Imagination is Not the Limit : The Relationship Between Software and Hardware Design in Video Game Development

Abstract

Through my research, I discovered that my premise (technology influences software design) was particularly pervasive for the first 40 years of hardware design where the infancy of the technology significantly inhibited the artistic, creative aspects of development. Over the last 7 years, the standardization of accepted hardware design and a pronounced understanding of its functionality and limitations allows for a collective creativity across platforms. However, the technological cap remains. With that said, the design of specialized hardware is itself a creative function which flourished over the first 40 years and has recently become less pronounced because of the acceptance of this standardized approach. Throughout this paper I explore the different interaction between technology and art and the influence hardware design has had on software design throughout history.