"I, Videogame" Part II

1) What kind of company was Nintendo before it made videogame and videogame consoles? 

• Producer of toys and playing cards.

2) What videogame system did it sell before it made its FAMICOM (known in USA as Nintendo Entertainment System)

• Odyssee Game System.

3) Shigeru Miyamoto was not a programmer - what skill set did he bring to the industry?

• Art.

4) How did the limits of the technology affect the way Mario could be shown?

• He had to be small, but the pixels comprising him were comparatively large. He has a moustache because a mouth couldn't be drawn, a hat over his hair, and was red to stand out more.

5) Why did US retailers think there was no future in home videogame consoles at the time just prior to the NES release in the USA?

• They thought that PCs were going to dominate the market.

6) What was assumed to the be the 'next big thing' by electronics manufacturers?

• Home game systems.

7) What did Legend of Zelda bring to gaming that was new?

• Role playing elements, equipment and treasure acquisition.

8) How did the conservative values of the 1980s (Reagan & Thatcher etc) affect the culture of videogames?

• Encouraged the purchasing of video game consoles.

9) How were the PC games published by Mystery House like King's Quest different from console games?

• They unfolded more slowly than console games, were almost entirely story driven.

10) How did Sega's 16 bit Megadrive system change home console gaming?

• Better graphical and processing capabilities made more diverse games possible.

11) How did "Leisure Suit Larry" differ from most genre based games of the period?

• Used realistic characters and settings.

12) How is this aspect reflected in many games of today?

• More realistic gameplay and themes.

13) What is 'motion capture?'

• Capturing and digitizing the motion of actors.

14) What is the 'uncanny valley?'

• A video game character is made too realistic, then appears dead and lifeless to us.