E10: Hardware

Recorded on November 7th, 2012 with Brian Fife, James Fingal, and Thomas Westberg.

Incremental improvements in game hardware (faster processing speed, more colors/pixels, etc.) are inevitable each generation, but generally don’t enable new game concepts. Tom covers a history of transformative hardware/platform features, including advanced sound, mass optical storage and network connectivity.

Jim reviews middleware platforms and the group discusses how third-party libraries and game platforms like Game Maker influence how games are built today.

Referenced items:

Pong, Computer Space, Gun Fight, Atari 2600, Fairchild Channel F, Breakout, Nintendo Entertainment System, Chiptune, Intellivison, Super Mario Bros., Legend of Zelda, Atari 7800, Ballblazer, Sierra, Pro Audio Spectrum 16, MIDI, Pinball Construction Set, Hard Drivin’, Battlezone, I, Robot, Doom, 3dfx, OpenGL, Wolfenstein 3D, Math co-processor, Ultima Eight, Goldeneye, Halo, Playstation One, Texture Mapping, Sega Genesis, Final Fantasy Seven, EEPROM, SRAM, Defender, R3000, Playstation Two, Emotion Engine, Middleware, Unreal Engine, id Tech, XBox, XBox Live, XBox 360, Playstation Three, Killer App, Jaguar, ColecoVision, Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel’s Castle, Analog Stick, Nintendo 64, Haptic Feedback, Audio Game, Pinching the Harmonica - Hypercritical Playstation Controller, “The Duke”, Wii, Power Glove, Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, Madden, Kinect, Mass Effect Three, Steel Battalion - Heavy Armor, Steel Battalion Controller, Kinectimals, The Gunstringer, Dance Central, Capacitive Touchscreen, App Store, Indie Game, Steam, Havok, Bink, PhysX, Deus Ex: Human Revolution Ragdoll Physics, Mirror’s Edge, Half Life Two, F.E.A.R., Oblivion, Dead Rising, Bioshock, Assassin’s Creed, Killzone, Red Faction, Heavy Rain, Rise of the Videogame Zinesters, GameMaker, Unity3D, A Slower Speed of Light, Unity Asset Store, Area 51, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Unfinished Swan, Okami HD, The Basement Collection, Halo Four, Catherine, Mists of Pandaria, World of Tanks, Playstation Network, Letterpress, Game Center, X-Com: Enemy Unknown, Messing with the Aliens - Tobolds, Dawn of War Two, Super Hexagon, The Moron Test, Wario Ware.