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In the early 1950s, just as rock 'n' roll was hinting at social change, the first video games were quietly being designed in the form of technology demonstrations—and a scientist was behind it. In October 1958, Brookhaven National Laboratory physicist William Higinbotham created Tennis for Two. Despite graphics that are ridiculously primitive by today's standards, it has been described as the first video game in history.
Higinbotham was inspired by the government research institution's Donner Model 30 analog computer, which could simulate trajectories with wind resistance, and the game was designed for display at an annual public exhibition. Although his purpose in creating the game was rather academic, Tennis for Two turned out to be a hit at the three-day exhibition, with thousands of students lining up to see the game.
At first glance, today's video gamers and scientists might appear to be worlds apart. But starting with Tennis for Two, video games have quietly and consistently been within the purview of academic study. Each generation of gamers has seen new titles created at various research institutions in order to explore programming, human-computer interaction, and algorithms. Lesser-known chapters of history reveal these two worlds are not as far apart as you might think
Source: Ars Technica
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 24 2017, @07:04PM (4 children)
Video games train Our Troops to pilot drones and kill The Enemy from a safe distance.
Before 9/11, Stargate ran an often-forgotten episode which portrayed unmanned drone strikes against manned targets as war crimes, the kind of immoral tactic which would only be used by nazis.
"The Other Side" [tvtropes.org]
After 9/11, drone strikes are how American nazis do war.
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Monday July 24 2017, @07:39PM (2 children)
How dare you throw a spear at me?! Have you no shame?! How can you call yourself a proud warrior if you're not engaging in melee?!
compiling...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @02:48AM (1 child)
Proud warriors don't stab unarmed opponents in the back and declare mission accomplished.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @07:04AM
What's the difference between picking off someone from the distance and stabbing them in the back?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 24 2017, @10:48PM
After all you need another unsatisfied customer if you want your kids to have something worth fighting against :)