Gameline
Encyclopedia
The CVC GameLine was a cartridge for the Atari 2600
which could download games using a telephone line
.
In the early 1980s a cable pioneer named William von Meister
was looking for a way to use his innovative modem transmission technology, recently acquired in ill-fated attempts of sending music to cable companies. Legal issues caused cable providers to step away from the service, leaving Von Meister with a delivery tool and no content.
He then converted his variable speed adaptive modem technology to download games from central servers to individual households. This allowed users to call up a system and, for a fee, download games to their GameLine modules. The game would typically work for 5-10 plays, after which the user would have to connect to GameLine again and pay for another download.
Physically, the GameLine looked like an oversized silver Atari cartridge, it had a phone jack on the side that was used to link the GameLine with the CVC computers. The GameLine module was able to transmit with pulse or tone dialing, this allowed the unit to be versatile in the field. The games on GameLine were all from third-party gamemakers, the largest of which was Imagic
. GameLine tried, but failed to obtain licensing agreements from the largest game makers, such as Atari
, Activision
, Coleco
, Mattel
, and Parker Brothers
.http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/gameline.html?SystemID=2600
. This PIN was used to log into the central CVC computer and download the requested games. One of the benefits of registering was that you were given free games on your birthday.
GameLine provided players an opportunity to compete in contests with selected games, where they could upload a high score. Prizes would be awarded to regional (and supposedly national) champions. One such regional prize was a GameLine windbreaker.
Each subscriber to GameLine also received a professionally printed magazine called GameLiner. GameLiner consisted of information about new games added to the service, questions and answers, advice on better gameplay, and a list of all currently available games on GameLine.
GameLine was one of many smaller companies that went bust in the video game crash of 1983
.
, among others. This company created a service called Quantum Link
which linked together Commodore 64
and Commodore 128
users offering many of the expanded services originally envisioned for GameLine. Quantum Computer Services eventually became America Online in October 1991, which went on to be extremely successful during the 1990s, and was eventually merged with Time Warner
in 2001. Though the company still (technically) exists, support for the GameLine does not.
The GameLine is remembered for its pioneering vision and its unique selection of games like Save The Whales. This game was exclusive to the GameLine and although it was never released on a cartridge, a prototype was found in early 2002.
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
which could download games using a telephone line
Telephone line
A telephone line or telephone circuit is a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system...
.
In the early 1980s a cable pioneer named William von Meister
William von Meister
William F. von Meister was an American entrepreneur who founded and participated in a number of startup ventures in the Washington, D.C., area...
was looking for a way to use his innovative modem transmission technology, recently acquired in ill-fated attempts of sending music to cable companies. Legal issues caused cable providers to step away from the service, leaving Von Meister with a delivery tool and no content.
He then converted his variable speed adaptive modem technology to download games from central servers to individual households. This allowed users to call up a system and, for a fee, download games to their GameLine modules. The game would typically work for 5-10 plays, after which the user would have to connect to GameLine again and pay for another download.
Physically, the GameLine looked like an oversized silver Atari cartridge, it had a phone jack on the side that was used to link the GameLine with the CVC computers. The GameLine module was able to transmit with pulse or tone dialing, this allowed the unit to be versatile in the field. The games on GameLine were all from third-party gamemakers, the largest of which was Imagic
Imagic
Imagic was a short-lived American video game developer and publisher that developed games for the Atari 2600, Intellivision and other video game consoles in the early 1980s...
. GameLine tried, but failed to obtain licensing agreements from the largest game makers, such as Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
, Coleco
Coleco
Coleco is an American company founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg as "Connecticut Leather Company". It became a highly successful toy company in the 1980s, known for its mass-produced version of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and its video game consoles, the Coleco Telstar and...
, Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
, and Parker Brothers
Parker Brothers
Parker Brothers is a toy and game manufacturer and brand. Since 1883, the company has published more than 1,800 games; among their best known products are Monopoly, Cluedo , Sorry, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Ouija, Aggravation, and Probe...
.http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/gameline.html?SystemID=2600
Membership benefits
When a user registered with the service they were given a PINPersonal identification number
A personal identification number is a secret numeric password shared between a user and a system that can be used to authenticate the user to the system. Typically, the user is required to provide a non-confidential user identifier or token and a confidential PIN to gain access to the system...
. This PIN was used to log into the central CVC computer and download the requested games. One of the benefits of registering was that you were given free games on your birthday.
GameLine provided players an opportunity to compete in contests with selected games, where they could upload a high score. Prizes would be awarded to regional (and supposedly national) champions. One such regional prize was a GameLine windbreaker.
Each subscriber to GameLine also received a professionally printed magazine called GameLiner. GameLiner consisted of information about new games added to the service, questions and answers, advice on better gameplay, and a list of all currently available games on GameLine.
Potential spinoffs and demise
GameLine was originally envisioned to not provide just games, but also news (NewsLine), stock quotes (StockLine), sports reporting and scores (SportLine), electronic mail (MailLine), online banking (BankLine), online forums (OpinionLine), and a wide variety of information including airline schedules, horoscopes, and classified ads (InfoLine). GameLine ceased operations before any of these expanded services were offered, though StockLine and SportsLine were reportedly near full implementation.GameLine was one of many smaller companies that went bust in the video game crash of 1983
Video game crash of 1983
The North American video game crash was a serious event that brought an abrupt end to what is considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. Beginning in 1983, the crash almost destroyed the then-fledgling industry and led to the bankruptcy of several companies producing...
.
Industry impact
Even though the GameLine died, the investors and founding members of CVC went on to start a new company that would continue to use the technological infastructure they had built. The company, called Quantum Computer Services was created by Steve CaseSteve Case
Stephen McConnell "Steve" Case is an American businessman best known as the co-founder and former chief executive officer and chairman of America Online . Since his retirement as chairman of AOL Time Warner in 2003, he has gone on to build a variety of new businesses through his investment...
, among others. This company created a service called Quantum Link
Quantum Link
Quantum Link was a U.S. and Canadian online service for Commodore 64 and 128 personal computers that operated from November 5, 1985 to November 1, 1995. It was operated by Quantum Computer Services of Vienna, Virginia. In October 1991 they changed the name to America Online, which continues to...
which linked together Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Commodore 128
Commodore 128
The Commodore 128 home/personal computer was the last 8-bit machine commercially released by Commodore Business Machines...
users offering many of the expanded services originally envisioned for GameLine. Quantum Computer Services eventually became America Online in October 1991, which went on to be extremely successful during the 1990s, and was eventually merged with Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
in 2001. Though the company still (technically) exists, support for the GameLine does not.
The GameLine is remembered for its pioneering vision and its unique selection of games like Save The Whales. This game was exclusive to the GameLine and although it was never released on a cartridge, a prototype was found in early 2002.
Game list
GameLine offered the following games:- AirlockAirlock (video game)Airlock is an action game developed by Data Age in which you have to go out of a submarine. It received mediocre reviews from critics.-Sources:* at AtariAge* at Gamefaqs...
- Alien
- Atlantis
- Bank Heist
- Bermuda Triangle
- Boing
- Bugs
- Cakewalk
- China Syndrome
- Coconuts
- Commando Raid
- Cosmic ArkCosmic ArkCosmic Ark is a 1982 Atari 2600 video game, developed and published by Imagic as the sequel to Atlantis. It is believed to be the first-ever console game sequel...
- Cosmic Creeps
- Cosmic Swarm
- Cross Force
- Crypts of Chaos
- Deadly DuckDeadly DuckDeadly Duck is an Atari 2600 game released on January 20, 1982 in North America. The game was programmed by Sirius Software and released by 20th Century Fox Games....
- Demolition Herby
- Demon AttackDemon AttackDemon Attack is a video game published by Imagic for several home console systems, including the Atari 2600, Intellivision, Odyssey², Atari 8-bit, Commodore VIC-20, Commodore 64, PC Booter, TRS-80 and TRS-80 Color Computer. There was also a port to the TI-99/4A titled Super Demon Attack...
- Dragonfire
- The Earth Dies Screaming
- EggomaniaEggomaniaEggomania is an arcade-style video game released in 1982 by US Games for the Atari 2600. The objective of the game is to catch eggs in a hat which are thrown by a chicken without letting any of the eggs hit the ground and break. At the end of each round, the player has a chance to throw the eggs...
- Encounter At L-5
- Entombed
- Fantastic Voyage
- Fast FoodFast Food (video game)Fast Food is a video game for the Atari 2600 developed by Telesys and released in 1982.In the game, the player controls a pair of disembodied lips, similar to a Chattery Teeth toy. The game's manual gives the name of the lips as Mighty Mouth. Various fast food menu items fly across the screen and...
- Fire Fighter
- Flash Gordon
- Frankenstein's Monster
- Gangster Alley
- GopherGopher (video game)Gopher is a video game released in 1982 by US Games for the Atari 2600. The player controls a farmer with a shovel who must protect his three carrots from the gopher. The gopher tunnels left and right and up to the surface. When he makes a hole to the surface he will attempt to steal a carrot...
- Guardian
- Infiltrate
- Jawbreaker
- King Kong
- Lost Luggage
- M. A. D.
- Marauder
- M*A*S*H
- Megaforce
- Mines of Minos
- Moonsweeper
- Name This GameName This GameName This Game, also known as Octopus in Europe, is a video game for the Atari 2600 manufactured by US Games.In the game, the player controls a diver who must protect a treasure from an octopus at the top of the screen that tries to capture the treasure with its tentacles...
- Nexar
- Nightmare
- No Escape
- Picnic
- Piece O' Cake
- Planet Patrol
- PolarisPolaris (arcade game)Polaris is a 1980 fixed shooter arcade game by Taito.In Polaris, players control a submarine which can only shoot missiles upward. The goal of the player is to destroy all of the planes in each level while avoiding bombs dropped from the aircraft, as well as mines launched by enemy submarines and...
- Porky's
- Raft Rider
- Ram It
- Revenge of the Beefsteak TomatoesRevenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes-Background:Programmed by John Russell, Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes was released in 1983 and manufactured by Fox Video Games, Inc. It was a single player action game. Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes was made available for the Atari 2600, as well as the 800 and 400 models, and the Commodore...
- Riddle of the Sphinx
- Room Of Doom
- Save The Whales
- Shark Attack
- Shootin' Gallery
- Sneak & Peek
- Solar Storm
- Space CavernSpace CavernSpace Cavern by Apollo is a video game for the Atari 2600, which allows one or two players, to move left and right, shooting enemies above them, and to either side. It was the first scrolling game for the 2600.-Plot:From the game's manual:...
- Space Jockey
- Spacemaster X-7
- Squeeze Box
- SssnakeSssnakeSssnake is a video game for the Atari 2600 produced by Data Age. Its gameplay is similar to Centipede's, except the player moves in the center of the screen and fires towards the top, bottom and sides....
- StargunnerStargunner (Atari 2600)Stargunner is a scrolling shooter game released in 1982 for the Atari 2600.-Sources:*http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=24252*http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SoftwareLabelID=506...
- Star Voyager
- Tape Worm
- Threshold
- Towering InfernoTowering Inferno (video game)Towering Inferno by US Games, is a video game for the Atari 2600 in which the user plays a fireman going through a burning skyscraper to save victims and put out the fires. On each floor of the building, the player must put out the flames and reach the panel that opens the doors to get back out....
- Trick Shot
- Turmoil
- Warplock
- Word Zapper
- Worm War I
See also
- IntellivisionIntellivisionThe Intellivision is a video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Development of the console began in 1978, less than a year after the introduction of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. The word intellivision is a portmanteau of "intelligent television"...
's PlayCablePlayCableThe PlayCable system, introduced in 1981, allowed local cable-TV system operators to send Intellivision games over the wire alongside the normal TV signal... - Sega Genesis's Sega ChannelSega ChannelSega Channel was a project developed by Sega for the 16-bit Sega Mega Drive/Genesis console. Starting in December 1994, Sega Channel service was provided to the public by Time Warner Cable and TCI, which later was acquired by AT&T during its cable acquisition spree that formed AT&T...
- Super FamicomSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
's SatellaviewSatellaviewThe is a satellite modem add-on for Nintendo's Super Famicom system that was released in Japan in 1995. Available for pre-release orders as early as February 13, 1995, the Satellaview retailed for between ¥14,000 and 18,000 and came bundled with the BS-X Game Pak and an 8M Memory Pak.The... - Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
's Famicom ModemFamicom ModemThe is a video game peripheral for Family Computer released only in Japan in 1988. It allowed the user access to a server that provided game cheats, jokes, weather forecasts, and a small amount of downloadable content. It could also be used to make live stock trades. Unlike the NES Teleplay Modem,...
and Teleplay ModemTeleplay ModemThe Teleplay Modem was a modem for the Nintendo Entertainment System created by Keith Rupp and Nolan Bushnell, designed to provide online play between NES users, while also possessing compatibility with the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. The first prototype, called the "Ayota Modem", had a... - Star Disk System's Bandi Mode Games
- Bandai 5800 Cd's Games Of The Gold And Bandai Channel
