Creating Q*Bert: and Other Classic Video Arcade Games

A book that did not disappoint - Warren Davis gives a wonderful account of how he got into the games industry and what led to create one of the most famous arcade games of all time. It was very interesting also to learn about a number of other titles that Warren worked on, some of which never saw the light of day.Not too tech heavy (which I didn't mind either way), and where it does verge into that area, Warren is apologetic and tries not to alienate anyone. A fantastic read and comes highly recommended!

Molto interessante e piacevole da leggere.

In 1982, at the height of the classic video game era, Warren Davis could have been a stand-up comedian toiling in obscurity somewhere in Chicago. But by a Q*uirk of fate, he answered a newspaper ad placed by Gottlieb, a company known for its pinball machines. Davis, who had recently quit a job with Bell Labs and decided to try his hand at being a comedian, wasn’t sure if he wanted to go back to computer engineering, answered the ad on a lark, and assumed it would be no big deal if nothing came of it.He was hired, and in less than a year his very first game, Q*bert, was released and became a cultural sensation and Gottlieb’s most successful arcade game. It’s a video gamer’s fantasy come true.Davis didn’t get rich from Q*bert, since Gottlieb owned the rights, but it led to a successful career that included both video game design and acting in numerous TV roles.Davis has a knack for simple, direct storytelling that keeps you engaged without unnecessary tangents. I got the feel for the seat-of-the-pants, DIY ethos of that period, especially for companies trying to make a dent in an increasingly crowded industry busy inventing the rules along the way.Q*bert has long been my favorite arcade game. Now that a record of the backstory has been made available for posterity, I appreciate it even more. (It helps that I was a boy living in Naperville at the time not far from where all the action was happening!)Great read, and highly recommended!

As someone who has enjoyed the classic Q*bert arcade game for most of his 42-year life, and as someone who spends a portion of their free time developing games of his own, I found this book an absolute joy to read. Warren describes in great detail exactly how that game came to be, and also provides insights on how many other classic arcade games of the 80s and 90s were built, including some that he worked on that I'd never heard of. The book definitely does not overstay its welcome; actually, it left me wanting more! He promises that he has many more stories, but that they're for another day. Well, if that day comes, I'll gladly buy anything else he writes on day one!Warren Davis, if you're reading this...THANK YOU very much for sharing your stories with me!

Warren Davis does a great job of telling his story about the origins of Q*bert and takes us through the latter years of his career working on other arcade games, some well known and other lesser known. The book is well written and a very informative. I liked hearing his perspective. He's always careful and upfront about telling you the way he remembers things and that others may have had a different viewpoint. This makes a great addition to my collection of Q*bert games and memorabilia.