FIRST DIGITIZED HOME VIDEO GAME
In 1987 the first digitized home video game was created by Michael Riedel and Remington Scott. This milestone in computer graphics paved the way for photo realistic animation for interactive experiences years before the term 'multimedia' was coined for commercial computer enhanced experiences.
Several years before Photoshop was created, tools to digitize imagery and digitally paint, roto-scope and retouch digitized photos, as well as adjust image settings such as brightness, contrast, hue and saturation were built to bring the characters to life. To play back the images, software was developed to view interactive movies on a computer several years before Quicktime was created.
This was the first officially licensed World Wrestling Federation game. It's success paved the way for sequels and match disc's. Remington Scott was a senior in high school when he co-created this innovative achievement.
Quantum Change in Graphic Quality
Until digitization of photo real images were utilized in video games, graphics were pixelated cartoons bearing little semblance to real life.
Above, Mike Tyson's Punchout, 1987, featuring cartoon characters and pixelated animation, was an industry standard in computer animation for that era.
Above, MicroLeague Wrestling, 1987, pioneered the process of digitally recording athletes as interactive movie clips which created a new aesthetic. Photoreal characters were now starring in computer games ushering in a modern era of detailed imagery.
DIGITIZED ANIMATION IN VIDEO GAMES
Digitized animation provided video game publishers a new tool that brought to life photographically real characters. Acclaim Entertainment, one of the worlds largest publishers of home video games in the '90's, was a leader in digitized content. Acclaim produced dozens of games a year, such as Mortal Kombat, utilizing the production methodology of recording actors in front of blue screens. Through digitization of actors, animation content in video games were produced quicker and to a higher degree of realism than traditional animation methods of the past. During this golden age Acclaim Entertainment grossed over $580 million in 1995.
Remington Scott directed digitized production and animation at Acclaim. The 2D digitized imagery soon evolved into 3D digitized animation via Motion Capture which was also pioneered at Acclaim for the entertainment industry.