1/30: Atari's ancient prototype art

Undertoad · 01-30-2002, 11:18 AM

From a cache of ancient drawings of Atari's early concepts of how arcade games would look like, and how people would interact with them, found here: http://www.safestuff.com/

Complete with actual "70s consumers" action figures.

It's interesting to note that their concept of how arcade games would work was pretty much accurate; there are drawings of arcades, games at bowling alleys, etc. There aren't many details about this collection but it's fascinating to look at. And sad to think that the whole arcade game era is pretty much over, replaced by home consoles, PCs, etc. Sad if only for the fact that some games really demand their own controller, not just a direction pad and 27 buttons or however many buttons they're sticking on controllers nowadays.

Joe · 01-30-2002, 12:00 PM

My favs were the vector graphics types, "Tempest", "Space Duel" and especially "Gravitar". These games had no pixels, they were line drawings and as such had *infinite* possiblities of positions of ships, enemies etc. They had some impressive hardware in the cabinets and difficult as heck to master.

Today of course nobody would be very interested in them, with their primitive art and about 4 colors, but for playability and finesse I thought they were the best.

Now of course we have the home consoles which IMHO aren't bad at all, it's just a different genre.

blase · 01-30-2002, 12:51 PM

My childhood video gaming started with Nintendo, and I never did see the attraction of arcade gaming. Why would I want to go somewhere to play a video game where every time I lost I was out another 25 cents or more? That gets sort of expensive when you really want to master a game and you're a 10 year old with a $2/week allowance. I don't cry for arcade games, consoles won because they're what people want.

MaggieL · 01-30-2002, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe
My favs were the vector graphics types...

<a href="http://wex.www.media.mit.edu/groups/el/projects/spacewar">The granddaddy of them all...(java required)</a>

Nic Name · 01-30-2002, 01:54 PM

Vectrex was the first console gaming system I bought. It was amazing in its day. Apparently, it still has a following.

01-30-2002, 04:36 PM

I had a Nintendo. After that, Genesis. Playstation. Dreamcast. N64. Xbox.

Arcade was fun, but it was tough for me 'cause I had a $5/week allowance, and after the latest G.I. Joe comic and the weekly peach drink (mmmmmm, that stuff was good), I only had like $3.50 left. Well, that doesn't go all that far in an arcade. Still, I could own it up on Street Fighter 2 back in the day.

Nic Name · 01-30-2002, 05:00 PM

I used to work for Playdium Entertainment.

All the great arcade games ... in an upscale atmosphere for young adults.

Each Playdium cost about US$15 million to build.

Better than Gameworks or Dave & Busters. IMHO.

It was fun.

Undertoad · 01-30-2002, 05:38 PM

The interesting thing about you, Nic, is that although you've posted 306 times, I still would be hard-pressed to guess whether you were a quarter jockey there, a manager, or vice-president of sales.

Nic Name · 01-30-2002, 06:08 PM

Intentional obfuscation.

I trust that my words speak for themselves, without the appendages of title or station in life.

In my posts and dialogue with others, I try my best to treat everyone as an equal, neither lording over nor grovelling.

So it may be difficult to type-cast me or fit me into a preconceived group. Although ... a picture of the individual does emerge over time.

Joe · 01-30-2002, 06:19 PM

That's why it's the Internet - nobody knows who I really am aside from some general IP tag info.

Would I show my bank statement, name and addres to a complete stranger? No.

Would I reveal my job title to the world at large? No, for the same reason.

The human mind is still unfettered, and the places it goes are frequently dark and unsavory, more so than we would care to admit. Society is set up so that we can work and live while pretty much ignoring these elephants in our living rooms, but the fact remains, there are no guardrails limiting our thoughts. Good, and we wouldn't have it any other way, but for this reason we play it close to the vest out here in the real world.

Undertoad · 01-30-2002, 06:54 PM

And it's all good, whatever people like to do. I just find it interesting.

I couldn't hide what I did if I wanted to. Sooner or later I'd mention something having to do with web programming or databases or whatever.

Nic Name · 01-30-2002, 06:58 PM

Like the cartoon says, "Nobody knows you're a dog, on the Internet."

Although, everyone soon discovers if you're an ass.

jeni · 01-30-2002, 07:20 PM

nobody knows i'm a jeni cat.

^._.^

01-30-2002, 09:49 PM

:whofarted

Nic Name · 01-30-2002, 09:53 PM

dham, I think it's about time you looked into what is making you Irritable.

01-30-2002, 11:18 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	1/30: Atari's ancient prototype art From a cache of ancient drawings of Atari's early concepts of how arcade games would look like, and how people would interact with them, found here: http://www.safestuff.com/ Complete with actual "70s consumers" action figures. It's interesting to note that their concept of how arcade games would work was pretty much accurate; there are drawings of arcades, games at bowling alleys, etc. There aren't many details about this collection but it's fascinating to look at. And sad to think that the whole arcade game era is pretty much over, replaced by home consoles, PCs, etc. Sad if only for the fact that some games really demand their own controller, not just a direction pad and 27 buttons or however many buttons they're sticking on controllers nowadays.

01-30-2002, 12:00 PM	#2
Joe Master of the Domain Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: AZ Posts: 221	You got that right My favs were the vector graphics types, "Tempest", "Space Duel" and especially "Gravitar". These games had no pixels, they were line drawings and as such had infinite possiblities of positions of ships, enemies etc. They had some impressive hardware in the cabinets and difficult as heck to master. Today of course nobody would be very interested in them, with their primitive art and about 4 colors, but for playability and finesse I thought they were the best. Now of course we have the home consoles which IMHO aren't bad at all, it's just a different genre.

01-30-2002, 01:54 PM	#5
Nic Name retired Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,930	Vectrex was amazing Vectrex was the first console gaming system I bought. It was amazing in its day. Apparently, it still has a following.

01-30-2002, 06:08 PM	#9
Nic Name retired Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,930	Intentional obfuscation. I trust that my words speak for themselves, without the appendages of title or station in life. In my posts and dialogue with others, I try my best to treat everyone as an equal, neither lording over nor grovelling. So it may be difficult to type-cast me or fit me into a preconceived group. Although ... a picture of the individual does emerge over time. Last edited by Nic Name; 01-30-2002 at 06:17 PM.

01-30-2002, 06:19 PM	#10
Joe Master of the Domain Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: AZ Posts: 221	Right on That's why it's the Internet - nobody knows who I really am aside from some general IP tag info. Would I show my bank statement, name and addres to a complete stranger? No. Would I reveal my job title to the world at large? No, for the same reason. The human mind is still unfettered, and the places it goes are frequently dark and unsavory, more so than we would care to admit. Society is set up so that we can work and live while pretty much ignoring these elephants in our living rooms, but the fact remains, there are no guardrails limiting our thoughts. Good, and we wouldn't have it any other way, but for this reason we play it close to the vest out here in the real world.

01-30-2002, 12:51 PM	#3
blase Coronation Incarnate Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 91	My childhood video gaming started with Nintendo, and I never did see the attraction of arcade gaming. Why would I want to go somewhere to play a video game where every time I lost I was out another 25 cents or more? That gets sort of expensive when you really want to master a game and you're a 10 year old with a $2/week allowance. I don't cry for arcade games, consoles won because they're what people want.

01-30-2002, 04:36 PM	#6
dave Guest Posts: n/a	I had a Nintendo. After that, Genesis. Playstation. Dreamcast. N64. Xbox. Arcade was fun, but it was tough for me 'cause I had a $5/week allowance, and after the latest G.I. Joe comic and the weekly peach drink (mmmmmm, that stuff was good), I only had like $3.50 left. Well, that doesn't go all that far in an arcade. Still, I could own it up on Street Fighter 2 back in the day.

01-30-2002, 05:00 PM	#7
Nic Name retired Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,930	I used to work for Playdium Entertainment. All the great arcade games ... in an upscale atmosphere for young adults. Each Playdium cost about US$15 million to build. Better than Gameworks or Dave & Busters. IMHO. It was fun.

01-30-2002, 05:38 PM	#8
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	The interesting thing about you, Nic, is that although you've posted 306 times, I still would be hard-pressed to guess whether you were a quarter jockey there, a manager, or vice-president of sales.

01-30-2002, 06:54 PM	#11
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	And it's all good, whatever people like to do. I just find it interesting. I couldn't hide what I did if I wanted to. Sooner or later I'd mention something having to do with web programming or databases or whatever.

01-30-2002, 06:58 PM	#12
Nic Name retired Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,930	Like the cartoon says, "Nobody knows you're a dog, on the Internet." Although, everyone soon discovers if you're an ass.

01-30-2002, 07:20 PM	#13
jeni is stuck on altair-4 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: santa cruz, california Posts: 514	nobody knows i'm a jeni cat. ^._.^

01-30-2002, 09:53 PM	#15
Nic Name retired Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,930	dham, I think it's about time you looked into what is making you Irritable.

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