AN EXHIBITION charting the development of the computer and video games from more than 30 years ago to the present day has opened.

Called High Score, it is at the University of Bath in Swindon's Oakfield campus and will run until mid-May.

And there will be chances for modern gamers used to pin-sharp 3D graphics and realistic sound to try their hand at 1980s classics such as Space Invaders and Pacman.

The exhibition is made up of dozens of items from the collections of two enthusiasts, Abi Waddell and Simon Webb.

Abi, 31, an IT security consultant from Bristol, said: "As well as preserving the items, we aim to entertain and inform collectors, gamers, school kids and the general public about the history of these games."

Simon, 43, an IT consultant of Grange Park, Swindon, added: "We want people to play the old games and see what they were like."

The star of the show is arguably one of Abi's exhibits a 1972 Magnavox Odyssey which is probably the only example in the country.

Originally costing $100 or about £40 at 1972 exchange rates, it had transistors and diodes rather than microchips.

As the machine was capable of producing a few lines and dots on a television screen, its graphics consisted largely of plastic sheets which adhered to the screen with static electricity.

These sheets varied according to the game being played, and the two players twisted dials on controllers and had to keep score for themselves.

The manual boasted: "The exciting casino action of Monte Carlo, the thrills of Wimbledon, the challenge of ski trails can be duplicated right in your own living room."

Abi has never been able to play the game, as it requires a vintage American television.

The exhibition represents every gaming development from then on, starting with the video table tennis game called Pong, which was introduced in the mid-1970s.

Later, with the rise of Space invaders, the shops were crammed with miniature versions, as well as the world-beating Atari games console, but by the early-to-mid-1980s, these were losing ground rapidly to the home computer revolution.

Later still, towards the end of the decade, the specialised games console rose again, with machines such as the Sega Megadrive boasting better graphics and sound than ever before.

The process of evolution continues to this day, with PC games better than ever before and the console market dominated by machines such as the PlayStation 2 and the X-box.

The exhibition will include special gaming days on February 7, March 8, April 3 and May 8, during which visitors will be able to test some of the exhibits.

As Simon explained: "We have a sign which says Please Touch."

Further details are available from the museum on 01793 872146 and at www.museum-of-computing.org.uk.