Joyce Weisbecker: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|American engineer and early video game designer}} |
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| name = Joyce Weisbecker |
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| known_for = First female commercial [[video game designer]] |
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[[File:Speedway-Joyce Weisbecker.png|thumb|Screenshot of video game Speedway for RCA on COSMAC VIP]] |
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'''Joyce Weisbecker''' (born 1958) is an American retired engineer and actuary. She became the first female commercial [[video game designer]] in 1976. She considers herself the first [[indie developer]], given that she did her work as an independent contractor.<ref name="edwards20171027" /> |
'''Joyce Weisbecker''' (born 1958) is an American retired{{Citation needed|date=September 2019}} engineer and actuary. She became the first female commercial [[video game designer]] in 1976. She considers herself the first [[indie developer]], given that she did her work as an independent contractor.<ref name="edwards20171027" /> |
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==Life and career== |
==Life and career== |
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Weisbecker was born in [[New Jersey]] as the daughter of [[Joseph Weisbecker]], an engineer with [[RCA]] who constructed computers in his spare time. Joyce Weisbecker learned how to program her father's prototypes.<ref name="edwards20171027">{{Cite news |url=https://www. |
Weisbecker was born in [[New Jersey]] as the daughter of [[Joseph Weisbecker]], an engineer with [[RCA]] who constructed computers in his spare time. Joyce Weisbecker learned how to program her father's prototypes.<ref name="edwards20171027">{{Cite news |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90147592/rediscovering-historys-lost-first-female-video-game-designer |title=Rediscovering History's Lost First Female Video Game Designer |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=2017-10-27 |work=Fast Company |access-date=2017-10-27 |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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While a student at [[Rider University]], Weisbecker created games for the [[RCA Studio II]] console. As demonstration projects she developed two games for the RCA [[COSMAC VIP]], ''Snake Race'' and ''Jackpot''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/badass-women-in-gaming/1100-6457050/|title=Badass Women in Gaming |
While a student at [[Rider University]], Weisbecker created games for the [[RCA Studio II]] console. As demonstration projects she developed two games for the RCA [[COSMAC VIP]], ''Snake Race'' and ''Jackpot''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/badass-women-in-gaming/1100-6457050/|title=Badass Women in Gaming|date=2 March 2018|work=GameSpot|access-date=31 August 2019}}</ref> The games were included in the computer's manual as [[type-in program]]s in [[CHIP-8]] source code. Weisbecker's first commercial game was ''TV Schoolhouse I'', a quiz game for the RCA II that she programmed in a week in August 1976, and was paid $250 for.<ref name="edwards20171027"/> In October 1976, she developed ''Speedway'' and ''Tag'', two action games. Her main challenge was to get the Studio II's 64 by 32 [[pixel]] display to show any meaningful graphics.<ref name="edwards20171027"/> In the racing game ''Speedway'', the cars were plain rectangles. |
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The Studio II console was a commercial failure and ended production in 1978. Weisbecker programmed three more games for the COSMAC VIP in 1977 – ''Slide'', ''Sum Fun'', and ''Sequence Shoot'' – before deciding to focus on her education instead of continuing to work in the then minuscule video game business. She graduated with degrees in computer engineering and actuarial science in 1980 and worked for a time as an actuary. In 1998, Weisbecker obtained degrees in [[electrical engineering]] and [[computer science]], then worked as a radar signal processing engineer.<ref name="edwards20171027" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2017/11/09/joyce-weisbecker-pionniere-meconnue-de-la-programmation-de-jeux-video_5212437_4408996.html|title=Joyce Weisbecker, pionnière méconnue de la programmation de jeux vidéo|last=Audureau|first=William|date=9 November 2017|work=Le Monde|access-date=31 August 2019}}</ref> |
The Studio II console was a commercial failure and ended production in 1978. Weisbecker programmed three more games for the COSMAC VIP in 1977 – ''Slide'', ''Sum Fun'', and ''Sequence Shoot'' – before deciding to focus on her education instead of continuing to work in the then minuscule video game business.<ref name="edwards20171027"/> She graduated with degrees in computer engineering and actuarial science in 1980 and worked for a time{{Vague|date=September 2019}} as an actuary. In 1998, Weisbecker obtained degrees in [[electrical engineering]] and [[computer science]], then worked as a radar signal processing engineer.<ref name="edwards20171027" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2017/11/09/joyce-weisbecker-pionniere-meconnue-de-la-programmation-de-jeux-video_5212437_4408996.html|title=Joyce Weisbecker, pionnière méconnue de la programmation de jeux vidéo|last=Audureau|first=William|date=9 November 2017|work=Le Monde|access-date=31 August 2019}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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{{Portal|Biography|Video games}} |
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* {{annotated link|Carol Shaw}} |
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* {{annotated link|Wabbit (video game)}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:American video game designers]] |
[[Category:American video game designers]] |
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[[Category:Women video game developers]] |
[[Category:Women video game developers]] |
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[[Category:American video game programmers]] |
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Latest revision as of 09:03, 20 June 2024
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Joyce Weisbecker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 (age 65–66) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | First female commercial video game designer |
Joyce Weisbecker (born 1958) is an American retired[citation needed] engineer and actuary. She became the first female commercial video game designer in 1976. She considers herself the first indie developer, given that she did her work as an independent contractor.[1]
Life and career
[edit]Weisbecker was born in New Jersey as the daughter of Joseph Weisbecker, an engineer with RCA who constructed computers in his spare time. Joyce Weisbecker learned how to program her father's prototypes.[1]
While a student at Rider University, Weisbecker created games for the RCA Studio II console. As demonstration projects she developed two games for the RCA COSMAC VIP, Snake Race and Jackpot.[2] The games were included in the computer's manual as type-in programs in CHIP-8 source code. Weisbecker's first commercial game was TV Schoolhouse I, a quiz game for the RCA II that she programmed in a week in August 1976, and was paid $250 for.[1] In October 1976, she developed Speedway and Tag, two action games. Her main challenge was to get the Studio II's 64 by 32 pixel display to show any meaningful graphics.[1] In the racing game Speedway, the cars were plain rectangles.
The Studio II console was a commercial failure and ended production in 1978. Weisbecker programmed three more games for the COSMAC VIP in 1977 – Slide, Sum Fun, and Sequence Shoot – before deciding to focus on her education instead of continuing to work in the then minuscule video game business.[1] She graduated with degrees in computer engineering and actuarial science in 1980 and worked for a time[vague] as an actuary. In 1998, Weisbecker obtained degrees in electrical engineering and computer science, then worked as a radar signal processing engineer.[1][3]
See also
[edit]
- Carol Shaw – American video game designer
- Wabbit (video game) – 1982 video game
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Edwards, Benj (2017-10-27). "Rediscovering History's Lost First Female Video Game Designer". Fast Company. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- ^ "Badass Women in Gaming". GameSpot. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ Audureau, William (9 November 2017). "Joyce Weisbecker, pionnière méconnue de la programmation de jeux vidéo". Le Monde. Retrieved 31 August 2019.