But who crafted the first game in this genre that was violent and, as some would argue, potentially detrimental to society? Let's rewind to around 1981 or 1982. Picture a restaurant scene where the pleasure of dining is diminished by the pervasive smoke from adjacent tables. At that time, smoking was a norm almost everywhere, even on flights, leaving those who disliked it without recourse. For me, this era of unregulated smoking sparked an idea that would fuse technology with a personal vendetta against the inconsiderate habit.

The release of the Atari 800 was a watershed moment for home computing. With its advanced graphics and the innovative Player Missile Graphics system, it allowed for a variety of applications. It was this system that became the canvas for a unique game concept titled "Non-Smokers Revenge." The premise was straightforward yet provocative: a character on screen smokes a cigarette, enveloped by rotating clouds of smoke. The player's mission was to shoot through the gaps in the smoke and "take out" the smoker.

This game was developed in a pioneering computer language, possibly known as Action!, notable for its introduction of pointers—a concept that would later become crucial with the advent of C compilers.

"Non-Smoker’s Revenge" stands as a testament to the creative and sometimes unheralded innovations that have dotted the software landscape. Its creator (me), overlooked by the annals of tech history, wonders that if I had patented the concept of violent video games, my wealth might have surpassed that of Elon Musk.