Battlezone: How a Simple Tank Game Became a Military Simulator
2025-01-04
Released in 1980, Atari's Battlezone revolutionized gaming with its groundbreaking first-person perspective and 3D vector graphics. Powered by three microprocessors—one dedicated to complex matrix calculations for perspective—the game pushed the limits of technology, overcoming challenges like object limitations and screen clipping. Unexpectedly, its success caught the attention of the US Army, leading to a rushed conversion into a military training simulator, Army Battlezone. This article details the development of Battlezone, its surprising military application, and the ethical dilemmas faced by its creators, highlighting the challenges and ingenuity of early game development.
Game
arcade games