Instructor: Truffaut Harper
Description:
Welcome to The History of Gaming. As a student of this course, you will move beyond the role of a player to explore the technological, cultural, and economic evolution of video games.
Guided by The Ultimate History of Video Games (Volumes 1 & 2), we will trace the industry’s rise from the coin-op arcades of the 1970s to the immersive virtual worlds of today. We will study game mechanics, level design, hardware architecture, business strategy, the “Console Wars,” and the transition from 2D sprites to 3D polygons throughout the year.
By analyzing the failures of the past and the innovations of the present, we will gain a critical appreciation for how video games grew from a niche hobby into the world’s largest entertainment industry.
Meeting Times: Thursdays, 1:00 to 1:50 pm (Eastern Standard Time)
Tuition: $600