early games computers computers primarily businesses academic institutions large scale processes personal computers termed widely available general public 1970s computing industry composed computers relatively smaller cheaper variant mid late 1960s early video games programmed computers developed prior rise commercial video game industry early 1970s early games generally written students employees large corporations machine assembly language understood specific machine computer type developed games lost older computers discontinued ported high level computer languages like basic expanded versions later released personal computers recreated bulletin board systems years later influencing future games developers early computer games began created 1950s steady increase number abilities computers time led gradual restrictions access computers academic corporate institutions beginning 1960s turn led modest generally small text based games computers increasing complexity end decade games continued developed 1970s rise personal computers spread high level programming languages meant later games generally intended capable run personal computers developed early games include strategy city building genres inspired numerous 1970s 1980s civil war early war simulation game star trek widely ported expanded spread decades played role creation operating system baseball early sports game baseball game allow player control game background computers powerful computers primarily large organizations work especially large scale multi user processes term originally referred large called main frames housed central processing unit main memory early computers prior rise personal computers termed 1970s primary type computer use beginning 1960s type computer available public purchase relatively smaller cheaper computers prevalent 1960s 1970s intended personal use definition required cost contrast regular cost end 1960s computers present academic research institutions large companies commercial video game industry exist point early history video games early 1970s programmers companies created small games played computers spread users type computer persist older computer models discontinued inspired future games later released modified versions modern systems languages early games largely created earlier games created limited small academic audiences games continued developed 1970s rise commercial video game industry focused arcade video games home video game consoles followed rise personal computers later decade meant beginning 1970s audience developers video games began shift away computers spread general purpose programming languages basic programming language meant later games generally run personal computers minimal changes initially developed early games computer games began appear 1950s starting computer based game toe built canadian national exhibition status games video games depends definition games developed time period ran large computers primarily developed purposes academic research showcase technological development computers ran access computers located exclusively universities research institutions restricted academics researchers preventing development entertainment programs course decade computer technology improved include smaller based computers programs created run real time operations run computers spread locations 1960s improvements computing technology early development relatively cheaper computers later termed led restrictions programming access computers mit access experimental computer opened students employees university turn led development programs addition highlighting power computer contained entertainment aspect games created small programming community mit included light pen play simple game crosses computer mouse maze let players set maze mouse run computer installed mit community built video game showcase abilities known video game spread single computer installation copied recreated systems later computers course decade computers spread companies institutions powerful estimated computers monitors dozen beginning 1960s different computers generally run programs significant changes programs code differences physical hardware machine languages expansion computing industry led creation user groups share programs different installations series computers line groups program catalog shared small games programs including example bbc baseball dimensional toe april catalog games question answer games newsletter half 1960s higher level programming languages basic able run multiple types computers increased reach games developed given location games limited text based designs visual graphics like games complicated reached players baseball basketball simulation games access computers extended people systems time sharing system connected thousand users remote campus central computer school year library programs system included wrote games quarter system usage casual entertainment purposes noted lost distinguished visitor hours football team highly realistic simulated game basic computer games employee converted games focal language basic partially demonstration language popularity led start printing basic games newsletter edited ones wrote reader submissions released book basic computer games containing descriptions source code video games written basic games included written included games original language ported languages focal ports originally computer games basic computer games landmark title computer games programming best selling title copies sold sales computers existence time second edition titled million selling computer book basic ports computer games included book long lived original versions computer games particular known appearance book original game text based strategy video game land resource management developed created computer game fellow employee newly invented focal programming language game consists rounds player ancient king manages grain spend crops round feeding people purchasing additional land dealing random variations crop yields multiple versions game created focal languages expanded uncredited version game included basic computer games later versions game focal referenced new title old influenced later strategy simulation games city building genre game originally ported basic appeared book different forms original version game called lunar originally written focal high school student fall different version called rocket written basic version written basic converted focal version basic changed text published newsletter year later basic versions game appeared basic computer games names rocket version version version text based games required player control rocket attempting land moon entering instructions rocket response summary current position heading relative ground converted versions microsoft basic changed published magazine edition game book civil war text based computer game puts player computer simulation american_civil_war civil war originated multi user computers fourteen major battles conflict human player south computer north player control direct interact determine battle outcome money spend food salaries ammunition offensive defensive strategies use fewest casualties wins battle player wins battles win game appearing basic computer games civil war later number text based games available early 1980s pay play systems possibly popular games appeared book star trek game text based computer game puts player command starship enterprise mission hunt destroy invading fleet warships unlike text based games use written responses player input instead character based graphics different characters graphical symbols represent objects initially developed game unlike games book originally written basic time book published widely copied systems modified versions renamed appeared basic computer games version book contained microsoft basic port expanded version game written version ported numerous personal computer systems era stated book difficult find computer installation contain version star trek multiple updated versions wide variety languages star trek described dragon magazine popular popular computer games literally scores different versions game floating games games appear basic computer games lasting impact game developed travel solar system player flies ship dimensional scale model solar system objectives attempt land planets player turn ship adjust overall speed adjusting scale simulation ship affected single strongest pull astronomical bodies game developed ported operating system operating system computer game thompson developed ideas operating system later formed core operating system spread effect future games leaving primary legacy original push development influential early game baseball sports game created english major baseball baseball video game allowed players manage game picking players beginning game program documented new_york baseball continually updated distributed installations text based game player control pitcher batter enter intention example pitch walk batter switch hitters batting player direct base players steal batter hit results play printed paper description like radio description game went develop sophisticated baseball games world series baseball numerous games
Early mainframe games