I have been writing and discussing a lot about the early microelectronics industry recently with other researchers. There are still a lot of mysteries about the formative period, before true foundations for single chip designs and mass production came into the picture. It's been interesting to think about the true how and why people came … Continue reading Exploring the First Microprocessor Video Games
This post is a little outside the realms of the normal historical flare, but it’s something that I feel is important to discuss. I’ve previously mentioned in determining my boundaries for how I like to talk about games that the current genres we use are woefully inadequate. In terms of games, what I consider a … Continue reading Historical Methods: The Genre Question
The sequel you've all been waiting for! Last time we had a look at what happens before code is put to the stack, this time we plunge into the meat and bones of making games. We'll look at the fascinating yet far too brief windows we've been provided into the game making process through the … Continue reading How Do You Make a Game? Part 2: Development Tools
I sent out my first request for an interview for a person in the games industry in March of 2015. Since then I have collected the stories of over 100 people, some well known names and others scarcely mentioned in any source. It has been a very fulfilling enterprise and it's the first step in … Continue reading Historical Methods: Interviews
[This piece is dedicated to the engineers, the idea men, and the business people behind the Nintendo 64 project, first revealed as Project Reality. I am planning to continually update the article as I find new information to paint a greater picture of Nintendo’s most interesting console. If you were involved with Project Reality, please … Continue reading The Nintendo 64 Was the Culmination of 90s Virtual Reality
The ideas for a game from anywhere, but at some point before production there should be a plan laid out for all involved to see. Throughout history, game creators have left valuable insights into their inspiration through these pieces that we collectively call 'design documents'. From visualizations to project planning, from code to creativity, these … Continue reading How Do You Make a Game?: A Look at Design Documents Throughout History
(This post is the first in a series covering writings on video games. It will be exploring matters of perception, context, and facts in early writings about electronic amusements as well as critically examining their worth beyond historical interest.) It's strange to think that video games may be the last major new phenomenon whose relevance … Continue reading The Historiography of Video Games: Part 1
