Nolan Bushnell Interview in Wired Magazine

[Albert]

Nolan Bushnell, best known as the founder of Atari and inventor of the Pong arcade game, has been interviewed for the October 2005 edition of Wired Magazine. Among the various topics the interview touches, Nolan discusses his latest venture, the uWink Media Bistro, as well as a new, four-player version of the Pong arcade game (tentatively titled "Ping"). The interview dives into Nolan's early days, the various ventures he's been involved with over the years, and his plans for the future. You can read the full interview in the print version of Wired Magazine (October, 2005), as well as online over at Wired.com.

[Gateway]

Ah, here it is... starts on page 156.

 

Also, there's a blurb about the new movie based on DOOM on page 62.

 

Characters from Peter Jackson's King Kong are on the cover for this issue.

[joeybastard]

I can see my wife and I going to a place like this a lot. The reason we go to the bar we frequent now is their large number of MegaTouch and videogames. We have a few drinks shoot some pool and play videogames together. Here we could grab a bite and play games together. Sounds perfect to me if the food is decent and not ridiculously priced.

[Albert]

Ah, here it is... starts on page 156. 

 

Also, there's a blurb about the new movie based on DOOM on page 62.

 

Characters from Peter Jackson's King Kong are on the cover for this issue.

944022[/snapback]

I picked up this copy of Wired, not knowing they'd put the Nolan Bushnell interview online (which they just did yesterday). However, there are some interesting looking articles in it, such as the guy with the car he intends to drive into a tornado, as well as the articles about King Kong. Been a long time since I've bought an issue of Wired. Was subscribed long ago (in the magazine's early days), and just recently gave away a large number of issues to someone here in Austin.

 

..Al

[gavv]

I can see my wife and I going to a place like this a lot.  The reason we go to the bar we frequent now is their large number of MegaTouch and videogames.  We have a few drinks shoot some pool and play videogames together.  Here we could grab a bite and play games together.  Sounds perfect to me if the food is decent and not ridiculously priced.

944024[/snapback]

 

 

if they can do that, and as well get a networked trivia/etc type game for their sites working well, along the lines of NTN-style, then i think they definitely have somethign to grow on. i can't imagine myself going to BW3 without NTN

 

gavv

[The_Laird]

Lets hope it does really well, he makes a few million and then buys back Atari

 

Its just a dream I know

 

But just imagine a NEW Atari Console - I would call it the Atari Phoenix

[mos6507]

This sounds better than I thought. I'll definitely check it out when it opens. As a divorced single dad I could really use this as a way to meet people.

 

It's encouraging that the tables are using trackballs instead of just touchscreens. That was my main beef with the uWink games before.

 

I just hope they don't crank the music up loud like a traditional nightclub. I don't like having to wear earplugs or scream to have a conversation.

[AtariAger]

Will he be at the Philly 6?

 

[tmont]

8-player Pong? That's the sexiest thing I've ever heard.

 

Edit: Okay, the announcement on the front page says it's 4-player, but the picture with the article shows 8 trackballs. Am I missing something? Is there 8 trackballs, but only 4 simultaneously? The article just says "multiplayer."

Edited October 7, 2005 by HeckYesIDid

[mos6507]

8-player Pong?  That's the sexiest thing I've ever heard.

 

Edit:  Okay, the announcement on the front page says it's 4-player, but the picture with the article shows 8 trackballs.  Am I missing something?  Is there 8 trackballs, but only 4 simultaneously?  The article just says "multiplayer."

944127[/snapback]

 

Maybe you are supposed to use two trackballs per person. That would be fun, kinda like foosball or something.

[+cvga]

Now, all of you need to buy some stock to drive the price up of the shares I already have

 

Seriously, I think this restaurant is a great idea. I'm already happily married so I'm not looking for a relationship but I'd like to have a place where I could take my whole family and have a good time playing games without us leaving the table.

[Gregory DG]

Cool interview. The uWink Bistro sounds like a neat idea...

 

I remember an article in Antic magazine where a cafe had hooked up Atari 800s to each table. Customers could order their food and play games and stuff right at the table.

 

Ok, Here is the article.

[antron]

Nolan Bushnell, best known as the founder of Atari and inventor of the Pong arcade game,

 

no disrespect but, didn't he steal pong?

 

or did you mean 'Pong arcade' as in he put it in arcade form?

[JB]

Nolan Bushnell, best known as the founder of Atari and inventor of the Pong arcade game,

 

no disrespect but, didn't he steal pong?

 

or did you mean 'Pong arcade' as in he put it in arcade form?

944616[/snapback]

The subject's up for debate.

Bushnell's position was that he had Pong designed before he ever saw the Odyssey.

 

And quite bluntly, it's not the hardest concept to come up with in the first place anyways.

[mos6507]

Nolan Bushnell, best known as the founder of Atari and inventor of the Pong arcade game,

 

no disrespect but, didn't he steal pong?

 

or did you mean 'Pong arcade' as in he put it in arcade form?

944616[/snapback]

 

It's unfortunate that people get hung up on the Pong controversay. If you remove Pong from the equation, early Atari was still a clear innovator.

[antron]

Nolan Bushnell, best known as the founder of Atari and inventor of the Pong arcade game,

 

no disrespect but, didn't he steal pong?

 

or did you mean 'Pong arcade' as in he put it in arcade form?

944616[/snapback]

The subject's up for debate.

Bushnell's position was that he had Pong designed before he ever saw the Odyssey.

 

And quite bluntly, it's not the hardest concept to come up with in the first place anyways.

944650[/snapback]

 

glad I asked, because now I know.

[JB]

Nolan Bushnell, best known as the founder of Atari and inventor of the Pong arcade game,

 

no disrespect but, didn't he steal pong?

 

or did you mean 'Pong arcade' as in he put it in arcade form?

944616[/snapback]

The subject's up for debate.

Bushnell's position was that he had Pong designed before he ever saw the Odyssey.

 

And quite bluntly, it's not the hardest concept to come up with in the first place anyways.

944650[/snapback]

 

glad I asked, because now I know.

944735[/snapback]

And knowing is half the battle. GI JOE!

Edited October 8, 2005 by JB

[Kokovec]

The Wired article states that he will be opening a restaurant in Hollywood.

I can hardly wait to try it out

[+cvga]

Is this going to be at the Century City Mall? I've never been there but it looks like a good location. It would be great if someone in the area could drop by and take some pictures so we could see where they are in the development.

[Clint Thompson]

It'll be a while before I see one I think.... which is sad.... but I can hope they have at least one here in Indy be the end of next year... that'd be cool!

[Flojomojo]

Anyone else think the ubiquitous touch screens in the uWink cafe are a little TOO distracting, especially in a place that's trying to enable human-to-human contact? How do you get women to go to a place like this? It looks great on paper, but I suspect that in reality, it seems like a very slight twist on Dave & Buster's. Especially with the standard american bar-food.

[sukotsu9]

But just imagine a NEW Atari Console - I would call it the Atari Phoenix

944067[/snapback]

The name's been taken. Looks kinda cool, huh?

 

Yeah, if the food in Nolan's cafe were a little better than pub food, I'd stop in at least once. But, ugh, L.A.?! Does he have that bad memories of the Bay Area?

[maibock]

Anyone else think the ubiquitous touch screens in the uWink cafe are a little TOO distracting, especially in a place that's trying to enable human-to-human contact? How do you get women to go to a place like this? It looks great on paper, but I suspect that in reality, it seems like a very slight twist on Dave & Buster's. Especially with the standard american bar-food.

946281[/snapback]

 

 

I was thinking the same thing.. If my wife and I had a chance to go out to dinner without the kids, I doubt we'd go to this place. And if we brought the kids, I'm still not quite sure we'd go. Yeah, it would be a good diversion for the kids, but then again how much of a diversion. Do you want kids with greasy slimey hands touching these screens?

 

Anyway, no body's asking the BIG question - what's on tap?

[mos6507]

Anyone else think the ubiquitous touch screens in the uWink cafe are a little TOO distracting, especially in a place that's trying to enable human-to-human contact?

946281[/snapback]

 

Remember that one of the most popular things to do when dating is go to a movie where you sit next to eachother and stare at a screen.

 

And at a regular nightclub the music is so loud you have to scream into your date's ear for them to hear you.

[mos6507]

The Wired article states that he will be opening a restaurant in Hollywood.

I can hardly wait to try it out

945643[/snapback]

 

There is a mall area in Hollywood now that is sort of like Downtown Disney. I have only driven past it but it looks nice. For those of you who don't live in Los Angeles, Hollywood is really a pretty grimey place aside from a few well-tended landmarks. This mall is intended to change the character of the neighborhood. I would be best if it wound up in there but I doubt he could afford the rent. He could open up elsewhere on Sunset Blvd. but it wouldn't get anywhere near the same exposure.