Really TV

After spotting another '10 things you need to know..' programme on the TV channel from UKTV - Really, I went on to their website to try and find the logo/ident styles they used. After a bit of reading I found that as a channel, it focuses more on the 'reality lifestyle', with most shows being predominantly aimed towards a female audience...



With this in mind, I continued to look through the UKTV channel list as they have a substantial amount of channels airing different vaguely themed programmes....

Given the nature of Really's programmes, I'll probably avoid it although UKTV has many channels, 10 are exampled above. After a little research into each one, it looks as though 'Dave' could be more appropriate, airing shows such a s 'James May's top toys' and 'Alan Davies' teenage revolution' - going back and looking back at his teenage years. Such nostalgic shows feel quite accommodating for the kind of documentary 'Arcade Classics' would be.

databend

So I've been looking into loads of glitch sources and ways to achieve this kind of aesthetic for my current motion graphic project, throughout my searching I've seen the term 'databending' popping up all over the place.  - From the first search it turned out there are a fair few people creating distorted imagery from applying certain techniques to existing file types - databending.

Not only pictures are being experimented with in this 'databending' style, there are a load of motion graphic pieces from people taking normal video clips and 'databending' through audio programmes such as Audacity.
Once your head's around importing photos into text editors, video clips into audio software doesn't seem that strange, and some of the outcomes are pretty nifty. I was reading a post in which someone claimed applying the text edit technique to complicated vector files can create some coll effects too.

This example below is exactly the kind of aesthetic I want to include into some of my motion work, it's a shame it is a video file but I'm hoping there must be a way to achieve such a visual using after effects. What is so particularly enticing about this video is the change of direction and pattern as the frequencies change.

USA!

After trauling through hundreds of sounds, it's sods law that the one song I find that is perfectly suited to my needs in terms of duration, quality and style is only availiable with an american iTunes account. Quite an obscure sound clip, the 'Crongratulations' jingle from 'Pacmania' sounds like a typical arcade themetune and annoyingly lasts for about 40 seconds, the desired length for a song after my 15 second intro is over. I'll keep looking, but most likely for an alternative as it's proving to be quite hard to come by.

audiovis

10,000

I came across this project on triangulationblog.com... "artists were asked to create three artworks using a 10,000-pixel “allowance”. The extremely low resolution becomes an aesthetic and conceptual challenge, resulting in ultra-low-resolution photographs, carefully crafted digital abstractions, blocky representations of physical objects similar to early Atari and NES sprites, or other unexpected solutions."

 A brilliantly relevant referance to the abstract pixel aesthetic I want to incorporate into my ident, the same kind of glitchy sequence played on boot-up of some old arcade machines, in particular dig-dug - also a referance I want to use for one of my 10 second experiments.

DM

Amongst browsing tutorials and animations I found this competition entry, for what I'm not exactly sure but it exercises some of the elements relevant to the aesthetic I'm going for. I don't feel the proportions are at all right, and the mish mash of different sized text doesn't do the video much justice.

The soundtracks used to accompany the animation do work well, very typical intro and outro notes which almost everybody whose ever played an electronic game pre 2000 should recognise.

Audio

My first classic arcade audio findings, I got my hands on a loads more classic samples in .mid but soundcloud are outright rufusing to let me upload them! So I'll have to get on converting them for upload, although it may not be of great relevence if AE takes the current file type, it seems pointless uploading them for a blog post, but we'll see.

Really?

Excusing the sloppy photography, I noticed that the TV channel 'Really' were airing a programme called 'Ten things you need to know about... weight loss'. The weight loss reference is irrelivant however it seemed as though it was a part of a '10 things you need to know about..' series.

I was pleased to find such a referance as quite a few peers had content that could be quite easily linked to a specific channel, ie. More 4, BBC, E4, where as I was unsure of the link between 'arcade classics' and any of the more mainstream channels.

Pixels

A print referance that's rather fitting with my current project. These exagurated pixels in various colour schemes are well on the way to the kind of aesthetic I want to encorporate into my 'arcade classics' moving image. These business cards for Robert White are even more fitting as he is a web designer, although from a personal point of view I don't think they are extremely exciting. If they somehow interacted with each other when they came together, maybe making up a pixelated image using the different colourways - could be interesting.

Gameplay

A bit of a lengthy post, probably doubling the loading time of my page, but I wanted to document the actual gameplay of these arcade games. To get a feel of how the kinetic elements of the characters, typography, textures, backgrounds work. How fast/slow a character moves, or how frequently certain type flashes and then the next question is sound. I'll try to analyse each one, picking out key features with regards to these themes.

Spin-Off

A humorous Mario Bros video from psy-city. There are loads more on their website, along with some other quite random content. Quite a lot of effort has gone into recreating the in game graphics and only really uses simple panning shots and moving characters, but to a good effect (apart from the odd cheesy close up) - these were simple games, trying to over complicate the shots and perspective would kill it, I think I'll have to bear that in mind when it comes to producing the main body of my 60 second advert to keep a true 2d classic feel to it.

Coin-operated

Focusing my top-ten on arcade games, otherwise known as coin-operated video games, I found a few existing lists regarding the topic. A very useful link, providing me with a massive directory of these games. I was surprised to not see Pong on the first two 'Top 10' lists, however the lists (the first one at least) are only compiled from personal judgement - As I'm producing such a visually representative piece of video it would be sacralige to not include one of the first arcade games to hit our much loved gaming culture...

Top 10 Most Popular Games
As selected by the KLOV.com readers

1. Pac-Man
2. Galaga
3. Donkey Kong
4. Star Wars
5. Ms. Pac-Man
6. Dig Dug
7. Asteroids
8. Defender
9. Tron
10. Tempest (tie)
10. Centipede (tie)


Top 10 Collected Videogames
As measuread by VAPS.ORG

1. Ms. Pac-Man
2. Tempest
3. Pac-Man
4. Galaga
5. Donkey Kong
6. Centipede
7. Asteroids
8. Joust
9. Defender
10. Robotron 2084


[My final 'Top 10' arcade classics will probably be largely similar to these lists, give or take a few titles. It's hard to argue with either of the lists, although one of my main considerations is the visual nature of the games, which may influence my top ten to an extent]

Top 100 Video Games
As selected by the KLOV.com team
Games are ordered by year released, and then alphabetically within each year

1. 1971 - Computer Space
   
2. 1972 - Pong
   
3. 1974 - Tank
   
4. 1976 - BiPlane
   
5. 1976 - Death Race
   
6. 1978 - Sea Wolf
   
7. 1978 - Space Invaders
   
8. 1979 - Asteroids
   
9. 1979 - Galaxian
   
10. 1979 - Lunar Lander
    
11. 1980 - Asteroids Deluxe
    
12. 1980 - Battlezone
    
13. 1980 - Bezerk
    
14. 1980 - Centipede
    
15. 1980 - Defender
    
16. 1980 - Eagle
    
17. 1980 - Missle Command
    
18. 1980 - Pac-Man
    
19. 1980 - Phoenix
    
20. 1980 - Rally X
    
21. 1980 - Star Castle
    
22. 1980 - Tempest
    
23. 1980 - Warlords
    
24. 1980 - Wizard of War
    
25. 1981 - Donkey Kong
    
26. 1981 - Frogger
    
27. 1981 - Galaga
    
28. 1981 - Gorf
    
29. 1981 - Mousetrap
    
30. 1981 - Ms. Pac-Man
    
31. 1981 - Qix
    
32. 1981 - Stargate
    
33. 1981 - Vanguard
    
34. 1982 - Black Widow
    
35. 1982 - Burgertime
    
36. 1982 - Dig Dug
    
37. 1982 - Donkey Kong Jr.
    
38. 1982 - Jungle King
    
39. 1982 - Joust
    
40. 1982 - Moon Patrol
    
41. 1982 - Pengo
    
42. 1982 - Pole Position
    
43. 1982 - Q*bert
    
44. 1982 - Robotron 2084
    
45. 1982 - Space Duel
    
46. 1982 - Time Pilot
    
47. 1982 - Tron
    
48. 1982 - Xevious
    
49. 1982 - Zaxxon
    
50. 1983 - Dragon's Lair
    
51. 1983 - Elevator Action
    
52. 1983 - Gyruss
    
53. 1983 - Major Havoc
    
54. 1983 - Spy Hunter
    
55. 1983 - Star Wars
    
56. 1983 - Tapper
    
57. 1983 - Track and Field
    
58. 1984 - Punchout
    
59. 1985 - Choplifter
    
60. 1985 - Gauntlet
    
61. 1985 - Ghosts 'n Goblins
    
62. 1985 - Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom
    
63. 1986 - Arkanoid
    
64. 1986 - Outrun
    
65. 1986 - Rampage
    
66. 1987 - 1943 The Battle of Midway
    
67. 1987 - Double Dragon
    
68. 1987 - Rastan
    
69. 1987 - Road Blasters
    
70. 1987 - Street Fighter
    
71. 1988 - Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja
    
72. 1988 - Cyberball
    
73. 1988 - Ghouls 'n Ghosts
    
74. 1988 - Tetris
    
75. 1989 - Golden Axe
    
76. 1990 - Golden Tee Golf
    
77. 1990 - Raiden
    
78. 1990 - Rampart
    
79. 1990 - Smash TV
    
80. 1991 - Captain America and the Avengers
    
81. 1991 - King of Monsters
    
82. 1991 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day
    
83. 1991 - X-Men
    
84. 1992 - Lethal Enforcers
    
85. 1992 - Mortal Kombat
    
86. 1993 - NBA Jam
    
87. 1994 - Daytona USA
    
88. 1995 - Area 51
    
89. 1995 - Soul Edge
    
90. 1996 - San Francisco Rush
    
91. 1997 - House of Dead
    
92. 1997 - NFL Blitz
    
93. 1998 - Gauntlet Legends
    
94. 1998 - House of Dead 2
    
95. 1998 - Time Crisis II
    
96. 1999 - Carnevil
    
97. 1999 - Ferrari F355 Challenge
    
98. 1999 - Hydro Thunder
    
99. 2000 - 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker
    
100. 2000 - Gauntlet Dark Legacy

Tetripong?

PONG

Pong is undoubtedly one of the most legendary games of all time, this post is dedicated to that fact, discovering imagery, facts and oddities. As I've decided to focus solely on arcade classics this has got to be up there in the top 5 or 3...







 


Atari released the first arcade version of PONG in late 1972. The photo to the left shows the very first prototype which was placed at Andy Capp's Cavern. Soon after, Atari launched the commercial version of PONG: the famous "yellow" cabinet. Earlier specimens had silver knobs whereas later ones had black knobs.




 

The machines were numbered at the manufacturing plant and a lot of people say erratic things about the serial numbers of their machines. Nolan Buschnell (who designed Atari PONG) explained that the serials were encoded to avoid guessing how many machines were manufactured. Serials start with two same letters followed by three or four digits. The first machines to roll off the assembly line were numbered ZZ-001 through ZZ-999, then AA-001 through AA-999, then YY-001 through YY-999 and then back to BB-001 through BB-999 and so on. Thus, the very first machine had serial ZZ-001

Atari released PONG in late 1972. This game was so popular that many arcade game manufacturers began to copy PONG and release their own version. Most consisted in a nearly same electronic board (but a different cabinet). Others proposed PONG with more players, boundaries for removing "dead spots", color picture, and even several games that could be played against the machine.

Another smart idea that didn't really copy Atari's game was special upgrade kits. As a matter of fact, they allowed customers to use their original Atari PONG games and do some modifications that game more player controls and game options.

In the old school Pong TV game you could put the paddles in such a position, that the ball kept bouncing forever. Quite hypnotic, and it became the inspiration for this time-killer/clock. While this game of Pong randomly plays, the so called “players” score the time. The Pong Clock displays the time, but you can also switch to game mode. This allows you to play a game of Pong against the clock with the use of two buttons on the back!
The release of the limited edition of 400 Pong Clocks created such a hype that it sold out in 1 day.

Golden

Many people refer to the earlier arcade/console games as the 'golden age of gaming', again it is very subjective to people personal views but there is a general consensus that it runs from the late 70's to the mid 80's. This could be the more focused, cropped in area of 'retro games' to persue and base my TV programme on. However my only worry is the vague nature of the wording 'golden age' or 'retro'.

"The Golden Age of Video games is when the world began to recognize what these devices were. Before Ralph Baer and Nolan Bushnell brought these systems into people's homes and the pizza parlor around the corner, these systems were still abstract concepts and experiments. It is during this era that Video games begin to make their mark on society and culture.

Not only do people embrace Video games and make time for them in their lives, many make substantial commitments with their budgets as well. During these formative years, the video game's cultural impact is reflected through its appearance in novels, films, and television shows."

"The period from the appearance of Space Invaders in 1978 through The Great Video Game Crash of 1983, when 8-bit video games emerged to rule popular culture, coin-operated video arcades appeared in every shopping mall, and the Atari 2600 and its competitors first popularized home gaming. Back then, Sega was known for making Vector Games rather than consoles, and Nintendo's Mario had never stomped on a Goomba. Creativity reigned, and a single visionary designer could still see an entire game through from concept to finished product, unlike the enormous Hollywood-style teams needed for today's high-end game franchises. Shoot 'Em Ups were especially popular, as outer space and stylized spacecraft were easy to render on the crude hardware of the day.

Your mileage may vary about considering this era as a true "golden age", considering the fondness for later generations of consoles. Still, it was the first time video games hit the big time, so it qualifies to some extent."

- I'm still looking to definitely focus in on a specific area of retro gaming, and from the research I've been gathering it's looking like the 80's was probably the most influentially significant period. It's hard for me to dismiss the 90's as it was such a big part of my childhood gaming experience, but it just doesn't have the cult classics that warrant a TV programme in my opinion - or at least not as interesting.

Categorising

Most iconic 8-bit games?

Metroid
River City Ransom
Castlevania III
Shinobi
Dragon Warrior IV
Tecmo Super Bowl
Blades of Steel
Mike Tyson's Punch-out
Mega Man 2
The legend of Zelda
Contra
Super MArio Bros 3
Phantasy Star
Tetris

Most iconic 16-bit games?

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - SNES - 1992
Super Mario World - SNES - 1991
Super Metroid - SNES - 1994
Final Fantasy III/VI - SNES - 1994
Super Mario Kart - SNES - 1992
Secret of Mana - SNES - 1993
Donkey Kong Country - SNES - 1994
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Genesis - 1992
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars- SNES - 1996
Final Fantasy II/IV - SNES - 1991
F-Zero - SNES - 1991
Mega Man X -SNES - 1993
Earthworm Jim – Genesis/SNES - 1994
StarFox - SNES - 1993
Sonic the Hedgehog - Genesis - 1991
Streets of Rage 2 - Genesis - 1993
Sonic & Knuckles - Genesis - 1994
Aladdin – Genesis/SNES - 1993
Super Bomberman - SNES - 1993
Mario Paint - SNES - 1992
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose - SNES - 1993
SimCity - SNES - 1991
Street Fighter 2 - SNES - 1992
Mortal Kombat – SNES/Genesis/Sega CD - 1993
Gradius III - SNES - 1991
Lemmings – SNES/Genesis - 1992
Mortal Kombat II – SNES/Genesis - 1994
Super Punch Out!! -SNES - 1994
Ecco the Dolphin - Genesis - 1993                         


32/64 bit?


80's / 90's games?

80's:


Galaga 
Pitfall Harry 
Star Wars (Arcade)
Asteriods
Street Fighter
Dragons Lair 
MArio Bros
After burner 2
Super MArio World
Pole Position
Donkey Kong
Mega Man 2
Frogger 
Space Invaders
Motos
Enduro Racer
Centipede
Pac Man
Tetris
The Legend of Zelda

90's:

Zelda - Ocarina of Time
Tecmo Super Bowl
Grand Turismo
Sim City - 3000
Metal Gear Solid
Starcraft
Crash Bandicoot
Pokémon
Half Life
SF2 - Turbo Hyper
Final Fantsy VII
Super Mario 64
Tomb Raider
Goldeen Eye 007
Doom




Top arcade games / console games?

Arcade:

Time Crisis
After Burner
Centipede
Frogger
Battle Zone  
Dance Dance Revolution
Tekken
Pong
Pole Position
Donkey Kong
Space Invaders
Pac-Man

Console:     
 
Golden Axe
Donkey Kong
Duck Hunt
The Goonies II
Super Mario World 
Zelda Ocarina of Time
GoldenEye  
Super Mario 64 
Tomb Raider 
Metal Gear Solid 
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 
Super Mario Bros 
Zelda: A Link to the Past  
Tekken 2 
Pokemon Red/Blue 
Ridge Racer 
Super Metroid 
Starfox 64 
Crash Bandicoot   

Re-Imagine

Amongst all the amazing graphics, constantly evolving and improving in games today, a designer, or pixel artist as he is known decided they need a bit of a strip back and get them back to the bare bones of gaming.

Junkboy has cleverly hypothesized many of our modern day games into 8 and 16-bit classics. Unfortunately they are only single frames, but the idea is excellent. However I'm not quite sure how Guitar Hero would work on any of the retro machines, with 5 colours corresponding to buttons, that most (especially earlier) consoles' control pads simply cant cater for! Loads more examples here!

Guitar Hero

 Mirrors Edge

Sin & Punishment:
Star Successor