history-of-games
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The Daily Grind: Can you look backwards with games?
Take a look at the screenshot above from Meridian 59. It probably doesn't look like much to most of you. But for some of our readers, that screenshot represents a game that was one of the first graphical and three-dimensional MMOs ever, and it might well bring back fond memories. It all depends on whether or not you were gaming at the time and interested in the genre, and even then you might not have enjoyed the game or had a chance to pick it up and play regularly. (Cable internet was not exactly a foregone conclusion in 1996, after all.) Games are on an ever-increasing ramp of graphical complexity and depth of play, and so games that were revolutionary at one point have become much less so with time. But can you look past that and see why they were important in the first place? Do you play EverQuest and see dated graphics and gameplay models, or do you see a game that inspired interest in the genre enough to make the current market possible? Do you look back when you play a game, or do you find yourself hung up with the latest and greatest features instead?
Stupidly simple games degree exam paper is very real
On first glance, this exam paper looks like a hoax intended to poke fun at the recent trend for video game degrees. However, if you dig a little deeper, you'll find that it's actually a genuine exam paper that students studying Computer Games Art or Computer Games Design at The University of Teesside have to take. We're sure many of you could answer these questions in your sleep, for example, question number 14 is "What was the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) videogame console, released in America and Europe, known as in Japan?"We could leave you to giggle at the absurdity of students taking out massive loans just to learn about the history of video games, but here's the reality check. It's important to note that the History of Games module (of which this exam paper is from) is only a single module out of six that a typical student has to study throughout the year. As the University's course page says, "Studying the History of Games provides context to the course." The rest of the modules students have to take involve learning how to code and design games, which is not something you can do in your sleep, although I'm sure many students will attempt it with a hangover.[Thanks Chris!]
