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Computer Space [Model 720]

Arcade Video game published 53 years ago by Nutting Associates, Inc.

Not listed in MAME yet

Computer Space [Model 720] screenshot

Computer Space © 1971 Nutting Associates.

Exciting player action occurs as coin is inserted and start button os pushed to activate the unit, A rocket ship appears out of nowhere and at the same instant the once friendly flying saucer begins firing missiles at the rocket ship. Now at the controls of the rocket ship, you begin to evade the missiles bearing down on you and maneuver into position to fire your own missiles at the saucers. The thrust motors from your rocket ship, the rocket turning signals, the firing of your missiles and explosions fill the air with the sights and sounds of combat as your battle against the saucers for the highest score. Outscore or hit the saucers with your missiles more times than they hit you for extended play in hyperspace. Attain hyperspace and the playfield turns white and gives you a vision of daylight in outer space. Thrill to the reality of controlling your own rocket ship in gravity-free outer space. Battle the saucers in a duel of wits and coordination!

Goodies for Computer Space [Model 720]
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TECHNICAL/MACHINE PICT.
1234

Model # 720

TRIVIA

While he's attending the University of Utah getting his Bachelor of Science, a young student named Nolan Bushnell spends most of his time playing Russell's "SpaceWar!" on the PDP-1 mainframe at the university, one of only three educational facilities in the U.S. that can afford the computer monitors to display it. Working summers as a manager at an arcade in a Salt Lake City amusement park at 19 years old, he becomes convinced of the commercial viability of a videogame like "SpaceWar!", if only the system that ran it could be scaled down from university mainframes and into a more reasonably compact version. He begins an eight year odyssey to do just that : produce an arcade version of "SpaceWar!". He even goes so far as to move his second daughter Britta into her older sister's room so he can turn Britta's into a workshop to work on the translation. When he graduates in 1970, he goes to work in Sunnyvale California for Ampex, the company that invented videotape in 1957. His starting salary is $US 12,000. Fellow co-worker Ted Dabney then becomes involved in the project to turn "SpaceWar!" into Computer Space, the world's first coin-operated arcade videogame.

When 1971 rolls around Bushnell is convinced that he's on the right track, and he leaves Ampex to work on the Computer Space game full time. When he finally completes, 1,500 of the units are built, with a beautiful futuristic design and fiberglass cabinet, but the game does not sell well. Bushnell comes to the conclusion that the procedures of using various buttons for the thrusting and rotating of the ships are just too complicated for half-pissed bar patrons to comprehend. He becomes convinced that any successful video arcade game has to be extremely easy to understand from the get-go.

Larry Kerecman was one of the very first operators of video arcade games, including Computer Space. He writes that : "The brilliance of these machines was that Nolan Bushnell and company took what was computer programming (in "SpaceWar!") and translated it into a simpler version of the game (no gravity) using hard-wired logic circuits. The printed circuit boards that comprise electronics of these games use integrated circuits called small-scale integrated circuits. They consist of discrete logic chips and gates or gates, 4-line to 16-line decoders, etc. straight out of the Texas Instruments catalog. The shape of the rocket ship and flying saucer even are visible in a pattern of diodes on the PC board.".

A Computer Space unit appears in the 1973 movie 'Soylent Green', starring Charlton Heston. It appears briefly on screen being played by a woman while policeman Heston is visiting the apartment's owner.
A yellow Computer Space unit appears in the 1975 movie 'Jaws', during the arcade/beach scene (approximately 40 minutes from the beginning).

STAFF
SOURCES

Machine's picture.
Collector's Guide to Vintage Coin Machines - Richard M. Bueschel - Page 134 & 135