Electronic Battle Royale
11/27/02
A sudden metallic “click” resounds to your immediate right. You freeze, your hands wielding a large MP – 150. The dark figure slowly walks along the wall in front of you, oblivious to yourself or the rifle you have trained on his skull. At this moment, you take a breath of anticipation. Your heart pounds heavily in your chest, even though you know full well this is not reality. Instead, you are using virtual reality, a product of the history of both computer and video games. These histories have both similar and distinctive qualities.
Both computer and video games had closely related, if not identical, beginnings. The first “video game” was a version of table tennis created to run on an oscilloscope in 1958. Electronic gurus created this to entertain visitors at Brookhaven National Laboratories. Just a few years later, Spacewar, the first “computer game,” was developed. This simplistic game used Roman text elements to show action; for example, your character might be an “A” which shoots “o”s at the enemy “M”s. Spacewar also brought the first joystick into reality. The terms “video” and “computer” games are used loosely in this time frame because there was, as many argue, no worthwhile distinction between the two. Looking at games closely, we see both required two human players, and neither had a method of maintaining score.
These two events could be seen as different in each branch of the electronic gaming industry, however and because of this, they can be distinguished. To differentiate the computer (Spacewar) beginning from the video (table tennis), one must look at each game individually. In Spacewar, the goal was to destroy your opponent before he could destroy you. In the table-tennis game, the only goal was to try to hit the ball back and forth. Spacewar was run on a mini-computer, while the tennis game was run on an oscilloscope. Finally, Spacewar used text elements, while its opponent used pixel drawing on the oscilloscope.
Over the next decade, there would be several break-throughs in each industry, and little common ground. Contrary to this statement, both industries had an increase in consumer support. Both gained several companies, and created larger games. This is however, all that can be said about similarities during this time frame for the two genres took very different turns. On the computer, most, if not all, games used only computer-generated text. This meant there was no eye-candy to stimulate the players, so only those who liked to read a great deal were interested. Unlike the computer, video games used only graphics and seldom required many words. Video games in this period held titles like Burger Time, Pac-Man, Asteroids, and Space Invaders, all of which were rich in visual action. The computer world required more thought-provoking games and time-intensive playing, while the video game world relied on fast reflexes and quick games. This contrast can be seen while comparing Adventure (the classic word-game) to Pac-Man (the classic “waka-waka” game). The goal of Adventure was to make it through the story it portrayed, while Pac-Man’s goal was to avoid ghosts and eat little white pixels.
Moving to the next half-decade, several likenesses developed between the two industries. During this period, computer graphics catch up to those generated by the video game industry. This means that each had the same ability to show the same program with the same amount of ease, thereby equalizing the two in that sense. Each industry made a dramatic change in its method of distributing games. Instead of the primitive methods of storing games, they are now sold with new technology. Both industries also saw the beginning of the Commodore-64, a video-game-like computer. This system, or computer, would enchant the nation for many years, and add useful ideas into both the computer and video game genres. In addition, in this period, many of today’s hit developers for computer and video games were formed. These developers include Nintendo and Electronic Arts.
Although there were a great many similarities, there were also a few differences between the two branches of electronic gaming during this age. Though they each switched distribution methods, they did not switch to the same methods. Computers changed from a mechanical tape to the classic 5¼-inch disks while video games began using interchangeable cartridges to store their games instead of simply selling different systems. One of the computer’s largest faults even to date becomes visible in this period; video games develop analog joysticks, hands-free controllers, and light-guns, which became very popular. The computer gaming industry did not catch onto this controlling method and had to suite its players with the keyboard only. Another distinction is the lack of valleys in the computer-sales line-graphs. The video game industry was constantly having peeks and valleys in its sales while the computer industry was steadily gaining more supporters. Finally, one important, albeit unexpected, difference between the two divisions in this frame is the lack of laser-disk technology in computers. In fact, video games produced the first uniform laser-disk unit. Although this did not catch on, it was a large step and dominates both the computer and video game industry today.
The two paths continue to develop in the second half of the 80’s, the next five years. During this time frame, there are some, though few, similar events along both divisions’ timelines. Both continued developing at a rapid pace. Their games were becoming more numerous and their technology was increasing at an almost exponential rate. Games themselves were evolving into massive stories that involved several different characters and sub-stories. Players were becoming keen with the ‘virtual world’ idea and spent their money proving it. Role-playing games became one of the most sought after games of this time. They topped the charts of computers and began jumping places in the top video game lists.
Though there were a few similarities, this era also had several differences between the two industries. Computers became multi-user (via internet) to compete with the already multi-user consoles. These games were not equal; computers had massive online text games while console players could play Mario-style graphics with their friends. Computers once again made a switch from 5¼ disks to 3½ disks, and even to a few CD-ROM games, which are the medium of today. The video game industry’s only switch was between systems; they still all used cartridges. The video game industry also created the still-popular hand-held game systems, like Game boy. There were no hand-held computers at the time, so computer game developers were forced to sit back and watch the children’s market be taken over by video games. Computer companies attempted to combat this by creating several Internet games. These did not run well, but because video games had no access to the Internet, computers scored a minor victory.
Moving on, in the first five years of the 1990’s, several important events took place that crossed both the computer and video game timelines. Both continued to crank out game after game and new design after new design. Technology developed at an extremely quick pace, leaving many in its dust. Both divisions began turning into CD-ROMs as the destined future of gaming. CDs became the standard of computer gaming, while all of the top developers in the video game industry began plans for creating separate CD consoles. There was also a dramatic transition into the 3D world of gaming. Just a few years prior and no one had heard of a “Shoot ‘em Up” game, but now they were the most popular games on the market.
Through the many equal changes of both branches, there are also many differences. This was one of the most influential times in computer game history. The period made only a minor impact on the video game industry until its last hours. Companies started developing “user-friendly” computers and computer games, which made the computer easier to understand for children. Video games were already at this point, so they did not have much room for improvement. Before, the kid sales were dominated by video games, but now the numbers were dwindling, while the computer sales rose. Then, multi-player online games were becoming very popular, while the video game industry still had no idea how to plug a modem into the wall. Computer gaming flourished even further with the onset of user-created levels. This meant the player of a game could now go into that game and create a world of his/her own. The video game industry had no way of doing this and could not have expected it would become so popular.
From 1995 to the present, computer and video gaming have begun to bridge the gap that had separated them until now. Both have become the most popular forms of gaming (outside of each other), and have remained so for several years. Both compete for the same players now. This is because they now create the same game on several different platforms (ex. Playstation, Gamecube, PC, Mac), that cost the same on each. They have both had a great increase of the amount of graphics and sound generation. Most games now look almost real, and some use actual people to act character parts. They also have many new developments in how their games are played, and the number of games they produce. Over six new systems have been produced in this period as well as hundreds of new computer modulations. Most of all, the two are similar in the fact that they are forming the same type of gaming: electronic gaming. All the new systems have a mini-computer built into them; most make use of computer utilities, such as Internet, Mp3 players, and cameras. The Xbox is a good example of this cross-platform movement in the future. It is actually a computer packed in a shiny box, whose only capability is to run games (mostly).
Though they have become similar in recent years, there are still several differences lining this period, especially at the present. Computer games have no uniform controller(s), while consoles do. This means computer game developers will not make use of the handy controllers of consoles because not every computer owner owns them. Computers do, however, have the ability to perform other tasks, such as writing, creating, etc. Video games have only one basic use: gaming. Another good talent computers hold is the ability to adapt much quicker than a video game system ever will. Computers can be modified with ease and little training while creators seldom intend their video game systems to be altered. This also gives way to the theory that computer gaming will develop much quicker than video games, which it has, in the past few years especially. The final, although very important, difference is the cost. Their games’ prices may be similar, but the platforms are most certainly not. Computers range in price from $600 to $2000. The highest console ever released held the price tag of about $400, and they have since become much more inexpensive.
The realms of computer and video gaming are quite similar, but also have vast differences. Both had similar beginnings but then took wide divisions. They continued to advance, in some ways alike, but in others not. Only recently have they begun to merge again into a similar industry, identical in most aspects. As these thoughts leave your mind, you close one eye, focusing in the imaginary world at a "polygonized" person, thousands of miles away. You pull the trigger. The character turns all but too late, eventually falling to the ground in a pool of red pixels. You marvel at the technology and its progression as you think to yourself, what does the future hold?
