The trick to space invaders is to eliminate the vertical columns on the ends. Then the whole "fleet" has to traverse farther horizontally before it can drop down another notch. After you eliminate about 3 vertical columns, you can start focusing on the bottom horizontal row. If you do it right, that last little bastard will still be way up high on the board when it starts moving fast but you'll still have plenty of time to pick his little pixel ass off!!
Cool video, I like how informative it is :) But I think that the conclusion is very wrong. First of all, it's not like the designers at the time could choose whether to use volumetric lighting and other fireworks or not. They simply worked with what they have, so the game's simplicity is not a result of some design philosophy. Furthermore, you yourself say at the very beginning that Space Invaders "revolutionized the media through its technological advancements". So it actually makes sense to compare it to Crysis. And if we were to learn something from both games succeses, it would be rather "use high-end technology" than "keep it simple". And if we just look at the games themselves, disregarding the times they were made in, I think that most people would rather choose Crysis than Space Invaders (both today and in 80s, were it possible). As I said, great video, the conclusion is the only thing I disagree with :)
@2:58: I wonder what game that hi-score list is from because it's not from the original coin-op _Space Invaders_ . _Space Invaders_ [1978; Taito (dist. by Bally/Midway in US)], like _Pac-Man_ [1980; Namco (dist. by Bally/Midway in US)] a couple of years later, only recorded the single #1 top score of the day, and no initials to enter. It was erased and reset to zero (0), IIRC, when the machine was turned off and on. You mentioned _Asteroids_ [1979; Atari], although I'm not sure why as it's a very different kind of game than _Space Invaders_ , beyond both being Shooter games, but very different ones. In any case, FYI: _Asteroids_ had a top-10 hi-scores of the day list, with each score the player could enter up to three (3) initials, "of the day" because the scores would be cleared when the machine was turned off. Hi-score lists with three or more initials/characters entered would become standard among coin-op arcade games, although the lists would get longer and longer, and the game-machines would remember the list even the machines were turned off. **Thumb Up** Good work on the video, man hehehehe
Love your videos Aesir, although it does seem kind of odd you use the 'Superman March' when you spoke about Star Wars. Although in fairness it IS John Williams we are talking about here. Who, while an UNPARALLELED MASTER of his craft, a lot of his film tracks while easily recognisable are ALSO easily interchangeable.
The trick to space invaders is to eliminate the vertical columns on the ends. Then the whole "fleet" has to traverse farther horizontally before it can drop down another notch. After you eliminate about 3 vertical columns, you can start focusing on the bottom horizontal row. If you do it right, that last little bastard will still be way up high on the board when it starts moving fast but you'll still have plenty of time to pick his little pixel ass off!!
This is what I was looking for. Thanks
Hey Aesir! Just wanted to say that I really enjoy your videos. :)
Hey thanks, means so much me to hear that :D
Cool video, I like how informative it is :) But I think that the conclusion is very wrong. First of all, it's not like the designers at the time could choose whether to use volumetric lighting and other fireworks or not. They simply worked with what they have, so the game's simplicity is not a result of some design philosophy. Furthermore, you yourself say at the very beginning that Space Invaders "revolutionized the media through its technological advancements". So it actually makes sense to compare it to Crysis. And if we were to learn something from both games succeses, it would be rather "use high-end technology" than "keep it simple". And if we just look at the games themselves, disregarding the times they were made in, I think that most people would rather choose Crysis than Space Invaders (both today and in 80s, were it possible).
As I said, great video, the conclusion is the only thing I disagree with :)
THIS is why we have the comments section, thanks for pointing this out to me.
Just wanted to point out that SI is from 1978, so you could say, "and in the 70s". ;)
Great videos 👌
@2:58:
I wonder what game that hi-score list is from because it's not from the original coin-op _Space Invaders_ .
_Space Invaders_ [1978; Taito (dist. by Bally/Midway in US)], like _Pac-Man_ [1980; Namco (dist. by Bally/Midway in US)] a couple of years later, only recorded the single #1 top score of the day, and no initials to enter. It was erased and reset to zero (0), IIRC, when the machine was turned off and on.
You mentioned _Asteroids_ [1979; Atari], although I'm not sure why as it's a very different kind of game than _Space Invaders_ , beyond both being Shooter games, but very different ones. In any case, FYI: _Asteroids_ had a top-10 hi-scores of the day list, with each score the player could enter up to three (3) initials, "of the day" because the scores would be cleared when the machine was turned off. Hi-score lists with three or more initials/characters entered would become standard among coin-op arcade games, although the lists would get longer and longer, and the game-machines would remember the list even the machines were turned off.
**Thumb Up** Good work on the video, man hehehehe
Love your videos Aesir, although it does seem kind of odd you use the 'Superman March' when you spoke about Star Wars. Although in fairness it IS John Williams we are talking about here. Who, while an UNPARALLELED MASTER of his craft, a lot of his film tracks while easily recognisable are ALSO easily interchangeable.
No, that was supposed to be a long running joke whenever I would talk about SW.
Keep it simple