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RPG Evolution: How a RPG Company Launched Virtual Reality Gaming
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<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 7905020" data-attributes="member: 3285"><p>The concept of virtual reality is not a new one. It's been a staple of science fiction for some time in books, television, and movies. But it took a pair of tabletop gaming entrepreneurs with vision to launch the virtual reality gaming industry.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]117893[/ATTACH]</p><h3><strong>RPG Roots</strong></h3><p>The concept of virtual reality goes back to science fiction novels of the 1930s, but the term <a href="https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html" target="_blank">didn't enter the modern lexicon until 1987</a>:</p><p></p><p>One of the immediate applications of recreating a virtual reality was in military applications. Specifically, <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f7d8/365cbdf40844dea4b6e911f3732a40cb2aaa.pdf" target="_blank">in managing a ship's bridge</a>:</p><p></p><p>The Verge <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/1/12058614/vr-theme-parks-disney-six-flags-the-void-ghostbusters-virtual-reality" target="_blank">explains how the experience with the Visual Bridge Shiphandling Simulator inspired a new company</a>:</p><p></p><p>Their new company did not attract investors, so Weisman and Babcock shifted gears. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070609133145/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p18.html" target="_blank">They decided the name of the company would be FASA</a>:</p><p></p><p>FASA Corporation was founded with an investment of $350 in 1980 by Weisman and Babcock, "a college gaming friend who happened to have $175.00 dollars and some time on his hands," according to Weisman. Five years later Weisman's father, Mort Weisman, joined the company to handle the growing company's management.</p><h3><strong>Entering Role-Playing Games</strong></h3><p><strong><em>Unseen: A History of FASA, Battledroids and BattleTech</em></strong> by Michael "Sigil" Todd <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/15VVGWbBh1vi1_tOfQPmd7dcVThDVsqmc/view" target="_blank">picks up the thread</a>:</p><p></p><p>FASA went on to produce products for <em><strong>Traveller</strong></em>, as well as other licenses like <strong><em>Star Trek</em></strong> (1983), <em><strong>BattleTech </strong></em>(1984), <em><strong>The Doctor Who Role Playing Game</strong> </em>(1985), <em><strong>Shadowrun </strong></em>(1989), <em><strong>Earthdawn </strong></em>(1993), <strong><em>The Last Starfighter Combat Game</em></strong> (1984), <strong><em>The Masters of the Universe RPG</em></strong> (1985), and <strong><em>Top Gun</em></strong> (1986). FASA Corporation ceased active operations in 2001, selling the <strong><em>BattleTech, Earthdawn,</em> </strong>and <em><strong>Shadowrun </strong></em>properties to WizKids ... a company founded in 2000 by FASA co- founder Jordan Weisman.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>BattleTech </em></strong>started as <em><strong>Battledroids </strong></em>in 1984 after Weisman and Babcock hit upon the idea of Japanese mecha models as board game pieces. FASA, who was pursuing a <em><strong>Star Wars </strong></em>license, changed the name from "Battledroids" to "BattleTech" in 1985 to avoid conflict with LucasFilms' "droid" trademark. But the FASA founders had other plans that went beyond tabletop gaming.</p><h3><strong>Virtual Capital</strong></h3><p>FASA created a sister company, Environmental Simulation Project (ESP), later known as Virtual World Entertainment. Its resumed the mission FASA had started seven years earlier: to create a computer-based, multi-player, real-time virtual combat simulator. In 1989, Tim Skelly was employed by Incredible Technologies to create BattleMechs for the <em><strong>BattleTech</strong></em>-themed virtual game. The original BattleMech models were too complex for use in a virtual environment, so Skelly created OmniMechs as a solution, a "prime" chassis with alternate configurations tweaked on the mech to give it a different appearance. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/1/12058614/vr-theme-parks-disney-six-flags-the-void-ghostbusters-virtual-reality" target="_blank">The virtual game would come to fruition a year later</a>:</p><p></p><p>A total of 26 sites opened in Japan, Australia, London, and several major U.S. cities. <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/battletech-arcades-were-decades-ahead-of-their-time-holding-global-3d-matches-before-wed-even-played-a-snes-heres-their-story/" target="_blank">They were clearly ahead of their time</a>:</p><p></p><p>It didn't last. After Microsoft bought FASA's computer gaming operation in 1999, the centers were gradually closed.</p><h3><strong>FASA's Legacy</strong></h3><p>Virtual World's Entertainment work set the foundation for entertainment that we still enjoy today. In addition to its many tabletop games, the company was responsible for numerous video game incarnations of the <em><strong>BattleTech </strong></em>universe. But it was also the predecessor to groundbreaking technology game companies like the Oculus and VOID's new Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire virtual reality game. And for that, we can thank FASA.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="talien, post: 7905020, member: 3285"] The concept of virtual reality is not a new one. It's been a staple of science fiction for some time in books, television, and movies. But it took a pair of tabletop gaming entrepreneurs with vision to launch the virtual reality gaming industry. [CENTER][ATTACH type="full" alt="teslapod.jpg"]117893[/ATTACH][/CENTER] [HEADING=2][B]RPG Roots[/B][/HEADING] The concept of virtual reality goes back to science fiction novels of the 1930s, but the term [URL='https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html']didn't enter the modern lexicon until 1987[/URL]: One of the immediate applications of recreating a virtual reality was in military applications. Specifically, [URL='https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f7d8/365cbdf40844dea4b6e911f3732a40cb2aaa.pdf']in managing a ship's bridge[/URL]: The Verge [URL='https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/1/12058614/vr-theme-parks-disney-six-flags-the-void-ghostbusters-virtual-reality']explains how the experience with the Visual Bridge Shiphandling Simulator inspired a new company[/URL]: Their new company did not attract investors, so Weisman and Babcock shifted gears. [URL='https://web.archive.org/web/20070609133145/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p18.html']They decided the name of the company would be FASA[/URL]: FASA Corporation was founded with an investment of $350 in 1980 by Weisman and Babcock, "a college gaming friend who happened to have $175.00 dollars and some time on his hands," according to Weisman. Five years later Weisman's father, Mort Weisman, joined the company to handle the growing company's management. [HEADING=2][B]Entering Role-Playing Games[/B][/HEADING] [B][I]Unseen: A History of FASA, Battledroids and BattleTech[/I][/B] by Michael "Sigil" Todd [URL='https://drive.google.com/file/d/15VVGWbBh1vi1_tOfQPmd7dcVThDVsqmc/view']picks up the thread[/URL]: FASA went on to produce products for [I][B]Traveller[/B][/I], as well as other licenses like [B][I]Star Trek[/I][/B] (1983), [I][B]BattleTech [/B][/I](1984), [I][B]The Doctor Who Role Playing Game[/B] [/I](1985), [I][B]Shadowrun [/B][/I](1989), [I][B]Earthdawn [/B][/I](1993), [B][I]The Last Starfighter Combat Game[/I][/B] (1984), [B][I]The Masters of the Universe RPG[/I][/B] (1985), and [B][I]Top Gun[/I][/B] (1986). FASA Corporation ceased active operations in 2001, selling the [B][I]BattleTech, Earthdawn,[/I] [/B]and [I][B]Shadowrun [/B][/I]properties to WizKids ... a company founded in 2000 by FASA co- founder Jordan Weisman. [B][I]BattleTech [/I][/B]started as [I][B]Battledroids [/B][/I]in 1984 after Weisman and Babcock hit upon the idea of Japanese mecha models as board game pieces. FASA, who was pursuing a [I][B]Star Wars [/B][/I]license, changed the name from "Battledroids" to "BattleTech" in 1985 to avoid conflict with LucasFilms' "droid" trademark. But the FASA founders had other plans that went beyond tabletop gaming. [HEADING=2][B]Virtual Capital[/B][/HEADING] FASA created a sister company, Environmental Simulation Project (ESP), later known as Virtual World Entertainment. Its resumed the mission FASA had started seven years earlier: to create a computer-based, multi-player, real-time virtual combat simulator. In 1989, Tim Skelly was employed by Incredible Technologies to create BattleMechs for the [I][B]BattleTech[/B][/I]-themed virtual game. The original BattleMech models were too complex for use in a virtual environment, so Skelly created OmniMechs as a solution, a "prime" chassis with alternate configurations tweaked on the mech to give it a different appearance. [URL='https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/1/12058614/vr-theme-parks-disney-six-flags-the-void-ghostbusters-virtual-reality']The virtual game would come to fruition a year later[/URL]: A total of 26 sites opened in Japan, Australia, London, and several major U.S. cities. [URL='https://www.gamesradar.com/battletech-arcades-were-decades-ahead-of-their-time-holding-global-3d-matches-before-wed-even-played-a-snes-heres-their-story/']They were clearly ahead of their time[/URL]: It didn't last. After Microsoft bought FASA's computer gaming operation in 1999, the centers were gradually closed. [HEADING=2][B]FASA's Legacy[/B][/HEADING] Virtual World's Entertainment work set the foundation for entertainment that we still enjoy today. In addition to its many tabletop games, the company was responsible for numerous video game incarnations of the [I][B]BattleTech [/B][/I]universe. But it was also the predecessor to groundbreaking technology game companies like the Oculus and VOID's new Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire virtual reality game. And for that, we can thank FASA. [/QUOTE]
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