World 1-1: A history of computers and games

Video games started way...way back to as early as the mid  19th century- might not seem like it but it's surprising and the evolution of technology and computers really helped it level up. Dating back to the early 18th century the 'Jacquard loom' technically was the first raw form of a calculator..it actually started from a weaving machine that would make and design fabric, the way the Victorians commanded the machine was to punch hole design onto cards, this was taken further by an English gentleman by the name of Charles Babbage- he was of course, a mathematician. The machine was called 'The difference engine" - these mechanical calculating machines were the bridge to the future of our digital computer systems..and video games...boom.

On the left is the Difference Machine and on the right is a Jacquard Loom

*Fast forward*

War was (probably still) the catalyst of the evolution of technology, from sound radars to flight simulator computers..these opened new ways to use computers and technology, in 1944 there was this huge computer called Mark-1 that did calculations that took up the whole room (very retro) the kind you'd see in the old James Bond movies...'Colossus' first electronic computer was used to cipher secret codes against the Nazis in WWII, sounds cool right? A group of very intelligent women were the ones working 'Colossus' *giggle*-but seriously with things escalating so quickly this opened up many opportunities for businesses to release mass-produced products. The public only got to get a sneak preview of these 'computers' back in 1946.

The Colossus 

Public and entertainment purposes..now we're getting somewhere. 1947 'The Cathode Ray Tube' an amusement device that made made T.V possible was emerged into the world- it basically projected images, but you know, it's the little things that matter...or we (I) wouldn't be able to watch our (my) shows. I need to stop fun-facting. Still following? Finally Arriving at 'The first video game' 'Tennis for two' was the first official one, it only had the back and fort system in game play, using only several pixels, where it's function was simple and addictive- beating the computer. In 1972 'Pong' that had the same concept, was released on the Odyssey gaming console this was when companies such as Atari really milked it- it was the first official video game console that released over 900 video game titles this then opened up new a whole new world to make. Pixels...pixels everywhere.

The golden age of arcade games 1970-85, remember going down to the arcade to play street fighter or Pacman? I don't-wasn't born in the era so no...haha- sorry to make it sound ancient but it must have been so cool to experience the development of those huge boxes into a portable console such as the DS...games even now take different type of forms, in the latest trend, app games on our phones all came from those. All I remember playing was Super Mario and Zelda: Ocarina of time when I was a kid .. I guess natural selection can take place with anything right?

No matter how bad you think a game might be think about the labour of those pixels. - Thanks guys stay tuned for part 2 ~




Reference Links:

http://www.bmigaming.com/videogamehistory.htm
http://www.bnl.gov/about/history/firstvideo.php
http://www.howstuffworks.com/tv3.htm
http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?year=1944
http://cgi.csc.liv.ac.uk/~ped/teachadmin/histsci/htmlform/lect4.html
http://www.computersciencelab.com/ComputerHistory/HistoryPt2.htm