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Context VideoGame / Battlezone1980

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6[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arcade-atari-battlezone.jpg]]
7[[caption-width-right:350:[[TotallyRadical Neato Graphics!]]]]
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9''Battlezone'', released by Creator/{{Atari}} in 1980, was the first popular video game to feature 3D graphics, a technological breakthrough [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames at a time]] when simple 2D games like ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'' were the norm. The player controls a tank, in first-person perspective, on a mechanized battlefield against enemy forces equipped with tanks and guided missiles. It is the direct ancestor of every FirstPersonShooter, and the US Army even commissioned a customized variant (''The Bradley Trainer'') to train its tank troops. Surviving cabinets of the game are still very popular with collectors today.
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11In 2016, [[Creator/{{Rebellion}} Rebellion Developments]] released a reimagining of the classic game, featuring heavy VR elements. [[VideoGame/Battlezone2016 Click here]] for details.
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14!!'''The 1980 version provides examples of:'''
15* ChekhovsVolcano: {{Enforced|Trope}}. The volcano within the game was originally not going to erupt, but Ed Rotberg (the programmer of the game) was pestered by his coworker Owen Rubin into making it active. After Ed finally suggested that Owen write the code himself, it was found lying on Ed's desk the next day.
16* EpicTankOnTankAction: Tanks vs tanks. You control tanks and try to defeat other tanks.
17* EverythingTryingToKillYou: Other than the UFO, all the other enemies are trying to destroy you.
18* FirstPersonShooter: This game is considered to be the UrExample. In fact, the original standard upright arcade cabinet has the player look into a "targeting scope" in order to actually see the game[[note]]However, there were also side windows to let other people see the game as well.[[/note]], although there were other cabinets, including the cabaret version, that let the player see the game normally.
19* HoverTank: All vehicles (except the walkers) use vectored thrusters to hover.
20* ObviousRulePatch: Added after arcade owners complained about players taking too long because they were exploring instead of fighting -- if you go too long without firing your cannon, a missile spawns in.
21* OneBulletAtATime: Every time you fire, the crosshair flashes. When it stops, you can fire again.
22* OneHitPointWonder: If you get hit by one bullet, you lose a life, as with most Golden Age arcade games.
23* OverflowError:
24** The game started the player out with slower, boxy tanks to shoot, until the player had blasted five of them, then the game threw quicker, sleeker tanks at the player. That is, up until the player had 255 tanks killed; thereafter, the register overflowed to -1, an error code. The game however simply interpreted this as "player has not yet killed enough slow tanks" and thereafter fielded the older, slower boxy tanks. This typically happens around the 80000 to 90000 point mark.
25** A related bug would give the player a bogus high score, typically over 1 million points.
26* PublicDomainSoundtrack: The ''1812 Overture'' would play if you achieved the high score.
27* UrExample: Of both simulation games and military training software, with the U.S. Army commissioning a modified cabinet dubbed ''The Bradley Trainer''

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