Apr 22 2013

Centipede

Original version: Centipede, released in 1980 for arcade
Refinement has always been as central an aspect to video gaming as innovation. As soon as a brilliant idea comes to the medium, it is edited and polished at such a dizzying pace that cinema seems downright sluggish. Devil May Cry (2001) introduced a semi-fixed camera that was refined by God of War (2005). Stardust (1993) used pre-rendered 3D sprite graphics that were refined by Donkey Kong Country (1994) and perfected by Vectorman (1995). Back in 1980, Dona Bailey was inspired by Space Invaders which created the “shoot ’em up” genre in 1978. Let’s look at her addition to the genre after the jump.
Apr 15 2013

Tempest and Tempest 2000

Original version for game 1: Tempest, released in 1980 for arcade
Original version for game 2: Tempest 2000, released in 1994 for Atari Jaguar

No, I’m not thinking of the play by Shakespeare, or the painting by Giogiorne, though both were quite good. I’m talking about the arcade game by Atari. Fresh off their success of Asteroids, Atari once again called upon the sexy power of vectors to make their next space-shooty game. In light of Asteroids’ marked success and the countless clones it inspired, just what makes this unassuming twitch game so special? I mean, aside from the awesomely angular cabinet? Let’s take a look. (Seriously, look at that thing. Atari was not messing around when they chiseled those edges and corners!)

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Apr 1 2013

Free Coffee Coupons! Inquire Within!

OK, That title was the bait, now time for the switch.
I decided to try something a little different with the way I discuss things and wrote this monologue as I thought it up. As with any free writing exercise, I started typing and didn’t stop until I was done; essentially producing a stream of consciousness diatribe. It’s guaranteed more invigorating than a nice cup of tea (once you’re down to just the leaves)! Anyway, I didn’t change any words since finishing. I only added punctuation, edited spelling, etc., and inserted links for your browsing enjoyment.
Mar 25 2013

Missile Command

Original version: Missile Command, released in 1980 for arcade

If you were alive during the cold war you must remember the fear and uncertainty that came with wondering how long the arms race between the US and USSR would last. Missile Command was inspired by this very fear and puts you, the player, in charge of millions of lives.

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Mar 18 2013

Pac-Man

Original version: Pac-Man, released in 1980 for arcade

 

Waka waka waka waka waka waka waka waka. I guarantee that the sound effect of Pac-Man eating pellets is etched in your brain (unless you’re a Shakira fan and you hear the song “Waka Waka,” but the less spoken about that, the better).

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Mar 11 2013

Runners-up of 1979

 

Adventure

Original version: Adventure, released in 1979 for the Atari VCS

Before there was Zelda, before there was Ultima, there was Adventure, the premier adventure game for the Atari 2600, then known as the Atari Video Computer System. Released in 1979, it was a first-party title developed by Warren Robinett (more on that later) and was inspired by Colossal Cave Adventure, the seminal text adventure released three years earlier.

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Mar 4 2013

Asteroids

Original version: Asteroids, released in 1979 for arcade

In art, throughout the ages, there has been a push towards representing the subject with as much realism as possible. We can see a drastic difference between a work by Cimabue and one by the later Gaddi, who had the benefit of living a century later and thus could start out with knowledge Cimabue and his colleagues had to discover during their careers. Only after the advent of cameras and the quick, realistic “paintings” they could produce did artists adopt a widespread genuine interest in the stylized and abstract. These artists, possibly feeling threatened by the cheaper, quicker photography, founded a movement called Impressionism, in which the likes of Monet and Picasso flourished.

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Feb 4 2013

Free Writing Exercise #2

As promised, my second try at free writing was much better than the first. What I forgot to mention before is that spleling, grammar;   and p.unc/tuati”on. are meant to be left to the wayside when free writing. This is so that the writer will be able to write as quickly as possible and let ideas flow forth instead of pausing to make revisions. As much as it pains me to leave these untouched, their hideous mistakes need to be left alone. It’s one of the essential qualities of free writing.

Anyway, here’s a picture of two hedgehogs.

 
Jan 28 2013

Cross-Promotion!

Hey, you! Yeah, you! The intelligent, attractive one sitting in front of this computer! Did you know that I have a blog where I post stuff I come across? Well, here it is.

Click it. Do it now. There’s something for everyone. I have videos, pictures, music, art, and so on. Basically whatever I like I add to that blog. Here’s the link again.

Doing so ensures that I will love you forever. Or, if you don’t like me, clicking will cause me to feel unbearably intense pain. While I’m here promoting my other content, why don’t I just link my Steam page as well? Look at my screenshots, browse my games library and see my recommendations while you’re waiting for the Games Appreciation articles on them later. I have another secret blog that’s secret, but you needn’t know about that.

So, I’ll have a real post next Monday. Like, fer realz. I’ll probably have a few posts on blogspot before then, maybe. I don’t know. I’m writing this on January 18th, so I have no idea what’ll happen between now and the 4th of February. Anything is possible. I do mean anything. Who knows, I might be the queen of England by then. In fact, I’m pretty sure I will be. Look forward to that.