Navy Video and Board Game Night: A (Retro)spective

Participants play "Top Gun" and "Super Battleship"

Over one hundred guests attended last week's "You Sank My Battleship: Navy Video and Board Game Night" event.  It was the first of two After Hours History programs sponsored by the Hampton Roads Naval Historical Foundation this year.  Unlike previous After Hours events, last Wednesday's game night was the first advertised as "family friendly."  Video game enthusiasts would say it was rated "E" for everyone.  Soda and popcorn replaced the standard assortment of wine and cheese on a night many will not soon forget.

Playing "1942: Joint Strike"

Video games.  Board Games.  Snacks.  Soda.  Where does the U.S. Navy fit in?

Whether we realized it or not, the U.S. Navy was there all along, hidden underneath the blinking lights and sounds of the games we know and love today.  Video games like "Silent Service" and board games like "Axis and Allies" included subtle hints and references to real event in American naval history.  Part of the event included a seven panel exhibit on the history of the U.S. Navy and video games.  We will post the panels shown during the event on this blog soon.

Who would have thought we were learning about key concepts of naval history and naval combat while mashing our thumbs and fingers on plastic controllers.  How to use sonar ("Silent Service").  Plotting enemy ship movements ("Battleship").  How to lead a target while in aerial combat ("Carrier Aces"). How to land on an aircraft carrier ("Top Gun").  The SNES role-playing game "Pacific Theater of Operations" bordered on real historic simulation.  Could you turn the tide and defeat the Japanese Navy at Pearl Harbor?  Even at the juvenile level, the principles were there.  For many young participants in last week's event, the games provided were their first taste of the Navy.

Mayo proudly shows off his contest-winning prize

Guests played a variety of video and board games from yesterday and today.  Titles from the 8-Bit  generation up to today's next-gen consoles ("Battlestations: Midway") were available to play.  Everybody from staff and volunteers to parents cheered on participants as they battled their way through the sky and seas of the digital Atlantic and Pacific.  The most popular game, however, was a retro-classic: "1942."  Nearly every guest ventured to the AEGIS Theater to try their hand at the high score contest for one of the most celebrated and best-selling franchises in video game history.  A special shout out goes to Mark Prinz and Mayo for achieving high scores on "1942."

HRNM Educators helped create several "Navy-centric" modifications of classic board games for the event.  "Human Battleship," a life-size recreation of the pencil and paper game where kids act as the ships on a 100-square foot game board, was a popular destination.  Staff members and volunteers also played "Civil War Blockade Strategy," a creative spin on the popular "Stratego" series of board games.

"1942" Perler Bead Craft Activity 

The most popular portion of the evening was for the 1942 perler bead craft activity.  Kids used perler beads to create gaming icons, or "sprites" from the popular NES/Arcade game.  A basic understanding of graphs and plotting were required to create a perfect product.  There is always a way to mix a little bit of learning with fun!

It was a treat to see parents watching their children play the same video games they used to play when they were kids.  In fact, one of the most interesting aspects of the event was the generation gap.  Many of the younger participants had a rude awakening when they realized that their controllers were not motion-controlled.  Technology is a great equalizer at times, and this event helped bridge the gap between previous generations to the present one.  

We hope everybody that attended had a wonderful time.  Special thanks go out to all the staff and volunteers who helped make this event possible.  For more information on our current 2013 programs, contact Lee Duckworth, Director of Education, at (757) 322-2992.  

June 19th Video Games Revealed!

And here they are!  These games will be available for you to play the night of June 19^th for the next After Hours History event, "You Sunk My Battleship:" Navy Video and Board Games Night. 

High Score Contest – Nintendo Wii

1942 

(Capcom, 1984)

The highlight of the evening will be the High Score Contest for the classic Capcom game, 1942. Launched as an arcade platform in 1984, 1942 put the video game developer on the map.  It was one of the first three games released by the company in the 1980s.  All three games (Ghosts 'NGoblins, 1942, and Commando) sold over 1 million copies.  1942 remains one of the most successful vertical scrolling shooters, following the footsteps of Galaga, Galaxian, and Xevious.  It was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, making it the largest success in the 19XX series.  Guests will play the Virtual Console edition of the game made available on the Nintendo Wii in 2010.  Get ready to mash those buttons!

8 Bit Generation – Nintendo Entertainment System:

Top Gun 

(Konami, 1987)

Get ready to take your video game skills to the danger zone in this 1987 classic based off the blockbuster film.  Top Gun became one of the most successful (and first) flight simulator games for the Nintendo Entertainment System.  It also included one of the most iconic and difficult maneuvers in video game history: landing on an aircraft carrier.  If you make it to the second level, you can deal with the second most difficult maneuver in video game history: refueling your plane.  Top Gun sparked a long series of marketable sequels up to the present day.  

Silent Service 

(Microprose, 1989)

Before Sid Meier created the worldwide phenomenon Civilization, he created Silent Service.  It was one of the first two games developed by his company, MicroProse, in the early 1980s.  Silent Service first saw action in the mid-1980s on 8-bit computer systems.  With the help of Ultra, the submarine simulator ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System at the end of the decade.  By then, the realistic simulator made Meier a smashing success and beloved video game icon to this day.  

16 Bit Generation - Super Nintendo Entertainment System:

 Carrier Aces

(Cybersoft, 1995)

Unfortunately, there is not much to say about this Japanese import.  When the 16-bit generation emerged in the early nineties, most flight simulators focused on land-based tactics (think Desert Storm).  Although several games exist that tread the fine line of the U.S. Navy in video games, Carrier Aces delivers.  Guests will be able to play by themselves or with a friend in a series of 5 training missions.  Have you ever wanted to see if you can make a torpedo run like the heroes at Midway?  Play this game on the 19th and find out!     

Super Battleship

(Mindscape Software, 1993)

We couldn't have a video game event without its namesake, Battleship.  So much has happened for the game since it started as a simple pencil and paper activity in the early twentieth century.  Since then, it developed into a video and board game empire capped off by a 2012 Summer blockbuster film.  Unlike other versions, Super Battleship also offers a campaign mode that mixes hex-style tabletop strategy and arcade-style shooters.  Although this version is available in single player only, attending guests will enjoy helping teammates out as they attempt to sink the enemy's fleet before theirs.  Fight for your chance to say, "You Sunk My Battleship!"    

Seventh Generation , X BOX 360:

Battlestations: Midway 

(Eidos Interactive, 2007)

Winner of the "Sweet 16" bracket contest we held a few weeks back, Battlestations: Midway was a huge success when it hit the shelves in 2007.  Praised for its graphics and game play, the game received favorable reviews across the board.  IGN, arguably the toughest of game critics, scored the game an 8.5 out of 10.  Their verdict says it all: "While so many action games are devoid of strategy and so many strategy games are short on action, Battlestations: Midway delivers both."  Guests will be playing the X BOX 360 version. 

1942: Joint Strike 

(Capcom, 2008)

For those of you who play the 1942 High Score contest and want a little more taste of the game, 1942: Joint Strike is just the thing.  Released in 2008 as a remake to the classic game 1942, Joint Strike offers super graphics and controls for the next generation gamer.  It includes different elements of the 19XX series, such as the health meter from 1943: The Battle of Midway, and a level rank system from 19XX: The War Against Destiny.  Since its release, it has sold over 119,000 copies.  Guests will play the version of the game made available in the Capcom Digital Collection.

Don't Forget!  Reservations are required for this event.  Reserve your spot by calling (757) 322-3108 or go on our Facebook Events Page. 

"You Sunk My Battleship:" Navy Video and Board Game Night

Picture yourself when you were younger.  Do you remember wrapping up in a blanket, sitting inches away from your mammoth television screen?  Did you spend sleepovers with friends the same way?  Like moths attracted to the soft glow of a bug zapper, you spent hours in front of that screen, mashing your thumbs against a plastic controller until your mother told you it was time for bed.  If you do, then you remember playing video games as a child. 

I know I do. 

I have always loved two things: Video games and the United States Navy.  Growing up in Hampton Roads, I felt a deep connection to the Navy, and a deeper love for the burgeoning entertainment medium.  It wasn’t until last year that the idea to put the two together stuck.  Why not mix the best of both worlds: naval history and video/board games? 

You can find out about both and their connection on June 19^th during our next After Hours History event, “You Sunk My Battleship:” Navy Video andBoard Game Night. 

As we ended the Cold War in the early nineties, new consoles rolling out of Japan brought us smoother graphics and complex interfaces.  For naval video games, opportunities seemed endless.  Replicating on the success tested in previous decades, game developers took popular concepts of naval aviation, pencil and paper strategy, and vertical shooters to the next level. 

What has changed since then?  Less than you think.  Screens are flatter. Games are now digital.  Many are available via wireless Internet or on digital video discs (DVD).  Controllers got smaller, then larger, and then smaller again.  We are now at a point where humans become the controllers.  

Yet in a way, today’s budding generation of gamers know that same feeling I felt many years ago.  I marveled at the brilliant 8-bit backgrounds and elaborate splash screens.  The way the pixelated ships lagged across the television screen.  The music.  The anticipation of beating a high score.  For a young boy, these were some of the best thrills money could buy, neatly packaged in a plastic cartridge.  It’s hard to think such a tiny piece of technology could bring so much joy and excitement to countless people over the last thirty years. 

Like it or not, video games taught us valuable lessons in coordination, memory, cognition, thrift, and time management.  HRNM staff invite you to relieve old memories and learn a little about the role of the United States Navy in video and board games.  

During the 19 June event, we will have the following for all those who reserve their spot:

• Free Food and Drinks (Family Friendly) courtesy of the Hampton Roads Naval Historical Foundation
• Main Event: High Score contest for the 1984 Arcade Game 1942 in the Nauticus Theater.  Play the game on a giant screen!
• Three other video game stations with playable versions of the most beloved naval video games of all time!
•  Panel exhibit on the history of the United States Navy and video/board games.
• 3 brand new activities created by HRNM Education that take a naval "spin" on classic board games: Stratego, Memory, and Battleship.  

One of the games in BETA Mode.  A Civil War Navy spin to Stratego!

Don’t forget to RSVP for the event.  It will run 6pm to 8pm. You can either call our reservation line at (757) 322-3108. Or go to the Facebook events page: http://on.fb.me/12jXztF

Stay tuned when we announce the list of games in upcoming weeks!