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The History of Videogame Genres

Posted by Zonk on from the long-long-time-ago dept.

TobyToadstool writes "Over the last few months, CNET have been quietly running a series of free video documentaries that take a look back at the history of different videogame genres. The Space Bubble show has covered everything from the history of Platformers to the origins of the Beat em up. The gaming sections are interspersed with other tech-related information, but almost every show covers one of the major genres. There's loads of footage from ancient arcade machines, and bizarre trivia, like the fact that some schools are using the Dance Dance Revolution videogame in place of traditional physical education. It's presented by an eccentric British guy floating in a little bubbleship in Space — odd but good."

7 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Way wrong. by pcgabe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Rez explores the more surreal side to the dance game using abstract graphics and fancy landscapes, with the emphasis on exploring rather than performing."
    Did anyone even PLAY this game? Rez is a shooter, and there is no exploration at all.

    Combine this with the two-minute pointless video of a guy wearing a cardboard cutout of an iPhone, and yeah. My five minutes? I want them back.
    --
    Don't put advice in your sig.
    1. Re:Way wrong. by Renraku · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Rez wasn't about exploration.

      I suggest you look into certain mind-altering substances.

      Or just stay up for a few days and then try.

      Either that, or learn to feel the music and beat without the need for such things. It was all about creating synesthesia.

      --
      Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
    2. Re:Way wrong. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      a la moleman:

      You took 5 minutes of my life and I want them back.

      Ah hell, I'd probably waste them anyway.

      And since I'm on slashdot I know they'd be wasted.

  2. History of RPGs by Enderandrew · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I can't pull up any links related to games at work, but GameSutra has an incredible in-depth history of the RPG genre in a 3 part series. It is a great read.

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
    1. Re:History of RPGs by Bazar · · Score: 3, Informative

      The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 1: The Early Years (1980-1983)

      The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993)

      --
      To avoid criticism; Say nothing, Do nothing, Be nothing.
  3. Welcome to the medieval time in game media by LingNoi · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I have been trying to get back the source code to a game made 9 years ago but its been a horribly difficult. Games are made and there is no attempt to preserve them for the future.

    You can still watch a film/movie/moving picture made 50 years ago but with games you can't play a game made as recently as 5 years ago!!

    It is the publishers/developers fault and they could do a lot more to help the situation such as putting out the source code to that game to ensure that its consumers can still play in the future when they're company doesn't exist any more. Instead we have 100's of games which the developers and publishers are not making money on any more which can not be played on today's hardware.

    ID software leads the way in this respect and you can still play all their old games.

    Until that happens any history on games where I can't actually play the game in question is bullshit. It is the equivalent of a Wikipedia entry describing a film which will never capture the emotion of the media in question.

    1. Re:Welcome to the medieval time in game media by Baumi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Games are made and there is no attempt to preserve them for the future.

      You can still watch a film/movie/moving picture made 50 years ago but with games you can't play a game made as recently as 5 years ago!!
      [...]
      Until that happens any history on games where I can't actually play the game in question is bullshit. It is the equivalent of a Wikipedia entry describing a film which will never capture the emotion of the media in question. While I agree that it's a shame many of those old classics can't be played anymore, I disagree with the conclusion:

      a) Even if you played them today, you likely wouldn't feel the same sense of wonder players did back then, because you've seen more complex games before. It'd still be great from a historian's perspective, but it will not elicit the same emotions. (E.g. while I'm a film buff and love "Citizen Kane", I know that many regular movie watchers have trouble realizing its greatness, because much of the techniques it pioneered are standard practice nowadays. You can't go back and watch it with the fresh eyes and minds of those who'd only seen the movies made before it.)

      b) Writing about games you cannot play anymore isn't "bullshit" - if something doesn't exist anymore, does that mean we should destroy all knowledge related to it? On the contrary, I'd say these histories are extremely important to preserve as much of the legacy as possible. Sure, it can never replace the original games, but if you don't remind people these things have been out there, they'll forget them. And that'll make sure nobody will ever try to resurrect them.