Since the invention of the first arcades Sci Fi Games have been incredibly popular. Early home computers and gaming consoles inspired developers to take the next wave of games further. Certain games were particularly inspirations, we overview some of the key moments.
Modern pop culture idolizes the alien spacecraft image that originated from Space Invaders. This 1978 Japanese classic was so popular that it resulted in a shortage of 100 yen coins. A decade after man first walked on the moon inspired a generation with thoughts in the stars inspired by a plethora of movies on the subject. It was the first two-dimensional fixed shooter game to become internationally successful.
The space trading game Elite was the most popular and addictive simulation game for early home computers. It combined a basic trading game with wireframe combat, which was at that time a new concept. A second version of the game was released for more powerful 16-bit computers later in the decade and there are plans to re-visit the franchise.
Elite launched the first wave of people purchasing computers for their homes. At the time computers were only used lightly at work places and most schools only had small labs. This game inspired a generation of youngsters to impress on their parents the advantages of having a computer at home. Once they had the computer many also explored what else could be done. This is generally considered to be what inspired many developers to choose their career. One of the two lead designers of Elite, David Braben, recently went on record calling for curriculum changes to encourage the next generation.
Although not the first game of its type Speedball was a very popular and violent sporting game. Based around a metallic arena that resembles an ice skating rink or handball court it became popular amongst sports fans. The concept that sports can be enriched with fantastical power-ups has since become a standard.
Futuristic first person shooters were du jour in the 1990s. Quake opened up the genre and was succeeded by Half Life, which remains a model for games today. By combining Quake's first person model with difficult puzzles it became difficult enough to keep players interested for months. The protagonist, scientist Gordon Freeman, works at the Black Mesa Research Facility. He arrives late but in time for a hugely destructive explosion that knocks him unconscious. When he comes to he finds a portal has been ripped into a hostile universe. Certainly not the first but it was the most inspirational game of its era.
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri took the engine from the popular Civilization series and moved it into a futuristic scenario. In this war strategy game idealistically different leaders set up rival settlements on an alien world. Relationships are formed from pact brothers through to vendetta until one faction is dominant through military, diplomatic or economic domination. It was a highly addictive simulation combining relatively easy to master game play with story breaks as the game progresses. It became the model for strategy simulations in the late nineties.
Sci Fi games have been around as long as arcades and home computers. Generations of developers have been inspired by some of the most inspirational games. Each time a game is released that successfully tries something a bit different a new generation is inspired.
Modern pop culture idolizes the alien spacecraft image that originated from Space Invaders. This 1978 Japanese classic was so popular that it resulted in a shortage of 100 yen coins. A decade after man first walked on the moon inspired a generation with thoughts in the stars inspired by a plethora of movies on the subject. It was the first two-dimensional fixed shooter game to become internationally successful.
The space trading game Elite was the most popular and addictive simulation game for early home computers. It combined a basic trading game with wireframe combat, which was at that time a new concept. A second version of the game was released for more powerful 16-bit computers later in the decade and there are plans to re-visit the franchise.
Elite launched the first wave of people purchasing computers for their homes. At the time computers were only used lightly at work places and most schools only had small labs. This game inspired a generation of youngsters to impress on their parents the advantages of having a computer at home. Once they had the computer many also explored what else could be done. This is generally considered to be what inspired many developers to choose their career. One of the two lead designers of Elite, David Braben, recently went on record calling for curriculum changes to encourage the next generation.
Although not the first game of its type Speedball was a very popular and violent sporting game. Based around a metallic arena that resembles an ice skating rink or handball court it became popular amongst sports fans. The concept that sports can be enriched with fantastical power-ups has since become a standard.
Futuristic first person shooters were du jour in the 1990s. Quake opened up the genre and was succeeded by Half Life, which remains a model for games today. By combining Quake's first person model with difficult puzzles it became difficult enough to keep players interested for months. The protagonist, scientist Gordon Freeman, works at the Black Mesa Research Facility. He arrives late but in time for a hugely destructive explosion that knocks him unconscious. When he comes to he finds a portal has been ripped into a hostile universe. Certainly not the first but it was the most inspirational game of its era.
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri took the engine from the popular Civilization series and moved it into a futuristic scenario. In this war strategy game idealistically different leaders set up rival settlements on an alien world. Relationships are formed from pact brothers through to vendetta until one faction is dominant through military, diplomatic or economic domination. It was a highly addictive simulation combining relatively easy to master game play with story breaks as the game progresses. It became the model for strategy simulations in the late nineties.
Sci Fi games have been around as long as arcades and home computers. Generations of developers have been inspired by some of the most inspirational games. Each time a game is released that successfully tries something a bit different a new generation is inspired.
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