The Basics of Computer Gaming
How Computer Games Were Born and Developed
Computer games have become more popular in recent times due to their increased complexity and world-wide use.
A computer game is a computer-controlled game where players interact with objects displayed on a screen for the purpose of entertainment and even education. A video game is essentially the same form of entertainment, but refers to games not only played on a personal computer, but also to games run by a console or arcade machine. The term "computer game" also includes games which display only text or which use other methods, such as sound or animation, as their primary feedback device, or a controller, or a combination of any of the above.
Categories of Computer Games
Computer and video games generally fall into categories.
- Action games are perhaps the most basic of gaming categories and certainly one of the broadest.
- Action-adventure games focus on exploration, and usually involve item gathering, simple puzzle solving, and combat.
- Computer role-playing games often place the player in a fantasy or science fiction setting and drive the gameplay by means of a prominent storyline.
- A Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG or MMO) is a computer game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously, and is played on the Internet. MMOs can enable players to compete with and against each other on a grand scale, and sometimes to interact meaningfully with people around the world. Most MMOs require players to invest large amounts of their time into the game and can be found free on the Internet.
Development of Computer Games
By 1995, the rise of Microsoft Windows and the success of 3D console titles sparked great interest in hardware accelerated 3D graphics on the PC. Consequently, many attempts came about to produce affordable solutions with high-end computer graphics cards. Tomb Raider, which was released in 1996, was one of the first third person shooter games and was praised for its revolutionary graphics. As 3D graphics libraries such as DirectX and OpenGL matured and replaced proprietary interfaces in the market, these platforms gained greater acceptance in the market.
The faster graphics accelerators and improving CPU technology resulted in increasing levels of realism in computer games. During this time, the improvements introduced allowed developers to increase the complexity of modern game engines. The game engine is a central piece of software that simplifies the development process and enables developers to easily port their projects among platforms.
While early games could previously be developed by very small groups of people, current game development is generally undertaken by one or more game developers using the tools described. many popular computer games today require large development teams and budgets running into the millions of dollars.
Computer Gaming Technology
Given the environment in which today's computer games are developed, the hardware requirements are greater as well. A fast central processing unit (CPU) is needed to function properly with the trend towards towards multi-core CPUs increasinf g as well. These processors allow the computer to simultaneously process multiple tasks, called threads, allowing the use of more complex graphics, artificial intelligence and in-game physics.
Similarly, 3D games often rely on a powerful graphics processing unit (GPU), which accelerates the process of drawing complex scenes in realtime. GPUs may be an integrated part of the computer's motherboard or come packaged with a discrete graphics card with a supply of dedicated Video RAM, connected to the motherboard through either an AGP or PCI-Express port.
Sound cards are also available to provide improved audio in computer games. These cards provide improved 3D audio and provide audio enhancement that is generally not available with integrated alternatives.
Physics processing units (PPUs) are also available to accelerate physics simulations in modern computer games. PPUs allow the computer to process more complex interactions among objects than is achievable using only the CPU, potentially allowing players a much greater degree of control over the world in games designed to use the card.[33]
Virtually all personal computers use a keyboard and mouse for user input. Other common gaming peripherals are a headset for faster communication in online games, joysticks for flight simulators, steering wheels for driving games and gamepads for console-style games.
