Digital Media Concepts/The World of FPS

Early Days

The terms FPS[1] is an acronym for first person shooters. First person shooters are a genre of video games that mostly consist of violent acts from a first person point of view. Notable games that you may have heard of, such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, or even like Duke Nukem are placed in the video game genre of First Person Shooter. But the beginning of this genre of video games is actually argued.

Maze War

Some claim that the first FPS game came all the way back in 1973, a game titled Maze War[2], then some claim that doesn’t classify to fall in the category of FPS and state that Wolfenstein[3], in 1992 was the first FPS title to be released. Let’s look back at maze war and dive deeper into the origins of the game. It all began from a man named Steve Colley[4]. Back in 1973, the technology they had was far different from what we have now. Steve worked for NASA and he was using Imlac PDS 1[5] and PDS 2 machines, which are two very old computers, but at this time, it’s actually what NASA was using for the space shuttle. He then brought up an idea of creating a puzzle, a maze, but this one was different from others because instead of looking at the maze from the top, you are actually playing inside the maze from a first person point of view.

The early days of creating Maze War

This was the very beginning of the game, and later, Colley and his interns decided to make the game more complex by adding other players, which have the ability to shoot you. This then classifying it officially as the first FPS title to be created. The way Maze War played was very simple, the character model you took the form of was a giant floating eyeball the navigated the map only having the motions of moving straight, Back, left, and right. Then when you encounter other players, the person to win the battle will gain an additional 10 points, while the loser will lose 5 points. This was the game at its max and the start of a new generation of video games. But this then brings up a question of it’s significance. It’s not like this game set off a chain reaction and then a bunch of FPS titles came out of nowhere. This game wasn’t very significant and that’s why many people argue that Wolfenstein 3D was the first real FPS. After the release of that game, many other FPS titles joined it’s side creating a community.

Milestones

MIlestones in the FPS world come in plenty. There are many notable moments in the history of the video game genre, all expanding to the release of Maze war, all the way today with games like Csgo[6], one of the most famous titles out in the video game community today.

Wolfenstein 3D

One title we should mention first is Wolfenstein 3D, the reason why gets its own honorable mention was the amount of impact it had, this game created the chain reaction for those to follow. When this game was released, the FPS genre was born. Then some other games followed by its side and then came games like Doom[7], and Duke Nukem[8]. Both of these titles were released near each other and both resemble one another pretty similarly. They are both massive leaps in the genre since it gave players the ability to be creative and use different strategies and tactics to defeat enemies and really had you think about your next move more and more.

Call of Duty

Then came the world famous Call of Duty[9], this game won’t go down as one of the worlds best games, but it will definitely go down as one of the most successful. Many don’t give the franchise credit for what they have done for the genre of FPS, but it has brought in so many new people to this type of game that it really has kept the genre alive and has been carrying it ever since its release. Even today, many people claim that the franchise is dying but that still doesn’t stop it’s success. In 2017, Call of Duty:Infinity War, probably going down as one of the worst Call of Duties to ever be released, was the world's highest selling game for the year.

Steam/Half-life

Then came Steam[10], a pc gaming platform, with them came Half Life[11]. Many haven't heard of this game but the ones who have understand the importance of a game like this. Half life brought the story telling aspect to FPS. You were able to make more than just decisions, but you had the ability to change the entire direction of the game by a simple move. This gave the user more power and more impact than ever before. This then brought Half life 2 which was much of the same but just enhanced by a handful. Today we are introduced to new types of games but nothing that has drastically changed the way FPS’ are played. Until the next game changing title is released, we are at a stalemate in the FPS world.

Legacy

The legacy of FPS will be felt all around the gaming community. It has introduced many other types of video game genres from the ones it has produced. Games like Half life and Borderlands brought the art of story telling to FPS, and has now branched off to one of its own. Many games got their start from FPS and really made an impact in their own genre now. Even highly hated games or franchises like call of duty, even with the overwhelming amount of success it has and it continues to have year in and year out, it really has gave inspiration to other creators and helped create something else.

Important Figures

Steve Colley

Creator of Maze War

John Romero and Tom Hall

Creators of Wolfenstein 3D[12]

John Carmack

Creator of doom, along with John Romero and Tom Hall[13]

George Broussard, Richard Gray, Todd Replogle, Scott Miller

Creators of Duke Nukem, all of them were apart of Sunstorm Interactive[14]

Activision

Company that created the Call of Duty franchise, many different creators involved in this process[15]

Gabe Newell

Owner of Steam, which then led to the half life series, which then led to Csgo[16]

Best Selling Games and Awards

Modern Warfare

Best selling FPS ever, with 26.5 million copies sold[17]

Overwatch

Won the D.I.C.E (Academy of interactive arts and science), Game informer, Game Stop, IGN, game of the year awards in 2016(last FPS to win)[18]

Controversy

Through the years of FPS, or in video games in general, the amount of controversy that has appeared in unaccountable. Many people claim that video games aren't good for you, that they aren't good for children to play and that it shapes their thoughts. Many people have studied this theory and obviously, many different results.

Increased Aggression

Video games obviously change the thoughts of not only our youth, but anybody who plays them a any age. Video games can be very engaging at times, and that causing us to act and attach an emotional connection to them at the current time of playing, so obviously in any incident of failing a level or not killing an enemy players, enrages the user for that instance. But then we look at the long term affects that video games are said to cause, like increased violent acts and thoughts, but in the past this theory is seems to be dumbfounded. Video games do show another side to not only us but to the youth, and it could possibly give them any type of thoughts like that. But it is proven that not only do video games don't give increased thoughts of violent activity in the long run, but it only has the possibility of increasing some peoples aggression. Many get these two subjects mixed together and make false claims. Aggression isn't a violent act and a increase in aggression doesn't create controversy. And the increased aggression is just temporary, it isn't to be sustained through the players life, it isn't something to use to claim someone is violent just because of video games.

External Links

Steve Colley

References

FPS Doom John Romero and Tom Hall Overwatch

Maze War Duke Nukem John Carmack

Wolfenstein 3D Call of Duty Sunstorm Interactive

Imlac PDS-1 and 2 Steam Activision

CSGO Half Life MW3