Arcade
History
1971 First Arcade console was Galaxy Game. It was a coin operated arcade console. It cost $20,000.
1972 Atari invented Pong arcade. Its coin operated. It displays 2D graphics. This became popular.
1975 Taito invented interceptor it had an 8 stick joystick.
1975 Gun fight was available by Midway MFG, it could be played on Interceptor.
1978 Space Invaders was available by Taito. It’s the first blockbuster video arcade game.
1979 Nintendo invented sheriff it, had dual stick controls.
1980 Pac man invented Namco. This game was popular and became known as Pac- Mania.
1981 Donkey Kong was available by Nintendo.
1983 Atari invented I Robot. It contained 3D polygon graphics.
Nowadays not many people play arcade games because, people have their own consoles. This is why arcade game manufactures have stopped inventing arcade games.
Features
Arcade game is a box with games on it that people can play for entertainment purposes. People can use it providing they insert money into the game such as £1 coins. Arcade games are usually in public locations for instance bowling area, restaurants bars and in amusement areas, as shown in figure 7. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro mechanical games, redemption games and merchandisers for instance claw cranes.
Figure 7: Arcade machines during the olden times.
The golden age of arcade games were popular in the olden times. Arcade games were popular during the late 1970’s however, this only lasted till the middle 1990’s. Gamers still enjoyed using arcade games up until the late 1990s. The game industry has seen a change which, means that the graphic quality changed from 2D to 3D as shown in figure 8.
Figure 8: Modern arcade machines.
Examples
The list below has, proved to generate high sales to the arcade industry.
The way in which, company’s estimate how much profit arcade games made was by the amount of hardware units sold, or the amount of profit generated from customers inserting money into the arcade machines. The hardware prices was quite high because it started from one thousand dollars to four thousand dollars. Below is a list of popular arcade games.
1. Pac Man
2. Space Invaders
3. Street Fighter 11
4. Donkey Kong
Limitations
People who wish to use an arcade game have to go to a public location, as shown in figure 9. This is because arcade machines are expensive and require lots of space.
Figure 9: Arcade machines.
Compare to most other gaming inventions, people prefer to use console games as they are cheaper to use as shown in figure 10.
Figure 10: Console games that cost less.
Consoles
History
First console was Magnaut Oddssey which was invented in 1972.
A home arcade console was invented which, was Atari pong.
1977 Nintendo invented Nintendo color TV. It didn’t make much profit, compared to its competitors who released consoles before.
1977 Atari invented Atari 2600 console.
1979 Mattel in television was invented. This had better software and hardware compared Atari.
1982 Coleco invented Coleco vision console.
1985 Nintendo released Nintendo entertainment system.
1991 Nintendo invented Super Nintendo.
Sega invented a game character to make it appeal to customers they invented sonic.
1991 Sega invented new accessories for its consoles such as a CD and a 32 bit card. It had bad sales. They released 6 games as well.
1993 Nintendo and Sony went in partnership. They made a prototype of a console. Nintendo is the creator of PlayStation.
Sony invented a console. It enabled gamers to be able to play 32 bit games. They invented controllers. These controllers became so popular that gamers still use them.
1995 Nintendo invented Nintendo 64. It had games for instance Mario 64.These games were popular.
1999 Sega invented dream cast. They sold 10 million.
2014 latest consoles available are the following Sony PS4, Microsoft Xbox one and Nintendo Wii U.
Features
A console is a box that connects to the television. It enables users to play games. Lots of consoles available on the market. Popular consoles available are the following Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox one and Nintendo Wii U as shown, in figure 11.
Figure 11: Nintendo Wii U Xbox one and PlayStation 4 consoles.
PlayStation 4 contains features which, are different for instance it contains share play. This allows users to help you complete a game even if, they don't own that game. The console gets updated whilst, the user is playing a game. Gamers can, play used games on the console and they can play downloaded games. Best selling PlayStation 4, video game is Killzone shadow fall as shown in figure 12.
Figure 12: Killzone shadow fall on PS4.
Xbox one, contains unique features such as using your body to control a game with Kinect. Users can communicate with their friends online, and they can chat on Skype. They can trade games online and they can play games offline and online. Best selling Xbox one game is Titanfall as shown in figure 13.
Figure 13: Titanfall on Xbox one.
Nintendo Wii U enables users to play Nintendo Wii games on it. Nintendo Wii U users, can download games from their console. Games can be played in a variety of ways such as using a touch screen device or by moving a controller. Gamers can play with up to 5 players. Best selling Nintendo Wii U game is New Super Mario Bros U as shown in figure 14.
Figure 14: New Mario Bros U on Nintendo Wii U.
Examples
There are many consoles available. Most popular consoles available are the following:
1) PlayStation 4
2) Xbox one
3) Nintendo Wii u
Limitations
Some console games don’t allow users to play previous version games for instance, PlayStation 2 games won’t work on PlayStation 3, as shown in figure 15.
Figure 15: PlayStation 1 and 2 games aren’t compatible with PlayStation 3.
Consoles require users to have a television and electricity otherwise they won’t function as shown in figure 16.
Figure 16: PlayStation 3 wouldn’t operate without electricity.
Computers
History
Before computers Abacus was used for adding and subtracting numbers.
1930s the Z computer was made by Konrad Zuse, it display yes and no calculations.
During the WW1 Mark1 was invented by Howard Aiken.
1947 the transistor was made by William, John and Walter.
1953 IBM invented IBM 701. They later upgraded the 701 machine.
Fortran was the first easy programming language around 1960, IBM invented the world’s fastest computer IBM 7090.
1980’s computers started to transform into modern day computers.
1981 IBM made IBM PC. A game that could be played on this machine was Wary Cat.
Xerox, invented Xerox star in the 1980’s. This contained a GUI.
Apple invented Lisa in 1983.It was not a huge success because it was expensive. A game that can be played with this is Apple Cider Spider.
1985 Microsoft had decided to launch windows 1.0.
Microsoft invented Windows 2.0 in 1987.
1980’s to 1985 Microsoft was ahead of technology. Windows 95 was released.
2001 Apple invented the Mac OS X which, was Apple’s most powerful system.
Microsoft invented Windows XP OS which, is still very good.
Microsoft released Windows Vista in 2007.
2009 Microsoft invented Windows 7 OS.
August 2012 Microsoft released Windows 8.0 OS.
October 2013 Microsoft released Windows 8.1 OS.
Features
A PC gaming machine is a computer, as shown in figure 17. It is for gamers who wish to take their gaming to an extreme level. Gamers enjoy customizing their PC by adding additional items to their PC for instance, three to four monitors. Gamer's enjoy adding these features to their PC to enable them to have more of a gaming experience. Gamers can, play online games with their friends and talk to them through headsets.
Figure 17: An example of a PC gaming machine.
PC gamers can play games on their computer offline and online. Offline enables users to play games by themselves. Online games enable users to play games multiplayer with their friends. This means that if a user had the same game as another person they could play it together. PC game that can be played offline and online is GTA V, as shown in figure 18.
Figure 18: GTA V available on PC.
Examples
Examples of the best selling PC games that are available are the following:
1) Sims 4 Collector’s edition
2) Commander and Conquer ultimate collection
3) World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor Collector's Edition.
4) Football Manager 2015 with early beta access.
Limitations
PC Gaming equipment, shown figure 19 is expensive, if gamers want to customize it and add additional hardware for instance more monitors.
Figure 19: PC gaming equipment users purchase.
Companies shown figure 20, that design PC games may rush into it because, they know that they have the ability to release a batch that will be able to solve the bugs later on.
Figure 20: Companies which, develop PC games.
Prices of graphics cards are expensive so, if gamers want to customize their product and add more components, then the price of the PC machine will increase as shown in figure 21.
Figure 21: Installation of graphics card inside a PC.
Tablets
History
1888 Telautography was the first tablet. It could transfer messages through telegraph lines.
1964 Rand tablet was invented. It was a 10 inch square tablet which, enabled users to issue commands.
1968’s Alan Kate made a prototype of Dynabook tablet. It was an advanced touchscreen tablet.
1979 Apple invented Apple Graphics tablet. It’s the first tablet invented to enable input device. It didn’t generate high sales.
1984 Koala Pad was invented. It was popular among young children. It enabled children to draw pictures on the device.
1989 GriDpad was invented. It was considered a rigid Microsoft dos computer and it included a keyboard.
1992 Compaq invented Compaq concerto. It could become a notebook or tablet. It had a removable keyboard.
2001 Microsoft had invented Microsoft XP tablet PC edition. It is considered one of the best OS.
2010 Apple invented Apple iPad. It sold 100 million devices. Apple had an app store where customers could purchase, applications for free or for a small fee.
Companies such as Samsung and Amazon started inventing tablets similar to Apple iPad. They used an open source OS Android.
2012 Microsoft launched Microsoft surface tablet. It came with the latest OS, and could be used as a notebook or tablet.
Features
Tablets have their own App store where users can download Applications, depending on their requirements. They can play games such as need for speed, surf the internet, read books, watch an episode, watch a movie and contact friends and family. This can achieved by touching the device, as shown in figure 22.
Figure 22: Gamer playing need for speed by touching a Samsung tablet.
Tablets are very handy to use, as they are portable gaming device shown. This means users can play games online such as pool shown in figure 23 . This is due to the fact, that tablets have Wi-Fi capabilities. Tablets are similar to computers as they require an OS in order for them to operate.
Figure 23: Tablet being used to play online pool.
Examples
Some of the most expensive tablets available are:
1) Apple IPad
2) Samsung Galaxy
3) Sony Xperia
4) Microsoft Surface
Limitations
A tablet is a portable computer. Tablets screen sizes are quite small, as shown in figure 24. This makes it hard for users to use a tablet if, they needed it for a long period.
Figure 24: Tablets however, the majority of the screen sizes are not big.
A tablet will not come with a built in optical drive so, users have not got the capabilities of using a CD or DVD in a tablet for instance iPad as shown in figure 25.
Figure 25: Apple iPad tablet with no optical drive.
Tablets processors tend to be slower than computers. Gamers cannot change the hardware inside the machine as shown in figure 26.
Figure 26: A processor inside a tablet however, it cannot be changed.
Mobile phones
History
1973 Mark Cooper had the first cell phone. He had a phone conversation with Bell labs.
1983 Motorola invented Motorola Dynatec 8000. It was the first cell phone which, was commercially available. It contained 30 minutes of talk time and could store 30 contacts.
1994 Simon’s personal computer was invented.
1996 Palm Company invented Palm Pilot 1000 and it was a digital personal assistance. Palm invented its own first mobile phone OS.
Android was based in Palo Atlo California. It came into the mobile phone industry in 2003. Android was invented by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White.
2006 Blackberry invented the Blackberry 8100. It was the first phone to contained multimedia functions for instance camera, music and a web browser. There were many games that users could play on this device for instance Iron Man 3.
2007 Apple invented Apple iPhone. This phone was popular and users had an app store where users could download games for instance flappy birds which, is still popular as of today.
2008 HTC Dream was invented and it contained an Android OS. There are a wide variety of games that can be played on this device for instance Spiderman.
2014 Google invented Google Glasses This device allows users to make a hands free phone call.
Features
Mobile phone users can play internet games providing they are connected to the internet through Wi-Fi or by 3G as shown in figure 27. As an example users can Solitaire on the iPhone as shown in figure 27, because its available on the internet.
Figure 27: Solitaire game on the iPhone.
Some mobile games can be played with two players for instance, Tap Pong on the HTC as shown in figure 28. However users will have pay a small fee in order, to download this on their device.
Figure 28: Two player pong game on the HTC
Most modern mobile phones contain applications, and they are categorized into categories. These mobile phones will have a games categories. It would enable users to download games from there for instance, HTC phones have game applications as shown in figure 29.
Figure 29: HTC phone with a variety of applications installed.
Examples
1) iPhone 5 and iPhone 6
2) Samsung S5
Limitations
Most mobile phones contain small screens as shown in figure 30. This makes the image size small, and it makes it hard for users to see the game their playing.
Figure 30: A variety of touchscreen mobiles with small screens.
Mobile phones contain batteries however, the limitation is that the battery may die causing problems. This is shown in figure 31.
Figure 31: A mobile phone however, the battery can't be replaced.
Televisions
History
1862 Abe Giovanna invented pantelegraph. This product could send pictures via wires.
1873 Smith and May did a test called selenium. The test made them release that they could change pictures into signals, which would then be transferred over wires easily.
1880 Alexander Granham Bell and Thomas Edison invented Photophone.
1884 Paul Nipkow found a method which, could enable people to send lots of images through wires. To enable this to occur he used a rotating disk, so the images could move.
1900 First television was invented. It was in France, Paris at the World Fair.
1907 Scientist developed a method that would enable the television device to operate. Inside the television was cathode rays and vacuum tube.
1924 John Bird from Scotland invented a device which, would enable objects in motion to get captured. This was called the moving picture and was the way in which, movies and TV shows were shown.
1928 First TV station called W3XK was invented. It was owned by Charles Jenkins.
1936 200 Television got sold. These figures increased.
1937 The first major television network called CBS was launched
1939 Televisions were tested at the world fair. The market was available to the public. One of the first television company to be available was RCA.
1950 Colour television was invented.
1997 Panasonic invented the first flat screen television.
2009 USA users made their TV all digital viewing.
Features
Televisions come in all sizes and some are fat screen TVs, whilst modern televisions are flat. They come in a variety of sizes ranging from 19 to 85 inches as, shown in figure 32.
Figure 32: A flat screen TV.
Some modern day televisions contain 4k ultra HD resolution, as shown in figure 33. This enables users to view images in four times more detail, compared to the previous full HD 1080p images.
Figure 33: A TV with 4K ultra HD resolution.
Some modern televisions have 3D, as shown in figure 34. This means users can play a game in 3D. An example of this is the Sony PlayStation 3D monitor.
Figure 34: Sony PlayStation 3D and accessories.
Examples
Amazon enable users to play games on their television with Amazon Fire TV as shown in figure 35. It, comes with a fire game controller. An example of a game that can be played on Amazon fire is GTA Vice City.
Figure35; Amazon television box.
Sky enables customers to play games on the television such as Beehive Bedlam, as shown in figure 36. There are some games on the Sky box which, are free but when users get to a certain level it will cost. To play a game on Sky users must have a Sky TV remote.
Figure 36: Beehive Bedlam game that can be played on a Sky box.
Apple allow customers to play games on the television for instance flappy birds as shown in figure 37. Customers who own an Apple device can play their portable devices and it can get shown on a bigger television screen.
Figure 37: Apple TV with a remote controller.
Television companies for instance Samsung have a technology called Smart TV as shown in figure 38. This enables users to play games for instance need for speed. This is because, the Smart TV contains a wide variety of applications.
Figure 38: Samsung’ Smart TV which lets users to play games on their television.
Limitations
Television can damage your eyes should you interact with it for long time, without taking a break as shown in figure 39.
Figure 39: If a user was to interact with a television for long period of time users would cause gain eye strain.
Television games for long a period can become very addicting, as shown in figure 40. This can lead to a person’s life being wasted because, they will not dedicate their time doing something else.
Figure 40: Boy becoming an addict towards television games.