1. December 1, 2011

2. The Beginnings! Video Games started to be developed as early as 1947! First patent was on January 25, 1947. The Game was Pong!

3. 2nd game developed was in 1958. It was Tennis for Two! Cost $100/hour to play. Lasted until 1959.

4. In 1966: First television-projection game was invented. Used a light gun – sent a beam of light into the television cathode ray tube (CRT). Technology still used 40 years later. Becoming obsolete because it cannot be used on liquid crystal display (LCD), projection, and plasma television sets.

5. Generation 1 First series of video games made available to consumers. Around 1970 Not available to many people People didn’t know the computers where made for entertainment! These are your arcade-style games. Less powerful than your handheld calculators Spacewar! First coin operated game.

6. Generation 1 In 1971 Another game released was Computer Space! Designed by Nolan Bushnell Not a commercial successful! Too difficult to play! In June of 1972 Atari Company developed!!!! Nolan Bushnell and Al Alcorn design a simple game. Televison tennis – Pong! Play a game for a quarter.

7. Video Game Arcade Is where entrepreneurs bought stand-up video games and put them all together in one room! You had a choice of your favorite game to play. Play for one quarter! Play: Space Invaders Pac-Man Asteroids

8. Generation 2 Time when video game computer became popular in the home. Began in 1972 – People would plug a simple computer into their television and began playing games. Play on a cartridge platform Built in the mid-1970s. In 1979 to 1980 – People played Atari 2600! Successful! Allowed the owner to purchase individual game cartridges. Atari released a statement that their system will work on all models of television, both black and white and color.

9. Generation 3 These are the games that can process more movement, better graphics, and sounds. Began in the mid-1980s. Handheld games were available! People liked buying games to play at home instead of taking quarters to the arcades. In 1985 – Here came Nintendo – NES! Super Mario Brothers Was a 8-bit video game console with flat, or two dimensional (2D) and plain graphics. 1989 came out the Ninendo Game Boy – came with Tetris.

10. Generation 4 Late 1980s. Used 16 bit video game console. Graphics, colors, and character movement were greatly improved but still 2D. In 1991 – Super Nintendo came out! Game Boy system improved – Game Boy Advanced and Game Boy Advanced SP. Backward Compatibility – allowed old games to play on the new system! Doom was a huge success.

11. Generation 5 Began in mid 1990s. 32 and 64 bit systems, game storage, and used advanced technology. Nintendo was a leader until 1994. No longer used cartridges! New technology CD-ROM! Sony took over and built the Sony PlayStation! Sega also launched their new system – 32 bit video game console. Here comes 3D graphics! PlayStation became popular because the CD-ROM format was less expensive to produce. Game us lower-cost games! Ninendo 64 (N64) system came out in 1996. First system to use 3D graphics. Trademark Mario character and the Super Mario 64 game kept Nintendo as a major player in the market.

12. Generation 6 Began in 2000s. Use 128 bit game systems and DVD-ROM technology. Realistic 3D movement. PlayStation 2 (PS2). Envy of game world – You can play a movie on this system! DVD – digital video disc, holds much more information than a CD-ROM or music CD. 2001 – Nintendo’s Game Cube Became a kid’s console because not a lot of adult games. Not successful! Xbox! Made by Microsoft. Third party designer began to make games for both Xbox and playstation. Halo! Only made for Xbox.

13. Generation 7 Began in mid-2000s. Multicore processor game system and new user interface. Games were: Used extremely realistic graphics Used immersive gameplay Online play Wii System No more joystocks and game pads. Uses motion-based controllers. PS3 Playstation3 released in 2006 just before Wii. Xbox 360 released 2005 LAN party became popular. This is where players meet at a location and connect their machines to a local area network (LAN) to play an online game together in the same room. Halo was developed by Microsoft! They have the rights but available to Xbox.

14. Generation 7 – Handheld games! In 2004, the Nintendo DS (dual screen) Sony PSP (Playstation portable) Challenging with handheld platforms of cell phones. Guitar Hero and Rock Band used controllers shaped like musical instruments. Six-axis controller – allows the player to shake or twist the controller to input some commands. Call of Duty!

15. Generation 8 Virtual reality games? Cost of technology and imagination limits the adoption of new user interfaces. Who will be one of the first to see and play Generation 8 games?

16. Video Game Ratings ESRB – Entertainment Software Rating Board Is a Non-profit Self-regulatory body Assigns Age and content ratings for computer and video games! ESRB ratings have two equal parts: Rating symbols are found on the front of virtually every game package available for sale in US and Canada. Content descriptors are displayed on the back of the game package.

17. For Today: 1. Finish working on your projects! Due tomorrow. 2. Video Game Ratings Worksheet. 3. Study for test on Monday.