How Sci Fi Games Inspired Generations Of Developers
Since the invention of the first arcades Sci Fi Games have been incredibly popular. Early home computers and gaming consoles inspired developers to take the next wave of games further. Certain games were particularly inspirations, we overview some of the key moments.
The first arcade game to be a success around the world was the Japanese invented Space Invaders. Released in 1978 by Taito in an era when the younger generation were looking up at the sky and asking the most questions. This 2D fixed shooter game resulted in a shortage of 100 yen coins. Within pop culture the pixelated image of the alien spacecrafts have become a popular retro image.
Many early home computers were sold by people wanting to play the popular and highly addictive space trading simulation Elite. The trading portion of the game was relatively simple and was enriched by wireframe space combat. A much enhanced second edition was released for more powerful computers in the late 1980s and the development team have promised to release a modernized version.
Elite also promoted sales of educational computers, especially the BBC model B and Acorn Electron. This helped youngsters justify the purchase as it was the same system used at their schools, in reality they only wanted to play the popular game. The great side effect of this is that to effectively use the systems some programming knowledge was required and it inspired a whole generation. Recently one of the lead designers, David Braben, made a call for education to make changes to the curriculum due to the skills pool drying up.
Although not the first game of its type Speedball was a very popular and violent sporting game. Based around a metallic arena that resembles an ice skating rink or handball court it became popular amongst sports fans. The concept that sports can be enriched with fantastical power-ups has since become a standard.
Futuristic first person shooters were du jour in the 1990s. Quake opened up the genre and was succeeded by Half Life, which remains a model for games today. By combining Quake's first person model with difficult puzzles it became difficult enough to keep players interested for months. The protagonist, scientist Gordon Freeman, works at the Black Mesa Research Facility. He arrives late but in time for a hugely destructive explosion that knocks him unconscious. When he comes to he finds a portal has been ripped into a hostile universe. Certainly not the first but it was the most inspirational game of its era.
Sid Meier's Civilization series was brought into the future with Alpha Centauri. Using the same engine it added a science fiction twist to the classic series. As with Civilization it's based around idealistically different settlements, this time on an alien world. Each faction makes friends and enemies with their rivals until one is dominant. Short videos are played as breaks in the game, some of the quotes are memorable enough to be used in films just often enough for fans of the game to notice them. Since the late nineties it has become the standard for strategy games.
As long as there have been home computers and arcades there have been Sci Fi Games. As a genre they have been amongst the most popular and the most inspirational for generations of developers. Every time a great new game is invented another generation is inspired.
The first arcade game to be a success around the world was the Japanese invented Space Invaders. Released in 1978 by Taito in an era when the younger generation were looking up at the sky and asking the most questions. This 2D fixed shooter game resulted in a shortage of 100 yen coins. Within pop culture the pixelated image of the alien spacecrafts have become a popular retro image.
Many early home computers were sold by people wanting to play the popular and highly addictive space trading simulation Elite. The trading portion of the game was relatively simple and was enriched by wireframe space combat. A much enhanced second edition was released for more powerful computers in the late 1980s and the development team have promised to release a modernized version.
Elite also promoted sales of educational computers, especially the BBC model B and Acorn Electron. This helped youngsters justify the purchase as it was the same system used at their schools, in reality they only wanted to play the popular game. The great side effect of this is that to effectively use the systems some programming knowledge was required and it inspired a whole generation. Recently one of the lead designers, David Braben, made a call for education to make changes to the curriculum due to the skills pool drying up.
Although not the first game of its type Speedball was a very popular and violent sporting game. Based around a metallic arena that resembles an ice skating rink or handball court it became popular amongst sports fans. The concept that sports can be enriched with fantastical power-ups has since become a standard.
Futuristic first person shooters were du jour in the 1990s. Quake opened up the genre and was succeeded by Half Life, which remains a model for games today. By combining Quake's first person model with difficult puzzles it became difficult enough to keep players interested for months. The protagonist, scientist Gordon Freeman, works at the Black Mesa Research Facility. He arrives late but in time for a hugely destructive explosion that knocks him unconscious. When he comes to he finds a portal has been ripped into a hostile universe. Certainly not the first but it was the most inspirational game of its era.
Sid Meier's Civilization series was brought into the future with Alpha Centauri. Using the same engine it added a science fiction twist to the classic series. As with Civilization it's based around idealistically different settlements, this time on an alien world. Each faction makes friends and enemies with their rivals until one is dominant. Short videos are played as breaks in the game, some of the quotes are memorable enough to be used in films just often enough for fans of the game to notice them. Since the late nineties it has become the standard for strategy games.
As long as there have been home computers and arcades there have been Sci Fi Games. As a genre they have been amongst the most popular and the most inspirational for generations of developers. Every time a great new game is invented another generation is inspired.
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