They Create Worlds

TCW Podcast Episode 056 - Revisions and Updates We go over our past episodes and provide updates, if we have any, on each one.  There are a lot of little tidbits, and expansion on a variety of topics.  Some of the big ones are Namco, the Nutting Associates, and James Morgan.  Happy Holidays everyone! Episode 1 "All I can do is ask why?": 0:02:54 Episode 2 "You talked to whom?": 0:07:07 Episode 3 "What makes and Industry?": 0:12:49 Episode 4 "A Tale of Cycles": 0:13:54 Episode 5 "The Untold History of Sega": 0:20:03 Episode 6 "The Early History of Electronic Arts": 0:22:55 Episode 7 "History of the Arcade": 0:31:22 Episode 8 "Birth of the Japanese Game Center": 0:31:45 Episode 9 & 10 " History of Mediagenic Parts I &II": 0:32:11 Episode 11 "The Genesis of JRPGs": 0:39:25 Episode 12 & 13 "History of Acclaim": 0:40:45 Episode 14 "Nintendo Playing with Power!": 0:42:40 Episode 15 "The Story of Chuck E Cheese": 0:43:24 Episode 16 "Early Computer Game Platforms: The Trinity, and The Disciples": 0:45:03 Episode 17 & 18 "The British 8-Bit Computer Market Hardware & Software": 0:45:20 Episode 19, 20, & 21 "The Great Video Game Crash": 0:46:00 Episode 22 "The Galaxy Game": 0:51:40 Episode 23 "The Complete Tetris Story": 0:52:12 Episode 24 "The Project and Others in the Field": 0:52:45 The Digital Antiquarian: https://www.filfre.net/ Sega-16: http://www.sega-16.com/ Episode 25 "Mattel Electronics?": 0:56:01 Episode 26 & 27 "The Magnavox Odyssey & Patent Lawsuits": 0:58:05 Episode 28 "Picking up the Pieces: The US Arcade Industry After the Crash": 0:58:25 Episode 29 "50 Years of Namco": 0:58:40 Episode 30 "Doom!": 1:09:17 Episode 31 "An Epic Game": 1:09:47 Episode 32 "History of the Atari Brand": 1:09:59 Episode 33 "The Saga of Sega": 1:12:02 Episode 34 The Nutting Associates": 1:12:11 Episode 35 "EA - The Teenage Years":  1:27:38 Episode 36 "Raiding Eidos": 1:30:25 Episode 37 "Nintendo and Gunpei Yokoi": 1:30:33 Episode 38: "Origin Story":  1:30:40 Atari James Morgan Update: 1:31:15   New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!  TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 055 - Blizzard: Hellfire and The World… of WarCraft  Part two of our look into Blizzard Entertainment.  We start in the late 90's with the finishing of Diablo, and the development of StarCraft.  We see the evolution and cross influences of the Blizzard cinematics department on the course of Diablo.  This is also the same time we learn of how Blizzard is not afraid to kill an essentially finished game if it is not up to their standards, Lord of the Clans, and StarCraft: Ghost being the more famous examples of this.  We see how Blizzard employees' love for games influences where they take projects.  The influence of the game Sacrifice on WarCraft III, Quake on Overwatch, and EverQuest with World of WarCraft.  On the business side of things we see how Blizzard is not fully immune from the influences of the parent company that controls them at the time.  Conversely, we see how Blizzard's success, specifically with WoW, managed to reshape the entire game industry before finishing with the creation of Activision-Blizzard.  We will see how their decisions involving modern game trends may affect things in the future!   Diablo 1 Lore Books: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWXozMHrxrM Diablo 1 Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w44SmMFy5Dc Diablo 1 Ending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGRGxt2-7rc StarCraft Development Pictures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52XKCuxDMzo StarCraft Remastered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOW9uACXPTo  Lord of the Clans trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gslAG2OEO1c Curse of Monkey Island Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh3R8SC6PMc Diablo II Retrospective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv12StvWjX8 Sacrifice Gameplay and Commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7jw6tord7Q The Wrathgate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch4rc5W4dKY Everquest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJJT-PZIUwU World of Warcraft Evolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8tAa-MsNjY Quake Rocket Jump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw7xztglYyw Overwatch Development: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH0GsOKZHMQ   New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 054 - Blizzard: Vikings and WarCraft Part one of our dive into one of the most influential computer game companies in existence.  We cover the founding of Blizzard, which started as Silicon and Synapse, with their start by being independent contractors for PC and console.  With the company wanting to transition into being full developers, they accepted an offer to be acquired by Davidson and Associates.  Blizzard's first big hit was WarCraft: Orcs and Humans.  The first game saw the start of the Blizzard cinematics department, and the voice studio.  With Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness we saw the true founding of the legendary Blizzard Lore that accompanies all their games that followed.  We wrap up with Blizzard meeting another company at CES, Condor, that was working on a little game called Diablo… Battle Chess II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz4_5Wv6yiY R.P.M. Racing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JFofJsuEFM Swords and Serpents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXlt0XY1tOY Adventures of Rad Gravity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b3-LSC4Vko Rock N' Roll Racing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8OgEzbJY7s The Lost Vikings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZItppVpUwwc Blackthorne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPsJEtO86VI WarCraft Orcs and Humans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqczlhTpT2I WarCraft II Cinematic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU-n8UZM5Cc WarCraft III All Cinematics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfkiJXnSRM8 SNES Justice League Task Force: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJgY9BCYP8o Genesis Justice League Task Force: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q42W0cD7OKk Diablo Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGaYW-6zOKk&list=PLC6688FBC7423D09A   TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 053 - The History and Merger of Enix and Square We cover the individual histories of the companies Enix and Square.  Everything from early projects to influences that helped shape them into the companies they would become.  We delve into the dream teams for each company that created their seminal hits, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.  We cover how they each had problems getting market penetration in the West until Square was able to with the release of Final Fantasy VII.  We cover the massive financial disaster that was Final Fantasy The Spirits Within and how it led to Square being acquired by Enix.    The Portopia Serial Murder Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh0Vg0s-pR8  Dragon Quest/Warrior Random Facts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvCVAp2jE1E Final Fantasy VII Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD_GqlNtNjo  Final Fantasy IV (II US) Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi7So5VlB6M  Final Fantasy VI (III US) Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDMWp1oLoA0 Cruise Chaser Blassty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXwLebC8s2I 3D World Runner NES: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTbH25YNxE4 Rad Racer NES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ngD3ZC1z8 Final Fantasy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veEn0k5u5Ko Dragon Warrior Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qL5_3EhqK8 Final Fantasy Mystic Quest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxl_-WPwA0A 7th Saga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XihYszbkf60 Secret of Evermore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdV79VbxWOc Final Fantasy The Spirits Within: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaI7ZPA9I1c   New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 052 - The Many Faces of Konami We go over the whole history of Konami at the macro level.  The origin, founding, and the initial setup that continues to influence the company to the present day.  Though much of the history is shrouded behind a language barrier, or simply lost, there is still plenty of information out there.  We cover the hits they had in the video game arena, and show how they are in the middle of another transition to mobile. Konami Logo: https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/logopedia/images/7/70/Old-Konami-Logo.jpg Scramble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pmC_reyGpI Defender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjgu1JtWbA4 Why VHS beat Betamax: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddYZITaxlTQ Frogger Cabinet Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ebybyW-ozE Track and Field: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKPYPV4BuFo Gradius: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz9OkKo9rW0 Metal Gear NES VS MSX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMLDAxu5Tmg The Goonies NES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn63XyKp80U The Goonies 2 NES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdpmDqR4ZDc Top Gun NES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCXNXGvYfVk Original Comic TMNT Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuuHANeSLxg TMNT NES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kK8mFYbl1s Simpsons Arcade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yw43-DbT84 DDR Modern Japan Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jywza4So-eU   New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!  TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 051 - Sons of Pong Starting off with a discussion of the unique setting of the time leading into Pong's debut, we transition over to the various companies that created clones of Pong, and their reasons for doing so.  We discover that the company that created the most Pong-style games was not Atari, nor one of the big Chicago companies, but a company based in Florida called Allied Leisure.  We then cover the various innovations that occurred to try to keep the fad market alive as long as possible ending with a stop at Big Jeffery's Cocktail Pong Emporium. Pong Cabinet in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGu7sMAoOUo Computer Space Ball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U33oajPSzyc Wild Cycle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjSKnPjnhyc Paddle Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu7LAP3ug6E Pong Doubles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqtp1bxIA8s Ramtek Volly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAc41mFmP3k Elimination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOV9c8WkWsw Ramtek Wipe Out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_TmOD0IHFM Clean Sweep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTO5JjwbXv0 Flim Flam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVKOjKl3dPU   New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!  TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 050 - Civilizing Sid Meier We go over Sid's transition into the video game industry.  Starting with meeting "Wild Bill" and their break out game HellCat Ace, and the iterations that lead to F-15 Strike Eagle that cemented MicroProse as a company.  We cover the how/why of Sid Meier's name being on the boxes particularly for the simulation and 4X games.  We wrap it all up with the seminal piece Sid Meier's Civilization, the industry changing  concepts it brought to the table, and Sid's leaving to form Firaxis where he works today! Interview with Sid Meier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyH24CHTlHA Atari Red Baron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oa7_mdJLUw HellCat Ace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwYaQS59UGQ Solo Flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqjQscY_IZQ F-15 Strike Eagle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC0FPKCSWhM Floyd of the Jungle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKuH6oXD8Pg Seven Cities of Gold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57qE1arvo3U Sid Meier's Pirates!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ro-1dXuRBM Covert Action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-VAwGlghoU Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ths0tQL2qu4 Sid Meier's Civilization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3bA818U15c Sid Meier's Gettysburg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS986jTnWBA FreeCiv: http://www.freeciv.org/   New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 049 - Old and Elite  We go over a classic from Great Britain!  Elite is unique in the ambition and execution of creating a massive open world space, complete with a 3d perspective, on such  limited hardware.  The game has influenced a variety of others most notably Grand Theft Auto. Demo of Elite on a BBC B: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owz7XExO-Wk Elite Comparison of BBC B VS Zx Spectrum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov4OAteeGWs Elite Gameplay Starting Out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cni8ZInHQXs Procedural Generation In Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRfdN4L2SUg Elite on the NES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSPmQYI4ju8 Frontier Elite 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqhP_e855C4 Elite Dangerous Alien Encounter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsga26eiDPE New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 048 - Driving Games and Technology We go over the wild ride of driving games.  These games were used as a vehicle to demonstrate advances in graphics technology.  Starting with electro-mechanical games, and ending up with textured polygons; we cover the whole track of an era where cars were king!  There are a lot of examples in this episode drawn from the arcade, consoles, and computer games. Drive Mobile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw_N10xuv2Q Speedway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97DAio1M1xc Super Road 7 Projection System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xU0HkKUQ-0 Super Road 7 Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO6BZIEZ8xw Wild Cycle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjSKnPjnhyc Gran Track 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R014taK2pZM Life inside Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP5-iIeKXE8 Taito Speed Race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BRDxZiK-1s History of Racing Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IoGZ-4tAww Night Driver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqZlxpLKm_E Sega Turbo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWhcBydheRE Namco Pole Position: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeYZGtwydIA Mach Rider NES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M18w8fL28Ho Sega Monaco GP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZY_LPhkzUk Sega Hang On: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rUsQdd39_o Sega Outrun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMv0Pg1AxFc Revs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L18wG4p5fQE F-Zero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlA3vEB0jzY Hard Drivin': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6JC-HCNcio Namco Winning Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7KIXb0U2oc Sega Virtua Racer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js8tZhKcfWc Namco Ridge Racer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qkXMZYQfiA Sega Daytona USA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAcMqFTkAs8 Wipe Out PSX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XASEBvDri4U Gran Turismo PSX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49CpLM81TvM New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

TCW Podcast Episode 047 - Vestiges of Atari   In our fourth and final episode investigating the rise and fall of the original Atari we delve into the factors that caused the fall of Atari.  We cover the lead up to and tipping point of the variety of factors that lead to the crash.  No one entity can take the blame for it.  The major factors including distribution, overzealous sales forecasts, and  Warner interference came to a head by the end of 1982 leading to the fracturing of the company a year and a half later.    Pacman Atari 2600: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCPpgt0s70U   ET Retrospective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ7TtE4hb1k   Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark Atari 2600: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP-e0-0PpLc   Mrs Pac Man 2600 vs 7800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD4z0u_QZp8&t=220s   New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com   Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love  Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/