The history of computer games.

The origin of computer games continues to migrate back and forth across the technological timeline, uncertain of where it belongs. Many perceive the first computer games to have been developed during the late forties and early fifties, these being; Tennis for two, OXO and the cathode-ray tube amusement device. These inventions were developed by government funded scientists and thus were never specifically designed to support a commercial audience. This changed however with the introduction of ‘Spacewar!’ a sophisticated 2D shooter involving spaceships and the ultimately popular ‘Pong’ in the sixties and seventies. Computer games were now a recognised form of entertainment and from this point onwards have continued to develop and prosper.

My gaming origins on the other hand have a much smaller, yet more informed timeline. It all began with ‘Rayman’ for the playstation one, following my favourite helicopter haired protagonist through surreal and engaging environments, fighting the forces of Mister Dark! The traditional side-scrolling mechanics of the game have been a sincere favourite of mine and contemporary games such as ‘Shadow complex’ show that it is still an effective production style. More recently the popular titles such as ‘Mass Effect’ and the ‘Halo’ franchise have occupied a lot of my gaming time. In comparison to the old fashioned 2D platform games, these modern creations have evolved into epic cinematic experiences. The consideration put into the character development, soundtrack, setting and visual design are phenomenal in comparison to the retro entertainment of the past twenty years. The gaming industry is constantly growing and evolving, moving from strength to strength. What reasons are there to stop playing?