Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984

[8bitgamer]

Plug alert!

 

My book from McFarland Publishing is now available for pre-order via amazon.com. I posted a link below for easy access. The following is a description of the book from McFarland's website:

 

Classic Home Video Games, 1972–1984

A Complete Reference Guide

Brett Weiss

 

 

ISBN 978-0-7864-3226-4

photos, glossary, appendix, bibliography, index

316pp. hardcover (7 x 10) 2007

$55

 

Description

This reference work provides a comprehensive guide to popular and obscure video games of the 1970s and early 1980s, covering virtually every official U.S. release for programmable home game consoles of the pre–Nintendo NES era. Included are such systems as Arcadia 2001, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, Fairchild Channel F, Intellivision, Odyssey, Odyssey2, and Vectrex, among seven others. Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter includes a history and description of the game system, followed by a complete listing of video games released for that console. Each video game entry includes publisher/developer information and the release year, along with a substantive description and, frequently, the author’s critique. A glossary provides a helpful guide to the classic video game genres and terms referenced throughout the work. An appendix lists a number of “homebrew” titles that have been created by fans and amateur programmers and are available for download or purchase.

 

About the Author

Freelance writer and former comic book store owner Brett Weiss lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Home-Video-G...4138&sr=8-1

Edited June 10, 2007 by 8bitgamer

[Foxsolo2000]

I for one would like to say good luck with your endeavours. I hope you find success

[8bitgamer]

I for one would like to say good luck with your endeavours. I hope you find success

 

Thanks!

 

The should please classic gaming fans. It's the only book that has descriptions for EVERY game of the classic era.

[RJ]

Prob. a bit too late/far, but I bet you could move some of these at MGC this weekend, I know I'd buy one there.

[codyr783]

Sounds interesting.

[dwh]

I can not find this book at Amazon.com.What the hell!

Somebody please leave a link for this computer literate idiot, thanks.

[MrRetroGamer]

Where did you gather your reference material from, and what, in your opinion, makes your book stand out from other recent books that cover classic video games? Also, how was the final pricing arrived at, seems to me that the price could limit your audience a bit.

[MrRetroGamer]

I can not find this book at Amazon.com.What the hell!

Somebody please leave a link for this computer literate idiot, thanks.

 

You go to Amazon and search for the title of the book (Classic Home Video Games), it comes up as the first hit.

[8bitgamer]

Where did you gather your reference material from, and what, in your opinion, makes your book stand out from other recent books that cover classic video games? Also, how was the final pricing arrived at, seems to me that the price could limit your audience a bit.

 

Excellent questions, my friend.

 

Most of my reference material came from the games, boxes, and instruction manuals themselves, along with playing the games (I've been gaming for 30 years). I have a rather extensive collection. Other info I gathered from a variety of sources (as indicated in the preface of the book), including manuals that appear online.

 

My book stands out because it is the first and only book to cover every game for every system of the pre-NES era, no matter how obscure. Every game for every system has an entry between 30-100 or so words describing gameplay, etc.

 

The pricing is entirely up to the publisher.

 

Thanks,

 

Brett

[8bitgamer]

The cover for the book is now viewable.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Home-Video-G...4138&sr=8-1

Edited June 10, 2007 by 8bitgamer

[RJ]

I'll put this on my birthday wish list.

[codyr783]

Very nice cover! You deserve a free smiley!

Edited June 11, 2007 by codyr783

[+Lynxer2007]

I don't like doing pre-orders, but once it's released, I'll definitley check it out. I like reading about the pioneering days of video games.

Oh, and the cover looks terrific.

[thomasholzer]

My question to you is: How easy or difficult was it for you to find a publisher and did you go via an agent?

[fdurso224]

The book looks good. But I hope its not your typical Video Game book that rambles on, and on, and on and it simply gets dull. So far, Steven L. Kent's Ultimate History of Video Games is my Favorite so far.

[8bitgamer]

The book looks good. But I hope its not your typical Video Game book that rambles on, and on, and on and it simply gets dull. So far, Steven L. Kent's Ultimate History of Video Games is my Favorite so far.

 

My book is much different than a history book on games or an overview. It is a reference book. I profiled each game system, then wrote reviews/descriptions for each game. Every single game for every single pre-NES system has an entry. Entries include things like historical info, comparisons to similar games, comparisons to the same game for other systems, the type of game, and the basic gameplay for each game.

 

This is a fun-to-read reference book that I'm confident that retro gamers will enjoy.

 

Brett

[8bitgamer]

My question to you is: How easy or difficult was it for you to find a publisher and did you go via an agent?

 

That's a good question. I was at the San Diego Comic-Con and met a McFarland editor, talked to her for a while, then left her my business card. She contacted me a few days later and I wrote up an extensive book proposal, which the company accepted it a few days later.

 

~Brett

[8bitgamer]

I don't like doing pre-orders, but once it's released, I'll definitley check it out. I like reading about the pioneering days of video games.

Oh, and the cover looks terrific.

 

Fantastic! I'll definitely post when the book actually becomes available for sale. It's not a history book exactly, but the entries are loaded with historical information on the games. Every entry for every game has the most important info. about that game, and most have commentary on graphics, gameplay, and other subjective matters.

 

As soon as the book has been published, I'll try to post a couple of entries to give you guys a good idea what the book is like.

 

Brett

[fdurso224]

The book looks good. But I hope its not your typical Video Game book that rambles on, and on, and on and it simply gets dull. So far, Steven L. Kent's Ultimate History of Video Games is my Favorite so far.

 

My book is much different than a history book on games or an overview. It is a reference book. I profiled each game system, then wrote reviews/descriptions for each game. Every single game for every single pre-NES system has an entry. Entries include things like historical info, comparisons to similar games, comparisons to the same game for other systems, the type of game, and the basic gameplay for each game.

 

This is a fun-to-read reference book that I'm confident that retro gamers will enjoy.

 

Brett

 

 

Hi Brett:

 

Far Out!!! Is there a softcover version that will be publish? Also, when the book debuts in bookstores,would you be able to autograph it for me? I'll mail it out to you of course

 

Anthony...

[+Random Terrain]

The cover for the book is now viewable.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Home-Video-G...4138&sr=8-1

Is it too early for the usual book description to be displayed at Amazon?

 

[i hope this book is better than the Laughing Tiger Eats a Banana or whatever it was called.]

Edited June 13, 2007 by Random Terrain

[8bitgamer]

The book looks good. But I hope its not your typical Video Game book that rambles on, and on, and on and it simply gets dull. So far, Steven L. Kent's Ultimate History of Video Games is my Favorite so far.

 

My book is much different than a history book on games or an overview. It is a reference book. I profiled each game system, then wrote reviews/descriptions for each game. Every single game for every single pre-NES system has an entry. Entries include things like historical info, comparisons to similar games, comparisons to the same game for other systems, the type of game, and the basic gameplay for each game.

 

This is a fun-to-read reference book that I'm confident that retro gamers will enjoy.

 

Brett

 

 

Hi Brett:

 

Far Out!!! Is there a softcover version that will be publish? Also, when the book debuts in bookstores,would you be able to autograph it for me? I'll mail it out to you of course

 

Anthony...

 

No idea on a soft cover. Maybe if the book sells extremely well. Hopefully, retro gamers will support it.

 

I'll be glad to sign it!

 

Best,

 

Brett

[Rik]

Excellent!we need more books like this!

[Trade-N-Games]

Excellent!we need more books like this!

Well take a look Rik.New book

[8bitgamer]

Excellent!we need more books like this!

 

Absolutely!

 

Compared to movies and music, video games come up lacking when it comes to serious coverage via the publishing industry.

 

http://brettweisswords.blogspot.com/

[8bitgamer]

Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984 is now available.

 

Click the following link to read excerpts from my new book:

 

http://brettweisswords.blogspot.com/