Popular Computer Games
Game creation is an approach to the making of computer and video games. A game is a carefully structured form of computer or video game play, normally undertaken for fun or entertainment, and occasionally used as a teaching tool. Video and computer games are different from work, which is often carried out for remuneration; and from literature, which frequently is an expression of literary or artistic elements. The term “video game” covers games that are played on computers and other devices, rather than those that are read.
The emergence of computer games has coincided with the rise of the personal computer and its market penetration has reached nearly global proportions, with many people now using personal computers to access online game platforms. Personal computer games are a part of what is commonly known as “ORPGs,” or Role Playing Games. In these games players take on the role of avatars or characters and engage in interactive quest-style gameplay. The distinguishing characteristic of these games is that they are played on computers rather than on consoles such as the Xbox and Sony PlayStation.
While computer games were not considered “gamed” until the late 1980s, their development occurred at a rapid rate. Early computer games were simple text-based ones with minigame-like gameplay. With the growth of broadband Internet technology, game developers were then able to create video games with greater interactivity and detailed graphics. Today, computer games are available in both conventional single player and multi-player modes, allowing players to compete against each other. These multiplayer games can be either online or on a LAN server, where multiple computers are connected to each other over the Internet.
Computer video games are so popular that the annual Game Developers Conference is held in California. Considered the international standard in the industry, this three-day event brings together the most notable game developers in the world. Featured guests include well-known designers like Robert Yang and John Carmack, as well as indubitable Hollywood producers like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Other well-known speakers include luminaries such as Neil Gaiman, Peter Sholz, and Frank Lampenning.
Computer video games also represent a lucrative business sector for those involved in the creation, marketing, and distribution of the software and hardware products that allow players to interact with one another in virtual worlds. PC and console game developers sell downloadable versions of their games on a CD-ROM or a disk-based service, while game accessories, such as computer game systems, home video systems, televisions, and sound boards, are sold through retailers. Major distributors of video game software include Electronic Arts Inc., Sega Enterprises Ltd., Nintendo Co. Ltd., and Valve Corporation. Major distributors of accessories associated with computer games include Z-soft, Cybertech, Playtech, and Crave Entertainment.
Computer games provide people with an escape from the pressures of life. They can be therapeutic, educational, social, or simply entertaining. With the explosion of Internet usage among Americans, PC and video game sales have sky rocketed over the past decade.