Download issue cgw_37 - Computer Gaming World Museum

Titans
of the
Computer
Gaming
World
PART II OF V: ARDAI ON ELECTRONIC ARTS
by Charles Ardai
Chapter One
Wherein the serial begun last issue is continued
with a look at the games of Electronic Arts.
There is a great deal to be said for professionalism,
much of which has, of course, already been
said. In terms of computer games, for instance, it
has been said many times that no game can be
successful without its having a certain polish, a degree
of above-average quality. Back when every
third software company was a two-person, backyard
operation, this was a maxim frequently ignored,
with universally unenviable results. Where is
Aygee Software now? They packed their games in
plastic bags along with photocopied, handwritten
instructions. How about Arcade 64, whose Ophir
was such a fine game? They used cartridge-sized
corrugated cardboard boxes which didn't go over
too well with the gaming public.
Today, needless to say, no one disregards the
rules of the marketplace in such a cavalier manner.
Some companies, like Infocom, go out of their way
to create an ultra-professional air by stuffing their
games with all sorts of custom-made trinkets. Others,
like Telarium, hire celebrities to give their
lines added consumer appeal. At least one company
stands out, however, as being professional simply
because of the quality of its software and its monumental
reputation in the field. That company is
Electronic Arts.
Before you get upset, yes, I realize that Moebius
comes packed with a cloth yin-yang headband, and
that Thomas M. Disch's Amnesia and Timothy
Leary's Mind Mirror have celebrity connections.
One can't fault EA for hedging its bets. On the
whole, however, EA is simply known for the extremely
high quality of its games and not its accessories.
There is a hard edge to all of EA's products that
really sets them apart from the pack; when you buy
one, you know you're getting your money's worth.
This is especially noteworthy because many of the
programs that EA distributes are not written inhouse.
It is very difficult to maintain the uniformly
high standards that EA holds without having direct
creative control over the programmers. Somehow
EA manages to do so, however, consistently releasing
unique and interesting programs.
Not all of EA's games appeal to everyone, of
course. An action game like Marble Madness may
not turn the head of the serious musician who buys
Music Construction Set. Even this hypothetical
Haydn, however, would have to admit to the ex-