{"id":3521,"date":"2018-10-19T06:31:35","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T13:31:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/?p=3521"},"modified":"2018-10-23T05:58:53","modified_gmt":"2018-10-23T12:58:53","slug":"the-video-game-font-preservation-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/2018\/10\/19\/the-video-game-font-preservation-society\/","title":{"rendered":"The Video Game Font Preservation Society"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Video<\/a><\/p>\n

\u25b2 Pictograms from The 1st Six Yrs 1of6<\/a> by goatmeal<\/a><\/div>\n


\nA few weeks ago we launched FontStruct\u2019s first user-curated set of FontStructions \u2013 the \u201cGame Recreations<\/a>\u201d set \u2013 highlighting a significant but often neglected corner of our typographic world. The set\u2019s intrepid and expert curators have already amassed a fabulous collection of over 700 designs, and here they explain a little of the history behind their project and invite you to contribute.\u00a0<\/em>This is a guest post<\/strong> from\u00a0Patrick H. Lauke (Redux)<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Goatmeal<\/a>\u00a0\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

What makes a video game memorable?<\/h2>\n

There are numerous answers to this question, each of them correct in its own way: gameplay, graphics, plot \/ story, characters, music, typefaces<\/p>\n

\u2026 wait \u2014 typefaces ?<\/p>\n

Yes, since their advent, video games \u2014 whether arcade, home console, computer, or mobile \u2014 have relied on text to inform the player of game play instruction, status, current inventory, possible decisions or action options which may be taken, and most importantly: story. \u00a0As games became more elaborate (better graphics and sound, actual speech accompanying the game’s text, etc.), their typefaces became more refined and complex right alongside them. However, despite shedding their prior design limitations, they remain an integral and necessary component of the gameplay experience to this day.<\/p>\n

\"Sprint<\/a><\/p>\n

\u25b2 The Video Arcade Game Font<\/a>\u00a0refontstructed by goatmeal<\/a><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the beginning \u2014 as was the case with so many video game elements \u2014 the technology of the day imposed limitations. \u00a0Most early games typefaces used an 8\u00d78 grid for each character (resulting in 64 possible pixels that could be used), but this did not stop creativity. \u00a0Many arcade games simply chose to vary the ubiquitous typeface that Lyle Rains (of Atari fame) developed for “Sprint 2” (1976)<\/a>, while other game designers created a staggering number of unique typefaces for their games.<\/p>\n

\"Night<\/a><\/p>\n

\u25b2 Night Driver<\/a> refontstructed by\u00a0Patrick Lauke (redux)<\/a><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking at some of the very early games like \u201cNight Driver\u201d (1976)<\/a> we can see that the font used was very minimal and utilitarian \u2013 likely the work of programmers\/engineers rather than actual visual designers, so the emphasis was on readability rather than any expression of design sensibility. But there are already some early examples of fairly “distinctive” fonts like the one from \u201cPhoenix\u201d (1980)<\/a>, which first appeared – in a prototypical form – in “Safari Rally” (1979).<\/p>\n

\"Phoenix\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u25b2 Phoenix<\/a> refontstructed by\u00a0Patrick Lauke (redux)<\/a><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The typeface contributions to these games were often overlooked. \u00a0But we typeface enthusiasts noticed. Although video game typefaces from so long ago may be forgotten to most, we find value in all typefaces \u2014 especially those unsung electronic designs of the early days.<\/p>\n

Unlike books, posters, or other physical print media, video game typefaces are inherently transitory and ephemeral. \u00a0They are not permanent and only exist during game play \u2014 or at least while the game has electrical power and is switched on. \u00a0Due to the ageing technology of early gaming systems, the game typefaces from those early days are now unfortunately trapped on old coin-operated arcade game boards or outdated 20-to-40-year-old home consoles. \u00a0However, we are more fortunate with certain computer systems that spanned roughly that same period; industrious amateur programmers have endeavoured to keep those games alive, regardless of however advanced their computer systems may have evolved.<\/p>\n

Because FontStruct utilizes a modular grid system with the simplest brick being a square block, it\u2019s ideal for recreating (non-anti-aliased) video game pixel fonts. And there are many FontStructors who have made it their mission to rescue these lost and forgotten typefaces, to revel in a bit of nostalgia, and to allow others to experience the inherent beauty of these designs made concrete. And now, with the newly introduced \u201cGame Recreations\u201d archive<\/a>, two veteran computer and game font recreation enthusiasts \u2013 Goatmeal<\/a> (see our previous mini-interview<\/a>) and Patrick H. Lauke (Redux)<\/a> \u2013 aim to collect and showcase some of this work. The Video Game Font Preservation Society\u2122 awaits your contributions!<\/p>\n

\"Video<\/a><\/p>\n

\u25b2 From top to bottom: Hero\u2019s Quest Credits<\/a>\u00a0refontstructed by Goatmeal<\/a>, Iron Lord (Amstrad)<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Patrick H. Lauke (Redux)<\/a>,\u00a0Quest For Glory 4 – The Elements<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Goatmeal<\/a>, Shinobi<\/a> by\u00a0Patrick H. Lauke (Redux)<\/a>,\u00a0Sierra Font 501 fon<\/a> by\u00a0Goatmeal<\/a>\u00a0and Asterix (SMS)<\/a> by\u00a0Patrick Lauke (redux)<\/a><\/div>\n


\nThanks Patrick H. Lauke (Redux)<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Goatmeal<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n

Acknowledgements:<\/h2>\n

Many thanks, as always, to our current sponsors:\u00a0\u00a0Google Fonts<\/a>\u00a0and Glyphs App<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u25b2 Pictograms from The 1st Six Yrs 1of6 by goatmeal A few weeks ago we launched FontStruct\u2019s first user-curated set of FontStructions \u2013 the \u201cGame Recreations\u201d set \u2013 highlighting a significant but often neglected corner of our typographic world. The set\u2019s intrepid and expert curators have already amassed a fabulous collection of over 700 designs, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-guest-posts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3521"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3566,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521\/revisions\/3566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fontstruct.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}