In the digital archives of video game history, many projects are started but never see the light of day. One such project, a Commodore 64 game titled 'Computer Theatre,' was designed in 1984 by Dona Bailey, known for co-creating the arcade classic Centipede, in partnership with Paul Allen Newel at Activision. This game, however, remained unreleased and forgotten until recently, when it was uncovered in a surprise discovery that intrigues game historians and enthusiasts alike.
'Computer Theatre' was conceptualized as a visual novel, a genre that marries narrative storytelling with interactive elements such as dialog choices and character interactions. In this game, players would choose from one of three characters—Cathy, Beth, or Kent—and delve into a story that displayed autobiographical influences. Players could engage with non-player characters, select dialogue options, and explore the environment through newspaper clippings within the game. This form of digital storytelling was quite innovative for its time, paralleling developments in the visual novel genre emerging in Japan.
The prototype of this game surfaced in an unlikely place: the garage belonging to Paul Allen Newel. Unbeknownst to most, this garage held not just tools and old boxes but a piece of forgotten video game lore. The discovery was made by Katie Biittner, an anthropologist at MacEwan University in Alberta, Canada. Biittner, who was granted access to Newel's garage to conduct research, found the prototype among various other ephemera from Newel's career. The significance of this find is substantial, as it offers a glimpse into the innovative processes and creative ideas circulating in the video game industry during the 1980s.
The story of 'Computer Theatre' will soon reach a wider audience through a detailed article set to be published this December in the academic journal ROMchip. This article is a collaborative effort involving multiple scholars and experts, including Carl Thierren, a professor of video game history at the University of Montreal; John Aycock, a professor in computer science at the University of Calgary who helped to get the prototype operational; and, of course, the original creators, Newel and Bailey. This upcoming publication promises comprehensive insights into the game’s creation, its historical context, and its would-have-been contributions to the gaming industry.
In a Facebook post, Carl Thierren shared his thoughts on the significance of this discovery, emphasizing 'Computer Theatre' as a visionary creation that predated prominent developments in the visual novel genre. His enthusiasm for the game is evident in his description of the project as "beautiful" and worthy of a collective study by experts in various fields.
The excitement surrounding this find also highlights broader interest in video game preservation and the importance of such efforts. Historical video games offer more than nostalgia; they provide insights into past technologies, design philosophies, and cultural moments. Games like 'Computer Theatre' show how ideas ahead of their time sometimes remain unrecognized until the right moment, underscoring the dynamic interplay between creation, preservation, and discovery in digital media.
For those fascinated by video game history, the story of 'Computer Theatre' serves as a reminder of the treasures still hidden in basements, attics, and garages around the world, waiting to be found and brought into the public eye. As this previously unseen game transitions from a forgotten floppy disk in a dusty box to a case study in a scholarly article, it bridges decades of gaming history and opens up conversations about the legacies and preservation of digital game narratives.
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