Preserving Video Games and Virtual Worlds
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2010-03-30/preserving-video-games-and-virtual-worlds
You'll never be able to recapture the thrill of playing "Donkey Kong" for the first time on the original Nintendo system. And nostalgia has little to do with it. Researchers are trying to preserve classic video games -- but the work is surprisingly difficult. Tech Tuesday explores why video games are the forefront of the fight to preserve digital culture from oblivion in the 21st century.
Guests
Matthew Kirschenbaum
Associate Professor, University of Maryland - College Park
Abigail Potter
Digital Archivist, Library of Congress
Jerome McDonough
Assistant Professor, University of Illinois
Comments
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What happens when software code is simply lost?
While software developers attempt to "covert" old games onto new systems, some games seem to be beyond help. I recall a European software developer who tried to convert a 10-year-old game to another system. The original Japanese developer lost the code, so the overworked coders had to rebuild the game the scratch, using a software emulator, which might have been illegal.
How are "non-traditional" games being preserved? Many arcade games features massive screens, chairs, control sticks, and even moving cabinets. How are racing and flying games with so many moving parts being preserved?
It seems to me that narrative games from the late 80s and early-to-mid 90s, which weren't as technologically advanced as modern games, nonetheless often had greater emotional impact. Is this a case of less-is-more in interactive storytelling?