“I commenced an examination of a game called ‘tit-tat-to’”: Charles Babbage and the “First” Computer Game

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Monnens Devin
2014 DiGRA '13 - Proceedings of the 2013 DiGRA International Conference: DeFragging Game Studies

This paper examines Charles Babbage's tic-tac-toe automaton using original notes and sketches taken from Babbage's notebooks. While Babbage's work with games and computers has been mentioned previously by other authors, this is the first attempt to study that work in detail. The paper explains the origins of the automaton, imagines how it would have operated had it been built, describes how it might have functioned, and Babbage's inspirations for building it. The paper concludes with an analysis of Babbage's place in the history of videogames.

 

Before It’s Too Late: Preserving Games across the Industry / Academia divide

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Lowood Henry Armstrong Andrew Monnens Devin Vowell Zach Ruggill Judd McAllister Ken Donahue Rachel Pinchbeck Dan
2009 DiGRA '09 - Proceedings of the 2009 DiGRA International Conference: Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory

This paper is an edited version of the International Game Developers Association’s Game Preservation Special Interest Group’s recent white paper. The specific threats to preserving digital games are outlined, as is the importance of games as cultural objects. The current strategies for preservation across a range of stakeholders are presented followed by an argument for why preservation matters to industry and what industry can contribute. Finally, the unique potential relationship between academia and industry in this matter is explored, and a call for partnership projects and strategic dialogue is made.