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Todd Rogers (gamer)
Encyclopedia
Todd Rogers is an American video game competitor living in Brooksville, Florida
who gained fame in the early 1980s for his many world record
high scores and for his expertise on Activision
games. He appears in several feature films: Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade
, The King of Kong, FRAG (movie), High Score, and Space Invaders: Americas Underground Arcade.
, Illinois
, Rogers gained local notoriety in 1982 at Burbank Haunted Trails for his world record on the arcade game Gorf
. On November 24, 1982, he scored 653,990 points, a world record that stood for over 26 years on the Twin Galaxies
scoreboard. John P. McCann would later eclipse Rogers record on March 20, 2009. Another of Todd's accomplishments was on a home console game by Activision called Dragster. Rogers is currently recognized for being the only person to have beaten a time on this game where the computer was programed to do a certain run of a quarter mile. The computer's Dragster time was of a 5.54 and Todd beat the computer's time by 3 hundredths of a second with the quarter mile run of a 5.51. Rogers has held the Dragster world record title since December 1, 1980.
as well as other gaming expositions in order to demonstrate games to the attendees. Rogers was featured in many well-publicized "Beat The Champ" contests that pitted his skills against those of the public. Rogers is recognized for being the first paid pro video gamer and has represented over 40 major software publishers. One of the first publications that Todd was featured in was a paper back book called "How To Master Home Video Games" by Tom Hirschfeld because of his Dragster skills. Rogers has been featured in an assortment of other prominent publications such as Money Magazine
, The Wall Street Journal
, and Joystik Magazine, you can see more of Todd's exploits on the IMDB site where they list over 100 of his recognitions and interviews. On July 25, 1983, Walter Day founded the U.S. National Video Game Team
, in 1986 Todd was accepted into this prestigious group of gamers. It was a select team of the best video game players from that era. They competed against anyone who would challenge them and traveled throughout the country showcasing their exceptional gaming skills. He went on to also promote and beta test several popular arcade games. Wacko
was one of the games that he tested for the Marvin Glass company. Nintendo
acquired his skills in 1986 to help shuttle the new line of Mario Brothers games. Shortly after that Sega
wanted Todd to promote several contests that they were running. Rogers also helped promote games with celebrities on the games that they were featured in. These celebrities included Michael Jordan
, Mike Tyson
, Marina Sirtis
, Robert Culp
, Barbie Benton, and Bruce Jenner
. On October 3–5, 2008 Todd joined the "Five Kings of Gaming" at the "E for All" Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Ctr to feed the homeless people of Los Angeles. Billed as "The League of Legendary Gamers," the "Kings" include some of the greatest names in gaming history, representing many different genre. The "Kings" are: Todd Rogers, Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, Billy Mitchell, Isaiah TriForce Johnson and Justin Wong. Games were supplied on each of the champions platforms the public was charged a perishable food donation to have the chance to play one on one against these champions. Also at the same venue Todd was involved in a promotion with All Games Network presenting the “Meet, Greet, and Beat the Champs” where Todd played Dragster against the public blindfolded. The prize offered to anyone who could beat him while he was blindfolded was $100.00.
.
On August 2004, was one of four select gamers that were featured on baseball card likenesses in the magazine SYNC.
On September 1, 2007 was presented a poster from Twin Galaxies with his image on it for the "Impossible Record" the Dragster time of 5.51
On August 13, 2009 was presented with a medallion and participated with the launching of the gaming industry's "official" International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum along side 11 other gaming legends.
On August 7, 2010 was inducted into the first class of 2010 of the International Video Game Hall of Fame along side 28 other inductees.
, Chicago Sun-Times
, The Reporter
, Hernando Today
, The Weirs Times, The Bradenton Herald, The Citizen
, The Weekly Planet, Orlando Sentinel
, Los Angeles Times
, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Daily Herald, El Mundo Tech, San Francisco Chronicle
, The Nashville Scene, Suburban Life, Lombard Spectator, The Joplin Globe
, The Barnstable Patriot
, The New York Times
, Omaha World Herald, New Times Broward, Dayton Daily News
, The Portland Mercury
, Seattle Times, LA Weekly
, The Star Ledger, The Stranger
, Variety
, Sierra Mountain Times, The Miami Herald
, The Citizen
, Philadelphia City Paper
, Pegasus News
, The Austin Chronicle, Recherche.
, Video Game Collector, Weekly Planet, Retro Gamer
, Create
, EGM
, Tips & Tricks
, Guinness World Records
, Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
, GameRoom, Edge
, Loaded, Chief , Sci-Fi Magazine, Saturday Night Magazine, Open Source Magazine, 1Up, NH Magazine, Times
, Top Score Magazine, Activisions, Electronic Fun, Playboy Guide Electronic Entertainment.
Brooksville, Florida
Brooksville is an incorporated city in Hernando County, Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Hernando County. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
who gained fame in the early 1980s for his many world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
high scores and for his expertise on Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
games. He appears in several feature films: Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade
Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade
Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade is a documentary film directed by Lincoln Ruchti about the golden age of video arcade games. The film premiered January 22, 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival and has also been shown at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival, as well as other film...
, The King of Kong, FRAG (movie), High Score, and Space Invaders: Americas Underground Arcade.
Biography
Born on December 1, 1964 in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Rogers gained local notoriety in 1982 at Burbank Haunted Trails for his world record on the arcade game Gorf
Gorf
Gorf is an arcade game released in 1981 by Midway Mfg., whose name was advertised as an acronym for "Galactic Orbiting Robot Force". It is a multiple-mission fixed shooter with five distinct modes of play, essentially making it five games in one...
. On November 24, 1982, he scored 653,990 points, a world record that stood for over 26 years on the Twin Galaxies
Twin Galaxies
Twin Galaxies is an American organization that tracks video game world records and conducts a program of electronic-gaming promotions. It operates the Twin Galaxies website and publishes the Twin Galaxies' Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records, with the Arcade Volume released on June...
scoreboard. John P. McCann would later eclipse Rogers record on March 20, 2009. Another of Todd's accomplishments was on a home console game by Activision called Dragster. Rogers is currently recognized for being the only person to have beaten a time on this game where the computer was programed to do a certain run of a quarter mile. The computer's Dragster time was of a 5.54 and Todd beat the computer's time by 3 hundredths of a second with the quarter mile run of a 5.51. Rogers has held the Dragster world record title since December 1, 1980.
Gaming career
Rogers was the video game industry's first player to be hired for his playing skills. During 1980-1992, Rogers appeared at The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
as well as other gaming expositions in order to demonstrate games to the attendees. Rogers was featured in many well-publicized "Beat The Champ" contests that pitted his skills against those of the public. Rogers is recognized for being the first paid pro video gamer and has represented over 40 major software publishers. One of the first publications that Todd was featured in was a paper back book called "How To Master Home Video Games" by Tom Hirschfeld because of his Dragster skills. Rogers has been featured in an assortment of other prominent publications such as Money Magazine
Money Magazine
Money Magazine is a business news and financial programme that is broadcast on Sundays at 7:00pm in Hong Kong by television channel TVB Pearl.-Producers and reporters:...
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, and Joystik Magazine, you can see more of Todd's exploits on the IMDB site where they list over 100 of his recognitions and interviews. On July 25, 1983, Walter Day founded the U.S. National Video Game Team
U.S. National Video Game Team
The U.S. National Video Game Team was founded on July 25, 1983 in Ottumwa, Iowa, USA by Walter Day and the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard.-Members:Walter Day was the Team Captain and the first five members chosen by Twin Galaxies for the team were:...
, in 1986 Todd was accepted into this prestigious group of gamers. It was a select team of the best video game players from that era. They competed against anyone who would challenge them and traveled throughout the country showcasing their exceptional gaming skills. He went on to also promote and beta test several popular arcade games. Wacko
Wacko
Wacko is a 1983 arcade game by Bally Midway. It debuted during the "Golden Age of Arcade Games". It featured a unique angled, or "sloped" cabinet design and a combination of trackball and joystick controls.-Description:...
was one of the games that he tested for the Marvin Glass company. Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
acquired his skills in 1986 to help shuttle the new line of Mario Brothers games. Shortly after that Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
wanted Todd to promote several contests that they were running. Rogers also helped promote games with celebrities on the games that they were featured in. These celebrities included Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
, Marina Sirtis
Marina Sirtis
Marina Sirtis is a British-American actress of Greek descent. She played the role of the human/Betazoid Commander Deanna Troi, ship's counselor, on the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Life:...
, Robert Culp
Robert Culp
Robert Martin Culp was an American actor, scriptwriter, voice actor and director, widely known for his work in television. Culp first earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on I Spy , the espionage series in which he and co-star Bill Cosby played a pair of secret agents...
, Barbie Benton, and Bruce Jenner
Bruce Jenner
William Bruce Jenner is a former U.S. track and field athlete, motivational speaker, socialite and television personality. He won the gold medal for decathlon in the Montreal 1976 Summer Olympics....
. On October 3–5, 2008 Todd joined the "Five Kings of Gaming" at the "E for All" Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Ctr to feed the homeless people of Los Angeles. Billed as "The League of Legendary Gamers," the "Kings" include some of the greatest names in gaming history, representing many different genre. The "Kings" are: Todd Rogers, Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, Billy Mitchell, Isaiah TriForce Johnson and Justin Wong. Games were supplied on each of the champions platforms the public was charged a perishable food donation to have the chance to play one on one against these champions. Also at the same venue Todd was involved in a promotion with All Games Network presenting the “Meet, Greet, and Beat the Champs” where Todd played Dragster against the public blindfolded. The prize offered to anyone who could beat him while he was blindfolded was $100.00.
Twin Galaxies
Twin Galaxies has been around since 1981 as a data tracking company for high scores on video games and pinball games. Todd only had one entry into their data base in that time era, that was on GORF the game that he held that tile record for over 26yrs even though he had many more world records at that time, they were not recognized by Twin Galaxies due to the fact of Activision didn't have any involvement with Twin Galaxies company. Todd traveled the county receiving payment for his gaming skills, while Walter Days group of gamers “U.S. National Video Game Team” even though they were the best at what they did, never got paid on a monthly basis like Todd did. Todd’s involvement with Twin Galaxies back then was only listed for that GORF game, then in 1999 he was offered the opportunity to work hand in hand with Walter Day on doing monthly columns for the Twin Galaxies site entitled "On the home front", Todd also verified and consulted with Twin Galaxies on and off as needed when sensitive gaming issues came up. In 2000 Todd was asked to become an official Twin Galaxies Referee so that he could have on the spot interaction with the current gamers at live gaming venues. In 2006 Todd status with Twin Galaxies was up graded to Senior Referee and once again he set the template for how game settings were tracked and recorded. In 2009 Pete Bouvier became the new owner of the Twin Galaxies Company turning the Twin Galaxies brand into a new direction focusing in on many of the newer gaming titles. In 2010 Todd's title once again changed with Twin Galaxies as Walter Day steps down and the Chief Evangelist of classic gaming, passing that title on to Todd.Notable scores
- Only person to achieve a win over a programmed computer run on Dragster (game) of 5.51 in 1982.
- Has continuously held the Atari 2600's Activision title of Dragster (game) record since December 1, 1980.
- First person to play a game non-stop over 85hrs Journey EscapeJourney EscapeJourney Escape is a videogame developed and manufactured by Data Age in San Jose, California for the Atari 2600 console, and released in 1982. It stars the rock band Journey, one of the world's most popular acts at the time, and is based on their album of the same name.-Plot:From the game's...
of 105,779,605 in 2001.
Accomplishments
All winnings listed are in USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
.
Honors
On March 5, 2001, was called "The King of Video Games" by numerous papers for his many world record high scores.On August 2004, was one of four select gamers that were featured on baseball card likenesses in the magazine SYNC.
On September 1, 2007 was presented a poster from Twin Galaxies with his image on it for the "Impossible Record" the Dragster time of 5.51
On August 13, 2009 was presented with a medallion and participated with the launching of the gaming industry's "official" International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum along side 11 other gaming legends.
On August 7, 2010 was inducted into the first class of 2010 of the International Video Game Hall of Fame along side 28 other inductees.
Centipede 3 Minute challenge
- 1st K B Toys, Illinois 1983 ($5,000)
- 1st American Sales Tournament Bridgeview Illinois 1983 ($500, Atari 400 computer)
Newspapers
Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, The Reporter
The Reporter (newspaper)
The Reporter is an American weekly community newspaper based in the Chicago suburb of Palos Heights, Illinois, and serves the Illinois communities of Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Worth, Chicago Ridge, Palos Hills and Hickory Hills. It has both print and online editions, with a print circulation of...
, Hernando Today
Hernando Today
Hernando Today is a daily newspaper based in Brooksville, Florida covering Hernando County....
, The Weirs Times, The Bradenton Herald, The Citizen
The Citizen (Laconia)
The Citizen is a six day a week, morning daily newspaper in Laconia, New Hampshire, USA, the largest local paper serving the Lakes Region of that state. It has been owned since 1991 by Geo. J...
, The Weekly Planet, Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
, Daily Herald, El Mundo Tech, San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, The Nashville Scene, Suburban Life, Lombard Spectator, The Joplin Globe
The Joplin Globe
The Joplin Globe is a seven-day daily newspaper published in Joplin, Missouri, USA, covering parts of 14 counties in southwestern Missouri. Since 2002, it has been owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc....
, The Barnstable Patriot
The Barnstable Patriot
The Barnstable Patriot is a weekly newspaper published in and for the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Although it bills itself as "an independent voice since 1830", The Patriot has been owned, since 2005, by Ottaway Community Newspapers, now a division of News Corporation.News Corp...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Omaha World Herald, New Times Broward, Dayton Daily News
Dayton Daily News
The Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
, The Portland Mercury
The Portland Mercury
The Portland Mercury is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon. It serves to chronicle the ever-changing Portland music scene, and generally includes interviews, commentaries, reviews, and concert dates...
, Seattle Times, LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
, The Star Ledger, The Stranger
The Stranger (newspaper)
The Stranger is an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle, Washington, USA. It runs a blog known as Slog.-History:The Stranger was founded by Tim Keck, who had previously co-founded the satirical newspaper The Onion, and cartoonist James Sturm. Its first issue came out on September 23, 1991...
, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, Sierra Mountain Times, The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...
, The Citizen
The Citizen
- U.S. newspapers :*The Key West Citizen, the daily newspaper for Key West, Florida*The Citizen , the daily newspaper for Auburn, New York...
, Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper is a free alternative news weekly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in November 1981 as a spin-off of the now defunct WXPN Express newsletter. New issues are released every Thursday....
, Pegasus News
Pegasus News
Pegasus News is an online-only news source for the Dallas–Fort Worth region, originally owned by Panlocal Media LLC.In 2007 the website was acquired by Fisher Communications, who said that they planned to use the Pegasus model for their television stations' websites.Pegasus News won a Katie Award...
, The Austin Chronicle, Recherche.
Other media
How To Master Home Video Games, Joystik Magazine, Video Games Magazine, How To Win At E.T. The Video Game, Atari Age, Electronic Fun With Computers And Games, Electronic Game Player, Retrogaming Times, SYNC, WIRED, Gamers, Philadelphia WeeklyPhiladelphia Weekly
Philadelphia Weekly , is an award-winning alternative newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, published every Wednesday.The paper was founded in 1971 as a sister publication to the South Philadelphia Press. In 1995, the paper became Philadelphia Weekly...
, Video Game Collector, Weekly Planet, Retro Gamer
Retro Gamer
Retro Gamer is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Although launched as a quarterly publication, Retro Gamers soon became a monthly...
, Create
Create
Create may refer to:* Create , an American public television network consisting of lifestyle and human interest programming from the libraries of PBS and American Public Television...
, EGM
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
, Tips & Tricks
Tips & Tricks
Tips & Tricks is an American video game magazine published by Larry Flynt Publications . For most of its existence, the publication was devoted almost exclusively to strategies and codes for popular video games...
, Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition is a Guinness World Records book dedicated to video games. The first edition was released in February 2008 in association with the video games world records' tracking organization Twin Galaxies. The second edition was released in 2009...
, GameRoom, Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
, Loaded, Chief , Sci-Fi Magazine, Saturday Night Magazine, Open Source Magazine, 1Up, NH Magazine, Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
, Top Score Magazine, Activisions, Electronic Fun, Playboy Guide Electronic Entertainment.