Retrogame Archeology

Drawing on extensive research, this book explores the techniques that old computer games used to run on tightly-constrained platforms. Retrogame developers faced incredible challenges of limited space, computing power, rudimentary tools, and the lack of homogeneous environments.

Using examples from over 100 retrogames, this book examines the clever implementation tricks that game designers employed to make their creations possible, documenting these techniques that are being lost. However, these retrogame techniques have modern analogues and applications in general computer systems, not just games, and this book makes these contemporary connections. It also uses retrogames' implementation to introduce a wide variety of topics in computer systems including memory management, interpretation, data compression, procedural content generation, and software protection.

Retrogame Archeology targets professionals and advanced-level students in computer science, engineering, andmathematics but would also be of interest to retrogame enthusiasts, computer historians, and game studies researchers in the humanities.

The only book of its kind broadly examining retrogame implementation and its modern applications Real examples widely drawn from over 100 games spanning twenty years and a variety of computing platforms and game genres Useful reading for practicing computer scientists and engineers to understand in a compelling way about computer system constraints and how they can be handled

Inhalt
Introduction.- Memory Management.- Slow, Wildly Incompatible I/O.- Interpreters.- Data Compression.- Procedural Content Generation.- Protection.- Obfuscation and Optimization.- Endgame.