The Video Game Revolution

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Posted by michael on Saturday September 4, 2004 @10:58AM from the turn-turn-turn dept.

SH10151 writes "PBS will be airing a special, The Video Game Revolution, this week. "The Video Game Revolution examines the evolution and history of the video game industry, from the 1950s through today, the impact of video games on society and culture, and the future of electronic gaming." Just a heads-up for all the game junkies out there."

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FBI by chris_mahan · 2004-09-04 11:08 · Score: 1

But, did he call the FBI?

--
"Piter, too, is dead."
What about those of us without PBS? by Brutus+(moo) · 2004-09-04 11:21 · Score: 1

Well, I live in israel and we don't have PBS here (well, duh), any chance of someone recording this (high quality preferred, of course ;) and posting it online? hm...now that I think of it, is it even legal to do that? well anyway, it would be really nice for this to be online.
1. Re:What about those of us without PBS? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-04 15:36 · Score: 0
  
  My local PBS station (WGBH Boston) put an entire educational series (7 hours on world economics and history) in QuickTime format on their site. I'd say it's likely it will be available online. If not, find someone to record it for you.
2. Re:What about those of us without PBS? by AltaMannen · 2004-09-04 16:26 · Score: 1
  
  Well, I live in Los Angeles and it's not showing on any of the 3 PBS stations I recieve in the next two weeks either :( PBS programming has become much less interesting lately.
3. Re:What about those of us without PBS? by Minna+Kirai · 2004-09-04 19:06 · Score: 1
  
  Well, I live in israel and we don't have PBS here (well, duh),
  
  It might come on if you wait a bit. PBS (and also the BBC) lease their programs internationally, often to other government-sponsored stations. I've heard of 2 PBS shows airing in Israel (no idea what channel)
  
  hm...now that I think of it, is it even legal to do that?
  
  No, but that never stops anyone.
4. Re:What about those of us without PBS? by Rellik66 · 2004-09-05 10:40 · Score: 1
  
  All I can say is keep an eye out for a .torrent at places like suprnova.org
  
  --
  Too many zeros, not enough ones
Re:excuse me by yellow*five · 2004-09-04 12:05 · Score: 1

Public Broadcasting Station, I believe. It's public television, meaning, funded by grants and viewer donations as opposed to advertising revenue.
No Elite? by meowsqueak · 2004-09-04 12:10 · Score: 2, Interesting

I can't find any mention of Elite. How can this be a complete history if it doesn't include Braden and Bell's groundbreaking space combat and trading simulation? I'm not sure about the date but I think it was first published in 1984 on the Acorn BBC. Various ports and sequels as well as many games inspired by the original have been written, but none were as revolutionary. For the first time, players were able to invest 'progress' in their games. Rather than single (sometimes long) sessions shooting/running/collecting more and more points in an effort to beat their previous best, Elite pioneered the concept of a persistent session and the idea of the 'save game'.
1. Re:No Elite? by ObsessiveMathsFreak · 2004-09-04 13:17 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Other games that will not be shown include, but are not limited to....
  
  1. Any RPG Whatsoever
  2. Half Life(Though Counterstrike MAY be shown)
  3. Street Fighter 2
  4. Sonic The Hedgehog
  5. Centipede
  6. Maniac Mansion
  7. Nethack
  8. Outrun
  9. Soul Calibur
  10. Command and Conquer
  11. Duke Nukem Forever
  
  Go figure I suppose :E
  
  --
  May the Maths Be with you!
2. Re:No Elite? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-04 13:37 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  They've mentioned Street Fighter 2, go here and click the 1991 tab. They also mentioned the first RTS game, Dune II, rather than Command and Conquer.
3. Re:No Elite? by Pluvius · 2004-09-04 20:22 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Actually, the first RTS was Herzog Zwei for the Sega Genesis. (You might be able to name one earlier than that depending on your definition of "RTS.") Dune 2 was the RTS that everyone else copied (or in the case of Westwood, rehashed). It's similar to the difference between MIDI Maze and Wolfenstein 3-D in the FPS genre.
  
  Rob
4. Re:No Elite? by Lonath · 2004-09-05 00:56 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  11. Duke Nukem Forever
  
  Nice troll.
  
  --
  Best. Comment. Ever. Enjoy!
5. Re:No Elite? by pommiekiwifruit · 2004-09-05 13:10 · Score: 1
  
  Well the eidolon (1985) was almost an FPS, and rather pretty for a c64/atari!
Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by meowsqueak · 2004-09-04 12:12 · Score: 2, Interesting

Their timeline is odd. There's Deer Hunter but not Half Life? I'd be hard pressed to find anyone I know who would consider Deer Hunter to be a gaming 'milestone' but nobody would claim HL wasn't I'm sure.
1. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by BlueCodeWarrior · 2004-09-04 12:20 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Wasn't Deer Hunter one of the best selling games of all time?
  
  I'm definitely not putting down HL in any way, I love the game, it should be on there...but Deer Hunter was pretty big.
2. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by 0racle · 2004-09-04 12:46 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Was Half-Life really a milestone though? Yes it was a good game, but everything it did had been done before. I really can't think of a single new or 'revolutionary' feature about Half-Life.
  
  --
  "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
3. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by meowsqueak · 2004-09-04 13:04 · Score: 1
  
  Well, whenever I think of Half Life I think of 'mods' - or was there a game prior that really started the modding thing? HL was pre-UT wasn't it? Hmmm, not sure.
  
  I didn't realise Deer Hunter sold so well - is that all that makes it a milestone?
4. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by servognome · 2004-09-04 16:54 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Doom I think was where modding really started picking up. Wolfenstein 3D had mod tools available, but it was not as popular as doom mods. Barney Doom and others were available on BBSs in the early days.
  I think what made Deer Hunter a milestone was that it made people realize how pervasive gaming had become. The people interested in computer games weren't just pale overweight nerds, it was also the beer drinkin' gun shootin' blue collar man.
  
  --
  D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
5. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by Minna+Kirai · 2004-09-04 19:03 · Score: 1
  
  but everything it did had been done before
  
  Stay in the top 25 sales ranking for 5 straight years? Get users so addicted they fall down dead after 31 hours of nonstop play?
6. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by 0racle · 2004-09-04 19:38 · Score: 1
  
  Silly me, I was referring to the technical aspects of the game. However, I don't believe Half-Life is at the top of the bestsellers lists, if I recall correctly that honor goes to The Sims, which did it in less then 5 years, followed by Myst, and Everquest has been blamed for more deaths, so its still all been done before.
  
  --
  "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
7. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by Minna+Kirai · 2004-09-04 19:54 · Score: 1
  
  However, I don't believe Half-Life is at the top of the bestsellers lists, if I recall correctly that honor goes to The Sims, which did it in less then 5 years
  
  Work on reading comprehension. The impressive part isn't getting to the top of the list (and in only 5 years???) but STAYING on the besteller list for five whole years.
  
  Half-Life is a 1998 game still played heavily today. That kind of staying power is unprecedented, and it indicates a real maturity to video games. No longer were the technical improvements of each 12-18 months enough to push older games into the shadows- gameplay finally managed to overpower the allure of newer hardware/software optimizations.
  
  Everquest has been blamed for more deaths, so its still all been done before
  
  Everquest came out after Half-Life.
8. Re:Deer Hunter but no Half Life? by Pluvius · 2004-09-04 20:31 · Score: 1
  
  Yes it was a good game, but everything it did had been done before.
  
  Besides the injection of plot, the scripted sequences, and the AI that actually did a good job of living up to its name? The first was done by Marathon, granted, but it was Mac-only so it never got to be as influential as Doom was. And System Shock was more of an adventure than an FPS (you could even turn off the shooting parts to focus on the puzzles and the plot), so it doesn't really count. AFAIK, the other two things were unequivocally Half-Life firsts in the genre.
  
  Even if you don't agree that HL was revolutionary, though, you must realize that it would be a better choice than Deer Hunter.
  
  Rob
PBS by FLAGGR · 2004-09-04 12:17 · Score: 1, Interesting

Man.... PBS? Why can't it broadcast over the internet? I *know* (actually, I haven't RTFA yet so no I don't) that it's going to be on a 3am, because during the day they have programs begging for people to donate money, and if you pledge $100+ you get this beautiful white tshirt, and when theyre not doing that, its aurther and other TV shows that are paid for by donations (there are no ads on this TV) and, like the Family Channel also shows, when you only get shows that are paid with the MUCH smaller ammount from donations, those shows tend to make you want to stab yourself in the face, and half the time on my satellite it doesnt show whats going to be on in 1 hour on those shitty stations, I guess they want you to 'watch and find out'.

Man what the hell am I saying, I just don't want to go over to the TV and leave my computer.
Re:excuse me by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-04 12:19 · Score: 0

i'd mod you as troll had i the power. if you weren't in such a hurry to act like a damn fool, you would have seen there was a link to click on in the text of the submission that goes to the pbs home page.
What? by focitrixilous+P · 2004-09-04 12:46 · Score: 4, Interesting

The timeline on the site is odd. Mentions Sega Saturn over Playstation, Pocket Pikachu over Half-Life, nothing of Xbox-live, didn't even mention Doom or Wolfenstein. Lame.

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SAILING MISHAP
1. Re:What? by cyrax777 · 2004-09-04 14:17 · Score: 1
  
  not reall since saturn was one of the first successful cd rom based system(yeah I know turbo graphic 1`6 had a cd add on but not many people know about it compared to saturn) Halflfe didnt do anything new oh wait mods been there before with quake,the pocket pikachu was new idea a pedometer that give u things to use ingame. I will give you the no mention of doom or wolfenstien thu.
2. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-04 16:18 · Score: 0
  
  The Saturn wasn't exactly 'successful'.
3. Re:What? by DrEldarion · 2004-09-04 20:59 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Uh, yeah it shows the picture of the Saturn and not the PSX, but did you even read the notes? It specifically says that the Saturn didn't sell well and that the Playstation went to sell 2 million consoles that year.
4. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-05 15:37 · Score: 0
  
  You mean there are types of games that don't involve shooting things from a first person perspective?!? HOLY FUCK! Where can I get these???
5. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 01:11 · Score: 0
  
  Oups... It seems I don't have the same story
  
  Doom is the second milestone of 1993
  Playstation is the third milestone of 1994
  
  For the rest, you're right ;)
6. Re:What? by mo^ · 2004-09-06 23:52 · Score: 1
  
  dont wanna sound patroising (i know its not the /. way, but im stoned...)
  
  are you aware there are multiple entries each year?? i got doomas 2nd milestone in 1993 from the pbs flash timeline thingy
  
  --
  bah!*@%!
Saturn? Modem? Wha? by sammaffei · 2004-09-04 13:20 · Score: 1

The timeline mentions that the Sega Saturn had a modem? What?

I can see me saying "Doh!" about thirty times during this special's two hours.

--
Political correctness is the newest form of slavery.
1. Re:Saturn? Modem? Wha? by Mandoric · 2004-09-04 13:37 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The Saturn Net.Link was indeed available. Support was mainly limited to FPS and RTS, IIRC; never owned one and too lazy to rummage through the magazine stack.
  
  That said, the SNES and Genesis also had the XBand 3rd-party line of modems, so by this time a game-use modem attatchment wasn't completely new.
2. Re:Saturn? Modem? Wha? by Mandoric · 2004-09-04 13:41 · Score: 1
  
  And, reading my own link, I see that racing games and Bomberman, among others, had support. orz
Revolution? by SkiifGeek · 2004-09-04 13:38 · Score: 0

I guess this time the Revolution really will be televised. Now to see who is first up against the wall...
What, not that sort of revolution?
Damn...

--
InfoSec that matters, when it counts.
Only available on HTDV by British · 2004-09-04 14:26 · Score: 1

I'm not spending 2 grand and any cable tv fees to watch this.

Why on earth wouldn't they play this on plain 'ol non-HD PBS?
1. Re:Only available on HTDV by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-04 15:59 · Score: 0
  
  I thought it was only on DTV too, until I noticed they also had another broadcast, though late (3 AM on WGBX).
  
  Look around, it'll be somewhere. If it's too late, then tape it or wait a week.
2. Re:Only available on HTDV by stefanlasiewski · 2004-09-04 17:22 · Score: 1
  
  Must be your local station. It's playing several times on several regular old broadcast TV stations here (SF Bay Area).
  
  --
  "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
Re:excuse me while I RTFLinks by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-04 15:26 · Score: 0

Yeah, that's why they had the link to www.pbs.org, right on the word PBS. You see, people do these things for a reason.

p.s. OK the site in question is a load of corporate crap, but click on the "about pbs" link at the bottom and read between the lines of lame ad copy....
Re:excuse me by servognome · 2004-09-04 16:59 · Score: 1

This post is brought to you by a grant from the Chubb corporation, and viewers like you.

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D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
Umm... by superpulpsicle · 2004-09-04 19:00 · Score: 1

So it's a show about pacman and how games transitioned from mario to grand theft auto.

No matter how the stories are presented, there is probably not much that gamers don't already know.
Revolution or evolution? by MasterDirk · 2004-09-04 23:12 · Score: 1

My emphasis

"The Video Game Revolution examines the evolution and history of the video game industry, from..."

I thought evolution and revolution were somewhat opposed concepts?

--
"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."
1. Re:Revolution or evolution? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-05 00:40 · Score: 0
  
  The industry itself evolved while being a cultural revolution. You know, the "impact of video games on society and culture" part. Okay, "revolution" is a bit of a stretch in this case, but it still fits, though loosely.
  
  And evolution and revolution aren't really opposed. Both represent change: one faster, one slower. Deciding which is the more appropriate descriptor for video games depends on your view of how big an impact games have had versus how long they've been around.
Just what we need by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-05 05:49 · Score: 0

I was just thinking that someone should make a television show about computer games. I wonder why nobody's ever thought of that.
Wallpaper and Icons by contagious_d · 2004-09-05 06:35 · Score: 2, Informative

The nostalgia downloads section has some wallpaper and buddy icons of suprisingly good quality if anyone cares.

--
- /home is where the food is.
Re:excuse me by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-05 09:14 · Score: 0

What a (fucking) 'tard. Hey dumbass, check the link to PBS.org. I fear for the Finns if they can't even figure out how to click a link. Dolt.
Re: PBS effect of gaming by Time+Clock+Software · 2004-09-05 10:35 · Score: 2, Insightful

They focused more on the effect of the content of games on our society, but I almost think that the time and energy dedicated both to playing and creating games has had a bigger effect on us than the content.
Still, a lot of good info.
Eric
---------------

--
fresh ideas for writers
Modding by pommiekiwifruit · 2004-09-05 13:04 · Score: 1

And there I was thinking that Lode-runner (1983) was popular because of all the mod-levels you could create for it.
I've seen it -- It's not good. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-07 03:39 · Score: 0

(except for the part where I'm playing GTA2)

But really, and I'm sorry if anyone from KCTS ever googles this and reads this, but from the early copies I've seen, this isn't good. It wasn't made by gamers or anyone who cares at all about games. I don't understand their intentions for making it.

You'll like it if you like watching Pong for the first hour. They don't shut up about it.

But the music rules -- complete with the funniest rip-off of the Pac-Man theme I've ever heard.