1 Mechanical and ElectroMechanical Arcade Games 1870 1979

1. Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Arcade Games (1870– 1979)

Key Terms • • Automata Working Model Tester Viewer Trade Stimulator Parlor Penny Arcade Bagatelle

The Beginnings of Coin-Operated Amusement • The second industrial revolution in the 1800 s • Early coin-operated entertainment devices (working models, testers, viewers) • Machines in a variety of locations with appeal to different socio-economic classes

The Penny Arcade • Sport-themed games introduce new concepts • Driving games in the United States after World War II • Pinball’s development from a game of chance to a game of skill

2. The Birth of Digital Games: Research and Hacking (1945– 1975)

Key Terms • • Computer Mini-Computer The “Hacker Ethic” Batch Processing Time-Sharing Network Wireframe 3 D Persistent Game World

Games for Research • Games for artificial intelligence research and scientific demonstration • William Higinbotham’s Tennis for Two

Games and the Hacker Ethic • • Increased access to computers The spread and modification of Spacewar! PLATO and early networked gaming The influence of Dungeons & Dragons

3. Early Digital Arcade Games and Home Consoles (1971– 1977)

Key Terms • Attract Mode • Ball and Paddle Game • Dedicated Console

Early Digital Arcade and Home Console Games • Relationship to electro-mechanical and early computer games • The Magnavox Odyssey and divided game spaces • The founding of Atari and influence of Pong • Dedicated consoles and the market flood of 1977

4. The Golden Age Arcade (1978– 1984)

Key Terms • • Transistor–Transistor Logic Microprocessor Shoot ‘em up Climbing Game Laserdisc Vector Graphics Raster Graphics Multi-Genre Game

Golden Age Arcade Games • • Space Invaders and shoot ‘em ups The addition of narrative to arcade games Donkey Kong and the “climbing game” The range of control schemes

5. Early Cartridge-Based Home Console Games (1976– 1983)

Key Terms • • Sprite Venetian Blinds Bank Switching Easter Egg

Cartridge-Based Home Consoles The first “console wars” The emergence of third-party developers Adapting arcade games to the home New design concepts suited for the home (adventure and resource management) • The North American console market crash of 1983– 1984 • •

6. Commercialized Home Computer Games (1977– 1995)

Key Terms • • Microcomputer Assembly Language Open Architecture Design Optical Color Mixing Anti-Aliasing Open World Gameplay Rotoscoping GUI

Early Home Computer Games • Adaption of games originating on PLATO and in university contexts to commercial software • The continued influence of Dungeons & Dragons • Flight and simulation games

Mice, GUIs, and Computer Games • Changes in home computer hardware • The effect of the mouse on interfaces and gameplay • Accelerated gameplay with real-time strategy games

7. Japanese Arcade and Console Games (1983– 1995)

Key Terms • Pseudo-3 D • Pre-Rendered Visuals • Beat ‘em-up

Japanese Post-Golden Age Arcade Games • Greater emphasis on visuals and sound • Refinement and polish of existing forms • Beat ‘em up gameplay and Head-to-Head Fighting Games

Japanese Consoles and the Home • Nintendo transition and dominance of the home market • Nintendo’s franchise establishment • Sega’s transition to the home and the second “console war” • The proliferation of platforming gameplay

8. Realism in Games (1989– 1996)

Key Terms • • Multimedia Haptic Feedback Virtual Reality First Person Shooter Shareware Raycasting Game Engine Mod/Total Conversion

CD-ROMs and Photorealism • Re-emergence of laser discs in arcades • Interactive film and puzzle games on CD-ROM

Real-Time 3 D and Spatial Realism • Early efforts in commercialized virtual reality • Arcade-based vehicle simulators and 3 D imagery • Add-ons and enhancements for 3 D on home consoles • Combining 2 D imagery with real-time 3 D

9. Contemporary Games and Game Design (1996–present)

Key Terms • • Graphics Accelerator Scripted Sequences Streaming Texture Map/Color Map Shaders Bump Maps Set Pieces

3 D Game Design in the Late 1990 s • Technological shifts • New camera and control schemes across genres • Cinematic perspectives in 3 D games

3 D Game Design in the 2000 s • • Changes in the game industry Open world gameplay in the 2000 s The emergence of casual and mobile games Digital distribution in the 2000 s Realism in 3 D surfaces Film-like gameplay The “retro revival”

10. Contemporary Independent Games (1996–present)

Key Terms • • Freeware Doujin Soft Creative Sandbox Narrative Exploration

Independent Games in the Early 2000 s • • The Scratchware Manifesto Shareware, Freeware, and Flash games Alternative modes of funding and distribution Blurred lines between games and art

Independent Games in the Contemporary • • • Online distribution of independent games Console platforms and independent games Reviving and reinterpreting earlier genres Expanding audiences and niche appeal Challenges in the independent games sector