Page 25 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #1

-By Lee K. Seitz-

by
Lee K. Seitz

I discuss here come up in the dis- game boards to help enhance it.
W elcome to the first CVG 101 cussions in r.g.v.c. Next came Atari's Pong for homes,
column. My name is Lee K. Seitz, First, let's cover the home video based on their Pong coin-op (coin-
and I've been actively collecting game systems of the classic age operated) game. Its success
classic videogames since the late (roughly 1972-1984). You are spawned numerous imitators, nota-
1980s. The purpose of this column probably familiar with some of the bly Magnavox's Odyssey series
is to help educate newcomers to major systems of the time, particu- and Coleco's Telstar series.
the hobby of collecting classic larly Atari's. The Atari 2600 was The first programmable console
videogames. Each issue I'll first released as the Atari Video was the Fairchild Channel F, but
choose a different topic to explain. Computer System (VCS). When the 2600 was released shortly
I hope you find these columns both Atari released its second program- thereafter, which took the lead.
educational and entertaining. For mable system, the Atari 5200 Su- Once again, Atari's success cre-
my first column, I'm simply going to per System, they went back and ated competitors. Magnavox's first
try to define many terms often used changed the VCS to the 2600. truly programmable system, the
within the hobby while giving a brief Atari later released the Atari 7800 Odyssey , was notable for its full
2
history of home videogames. Pro System, which could play both keyboard. Toy company, Mattel,
If you're on the Internet, there's games designed for it and the created the Intellivision, which
a Usenet newsgroup where collec- 2600. upped the ante on graphics.
tors discuss classic video games. Although the Atari 2600 was the Meanwhile, Milton Bradley bought
Its name is rec.games.video. reigning champion of the classics, out GCE (General Consumer Elec-
classic, or r.g.v.c for short. If it was not the first console. That tronics) and released their Vectrex.
you're not familiar with news- honor goes to the Magnavox Od- The Vectrex is unique in that it is
groups, I'm afraid it's too big a topic yssey, released in 1972. It was a the only home game system to use
to go into detail here. Try a site very simple system that played vector graphics. Vector graphics
like DejaNews (www.dejanews. mainly pong-type games. It came are those found in arcade games
com) or RemarQ (www.remarq. with overlays to tape to the TV like Asteroids and Tempest, where
com). You'll see many of the terms screen and numerous cards and everything is drawn with straight

Classic Gamer Magazine Fall 1999 25