Video gaming in Septentrion

Video gaming in Septentrion encompasses a wide range of subtopics, such as gaming hardware, game design, player communities, competitive gaming, and their related concepts, phenomena, social reaction, as well as cultural impact.

Definition

S. N. B. Danforth of the Organized States of Columbia has forwarded the definition of video gaming as

Interactive entertainment involving digital logic, often incorporating images, sounds, and other empirical and intellectual stimuli that provide a challenge to the player

in his work A Brief History of Gaming (1987).

History

Precursors (to 1971)

In 1951, Columbian company General Commercial Implements Co. used an oscilloscope to create the first interactive program that utilized graphics. On the round CRT display, the oscillation pointer was programmed so that it responded to knobs on the probe, which controlled paddles that hit the bouncing pointer; two players could play against each other, as there were two knobs. This system used vacuum tube logic. This is often cited as the first player-versus-player game.

In 1960, Themiclesian computer manufacturer Data Processing Systems Co. (DPS) introduced the 1500 Digital Graphics Generator and Editor whose primary purpose was to create and process illustrations and graphs in publications. It innovated in raster graphics, digital-to-analog display, text overlays, colour recognition, and a range of other functions, supported by a large amount of transistorized circuitry housed in several cabinets. Users could load programs into the computer to augment its routines or create new functions in software. To demonstrate the capabilities of the system, the DPS wrote a program that challenged a tester to draw a line across the display that became more cluttered with obstacles as the line approaches the right or the player attempts to draw it more quickly. To win, the line had to touch the left and right margins and not any of the obstacles, which could be set to move if the player desired additional challenge. Some authorities consider this the first player-versus-computer title.

In the following year, DPS offered the 1510 Polyhedron Generator and 1511 Colour Diffuser as an add-on components, which enabled the 1500 to define and edit three-dimensional figures (not limited to polyhedrons) and shade surfaces with 6-bit colour, respectively; however, there are no known games that take advantage of either of these extensions. The system was discontinued in 1963, due to poor sales. Priced at $749,000 at launch, DPS shipped fewer than 100 units at discontinuance, and two examples survive. The 1510 was offered at $285,000, and the 1511 at $232,000; both discontinued with the 1500. DPS did not attempt a similar concept again until the 1980s.

In 1965, GCI introduced the 2350 Graphical Workstation that provided functions similar to the DPS 1500; however, the 2350 was not an independent system, and a separate computer must be used to provide processing power that created figures displayed on the 2350's CRT. Compatible computers were those in the 2300-series of mainframes. The 2350 also came with dedicated logic and storage, interfacing user input with the logic in the main computer. Like the 1500, the 2350 also had an attached keyboard for text input and a programmable function keypad. Support for user-defined programs was constrained by the resources of the main computer, as any additional function was provided mainframe-end. There are several gaming-oriented programs that are associated with this system, including a chess game and a puzzle game. In contrast with the 1500, the GCI 2350 did not support colour. The 2350 was priced at $284,000 at launch and was withdrawn in 1969.

First-generation consoles (1971~1977)

In 1971, Columbian electronics manufacturer Minivox released the Interactive Video System, which corroborated the concept of responsive, dynamic objects on a visual display (requiring a television set that was not included) and two-player input. This system was not capable of editing the shapes and figures per se, though, as a hardware apparatus, it was generally considered the first to be aimed specifically at entertainment. It came with dedicated controllers with knobs to move objects on the screen and several pre-programmed games that made said objects interact in different ways, representing a tennis game, a maze game, and a roulette game. It could, however, not be programmed by the end-user, making it, by some sources, the first closed-platform game system. It was also transformative in its pricing, at $99 at point-of-sale, making it much more affordable to private individuals. Throughout the 1970s, competitors marketed similar systems that contained only a single game, usually tennis.

A second species of consoles was offered starting in 1974 by Manifold Co., integrating a display with much more sophisticated games that were controlled by one or two players via buttons and joysticks. These games were carried in chips set into the system, which came in a cabinet, each of which generally played only one title. Such systems came to be known as arcades, named for the venue in which they were found; however, operations like public houses, bars, and clubs also sometimes housed them. Generally speaking, a small fee was charged for each attempt at the game. Proceeds were split between the manufacturer and the host at an arranged rate.

Second-generation consoles (1977~1985)

In 1977, Manifold Co. introduced the Mani 2700 Video Game System. It combined the virtues of user-programmability by allowing users to "program" the console by inserting a cartridge and more developed graphics, no longer limited to geometric shapes, but emulated natural entities. The Mani 2700 also pioneered the use of sprites to ease programming complex scenes with multiple moving objects; this permitted 2700 games to have a distinct "background" and "foreground", which brought a sense of realism that did not exist (or was not attempted) in any of the previous systems. It also permitted games to expand beyond a single frame of reference by illustrating different settings with different background graphics. With these resources, it was possible to include a plotline involving distinct characters and a "world" with geographic locations. Competitively priced at $199.99, the Mani 2700 was an instant commercial success, shipping well over 4 million units by 1980, and remains the most widely-sold home console.

Arguably the most distinct feature of the Mani 2700 is its use of cartridges, each of which contained an amount of logic that customized the content on-screen. It opens the console to an enormous inventory of titles that were developed by multiple sources, which greatly extended the lifetime of the system, as an indefinite amount of new content could be introduced and played through it. Ultimately, however, the Mani 2700 suffered from an excess of unsatisfactory content, which were poured onto the market by developers hoping to capitalize on the booming video game market. Consumers began to lose confidence in the Mani 2700 in 1983 as they could not expect quality entertainment from it.

Third-generation consoles (1985~1991)

Dayashinese company Rakutendo announced the Rakutendo Entertainment System in 1985 and utilized several marketing techniques to distinguish it with the discredited consoles of the previous generation. Unlike Manifold, Rakutendo intentionally programmed its product to accept only cartridges that possessed proprietary logic that the company distributed to game developers of its choice. This permitted Rakutendo to screen games prior to their publication and prevent those of insufficient quality from tainting the reputation of the console itself. This may be viewed in light of a trend towards an open but controlled development environment that is characteristic of the modern era, in contrast with the totally open environment of the Mani 2700 and the totally closed one of the Minivox Entertainment System, the latter soon exhausting its novelty and falling into obscurity.

The third-generation of consoles is also known as the 8-bit era, as almost all consoles at this time used a hardware word size of 8 bits. Technically, first- and second-generation systems likewise used 8-bit logic, but increased memeory capacity permitted games to be animated with far more distinctly addressable "objects" on screen at one time. The RES allows a total of 64 sprites simultaneously, compared to the six on the Mani 2700. Much of this memory was carried on the cartridge, rather than the system, in order to reduce manufacturing costs for the base console itself; as a concept it was deemed sound, as games had drastically different demand for memory, and it would be wasteful if all memory was onboard to accommodate the most complex games, while simple games only used a fraction of it. For comparison, the following memory sizes are typical for their systems:

Console	RAM	ROM
DPS 1500	64–256k words (approx. 0.6~2.3 MB)	n/a
GCI 2350	Up to 4 MB	n/a
Minivox	64 B	n/a
Mani 2700	128 B	4 KB
RES	2 KB	32 KB

Stored-program computers

A computer is distinguished from a calculator in that it can accept and "store" a pre-defined sequence of operations to perform on input data; such a sequence is called a program. In the earliest computers, this was accomplished via plug boards (then called "control panels"), with each connection representing one of the four basic operations, operating a value (typically in an "accumulator") against an argument that is read from the data source. More complex operations were made possible by forming additional circuitry. Computers emulating the decimal number system were popular due to ease of programming during the 1950s, though they fell out of common use by the 1960s, as binary arithmetic was far more economical and speedy. The use of a display (typically a CRT) necessitated a digital-to-analog converter and a bank of screen memory, so that an still image can be re-scanned at regular intervals.

The cost of random access memory made it difficult to support complex images, and early computer-generated images were typically limited to vectors and dots, which could be defined by a function or Cartesian co-ordinates, respectively, as opposed to a set of discrete positions discretely defined and stored. The nature of a continuous function limits the type of images that could be displayed. Drops in the cost of memory enabled far more complex graphics to be generated, in raster. Most vector-based displays already support raster in some form, as a dot defined by a Cartesian pair needs to be placed at a specific place, which is addressed as though the display is a raster (though it actually is not). These difficulties are alleviated by the introduction of digital displays or analog displays that can resolve digital input.

Both the DPS 1500 and the GCI 2350 supported by a mainframe computer are stored-program computers capable of running programs meant to entertain the player; however, the sheer cost of generating interactive graphical output has, for all intents and purposes, prevented them from being used primarily as entertainment devices. In the 1950s through to the early 1970s, computers powerful enough to generate graphics were the preserve of governments, research institutions, and large businesses. Continued development in integrated circuitry enabled transistor miniaturization which, in turn, reduced costs and bulk to the extent that a computer for personal use was practical by the mid-70s. Such machines, called microcomputers, overtook mainframes in the 1990s via the principle of distributed computing. The ensuing boom in personal computers in the 80s popularized gaming on non-consoles, as many consumers were confronted with the choice between a cheaper console that could only run games and a more expensive computer that could run games in addition to productivity software. This competitive relationship is extant in the present day.

Gaming platforms

In the modern day, a customary distinction is made between dedicated gaming consoles and stored-program computers. The former is designed solely for the purpose of gaming, while the latter is usually capable of running a range of other software. There are few technological differences between the two, but dedicated consoles tend to have hardware for what some general-purpose computers would accomplish in software; as such, per-instruction efficiency is typically higher in dedicated consoles. However, most consoles are closed systems in terms of hardware, meaning they could not be upgraded with ease, while most other computers that adhere to certain industry standards can accept a range of hardware that enhance the capabilities of the machine.

Stored-program computers

The most prevalent platform of stored-program computers for gaming is the y86-64 micro-architecture devised by Columbian company Extel in combination with the operating system Doors, written by software giant Nanosoft. Other platforms, such as Linus, Orange, and Unit, are also supported by some titles. Mobile platforms such as uOS, Sandroid, and Greenberry also enjoy gaming support to one degree or another.

Game genres

Geometric games

The most basic form of games, where the player controls geometric objects, typically on a flat plane, and attempt to navigate around obstacles. Challenge typically revolves around simple collision detection.

Puzzle games

Typically an extension from geometric games, where there the challenge comes from a well-defined set of parameters intended to challenge the player's mind.

Role-playing games

The player is immersed in the plot of the game as one of its characters. RPGs typically have some sort of premise that makes it comparable to the natural world, such as a definite two- or three-dimensional space that can be navigated by the player, called the "world" of the game. The player is meant to explore the world and interact with other characters (often non-player characters or NPCs) to follow the plot and solve a series of challenges to reach the goal.

Sports games

These games emulate sports, such as tennis, boxing, and golf.

Racing games

The player controls a vehicle racing around a pre-defined racecourse and competes against other vehicles. With certain exceptions, there is typically no overarching storyline that rationalizes the racing action in terms of character development. This type of game is heavily associated with New Tyran.

Fighting games

The player controls a character that usually, but not always, engages in a one-on-one fight with an opponent. As with racing games, typically there is no overarching storyline.

Beat 'em up games

A cross between a role-playing game and a fighting game, where emphasis is given to fighting, but which is depicted to occur in an RPG-like world.

Shoot 'em up games

Same as beat 'em up games, but using projectile weapons.

Point-and-click games

A relatively static game that only responds when the user selects an entity; the goal is usually to learn or find a hidden message or item for which the game provides clues.

Flying games

Typically played from a first-person perspective, the player is challenged to pilot an aircraft and keep its condition within certain tolerances and deviation from a given standard; failure thereof may lead to losing the game. Elements of gunfire and refueling may be present in flying games. Take-off and landing sequences are typical.

Space shooters

The player is represented by some sort of vehicle that can only travel in a single direction, most often through space, where enemies appear and must either be eliminated through projectiles or aversion. Collisions general result in losing the game. Most space shooters scroll in either a vertical or horizontal direction; a space shooter that permanently centres on the player, with enemies coming from all directions, is called "Casteroid clone", after the first game that adopted this format.

Card games

These games emulate card games, such as blackjack and bridge.

Simulation games

The player is given a set of resources to be appropriated to create a settlement of some kind; often, restrictions are placed on the player in the form of available money. Natural disasters and other setbacks may randomly materialize and destroy the player's work, to various degrees, to foster a sense of realism. Most often, the player's directives can only be accomplished with reference to a clock or calendar to incorporate the passage of time into the gameplay. This clock may or may not be adjusted to pass at a certain rate, though players are usually not permitted to reverse its progress; this provides additional difficulty, as the game may demand the player to accomplish a certain objective before such a time.

Other types of simulation games may focus on a transportation system, such as a railway network and its running, a stock market, or the manegerial aspects of a sports team.

Strategy games

Particularly associated with New Tyran, these games place the player in charge of a battlefield in the role of a commander, often taking a birds-eye perspective and omniscence over the state of all associated assets. Enemies may be animated by particulary sophisticated routines to provide challenge to the player, who is generally directed to achieve some sort of objective from which the enemies attempt to bar him. This genre is often seen in combination with simulation games.

First-Person Shooters

Commonly associated with Dayashina and eSports, first-person shooters put the player in a simulated battlefield armed with the weapon of their choice. The player's objectively, most commonly, is to kill the opposing players in the game and to avoid being killed wherever possible. Additionally, objective-based team play is also associated with first-person shooters, with different types of game modes being introduced into the genre, such as "capture the flag", "plant and defuse", and "domination".

FPS games are the most popular type of video game in Septentrion, given their common association with eSports. FPS-based content draws in millions of viewers every year, and the industry behind it is one of the largest catalysts for the growth of competitive gaming throughout the world.

Competitive gaming

Competitive gaming and eSports are a rapidly growing contemporary industry in Septentrion.

Commercialization

Advertisement

Given the scale of the market for video games, game publishers and systems manufacturers alike place a great emphasis on advertisement to increase public awareness of their products. Vehicles of advertisements include the Internet, terrestrial, cable, and satellite television, printed media, public posters and billboards, and advertisements posted on public transit. More recent methods of advertisement include the organization of concerts and other public events, where the product is actively promoted, often by a celebrity.

Equipment and peripherals

Though video games, particularly when done on a computer, was once considered a peripheral function for most brands, there existed since the 80s some products specifically aimed at the gamer market. As computers became more powerful, outpacing the development of game engines, such specialized computers receded in popularity, as they often had to sacrifice video resolution to accommodate a greater colour palette, and this adverse affected the clarity of text. Since the 2010s, gaming peripherals have experienced a strong revival, with multiple brands enjoying stellar successes in the marketplace for their overstated, unequivocal affinity towards the gaming community. Other mainstream brands have also sought to capitalize on this trend by creating their own gaming-oriented brands, often accompanied with a deliberate effort to distance them from their "normal" lines.

Especially in the field of competitve gaming, peripherals such as controllers (in the context of dedicated consoles), mice, keyboards, and audio systems (in the context of computers) have been marketed with a strong focus on features that are slated to advantage the gamer that possesses it. Such features include more precision and adjustable sensitivity in mice and deliberately reduced actuation distance and higher key-rollover in keyboards. For controllers, "turbo" buttons which, when depressed, emulate multiple taps on a normal button, analog joysticks, and adjustable levers exist.

See also

• Dayashina, a nation noted for its achievements in competitive gaming