Game documentary on TLC

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15 Apr 2003, 02:03 AM
Melf

Game documentary on TLC

From Gamers.com:

Quote:

The Learning Channel will be airing a special documentary this week on the people and technologies that have helped shape the videogame industry as we know it today. "Gameheadz" will air on Wednesday, April 16th at 10:00 PM EST/PST and cover pivotal events and personalities pertaining to the industry and its evolution.
Several notable personalities will be featured as speakers in the documentary, including Al Alcorn (creator of Pong) and Nolan Bushnell (founder of Atari). Activision's founder will detail the industry crash of 1983 and Ralph Baer will discuss the Odyssey and the beginnings of the industry.

Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto will also be onhand to recount his first efforts as a game designer and the influences of the Japanese countryside in the creation of stylistic milestones ranging from Super Mario Brothers to Pikmin. The histories of Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda straight from their creator will surely interest viewers, but gamers can also look forward to Miyamoto's acoustic rendition of the Super Mario Brothers theme.

Finally, Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov and partner Henk Rogers detail the creation of the game that launched a thousand clones. Those with even a slight interest in the history of the industry should definitely check out Gameheadz this Wednesday.

I'm going to check this out. I want to see Shiggy play the Mario theme!
15 Apr 2003, 02:13 AM
Schlep

TiVo'd.
15 Apr 2003, 02:18 AM
gamevet

Hopefully I'll get a chance to check it out. I love these kinds of shows about the industry.
15 Apr 2003, 02:28 AM
Jeremy

I'm busting out a blank tape for this puppy. How long will the documentary be?
15 Apr 2003, 02:30 AM
Schlep

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeremy
I'm busting out a blank tape for this puppy. How long will the documentary be?

It's 1 hour.
15 Apr 2003, 02:33 AM
Shin Johnpv

very cool

some one post a reminder thread about this wensday afternoon
15 Apr 2003, 02:37 AM
Jeremy

Cool, one hour. Perfect timing. I can tape that, then tranfer right over to adult swim, thanks for the info.
15 Apr 2003, 02:41 AM
Opaque

got it...
15 Apr 2003, 02:44 AM
kabuki

This sounds like crap compared to MTV's "I'm a real life gamer."

;)

Wednesday at 10pm !! I musn't miss this.
- Kabuki
15 Apr 2003, 07:53 AM
Johnny Nighttrain

sounds great, i just hope it doesn't end up sucking like all the other things i've seen like this about videogames. well, stuff on CNN and MTV.
15 Apr 2003, 08:13 AM
cka

It won't suck. It's on TLC!
15 Apr 2003, 08:17 AM
SegaManiac

Can't wait for this! It's on at the same time as Legendary Nights Tale of Taylor-Chavez on HBO though. Oh well, I'll just pop in a tape and tape it, something I can add to my collection that I can watch when I feel like it. Will be interesting to hear from Miyamoto and especially Pajitnov and Henk Rogers going through the Tetris Saga. Should be great!
15 Apr 2003, 09:25 AM
Thief Silver

10 PM, cool, I'll be home from work so I'll be able to watch it ^.^ maybe even record it for no reason whatsoever. I also can't wait to see what everyone thinks of it afterwards, could spark up some interesting conversation.
15 Apr 2003, 11:38 AM
JMET

Quote:

Originally posted by SegaManiac
Can't wait for this! It's on at the same time as Legendary Nights Tale of Taylor-Chavez on HBO though. Oh well, I'll just pop in a tape and tape it, something I can add to my collection that I can watch when I feel like it. Will be interesting to hear from Miyamoto and especially Pajitnov and Henk Rogers going through the Tetris Saga. Should be great!

Legendary Nights will replay many times over between this and next Wenesday..

I have the whole thing recorded thusfar...
15 Apr 2003, 01:41 PM
Master

Make sure you guys bump this topic on Wednesday.
15 Apr 2003, 02:38 PM
K3V

Quote:

Originally posted by cka
It won't suck. It's on TLC!

Yeah, maybe if this goes over well, it'll spawn a new series called "Trading Consoles"
15 Apr 2003, 02:39 PM
Jeremy

That'd be great. However, if anyone redid my Xbox, they'd die. Unless they changed that God-awful big green thing in the center of it to a color that didn't suck.
15 Apr 2003, 04:17 PM
islandersfan4ever

Thanks for the info. I'll be at the Islanders game, so I'll tape it. :D
15 Apr 2003, 04:19 PM
cka

Quote:

Originally posted by K3V
Yeah, maybe if this goes over well, it'll spawn a new series called "Trading Consoles"

http://skinefx.com/catalog/images/XBOXyellow2.jpg :bang:
15 Apr 2003, 04:39 PM
Technosphile

This is so cool! I'm glad they tapped Miyamoto, I could really care less about Atari history.

Wendesday, 10PM on TLC. Nobody forget!

-Technosphile
15 Apr 2003, 04:57 PM
Captain Vegetable

I guess I'll watch it...I guess.
15 Apr 2003, 05:01 PM
Hero

cool, maybe now we get to see a real documentry. Silly MTV...
15 Apr 2003, 05:25 PM
K3V

Quote:

Originally posted by Technosphile
This is so cool! I'm glad they tapped Miyamoto, I could really care less about Atari history.

Blasphemy!
15 Apr 2003, 08:51 PM
Drewbacca

Guitare solo's from gaming legends, and somebody informing us of the milestones of the gaming industry... I'm in.
15 Apr 2003, 08:52 PM
Diff-chan

Quote:

Originally posted by Technosphile
I could really care less about Atari history.

You are dead to me.
15 Apr 2003, 09:03 PM
Jeremy

Atari has one of the richest histories of any gaming company, I'd love to see a documentary dedicated to it. So much that could be learned by some first-hand accounts.
15 Apr 2003, 09:08 PM
NeoZeedeater

I love those sections on Atari compilations where the designers talk about the games.

Atari did as much for this industry as Nintendo or Sega yet they receive 1% the respect.
15 Apr 2003, 09:29 PM
Diff-chan

Neo, seeing as Atari created it from nothing I would say they almost certainly did more than Nintendo, and they DEFINITELY did a lot more than Sega ever did.
15 Apr 2003, 09:31 PM
Technosphile

You're talking about a company that made a series of consoles without one single game of note on any of them. If you like Atari then fine, but it seems to me like respect for them is granted more out of nostalgia than for actual contributions to gaming.

Neo, you're knowledgeable: did Atari ever make any money in Japan?

-Technosphile
15 Apr 2003, 09:42 PM
Jeremy

Man, it seems like you're comparing the Atari systems to today's with the expectations for games.
15 Apr 2003, 09:56 PM
Technosphile

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeremy
Man, it seems like you're comparing the Atari systems to today's with the expectations for games.

Not at all. The expectations for games in the mid-1980s were apparently quite low, and then Nintendo came along and blew Atari out of the water with the quality software available on the NES. Super Mario Bros. ALONE outclasses everything on both the 2600 and the 7800. Nintendo just did it better.

-Technosphile
15 Apr 2003, 10:54 PM
Diff-chan

Quote:

Originally posted by Technosphile
Not at all. The expectations for games in the mid-1980s were apparently quite low, and then Nintendo came along and blew Atari out of the water with the quality software available on the NES. Super Mario Bros. ALONE outclasses everything on both the 2600 and the 7800. Nintendo just did it better.

-Technosphile

You're an idiot. The Atari 2600 was released in 1977 and was pretty much outdated by 1980 (its 256 BYTES of RAM really packed a punch, though!). Hell, I would fucking hope that the NES would outclass that system. However, for what its worth, the 2600 was pretty damn popular back in the day (ie like 1982). A game industry did exist before Nintendo, and Atari spawned it from nothing (there's the "contribution to gaming" that you seem to think Atari lacks).

Atari created the videogame industry man. If you like console games, you owe Atari cheers. If you like arcade games, you owe Atari cheers*. Shit man, even Atari computers had some great innovations for their day.

You can ask AgentX, who posts infrequently here, if you don't believe me, but Im no Atari fan. I dont own any of their systems, and none of their games. I would sooner go blind from a laser gone astray in the Virtual Boy than play the Jaguar. HOWEVER, Atari created all this shit, they're the big guys, no doubt about it. Steve Russell/MIT did nothing with SpaceWar!. Atari, and Nolan Bushnell took Computer Space and Pong and turned it into an industry. For this reason alone they DEMAND your respect. The only reason why Nintendo started making videogames was because they saw how much money Atari was making with it!

*Atari arcade games are really among the best the industry have ever seen, and ever will see. Tempest, Marble Madness, Missile Command, Battlezone, Centipede, Millipede, Gauntlet, Asteroids, the first game with polygons (I, Robot - and its damn good, too), Star Wars, Warlords, etc. - you'd be hard pressed to find a peer in the world of arcade game developers.
15 Apr 2003, 11:01 PM
Regus

I don't care about Atari's history either, and after reading Game Over, I especially do not care about Nintendo's history as well.

That by no means deminishes they're importance, but it doesn't change the fact that I have very little interest in learning about their pasts.

Nintendo's history is so damn boring!
15 Apr 2003, 11:16 PM
NeoZeedeater

Technosphile, it's hard to determine if Atari made any money in Japan but it seems unlikely. Some of the earliest arcade games in Japan were Atari games licensed to Taito. This is probably the only area Atari might have made any money in Japan since Atari had no real console or computer presence there.

The Japanese got into console gaming much later than North Americans. Home pong-type machines never took off and American-made consoles were so jacked up in price that no one bought them. Japanese-made consoles like Sega's SG-1000 weren't popular either. The Famicom was the first popular console in Japan.

Also, in terms of Atari systems with the best games, I wouldn't focus so much on the 2600 and 7800. Atari's arcade games and computers are where most of the quality stuff lies. I hate to sound like a broken record but console-centrism is evil.

Diffusionx, whether Atari, Nintendo or Sega contributed most to gaming depends what aspect you're looking at. Atari and Nintendo certainly did the most to popularize video games. Sega's contributions have generally been less popular to the general public but they still have possibly made more good games than any other company.
15 Apr 2003, 11:54 PM
Technosphile

Quote:

Originally posted by diffusionx
You're an idiot. The Atari 2600 was released in 1977 and was pretty much outdated by 1980 (its 256 BYTES of RAM really packed a punch, though!). Hell, I would fucking hope that the NES would outclass that system.

What point are you trying to make here? I made reference to one game vs. a console's entire library, and Super Mario Bros. still spanks all the crap on the 2600. Everything on the 7800 falls short of SMB as well. One little game.

This isn't about console specs, all that means nothing if there are no games to back it up.

Quote:

However, that's not the point. Atari created the videogame industry. If you like console games, you owe Atari cheers. If you like arcade games, you owe Atari cheers*. Shit man, even Atari computers had some great innovations for their day.

Atari created all this shit, they're the big guys, no doubt about it. Steve Russell/MIT did nothing with SpaceWar!. Atari, and Nolan Bushnell took Computer Space and Pong and turned it into an industry. For this reason alone they DEMAND your respect. The only reason why Nintendo started making videogames was because they saw how much money Atari was making with it!

"Making" money? According to legend, Atari was losing 2 MILLION DOLLARS A DAY during the crash of 1983. It got so bad that they pulled out of the console market. When that happened, Nintendo came along and took the world by storm with the NES, and Atari was left limping by the roadside, eventually trying to hawk the 7800 to an uncaring public in '86. The moral of this story? ATARI CREATED THE HOME CONSOLE MARKET AND THEN ABANDONED IT. WHEN THEY RETURNED, THEY GOT THEIR ASS KICKED. What respect does that deserve?!?! Have you ever considered that maybe the game industry crashed partly because of lousy Atari games? It sure as hell picked up when Nintendo released some quality stuff!

Quote:

*Atari arcade games are really among the best the industry have ever seen, and ever will see. Tempest, Marble Madness, Missile Command, Battlezone, Centipede, Millipede, Gauntlet, Asteroids, the first game with polygons (I, Robot - and its damn good, too), Star Wars, Warlords, etc. - you'd be hard pressed to find a peer in the world of arcade game developers.

I won't deny that Atari had their moments. Star Wars is one of my all time favorite arcade games. But in my opinion, the idea of giving Atari as much respect as Nintendo is just ludicrous.

-Technosphile
16 Apr 2003, 12:26 AM
Drewbacca

Interesting thread. I wish people would give some good sources, though. Not because their arguements aren't credible, but because I want to read about Atari. (I know Nintendos card history and such)
16 Apr 2003, 12:27 AM
NeoZeedeater

Super Mario Bros. does spank the crap out of anything on the 2600 just like Sonic The Hedgehog spanks the crap out of anything on the NES. Comparing two different eras is silly.

The 2600 and NES aren't two hardware generations apart either, they are at least three. Like diff said, the 2600 came out in 1977. It was popular in 1982 but it was very outdated technology by then. Atari's best games were made by their arcade team, which broke off to become Atari Games. The early '80's were all about arcade gaming and console gaming was about arcade ports.

Far too often people look at video game history as a simple jump from 2600 to crash to NES and naturally they see this huge gap. If you take into consideration everything else - consoles from Coleco and GCE that were well beyond 2600 technology, computers like the Atari 800 and Commodore 64, and all the arcade games from 1983-1985, the change is a continuous flow of evolution with the arcades leading the way. In 1985, Nintendo was just one of many great arcade developers.

Andrew, Atari's history is well documented in these books: Scott Cohen's Zap! The Rise and Fall of Atari, Leonard Herman's Phoenix, and Steven Kent's The Ultimate History of Video Games.
16 Apr 2003, 01:00 AM
Technosphile

Quote:

Originally posted by NeoZeedeater
Super Mario Bros. does spank the crap out of anything on the 2600 just like Sonic The Hedgehog spanks the crap out of anything on the NES. Comparing two different eras is silly.

No, thats not true. Neo, this is not a graphics issue. I'm talking about quality of games, playability of games.

Good points (and point taken) otherwise.

-Technosphile
16 Apr 2003, 01:12 AM
sleeve

Technosphile, judging by what you've said in this thread you have no basis whatsoever to judge Atari's place in videogame history.

As neo points out, it's not fair to judge Atari without giving due consideration to its prolific arcade output and its outstanding lineup of home computer software, to say nothing of all the excellent third party software available for the Atari 800 series.
16 Apr 2003, 01:16 AM
Melf

Quote:

Originally posted by Technosphile
No, thats not true. Neo, this is not a graphics issue. I'm talking about quality of games, playability of games.

I thought he was talking about playability.

If you look at each console during their lifetime, the 2600 was a great system. I think it's unfair to judge it by something that came out years later. It's not the same thing.
16 Apr 2003, 01:21 AM
JMET

I love the Atari and grew up on it and its competitors..

However the leap in game quality (not graphic) from 16 bit over the nes was NO WHERE the leap from "atari" to nes...
16 Apr 2003, 01:24 AM
Jeremy

Comparing the 2600 to the NES is like comparing the PS2's graphical capabilities to the NES' (which I've sadly seen folks do.) There are too many differences and variables involved for a fair comparison to be made between the two things.
16 Apr 2003, 01:24 AM
Diff-chan

JMET, like Neo said, games on the fucking C64, Colecovision and Intellivision were ahead of the Atari 2600. It didnt go 2600->NES. It went more like 2600->C64+Intellivision+Coleco... there's your leap right there.

For a good analogy... the 2600 existing in 1983 is like the PlayStation existing now. If someone were to see the PSX on the shelf and say "wow, ahahaha, games havent progressed a bit since 1996, that PSX is still selling, the game industry blows", you'd say they're a total idiot, right? Well, it's the same thing with the 2600 - the 2600 was being sold in 1982, it was still popular, but it was by no means top of the line gaming. Likewise, the PSX is still around now, it still sells, but its by no means indicative of the current generation of software.

And if you ask me the C64 is the best game machine ever...
16 Apr 2003, 01:33 AM
Jeremy

That's a perfect comparison, since the time difference between the NES and 2600 are about the same as the ones for the PSX in comparison with today's stuff.
16 Apr 2003, 01:41 AM
JMET

Quote:

Originally posted by diffusionx
JMET, like Neo said, games on the fucking C64, Colecovision and Intellivision were ahead of the Atari 2600. It didnt go 2600->NES. It went more like 2600->C64+Intellivision+Coleco... there's your leap right there.

For a good analogy... the 2600 existing in 1983 is like the PlayStation existing now. If someone were to see the PSX on the shelf and say "wow, ahahaha, games havent progressed a bit since 1996, that PSX is still selling, the game industry blows", you'd say they're a total idiot, right? Well, it's the same thing with the 2600 - the 2600 was being sold in 1982, it was still popular, but it was by no means top of the line gaming. Likewise, the PSX is still around now, it still sells, but its by no means indicative of the current generation of software.

And if you ask me the C64 is the best game machine ever...

I understand what your saying but not why you care to argue that fact with me..

I owned all those besides the C64.. they werent touching the Nes..

Regardless this is a dead issue with me.. im talking game play not prettynes...
16 Apr 2003, 10:13 AM
Tracer

Technology allows you to do more with a game usually, so I do think it is unfair to compare 1977 technology to 1983 tech. However, I think Text Based games like Zork had better game play than anything on NES and those Text Based games (some of them) are WAAAY older than the NES. Whether or not any were available for the 800 or not is something I am largely unware of.
16 Apr 2003, 10:46 AM
K3V

Quote:

Originally posted by Technosphile
No, thats not true. Neo, this is not a graphics issue. I'm talking about quality of games, playability of games.

Believe it or not, some people enjoy the quality and playability of early videogames more than what's currently available. The games have a simple, straight-forward style of gameplay that is generally missing from today's games. Why else would there be Classic Gaming Expo, PhillyClassic, etc?

Just because you think Super Mario Bros. "spanks all the crap on the 2600", doesn't mean everyone does.

Besides, Mario was on the 2600 way before he was on the NES!

http://www.tomheroes.com/images/Dk.gif

-Kevin
16 Apr 2003, 11:18 AM
Tracer

Quote:

Originally posted by K3V

Besides, Mario was on the 2600 way before he was on the NES!

http://www.tomheroes.com/images/Dk.gif

-Kevin

Word, Nintendo called Atari home for a bit as well... well thier ports found a home with Atari :/
16 Apr 2003, 10:16 PM
K3V

This show is on in less than an hour on the east coast. Don't forget, punks!
16 Apr 2003, 10:26 PM
Jeremy

I've got my tape ready and rarin' to go.
17 Apr 2003, 12:01 AM
Shin Johnpv

I thought it was pretty good

pretty much covered the first few early generations of Gaming

id like to see another one be made covering the rise of Sega and the genny SNES era
17 Apr 2003, 12:02 AM
Jeremy

I'm going on record and calling this the best gaming-related piece I've seen on mainstream TV ever. They did a great job of covering all the bases they could in the time they were given, AND THEY SHOWED CLIPS OF THE JAPANESE ZELDA COMMERCIAL! I wish they would have devoted more time to the Baer-Bushnell debacle though.
17 Apr 2003, 12:02 AM
Shinobi128

i thought it was decent as well. also, they played a clip from the japanese link to the past commercial, which kicked ass. :)
17 Apr 2003, 12:18 AM
Tain

Ditto. I cracked up when I saw the commercial.

The ending was kinda abrupt, though.
17 Apr 2003, 12:19 AM
Daisuke Jigen

When they opened the door and panned in on Shigeru Miyamoto, I almost lost it. He is an amazing man. He's done so much professionally, and he is still very humble.

I'd like to shake his hand and tell him how much his stuff has meant to me. I seriously got all misty-eyed.

When he started playing his music on the guitar? I smiled so big, my goddamn face hurt.

I really look up to that man.:D
17 Apr 2003, 12:22 AM
Shin Johnpv

Quote:

Originally posted by NotJigen
When they opened the door and panned in on Shigeru Miyamoto, I almost lost it. He is an amazing man. He's done so much professionally, and he is still very humble.

I'd like to shake his hand and tell him how much his stuff has meant to me. I seriously got all misty-eyed.

When he started playing his music on the guitar? I smiled so big, my goddamn face hurt.

I really look up to that man.:D

you and me both

specially since im trying to get into game design on the art side and hope to one day god willing have my own studio

hes like my own personal hero

when people ask if you can meet any 1 celebrity my answer is Miyamoto

just to shake his hand and say thank you
17 Apr 2003, 12:27 AM
Shinobi128

i got goosebumps all over when he appeared. :)

my wish is to meet him at e3 this year. :link:
17 Apr 2003, 12:30 AM
seen

I was disappointed that they didn't show any recent games or at least games later than 1988. There's been a lot of stuff since then.

I can relate it to breakdancing(bboying). If someone does a documentary, they'll do it about the early 1980s and the craze period, when the moves were just being invented. But they won't focus on current events and competitions and a thousand moves and styles that have been invented long after the boom has died down. I understand that they have to keep the show under 1 hour, but I could have squeezed a few modern games in there. I think the newest game they showed was Donkey Kong Country for SNES. Does that mean that the games have not been innovative since the mid 80s... It does to some people.
17 Apr 2003, 12:34 AM
Acid Dragon

My digital cable went out with 20 mins left to the show:mad:. It's coming back on here in NYC at 1AM again so I'll catch up.

From what I saw, I loved. I pretty much knew what was coming next as each segment started. But I didn't know about those twins and brothers in England.

Your never too old to learn :)
17 Apr 2003, 12:36 AM
Regus

Quote:

I'd like to shake his hand and tell him how much his stuff has meant to me. I seriously got all misty-eyed.

Me too! Especially when they started talking about Zelda.

I thought it was a wonderful program, they did a great job, but I was pissed that it ended so abruptly, I was hoping they'd go on for another hour...or four.
17 Apr 2003, 12:48 AM
Daisuke Jigen

Quote:

Originally posted by Regus
Me too! Especially when they started talking about Zelda.

I thought it was a wonderful program, they did a great job, but I was pissed that it ended so abruptly, I was hoping they'd go on for another hour...or four.

Here's hoping for a series of 1 hour specials.:D
17 Apr 2003, 02:36 AM
Omni

Quote:

Originally posted by Captain Vegetable
I guess I'll watch it...I guess.

Did ya see when they called Miyamoto an artist? :p

And correct me if I'm wrong, but did the narrator just say that Zelda took over 100 hours to play? :wtf:
17 Apr 2003, 03:02 AM
Chojin

Better than I expected. The 2nd half put too much emphasis on Miyamoto and Tetris but it was all good stuff nonetheless.
17 Apr 2003, 03:20 AM
Brisco Bold

I only wish it were longer. They rehashed a lot of ish I already knew, but the visuals... makes a hell of a difference.

Makes me realize how smart Ralph Baer was, how revolutionary Atari was, and how Mario changed the world.
17 Apr 2003, 06:45 AM
Tracer

Does anyone know if it'll air again? I don't work on Wednesdays (well, I do, but not at that time) so I don't get cable otherwise.
17 Apr 2003, 07:09 AM
MVS

Quote:

Originally posted by Chojin
Better than I expected. The 2nd half put too much emphasis on Miyamoto and Tetris but it was all good stuff nonetheless.

Far too much Tetris.

Overall, really good. Cool to see Miyamoto play the guitar and all, and good insight into his life, but just when it was getting interesting, it was over.

Not even a footnote for Colecovision and such, that sucks.
17 Apr 2003, 08:52 AM
Stone

Those Spectrum VX graphics were pretty good, I was impressed.
17 Apr 2003, 09:09 AM
YellerDog

I always love seeing the old Vector-based games in their original form. Asteroids GLOWS, man! :D

I liked the focus on Miyamoto quite a bit. I'd never actually seen any television interviews from him.

Would anyone else buy a 12 hour series of this show?
17 Apr 2003, 09:27 AM
Thief Silver

I didn't get to watch it, my fucking dad was taking up the TVs, which really pissed me off!
17 Apr 2003, 09:54 AM
Kidnemo

Quote:

Originally posted by MVS
Far too much Tetris.

Overall, really good. Cool to see Miyamoto play the guitar and all, and good insight into his life, but just when it was getting interesting, it was over.

My thoughts exactly.

I would've sat through another hour.
17 Apr 2003, 09:55 AM
Thief Silver

Think they will show it again?
17 Apr 2003, 09:58 AM
YellerDog

Dude, it's cable. I'd check right now.
17 Apr 2003, 09:59 AM
K3V

They're showing it two more times:

http://tlc.discovery.com/schedule/se...es=54255&gid=0
17 Apr 2003, 10:04 AM
Thief Silver

Too bad I'm at school, so I can't check Yeller...

Thanks K3V
17 Apr 2003, 10:34 AM
kabuki

Quote:

Originally posted by Technosphile
You're talking about a company that made a series of consoles without one single game of note on any of them.

River Raid, Wizards of War, Fishing Derby, Berzerk, Pitfall, Air-Sea Battle, Space Cavern, etc. etc.

I fucking missed the show!
But K3V is a nice man and posted a link.
1am tonight it is !!

Wait! Aww crap, that meant this past 1am... 3pm Sunday it is for me!
17 Apr 2003, 10:46 AM
Jeremy

Seeing Night Driver clips on the show brought back a ton of memories. The Tetris stuff was used to build to the GameBoy stuff, so it being that long was pretty fitting. The KGB stuff in there was new to me, and it was nice to hear Alexay talk about the game.
17 Apr 2003, 11:17 AM
Shinobi128

Quote:

Originally posted by Chojin
Better than I expected. The 2nd half put too much emphasis on Miyamoto and Tetris but it was all good stuff nonetheless.

No...they didn't have enough about Miyamoto. :p
17 Apr 2003, 11:58 AM
Technosphile

Quote:

Originally posted by Shinobi128
No...they didn't have enough about Miyamoto. :p

Agreed.

It was decent. Cramming over 20 years of history into one hour can only yield so much, but I was satisfied with the end result. I thought the focus on Tetris was fine, its an important game with an interesting story behind it.

I thought Miyamoto spoke English. What bugged me more than anything was the false advertising--I didn't even get to hear him play the guitar, it was always drowned out by the narration.

-Technosphile
17 Apr 2003, 12:26 PM
Jeremy

Well, it wasn't false advertising, as you could hear the acoustic Mario theme, you just couldn't hear it very well, or clearly, due to the narration.
17 Apr 2003, 01:54 PM
NeoZeedeater

I can't wait to see this. I had someone tape it for me since I don't have the channel.

Is it safe to say it pretty much only focuses on Baer, Bushnell/Atari, Tetris and Nintendo? I wouldn't expect a short show to cover everything but it would nice to see a Sega arcade game get some respect in there.
17 Apr 2003, 01:56 PM
Jeremy

It doesn't really focus on Baer at all, there's like 3 mins. of stuff on him, total. He's a footnote in the Bushnell/Atari segment.
17 Apr 2003, 02:14 PM
Brisco Bold

At least he got coverage.
17 Apr 2003, 03:50 PM
Daisuke Jigen

I wouldn't mind it at all if they made this into a 10 episode documentary or something.
17 Apr 2003, 04:00 PM
hayato42

Managed to catch the show about 20 minutes in, was pretty good. I loved seeing those commercials... when i saw the giant kirby i just stood at the screen thinking WTF!!?
17 Apr 2003, 04:49 PM
fiend_of_rejections

I'm surprised they showed the Japanese Link to the Past commercial.
17 Apr 2003, 05:31 PM
Technosphile

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeremy
Well, it wasn't false advertising, as you could hear the acoustic Mario theme, you just couldn't hear it very well, or clearly, due to the narration.

The way it was presented just wasn't what I expected or wanted. The idea of listening to Shigeru Miyamoto play music from his games on an acoustic guitar seems very magical to me, they could have given him 30 seconds of uninterrupted play. Nintendo could have him record a CD where he plays music from Mario and Zelda acoustically. I'd buy it in an instant...

-Technosphile
19 Apr 2003, 12:54 AM
NeoZeedeater

The documentary was good although Willy Higinbotham once again got shafted by having no mention. I know he's dead so they couldn't interview him but still.

I was surprised at all the mention of the Codemasters stuff since it's not as significant as some other computer gaming. It was important to the British market and it was interesting though.

Overall I quite enjoyed it.
19 Apr 2003, 09:36 AM
Shine

Missed the whole thing :(. Any word on a repeat soon?

I'd be willing to pay for a video and shipping.
19 Apr 2003, 03:30 PM
Lhadatt

http://tlc.discovery.com/
19 Apr 2003, 03:40 PM
Jeremy

Shine, you can usually buy a TLC-authorized tape for about $30 (no joke.) Just catch a replay and tape it, it's worth seeing more than once.

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