Some threads in the origins of first person shooter games. There are many more.
Renaissance Perspective
Albrecht Durer, Artist drawing a nude with perspective device, 1525
From Brook Taylor, New Principles of Linear Perspective, 1719
Photography
View from the Window at Le Gras, Nicéphore Niépce, 1826
Subjective Cinema
The Lady in the Lake, 1947, watch clips
According to Alexander Galloway in Gaming - Essays on Algorithmic Culture, subjective shots are used in four general instances:
- Mental Affect, e.g. intoxication
- Detachment or distancing, e.g. disembodiment in Being John Malkovich
- Criminals and monsters, e.g. Alien
Alien, 1979, watch trailer
Lambert scene
- Machinic vision, e.g. Terminator and Robocop
Terminator 2, 1991, watch biker bar scene
Military and Flight Simulation
A321 Flight Simulator
The Institute for Creative Technologies - killing people one video game at a time
Computer Technology
Xerox Alto, 1973
Processor speed over time - Moore's Law
Vector Mathematics
view frustrum
Coordinate systems 17th century - Descartes. Vector mathematics beginning of the 19th century.
In later 80's and early 90's John Carmack spearheaded many developments in 3D computer graphics such as binary space partitioning used in Doom.
Doom, 1993
John Carmack's latest project is Rage, set for release, September 2011. View the trailer.