一台罕见的双人版《太空争霸》街机即将拍卖

内容总结:
一台极为罕见的双人版《Computer Space》街机即将公开拍卖。这台闪闪发光的翡翠绿色街机,是近期一场以史蒂夫·乔布斯和计算机革命为主题的大型复古科技拍卖会上的焦点拍品。
在Atari诞生之前,有Syzygy Engineering;在Home Pong问世之前,有《Computer Space》街机。而在那之后不久,确切地说是1973年7月,双人版《Computer Space》街机诞生了。我们今天要聊的,正是这台问世已56年的翠绿色珍品。
1971年底发布的单人版《Computer Space》被广泛认为是全球第一台街机视频游戏。它由Syzygy Engineering的诺兰·布什内尔和泰德·达布尼设计,由Nutting Associates发行。《Computer Space》是1962年PC对战游戏《Spacewar!》的街机化版本,后来也影响了《Asteroids》的创作。其机身造型如同未来主义风格的钟乳石,小巧的球形屏幕包裹在鲜艳的原色玻璃纤维中。操控面板没有摇杆,只有四个动作按钮,每局投币25美分。
据报道,Nutting和Syzygy售出了超过1000台《Computer Space》街机,并获得了可观的商业回报,但这款产品的发布也标志着两人专业合作的终结。布什内尔和达布尼随后将公司更名为Atari,并于1972年推出了《Pong》。
1973年中,双人版《Computer Space》街机问世,支持双人对战并配备了两个摇杆。这款产品由Nutting独立生产,布什内尔和达布尼并未参与,外观为闪闪发光的绿色,每局仍是25美分。
一台定制白色《Computer Space》街机还出现在1973年的科幻经典电影《绿色食品》中,这标志着电子游戏首次亮相好莱坞大银幕。而在1975年的《大白鲨》中,如果你留意街机场景,还能看到一台黄色版本。尽管有这些曝光,Nutting Associates仍在1976年关闭。而Atari这个品牌至少至今仍然存在。
现在,这台双人版《Computer Space》街机即将易主。它的主人是大卫·佩里——1994年游戏《蚯蚓吉姆》的程序员、游戏串流公司Gaikai的联合创始人。佩里正在RR Auction拍卖行出售一台功能完好的双人版《Computer Space》街机,竞价正在火热进行中。截至8月12日,已有12次出价,价格来到6,748美元,预计最终成交价将超过20,000美元。
佩里在社交媒体上表示:“我地方不够了,正在拍卖我的《Computer Space》街机(双人版)。它可能是现存最稀有的街机,博物馆里才能见到。”
拍卖行对这台机身的描述如下:“前面板配有25美分投币口、退币按钮、红色‘开始游戏’按钮、绿色‘双人模式’按钮,以及两个带红色‘发射导弹’按钮的原始旋转摇杆……机身状况良好,外壳有轻微磨损和划痕;机器可正常点亮,屏幕显示正常。功能完好的原版双人《Computer Space》街机几乎无处可寻,极少公开出售,此台机器因完好外观和原装配件更显珍贵。”
拍卖于7月24日开始,将于美国东部时间8月20日晚7点结束,但最终轮竞价需在当天下午6点前提交。晚上7点后,参与者有30分钟时间挑战最高出价,每次新出价都会重启倒计时。这套紧张刺激的规则,想必正是太空对战游戏爱好者们所熟悉的节奏。
这台《Computer Space》街机拍品隶属于一场名为“史蒂夫·乔布斯与计算机革命:苹果50周年拍卖第二场”的大型拍卖会,包含大量早期科技时代纪念品,如乔布斯个人物品、知名CEO签名照片、一台Atari Video System X“全黑”原型机,以及各类复古电脑、iPod和iPhone。拍卖全部在RR Auction进行,竞价截止时间为8月20日晚7点(美国东部时间)。
中文翻译:
一台罕见的双人版《电脑空间》街机正在拍卖
这台闪亮的机柜是规模宏大的复古科技拍卖会的一部分,该拍卖会聚焦史蒂夫·乔布斯与计算机革命。
在Atari之前,有Syzygy Engineering;在《Home Pong》之前,有《电脑空间》街机。而就在那之后不久——确切地说是1973年7月——诞生了双人版《电脑空间》街机柜。56年后的今天,我们要说的就是这台闪闪发光的翠绿色珍品。
1971年底面向公众发布的单人版《电脑空间》被广泛公认为史上第一台街机电子游戏。它由Syzygy Engineering的诺兰·布什内尔和泰德·达布尼设计,由Nutting Associates负责分销。《电脑空间》是1962年电脑对战游戏《太空战争!》的改编版本,后来还对《爆破彗星》产生了影响。它的机柜形似一根复古未来主义的石笋,配有一个小巧的球面屏幕,外层包裹着原色玻璃纤维。手柄上有四个动作按钮,没有摇杆,投币25美分即可游玩。
据称,Nutting和Syzygy售出了超过1000台《电脑空间》街机柜,并获得了可观的经济回报,但这次发布也标志着两人专业合作的终结。布什内尔和达布尼随后将公司更名为Atari,并于1972年推出了《乓》。
《电脑空间》街机的第二个迭代版本于1973年中问世,这次加入了双人对战玩法和两个摇杆。该版本由Nutting在布什内尔和达布尼未参与的情况下生产,采用闪亮的绿色涂装,每局费用仍为25美分。
一台定制的白色《电脑空间》机柜出现在1973年的科幻经典《绿色食品》中,这标志着电子游戏首次亮相好莱坞电影。而如果你在1975年的《大白鲨》街机场景中留意观看,还能看到一台黄色版本的机器。尽管获得了这些曝光,Nutting Associates还是在1976年倒闭了。而Atari作为一个品牌,至今依然屹立不倒。
拍卖中的《电脑空间》
显然,大卫·佩里的双人版《电脑空间》街机也在其中。佩里是1994年《蚯蚓吉姆》的程序员,也是游戏流媒体公司Gaikai的联合创始人。他正在RR Auction上出售一台功能完好的双人版《电脑空间》机柜,出价正在不断涌入。截至8月12日,该拍品已有12次出价,目前价格为6,748美元,预计最终成交价将超过20,000美元。
佩里在社交媒体上解释道:“我地方不够了,正在拍卖我的《电脑空间》街机(双人版)。它可能是现存最稀有的街机游戏,通常只在博物馆里见到。”
RR Auction页面上对这台机柜的描述如下:
“前面板配有一个25美分的投币口、一个退币按钮、一个红色‘开始游戏’按钮、一个绿色‘双人操作’按钮,以及两个带有红色‘发射导弹’按钮的原始旋转摇杆……机柜整体状况良好,机身有轻微磨损和划痕;机器本身可正常点亮,屏幕运转正常。可正常工作的原版双人《电脑空间》街机几乎无处可寻,极少公开出售,而这一台更因其完美的机柜和原装部件而尤为难得。”
拍卖于7月24日启动,将于美国东部时间8月20日晚7点结束,但参与者须在最后一天下午6点前完成出价才能进入最后一轮竞价——这一轮向来激烈。晚7点之后,参与者有30分钟的时间挑战最高出价,每次出现新的最高出价后计时器都会重置。实际上,这种充满紧张感的机制恰恰应该能吸引太空战斗模拟游戏的爱好者。
《电脑空间》街机拍品隶属于一场规模更大的拍卖会,名为“史蒂夫·乔布斯与计算机革命:苹果50周年拍卖第二部分”。该拍卖会汇集了大量早期科技时代的纪念品,包括史蒂夫·乔布斯的私人物品、知名CEO的签名照片、一台Atari Video System X‘全黑’原型机,以及老式电脑、iPod和iPhone。全部拍品都在RR Auction上进行,出价截止时间为美国东部时间8月20日晚7点。
英文来源:
A rare two-player Computer Space arcade machine is up for auction
The sparkly cabinet is part of a huge retro tech auction focused on Steve Jobs and the computer revolution.
Before Atari, there was Syzygy Engineering, and before Home Pong, there was the Computer Space arcade machine. And then just a little bit after that, in July 1973 to be precise, there was the two-player Computer Space arcade cabinet. This sparkling emerald beauty is what we're talking about today, 56 years on.
Released to the public in late 1971, the single-player version of Computer Space is widely recognized as the first arcade video game. It was designed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney of Syzygy Engineering, and distributed by Nutting Associates. Computer Space was a version of the 1962 PC combat game Spacewar!, and would later influence Asteroids. Its cabinet looked like a retrofuturistic stalagmite, featuring a small, bulbous screen wrapped in primary-color fiberglass. Its gamepad had four action buttons and no joystick, and it cost a quarter to play.
While Nutting and Syzygy reportedly sold more than 1,000 Computer Space arcade cabinets and made a significant financial return, the release marked the end of their professional collaboration. Bushnell and Dabney went on to change their company name to Atari and release Pong in 1972.
A second iteration of the Computer Space arcade machine landed mid-1973, this time with two-player gameplay and two joysticks. It was produced by Nutting without Bushnell or Dabney, came in a sparkly green color and remained $0.25 per round.
A custom white Computer Space cabinet was featured in the 1973 sci-fi classic Soylent Green, marking the first appearance of a video game in a Hollywood movie, and if you pay attention during the arcade scene in 1975's Jaws, you can see a yellow version of the machine. Despite the exposure, Nutting Associates closed in 1976. Atari, as a brand at least, is still kicking today.
Computer Space at auction
So is David Perry's two-player Computer Space arcade machine, apparently. Perry, the programmer of 1994's Earthworm Jim and co-founder of the game streaming company Gaikai, is selling a fully functional two-player Computer Space cabinet on RR Auction, and the bids are rolling in. As of August 12, it's sitting at $6,748 with 12 bids, and it's estimated to sell for more than $20,000.
Perry explained on social media, "I ran out of space and am selling my Computer Space arcade machine at auction (two-player). It's probably the rarest arcade game in existence, found in museums."
And here's how the cabinet is described on the RR Auction page:
"The front control panel features a 25-cent quarter slot, a coin return button, a red 'Start Game' button, a green 'Two Player Operation' button, and two original rotational joysticks topped with red 'Fire Missile' buttons.... The cabinet is in fine condition, with some slight scuffing and scratching to the body; the machine itself lights up, and the screen is functional. Original working 2-player Computer Space arcades are practically unobtainable and very rarely offered for public sale, with this example all the more impressive for its immaculate cabinet and original parts."
The auction went live on July 24 and it ends on August 20 at 7PM ET, though bids must be placed by 6PM ET on the final day in order to participate in the final round, which always gets wild. After 7PM, participants have 30 minutes to challenge the top bid, and the timer restarts after each new high bid. It's exactly the kind of tension-addled system that should appeal to fans of space combat sims, actually.
The Computer Space arcade machine lot is part of a broader auction called Steve Jobs & the Computer Revolution: The Apple 50th Anniversary Auction Part Two, which features a wealth of early-tech-days memorabilia, including personal belongings of Steve Jobs, signed photos of notable CEOs, an Atari Video System X 'All Black' Prototype Console, plus vintage computers, iPods and iPhones. It's all going down on RR Auction, and bidding ends at 7PM ET on August 20.