Well, in this case, the Spacewar! chapter is more of a companion piece to the Pong chapter. So you take the two together and you get a very complete picture of what and how each influenced and the dramatic contrasts.
With that said, I agree about it seeming light in comparison to what's in the book and the other online bonus chapters. This paragraph kind of sums up the conundrum:
Spacewar! introduced real-time action, an arsenal of weapons, special moves, variable game conditions, physics, and a virtual world. It demonstrated that computers were far more than just expensive calculators. They were, at least for many of us, the future of entertainment.
It pretty much influenced EVERYTHING, so the implications are more or less implicit in that.
As for NetWars, I never had the pleasure, but it looks very, very cool.
Well, in this case, the Spacewar! chapter is more of a companion piece to the Pong chapter. So you take the two together and you get a very complete picture of what and how each influenced and the dramatic contrasts.
With that said, I agree about it seeming light in comparison to what's in the book and the other online bonus chapters. This paragraph kind of sums up the conundrum:
Spacewar! introduced real-time action, an arsenal of weapons, special moves, variable game conditions, physics, and a virtual world. It demonstrated that computers were far more than just expensive calculators. They were, at least for many of us, the future of entertainment.
It pretty much influenced EVERYTHING, so the implications are more or less implicit in that.
As for NetWars, I never had the pleasure, but it looks very, very cool.
Books!
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.