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ALTHOUGH MANY MAY ARGUE that
video game consoles play a trivial role in the evolution of multimedia, their contribution
is vital. Some of the most exciting multimedia titles first appeared on a console,
and many are even more advanced than their desktop counterparts.
The first game consoles appeared in the early 1970s alongside pinball machines in
arcades. These games consisted of crude blocks of light that players moved across
the screen, comparable to the game of tennis. Soon after, these games became TV-based,
and started appearing in homes. As in the arcade, these games were simple, and based
on the concept of "bat and ball." Games such as Battlezone, and car racing
simulations appeared on arcade screens shortly after the introduction of TV-based
consoles. In 1975, Atari soon realized the potential of the TV-based systems, thus
bringing the arcade games into the home. By 1982, a number of machines were introduced
into homes all over the world. According to the book, Multimedia, an estimated 15
million homes in the United States alone owned a console.
The competition grew between 1975-1982 with the introduction of many makes and models
of the game console. The first onto this market was Atari's 4-bit game Pong, which
quickly gave them a reputation for quality home games. Many other companies were
thriving to compete with Atari's success. In 1976, the Fairchild Channel F was introduced
as the first "programmable" video game console. One year later, Atari released
the Atari 2600. These were the most popular video game consoles of its day, and were
available until 1990 -- longer than any other system in history. Some others that
followed were the Microvision by Milton Bradley, Mattel Electronics Intellivision,
the Colecovision, and then again from Atari, the Atari 5200 Super System. Although
many new consoles were introduced during this time, very few became popular units.
In 1983, the console market had crashed for two reasons: personal computers were
steadily falling in price, and there was in increase in parental concern about the
effects that these games would have on children. The market remained stagnant until
1986, when Nintendo, (a Japanese ex-toy manufacturer) launched a home video system
called the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Soon after, another Japanese company,
Sega, entered the American market with its Master System console. These machines
offered a level of speed and range of colors never before seen. After their introduction,
people became "hooked" on game consoles once again. Therefore, the market
in the US and Europe picked up, and it was thriving.
Sega and Nintendo quickly became rivals, each producing 8-bit systems. Every time
one of the two would make advancements in technology, the other would match it. When
Nintendo released the character Mario, Sega released Sonic. These characters achieved
worldwide fame, and quickly became as recognizable as Mickey Mouse.
Consoles were gradually improving "bit by bit." They were becoming increasingly
sophisticated, mainly due to the improvements made to the processor chips. Another
innovation was made in 1991, with the introduction of CD-ROM-driven machines. The
Philips CD-I (Compact Disk Interactive) was the first to set the industry standard
of CD-based consoles. In 1995, Sega responded with the Sega Saturn, and Sony with
the introduction of the 32-bit PlayStation. Nintendo controversially rejected the
multimedia possibilities of the CD-driven units, by launching the 64-bit Ultra 64
console as a traditional cartridge machine.
So, aside from Nintendo, all other machines are run off a CD drive. Most of these
units have specialized hardware that can deliver high quality stereo sound, full
screen video, and enhanced 3-D graphics. The newest addition to the console market
is the Sega Dreamcast. The graphics engine in this console produces the fastest,
most sophisticated 3-D graphics ever seen. The Dreamcast has a 128-bit processor,
which provides amazing lighting and superior effects. Among the many other incredible
features of this console, are the Internet capabilities that it has. The Dreamcast's
slogan is "It's Thinking," which I personally, find frightening.
Based on this brief review of the evolution of video game consoles, it is evident
that these units have come a long way. In the past, computers and consoles occupied
opposite ends of the multimedia market. But as games for the computer become more
advanced, the future of the console may be questioned. It is difficult to imagine
what they will think of next.
Kerry Corcoran is currently studying
Multimedia at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. She will be pursuing
a career as a Web and CD-Rom graphic designer.
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