1984 Computer/Video/Arcade Gaming Atari, EA, Activision, Apple The Computer Chronicles Feb. 28, 1984

Gaming in 1984. Creating an entirely new platform for playing games, between humans or between humans and computers. Products/Demos: Atari 2600, Pinball Construction Set, Space Shuttle, Excalibur, One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird Basketball.
Guests: Trip Hawkins, Electronic Arts; Bill Budge, Game Designer; Chris Crawford, Atari; Steve Kitchen, Activision

[@DeLorean4]

4:09 Neither of them used the words "Focus group", "Market-driven" or "Recognized IP" in their answers. I love the passion these guys have for their craft. I'm sure 99% of game programmers share the same passion today, but it's so refreshing to see the actual programmers talk about their work (instead of official spokespeople), and for their work to not have been meddled with by bean counters.

[@CeeStyleDj]

Chris Crawford had no time to show his game. The Space Shuttle game demo took up the entire segment practically lol

[@Nigaromia]

"So Chris, tell us about Excalibur" "My 'little' game, well er.........shit"

[@DTM-Books]

Space Shuttle was a very sophisticated videogame. I played the Atari 800 version, which is only a little more advanced from the 2600 version. The controls are very simple but you have to manage many different control systems from launch to orbit to reentry and landing. I always respected the game and was thankful for the experience. I never was able to play Excalibur back in the day, as I never had the instruction manual or accompanying novel. It felt too complicated for me as a child. Today, I look at this game and think, "Oh, hey, it's Dragon Force." Finally, Bill Budge was a legend with Pinball Construction Set, which was very sophisticated and inspired us kids to create a thousand pinball boards. There are still many user-created boards still floating around the internet today for use on an Atari 800 emulator.

[@CeeStyleDj]

People used to speak so much more eloquently and with a varied and detailed vocabulary - yet still easy to understand. What the hell happened?

[@lancelotxavier9084]

CeeStyleDj Our schools have adapted to diversification. Students on average now graduate high school with only a 5th grade level education. The good part? Student are far more fluent in Spanish.

[@DTM-Books]

Watch Idiocracy. These were the computer nerds who couldn't get any dates. Meanwhile, the meathead jocks were scoring right and left. 30 years later, we're overwhelmed with stupid.

[@jcp012000]

Every generation says that trust me

[@jcp012000]

Scott Sullivan so you must be a professor or a million dollar inventor. No? Oh ok. So Mongo here should build a wall around himself

[@jeffjackson9679]

Meh. At least we don't have those awful combovers when we go bald.

[@atarileaf]

Funny they were already using the term "vintage" when talking about older systems. The Odyssey was already over a decade old in 1984

[@BdR76]

The Space Shuttle Simulator (@8:16) and Excalibur (@11:57) are nice and all. But I think games that don't try so hard to be more than they are (Space Invaders, Tetris etc.) are in the end the better games.

[@felicity4711]

Steve Kitchen reminds me of Yahoo Serious

[@SarcasticDragonGaming]

I want them to talk about how astronomically large a gigabyte is.

[@chrsolvares2900]

Haha they can only imagine

[@sa3270]

Or a petabyte

[@Grimace982]

Tis video is just EPIC! Especially sitting here playing my flashback 4 as I watch it.

[@TortureBot]

Such an awesome video! Blast from the past!!!

[@jack_knife-1478]

I loved my c64 back then

[@jack_knife-1478]

Chris was such a sharp dresser back then!

[@jack_knife-1478]

Wow this took me back

[@maricate]

This guys are genius look how amazing it's that game for the time a very detailed game for "limited" Atari 2600

[@YTk-nm6uz]

EA should watch this again... they had brains back then... "extending play life time"... all ideas and thoughts they have lost over the years... (except) maybe not: "video games are fundamentally different than computer games" :)

[@krislambert6625]

I like EA Battlefield 4,battle front 2 anyone??

[@sa3270]

I love how in the analog Odyssey the ball bounces an uneven speed depending on the direction and doesn't maintain a constant velocity at that. All timing for the video frame, and size and position of the objects, was analog.

[@teramasz]

"...a PC on the phone opens up new worlds..." it does ;)

[@Sector001ked]

5:11 Rick Ocasek makes a special guest appearance to Computer Chronicles! Don't forget to check his new album: Heartbeat City

[@alberoDiSpazio]

such humble beginnings. Who wants to watch Flight Of the Navigator with me?

[@rockstar98xx]

This is awesome

[@johnmogavero8156]

Thank you

[@musikba]

Glad they featured the original Magnavox Odyssey.

[@Edward-bm7vw]

7:49 I wonder if this guy is still around and what he thinks of Kerbal Space Program

[@AnOfficialAndrewFloyd]

Electronic Arts held up the release of One on One for the Atari 8-bit because they were implementing new copy prevention because they claimed Atari users were pirating EA software (clue - users of every computer brand did). The protection was cracked pretty quickly.

[@thegamechangerchannelclass9711]

Yippie! Christopher Crawford.

[@michahoffmann1054]

both guys from the first pair are highly charming and cute, especially Chris (everyone - play EXCALIBUR if you haven't!)

[@jcdinkins]

4:20-5:20 is the scariest one minute horror movie you'll ever watch.

[@brianbagnall3029]

A hand reached out of my monitor and tried to grab me.

[@jack_knife-1478]

7:39 gary thinks yeah right😂

[@johneygd]

Yeah,dragon lair was the first video game with full motion cut scenes on a laserdisc wich could hold on massive 3GB of space on it, at the time that was 6 times more then cd's from the 80's ,or 3300 times more then floppy disks. The 1980's marketed our future of the 2010's.

[@datacipher]

Incorrect. The first laserdisc arcade game was Astron Belt. You don’t know your history.

[@jack_knife-1478]

Why did he stop excalibur ?

[@antm6970]

Old skool

[@retropirate1]

steve kitchen looks sick

[@AllboroLCD]

what was that fighter jet game they were playing in the arcade in the beginning of the vid? Looked impressive for 1984!

[@doomsday9973]

That was MACH 3 another early laser disk game

[@Dookie69uk]

8k nobody is ever gonna need more than 8k

[@ronaldsanfran]

*Reaches for Tracking knob.... can't find it*

[@keithciaccio7987]

That guy's hair is brutal...

[@Fulgrymm]

That ridiculous combover? Yeah.

[@onlysublime]

LOL! :D I'd have to watch it again to remember his name but I can picture who you're talking about!

[@lisvender]

PacBilly made this so much more interesting 🧐

[@jaroslavhorak2299]

What is that jet fighter arcade game in the beginning? Considering how old this programme must be, those are some impressive graphics!

[@doomsday9973]

MACH 3 it’s just a laser disc game with airplane sprites overlayed over the video

[@cb2k761]

lol "got me....that was legitimate" LMAO :)

[@bradleyporter5454]

So this vid recording is from 84?

[@johnfitzgerald2339]

I let out an audible laugh @ 06:30.

[@AxiomofDiscord]

That was not Pong that was Table Tennis.

[@Fulgrymm]

The difference being the paddles can move anywhere instead of just up and down, yeah?

[@sa3270]

Back when Activision was a respectable company.

[@unlimitedgaming7872]

Activision logo there

[@Sinn0100]

Today's word is vicarious!

[@mjp29]

This hose always says "we're outa time," as if he has to go to a commercial break or something.

[@silixtuhibiski95]

Atari: bankrupt... EA: well, EA.....Activision: bankrupt and gone.

[@onlysublime]

Activision is the largest gaming publisher in the world

[@silixtuhibiski95]

Yeah, it went bankrupt, though. I guess it's back, though. I don't play Call of Anus or Destiny, though.

[@ohnolee9586]

Thanks to GOD, in modern days we are light years more advanced and Intelligent... today we can play Candy Crush and post Duck Face Selfies! We advanced too much!

[@PopArtificer]

16:50 Are computer games here to stay or is it a fad?

[@ieatbabys4685]

can you turn down that level

[@ohnolee9586]

Whats wrong with this Guy’s voice?