Year 1979, Gunpei Yokoi from Nintendo saw a bored stiff businessman playing with his
calculator on his daily journey to work by train. This ordinary observation led to the discovery of simple devices capable
of displaying one game – Game&Watch.
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| https://www.eurogamer.dk/articles/2014-04-24-historien-om-nintendo-del-1-begyndelsen |
Their
successor is the most recognizable and successful line of handheld consoles of the last century,
released in 1989 - GameBoy. The product
at that time had many groundbreaking features. First of all, the games were
stored on cartridges, which were easily replaceable. Secondly, Nintendo thought
outside the box, they didn’t target only customers, but also game developers.
Great software development kit ensured diversity of games. We owe to this
decision such classics like Pokemon.
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| https://picclick.it/Pokemon-Rojo-Fuego-Nintendo-Game-Boy-Advanced-163435499144.html |
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| http://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_best-selling_Game_Boy_video_games |
After 30 years GameBoy has still a devoted and impressive community. There are
many fan branches, one of them is homebrew games. Tools for development are
easily available and special cartridges with memory card slots allow running and testing own
productions on devices even from 1989. Every now and then new GameBoy tutorial
appears on YouTube.
 |
| https://www.vintageisthenewold.com/new-homebrew-game-boy-arkanoid-clone-retroid-available-for-free/ |
Another
field is speedrunning, which is about completing games as fast as possible. Tournaments
and charity runs are organized all over the world. Some of them last even ten
hours and in that case seconds are still crucial. One mistake e.g. at fourth
hour may destroy
whole attempt. Many runs are abandoned at
this point, speedrunner restarts a game and play through it all over again.
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| https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/02/that-time-some-players-thought-mew-was-under-a-truck-inpokmon/ |
For those
who are not so swift in pushing buttons, the community offers hackathons. These
24 or 48 hours lasting competitions
challenge game developers. At the beginning the main topic is announced e.g.
pirates, then teams consisting of coders and artists prepare the demonstration
version for presentation. It is worth mentioning that many decent games were
born this way.
I’m glad that GameBoy aged so well. The community
gathered around such an old device seems to be growing in time. For me it’s
obvious Nintendo is marketing and technical genius that gave me a collection of
nostalgic moments with their outstanding console.
- Have you ever come across GameBoy? Did you play it as a kid? Could you tell me about some nostalgic moments with it or any console or platform?
- Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
- What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
Comments
2. When I am thinking about revolutional game ideas, it comes to Warcraft by Blizzard. This is a great strategy game which is very popular since 1994. Of course, new versions helped this game to be so popular. But it is a great strategy game with its own story and plot. Many games were inspired with Warcraft. For example, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Dota and Dota 2 etc.
3. For me spending to much time with playing any game it is a waste of time. Of course, games could improve some your skills, but it does not worth to spend your life only with games. There are a lot of interesting things that could have a much more bigger positive effect on you, your skills and your life.
I mean who haven't ;)? There were ton of great things that was very popular on Gameboy like Super mario, yoshi, metroid, chrono trigger... But my favourite of all time would be Pokemon series. I remember playing first generation pokemons and tottally loving it. Then I've played second generation on gameboy colour. Now I'm waiting for pokemons that will be realased on Switch this year. So it's about 17 years me playing pokemons :D
2.Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
Oh, really thought question. Actually I think that Nitnendo Switch is a really big shocker. Best mobile console ever made, IMO.
3.What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development
I'm not hating it, but I would not do it. I think that there is a ton of other actions that you can do to spend your free time better than that.
2. Well, maybe it was not very ground breaking, but Sony decided to launch the successor to the PSP called PS Vita. As a PSP user I was very happy to by the new version, but little did I know (and probably Sony itself as well) that very soon after that smartphones would totally smash the market of handhelds. PS Vita was quite modern and packed with features, but it didn’t help and finally it was obvious that there won’t be very much to play on that console. I regret this, because playing on a smartphone with a touch screen as the only input device cannot be compared to the comfortable to use handheld with joysticks and additional physical buttons.
3. Speedrunning performed by mature people is a perfectly fine way of spending time. Everyone can do whatever he want’s to (if its legal at least) and if someone has such hobby then it can be considered as self-development. Staring at screen is bad for health, but it is everyone’s independent decision to do so.
2) In recent years, VR is definitely an achievement. Many still do not see the whole potential and power this thing can evolve to.
3) I watch professional speedrunners quite often. I find this really curious -- finding ways to improve and use your creativity to achieve goals.
2. The first thing that come to my mind is a VR. It didn't revolutionize the whole games world yet, but I think this is the future and this is something that people in the next years could say was a groundbreaking technology. Like Kyrylo said the whole potential of VR is still not used.
3. I think it's people choice how they play games, if it is speedrunning that makes them joy then let them do it. If someone do it a lot and takes part in some competitions then it could for sure develop that person's skills like a reaction time or agility.
Yes I had two of them with some games. My father bought it for me when he was visiting US. I was playing pokemon on it mostly but I dont remember whole name of the game. Nostalgic moments? There was a few but the scariest one was when I overwritten my sisters save by my beeing at the beginning of the game when she was at 90%... she was so mad.
2. Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
Not really. There is few companies like that but I think that this consoles were a hit just because they were first ones out there with few more games and nice colorfull screen.
3. What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
I thing its self-development in some part just because you are trying to master a game at 100% and to be honest is really hard. Nowadays people do speedruns in darksouls that I heard a lot about or a world of warcraft dungeons and its really increadible that people find some glitches in it and when I think how many hours it could take its insane.
2. Not so big but I have an idea, but I can not talk about it yet because I realize it.
3. It is a hobby like any other, I do not like it, but I will not prohibit others. Some may say that my hobby is deeper because I am putting my own life at risk.
Everyone has their own hobbies and activities that bring pleasure to a person. But this is not mine, I’m not interested in spending my time on it, I only learn about the game world through the news.
Unfortunately I didn't play. I had a SEGA as a child. My sister and I loved to play Mortal Kombat at night.
2.Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
I think portable consoles have outlived their usefulness, now very powerful smartphones, I think we should focus on them
I didn't think about it, you need to ask yourself a lot of questions, who will use it ? will it be an exclusive game or not?
3.What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
Speedrunning especially for fast passing game and not spend a lot of time, it is rather a discharge for the brain,not degradation, if not sit every day for 8 hours.
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Of course, GameBoy was my first gaming console. I was plaing it as teen.
I got many nostalgic moments like catching shiny legendary pokemon on first throw of pokeball or beating "elite four" in first try without using items. These moments took place in my heart
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2.Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
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In my opinion Nintendo had made great decision by investment in handy-home console, i mean nintendo switch. This innovation of gaming came up with gaming on Tv, and when You ought to go to work for example, You can take console with You and keep plaing it.
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3.What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
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Speedrunning is a another piece of gaming, some gamers play for fun, but only these guys who want to break the rules, feel the game in 100%, know about all traps, all secrets, all "bugs" and exploits, will be able to achieve quickest game ending. I love to watch speedrunners, these mastered control, this feel of time, it makes me interest in doing what they do.
I think that it is self developing, in case of being better and self-denial.
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Not really I am not interested in news like this, I do not follow topics connected with consoles.
Hmm, It is hard to judge people for theirs choices, for me it is a wast of time but being very good at it may result with a lot of money.
2. I think investing in esports is somewhat groundbreaking idea. It creates whole variety of new jobs, new ways to spend free time and making new wave of athletes. Prizes for winning e-competitons are enormous and it grows in stunning pace.
3.I think speedrunning is deviation for weirdos. This is terrible way to play a game. Using exploits and getting rid of fun just to achive meaningless goal which will be quickly forgotten.
I do not think of anything like that :(
As a player, I think speedrunning is something worthy of sacred time. If you look at it, it is a way to spend time, which carries self-development. Vigor, motivation and determination are the features that are developed in such activities.
No one from my environment didn't own one. But I played 1st generation PS 1 and really loved it, I really liked to gather with my friend and play mortal combat, crash bandicoot and other games. When I was a child it was like miracle.
Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
I think digital cameras changed our world very fast. The same stands for Walkmans, iPods and first iPods. When your entire library was in the pocket. I think this gadget changed our culture forever.
What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
I think that everyone should have a hobby and entertain themselves the way they like. But I personally not thinking that proficiency in games or mastering specific pieces of game is skill that makes you a better person, but totally makes you master in community that has similar interests.
2. I thing the real groundbreaking was introduction a virtual reality. It has many usage not only in video games but general visualization evrything we can emagine. For example U.S Air force use VR to recruitment advertising. They show combat training, goals and responsiblities in military servis.
3. Like my grandsmother said, averything is for people. But we must remember to have a good sense. I understand when we have too much stres and we must throw off yourself, so we play a lot of times. On the other hand we have many young people who played a lot of video games and they will not get to know the world.
Unfortunately or fortunately, the Apples "one button to rule them all" design is something that we see benefits of today with UI being more and more intuitive and having more "minimalistic" phone designs.
Speed running its an art, to take game and (usually) break it in ways no one ever thought about to achieve even a second of improvement is an art. I consider speed running an edge case of human ability to optimize things.
I agree with Andrzej in this question! Who did not have GameBoy? Almost everyone had it, because even in the simplest version it was available in every place. It was a beautiful time when the children entered the yard to play football, and in the breaks they fed their tamagotchi and exchanged their experience. Also the first generation of pokemon, or game with tanks (which I unfortunately do not remember the name) was the peak of technology and enabled a new level of competition with colleagues. These were beautiful times that will not come back any more!
2. Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
It is difficult to say because after the Pegasus console, unfortunately, I was not interested in the console market and the solutions used. In fact, the only breakthrough decision of console manufacturers that I have in mind is the introduction of additional wireless motion controllers like Microsoft Kinect, but this applies to large and stationary platforms.
3. What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
Speedrunning in my opinion is a waste of time. Of course, this is a kind of hobby and personal development, but I think that the time spent in this way can be successfully invested in completely different things that will bring us immeasurable benefits in the future.
2. In my opinion, VR has a wow effect from Oculus or HTC company. New, modern and immersive game technology will conquest this field. And I think the future is in VR, no doubt.
3. I think this is totally waste of time. I'd spend time more productively than keep watching in screen and doing nothing.
I think PS2 released by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is a bestselling console overall.
I would say that it is a waste of time. I am interested in how people are finding new ways to shorten the time of finishing the game. Sometimes the ideas are really funny. I sometimes enjoyed watching them, besides, I believe self-development is always a good thing.
Unfortunately not, i don't think too much about that. I played games only when i was under 12 years old, so now, i'm not interested in this anymore.
I don't like speedrunning and it is definitely a waste of time and i think self-development is a nice thing to do.
I've always loved playing spyro, classic pokemon, and many other retro games.
2. I think that in the days of smartphones it will be hard to come up with a portable console that will meet expectations like a gameboy.
Sony when he released his PSP consoles wanted to hold this trend but the idea ended very quickly. But returning to the subject, I think that a special edition of the smartphone will be released which will have a strong graphics card and will support the game's evading games.
3. It seems to me that speedrunning is something like a competition, but also a hobby. Especially admire the people who beat records in passing games and according to me it is not a waste of time :)
Yeeee boooyt, it was in 2006-2007 i been in Artek Crimea(Camp) and one of my friend have it, i was kid who like playing games, in my mind from the past it was like SEGA but now i dont sure what was that :)
2. Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
PSP, NINTENDO SWITCH, i remember games like World of Warcraft, hearthstones it was something new.
3. What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
It’s something like hobby some time its interesting but i dont like football or hockey but my fried like it so speed run can be in our world:)
2. When the iPhone was unveiled to the world, Steve Jobs described the device as “a magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone. The most revolutionary user interface since the mouse.” In 2007, Apple began to transform the way we interact with mobile, but also the world around us.
3. If you enjoy doing it. No, you're not wasting time
If you find playing video games, or more specifically re-playing video games, to be a waste of time. Yes
It’s completely up to the player to decide. Yes you could be spending your time doing something more worthwhile for the world, but you could say that about anything. Everyone needs to find what they’re interested in and pursue it. If that happens to be speedrunning a game, then it isn’t a waste of time for you.
2. Hmm at the top of my mind it would be adding the DVD slot
into a pc. From that moment games beaome more advanced. Same story with diskette before. Maybe next revolutionary thing will be VR ?
3. In my opinion there is no such a thing as poor hobby. Our lives belongs to us and we can do whatever we want with them. Some people like to read books some play games it's our choice how to spend our free time. Of course some will say that this is a waste of time but I think that staying honest to ourselves is the wisest.
Yes, i remember game boy advance sp, it was quite expensive so i never had it.
Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
Mayby the idea of iphone? that you can touch the screen?
What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
Its honoring the game and its makers. it makes you know game by hearth almost giving you a feel of being a producer.
-- Ya my favourite one was a pokemon, but I don't remember layout from this game, I remember like on vacations i played on that game with my cousines when our moms told us that we should go to sleep , we start to hide and play on it.
2.Does any particular idea or decision of a big company which was groundbreaking like handheld consoles comes to your mind?
-- I agree with Aleksander, when some brands starts to produce games on CDs, they stay to be harder (I mean more advanced technology)
3.What is your opinion about speedrunning? Is it an admirable hobby or a total waste of time? After all, it’s staring at a screen for hundreds of hours. Could you consider it self-development?
-- For me it is okay ONLY from time to time, because usually this is for me wating of time, I prefere to spend it with my family, friends or animals or on my other hobbys like sports or something .
But everyone thinks differents and I respect when someone prefere speedrunnung or something
2. I think that making the decision of putting a camera into a phone has revolutionized the way we take photos and the market itself. Suddenly anyone could take a picture of anything, anywhere at any time- this was definitely ground-breaking.
3. The truth is- anything that you are passionate about when you pursue it and become better at it- you grow in one way or another, no matter what it is.