Your car parking skills will be tested with this game. Maneuver your car carefully into its parking place without hitting anything..
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Winter Rider
PLAY NOW!!!Grab a bike and head out into the snow. Race as fast as you can beating levels and unlocking new bikes.
Extreme truck
The ultimate stunts truck game just got better! Reach the end of the level in the time limit! Don't crash!.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Online Games
Final Fantasy Sonic X5
ou need to help Sonic the Hedgehog defeat the True Guardian to get the stone.
PLAY NOW
ou need to help Sonic the Hedgehog defeat the True Guardian to get the stone.
PLAY NOW
Action Games
Return to the farm to make pizzas that will be enjoyed around the world! Don't miss all the fun!
Your Farm Frenzy: Pizza Party time-limited trial is now ready to begin...
Our Guarantee: Safe Download - 100% Virus & Spyware Free™
Please click HERE to start.
Our Guarantee: Safe Download - 100% Virus & Spyware Free™
Please click HERE to start.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
History of games
games were introduced as a commercial entertainment medium in 1971, becoming the basis for a new entertainment industry in the late 1970s/early 1980s in the United States, Japan, and Europe. After a disastrous industry collapse in 1983 and a subsequent rebirth two years later, the video game industry has experienced sustained growth for over two decades to become a $11 billion industry, which rivals the motion picture industry as the most profitable entertainment industry in the world.In 1949-1950, Charly Adama created a "Bouncing Ball" program for MIT's Whirlwind computer[2]. While the program was not yet interactive, it was a precursor to games soon to come.
In February 1951, Christopher Strachey tried to run a draughts programme he had written for the NPL Pilot ACE. The program exceeded the memory capacity of the machine and by October, Strachey had recoded his program for a machine at Manchester with a larger memory capacity
In February 1951, Christopher Strachey tried to run a draughts programme he had written for the NPL Pilot ACE. The program exceeded the memory capacity of the machine and by October, Strachey had recoded his program for a machine at Manchester with a larger memory capacity
Southpeak’s Aubrey Norris talks about X-Blades
Ayumi is a bit of an unusual character. She certainly has a bit in common with Lara Croft, but accomplishes things in her own highly stylized way. And to see her in action is certainly a joyful thing to behold.
Southpeak is the publisher behind X-Blades, a title that combines the fantastic with an almost manga style and intense action. Ayumi is an adventurer who deals with danger with her unique bladed weapons that are also guns. The game itself, spanning many platforms, combines exploration elements with hack-and-slash combat. To see the game in motion is a thing of beauty.
Of course, with the release date closing in, GameZone wanted to know a bit more about this title, and Aubrey Norris, Product Marketing Manager for Southpeak Games, was willing to answer our questions.
Question: Ok, tell me why developers create a compelling female lead, put her into dangerous situations and then dress her for an outing at the beach?
Aubrey: I think the real question is; why not. This formula has proved successful in countless titles over the years. You might as well ask Eidos why they went with a voluptuous vixen rather than a no curves flat-chested heroine for the Tomb Raider series. Honestly, we wanted to make a game that gave players something attractive to look at while they hacked and slashed their way through the highly detailed worlds and hordes of enemies in X-Blades.
Southpeak is the publisher behind X-Blades, a title that combines the fantastic with an almost manga style and intense action. Ayumi is an adventurer who deals with danger with her unique bladed weapons that are also guns. The game itself, spanning many platforms, combines exploration elements with hack-and-slash combat. To see the game in motion is a thing of beauty.
Of course, with the release date closing in, GameZone wanted to know a bit more about this title, and Aubrey Norris, Product Marketing Manager for Southpeak Games, was willing to answer our questions.
Question: Ok, tell me why developers create a compelling female lead, put her into dangerous situations and then dress her for an outing at the beach?
Aubrey: I think the real question is; why not. This formula has proved successful in countless titles over the years. You might as well ask Eidos why they went with a voluptuous vixen rather than a no curves flat-chested heroine for the Tomb Raider series. Honestly, we wanted to make a game that gave players something attractive to look at while they hacked and slashed their way through the highly detailed worlds and hordes of enemies in X-Blades.
GameZone Talks it Up with Dan Vondrak about X-Men Origins: Wolverine
“…it was about being true to Wolverine’s character, and if that means lopping guys’ heads off or ramming claws into their chest, then that’s what it’s got to be.”
One of the most well-known and loved characters in comics, Wolverine has experienced a huge resurgence of popularity in recent years, largely due to his role in the X-Men film franchise, as played by Hugh Jackman. Now, the hero is getting his own origin story film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine with Jackman in the lead role.
Additionally, Activision and developer Raven software are hard at work developing a game based on the character and featuring plot elements from the film, as well as a sizable chunk of the film’s cast. However, the game is set to be not just another film game, as it sets out to give players the opportunity to play as Wolverine as never before. Players can take full advantage of his abilities and adamantium claws and attack enemies like a wild animal, ripping enemies limb from limb.
At a recent press event held for the game, GameZone got a chance to sit down with Dan Vondrak, Project Lead on the game, and ask him a few questions about the game’s development and how it relates to the upcoming film.
One of the most well-known and loved characters in comics, Wolverine has experienced a huge resurgence of popularity in recent years, largely due to his role in the X-Men film franchise, as played by Hugh Jackman. Now, the hero is getting his own origin story film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine with Jackman in the lead role.
Additionally, Activision and developer Raven software are hard at work developing a game based on the character and featuring plot elements from the film, as well as a sizable chunk of the film’s cast. However, the game is set to be not just another film game, as it sets out to give players the opportunity to play as Wolverine as never before. Players can take full advantage of his abilities and adamantium claws and attack enemies like a wild animal, ripping enemies limb from limb.
At a recent press event held for the game, GameZone got a chance to sit down with Dan Vondrak, Project Lead on the game, and ask him a few questions about the game’s development and how it relates to the upcoming film.
Human Rubberband
Most of the games and activities we cover at Strange Games require minimal equipment such as a ball or plastic bucket or, often, none at all. Human Rubberband™ is different in that to play you are going to have to buy one...but it allows you to play an amazing game. Human Rubberband™ was founded in 2008 in Reese, Utah and what they are selling is a gigantic rubber band, a massively scaled up version of the common desk accessory. The Human Rubberband™ is 50 inches wide with a diameter of 15 feet!.The game that you play with it is a cooperative game that requires four players. Each stands inside the band and position themselves so that they form the four corners of a square - the rubber band being at waist level. Now the action begins. One pair of opposing players run towards and past each other and then turn so that they back into the band. The resulting elasticity forces the other two players to perform a similar motion and so on....as long as you can keep it up you do it.The embedded video should make it perfectly clear, it's a little like a continuous rope bounce that you often see in wrestling bouts although without the final blow of a forearm smash.
Office Ball Games: CUPS
An e-mail reaches Blister Towers from the creator of the website/book Office Ball Games. If you visit the website, which I sincerely hope you do, you can download a pdf book which has in depth and hilarious instructions of how to play Office Ball Games. These fall under six broad categories: Cups, Catchy, Counters, Hops, Hopsy and Golfsy. All involve the use of a stress ball and the office kitchen with many games involving trying to fire the ball past your opponent after a required number of bounces off kitchen tables, chairs and other fixtures and fittings.The game of Cups is particularly inspired, it is a little like a combination of lacrosse and squash but played in a small office kitchen. Cups is an ideal game for two players. Each has an empty coffee cup. Player one places a stress ball in his cup then fires it against the wall (above waist height) and in the direction of his opponent. The opposing player must catch the ball after it has bounced off at least the one wall and before it hits any horizontal surface (including, as the guide says, toasted sandwich makers). If successfully caught then play continues in a similar manner. If the ball is missed then a point goes to the serving player. The website gives details on a variety of Cup grips to impart different spins on the ball and the use of psychedelically patterned cups to confuse opponents and gain advantage.
Game Development
The cost of developing a competitive commercial MMORPG title often exceeds $10 million.[33] These projects require multiple disciplines within game design and development such as 3D modeling, 2D art, animation, user interfaces, client/server engineering, database architecture, and network infrastructure.[34]
The front-end (or client) component of a commercial, modern MMORPG features 3D graphics. As with other modern 3D games, the front-end requires expertise with implementing 3D engines, real-time shader techniques and physics simulation. The actual visual content (areas, creatures, characters, weapons, spaceships and so forth) is developed by artists who typically begin with two-dimensional concept art, and later convert these concepts into animated 3D scenes, models and texture maps.[35]
Developing an MMOG server requires expertise with client/server architecture, network protocols, security, and relational database design. MMORPGs include reliable systems for a number of vital tasks. The server must be able to handle and verify a large number of connections, prevent cheating, and apply changes (bug fixes or added content) to the game. A system for recording the game's data at regular intervals, without stopping the game, is also important.[36]
Maintenance requires sufficient servers and bandwidth, and a dedicated support staff. Insufficient resources for maintenance lead to lag and frustration for the players, and can severely damage the reputation of a game, especially at launch. Care must also be taken to ensure that player population remains at an acceptable level by adding or removing servers ("shards"). Peer-to-peer MMORPGs could theoretically work cheaply and efficiently in regulating server load, but practical issues such as asymmetrical network bandwidth and CPU-hungry rendering engines make them a difficult proposition. Additionally, they would probably become vulnerable to other problems including new possibilities for cheating. The hosted infrastructure for a commercial-grade MMORPG requires the deployment of hundreds (or even thousands) of servers. Developing an affordable infrastructure for an online game requires developers to scale to large numbers of players with less hardware and network investment.[37]
In addition, the development team will need to have expertise with the fundamentals of game design: world-building, lore and game mechanics,[38] as well as what makes games fun.
The front-end (or client) component of a commercial, modern MMORPG features 3D graphics. As with other modern 3D games, the front-end requires expertise with implementing 3D engines, real-time shader techniques and physics simulation. The actual visual content (areas, creatures, characters, weapons, spaceships and so forth) is developed by artists who typically begin with two-dimensional concept art, and later convert these concepts into animated 3D scenes, models and texture maps.[35]
Developing an MMOG server requires expertise with client/server architecture, network protocols, security, and relational database design. MMORPGs include reliable systems for a number of vital tasks. The server must be able to handle and verify a large number of connections, prevent cheating, and apply changes (bug fixes or added content) to the game. A system for recording the game's data at regular intervals, without stopping the game, is also important.[36]
Maintenance requires sufficient servers and bandwidth, and a dedicated support staff. Insufficient resources for maintenance lead to lag and frustration for the players, and can severely damage the reputation of a game, especially at launch. Care must also be taken to ensure that player population remains at an acceptable level by adding or removing servers ("shards"). Peer-to-peer MMORPGs could theoretically work cheaply and efficiently in regulating server load, but practical issues such as asymmetrical network bandwidth and CPU-hungry rendering engines make them a difficult proposition. Additionally, they would probably become vulnerable to other problems including new possibilities for cheating. The hosted infrastructure for a commercial-grade MMORPG requires the deployment of hundreds (or even thousands) of servers. Developing an affordable infrastructure for an online game requires developers to scale to large numbers of players with less hardware and network investment.[37]
In addition, the development team will need to have expertise with the fundamentals of game design: world-building, lore and game mechanics,[38] as well as what makes games fun.
Progression
In nearly all MMORPGs, the development of the player's character is a primary goal.[3] Many MMORPGs feature a character progression system in which players earn experience points for their actions and use those points to reach character "levels", which makes them better at whatever they do.[3] Traditionally, combat with monsters and completing quests for NPCs, either alone or in groups, are the primary ways to earn experience points. The accumulation of wealth (including combat-useful items) is also a way to progress in many titles, and again, this is traditionally best accomplished via combat. The cycle produced by these conditions, combat leading to new items allowing for more combat with no change in gameplay, is sometimes pejoratively referred to as the level treadmill,[3] or 'grinding'. The role-playing game Progress Quest was created as a parody of this trend.
Also, traditional in the genre is the eventual demand on players to team up with others in order to progress at the optimal rate. This sometimes forces players to change their real-world schedules in order to "keep up" within the game-world.
Also, traditional in the genre is the eventual demand on players to team up with others in order to progress at the optimal rate. This sometimes forces players to change their real-world schedules in order to "keep up" within the game-world.
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a genre of computer role-playing games (CRPGs) in which a large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world. The term MMORPG was coined by Richard Garriott,[citation needed] the creator of Ultima Online, the game credited with popularizing the genre in 1997.[1][2]
As in all RPGs, players assume the role of a fictional character (often in a fantasy world),[3] and take control over many of that character's actions.[4] MMORPGs are distinguished from single-player or small multi-player CRPGs by the number of players, and by the game's persistent world, usually hosted by the game's publisher, which continues to exist and evolve while the player is away from the game.
MMORPGs are very popular throughout the world.[5] Worldwide revenues for MMORPGs exceeded half a billion dollars in 2005,[6] and Western revenues exceeded US$1 billion in 2006.[7] In 2007 and 2008 the virtual goods buying and trading has taken an amazing increase. Next to the more traditional subscription model, virtual goods are a second source of revenues for publishers. In 2008, Western consumer spending on subscription MMOGs grew to $1.4 billion
As in all RPGs, players assume the role of a fictional character (often in a fantasy world),[3] and take control over many of that character's actions.[4] MMORPGs are distinguished from single-player or small multi-player CRPGs by the number of players, and by the game's persistent world, usually hosted by the game's publisher, which continues to exist and evolve while the player is away from the game.
MMORPGs are very popular throughout the world.[5] Worldwide revenues for MMORPGs exceeded half a billion dollars in 2005,[6] and Western revenues exceeded US$1 billion in 2006.[7] In 2007 and 2008 the virtual goods buying and trading has taken an amazing increase. Next to the more traditional subscription model, virtual goods are a second source of revenues for publishers. In 2008, Western consumer spending on subscription MMOGs grew to $1.4 billion
first newsletter dedicated to video games
The article contains the following:
"In 1988, Nintendo published their first issue of Nintendo Power magazine, becoming what could be considered the first newsletter dedicated to video games, inspiring such magazines as Game Informer and PlayStation Magazine."
During the early 80s, there were many video game magazines that covered the industry, including Video Games, Joystik, Video Gaming Illustrated, Electronic Fun, Electronic Games, etc. Atari, Activision, Imagic, Coleco and others had their own newsletters as well.
The trade magazines of the coin-op industry, Replay and Playmeter, date back to the mid-70s.
Could someone please tell me if I'm reading that sentence incorrectly? If not, it should probably be removed.
Cheers.
129.82.250.202 (talk) 15:47, 26 July 2008 (UTC)
I read it the same way that you read it and have removed the odd claims made for it. - X201 (talk) 18:46, 26 July 2008 (UTC)
"In 1988, Nintendo published their first issue of Nintendo Power magazine, becoming what could be considered the first newsletter dedicated to video games, inspiring such magazines as Game Informer and PlayStation Magazine."
During the early 80s, there were many video game magazines that covered the industry, including Video Games, Joystik, Video Gaming Illustrated, Electronic Fun, Electronic Games, etc. Atari, Activision, Imagic, Coleco and others had their own newsletters as well.
The trade magazines of the coin-op industry, Replay and Playmeter, date back to the mid-70s.
Could someone please tell me if I'm reading that sentence incorrectly? If not, it should probably be removed.
Cheers.
129.82.250.202 (talk) 15:47, 26 July 2008 (UTC)
I read it the same way that you read it and have removed the odd claims made for it. - X201 (talk) 18:46, 26 July 2008 (UTC)
Advance of 3d gaming
Needs to be researched and added to the article. In 1992, Wolfenstein 3D and Ultima Underworld were full pseudo-three dimensional first person games. In 1994 System Shock 1, a fully polygonal game (with sprite-based enemies) was released, and Descent, which is widely known and remembered as "one of the first" 100% polygonal 3d games, was released. Console gaming was introduced to 3d games with Tomb Raider and Mario 64 as the two most iconic titles in 1996. 71.126.104.9 (talk) 20:15, 25 April 2008 (UTC)
video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation primarily focuses on the consoles released since 2004 by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony.[1]
For home consoles, the seventh generation began[2] on November 22, 2005 with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and continued with the release of Sony's PlayStation 3 on November 11, 2006 and Nintendo's Wii on November 19, 2006. Each new console introduced a new type of breakthrough technology. For example, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 offered high-definition graphics, while the Wii focused on integrating controllers with movement sensors instead of using joysticks[3] (the PlayStation 3 also employs motion sensitivity, but to a lesser degree). All three consoles have wireless controllers, while the Xbox 360 also has wired controllers as an alternative. The PlayStation 3 controller can be charged through the use of a USB-A/mini-b cable. The wireless Xbox 360 controller uses either a rechargeable battery pack or 2 AA batteries, the same can be said about the Wii.
For handheld consoles, the seventh generation began on November 21, 2004 with the North American introduction of the Nintendo DS as a "third pillar", alongside Nintendo's existing Game Boy Advance and GameCube consoles.[4] The Nintendo DS features a touch screen and built-in microphone, and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards.[5] Also the new DSi features many new things including two built in cameras, the ability to download games from the DSi store, and a web browser. The PlayStation Portable, released later the same year on December 12, 2004, followed a different pattern. It became the first handheld video game console to use an optical disc format, Universal Media Disc (UMD), as its primary storage media.[6][7] Sony also gave the PlayStation Portable robust multi-media capability,[8] connectivity with the PlayStation 3 and other PSPs, and Internet connectivity
For home consoles, the seventh generation began[2] on November 22, 2005 with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and continued with the release of Sony's PlayStation 3 on November 11, 2006 and Nintendo's Wii on November 19, 2006. Each new console introduced a new type of breakthrough technology. For example, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 offered high-definition graphics, while the Wii focused on integrating controllers with movement sensors instead of using joysticks[3] (the PlayStation 3 also employs motion sensitivity, but to a lesser degree). All three consoles have wireless controllers, while the Xbox 360 also has wired controllers as an alternative. The PlayStation 3 controller can be charged through the use of a USB-A/mini-b cable. The wireless Xbox 360 controller uses either a rechargeable battery pack or 2 AA batteries, the same can be said about the Wii.
For handheld consoles, the seventh generation began on November 21, 2004 with the North American introduction of the Nintendo DS as a "third pillar", alongside Nintendo's existing Game Boy Advance and GameCube consoles.[4] The Nintendo DS features a touch screen and built-in microphone, and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards.[5] Also the new DSi features many new things including two built in cameras, the ability to download games from the DSi store, and a web browser. The PlayStation Portable, released later the same year on December 12, 2004, followed a different pattern. It became the first handheld video game console to use an optical disc format, Universal Media Disc (UMD), as its primary storage media.[6][7] Sony also gave the PlayStation Portable robust multi-media capability,[8] connectivity with the PlayStation 3 and other PSPs, and Internet connectivity
PlayStation 3
Sony's PlayStation 3 was released on November 11, 2006 in Japan and November 17, 2006 in USA. The system's reliance on new technology such as the Cell microprocessor and Blu-ray format has caused difficulties in manufacturing, especially the Blu-ray diode, leading to shortages at launch and the delay of the PAL region launches; however, by early December 2006, Sony announced that all production issues had been resolved.[37]
Market analysts[38] and Sony executives have stated that the success of the PlayStation 3 and the Blu-ray format are dependent on one another; Rich Marty, VP of New Business Development at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment stated that the “PS3 is critical to the success of Blu-ray,"[39] while Phil Harrison stated that the PlayStation 3's success will be ensured because "the growth of the Blu-ray disc movie market ... is a positive factor which will play more into the consumer psyche ... as more consumer electronics firms launch standalone disc players, as more Blu-ray disc movies become available, and as more shelf space is dedicated to the category at retail."[40]
Sony will provide support for its console with new titles from acclaimed first-party franchises such as Gran Turismo and God of War, and secured a number of highly anticipated third-party exclusive titles, including Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Titles which were originally exclusive or recognised with the platform, such as Devil May Cry,[29] Ace Combat,[30] Virtua Fighter,[31] and Monster Hunter,[41] have been released on other platforms. The previous Grand Theft Auto titles were originally timed exclusives on the PlayStation 2, before making their release on other platforms, such as the Xbox, months later; however, Grand Theft Auto 4, the latest installment, arrived day one on the Xbox 360 with the release of the PlayStation 3 version, as well as having exclusive content for the Xbox 360.[32] Announced exclusives titles for the PlayStation 3 such as Assassin's Creed;[42] Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War and Fatal Inertia were released on Xbox 360 as well, with the latter making its release on Xbox 360 before the PlayStation 3 version.[43] The Katamari series, which has long been PlayStation 2 exclusives, found the latest installment, Beautiful Katamari, exclusive to Xbox 360.[44] These releases have fueled rumors and fear that Final Fantasy XIII and Tekken 6, two highly anticipated exclusive PlayStation 3 games at the time, would also be available for Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3's primary competitor.[45][46][47][48][49] At E3 2008, it was announced that Final Fantasy XIII would be simultaneously released on the Xbox 360 in Europe and North America;[33] later on October 8, 2008, it was announced that Tekken 6 would also be releasing on the Xbox 360;[34][50] however, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy Versus XIII still remain PlayStation 3 exclusives.[51][52][53][54][55] Sony has blamed lower-than-expected sales, loss of exclusive titles in the PlayStation 3 software library, its higher price, and stock shortages.[56][57][58]
Market analysts[38] and Sony executives have stated that the success of the PlayStation 3 and the Blu-ray format are dependent on one another; Rich Marty, VP of New Business Development at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment stated that the “PS3 is critical to the success of Blu-ray,"[39] while Phil Harrison stated that the PlayStation 3's success will be ensured because "the growth of the Blu-ray disc movie market ... is a positive factor which will play more into the consumer psyche ... as more consumer electronics firms launch standalone disc players, as more Blu-ray disc movies become available, and as more shelf space is dedicated to the category at retail."[40]
Sony will provide support for its console with new titles from acclaimed first-party franchises such as Gran Turismo and God of War, and secured a number of highly anticipated third-party exclusive titles, including Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Titles which were originally exclusive or recognised with the platform, such as Devil May Cry,[29] Ace Combat,[30] Virtua Fighter,[31] and Monster Hunter,[41] have been released on other platforms. The previous Grand Theft Auto titles were originally timed exclusives on the PlayStation 2, before making their release on other platforms, such as the Xbox, months later; however, Grand Theft Auto 4, the latest installment, arrived day one on the Xbox 360 with the release of the PlayStation 3 version, as well as having exclusive content for the Xbox 360.[32] Announced exclusives titles for the PlayStation 3 such as Assassin's Creed;[42] Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War and Fatal Inertia were released on Xbox 360 as well, with the latter making its release on Xbox 360 before the PlayStation 3 version.[43] The Katamari series, which has long been PlayStation 2 exclusives, found the latest installment, Beautiful Katamari, exclusive to Xbox 360.[44] These releases have fueled rumors and fear that Final Fantasy XIII and Tekken 6, two highly anticipated exclusive PlayStation 3 games at the time, would also be available for Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3's primary competitor.[45][46][47][48][49] At E3 2008, it was announced that Final Fantasy XIII would be simultaneously released on the Xbox 360 in Europe and North America;[33] later on October 8, 2008, it was announced that Tekken 6 would also be releasing on the Xbox 360;[34][50] however, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy Versus XIII still remain PlayStation 3 exclusives.[51][52][53][54][55] Sony has blamed lower-than-expected sales, loss of exclusive titles in the PlayStation 3 software library, its higher price, and stock shortages.[56][57][58]
Golden age of video arcade games
In September 1971, the Galaxy Game was installed at a student union at Stanford University. Based on Spacewar!, this was the first coin-operated video game. Only one was built, using a DEC PDP-11/20 and vector display terminals. In 1972 it was expanded to be able to handle four to eight consoles.
Also in 1971, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney created a coin-operated arcade version of Spacewar! and called it Computer Space. Nutting Associates bought the game and manufactured 1,500 Computer Space machines, with the release taking place in November 1971. The game was unsuccessful due to its long learning-curve, but was a landmark, being the first mass-produced video game and the first offered for commercial sale.
Bushnell and Dabney felt they did not receive enough earnings by licensing Computer Space to Nutting Associates. Atari was founded in 1972. The first arcade video game with widespread success was Atari's PONG, released the same year. The game is loosely based on table tennis: a ball is "served" from the center of the court and as the ball moves towards their side of the court each player must manoeuvre their bat to hit the ball back to their opponent. Atari sold 19,000 PONG machines, creating many imitators.
The arcade game industry entered its Golden Age in 1978 with the release of Space Invaders by Taito, a success that inspired dozens of manufacturers to enter the market. In 1979, Atari released Asteroids. Color arcade games became more popular in 1979 and 1980 with the arrival of titles such as Pac-Man. The Golden Age saw a prevalence of arcade machines in malls, traditional storefronts, restaurants and
Also in 1971, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney created a coin-operated arcade version of Spacewar! and called it Computer Space. Nutting Associates bought the game and manufactured 1,500 Computer Space machines, with the release taking place in November 1971. The game was unsuccessful due to its long learning-curve, but was a landmark, being the first mass-produced video game and the first offered for commercial sale.
Bushnell and Dabney felt they did not receive enough earnings by licensing Computer Space to Nutting Associates. Atari was founded in 1972. The first arcade video game with widespread success was Atari's PONG, released the same year. The game is loosely based on table tennis: a ball is "served" from the center of the court and as the ball moves towards their side of the court each player must manoeuvre their bat to hit the ball back to their opponent. Atari sold 19,000 PONG machines, creating many imitators.
The arcade game industry entered its Golden Age in 1978 with the release of Space Invaders by Taito, a success that inspired dozens of manufacturers to enter the market. In 1979, Atari released Asteroids. Color arcade games became more popular in 1979 and 1980 with the arrival of titles such as Pac-Man. The Golden Age saw a prevalence of arcade machines in malls, traditional storefronts, restaurants and
Dawn of Console Gaming (First Generation)
1972 saw the launch of console based videogames with the original Magnavox Odyssey system in the USA. This had no gaming cartridges, but only a few programmed games in the console. The games featured a plastic sheet overlay, that was placed on the television picture tube and held by static electricity, which would define the gaming space such as a basketball court or tennis court.
Philips bought Magnavox and released a different game in Europe in using the Odyssey brand in 1974 and an evolved game that Magnavox had been developing for the US market. In all the Odyssey system achieved sales of 2 million units.
Philips bought Magnavox and released a different game in Europe in using the Odyssey brand in 1974 and an evolved game that Magnavox had been developing for the US market. In all the Odyssey system achieved sales of 2 million units.
Second generation (1976–1980)
In the earliest consoles, the computer code for one or more games was hardcoded into microchips using discrete logic, and no additional games could ever be added. By the mid-1970s video games were found on cartridges. Programs were burned onto ROM chips that were mounted inside plastic cartridge casings that could be plugged into slots on the console. When the cartridges were plugged in, the general-purpose microprocessors in the consoles read the cartridge memory and ran whatever program was stored there. Rather than being confined to a small selection of games included in the box, consumers could now amass libraries of game cartridges. The first of these consoles to use the ROM cartridge format was the Fairchild 'Video Entertainment System (VES), released in 1976.
Three machines dominated the second generation of consoles in North America, far outselling their rivals:
In 1977, Atari released its ROM cartridge based console called the Video Computer System (VCS), later called Atari 2600. Nine games were designed and released for the holiday season. It would quickly become by far the most popular of all the early consoles.
Intellivision, introduced by Mattel in 1980. Though chronologically part of what is called the "8-bit era", the Intellivision had a unique processor with instructions that were 10 bits wide (allowing more instruction variety and potential speed), and registers 16 bits wide. The system, which featured graphics superior to the older Atari 2600, rocketed to popularity.
ColecoVision, an even more powerful machine, appeared in 1982. Its sales also took off, but the presence of three major consoles in the marketplace and a glut of poor quality games began to overcrowd retail shelves and erode consumers' interest in video games. Within a year this overcrowded market would crash.
In 1979, Activision was created by disgruntled former Atari programmers. It was the first third-party developer of video games.
Three machines dominated the second generation of consoles in North America, far outselling their rivals:
In 1977, Atari released its ROM cartridge based console called the Video Computer System (VCS), later called Atari 2600. Nine games were designed and released for the holiday season. It would quickly become by far the most popular of all the early consoles.
Intellivision, introduced by Mattel in 1980. Though chronologically part of what is called the "8-bit era", the Intellivision had a unique processor with instructions that were 10 bits wide (allowing more instruction variety and potential speed), and registers 16 bits wide. The system, which featured graphics superior to the older Atari 2600, rocketed to popularity.
ColecoVision, an even more powerful machine, appeared in 1982. Its sales also took off, but the presence of three major consoles in the marketplace and a glut of poor quality games began to overcrowd retail shelves and erode consumers' interest in video games. Within a year this overcrowded market would crash.
In 1979, Activision was created by disgruntled former Atari programmers. It was the first third-party developer of video games.
Early online gaming
Dialup bulletin board systems were popular in the 1980s, and sometimes used for online game playing. The earliest such systems, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, had a crude plain-text interface, but later systems made use of terminal-control codes (the so-called ANSI art, which included the use of IBM-PC-specific characters not actually part of an ANSI standard) to get a pseudo-graphical interface. Some BBSes offered access to various games which were playable through such an interface, ranging from text adventures to gambling games like blackjack (generally played for "points" rather than real money). On multiuser BBSs (where more than one person could be online at once), there were sometimes games allowing the different users to interact with one another; some such games of the fantasy role-playing variety were known as MUDs, for "multi-user dungeons". These games eventually evolved into what are known today as MMORPG.
Video game crash of 1983
At the end of 1983, the industry experienced losses more severe than the 1977 crash. This was the "crash" of the video game industry, as well as the bankruptcy of several companies that produced North American home computers and video game consoles from late 1983 to early 1984. It brought an end to what is considered to be the second generation of console video gaming. Causes of the crash include the production of poorly designed games such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 that suffered due to extremely tight deadlines. It was discovered that more Pac-Man cartridges were manufactured than there were systems made. In addition, so many E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial cartridges were left unsold that Atari allegedly buried thousands of cartridges in a landfill in New Mexico.
[edit] Mobile games
Mobile gaming interest was raised when Nokia launched its N-Gage phone and handheld gaming platform in 2003. While about two million handsets were sold, the product line was seen as not a success and withdrawn from Nokia's lineup. Meanwhile many game developers had noticed that more advanced phones had color screens and reasonable memory and processing power to do reasonable gaming. Mobile phone gaming revenues passed 1 billion dollars in 2003, and passed 5 billion dollars in 2007, accounting for a quarter of all videogaming software revenues. More advanced phones came to the market such as the N-Series smartphone by Nokia in 2005 and the iPhone by Apple in 2007 which strongly added to the appeal of mobile phone gaming. In 2008 Nokia revised the N-Gage brand but now as a software library of games to its top-end phones. At Apple's App Store in 2008, more than half of all applications sold were games for the iPhone.
Sixth generation (1998–2008)
In the sixth generation of video game consoles, Sega exited the hardware market, Nintendo fell behind, Sony solidified its lead in the industry, and Microsoft developed a gaming console.
The Dreamcast, introduced in 1998, opened the generation but failed to become a hit, and faded from the market before the subsequent consoles appeared. Sega retreated to the third-party game market. Sony opened the new decade with the PlayStation 2, which would go on to become the top-selling sixth generation console. Nintendo followed a year later with the GameCube, their first disc-based console. Though more or less equal with Sony's system in technical specifications, the GameCube suffered from a lack of third-party games compared to Sony's system, and was hindered by a reputation for being a "kid's console" and lacking the mature games the current market appeared to want.
The Dreamcast, introduced in 1998, opened the generation but failed to become a hit, and faded from the market before the subsequent consoles appeared. Sega retreated to the third-party game market. Sony opened the new decade with the PlayStation 2, which would go on to become the top-selling sixth generation console. Nintendo followed a year later with the GameCube, their first disc-based console. Though more or less equal with Sony's system in technical specifications, the GameCube suffered from a lack of third-party games compared to Sony's system, and was hindered by a reputation for being a "kid's console" and lacking the mature games the current market appeared to want.
Return of alternate controllers
One significant feature of this generation was various manufacturers' renewed fondness for add-on peripheral controllers. While novel controllers weren't new, as Nintendo featured several with the original NES, and PC gaming has previously featured driving wheels and aircraft joysticks, for the first time console games using them became some of the biggest hits of the decade. Konami introduced a soft plastic mat versions of its foot controls for its Dance Dance Revolution franchise in 1998. Sega bundled controllers that looked like maracas with Samba de Amigo. Nintendo introduced a bongo controller for a few titles in its Donkey Kong franchise. Publisher RedOctane introduced Guitar Hero and its guitar-shaped controller for the PlayStation 2.
Online gaming rises to prominence
As affordable broadband Internet connectivity spread, many publishers turned to online gaming as a way of innovating. Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPGs) featured significant titles for the PC market like World of Warcraft and Ultima Online. Historically, console based MMORPGs have been few in number due to the lack of bundled Internet connectivity options for the platforms. This made it hard to establish a large enough subscription community to justify the development costs. The first significant console MMORPGs were Phantasy Star Online on the Sega Dreamcast (which had a built in modem and after market Ethernet adapter), followed by Final Fantasy XI for the Sony PlayStation 2 (an aftermarket Ethernet adapter was shipped to support this game). Every major platform released since the Dreamcast has ether been bundled with the ability to support an Internet connection or has had the option available as an aftermarket add-on.
Rise of casual PC games
Beginning with PCs, a new trend in casual gaming, games with limited complexity that were designed for shortened or impromptu play sessions, began to draw attention from the industry. Many were puzzle games, such as Popcap's Bejeweled and Diner Dash, while others were games with a more relaxed pace and open-ended play. The biggest hit was The Sims by Maxis, which went on to become the best selling computer game of all time, surpassing Myst.[12].
Console gaming largely continued the trend established by the PlayStation toward increasingly complex, sophisticated, and adult-oriented gameplay. Most of the successful sixth-generation console games were games rated T and M by the ESRB, including many now-classic gaming franchises such as Halo, Resident Evil, and Grand Theft Auto, the latter of which was notable for both its success and its notoriety. Even Nintendo, widely known for its aversion to adult content, published its first M-rated game, Silicon Knights's Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, and the GameCube was the temporary exclusive platform for Capcom's Resident Evil 4. This trend in hardcore console gaming would partially be reversed with the 7th generation release of the Wii.
Console gaming largely continued the trend established by the PlayStation toward increasingly complex, sophisticated, and adult-oriented gameplay. Most of the successful sixth-generation console games were games rated T and M by the ESRB, including many now-classic gaming franchises such as Halo, Resident Evil, and Grand Theft Auto, the latter of which was notable for both its success and its notoriety. Even Nintendo, widely known for its aversion to adult content, published its first M-rated game, Silicon Knights's Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, and the GameCube was the temporary exclusive platform for Capcom's Resident Evil 4. This trend in hardcore console gaming would partially be reversed with the 7th generation release of the Wii.
Seventh generation (2004–Present)
A major rift opened in console gaming philosophy and design in the seventh generation, with some calling the identification of video game "generations" questionable and arbitrary, while PC gaming began to go into relative decline as major publishers steered their efforts to consoles.
The generation opened early for handheld consoles, as Nintendo introduced their Nintendo DS and Sony premiered the PlayStation Portable (PSP) within a month of each other in 2004. While the PSP boasted superior graphics and power, following a trend established since the mid 1980s, Nintendo gambled on a lower-power design but featuring a novel control interface. The DS's two screens, one of which was touch-sensitive, proved extremely popular with consumers, especially young kids and middle-aged gamers, who were drawn to the device by Nintendo's Nintendogs and Brain Age series, respectively. While the PSP attracted a significant portion of veteran gamers, the DS allowed Nintendo to continue its dominance in handheld gaming. Nintendo updated their line with the Nintendo DS Lite in 2006, and the Nintendo DSi in 2008 (Japan) and 2009 (Americas and Europe), while Sony updated the PSP in 2007. Nokia withdrew their N-Gage platform in 2004 but reintroduced it in late 2008. Now with the release of the Apple Inc. iPhone and iPod Touch, 3D gaming is more portable than ever and offers a range of new sensors, including but not limited to, the accelerometer.
In console gaming, Microsoft stepped forward first in November 2005 with the Xbox 360, and Sony followed in 2006 with the PlayStation 3, released in Europe in March 2007. Setting the technology standard for the generation, both featured high-definition graphics, large hard disk-based secondary storage, integrated networking, and a companion on-line gameplay and sales platform, with Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, respectively. Both were formidable systems that were the first to challenge personal computers in power while offering a relatively modest price compared to them. While both were more expensive than most past consoles, the Xbox 360 enjoyed a substantial price edge, selling for either $300 or $400 depending on model, while the PS3 launched with models priced at $500 and $600. The top-of-the-line PS3 was the most expensive game console on the market since Panasonic's version of the 3DO, which was around $700.
The generation opened early for handheld consoles, as Nintendo introduced their Nintendo DS and Sony premiered the PlayStation Portable (PSP) within a month of each other in 2004. While the PSP boasted superior graphics and power, following a trend established since the mid 1980s, Nintendo gambled on a lower-power design but featuring a novel control interface. The DS's two screens, one of which was touch-sensitive, proved extremely popular with consumers, especially young kids and middle-aged gamers, who were drawn to the device by Nintendo's Nintendogs and Brain Age series, respectively. While the PSP attracted a significant portion of veteran gamers, the DS allowed Nintendo to continue its dominance in handheld gaming. Nintendo updated their line with the Nintendo DS Lite in 2006, and the Nintendo DSi in 2008 (Japan) and 2009 (Americas and Europe), while Sony updated the PSP in 2007. Nokia withdrew their N-Gage platform in 2004 but reintroduced it in late 2008. Now with the release of the Apple Inc. iPhone and iPod Touch, 3D gaming is more portable than ever and offers a range of new sensors, including but not limited to, the accelerometer.
In console gaming, Microsoft stepped forward first in November 2005 with the Xbox 360, and Sony followed in 2006 with the PlayStation 3, released in Europe in March 2007. Setting the technology standard for the generation, both featured high-definition graphics, large hard disk-based secondary storage, integrated networking, and a companion on-line gameplay and sales platform, with Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, respectively. Both were formidable systems that were the first to challenge personal computers in power while offering a relatively modest price compared to them. While both were more expensive than most past consoles, the Xbox 360 enjoyed a substantial price edge, selling for either $300 or $400 depending on model, while the PS3 launched with models priced at $500 and $600. The top-of-the-line PS3 was the most expensive game console on the market since Panasonic's version of the 3DO, which was around $700.
Increases in development budgets
With high definition video an undeniable hit with veteran gamers seeking immersive experiences, expectations for visuals in games along with the increasing complexity of productions resulted in a spike in the development budgets of gaming companies. While many game studios saw their Xbox 360 projects pay off, the unexpected weakness of PS3 sales resulted in heavy losses for some developers, and many publishers broke previously arranged PS3 exclusivity arrangements or cancelled PS3 game projects entirely in order to cut losses. Even so, high definition graphics and multi-core CPUs provided gamers with some of their most breathtaking experiences to date, including games like Grand Theft Auto IV and Metal Gear Solid 4, all of which were rated nearly perfect by game reviewers.
Nintendo capitalizes on casual gaming
Meanwhile, Nintendo took cues from PC gaming and their own success with the Nintendo Wii, and crafted games that capitalized on the intuitive nature of motion control. Emphasis on gameplay turned comparatively simple games into unlikely runaway hits, including the bundled game, Wii Sports, and Wii Fit. As the Wii sales spiked, many publishers were caught unprepared and responded by assembling hastily-created titles to fill the void. Although some hardcore games continued to be produced by Nintendo, many of their classic franchises were reworked into "bridge games", meant to provide new gamers crossover experiences from casual gaming to deeper experiences, including their flagship Wii title, Super Mario Galaxy, which in spite of its standard-resolution graphics dominated critics' "best-of" lists for 2007. Many others, however, strongly criticized Nintendo for its apparent spurning of its core gamer base in favor of a demographic many warned would be fickle and difficult to keep engaged.
[edit] Motion controls revolutionize game control
The way gamers interact with games changed dramatically, especially with Nintendo's wholesale embrace of motion control as a standard method of interaction. The Wii Remote implemented the principles well enough to be a worldwide success, but Sony also experimented with motion in its Sixaxis and subsequently DualShock3 controller for the PS3, and Microsoft continually mentions interest in developing the technology for the Xbox 360. While the Wii's infrared-based pointing system has been praised widely, and cited as a primary reason for the success of games such as Nintendo's Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and EA's Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, reliable motion controls have been more elusive. Even the most refined motion controls fail to achieve 1-to-1 reproduction of player motion on-screen. Nintendo's 2008 announcement of its MotionPlus module was intended to address critics' concerns.
Alternate controllers are also continuing to be important in gaming, as the increasingly involved controllers associated with Red Octane's Guitar Hero series and Harmonix's Rock Band demonstrate. Nintendo has produced a some add-on attachments meant to adapt the Wii Remote to specific games, such as the Wii Zapper for shooting games and the Wii Wheel for driving games. They also extended control capabilities to players' feet with the introduction of the Balance Board with Wii Fit, with third party titles from THQ, EA, and others that will integrate foot control coming in late 2008 and early 2009.
Alternate controllers are also continuing to be important in gaming, as the increasingly involved controllers associated with Red Octane's Guitar Hero series and Harmonix's Rock Band demonstrate. Nintendo has produced a some add-on attachments meant to adapt the Wii Remote to specific games, such as the Wii Zapper for shooting games and the Wii Wheel for driving games. They also extended control capabilities to players' feet with the introduction of the Balance Board with Wii Fit, with third party titles from THQ, EA, and others that will integrate foot control coming in late 2008 and early 2009.
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