Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary - Kotaku Comments

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

ViewtifulJason — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:03:15 MST

OK, whose got this torrented?

ViewtifulJason

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:34:11 MST

Setting up a recording since I'll be in class during the event!

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

peanutismint — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 10:23:33 MST

@ironmaus: Yeah, I'll second that. Perhaps we could notify some of the sceners now and see if any of them can capture it? That is, if it's not seen as 'illegal'... I'm of the opinion that anything I can watch on TV at home is fine to download! :-)

peanutismint

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

KM91 — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:26:45 MST

I'll watch it.

KM91

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Trackback — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:16:51 MST

Source Four display screens on The Bay in Toronto suffers the BSOD for days — GizmodoYour FaceBook or MySpace profile could cost you your job — SwitchedDiscovery Channel to air video-game documentary — KotakuiPhone launch in UK isn't exactly the same as US launch — Shiny ShinyTeamSugar user Shiloh...

Trackback

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

AsWater — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:35:37 MST

Woah, what a good Friday. I look forward to these and I hope there is an article for every episode so we can discuss it.

AsWater

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

clbrowni — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 07:05:58 MST

I can't wait for this. Their other documentaries have been pretty good, and this is a very interesting time to examine what's gone before; it's all still relatively fresh and the people involved hare still alive.

clbrowni

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

gunstarhero — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:15:43 MST

You mean they can fill 5 hours worth with video game content?

gunstarhero

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Amzin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:41:25 MST

The thing is, KLOGG, people really WERE concerned about those game's imagery. It seems silly compared with what we've got now, but everything is relative, and comparing Wolfenstein 3D to what else was out then you can kind of see why.

Amzin

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

BadByte — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:16:48 MST

This is one of the better gaming documenteries made, aired as "I, Videogame" in my region long time ago.

BadByte

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

indiemike — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:58:10 MST

Maybe they can get Scott Murphey alongside Ken Williams, and then they can fist Sierra and make another Space Quest game.

This is frickin' awesome. I'm psyched.

indiemike

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

randomizer9 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:44:05 MST

I'm also glad to see Ralph Baer get some credit, some of his papers and the "Brown Box" are now in the Smithsonian: [invention.smithsonian.org]

randomizer9

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Waz — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:32:17 MST

I'm really excited for this. I love learning things from those inside the industry.

Waz

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

smashbruvah — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:23:17 MST

I wish I had cable or dish or whatever. It won't be online right?

smashbruvah

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

redDragon — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:06:04 MST

Man, I'm only going to be able to catch the last two hours of this. Some days I wish I had tivo or something like that. But most stuff on tv these days is crap.

redDragon

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

klogg — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:48:20 MST

Thanks for the info Geoff! Definately going to check this out.

"...with games like "Return to Castle Wolfenstein" and "DOOM" ... These groundbreaking 3-D games led the industry down new paths both thrilling and troubling. Critics questioned if these games were getting too real, too violent and too addictive."

This made me laugh.

klogg

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

RPharazon — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:40:58 MST

@EternalGameNation: He's filling in for Crecente. He's doing a mighty good job at it too!

Although he could use more hair and alcohol. I miss that.

RPharazon

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

EternalGameNation — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:29:01 MST

Is Geoff Keighley an associate editor now or something?

EternalGameNation

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Yurishoo — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:17:58 MST

Schwwweeeet! Now I can combine two of my favorite hobbies- videogames and Discovery Channel! Now if Jade hosted this thing, my head would just explode.

Yurishoo

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

WasabiJoe — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:13:56 MST

I love Discovery and it's programs, but please beg them to re-run this at a suitable time. I honestly don't know if I'll be able to do anything but play Mass Effect come Nov 20ish

WasabiJoe

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

V1L3 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:03:09 MST

@StorminNorman: Actually, the descriptions leave no doubt that this IS "I, Videogame." Unless you're suggesting that the two documentaries coincidentally have 5 1-hour long episodes, each covering the exact same concept and games in the same order?

It was a really good series, and whilst they did gloss over a lot, not to mention make various omissions and errors, it was more about looking at different aspects of the medium as a whole and how it's been affected by and also impacted society, as opposed to simply following the chronologically linear history of the medium. It was obviously intended to be interesting for people who aren't as knowledgeable about games as we are, and, given its even-handed approach (especially in regards to violence), we should be glad our favourite hobby is gaining this kind of credibility.

V1L3

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

edb87 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:43:16 MST

Man I'll never get to see these if they don't happen to come out on DVD.

*crosses fingers*

edb87

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

sacwchiri — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:36:15 MST

amm im wondering they showed some documentaries here in south America called the era of the video game... i dont know why but they sound similar, be funny if they showed it here , and if im wrong ( most likely case) i cant wait to see some good video game history.

sacwchiri

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

underground_slacker — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:34:34 MST

cool, hope it shows up on the uk discovery channel, im allwasy on there feeding my mythbustesr/ american chopper addiction anyway so i no doubt see if it is.

underground_slacker

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Gam3r — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:24:25 MST

Nice, I'll have to make sure the VCR is correctly hooked up to record. Wish I could put this on the other tape I have when I think it may have been MSNBC did a history of gaming, but 5 hours won't fit. Now I gotta get a vcr tape too. Going to write myself a reminder for Nov 21.

Gam3r

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

StorminNorman — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:21:07 MST

The descriptions suggest that this isn't "I, Videogame", a documentary that thought the history of FPS games went Wolf3d->Doom->America's Army.

I wanted to hurt my TV at that point.

StorminNorman

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Leonidas16 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:16:53 MST

This sounds like it will be really good. I am happy to see that a good documentary will make on a channel that a good portion of people will watch. Also does anyone think that someone will make a big stink about this being on a somewhat educational channel.

Leonidas16

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

ironmaus — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:12:28 MST

Anybody know where we can get a torrent of this? I doubt EZTV will have it.

ironmaus

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name. — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:11:45 MST

Nice. 5 hours? Whoa.

I don't see no Moral Kombat.

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Sailorcancer — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:28:59 MST

I remember TLC did something like this.

Sailorcancer

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

slash000 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:22:27 MST

Roberta Williams is a credit, attention-grabbing hog.

slash000

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

ghnvt — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:21:04 MST

Recording this crap. I love watching VG docs. Makes me what to break into the industry.

ghnvt

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Aescalon — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:15:19 MST

I love Discovery. Everything from Deadliest Catch to Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs. Planet Earth was amazing. This sounds like another sweet program, and I'll definitely have to check it out. Thanks for giving us a heads up.

Aescalon

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Cow_Shed — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:14:01 MST

Good to see Discovery is branching out.

Cow_Shed

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

DarkTetsuya — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:11:27 MST

Wow, so Discovery shows more videogame content in 5 hours than G4 shows all day?

Yeah, I went there.

DarkTetsuya

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

charlie_pr — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:09:16 MST

@TheContender: Yes, it was "The Era of the Videogame". It's the same one? or a very similar one? Anyway it was a superb documentary.

charlie_pr

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

TheContender — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:55:59 MST

@charlie_pr: I know that one, it was called "I, Videogame" in some regions and "The Era of the Videogame" on others.

TheContender

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

mrvortigar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:55:39 MST

Pretty cool, I'll check it out. Discovery made some excellent documentaries in the past.

mrvortigar

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

charlie_pr — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:53:34 MST

I don't know but i remember watching something very very similar to that in discovery aroud 3 or 4 months ago. It was also a 5 part series and the chapters were almost identical to that description.

charlie_pr

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

FunkyJ — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:41:36 MST

Inside Deep Throat is a very well made doco, so props to getting videogames the same treatment.

Hopefully this will get wide distribution and we'll get to see it outside of the USA.

That, or it's put up on torrents...

FunkyJ

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

wheezo — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:40:09 MST

Wow - now I feel old if the Williams' are considered obscure.

wheezo

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

ShawnC++ — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:37:45 MST

It's nice to see someone actually give props to Ralph Baer considering I haven't even seen him mentioned anywhere on television since his special on TechTV/G4 and that was almost 4 years ago if my failing memory serves me correctly.

ShawnC++

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

coop510 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:29:23 MST

I wonder if they'll have the great Baer/Bushnell battle...
I would so pay to see them have a fist fight now, Bushnell has size on his side, but scrappy lil Baer could sling his NATIONAL MEDAL OF TECHNOLOGY across Bushnell's face....

coop510

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

necrozen — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:15:07 MST

This sounds great! I will definitely watch this. Thanks for the heads up.

necrozen

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

DranzerKire — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:04:54 MST

Nice, I am sure to watch this when they air it.

DranzerKire

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

junta0 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:04:53 MST

here's a 47 min History of Video Games documentary that Discovery Channel already did awhile back. [video.google.com]

junta0

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

BOMxAgonyxScenex — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:01:52 MST

Geoff...one of the few TV/internet personalities who actually know his shit.

BOMxAgonyxScenex

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

tomasz333 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:57:23 MST

Can't wait (actually, the real reason I wish it was sooner is due to my lack of memory and severely underused agenda...) Be sure to remind us when it's starting!

tomasz333

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Tomahawk214 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:56:53 MST

@kimcheese:

Agreed, he was the true father of video games. I remember watching a documentary on how the "Crash" of the early video games happened. He started with just moving a simple dot around the screen, and then evolved it into a dot chasing another dot, Fox and the Hound, which was the first TRUE game, not Pong.

Tomahawk214

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Marcus117 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:55:49 MST

Do you have any idea if this will air in the UK at all?

Marcus117

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Heliophage — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:53:31 MST

I'll set it up on my TiVo now, in case I miss them when they air. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

@Tomahawk214:

I agree. Nice work, Geoff.

@jeffram:

You assume. The three people before you may very well hate David Jaffe, and just haven't voiced it. On a related note, "In before..." is just as bad as "[Blank] called and they want..." or "First!".

Heliophage

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Soldier87 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:50:37 MST

Well this should be interesting, I never figured the discovery channel to be doing this though.

Soldier87

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

kimcheese — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:49:44 MST

Ralph Baer, now there's a guy alot people don't even give proper credit to!

kimcheese

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Jacktherip — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:49:28 MST

@elevenoverzero: Same, I should've paid my cable bills rather then buy video games, oh well.

Jacktherip

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

jeffram — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:48:40 MST

in before jaffe haters.

jeffram

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

SmAuRt_GuY — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:48:16 MST

I'm watching all of them!

SmAuRt_GuY

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

elevenoverzero — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:44:56 MST

Very cool. Sucks I don't have pay-TV... :(

YouTube will likely have it though. Can't wait to check it out. It's nice to not be demonised in the media now and again.

elevenoverzero

Discovery Channel to Air 5 Hour Videogame Documentary

Tomahawk214 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:43:46 MST

Definately will schedule that, sounds great.

Btw I love your writing Geoff, keep at it.

Tomahawk214