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{{Year nav topic5|1970|video games}} |
{{Year nav topic5|1970|video games}} |
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At the beginning of the 1970s, video games existed almost entirely as novelties passed around by programmers and technicians with access to computers, primarily at research institutions and large companies. 1970 |
At the beginning of the 1970s, video games existed almost entirely as novelties passed around by programmers and technicians with access to computers, primarily at research institutions and large companies. 1970 marked a crucial year in the transition of electronic games from academic to mainstream, with developments in chess [[artificial intelligence]] and in the concept of commercialized video games. |
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While the technology that later became the [[Magnavox Odyssey|Odyssey]] by [[Magnavox]] was stalled in development, the game which would become ''[[Computer Space]]'' began development in this period. In computer games, [[BASIC]] games written by high school and college students circulated among different [[time-sharing]] computer networks via user’s societies. Some of these programs would later be distributed as type-in listings via books and magazines. The first national competition of chess programs was held, drawing attention to advances in artificial intelligence across various fields. |
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==Events== |
==Events== |
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[[File:ACM1970 Conference.png|thumb|The special events for ACM 1970 included the first computer chess championship.]] |
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*[[Nolan Bushnell]] and [[Ted Dabney]] of Syzygy begin work on ''[[Computer Space]]'', using their free weekends while working at [[Ampex]]. The machine is not released until the following year.<ref>{{cite web |title=BIG HISTORY OF THE ARCADE |url=http://dragonsden.emuunlim.com/ddhistory.htm |date=7 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607124750/http://dragonsden.emuunlim.com/ddhistory.htm |archive-date=2007-06-07 }}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | *April – [[Georgy Adelson-Velsky]], Arlazov, Bitman, Zhivotovskii and Uskov publish their paper ''Programming a computer to play chess'' in ''[[Russian Mathematical Surveys]]''. In addition to discussion of the mathematical problems involved, the paper includes examples of humans playing against the computer, presented using [[chess notation]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Adel'son-Vel'skii |last2=Aralazarov |last3=Bitman |last4=Uskov |title=Programming a computer to play chess |journal=Russian Mathematical Surveys |date=1970 |volume=25 |issue=2 |pages=221–262}}</ref> |
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*March - Licensing negotiations begin at [[Magnavox]] over the development of video game hardware called the "Skill O Vision", later renamed to the [[Magnavox Odyssey|Odyssey]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Baer |first1=Ralph H. |author1-link=Ralph H. Baer |title=Videogames: In the Beginning |date=2005 |publisher=Rolenta Press |isbn=978-0-9643848-1-1 |pages=57–58 |url=https://archive.org/details/VideogamesInTheBeginningRalphH.Baer/page/n31/mode/2up}}</ref> |
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*Summer – [[Nolan Bushnell]] and [[Ted Dabney]] begin work on an adaptation of the ''[[Spacewar!]]'' mainframe game. Originally the game is intended to run off a [[Data General]] [[Data General Nova|Nova]] 1200 computer with support hardware. This would eventually lead to the development of ''[[Computer Space]]'' (1971).<ref name=":02">{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Alexander |title=They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry |date=November 27, 2019 |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |isbn=978-1-138-38990-8 |volume=1: 1971 – 1982 |pages=68–73}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | *April |
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*September 1-3 |
*September 1-3 – The first [[North American Computer Chess Championship|U.S. Computer Chess Championship]] is held by the [[Association for Computing Machinery]]. The contestants played via telephone using mainframe computers located at various universities. The victor is the [[Chess (Northwestern University)|Chess 3.0]] program running off of a [[CDC 6000 series|CDC 6400]] created by David Slate, Keith Gorlen, and Larry Atkin of [[Northwestern University]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1970-09-03 |title=Computer Chess Is 'Like Playing Tennis Without a Ball' |work=The Journal News |pages=8}}</ref> The other competitors are The Daly CP (Chris Daly & Kenneth King), J. Biit ([[Columbia University]]), COKO III ([[University of California]] & [[Bell Telephone Laboratories]]),<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kozdrowicki |first1=Edward |last2=Cooper |first2=Dennis |title=COKO III: The Cooper-Koz Chess Program |journal=Communications of the ACM |date=July 1973 |volume=16 |issue=7 |pages=411–427}}</ref> SCHACH ([[Texas A&M University]]) and Marsland CP (Tony Marsland).<ref>{{cite web |title=Awit Wita Readme|url=https://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/%7Etony/Public/Awit-Wita-ComputerChess/Awit-Wita-ReadMe/wita-history-readme.txt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ACM COMPUTER CHESS by Bill Wall |url=https://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/ACM-ComputerChessWall.html |website=ed-thelen.org}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | *December 24 – A computer [[racing game]] programmed in [[CALL/360:BASIC]] for the [[IBM System/360]] is played on a Christmas Eve special of [[BBC]]'s [[Tomorrow's World|Tomorrow’s World]]. Commentator [[Raymond Baxter]] and racing driver [[Graham Hill]] play the game while coordinators Anne Norie and Margaret Watson operate the terminals.<ref>{{cite news |last1= |date=1970 |title=Ex-champion rallies, loses on points |url=https://archive.org/details/tomorrows-world-racing-game |work=Data Processing News |publisher=IBM}}</ref> |
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*September 12 - Chris Gaylor, a student at [[Syosset High School]], programs the [[Early mainframe games|mainframe game]] ''Highnoon''.<ref>{{cite web |title=myBitBox » Highnoon |url=https://mybitbox.com/highnoon-1970/}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | *December 24 |
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== Notable releases == |
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=== Publications === |
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* The newsletter EDU is first published by [[Digital Equipment Corporation]]. Edited by [[David H. Ahl|David Ahl]], the newsletter became one of the first commercial outlets of type-in listings for games. Ahl later published [[BASIC Computer Games|101 BASIC Computer Games]] based on listings he collected for publication in EDU.{{sfn|Smith|2019|p=242–244}} |
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=== Games === |
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==== Computer ==== |
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* September 12 – Christopher Gaylo, a student at Syosset High School in [[Syosset, New York]], completes a finalized version of the BASIC game Highnoon. It was distributed on the Huntington Project time-sharing network. The code was later posted by Gaylo online.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-16 |title=Highnoon |url=https://mybitbox.com/highnoon-1970/ |website=myBitBox}}</ref> |
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== Business == |
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* April 3 – [[Gremlin Industries]] is founded in [[San Diego|San Diego, California]] as a contract manufacturer of electronics. The company enters [[Arcade game|coin-operated games]] in 1972 and in 1978 is purchased by [[Sega|Sega Enterprises Inc]].{{sfn|Smith|2019|p=306}} |
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* October - Game operator [[Nihon Bussan]] is established in Japan. They later create games under the Nichibutsu label. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Latest revision as of 19:48, 21 December 2024
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At the beginning of the 1970s, video games existed almost entirely as novelties passed around by programmers and technicians with access to computers, primarily at research institutions and large companies. 1970 marked a crucial year in the transition of electronic games from academic to mainstream, with developments in chess artificial intelligence and in the concept of commercialized video games.
While the technology that later became the Odyssey by Magnavox was stalled in development, the game which would become Computer Space began development in this period. In computer games, BASIC games written by high school and college students circulated among different time-sharing computer networks via user’s societies. Some of these programs would later be distributed as type-in listings via books and magazines. The first national competition of chess programs was held, drawing attention to advances in artificial intelligence across various fields.
Events
[edit]
- April – Georgy Adelson-Velsky, Arlazov, Bitman, Zhivotovskii and Uskov publish their paper Programming a computer to play chess in Russian Mathematical Surveys. In addition to discussion of the mathematical problems involved, the paper includes examples of humans playing against the computer, presented using chess notation.[1]
- Summer – Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney begin work on an adaptation of the Spacewar! mainframe game. Originally the game is intended to run off a Data General Nova 1200 computer with support hardware. This would eventually lead to the development of Computer Space (1971).[2]
- September 1-3 – The first U.S. Computer Chess Championship is held by the Association for Computing Machinery. The contestants played via telephone using mainframe computers located at various universities. The victor is the Chess 3.0 program running off of a CDC 6400 created by David Slate, Keith Gorlen, and Larry Atkin of Northwestern University.[3] The other competitors are The Daly CP (Chris Daly & Kenneth King), J. Biit (Columbia University), COKO III (University of California & Bell Telephone Laboratories),[4] SCHACH (Texas A&M University) and Marsland CP (Tony Marsland).[5][6]
- December 24 – A computer racing game programmed in CALL/360:BASIC for the IBM System/360 is played on a Christmas Eve special of BBC's Tomorrow’s World. Commentator Raymond Baxter and racing driver Graham Hill play the game while coordinators Anne Norie and Margaret Watson operate the terminals.[7]
Notable releases
[edit]Publications
[edit]- The newsletter EDU is first published by Digital Equipment Corporation. Edited by David Ahl, the newsletter became one of the first commercial outlets of type-in listings for games. Ahl later published 101 BASIC Computer Games based on listings he collected for publication in EDU.[8]
Games
[edit]Computer
[edit]- September 12 – Christopher Gaylo, a student at Syosset High School in Syosset, New York, completes a finalized version of the BASIC game Highnoon. It was distributed on the Huntington Project time-sharing network. The code was later posted by Gaylo online.[9]
Business
[edit]- April 3 – Gremlin Industries is founded in San Diego, California as a contract manufacturer of electronics. The company enters coin-operated games in 1972 and in 1978 is purchased by Sega Enterprises Inc.[10]
- October - Game operator Nihon Bussan is established in Japan. They later create games under the Nichibutsu label.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Adel'son-Vel'skii; Aralazarov; Bitman; Uskov (1970). "Programming a computer to play chess". Russian Mathematical Surveys. 25 (2): 221–262.
- ^ Smith, Alexander (November 27, 2019). They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry. Vol. 1: 1971 – 1982. CRC Press. pp. 68–73. ISBN 978-1-138-38990-8.
- ^ "Computer Chess Is 'Like Playing Tennis Without a Ball'". The Journal News. 1970-09-03. p. 8.
- ^ Kozdrowicki, Edward; Cooper, Dennis (July 1973). "COKO III: The Cooper-Koz Chess Program". Communications of the ACM. 16 (7): 411–427.
- ^ "Awit Wita Readme".
- ^ "ACM COMPUTER CHESS by Bill Wall". ed-thelen.org.
- ^ "Ex-champion rallies, loses on points". Data Processing News. IBM. 1970.
- ^ Smith 2019, p. 242–244.
- ^ "Highnoon". myBitBox. 2008-12-16.
- ^ Smith 2019, p. 306.
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