Drawing on extensive research, this book explores the techniques that
old computer games used to run on tightly-constrained platforms.
Retrogame developers faced incredible challenges of limited space,
computing power, rudimentary tools, and the lack of homogeneous
environments.
Using examples from over 100 retrogames, this book examines the clever
implementation tricks that game designers employed to make their
creations possible, documenting these techniques that are being lost.
However, these retrogame techniques have modern analogues and
applications in general computer systems, not just games, and this book
makes these contemporary connections. It also uses retrogames'
implementation to introduce a wide variety of topics in computer systems
including memory management, interpretation, data compression,
procedural content generation, and software protection.
Retrogame Archeology targets professionals and advanced-level students
in computer science, engineering, and mathematics but would also be of
interest to retrogame enthusiasts, computer historians, and game studies
researchers in the humanities.