Blog #4: EOTO Project 1: Video Games as a Communication Device

 Introduction:

    Before I begin discussing video games, I always like to give a definition of it because my old high school teacher, Dr. Nelson, would always say, "There's no point in making a point, if you don't define your terms. Otherwise nobody knows what you are talking about."

    The definition of a video game is hard to pinpoint, as throughout the years the term has changed as technology has changed with it. Early on in its creation, the term was more based on the technology around it, with its only requirement being transmitting a video signal to a display But today, its more of a conceptual term, with a large umbrella of coverage, with the Merriam Webster Dictionary defining it as "an electronic game in which players control images on a video screen."

    Who knows! Maybe one day this definition will change in the future!

Early Video Games: 

    When it comes to the first video games, there are lots of arguments and debates on which ones game first. In my opinion, the first video game was "Tennis For Two" created in 1958 in the Brookhaven National Library. This game was played on an oscilloscope, a device which is

normally used to "display and analyze the waveform of electronic signals" (TechTarget). Invented by William Higginbotham and Robert Dvorak, the game was a simple recreation of the real life game tennis, where two players hit a ball back and forth using rotary controllers. 

    Many ask why they created this video game, and there are plenty of reasons! Their goal was not only to create a form of entertainment, but to push the limits of the technology they had, as these video games required the use of all of the computers components. But the main driving factor was to impress investors, to get them to buy the equipment, after they have seen the capabilities of it.

    Another example of the first video games was the first widespread installment of a video game, Spacewar! on the PDP-1. Created at MIT by

Steve Russel in 1962, the game revolved around two spaceships fighting each other in space, with gravity taking effect as you flew near different stars. 

    The importance of Spacewar! comes from its widespread nature, as students began taking copies of the game to other universities to play on their PDP-1, and so it spread around. I would have loved to try and play this game on its original hardware, as online emulations just don't match up.

How did they change the world?:

    Video games were created so that anybody could play and enjoy, and have fun. But in junction with this, they also have changed the world, especially when they follow the perfect game formula. This formula, is "Easy to play, difficult to master," which was said by the founder of one of the greatest video game companies, Atari, Nolan Bushnell.

        So you may ask, well how did that change the world? Well, it drove technology advancements in computing to try and create better and more immersive experiences!

    Like Xbox and PlayStation competing to have a better performing console to display better looking games, it created competition and a reason to improve.

    

    Video games also influenced and created a whole culture around it, with communities forming around different games, genres, and even specific equipment like virtual reality!

   

    Businesses like video game design, publishing, and Esports popped up, with their profits being well above most expectations, and most importantly, it became a new for of communication to convey stories and narratives throughout the games themselves.

Conclusion:

    Video games have come a long way since their early beginnings with Tennis for Two and Spacewar!—evolving from simple oscilloscope displays to immersive, narrative-driven experiences that captivate millions. 

    What started as a technological experiment to showcase computing power has grown into a global phenomenon, shaping culture, driving innovation, and even redefining entertainment. The competitive nature of gaming has pushed hardware advancements, while the communities built around games have fostered new forms of social interaction and storytelling.

    Video games have always been a prevalent force in my life, as I can not remember a time where I haven't been playing one. So prevalent, that I've dedicated one half of my education towards it, and I hope it will become my future as I chase game design as a job. Video games are an incredible communication technology, and I can not wait to see how video games evolve next!