Video Games: The Movie Page #4

---

of the image in pixels

and by the number

of bits per pixel,

or a "color depth",

which determines

the number of colors the pixel

and ultimately the image

can represent.

The more bits,

the better the games looked.

More bits, however,

meant more memory was needed,

which was in short supply

in the early days of gaming.

This resulted in games that

looked blocky and simple.

But that didn't stop designers

and gamers from diving headlong

into this amazing new medium.

Over time and as technology

advanced, 8 bits became 16,

then 32, 64, 128 and so on.

With each generational jump

in graphics

and so called "image fidelity,"

the depth of story

and immersion in games

seemed to progress as well.

The technological limitations

drove the art form

and vice versa.

Games were slowly evolving,

and those on the inside

were growing up with the very

art form they were creating.

It was the Magnavox machine,

I think it was called the Odyssey,

and to show you how different

things were... I mean, basically,

it allowed you to play Pong really.

That console had no real graphics.

There were just squares

of light on the TV screen.

So, there were Mylar overlays

that you would stick on the screen.

And so like, then you'd put

up like a haunted house.

And then all of the sudden,

the white Pong ball

would be like a ghost, you know,

moving through the house.

So, you had to kind of

use your imagination

and those Mylar overlays

to understand

the story they were trying to tell.

Magnavox presents Odyssey,

the electronic game of the future.

Odyssey easily attaches

to any brand TV,

black and white, or color,

to create a closed circuit

electronic playground.

Odyssey gives you all

the exciting action of hockey,

and 11 other challenging

play and learning games

for the entire family.

I had a very dear friend

who was the head

of ATCO Records.

She had an Atari 2600 console

in her office.

And she pointed at it and asked me,

"Do you know what that is?"

And I said, "Well, kind of,

but what is it?"

And she said to me, "It's a license

to print money."

Attention, shoppers.

The new Atari cartridge game is in.

Only Atari makes

the world's most popular

home video games.

The only Space Invaders.

The only Asteroids.

The only Pac-Man.

And the only way you can

play any of them

is on a home video system

made by Atari.

Come and play Atari today

The first game that I

ever remember playing

was Space Invaders

on the Atari 2600.

I was six years old

and was at my friend's house,

and I was just blown

away by the fact that

you could manipulate an image

on your television.

My first console I remember playing

was the Atari 2600.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes