Racing the Beam : the Atari Video Computer System - Index of

Combat (cont.)
handicapping adjustment, 32
horizontal symmetry, 20, 47
inspiration for, 11, 65
joystick controllers, 22–23, 34
mazes, 68
number-size registers, 34, 35
one-screen environment, 110
playfi eld, 20, 47
playfi eld graphics, 48
prototype, 20
raster graphics, 84
reappearances of, 41–42
ROM, 32, 33
session length, 112
sound in, 96
sprites, 71, 72, 106, 108
Tank and, 50–51
for two players, 31–32
vertical symmetry, 20
Combat Rock, 132, 142
Commodore computers, 12–14, 25, 149
Compilers, 33
Computer Space, 7, 9, 84
Constraints of VCS programming, 4,
138, 140–142
RAM, 14, 23, 27, 69–70, 102, 108, 111
ROM, 21, 23, 77, 102, 108, 111
timing and cycle counting, 102, 108,
111
Contexts of play and physical spaces
arcades, 6–7, 66
home, 6–11, 81, 112–113
tavern and restaurant, 6–9, 65
Controllers (VCS), 22–26, 117
changing/swapping of, 25
joysticks (see Joysticks)
paddles, 24, 36, 39–40, 51
CPU, 12, 13
Crane, David
Activision and, 60, 99–100, 104
design philosophy and style, 105–107
games developed by, 99
Grand Prix sessions and, 112
Pitfall! development, 108–110
Venetian blinds demo, 132
Crash of 1982–1983, 76, 78, 133
Crowther, Will, 43–45, 56
[172]
CRT (cathode ray tube), 27, 34, 142
Cultural references, in fi ctional game
worlds, 109
Custer’s Revenge, 133
Cyan Engineering, 12, 25
CyberBattle 2000, 41
Dance Dance Revolution, 139
Daniels, Bruce, 44
Dark Mage, 62
Data Age’s Journey Escape, 124
Davie, Andrew’s Qb, 142
D&D (Dungeons and Dragons), 44, 51
Death Race, 107, 125, 127, 128
Decuir, Joe, 13, 20, 27, 36, 46–47
Defender arcade game, 91, 129
Demon Attack, 96, 102
Design
cost considerations, 4, 12–14
fl exibility, 15, 21
simplicity, 41, 138
Digital media studies, levels of, 145–147
Diode-transfer logic (DTL), 12
Disassembler, 33
Documentation. See Manuals and
documentation
Dodgson, Harry, 33
Donkey Kong, 104
Dougherty, Brian, 116
Driving games, 21, 65. See also specifi c
driving games
DSD/Camelot’s Tooth Protectors, 124
DTL (diode-transfer logic), 12
Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), 44, 51
Dunn, John, 123–124
Easter eggs, 59–61, 92
EduWare, 125
E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial, 76, 94, 120,
124, 127, 133
Exus’s FootCraz, Video Jogger, and Video
Refl ex, 138–140
Fairchild Video Entertainment System
(VES)
Channel F, 11, 12, 14, 25, 27
F8 CPU, 12