The Interactive Pasts Conference: John Aycock
5Presentation at the Interactive Pasts Conference, April 4th 2016, Leiden University.
John Aycock (University of Calgary)
Retrogame Archeology vs. Archaeogaming: Mortal Kombat?
"I define "retrogame archeology" as understanding the tools, techniques, and technology in old computer games, and connecting these old methods to contemporary applications. As defined, this is a purely technical discipline. In 2014, I taught a fourth-year (senior) undergraduate Computer Science course on the topic, and a book I wrote on the subject is in press. Unfortunately, when I chose the name "retrogame archeology", I was unaware of the fledgling area in archaeology itself.
I argue that, despite the name collision, retrogame archeology and archaeogaming are complementary pursuits, and offer many useful opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. To start the discussion, I will present an overview of my work and some of the tools I have built to reveal the secrets buried in old computer games. I will also explain how retrogame archeology fits with respect to (modestly) more established areas like Platform Studies, and give some suggestions as to how archaeogaming and retrogame archeology might work together."