[game_preservation] Game Canon

[Martin Goldberg]

What you guys are all describing with your individual viewpoints and
processes in this matter reminded me of a book by some friends of mine
(Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton) from last year.  Vintage Games -

http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Games-Insider-History-Influential/dp/0240811461/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280858796&sr=8-1

Rather than lists of canon games in a genre they took the approach of
each chapter being about what they considered the most influential
game of that genre, interweaving the games that preceeded it and that
were later influenced by it in an intersting narrative.  The basic
formula for each chapter/game is:

- briefly introduce the game and proceed to give a summary of why it
was successful and the many clones it produced.

- present the games that came before and paved the way for the main
focus of each chapter, the influential game itself.

- Discuss any major industry influence and cultural ties and how the
game was a product of or influenced them.

- identify what the important aspects of the game were itself – what
innovations it introduced, or important game play and graphical
elements it included.

- List/discuss some later very popular games that were influenced by
it and focus on how those games also produced innovations in their own
right in their attempts to expand on the basic formula

- Discuss the genre itself in closing.

You can read a review I did last year for a little more insight in to the book:

http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=403

To me I like that approach because it gives more context to the game/s
in a genre you're presenting rather than subjective lists that canons
can turn in to.  It's also a way to get past the issue of "in order to
focus on some games, you must ignore others" that Devin points out.


Marty