David Perry: Will videogames become better than life?

Summary

In this TED Talk, David Perry shares his journey from growing up in Northern Ireland to becoming a renowned video game developer. He humorously recounts his early experiences with primitive gaming systems like the Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81, leading to a career crafting popular games. Perry discusses the rapid evolution of the gaming industry, highlighting its economic impact, diverse demographics, and the potential for games to evoke deep emotions. He also presents a student's perspective on the blurred lines between reality and gaming, emphasizing the power of video games to influence and educate, while urging developers to consider their creations' impact on society.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker humorously describes growing up in Northern Ireland and the limited career options, including the military, which he found unappealing.
• 🎓 Attending school in Belfast, the speaker found the curriculum dull, with mandatory subjects like Latin, and chose rowing as a sport, which he excelled at until a memorable incident.
• 💻 The introduction of the Research Machine 3DZ at school and the Sinclair ZX80 at home sparked the speaker's interest in programming, leading him to learn BASIC and later Assembly language.
• 👨‍💻 Sir Clive Sinclair is credited as a pioneer in the European video game industry, with his inventions like the ZX80 and ZX81 influencing the speaker's early programming experiences.
• 🕹️ The speaker reminisces about the early days of video games, where imagination was key due to the limited graphics and technology, and the transition to more sophisticated games.
• 📈 The video game industry has seen significant growth, with the speaker providing statistics that show it becoming a multi-billion dollar business, surpassing other entertainment industries.
• 👩‍👧‍👦 The demographic of gamers is diverse, with 43% being female and the average age being 30, challenging the stereotype of gamers being young males.
• 🌐 Online gaming has created a substantial economy, with games like 'World of Warcraft' generating substantial revenue and players investing significant time and money into virtual worlds.
• 🎶 The popularity of video games extends to their music, with concerts featuring video game soundtracks being well-received by audiences.
• 📊 The speaker predicts that video game graphics will continue to improve dramatically, and emphasizes the importance of emotion and storytelling in games, not just technology.
• 🌟 The future of video games is seen as potentially transformative, with the potential to educate, influence emotions, and change perceptions of reality, as expressed by a student's video shared by the speaker.

Q & A

Where did the speaker grow up and what was the climate like?

The speaker grew up in Northern Ireland, specifically in the very north end, where it was described as 'absolutely freezing cold'.

What career paths were considered obvious for the speaker in Ireland?

In Ireland, the military was considered an obvious career choice, but the speaker found it unappealing.

What was the speaker's mother's desired career path for him?

The speaker's mother wanted him to become a dentist.

Why did the speaker find the school he attended in Belfast boring?

The school was described as boring because they forced students to learn subjects like Latin, and the sports were either dirty or painful.

What sport did the speaker choose in school and why?

The speaker chose rowing because he got very good at it, although he had a fateful day when he flipped over in front of the entire school.

What significant computer did the speaker's school receive from a government grant?

The school received an incredible computer called the Research Machine 3DZ from a government grant.

What was the first computer the speaker used at home and how did it work?

The first computer the speaker used at home was the Sinclair ZX80, a 1K computer where programs were bought on cassette tape.

What programming languages did the speaker learn to create games?

The speaker learned BASIC initially, but later moved on to Assembly language to have better control over the hardware.

What was the significance of Sir Clive Sinclair in the speaker's narrative?

Sir Clive Sinclair was the inventor of the Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81, and he is recognized as the father of video games in Europe.

What notable video games did the speaker work on during his career?

The speaker worked on notable video games such as 'The Terminator,' 'Aladdin,' and 'Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles.'

What was the speaker's last game project about and what was its goal?

The speaker's last game project aimed to get the video game industry and Hollywood to collaborate on projects rather than just licensing from each other.

What were some of the surprising statistics the speaker shared about the video game industry?

In 2005, the video game industry was a 29 billion dollar business, with 43% of gamers being female, and the average age of gamers being 30 years old.

How did the speaker describe the evolution of video game graphics from the past to the future?

The speaker showed a timeline video illustrating the improvement in video game graphics and encouraged the audience to think about the curve of progress, suggesting that games will continue to become more realistic and immersive.

What was the student's perspective on video games as expressed in the video shared by the speaker?

The student expressed that video games have become an integral part of his life, blurring the line between reality and virtual existence, and that they have the potential to be both addictive and emotionally impactful.