Innovation in 1984

The gaming industry has always been driven by impressive electronic stunts and innovative game-play. When people think personal computers and 1984, they think about text-based number guessing games, and maybe Breakout or Pac-Man.

But what few realize is that 6502c assembly actually offered quite a bit of power. It took almost genius, but if you were smart enough you could write some pretty impressive games. (for 1984)

SkyFox on the Apple IIe (6502)

SkyFox for the Apple II is one of the most impressive games I've ever seen run on a 6502. I really do have this game on a 5.25" floppy, and I really do run it on my Apple IIc. It gives a pretty good illusion of 3D while rocketing past tanks and terrain, firing a machine-gun all the while.

The game was written by Stewart Bonn, and Richard Hilleman, a couple of guys who would later go on to work as executives at Electronic Arts.

But to put this in perspective the Apple II runs a 65c02 at 1.023Mhz with 128 KB of RAM and a 280x192 hi-rez display with 6 colors. With... and introductory cost in 1984 of $1,295.

We've come a long ways since 1984 but one thing has never changed, innovation in the industry always leads to success. And it's not just the gaming industry in which this is true, in almost any area, when you can be smarter, different, and better, you do two things, you win financially, and you help the industry progress. It's innovation that improves the world.