The Video Games Textbook : History {u2022} Business {u2022} Technology

"The Video Games Textbook takes the history of video games to another level, with visually-stimulating, comprehensive, and chronological chapters that are relevant and easy to read for a variety of students. Every chapter is a journey into a different era or area of gaming, where readers emerge with a strong sense of how video games evolved, why they succeeded or failed, and the impact they had on the industry and human culture. Written to capture the attention and interest of both domestic and international college students, each chapter contains a list of objectives and key terms, illustrative timelines, arcade summaries, images and technical specifications of all major consoles."--Provided by publisher. Read more... Abstract: "The Video Games Textbook takes the history of video games to another level, with visually-stimulating, comprehensive, and chronological chapters that are relevant and easy to read for a variety of students. Every chapter is a journey into a different era or area of gaming, where readers emerge with a strong sense of how video games evolved, why they succeeded or failed, and the impact they had on the industry and human culture. Written to capture the attention and interest of both domestic and international college students, each chapter contains a list of objectives and key terms, illustrative timelines, arcade summaries, images and technical specifications of all major consoles."--Provided by publisher Content: Cover Half Title Title Page Contents List of Abbreviations Acknowledgments Author Introduction Chapter 1:The First Video Games Objectives Key Terms and People First Generation Timeline The Beginning The First Interactive Computer Games Tennis for Two Spacewar! Computer Space Magnavox Odyssey Understanding Odyssey Games Pong Pong For Your Home TV Coleco Telstar Color TV-Game series First Generation Market Summary First Generation Breakthroughs and Trends Chapter 1 Quiz True or False Figures References Chapter 2:Behind the Technology Objectives Key Terms and PeopleChapter Outline Introduction Under the Hood CPU RAM and ROM BIOS Graphics and Sound Cards Ports Making the Connection Bits and Bytes Hertz and Frame Rate Interlaced and Progressive Scan Types of Monitors Video Formats ASCII and Vector Graphics Raster and Polygon Graphics Shaders, Flops, and Cores A Matter of Perspective Sound Channels Music and Sound Sound Theory Chapter 2 Quiz True or False Figures Table Credits References Chapter 3:The Second Generation Objectives Key Terms and People Console Timeline The Golden Age The Second Generation Atari VCS (2600)Console Comparison Key Atari VCS Titles Magnavox Odyssey2 Console Comparison: Odyssey2 versus Atari VCS Key Magnavox Odyssey2 Titles Mattel Intellivision Console Comparison: Intellivision versus Atari VCS and Odyssey2 Key Intellivision Titles ColecoVision Console Comparison: ColecoVision versus Atari VCS and Intellivision Key ColecoVision Titles Atari 5200 Console Comparison: Atari 5200 versus ColecoVision Key Atari 5200 Titles Video Game Crash of 1983 Second-Generation Market Summary Second Generation Breakthroughs and Trends Chapter 3 Quiz True or False FiguresReferences Chapter 4:Early PC Gaming Objectives Key Terms and People Early Computer Timeline (Apple, Atari, and Commodore) Introduction Apple I and II Computer versus Console Comparison: Apple II versus Atari VCS (2600) Key Apple II Titles Electronic Arts Apple II Successors Atari 8-bit Family: 400 and 800 Computer Comparison: Atari 8-Bit versus Apple II Key Atari 8-bit Titles Extended Family: Atari 8-bit Successors Commodore 64 Computer Comparison: Commodore 64 versus Atari 8-bit Key Commodore 64 Titles Commodore 64 Successors Genre Pioneers Market Summary Chapter 4 QuizTrue or False Figures References Chapter 5:The 8-bit Era Objectives Key Terms and People Console Timeline The Arcade Scene The Third Generation: Nintendo Famicom Coming to America Nintendo Entertainment System Console Comparison: NES versus Atari 2600 (VCS) Key NES Titles Sega Mark III Sega Master System Console Comparison: Master System versus NES Key Sega Master System Titles Atari 7800 ProSystem Console Comparison: Atari 7800 versus NES Key Atari 7800 Titles Third-Generation Market Summary Third-Generation Breakthroughs and Trends Chapter 5 Quiz The Video Games Textbook takes the history of video games to another level, with visually-stimulating, comprehensive, and chronological chapters that are relevant and easy to read for a variety of students. Every chapter is a journey into a different era or area of gaming, where readers emerge with a strong sense of how video games evolved, why they succeeded or failed, and the impact they had on the industry and human culture. Written to capture the attention and interest of both domestic and international college students, each chapter contains a list of objectives and key terms, illustrative timelines, arcade summaries, images and technical specifications of all major consoles. Key Features Explores the history of video games, including the social, political, and economic motivations Facilitates learning of material with illustrative timelines, arcade summaries and images Highlights the technical specifications of all major consoles Illustrates the breakthroughs and trends of the gaming market