They Create Worlds By cover art

They Create Worlds

By: Alex Smith and Jeffrey Daum
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  • Summary

  • Love of the worlds created by video game designers and personalities drives Alex Smith & Jeffrey Daum (history, law, CS degrees) to provide a scholarly yet light-hearted discussion of how arcade, home console, and PC games merged into a Video Game Industry. Emphasis is on the combination of business and creative elements needed for financial success. Interviews of Atari, EA, Activision, & other execs with detailed source evaluations produce the insights you hear in these 140+ hours!
    Copyright 2015-2019 . All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • The Neo Geo

    The Neo Geo
    Jul 15 2024
    TCW Podcast Episode 214 - The Neo Geo The Neo Geo was SNK's attempt to create a versatile hardware system for operators, allowing them to swap out games at a reduced cost while also bringing an authentic arcade experience into homes. The system's development was influenced by Capcom, with Street Fighter creator Takashi Nishiyama moving to SNK. The Neo Geo came in two versions: the Multi Video System (MVS) for arcades and the Advanced Entertainment System (AES) for home use. Priced at $650 in 1990 (equivalent to $1,562 in 2024), the console was expensive but initially well-received by operators due to a strong lineup of games and the six-month lag between arcade and home releases. Despite an attempt to introduce a lower-priced CD version, it was too late to compete effectively. Ultimately, the Neo Geo could not keep up with the emerging 3D transition and the more affordable Sony PlayStation. Alex's Book is available on Humble Bundle again! Through July 28/29 2024! https://www.humblebundle.com/books/game-programming-taylor-francis-books TCW 028 - Picking up the Pieces: The US Arcade Industry After the Crash: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/picking-up-the-pieces-the-us-arcade-industry-after-the-crash/ Ghouls N' Ghosts (Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taujbsNtNh8 Strider (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVOOiCFktU4 UN Squadron (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY8yMGefNB8 Final Fight (Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0U8U-yqbOs Uniwar S (Irem - Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRrt_OSZnkY Moon Patrol (Irem - Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiHQ6OXgP7Y Spartan X: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsqZs2cQEf8 Street Fighter (1987 Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVLCv-YgWco Champion Baseball (1983 - SEGA): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCrd1dM8U44 Rodrigo Copetti - Neo Geo Architecture: https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/neogeo/ Riding Hero (SNK - Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwsIuiK7Rjo Baseball Stars Professional (SNK - Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmdAMGmP6O0 Magician Lord (SNK - Neo Geo AES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mTaYFgTlGE NAM-1975 (SNK Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDjqJDAYA6I Top Player's Golf (SNK - Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjcD0DWb06g Ninja Combat (SNK - Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV9bgRRHvNo SNK Neo Geo 1990 Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=0rEauZSSl6M Neo Geo Electronic Gaming Monthly Insert: https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_031_February_1992_Neo_Geo_Supplement/mode/2up Fatal Fury (SNK - Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqcYWJfLdSs Art of Fighting (SNK - Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jmt9gvSg-Q TCW 041 - Beating Them All Up: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/beating-them-all-up/ Johnny Arcade Introduces SNK Neo Geo Save Cards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ps78EWARBE Samurai Showdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq9k5Gbh9xg The making of Samurai Showdown (Polygon): https://www.polygon.com/2017/4/10/15223966/the-making-of-samurai-shodown Metal Slug (SNK - Neo Geo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zR2NN05UT8 New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • The Exidy of the 80's and 90's

    The Exidy of the 80's and 90's
    Jul 1 2024
    TCW Podcast Episode 213 - The Exidy of the 80's and 90's In our second part, we look at Exidy as we wrap up the 70s and explore their products of the 80s and 90s. They continued developing microprocessor games with a variation on Pac-Man with Mouse Trap. The game was moderately successful during the downturn in the mid-80s. Exidy tried to leverage the power of an Atari 400 computer to create arcade machines with their Max-A-Flex system. Unfortunately, only four games were produced for the system. Their new light gun hardware enabled the creation of some very interesting shooting games, including Crossbow, Cheyenne, and Combat. When Exidy entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it was hoped that Chiller would make Exidy popular again in the same way Death Race did in the 70s. Exidy managed to exit bankruptcy and continued to refocus itself on redemption games. However, the company met its end in the early 90s when embezzlement by an employee forced the company to close. The rights to the properties were sold off, allowing Pete Kauffman to retire in comfort. Starfire Case and Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZNj3JdtJ5c Starfire Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5r_SM-ugOU Rip Cord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww5VNeAYIec Crash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUAC_2sRx0g Bandido: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_mMOSUvbLg Fire One (Cabinet and Pictures): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/fire-one Fire One (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOl0NR5in5o Tail Gunner 2 (Cabinet Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdQhexOUzFQ Tail Gunner 2 (Old Cabinet walk around): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtqlduONDx8 TARG (Cabinet): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pZk2xQcSUs TARG (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaz-xh8igtE Venture (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CInXyYrp9zI Venture (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/venture Pepper II (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/pepper-ii Pepper II (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOy4eeCrEXQ Mousetrap (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ5y3JvOMDo Mousetrap (Gameplay on Hardware): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKB09AiQC1w Mousetrap (Cabinet and Repair): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd8fIf_BhMw Mousetrap (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/mouse-trap Victory (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/victory--exidy Victory (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_0LKMV2wT0 Hard Hat (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/hard-hat Hard Hat (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yow567S3XRs Whirly Bucket (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Arcade/whirly-bucket Whirly Bucket (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur2FLE5jSIg Fax (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/fax Fax (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEQo3YPxgqQ Max-A-Flex System (Overview): https://www.classicarcademuseum.org/exidy-max-a-flex-system Astro Chase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqEst239p_A Flip & Flop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9qPSXWmVxs Boulder Dash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHH0Oayw6CY TCW 075 - Gunning for Light: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/gunning-for-light/ Crossbow (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/crossbow Crossbow (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXEOyfPRA0A Cheyenne (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/cheyenne Cheyenne (Cabinet & Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcCgqe9BAOE Combat (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/combat--exidy Combat (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFsBE70Pdi4 Vertigo (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/vertigo Top Gunner (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MXYF260JdE Chiller (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFmN5QlfF5Q Top Secret (Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/top-secret Top Secret (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lGVsVEwoA&t=16s Hit N' Miss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx2MDXCC7Mg Who Dunit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqvwe5aEGjQ New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • The Exidy of the 70's

    The Exidy of the 70's
    Jun 15 2024
    TCW Podcast Episode 212 - The Exidy of the 70's Following our examination of Ramtek, we now turn to Exidy, founded by Pete Kauffman and Samuel Hawes. Exidy began by producing Pong variants during the Pong boom. John Metzler joined in 1975, creating Destruction Darby, later licensed to Chicago Coin as Demolition Derby. After Metzler left, Howell Ivy revamped the game into the notorious Death Race '98, the first nationwide controversial video game for violence. Exidy's first microprocessor-based game, Car Polo, wasn't a major hit but was ahead of its time, foreshadowing Rocket League's concept of cars pushing a ball into a goal. They continued innovating with popular games like Circus, a precursor to Breakout. We finish our look at Exidy in the 70s with their venture into the computer market with the Exidy Sorcerer, which showed promise but was overshadowed by VisiCalc's release for the Apple II. TCW 211 - Ramtek: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/ramtek/ Art Bell Interview Malachi Martin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O8-t9M7xDc Larry King Coaches Conan On His Interview Technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I02Y8hRzpqE Soft Questions? Larry King Explains His Interview Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YqNyfeIyNc Sean Evans Reveals His Secret Interviewing Technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq5CWKTUNCQ 'Hot Ones' Guest Impressed by Sean Evans' Questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnhnYABROAg Hockey Tennis Exidy (Picture Needed): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/hockey-tennis TV Pinball Case: https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/tv-pinball TV Pinball Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_1kAlO8G6c TV Pin Game: https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/tv-pin-game Exidy Destruction Derby (Cabinet & Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLMmz1gdTVs Chicago Coin Demolition Derby (Cabinet): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AodIwNpqYQk Chicago Coin Demolition Derby (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kRQ2OEJkNY Death Race 2000 (1975 Trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp5FUoa4K7c Death Race cabinet pictures and flyer: https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/death-race Death Race Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fg-QN6tJPc Death Race Gameplay (MAME): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBBtt72aJLA The Media VS Death Race (VGHF Article): https://gamehistory.org/media-vs-death-race/ Score Newspaper Article, Flyer, and Cabinet Pictures: https://www.reddit.com/r/lostmedia/comments/mrnrug/exidys_score_lost_arcade_game_1977_the_first/ Exidy Car Polo Cabinet Picture: https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/car-polo Car Polo Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmZKvLRFpiI An Introduction to Rocket League: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os7TTRtF-HI Robot Bowl (Pictures and Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/robot-bowl Robot Bowl (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRLdN6dCLu0 Meadows Lanes (Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Fj136NZQ8 Meadows Lanes (Pictures and Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/meadows-lanes Robot Bowl Ball Return Cabinet Picture: https://www.gamesdatabase.org/media/arcade/artwork-cabinet/robot-bowl Circus (Gameplay Original Hardware): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTxNk1NqTFc Circus (Cabinet Pictures and Flyers): https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/circus TCW 202 - Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/advanced-balls-and-paddles-part-2/ The Exidy Sorcerer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWseXQDrhJY New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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    1 hr and 37 mins
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CEO/CIOs, creative/marketing Success & Failure

Alex Smith and Jeffrey Daum get to the heart of the story by speaking with those involved in the creation of the systems and games we have loved and hated. I enjoy the banter as these two communicate who, what, why, and how entertainment systems and game systems succeeded and failed over the decades

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