spectrum 61025MM-5710019774

USA Concept 2000TV +41004AY-3-850019774

EUC onicVideo GameTVG 102-4AY-3-850019774

EUConic?304AY-3-850019774=Audio TG100

FR Continental Edison?JV-2703AY-3-85001977 ?6

FR CreatronicBi.Bip 4 AY-3-850019774

FR CreatronicBi.Bip 8 AY-3-860019778

US Dayya Corp.Marume 2000VM-90CMPS-7600-00119778

GEDDRTV-Spiele?AY-3-850019776

UK Decca Sports TV GameTG-0062AY-3-85001977?6

UK Derby Master 777-JSNTL 60019773

USA Diasonic HVG-220AY-3-85001977 ?4

USA Digitek TV Game2001AY-3-850019774=Scoreboard 3052

USADMSTele-ActionGMT513AY-3-850019834

USAE&P4 Electronic TV Sport GamesEP800TMS-195519774

GEEA ?TV-Ping-Pong DN 76Digital1976 ?1

USAElectrophonicPro-SportsTVG-1001AY-3-850019774

USA Enterprex Color Home Video Game Apollo 2001AY-3-850019774

USA Enterprex Color Home Video Game Apollo 2004AY-3-860019778

USAEntexTele-Pong3047Analog19761 (4)

USA Executive Games Television Tennis35Digital19752

USA First Dimension Tele Sports Digital (CMOS)19763 FR FL-10AY-3-8610 10

EU?Gamatic7704 ??4

USA GHPWonder Wizard7706AY-3-850019764

USA GranadaColorSport VIIICS 1818MPS-7600-001?8 (4x2)PistolUSAGranadaVideo Sports?AY-3-850019764

UKGrandstandAdman3000TMS-196519774

UK GrandstandSports Centre5000AY-3-8500/87651979?10Pistol

UK GrandstandSports Centre6000AY-3-86101980?10 UKGrandstandAdmanTVG-2600 MK IIAY-3-850019776Pistol

UK GrandstandAdmanColour TV Game 3600 MK IIIAY-3-850019796Pistol

UKGrandstandMatch of the Day 2000 AY-3-850019774(black release)

UKGrandstandMatch of the Day 2000 AY-3-850019774('ball' release)GEGrundingTele-Spiel 1 (*) AY-3-85001978?(*): TV plug-in module

USAGulliverTriple ChallengeBG7701AY-3-850019773Full woodgrainEUHanimex 666S-NAY-3-850019774

EUHanimex 666S-PAY-3-850019774

EUHanimexElectronic TV Game677CPAY-3-850019794

EUHanimexJeu-Tele Electronique7771AY-3-850019774

USA?Hanimex 888MPS-7600-00119778 (4x2)Extra pads

USAHanimexTV Scoreboard888GMPS-7600-00119778Extra padsEUHanimex TVG-8610AY-3-8610 10 (8)

USAHarvardMini Color TV GameH-5AY-3-850019784

USAHeathkit GD-1380AY-3-850019766Pistol

USAHeathkit GD-1999MM-5710019763 FR HIT 10AY-3-8610197710 FRHit-Go AY-3-850019776PistolFRHometronicsTelecourtHVG-220AY-3-8500 ?19774

GEHoneybellHoneybell Video Sports colorHoneybell-55AY-3-850019774

UKIngersollmini TV GameXK 400AY-3-85001983?4=radofin miniUKIngersoll XK 600BAY-3-850019786PistolGEIntelSuper-TelesportD-688/36AY-3-850019774

GEIntelTV Sport1004TMS-196519774

GEIntelTV Sport2004AY-3-850019786

GEIntercordTV GamesTVS-5AY-3-850019784&bnsp;

UKInterstate Model 1104AY-3-850019774

UKInterstate Model 1110AY-3-86101978 ?10

UKInterstate Model 1199AY-3-850019776PistolDEIntertonClub Exclusiv 20002000AY-3-850019776

EUIntertonVideo 2400 AY-3-850019775

EUIntertonVideo 2501 MM-571051977 ?3

EUIntertonVideo 2800 F-430119774

FRITMC 6 JeuxAY-3-86101977 FRITMC SD-043AY-3-85001982

EUITT / IdealTele-Match Cassette AY-3-86101979

?10 GEITT / IdealColor Tele-Match Cassette AY-3-85001977

?4 EUITT / IdealColor Tele-Match Cassette 2 AY-3-86101978

?8 FRKlervoxJeu TVTVG-6AY-3-850019

786PistolGEKortingTele-Multi-Play825/042AY-3-850019774

GEKortingTele-Multi-Play825/336 (8000)AY-3-850019774

USAK-MartS Four ThousandS 4000AY-3-850019774

USAK-MartSC Eight ThousandSC 8000MPS-7600-00119778

USALloydsTV-Sports 801E801AY-3-850019766PistolUSALloydsTV-Sports 802802

USALloydsTV-Sports 813813

USAMagnavoxOdysseyRUN-2BAnalog (transistor)19721210 extra games

USAMagnavoxOdysseyRUN-2BAnalog (transistor)197212Valise, Fusil

USAMagnavoxOdysseyRUN-1Analog (transistor)197212

USAMagnavoxOdysseyRUN-1 exportAnalog (transistor)197410

USAMagnavoxOdysseyRUN-1BAnalog (transistor)197212

USAMagnavoxOdysseyRUN-1Analog (transistor)197410

USAMagnavoxOdyssey 1007010Analog (TI)19752

USAMagnavoxOdyssey 3007500AY-3-850019763

USAMagnavoxOdyssey 40007530AY-3-8600 AY-3-861519778

USAMestronFernseh SpielTVG 2006Analog (TTL/Transistor)19766 USAMontgomery-WardTelstar Video World Of Sports6042AY-3-850019763= Coleco Telstar USANational SemiconductorAdversary370MM-5710019763 JPNintendoTV-GAME 6CTG-6VM58816P19776 GE?NovexColour Video Sports GameTV 9006NTL 60019773 FRNovoton TJ-142AY-3-850019774 USAOlympos ElectronicGamatic 7706 AY-3-850019786 FROccitane (SOE)OC4 (orange) AY-3-85001976 ?4 FROccitane (SOE) OC 5000 AY-3-850019786PistolFROccitane (SOE)Occitel AY-3-850019764No extra padsFROccitane (SOE)Occitel AY-3-850019764 Extra padsFROccitane (SOE)Match RobotOccitel 2TMS-196519774 EUOPLOptim Sport AY-3-850019774 FROrelec PP-2000Analog (TTL)19762 AUPackel InstrumentTV Sport?AY-3-850019764 GEPalladiumTele-Match AY-3-85001980?6 GEPalladiumTele-Match 4000 AY-3-850019774 BRPhilco / FordTele-Jogo II AY-3-86101977?8? EUPhilipsOdyssey 2001?MM-5710519773 EUPhilipsOdyssey 2100G7513/01MM-57186197823 FRPhilips N20AY-3-850019776PistolFRPhilips N30MM-57186197712 EUPhilipsTele-Spiel Las VegasES2203AY-3-850019776 EUPhilipsTele-Spiel Las VegasES2204AY-3-850019776 EUPhilipsTele-Spiel TravmundeES2207AY-3-850019774 EUPhilipsTele-Spiel Las VegasES2208AY-3-855019776 EUPhilipsTele-Spiel Las VegasES2218AY-3-860019778 FRPizon-BrossVisiomat 11 AY-3-850019776PistolITPolistilVideo GamesV.G.2TMS-196519784 EUPolycon C-4016AY-3-8610 AY-3-8765197918 GEPoppyTele-Spiel9009AY-3-850019774 GEPoppyColor Video Game9012AY-3-850019826 GEPoppyTv-Game Fernseh SpielTVG-4AY-3-850019784 UKPrinztronicTournamentVM8AY-3-850019766 UKPrinztronicTournament II Deluxe600002AY-3-850019776 UKPrinztronicTournament Mini?AY-3-850019784 UKPrinztronicVideosport600AY-3-850019786Pistol UKPrinztronicVideosport800-ColorAY-3-850019786PistolUSARadio ShackTV Scoreboard60-3051AY-3-850019764 USARadio ShackTV Scoreboard60-3052AY-3-850019764 USARadio ShackTV Scoreboard60-3055MM-571001977 ?3 USARadio ShackTV Scoreboard60-3056AY-3-850019774 USARadio ShackTV Scoreboard60-3057MPS-7600-00119778Pistol USARadio ShackTV Scoreboard60-3060AY-3-85001977 ?4 USARadio ShackTV Scoreboard60-3061AY-3-85001977 ?6PistolFRRadiola T-02AY-3-85001977 ?6 USA, EURadofinColour TV Game AY-3-8610198110 USA, EURadofinElectronic TV GameXM-017-D ?AY-3-850019774 USA, EURadofinTele-Sports AY-3-850019774 USA, EURadofinTele-Sports MiniTelevision Game 513AY-3-850019774Coleco LabelUSA, EURadofinSC Eight ThousandSC 8000MPS-7600-00119778 USARicochet ElectronicColor TV GameMT-1AAY-3-850019764 USARicochet ElectronicSuper ProMT-4ASN7641019775 USARidgewoodGAMATIC 76007600TMS-195519764 FRRILRobotOC 5000AY-3-850019786 USARobertsPaddle IVIVAY-3-850019764 USARobertsRally IV AY-3-85001977 ?4 USARobertsRally XXIMPS-7600-0011977 ?8 USARobertsSportrama 836AY-3-8600/861519778 FRRolletRobot4302AY-3-850019826 FRSaft-LeclanchéTV 8 Sports AY-3-861019788 FRSamdo GM-402AY-3-850019774 USASandsColor TV GameC2600AY-3-850019786PistolUSASantronHome T.V. GameTG-101AY-3-850019776PistolGESanwaTele-Spiel9009AY-3-850019774 FRScomark4 Sports Tele TMS-196519784 USASearsHockey-PONG99721AY-3-850019764 USASearsHockey-Tennis99722AY-3-850019764 USASearsHockey-Tennis II99733AY-3-850019774 USASearsHockey-Tennis III99734AY-3-850019774 USASearsMotocross99729AY-3-8760+C010765197716+4 USASearsPinball Breakaway99704C011500, C01151219777 USASearsPONG257963659-1C19751 USASearsPONG IV997173659-319761 USASearsPONG Sports II99707C010765-05197716 USASearsPONG Sports IV99708C010765-05197732 USASearsSpeedway F-430119764 USASearsSpeedway IV99748F-430119764 USASearsSuper PONG99736C010073-319764 USASearsSuper PONG IV99737C010073-0119764 FRSEBTelescore750TMS-196519774 FRSEBTelescore752AY-3-850019786PistolGESennheiserTV

Fairchild Channel F

Based on the Fairchild F8 microprocessor running at 1.79 MHz

8-bit processor with 64 registers

Needed support chips to make full CPU

First programmable videogame console!

Cartridges contained ROM with game code - 26 cartridges produced in 2 years

Internal speaker for sound, could generate 500Hz, 1kHz and 1.5kHz tones

Color graphics- 8 colors, only 4 usable per line

64 bytes of RAM, 16KB of video RAM

128x64 pixel resolution, 102x58 pixels actually visible

first commercially released console that used programmable cartridges

RCA Studio III

RCA had been evaluating the video game market for several years; it had been offered a chance to bid on Ralph Baer's original Odyssey technology back in the early 1970s but had passed on the opportunity. Now, seeing Atari's success, RCA decided to enter the video game market on its own with what it hoped would be the first programmable system.

Unfortunately, RCA was a step too slow. RCA's Studio II followed Fairchild to market in January 1977 at a price of $149. Even though the Studio II used the same 8-bit COSMAC 1802 microprocessor that was used in NASA's Voyager and Galileo spacecraft, its chunky black-and-white graphics were notably inferior to those of the Channel F. Interestingly, the Studio II used keypad controllers (built into the main unit) instead of paddles or joysticks, which enabled the playing of some numbers-based games. Too little too late, the Studio II failed in the marketplace and was discontinued in 1979.

RCA Studio 2

It is the second ever video games machine produced that used cartridge programs

Produced by Radio Corporation of America, who originally passed up Ralph Baer’s ‘Brown box’ or the Magnavox Odyssey

They enter the fray in 1977, 7 years after Odyssey was released

Sold for about $149.95 with cartridges going for about $14.95-$19.95.

It is powered by an RCA (now Intersil) 1802 Microprocessor, and has 2k of built in ROM, and 512 bytes of RAM.

There were five built in games, a 64 x 32 pixel monochrome display, a single channel beeper, a reset key, a LED so you know it is switched on and a slot for the additional cartridges

RCA Studio 2 contd..

The Studio II was one big missed opportunity after another.

High screen flicker

Only black & white despite being technically ‘superior’

Awkward Keypad controllers

The real advantage Atari had was not it's superior hardware, but it's licenses which RCA didn’t have

Magnavox Evolution

Merged with Philips Electronics, used new Texas Instruments chip, making it sleeker and lighter.

Odyssey 100 has 2 games, Tennis and Hockey. The console had self contained controllers as knobs on the console.

Odyssey 200 had onscreen scoring and two TI chips for a new game Smash

Odyssey 300 used a new chip from General Instruments – the AY-3-8500. Had a 3 level skill lever

Odyssey 400 dropped the skill lever in favor of doubles switch for team play.

Odyssey 500 had full color onscreen graphics and signature character sprites, leading the way for Odyssey2

Odyssey 2000, 3000 and 4000 could play up to 8 games.

Odyssey 5000 could play 24 full color sports and combat games.

Coleco

Founded by Russian Immigrant Maurice Greenberg as the…

Connecticut Leather Company in 1932.

Migrated into plastics and toys

Shorten name to Coleco

After GI device developed electronic games

Telstar series, Leader in 70’s early 80’s handhelds; Electronic Quarter back,

Telstar

Produced by Coleco (originally Connecticut Leather Company) in 1975.

Originally a PONG clone based on the General Instrument's AY-3-8500 chip.

Had 3 games, Hockey, Handball and Tennis.

Two paddle controllers were fixed on the console.

Sold more than 1 million units the first year.

Telstar contd,,

The Telstar Classic (model 6045) was released in 1976. It is same as the first Telstar but has a deluxe wood case, and was more expensive.

The Telstar Ranger (model 6046) was released in 1977.

The Telstar Alpha (model 6030) was released in 1977

Telstar contd..

The Telstar Colormatic (model 6130) was released in 1977. This system is same as the Telstar Alpha, with two differences: the fixed knobs are replaced by separate controllers

The Telstar Colortron was released in 1978

The Telstar Combat (model 6065) was released in 1977. It was dedicated to a single game : tank combat: another classic of the era

Coleco Telstar 1976

Pong clone based on

Ralph Bear introduced General Instrument AY-3-8500 chip to Coleco.

Used RF generator had radiation leak // Ralph bear fixed

$12 Chip brought cost down to 20

Sold for $69.95

Biggest pong-clone sellers

Later included a TI SN76499N chip for color graphics

Had 3 games, Hockey, Handball and Tennis.

Two paddle controllers were fixed on the console.

Sold more than 1 million units the first year.

Coleco Telstar Arcade 1977

Tried to release 8 new systems in 1977.

6 day dock strike lead to filaed Christmas demand

Liquidated invientory worse loss in 30 years

Cartridge-based home console

Only 4 cartridges ever released

Used the MOS Technologies MPS-7600 microprocessor

Coleco Telstar Arcade Cartridges

Each cartridge contained a separate microprocessor!

Used MOS MPS-7600 microprocessors

Unlike other PONG clones, the MPS-7600 had a 512-word program ROM instead of discreet logic based circuits

APF TV Fun 1976

PONG clone

Included sound circuitry with built in speaker

Battery or wall powered

Switchable between 4 games - Tennis, Hockey, Single Handball and Squash

Discreet logic based, no cartridges

MOS CHIP

1975

MOS technologies introduces the 6500 family of microprocessors

MOS: Metal Oxide Semiconductor

MOS tech was home to several former Motorola employees

One was Chuck Peddle; engineered the 6502,

8-bit processor was the first processor you could buy for under $100 bucks

Intro-ed in 1978 for $25

Made graphics easier to program and played a key role in evolution of video games

Was the chip that made arcade games first affordable to make with microprocessors

First used in Sprint 2 - next slide

Commodore purchases major stake in MOS industries

MOS CONT:

When the 6501 was announced, Motorola lawsuit

6502 1MHz September 1975 -$25.

outran the more complex and expensive 6800, and Intel 8080 ,

CPU was so -many people believed it to be scam when showed at 1975 trade show.

The 6502 would quickly go on to be one of the most popular chips of its day.

A number of different versions of the basic CPU, known as the 6503 through 6507,

6507 - which was used in the Atari 2600 and in Atari disk drives.

6504 - used in printers.

The final addition was the "crossover" 6510 , used in the Commodore 64 , with additional I/O ports.

JAPAN BEGINNINGS CONT:

Manga style translated easier into early video games due to graphic limitation

Japan’s centuries old tradition of visual culture

Manga and all visual forms are respected in Japanese culture

In Western cultures is considered childish.

Forms of character are seen from the very beginning western gun (gunfight), Space Invaders, Donkey Kong.

Japan cont:

Pong crossed over to Asia in 1973

Bushnell tried to open office in Japan but didn’t have the distribution channels, failed and sold Atari Japan to Masaya NakaMura. Head of Nakamura Manufacturing Co. later Namco.

Atari had granted Nakamura exclusive rights to distribute breakout in Japan un name Burokku-kuzushi (blockbusting).

Yakuza began producing counterfeit machines so Nakamura began producing his own.

Atari sues-wins-Namco moves toward making more of their own games-(Pacman)

JAPAN CONT:

Taito was unsure about Pong only bought one to test, was instant hit

Engineer; Tomohiro Nishikado, was only engineer who seem to understand electric circuitry so became Taito first designer, developer

Designed Pong clones; Soccer, Davis Cup, Then wanted to infuse characters like Manga style in Western Gun, (GunFight), Space Invaders

Was impressed with Dave Nutting’s microprocessor revision to Western Gun, and so used processor in Space Invaders

SPACE INVADERS

Space Invaders

Made by Taito, licensed for production in U.S. by Midway in 1979

Designed by Toshihiro Nishikado

Inspired by breakouts “clearing a screen”

Player controls cannon to shoot aliens marching down screen

Had stylistic characters, influenced by manga art

Jaws like sound effects created tension

Introduced high score

As aliens numbers get smaller they would get faster

Space Invaders (Gameplay)

The player controlled the motions of a movable laser cannon that moved back and forth across the bottom of the video screen

Rows and rows of video aliens marched back and forth across the screen, slowly advancing down from the top to the bottom of the screen.

If any of the aliens successfully landed on the bottom of the screen, the game would end.

The player's laser cannon had an unlimited supply of ammunition to shoot at the aliens and destroy them before they hit the bottom of the screen.

The maximum 300-point value could be achieved every time if the player shot the wave's first UFO on the 23rd shot, and subsequent UFOs at 15-shot intervals thereafter.

Another important tactical element of the arcade game is that it is impossible for the players' spaceship to be harmed by an invader dropping an attack from the lowest line on the screen before the invader invades.

Space Invaders (Tech Specs)

Space Invaders used an Intel 8080 as its processor, running at 2 MHz (inspired by Gunfight’s use of it)

Black and White, with colored overlay

Graphics were implemented through a 1 bpp framebuffer mapped from the main CPU address space.

All sound effects were implemented individually with discrete electronics.

The seemingly random point values awarded by the UFO utilized a hash function based on the number of shots that the player had fired in the current invasion wave.

Space Invaders (The Blockbuster)

1 st video game to pay for itself in average of 1 month

Caused yen shortage in Japan

Within the first year of its release, the game had generated revenue ranging in the hundreds of millions of dollars

Kids were begging strangers for quarters so that they could continue playing the game.

Ranks as one of the most influential video games ever created

Saved the Slumping American Market

Home version saved the Atari VCS/2600

Supreme Court Case up to 1982: City of Mesquite vs Bally owned, Aladdin's Castle.

CINEMATRONICS/ VECTORBEAM

Based on MIT PHD Larry Rosenthal’s student thesis on new Vector technology called “Vectorbeam”

Cinematronics built “Space Wars”- variant on Steve Russell’s Spacewar!

Screen images were created from xy coordinates

Produced crisper and faster images

Followed by Warrior (Tim Skelly) in 1978- 1 st one on one vector fighting game

Larry Rosenthal broke-off after Space War and formed Vectorbeam

Cinematronics and Vectorbeam made several vector-based arcade games

Late 70s Arcade Games

Lunar Lander

Asteroids

Safari

Galaxian

.

.

PAC-MAN!

LUNAR LANDER

Released by Atari in 1979

1st Atari Vector Game (XY technology)

Goal: correctly land a lunar module on the surface of the moon using the game's telemetry data

Unique control scheme

Based on a text based (later lightgun) simulation on the PDP computer teletype

Player entered string of numeric values for altitude, fuel level, and directional rotation

In all variations of the game, the player must portion a limited amount of fuel to land on the moon without crashing

Atari’s game introduced 2 new arcade concepts:

proportional throttle control

'fuel for money' system

Lunar Lander

Lunar Lander (also known as Moonlander) ran on the DEC GT40 graphics terminal (typically downloaded from a PDP-10 mainframe computer) first in 1973

In all variations of the game, the player must portion a limited amount of fuel to land on the moon without crashing

The interface was through a light pen which allowed adjusting the throttle value and the angle of the lunar lander.

Released by Atari in 1979

Asteroids

1979-Atari’s first major Blockbuster

Eclipsed Space Invaders-70,000 units released

2 nd Vector-based game for Atari

Built in Lunar Lander cabinets

Built by Ed Logg

1 st game that allowed entry of Initials for top 10 players

Influenced by Space War –eliminated second player

Object of the game is for the player to shoot and destroy asteroids without being hit by the fragments.

Small flying saucer fires at you, large saucer aims randomly

Wraparound 360 universe

Zen like quality

Asteroids (Tech Specs)

The hardware consists primarily of a standard MOS 6502 CPU

The Digital Vector Generator (DVG),was the vector processing circuitry developed by Atari themselves for the vector graphics

The main Asteroids game program uses only 4 KB of ROM code.

Another 4 KB of vector ROM contain the descriptions of the main graphical elements (rocks, saucer, player's ship, explosion pictures, letters, and digits) in the form of DVG commands

Safari

Released by San Diego based Gremlin Industries in 1977

A shoot 'em up where the player controls a hunter with a rifle who has 90 seconds to shoot as many animals as possible.

The player can move the hunter left, right, up, and down and can angle the rifle to shoot diagonally up or down

1979 –Namcos 2 nd release after Gee Bee

1 st video game to display graphics in three channel RGB color

Variation on Space Invaders

Galaxian

Released by Namco in 1979 and expanded on the formula pioneered by Space Invaders

In contrast to Space Invaders , however, Galaxian added an element of drama by having the aliens periodically make kamikaze-like dives at the player's ship

Swarm after swarm of alien armies attacked the player's ship that moved left and right at the bottom of the screen.

The ship could only fire sparingly by default, but rearmed instantly when an enemy was hit

Galaxian was very successful for Namco

Drag Race

1979

Programmed by Mike Albaugh, Steve Ehret and Howard van Jepmond

Game features two supercharged funny cars racing off in split screen race against the clock

Used same technique as Excitebike that if you rev the engine too much it will redline the tachometer and blow the engine up

Dragsters popped wheelies, smoked the tires and threw chutes at the end of every race to add to the realism

Also released for the VCS

Atari Football

Released 1979

Inspired from X’s and O’s

Considered the first true video sports game( hence was obviously bad)

Used with a trak ball, one of the first ones to do so

Introduced for the first time a playfield that extended beyond the borders of the monochrome screen, allowing plays to run the entire length of the simulated gridiron.

Created by Dave Stubben

Engineered with a Motorola 6502, 8 bit processor running at 750KHz

Released in 2&4 player modes

Released at the height of the football season hence very successful.

Avalanche

Designed by Dennis Koble for Atari in 1978

You control a stack of padles to catch bitmapped boulders.

Later invented as Activision’s Kaboom by Atari programmer, Larry Kaplan.

Kaboom was one of the more successful games of the Atari VCS

Fire Truck

Released 1978 by Atari

Fire Truck is a simple two-dimensional driving game

Your perspective is from overhead as you navigate through the city streets

The object is to score points by getting as much distance as possible in the least amount of time

Fire Truck was one of the first games to feature a cooperative feature

One player could either drive the fire engine or the hook and ladder while the computer drove the opposite part

Basketball

Introduced by Atari in May 1979

Designed and programmed by : Chris Downend

Jumpball set up to the Sweet Georgia Brown

Main CPU : M6502 (@ 750 Khz) Sound Chips : Discrete (@ 750 Khz)

Speed Freak

Released 1979 by Vectorbeam

Designed and programmed by : Larry Rosenthal (founder of Cinematronics)

Speed Freak was Larry's first game for Vectorbeam. Only 700 units were produced

In Speed Freak you drove an extremely fast car along a lonesome road. The idea was simply to drive as fast as you can without crashing.

The off-road scenery was limited to stick figure cows, hitchhikers, and the occasional cactus.

Warrior

Warrior was the first one-on-one fighting game.

Designed and programmed by : Tim Skelly

A sword and armor version of Gunfight

Two Knights crossing swords while a sinister castle loomed above them

PAC-MAN

PAC-MAN (The Inventor)

Toru Iwatani

electrical engineer

1 st wanted to develop pinball machines

Iwantani mixed favorite element of pinball and and breakout to make Gee-Bee

Followed up with Bomb-Bee and Cutie-Q

Designed cute character for Cutie-Q to attract women to games

PAC-MAN (The Game)

Designed around concept of eating (thought young women in Japan love fun foods)

Completely original concept

1 st game that had cinematic scene –used as reward and transition

Named Pakupaku – Puck-Man

to flap one’s mouth open and close

Changed name from Puck-man to Pac-man for American market-fear of vandals

Non-violent game with cute characters

Original design was an animated pizza with a missing wedge

Colorful “ghosts”

240 dots in the maze

PAC-MAN vs. PUCK MAN

PAC-MAN (The Phenomenon)

1 st iconic video game character

100,000 machines in US

Many strategy guides on New York Times bestseller list in 1981

Cover of Time, MAD

Pac-Man Fever (song) reached #9 Billboard

Lunch-boxes, figurines, Was Hit Saturday Morning TV show

More maze games after the success of Pac-man

“ Like electronic images gobbling dots across a video screen, the PAC-men darted among the elegant rooms of the National Republican Club on Capitol Hill. “ -TIME, Oct. 25, 1982

PAC-MAN (Failed Atari 2600 Port)

Poor color scheme

Hardware limitations

“ Ghosts” instead of “Monsters”

Different sound scheme

PAC-MAN (Variations)

Ms Pac-man (1982)

Sequel to Pac-Man

Similar gameplay but: Different character, Four different mazes, “Fruits” wander around

Jr. Pac-man (1983)

Pac-man 3D (1999)

PacPix (2005)

PAC-MAN (Trivia)

Listed on EGM’s “Top 200 Games of Their Time” – 2 nd behind Super Mario

Level 256 is unplayable

Billy Mitchell offered $100,000 to anyone who could clear the level before 1/1/2000

Billy Mitchell

1 st person to achieve a “perfect” score (3,333,360) – 7/3/99

PAC-MAN (World’s Smallest!)

http://guimp.com/pacman_flash.html

18 X 18 pixels

Only one ghost

PAC-MAN (The Future)

The Human Pac-Man

Developed by researchers in Singapore

Central computer system, GPS receivers and wireless LAN to keep track of players

Cost: $10,000 - $20,000

Early Nintendo

Nintendo-founded in 1889

“ the place where luck is left in heavens hands”

Hanafuda - cracker sized playing cards (still considered the best)

Used by Yakuza in gambling

1949 Nintendo Trading Card -> Nintendo Co.

Open business to new avenues

1969-Big push in Games division-

Hiroshi Imanishi general affairs manager

Gunpei Yokoi: Ahead of his time • Born in 1941 in Kyoto, Japan • Attended Doshinsha University; degree in electronics • Originally hired by Hiroshi Yamamuchi in 1965 to maintain the assembly lines for Nintendo’s card-game lines 1941 ~ 1997

Gunpei Yokoi, started as maintenance man on hanfuda printers

Early Nintendo

Nintendo

1969-focus on new games division

Yokoi’s inventions defined the new games division

Ultra Series; plastic hand, pitching machine, toy periscope

Beam Gun series first major hit

Light beam/ solar cell/electric circuit

Laser Clay Ranges//converting bowling alleys

El Conga-drum synth

The Ultrahand Nintendo Light Beam Gun The Ultra Machine Nintendo Love Tester Laser Clay

Nintendo

Because of Yokoi’s inventions, Nintendo became established name in high tech entertainment

1977 Nintendo licensed Magnavox new color Odyssey system, as Color TV Game 6

CTVG6 bright orange and rounded design. Toy Like Look and Feel, Nintendo’s TradeMark.

Full Color Graphics,, six variations on PONG

Huge hit!

CTVG15 15 games and removable controllers

Huge Hit!

One Million units sold between the two

Then enter Shigiro Myamoto

Early Nintendo Arcade

1978-Motivated by huge success of Space invaders Nintendo turned to Arcade Market

Invaders clone Space Fever-Miyamoto drew in game characters

1979-Sheriff (Western gun)-characters/marquee

1980-Space Firebird -characters

1980-RadarScope – marquee

Miyamoto Bio

Born 1953 Sonebe, outskirts of Kyoto

Heavily influenced by manga and animation films

Drawing, painting, puppets

Love to explore countryside

Degree in industrial design

Loved designing toys

PACMAN was favorite game, “1 st true design”

Miyamoto comes to Nintendo

Used childlike iconography so that kids could understand controls

Staple of Myamoto’s process: ninjenkougaku-human engineering-art and science of creating smooth and natural interface between machine or game and user.

Whee!!! Cute furry animals everywhere!!

Miyamoto’s Console Designs