Reconstructing WARRIOR

Vectorbeams, Natural Magick & Business Intrigue

Auteurs-es

Mots-clés :

Borne d'arcade, Tim Skelly, Lawrence Rosenthal, Cinematronics, Vectorbeam, Études des plateformes

Résumé

Warrior, a two-player fighting game released by Vectorbeam/Cinematronics in 1979, represents an early pinnacle of integration between analog and digital displays in the history of arcade gaming and a terminal point for vector monitor technology. This article examines the business intrigue around Warrior, its adaptation of the “Pepper’s Ghost” optical illusion, its use of vectorbeam technology, and several attempts at the game’s reincarnation.

Biographie de l'auteur-e

  • Thomas H. Rousse, Northwestern University

    Thomas H. Rousse studies the interplay of law and technology as a JD/PhD student in the Media, Technology and Society program at Northwestern University in Chicago. While completing an MSc. in Games Analysis at ITU Copenhagen, he collaborated with Glitchnap on LAZA KNITEZ!!, an award-winning local multiplayer game. He moonlights as a cyclist and longswordsman.

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Publié

06/01/2015