Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
LEVEL 2
On the Road—
to NOW!
A Brief History of Games and Game Audio
The First Video Games •
More or Less •
1940-1970: The Silent Era of Video Games •
1970-1980: Early Arcade Games and Consoles •
The Golden Age of the Arcade •
1990s •
The Rise of Home Computers •
2000s •
Learning Outcomes:
Understand the evolution of key audio systems and essential developments •
Distinguish between dif erent platforms, genres, and technological stages •
Comprehend technical limitations and how they shape audio development •
Let's take a brief look at a few of the more notable achievements in
gaming during this period.
The First Video Games
In 1948 Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr., and Estle Ray Mann created one of
the earliest known video games. Based on radar display technology,
the cathode-ray tube used an analog device to simulate the experience
of i ring a missile at targets. Knobs and buttons allowed the player
to control the missile, which was represented on screen by a vector-
drawn dot.
