The world's introduction to Pong - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

YKK · 12-10-2004, 08:00 AM

The following passage, taken from "Zap! The Rise and Fall of Atari," is an account of Pong's first night in the bar:

One of the regulars approached the Pong game inquisitively and studied the ball bouncing silently around the screen as if in a vacuum. A friend joined him. The instructions said: 'Avoid missing ball for high score.' One of [them] inserted a quarter. There was a beep. The game had begun. They watched dumbfoundedly as the ball appeared alternately on one side of the screen and then disappeared on the other. Each time it did the score changed. The score was tied at 3-3 when one player tried the knob controlling the paddle at his end of the screen. The score was 5-4, his favor, when his paddle made contact with the ball. There was a beautifully resonant "pong" sound, and the ball bounced back to the other side of the screen. 6-4. At 8-4 the second player figured out how to use his paddle. They had their first brief volley just before the score was 11-5 and the game was over.

Seven quarters later they were having extended volleys, and the constant pong noise was attracting the curiosity of others at the bar. Before closing, everybody in the bar had played the game. The next day people were lined up outside Andy Capp's at 10 A.M. to play Pong.

~~quoted from classicgaming.com: http://www.classicgaming.com/museum/pong/index.shtml

Locobot · 12-10-2004, 08:18 AM

I've read this before myself, great stuff. It's like witnessing a baby being born... There's a part later on where the game malfunctioned because the milk carton being used to hold the deposited quarters was overflowing. It's amazing also because $.25 in 1973 is the equivalent of $1.09 today.

the_marq · 12-10-2004, 08:24 AM

Compare this:

Quote:

The instructions said: 'Avoid missing ball for high score.'

To the 300 page tome of instructions that comes with World of Warcraft.

MooseMan3000 · 12-11-2004, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_marq

Compare this:

To the 300 page tome of instructions that comes with World of Warcraft.

They pretty much amount to the same thing.

Heh.

12-10-2004, 08:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
YKK Crazy Location: Toronto, ONT	The world's introduction to Pong The following passage, taken from "Zap! The Rise and Fall of Atari," is an account of Pong's first night in the bar: One of the regulars approached the Pong game inquisitively and studied the ball bouncing silently around the screen as if in a vacuum. A friend joined him. The instructions said: 'Avoid missing ball for high score.' One of [them] inserted a quarter. There was a beep. The game had begun. They watched dumbfoundedly as the ball appeared alternately on one side of the screen and then disappeared on the other. Each time it did the score changed. The score was tied at 3-3 when one player tried the knob controlling the paddle at his end of the screen. The score was 5-4, his favor, when his paddle made contact with the ball. There was a beautifully resonant "pong" sound, and the ball bounced back to the other side of the screen. 6-4. At 8-4 the second player figured out how to use his paddle. They had their first brief volley just before the score was 11-5 and the game was over. Seven quarters later they were having extended volleys, and the constant pong noise was attracting the curiosity of others at the bar. Before closing, everybody in the bar had played the game. The next day people were lined up outside Andy Capp's at 10 A.M. to play Pong. ~~quoted from classicgaming.com: http://www.classicgaming.com/museum/pong/index.shtml __________________ We're all black sheep and we know it.. So don't fsck it up for the rest. -- Sick of It All; Yours Truly

12-10-2004, 08:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
Locobot is awesome!	I've read this before myself, great stuff. It's like witnessing a baby being born... There's a part later on where the game malfunctioned because the milk carton being used to hold the deposited quarters was overflowing. It's amazing also because $.25 in 1973 is the equivalent of $1.09 today.