The Video Game Revolution

Last Thursday, we saw the PBS documentary "The Video Game Revolution"

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the film?
What was omitted that you'd like to have seen added?
What was there too much of? What do you think of the web site?
How does the film comp[are with what you've read in your book so far??

Your faves

Take a look at each other's lists of top 10 games. Very interesting. I didn't do an exhaustive analysis, but it appears to me that not one game made even 4 top 10 lists out of the 8 students who blogged. Here are some other quick impressions...

1. As far as series go, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Mortal Combat, Super Mario Bros, Super Smash Bros, Tekken and Doom (if you count wolfenstein and doom as a series) were the heaviest repeaters.

2. Very few single games made it to even three student lists. Those were (by my informal tabulation) ...

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Mortal Kombat

So, do me one better. In discussion, start making your own your observations of the class lists.

The 10 games I'm waiting to play

Great Idea Christian!! Have at it, class. What are the 10 games you haven't gotten around to playing that you want to? No more than 1/2 the list can be stuff like Doom 3 (recently released) or Halo 2 (coming soon) or The Movies ( coming when???) but should be stuff that's been around you haven't tried. Tell us why its on your list and why you haven't gotten to it yet :-)

Computing History

Discussion comments to begin Saturday the 10th-Monday the 12th

As mentioned in our last lecture, I want you to trace some of the ideas that led to our current state of computing (and therefore computer gaming)

Read the following in the MIT New Media Reader...

Chapter 2, Page 35. As We May Think
Chapter 8, Page 93. Augmenting Human Intellect
Chapter 9, Page 109 Sketchpad
Chapter 11, Page 133 A file Structure for the Complex...
Chapter 26, page 391 Personal Dynamic Media
Chapter 54, page 791 The World Wide Web

Look at the following on the CD...
1960s, Englebart and Kay
1970s, AMG

Discuss the ways in which these thinkers and technologists influenced and shaped our current state of the art and each other. Discuss your, and each others, opinions and impressions of the material

Read for class Next Thursday

Ok,
Another list for you to start working your way through by Thursday. We'll talk about the readings some in class and probably hit the discussion section after that. These are all from the New Media Reader. If you remember I've already asked you to read Time frames in class (and supposing you did) that leaves one per night between now and Thursday. Enjoy.

1. Chapter 50, Time Frames. A gentle introduction to analysis of media and form.

2. Chapter 13, The Medium is the Message by Marshall McLuhan. The original media theorist.

3. Chapter 34, Video Games and Computer Holding Power, chapter from one of the great early books on the effect of computig on people

4. Chapter 38, 2 selections from Brenda Laurel, the goddess of the VR movement

5. Chapter 46, the Lessons of Lucasfilm's Habitat, One of the first, and most influential on-line graphic communities/games