Game chronicle: 1940

Games, in one form or another, accompany a person throughout his history. The origin of such a phenomenon as “video games” is inseparably related to the rapid development of computing systems in general and computers in particular. Therefore, the starting point of this project is this period.

“Game chronicle” are events, people, and, of course, games that have become part of our life and history. Year 1940: stability of arcade machines and the first gaming computer.

Arcade machines

In 1940, all kinds of variations of Pinballs, Slot Mashin and other shooting media with silomers still continue to appear in the USA. Mechanical machines are in great demand in both children and adults. Only one company Groovetchen Tool & Mfg. Over the year, he will release two dozen various “trading stimulants”, which offer to experience good luck for money and win delicious sweets, or, for example, an excellent cigar. This mechanics have been working great since the end of the 19th century, allowing to bypass various prohibitions on gambling. This method of profit will be perfectly taken into account in the video game industry after decades.

Nimatron

At the same time, New York has https://sistersitescasino.co.uk/casinos/rainbow-riches-casino/ been taking place in New York for the second year, at which the American Electrotechnical Company Westinghouse Electric demonstrates to the public Nimatron apparatus.

A hitherto unprecedented machine is nothing more than a relay device to recreate the process of mathematical game “Nim”. In this performance, the entire gameplay comes down to a competition with a computer, the purpose of which is to turn off the last of dozens of working lamps.

Since the end of 1939, one of the Westinghouse researchers – physicist Edward Condon, has been creating the apparatus, together with his assistants Gerald Tuni and Willard Derr. As planned by the author, this mechanism will be an excellent demonstration that complex computing systems can perfectly serve for entertainment. In the process, the creators pay attention to the fact that the device is frightening quickly, so add a pause to the Nimatron scheme before issuing an answer. Visually, everything looks like a car “thinks” to make a decision. Condon himself will call this case the first intentional slowdown in the computer’s work by a person.

For the entire presentation of the gaming “cabinet” weighing a ton, a huge number of people who want to beat the iron opponent are attracted. But few people manage to do this – tens of thousands of players will leave without victory, and most of the winnings will remain on the account of Nimatron operators, who demonstrate that the car can still be beaten, because the computer uses only a few game strategies. By the way, the apparatus is even given to the winners a memorial token “Champion Nima”.

In the future, he will continue his exhibition life, after which he will fit in the Pittsburgh planetarium for a while, and then he will completely go into oblivion. And although Condon is already soon, among other things, to take part in the creation of nuclear weapons, it will be considered to be the gaming computer with almost the largest failure in his career, the potential of which neither he nor Westings Electric.

This is what was 1940 in a game story. Then there will be a new year and new games, but for now – for now.