This is one small step for technology, one giant leap for gaming

1947- 1977

Part 2: Growth and Learning

So who else was on that proverbial playing field I mentioned. Well  there is one other contender… 1947 Games on a screen are released.

1947: Cathode ray tube amusement device is developed with military implication in mind however the small game that was demonstrated to show its use was possibly the first person shooter ever made. The idea is to line up the tube, aim for the “plane” and shoot it down.

1947-58 Chess is a mathematical program designed to attempt games of chess, however it unfortunately failed at playing complex games and could only work out scenarios for mate in two.

1958: Tennis for two is a U.S demo game to show the public the contemporary and exciting technology, clearly it’s a massive success as not only did it spark excitement in the otherwise drab lab. But it was pathing the way forward for a computer or, for consoles to be built purely to play a simple interactive game.

A demo of Tennis for two:

1966: Odyssey is in the making, the idea is simple, the task at hand difficult. Ralph Baer Takes on the task of developing a video game, a game that is able to be shown on the television. In 1972 the first home console is released the final prototype “brown box” becomes the Magnavox Odyssey.

1971: Computer Space is released after a game called Galaxy Game, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney come in second with a new coin operated gaming system.

The battle between the arcade format and console format has begun. Money once again fuels the fires or development.

1972: Atari pong is out and about as the team of Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney continue developing arcade style games, this time taken from the format of tennis for two or the later developed pong Dec.

1973: Graphics tablets become viable and a more formal digital art world emerges. Along with lots of new technology that also becomes readily available at home, printers and Ethernet cables become marketable.

1973: New technology and growth in possibilities arrive making the launch of Maze wars possible, computers are reasonably sized now and Ethernet cables can connect computers so gamers can play against each other on separate machines.

1975: Atria release a pong at home game to keep up with popular demand, even paying licensing fees to Magnavox to break into the home market.

1977: The Atari 2600 sweeps the market a console capable of playing many different games that were preinstalled. In many way the shear popularity of pong allowed Atria to wipe out competitors, it didn't have a good plot or graphics or even really out do its competitors in pushing boundaries. Pong had novelty and most importantly, people who would pay for it again and again.

Why?

Personally I think the competitive side of pong allowed people to have fun with friends while doing something new; but just the sweet aftertaste of being better at something then your mate made the money roll into the slot and straight into Atari’s pocket.

1977: Spaced Invaders launches, there's a lot of controversy over weather Atria teamed up with oversea companies to introduce them to the market or made space invaders themselves. No matter which it was in 1977 the overseas producers are coming to town.

130 years in type seems to fly by so fast.