History of computer games and computing 1850's-1970's

History of Computer Games

part 1

Greetings again fellow gamers!

So you have been made aware of the explicit games of the modern age by contemporary media and repetitive advertisement. I’m afraid to say, if you haven’t, well then you may find that you’ve been probably living under a bridge for the past 20 years. However, when playing such aesthetically pleasing games as Skyrim, Red Dead Redemption  and Mirror’s Edge etc. do you not wonder where they all came from or rather, how far we’ve come in the past 3 decades since the birth of computer devices.

Now I’m not going to indulge you in a boring, history class based timeline of consoles from early 1600’s that you’d expect to hear from teachers with monotone voices, but I will bring you back to a selected few of the gaming consoles which had a greater impact and influence on today’s consoles.

‘The Difference device’ was one of industrial Victorian civilizations first attempts to use machinery to add human problematics. The creator, Charles Babbage has been deemed “the pioneer of the computer” due to his design. he modeled the Difference machine in between 1847-1849.

Although, Babbage never completed any of his creations as the schematics of his inventions were ahead of his time, this 5 tonne, 8ft high machine’s primary function was to calculate 7th order polynomial digits ( I have no clue either) and copy the values onto paper and tiles (essentially a printer too). It worked through clockwork mechanics to turn the cog;s and arrange the pillars with numbers. So why did Babbage make such a difference? and how did his invention influence modern gaming, well its because it is of the first machines to stimulate problems and work to “eliminate the risk of human error, in the calculation and production of printed mathematical tables”.

Moving on , the outbreak of the second world war, not only caused the deaths of a significant amount of lives, but also was the cause of a significant electronic breakthroughs. one being the 1943 ‘Colossus’ machine.

This machine was an electronic British Code-breaking device used during wwII to decipher  German encrypted messages. The Pioneer was Tommy Flowers. Initially designed to answer a mathematical problem. With aid from the ‘Lorenz’ device, Colossus worked in uncovering German tele-printed signals or ‘fish’ and printing the decrypted digits and messages onto paper tape to be used. Now, although it may not create 7th polynomial digits like the difference machine but it is a computer device which aided the Allies’ victory over the Axis. Common, that;s pretty significant. (In my opinion I believe it;s encrypting abilities may have been one of the methods used to pave the way for international server sharing and cross national data reading.

Next on my list is the 1946 ‘Eniac’ machine created by physicist John Mockley. it was a giant computer which could “figure charts in minutes” , much larger than the Colossus though (don't expect to be able to use this on your lab) Although, it required uupt to 4 workers to maintain it and had very small memory in comparison with today’s machines it could solve thousands of equations and introduced efficient cable connectors to the computer devices like the ones used in our machines.

“It proved computers could be constructed”. John Neumann reformed the Eniac designing it to contain internally held memory, a control unit and a processor. This would be replaced by today’s terms- RAM, Hard disk and CPU. However all computers today even phone derived

from this stage. In away the Eniac is the ancestor (the Adam) of all computers we play today. Von Neumann with the aid of Mockley and Hackman basically “laid out the logical plan for a computer and pointed the direction for the future”. Following this the 1960s gave way to the IBM machine which calculated charts and business tables to be used in economic, business related corporations.

So I've spoken about machinery used for work purposes , now we must converse on matters of electronics used for human entertainment.

Now, although no game can be awarded the first game ever, on October 18th pioneer William Higinbotham developed “Tennis for two”, the first recording of an electronic game, in 1958. Using a small analog computer, Higinbotham was able to portray a virtual tennis game from his device; ability to generate different curves  on a “cathode ray tube and an oscilloscope using resistors, capacitors and relays”. initially the bouncing ball reminded Higinbotham of a tennis ball.

‘BNL’, says ‘it is the earliest processor to modern video games’. so what i’m trying to tell you is , Professor Higinbotham is the Grand-daddy of all video games. (pretty cool huh!)

Lastly, on our journey through the ages of computer gaming, remember the 70’s- (not me I wasn't born) but for those who do , any of you remember the 1977 Atari 2600.

I know I played it at one stage of my life. I chose this console because the Atari literally brought the arcade to the game,bringing much loved memorables such as Pac-man and Mario Bros to the household. The joystick is memorable and easy to play with, also the cartridge system meant players weren't grounded by the non-micro process dedicated hardware which the old consoles had meaning they could only use built in games…(like Tennis for two).

Furthermore, its size created the foundation shape for contemporary console- Xbox, Ps3’s, Wii’s you name it.

So there you have it, some history behind the games and consoles you play to day, which was not boring, as i promised (I hope).

Stay tuned for the next part of this post, where I discuss the evolution of gaming”.

Thank you for Reading

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and like always- Game on!

Reference Material

http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2012/03/30/the-10-most-visually-stunning-games-of-the-last-10-years/

http://www.bnl.gov/about/history/firstvideo.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0anIyVGeWOI- (Doron Swade)

http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Colossus_computer.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goi6NAHMKog

Gamescon convention news

Gamescon as video conventions go, is not as showy or even as ostentatious as E3 presents its shows, yet with out a doubt it does deliver, rightfully earning its 2nd place ranking in the world of game conventions, according to attendance figures.

This years Gamescon (2013…der), hosted a variety of exhibitions at its German base, Koelnmesse- allowing public and press to get-up,close and personal with this and next years most anticipated upcoming video games.

The exhibition revealed a number of exciting titles including:

• 'Sims 4' (PC, Mac)                                                                                    
• 'Diablo III: Reaper of Souls' (PC, Mac)                                                      
• 'Sonic Lost World' (Wii U)                                                                        
• 'Puppeteer' (PS3)                                                                                    
• 'The Order: 1886' (PS4)                                                                    
•  'Fable legends' (Xbox One)                                                                
• 'XCOM: Enemy Within' ( PC, Xbox 360, PS3)                                          
• 'Thief' (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PS3, PS4)                                
•  'Murdered: Soul Suspect' (Xbix 360, PC, PS3)                                      
•  'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt' (Xbox One, PS4 and PC)

Not forgetting my personal favorite, ‘Titanfall’ coming out on Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC

For More direct info. on forthcoming games or convention dates visit the Gamescon site. Thank you.

ALSO, please don’t forget to…..

Like, Comment, Follow. Game On!

Thank you

(Written by Denzil Forde)

Rome total war 2 review

When in Rome...

Why I ❤ Rome II: Total War

The Total War Series has always deliver in terms of real-time warfare, scale & tactics (rivaling that of the Supreme Commander games) and detail as well as historic accuracy, so why does this sequel to the first Rome: total war better from its ancestors?….

It has Elephants in it!(at my command). Following my return to the Total War Franchise, there are many reasons that one should love/adore the latest Total War game; due to many reasons including its enormous scale and scope of choices that can be made by you.

This turn-based, role playing strategy game takes place during 300 B.C, indulging in the very gruesome, very gory years of conflict before the birth of Jesus ‘Anno Domini’. During which time the developers of the game, allow you to re-imagine history to what seems fit to you. You want to attack a town and enslave a population…so be it. You want to become a neutral nation and export fish…do as you like. It is clear to see that the  the dev’s have focused on making the game packed with a magnitude of different possibilities to customize your empire that make each player’s game experience very unique. However this is not to excuse some of the repetitious gameplay that I faced, however that will be discussed at another time.

On the Campaign map there is a lot of content and at times the AI factions appear very realistic and unpredictable that ‘end turn’  phase has me at the edge of my seat in suspense of what could happen next. Yet, when  foolish enemies who dare assault me armies then the slow paced campaign board-gamesque map immerses me into a real-time battlefield. 

During these battles, the audio is music to my ears, as I can witness sounds of sandstorms and other environments, the screams of dying archers trampled by my Elephants (Lol) or the bark of war dogs or even the quietest idle chatter amongst the men as they wait for an unseen enemy- its brilliant. The battles offer a great chance to show off your on tactical skills, from the starting deployment phase offering a range of options to gain the upper hand over your enemies…without holding your hand every step of the way (*cough cough* Crysis 2). From this stage I feel power and gravity- like i am Julius Caesar himself. The blood is realistic and when panning in you can see each individual scene broken down. 

At an aesthetic approach the battles are beautiful visually too. the lighting of the sun rays breaking through passing clouds or the horizon of a elevated temple overlooking a the great Cathago as my fleet lay siege to it- it’s art guys plain and simple. Yet my favorite moments during these immersive  is watching a charge from the soldier’s point of view/ unit cam.  This gives me a truly breath taking portrayal of the savagery that took place 2000 years ago.

Although, no game is not without its fault and i did encounter a few minor issues whilst playing. firstly if your graphics card isn’t top notch (Geforce etc) then I’m afraid you will not get the same jaw dropping eye tearing feel of gamplay that others do (its like getting Picasso’s ‘Nudes’ in exchange for the ‘Mona Lisa’- its not really value for money). However, games have proved that graphics do not make a game (e.g ‘Journey’ and ‘Hotline Miami’)

Secondly I also notice during gameplay some of the graphics on characters is sketchy, what is more the AI can be in cases ‘dumb’ and it can be a aggravating task to play properly when they run in random circles for 15 minutes before attacking (for instance… *sigh*)

Taking all of these in mind, Still I am very pleased with hat I’ve been playing with for the past 4 weeks. yes it prefers High end systems- however graphics aren’t everything and no game isn’t without its glitches. Through the big picture I get what I pay for- running at a Steam price of £29.99. Since I’m not particualry picky with my games, but i look for a game that I can play for a long time and which will also leave lasting  memories, Rome 2 certainly fits the bill. Hitting most genre’s of PC gaming (except fps), I think its definitely a step up from its original and the other total war titles- Keep up the good work Creative Assembly and I look forward to your next title. 8.5 out of 10 

This was just my opinion, if you disagree or wish to challenge leave a comment below or on my page- all is welcome.

Thank you for reading

Like, Reblog- Game On!

Written by Denzil Forde

Personal Inquiry Part 2

More Gaming Mysteries......

Women in Games

Despite my Sorrows of the lost games in my previous post, another question I would like to query is where have all the women been in gaming? By women I mean the strong, domineering, feminist females. Now, although lately, we've been seeing more of them in video games today e.g. 'Gears of War', 'Bayonetta' and *sigh* 'Tomb Raider', why do women continue to inhabit the more passive, less impacting roles than their male counterparts.

I'm not denying that there are females in games, but their roles seem so menial.  I would of liked to use 'Elle' in 'The last of us' a lot more than was presented or at least see her have a greater role in the games DLC (expansion) which was announced by developers 'Naughty Dog'. Similarly, I would have also liked to see 'Elizabeth' take a stronger role in 'Bioshock Infinite' than the supplier role she has occupied. Additionally  the release of the greatest rated game of 2013, GTA 5, despite amazing response across the gaming world, one female gamer was 'disappointed' by the game, stating how she couldn't give the game a 10/10 because of the lack of strong female characters; and to be honest I think it's true. 

Another case of this particular issue is in an interview with the Call of Duty developers, where a female member of the audience asked  about the absence of women in their games. Funnily enough, the trailer of the new COD game 'Ghosts' reveals a women, being the introduced to the battlefield. Therefore summing up that in a contemporary world women can take on the same roles as men. So why has it taken so long?

Could we assume that like civilization  the gaming world is going through and mirroring the same evolution and development as western civilization, where this male dominated world is now being more equal and presenting more opportunities for women in gaming like today's society.

However, despite our progress, there is also a deterioration of the female model in games. Examples I present are Juliette Starling' from 'Lollipop Chainsaw', 'Amber & Crystal' from 'Dead Rising 2' 'Ivy', 'Morrigan' and all other female characters from 'Soul Calibur', 'Mortal Kombat' and 'Darksiders', the list goes on. I mention these women because these are the one's who stand out most to me with their over exaggerated curves, massive chests and skimpy outfits  Being a man, naturally I can't really complain, but at the same time these characters sensual appearance, through my eyes, seems to degrade the portrayal of a strong, hardened woman. Lets love our female characters, not lust them!

To conclude my discussion, I'm not trying to put a stop to the idea of a voluptuous sexy female character, I would just like to see more of the Catwomenesque type of woman from 'Batman Arkham City', who uses her sensuality as a weapon against her enemies and refuses to become a victim of a patriarchal society. I mean, where have they gone in games, where are the 'Alyx Vance's' ,the 'Nariko's', the 'Queen Victoria's', the 'Boadicea's'. Where have all our strong women gone? why are they so few in number in our games. Male gamers, I think it's time for you to stop thinking with your phallus and start thinking with your heads and female gamers you need to speak up a lot more! It's about time women to become empowered. Hooah!!

Thank you for reading, Like comment, share your opinion.

Game On!

Personal Inquiry Part 1

The Mysteries of the Video Gaming Industry

Hello Again Fellow Gamers, I'm Posting this blog to you because I feel that I need to discuss and inform you of a few topics related with the gaming industry- some of which may make you wonder, some may make you gasp and others may blow your 'blinking head off.

This post will be split into several smaller matters, but the first thing I'd Like to discuss is the deaths of 2 anticipated games.

Do any of you remember the development of 'Warhammer 40k: Dark Millennium'? For those of you who don't know, Warhammer 40k, is a graphic interpretation of life 40,000 years into the future, where humans wage an ever-going war with alien factions in order to promote the survival of their race. However the war takes place upon multiple fronts between 7 races, and even within factions themselves. Recently the developers, Vigil, declared their bankruptcy  and the future of their games was unclear. Initially  THQ announced that the anticipating MMO would be descaled to a single player- Co-op game due to expenses. To make matters worse, Now it is assumed the game has been scapped altogether because THQ released a chart of upcoming games and 'Dark Millennium' did not show.

Although, I may not have been the biggest fan of the latest 40k expansions, I had always been fascinated of the chaotic war of the 40k universe, especially the diverse design of each individual faction.

I mean really, how could anyone think the design of the 'Space Marines' isn;t awesome. Thus, you can expect my knee-jerk reaction to the prospect of the game would be of awe and high praises right? Unfortunately not.

However, this isn't the only case that this has happened in the gaming industry  Cast your minds back to an older date. Try to remember 'Hellgate London', another Online RPG, which failed to prosper from the perpetuating prospect of bankruptcy.

'Hellgate London', was a developers take on what would be visualized if Hell came to London. the game had all the potential to be a successful game, in terms of aesthetics. The developers 'Flagship Studios' and 'EA', from the start were focused on creating a world which is going to Hell (excuse the pun). Yet, the characters, the variety of designs of the levels, the diversified weapons, all give promote a sense of awe, especially my favorite the Templar's and the flaming sword. The world itself is visually pleasing to observe, although the world is not open and can seem claustrophobic at times, the level of detail put into the look of iconic areas of London e.g Covent Garden and Holborn Station, morphed into a twisted apocalypse would make anyone fascinated.

With all of this in mind, I think my main argument for why I'm outraged by the collapse of this game and why it should be revived is, we Brits need more games based in Britain, I mean we've barely got any. Please show your support with a comment or so below. Rule Britannia!!!

Introduction to me

Yours Truly

I would like to take this opportunity to re-introduce myself. To those of you who may not know me, I go by the name of Denzil Fordè and I hope this page will express a little bit more about myself than words are able to.

I usually tend to vocalize my opinions verbally so please excuse any grammatical errors, but......

I am a Londoner, with African heritage with a love for video games and good times. Over the years I have developed a skill in art and drawing (mainly because of doodling through teachers lessons) but my skills are definitely a work in progress. I am currently studying Game Art Design at De Montfort University. From the course I would hope to gain the skills and traits that set me to a standard equivalent to that of Industry standard designers. 

I never came from a computer background unlike some of the other students on my course, so my work would naturally excels in the visual design aspect of the course. I endured A-levels, studing Art, English and Economics. 

When describing myself I would admit I am weird, because my ideas and thoughts in art come across as abstract and random, but that's just me. I like to doodle whatever comes to mind in my pass time as it helps me to relax and get in my zone. However, my sketching can be messy or 'expressive' as some may call it, but yet again that's just me. Although I am a 6"2 black guy who can at times dress like I've come from the streets, don't be fooled by the illusion, i love anime and am open to listen to all music genre's as long as I can bob my head to it. I am currently into the new 'Attack on Titans' series and hope to meet others with the same hobby. 

Coming into the course, i did think that the students would just be anti-social gamers but everyone has seemed really down to earth and cool (so far...) and I look forward to meeting more of you and exhanging interests. My steam name is '2cool'. Oh almost forgot to mention, i've been running a game review site on Tumblr over the summer holidays with my best friend, its goes by the name of 'Gigastorm'. If it doesn't bother you please be sure to visit and like or dislike....all the same the support would be most grateful.

So thats me in a nutshell...not really eccentric but yet again that's just me. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Kind Regards

Denzil Forde