The greatest focus of any game, aside from the plot itself, is that of the characters within them. Without dynamic characters, you are left with a simulated world, though beautifully designed in itself, with very little more. Static characters are just as bad, as they lack definition, emotion, and any tie to the character. For any game to succeed, the characters have to be memorable and dynamic, and thus a great deal of work and care is put into them.
Main characters are the figures within the game whose boots you step into for the journey ahead. The story most likely heavily involves them, and what happens around them during the course of their great adventure. But what exactly is the role of the main character in a game, book, or movie? Are they meant to be the most important individual? Do they alone dominate the focus of the game? A main character is usually the figure given the most attention, no matter if they are in a movie, book, or game.
A main character can be either protagonist or antagonist, depending on the type of game, and what the creators want out of them. Throughout the story, you are given perspective of the character in various ways. You can see what they look like, how they dress, and this grants an idea of their personality. Through their actions you find more about their ethics and morals, whether they are loved or hated, or even neutral. However, it is difficult to truly define a main character alone.
In any game, movie, or book, there are certainly secondary characters which compliment the main character, build their characteristics, and tell a much deeper story about them based on their interactions. These secondary characters are most likely dynamic characters as well, with their own histories and individual personalities. This grants a much greater variety in your cast. You don’t always have to adore the main character, as aspects of a secondary might be far more interesting, given the individual.
What elements make the characters, whether they are primary or secondary, most appealing to the reader/player? Mainly, I will discuss characters from games. There are many ways with which to accomplish this. On one hand, the character can be the most amazing and profound individual in the game; a hero or otherwise, but with their own faults to grant a balance and dynamism. Or, they can be a very simplistic character; a normal person with which the reader/player can envision themselves as that character, mixed in with the action, and taking part of the adventure firsthand. Some games can fulfill both of these tasks quite well. Two examples which I will focus on are the Half-Life series, and Dead Space games. The characters within these games have left the greatest impression on me.
In Half-Life, your character, Gordon Freeman, is a silent protagonist. He started as a mere scientist who is drawn into a terrible situation, which he alone is left to resolve despite all odds. Despite lacking many features, the player can impose their own characteristics upon Gordon, which makes him all the more dynamic. Silent characters tend to have this effect, much like RPG’s where you can define your character immensely. Another factor that allowed me to put myself in Gordon’s boots was the setting of the game, Half Life 2 specifically. The game takes place within Eastern Europe, and the setting reminded me a great deal of my home city. As with Half Life, Dead Space as well features a silent protagonist – at least in the first game – which allows you to step into his heavy, body-dismembering boots. These are the types of stories which I find irresistible, as they create an emotional tie with the player.
One of the most basic techniques a writer can use to draw a player to their character is sympathy. If you can become sympathetic of the character’s situation, you have all the more reason to play the game, and form a more emotional bond with the character. A more dynamic character requires emotions, which in itself takes good writing, designing, and animating to make the character real. The way the character moves, gestures, appears, talks, and interacts with their environment and other characters makes them truly appealing and dynamic. Many developers will hire celebrities to voice their characters in an attempt to make them more popular, which is sometimes unnecessary. Your character should be unique by themselves, without needing a famous voice to draw attention to them.
In the end, there are many ways to make a character successful. But essentially, their has to be a balance between realistic and supernatural qualities. The character, above all else, has to be believable, so that the player can bond further with them.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Elements of game design, part two: art direction for games
Game design is a massive team effort, and while there are many leads for each aspect of design, the final decisions rest mainly on the art director. The art director is the person tasked with coordinating the flow of art in any game. Essentially, they decide what type of art should be implemented into the game, how the characters look, and how the environment blends with the overall style. The responsibilities of the art director are huge, since in the end, every approval or disapproval falls to the director, giving them control over the final product.
But what exactly is an art director? What kind of influence does he have on the game? And is he the person responsible for the whole game? The role of the art director is quite important, and though their decisions hold a great deal of weight, they must still rely on a team to make final decisions. Developing the art of a game is a process that requires a lot of people, power, and time. The first task for the art director and his crew is to brainstorm ideas for the overall art style. All of their ideas have to be incorporated in such a way that they will fit with the story and genre, and not look out of place.
A very important factor in modern games is the environment. Without a well developed environment, you end up with a potentially well-designed character that simply feels out of place in the surroundings. Deciding on a working environment concept sets the overall mood and feeling of the game, and thus a great deal of emphasis must be placed on it.
The art director for a game is quite similar to an art director for a movie. Both of them have to make important decisions about the look of a set/game level, and characters. With an art director in a film, they must coordinate with set builders, wardrobe teams, and the actors themselves, much the way a game art director deals with the lead artist, writers, and animators.
The job of the art director can be quite difficult at times. They have many responsibilities they have to keep up with, and are constantly moving about getting feedback from the various teams under them, and planning for the project’s future. Personally, I think the role of art director is amazing. There are times that I would probably hate it and the stress that comes with it, as well as the massive responsibility, but in the end, I would hold a great deal on influence over the concepts in the game. Having my own design ideas incorporated into a game is a thrilling idea.
As far as the creativity of the job goes, I’m honestly not certain how much actual designing the art director does on their own accord, since many of those tasks fall to the lead artist and their team. Simply giving orders to other artists doesn’t appeal much to me, as I’d much rather draw what I have in mind myself, instead of tasking someone else to do it. It’s much more effective than giving another designer a vague idea of what you want done. They can be creative in that they guide the other artists
In effect, the art director has many roles. They guide their team, keeping them on track with the overall style. They manage ideas, giving their input, getting feedback, and making final decisions for the product at hand. And most importantly, they ensure that every member works together and blends ideas, so that no aspect of the end product conflicts heavily with another.
But what exactly is an art director? What kind of influence does he have on the game? And is he the person responsible for the whole game? The role of the art director is quite important, and though their decisions hold a great deal of weight, they must still rely on a team to make final decisions. Developing the art of a game is a process that requires a lot of people, power, and time. The first task for the art director and his crew is to brainstorm ideas for the overall art style. All of their ideas have to be incorporated in such a way that they will fit with the story and genre, and not look out of place.
A very important factor in modern games is the environment. Without a well developed environment, you end up with a potentially well-designed character that simply feels out of place in the surroundings. Deciding on a working environment concept sets the overall mood and feeling of the game, and thus a great deal of emphasis must be placed on it.
The art director for a game is quite similar to an art director for a movie. Both of them have to make important decisions about the look of a set/game level, and characters. With an art director in a film, they must coordinate with set builders, wardrobe teams, and the actors themselves, much the way a game art director deals with the lead artist, writers, and animators.
The job of the art director can be quite difficult at times. They have many responsibilities they have to keep up with, and are constantly moving about getting feedback from the various teams under them, and planning for the project’s future. Personally, I think the role of art director is amazing. There are times that I would probably hate it and the stress that comes with it, as well as the massive responsibility, but in the end, I would hold a great deal on influence over the concepts in the game. Having my own design ideas incorporated into a game is a thrilling idea.
As far as the creativity of the job goes, I’m honestly not certain how much actual designing the art director does on their own accord, since many of those tasks fall to the lead artist and their team. Simply giving orders to other artists doesn’t appeal much to me, as I’d much rather draw what I have in mind myself, instead of tasking someone else to do it. It’s much more effective than giving another designer a vague idea of what you want done. They can be creative in that they guide the other artists
In effect, the art director has many roles. They guide their team, keeping them on track with the overall style. They manage ideas, giving their input, getting feedback, and making final decisions for the product at hand. And most importantly, they ensure that every member works together and blends ideas, so that no aspect of the end product conflicts heavily with another.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Elements of game design, part one: from Pong to next-gen…
There are many aspects of game design; writers, world designers, level designers, concept artists, and many other individuals building their creation around the central concept of gameplay. One of the key elements of the game from the very beginning is the gameplay, and it is the fiber that keeps the game alive and interesting. Before a plot or concept can be made, the designer first has to decide what type of game they’re interested in making, whether it be FPS, RPG, or even MMORPG. Gameplay is basically the interaction of the player with the game; the mechanics of that interaction make it rich and intriguing for the consumer.
We’ve traveled a long way in game design and development, but has the gameplay really changed that much from that of games in the beginning? And why is gameplay so important for the gamer? An entire team of designers is required for any game, and each individual has their own purpose. There are the writers, the concept artists, and so on. Normally they work as a team under a lead designer, giving some direction to their work. Art Direction is usually dependant on the genre of the game. Obviously, a fantasy game will look extremely different from a sci-fi. Thus, the art has to fit the overall genre. As such, so does the gameplay. In the end, if the team doesn’t work together, and compare their ideas, the final product is going to be a jumbled mess of mixed ideas.
Every game has a task or goal to meet. On one hand, it could be simply to make the highest score. In another, it could be to save the princess from the castle, only to find she’s always in another castle. And again, it could be to kill the evil boss at the end. But, are they all so different? The concepts haven’t evolved much, only the way in which we interact with the game. In the beginning, you had Pong, Pac-man, Space Invaders, and so on. The goals of these games were high scores, advancing to the next level, and defeating the enemy. Games today are exactly the same, only their gameplay is more evolved.
Sooner or later, you’ll either get to the end of the game, or get bored along the way. The main goal of gameplay, though, is to keep your interest in the game for long enough so that this doesn’t happen. To meet that goal, developers have to have an understanding of what their consumer wants. A more recent way of keeping the player’s interest is to reward them for their efforts. Almost every platform has thus evolved an achievement system, or item drop system. Examples of these can be seen everywhere: Achievements in Halo and other games, item drops in Team Fortress 2, and a combination of both in WoW.
Most modern games have the same principal today as they did many years ago; run and collect as many points/kills as possible so you could get to the next level, or else the bad guys will kill you. It changed in a way that is more complex in structure and the way it looks. The RPG genre has had an effect on other game types and gameplay. Now you have options that give you the chance to complete a task that is given to you, or not to, in various ways. Then there are plot choices, in which your decision will have an influence later in the game. This influence could either have a dramatic affect on the plot, or be negligible. BioWare is well known for this element, with games such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. This is also an example of genres overlapping; both RPG and Shooter, among others, combined in one game. The game masks the linear experience perfectly, making you think that it’s a vast world and you can do whatever you want.
Gameplay has become one of the most important elements a consumer recognizes before purchasing a game. Years ago, most consumers were amazed by the pretty colors, and the thought of a new game. But now we dissect it before it has even hit the market to determine if it’s any good. Graphics are certainly high on the list as well, but that’s a topic for another time. If gameplay has changed in any real way, it is mainly that interactivity has greatly increased, and that the line between genres has been blurred and even mixed significantly, leaving each game somehow unique from another.
We’ve traveled a long way in game design and development, but has the gameplay really changed that much from that of games in the beginning? And why is gameplay so important for the gamer? An entire team of designers is required for any game, and each individual has their own purpose. There are the writers, the concept artists, and so on. Normally they work as a team under a lead designer, giving some direction to their work. Art Direction is usually dependant on the genre of the game. Obviously, a fantasy game will look extremely different from a sci-fi. Thus, the art has to fit the overall genre. As such, so does the gameplay. In the end, if the team doesn’t work together, and compare their ideas, the final product is going to be a jumbled mess of mixed ideas.
Every game has a task or goal to meet. On one hand, it could be simply to make the highest score. In another, it could be to save the princess from the castle, only to find she’s always in another castle. And again, it could be to kill the evil boss at the end. But, are they all so different? The concepts haven’t evolved much, only the way in which we interact with the game. In the beginning, you had Pong, Pac-man, Space Invaders, and so on. The goals of these games were high scores, advancing to the next level, and defeating the enemy. Games today are exactly the same, only their gameplay is more evolved.
Sooner or later, you’ll either get to the end of the game, or get bored along the way. The main goal of gameplay, though, is to keep your interest in the game for long enough so that this doesn’t happen. To meet that goal, developers have to have an understanding of what their consumer wants. A more recent way of keeping the player’s interest is to reward them for their efforts. Almost every platform has thus evolved an achievement system, or item drop system. Examples of these can be seen everywhere: Achievements in Halo and other games, item drops in Team Fortress 2, and a combination of both in WoW.
Most modern games have the same principal today as they did many years ago; run and collect as many points/kills as possible so you could get to the next level, or else the bad guys will kill you. It changed in a way that is more complex in structure and the way it looks. The RPG genre has had an effect on other game types and gameplay. Now you have options that give you the chance to complete a task that is given to you, or not to, in various ways. Then there are plot choices, in which your decision will have an influence later in the game. This influence could either have a dramatic affect on the plot, or be negligible. BioWare is well known for this element, with games such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. This is also an example of genres overlapping; both RPG and Shooter, among others, combined in one game. The game masks the linear experience perfectly, making you think that it’s a vast world and you can do whatever you want.
Gameplay has become one of the most important elements a consumer recognizes before purchasing a game. Years ago, most consumers were amazed by the pretty colors, and the thought of a new game. But now we dissect it before it has even hit the market to determine if it’s any good. Graphics are certainly high on the list as well, but that’s a topic for another time. If gameplay has changed in any real way, it is mainly that interactivity has greatly increased, and that the line between genres has been blurred and even mixed significantly, leaving each game somehow unique from another.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Writing about Games, Previews, reviews, commentary and lies
New games are developed all the time, and with them come reviews, preview trailers, and many other statistics. Before they even appear on the market, the games have been analyzed and criticized by various people. However, these reviews are something I really don’t care much about. There are two kinds of people that usually review these new games: the people who are attempting to show the game’s positive qualities and raise the maximum amount of money in sales, and the people who want to see the game crumble, and tear it apart with criticism, all before it is released. You hardly ever find a reviewer that looks at a game from an unbiased perspective. Most reviews depend on whether the writer is an honest person, who actually played the game before giving their opinion, or if they’re merely someone who was paid off by the company to write about the positive aspects only. In many cases, the reviewers are paid directly by the company they represent
Like many other things, computer games are a vast market. As such, there are people who have to develop the game, publish it, place it on the market – and those that have to make it successful enough to sell. To help them achieve this goal are the reviewers that give their comments and opinions about the game to the public. Of course, there are so many that have never played the game, but still give reviews about it in either a very positive or very negative way. But of course there are also the honest people that actually give a good opinion, based on facts, for the game they are reviewing. Subjective reviews usually work to increase game sales, as they can up-sell the product, whereas objective reviews only give the facts about the game. Because of an objective review, the company can lose money if they’ve made several mistakes. For the buyer, of course, an objective review would be the best kind, since they would know exactly what they’re buying, without the sugar coating.
Every new game on the market is like a pop star, it may succeed quickly, or crash and burn. As every celebrity they get a lot of interest, and sometimes a lot of fans. The first look we ever get at a game is from its reveal trailer which hasn’t yet been reviewed, and just gives you an idea of what to expect. I enjoy this part of it, since I can make my own opinion based on the trailer. After this, though, the comments and previews follow, and then the reviews, which is the usual cycle of the NGJ. At the preview point, critics start tearing apart the reveal trailer, judging the graphics quality, and many other aspects. They usually go way too far with their opinions, since they don’t even have access to the game at this point. Personally I don’t pay much attention to that, I may read a preview or 2 and that’s all I need, the judge of the game will be myself. I do follow one noteworthy site that is mostly for upcoming trailers of games, gametrailers.com, and sometimes they give a review of a game which usually is close to my own opinion on the product.
Other types of games writing are previews on games made by so called ‘Fan boys’, who give only high marks on their favorite games, no matter how bad the product actually is. There are also people who do the opposite: if they hate the game or just the developer, they give low marks. But that’s mostly commentary from people who don’t work in any area of game design or reviews.
There are plenty of people who review games as a profession. I find it somewhat weird, playing a game and then writing about it. It sounds too easy, but it can be great for future sales. From the review, a future buyer can decide if they’ll buy it or not
Personally I’m the subjective type of reviewer. If somebody asks my opinion for a game, movie, or something else, I give my personal point of view. Because it’s my opinion, and if somebody doesn’t agree with that, then he shouldn’t have asked, and he just simply doesn’t have to agree with it.
Like many other things, computer games are a vast market. As such, there are people who have to develop the game, publish it, place it on the market – and those that have to make it successful enough to sell. To help them achieve this goal are the reviewers that give their comments and opinions about the game to the public. Of course, there are so many that have never played the game, but still give reviews about it in either a very positive or very negative way. But of course there are also the honest people that actually give a good opinion, based on facts, for the game they are reviewing. Subjective reviews usually work to increase game sales, as they can up-sell the product, whereas objective reviews only give the facts about the game. Because of an objective review, the company can lose money if they’ve made several mistakes. For the buyer, of course, an objective review would be the best kind, since they would know exactly what they’re buying, without the sugar coating.
Every new game on the market is like a pop star, it may succeed quickly, or crash and burn. As every celebrity they get a lot of interest, and sometimes a lot of fans. The first look we ever get at a game is from its reveal trailer which hasn’t yet been reviewed, and just gives you an idea of what to expect. I enjoy this part of it, since I can make my own opinion based on the trailer. After this, though, the comments and previews follow, and then the reviews, which is the usual cycle of the NGJ. At the preview point, critics start tearing apart the reveal trailer, judging the graphics quality, and many other aspects. They usually go way too far with their opinions, since they don’t even have access to the game at this point. Personally I don’t pay much attention to that, I may read a preview or 2 and that’s all I need, the judge of the game will be myself. I do follow one noteworthy site that is mostly for upcoming trailers of games, gametrailers.com, and sometimes they give a review of a game which usually is close to my own opinion on the product.
Other types of games writing are previews on games made by so called ‘Fan boys’, who give only high marks on their favorite games, no matter how bad the product actually is. There are also people who do the opposite: if they hate the game or just the developer, they give low marks. But that’s mostly commentary from people who don’t work in any area of game design or reviews.
There are plenty of people who review games as a profession. I find it somewhat weird, playing a game and then writing about it. It sounds too easy, but it can be great for future sales. From the review, a future buyer can decide if they’ll buy it or not
Personally I’m the subjective type of reviewer. If somebody asks my opinion for a game, movie, or something else, I give my personal point of view. Because it’s my opinion, and if somebody doesn’t agree with that, then he shouldn’t have asked, and he just simply doesn’t have to agree with it.
Monday, November 22, 2010
My personal history of video games
The memories of my gaming history are fond; the countless hours I’ve wasted staring at a game, and which I still do today. The epic adventure began over ten years ago, when I was still a little boy. My family and I were enjoying a peaceful holiday in a hotel in the mountains. I was full of energy, and every day my old folks and I went outside to explore and have fun, but some days the weather was awful, and there was nothing to do. While I was looking around the station, I came across a basement, from which screams of happiness or anger were heard. For me, it seemed like a dungeon, and I didn’t know what to expect, but I was so curious I couldn’t resist. Walking down the huge steps, it got darker and darker, but suddenly I saw a light filled with colors and upon my eyes I saw a dozen or more arcade games. I didn’t know what they were, but I knew it was going to be fun. After a while I got the hang of it and had great fun.
When we got back, I started pre-school again and nearly forgot about the video games, until some of my friends mentioned buying a console. I thought it was something like the arcade games I played, and told my parents about it. One day after school, I went home to find that they had bought me an Atari Terminator. It sounded so awesome. I’m not quite sure, but the first game I played on it was likely Mario, or something with tanks. I can’t forget how much my father and I played Mario together. I didn’t have a lot of games for it, and most of them were actually some kind of gypsy rip-off versions sold for pocket change, but they worked, and therefore I didn’t care. Believe it or not, I enjoyed playing outside more than in front of the monitor, although there was one game which I absolutely loved.
A friend of mine had a Nintendo and a few games for it, but one of them stood out, one which we are all familiar with: CONTRA! It was such a battle to play it, and we were around ten boys fighting over two controllers but nevertheless, it was even awesome just to watch it.
As I got older, there was a period where I wasn’t into video games much. I had more fun drawing and playing with toys. But after a couple of years, I was becoming a teenager, toys were no longer the ‘cool thing’, and little by little I got back to computer games. I don’t remember them all, but some were Wolfenstein, Counter strike, Half-life, and Halo.
I used to go with my friends to computer clubs, because it was only at these places that we could get good internet connection in order to play online multiplayer. We organized matches against one another, to see which one of us was the best. Mostly we played Counter Strike, which I really didn’t care for that much.
Years passed and I did enjoy playing games when I had the time. The time when I had to choose what I will study in a university had come, and I stopped to think about my own interests, and what I was good at. My search ended at game design.
Today, the games that I enjoy most are Hats (or Team Fortress 2, as it is more commonly known), Dead space, Gears of War, and other related titles. But I do revisit the old school games whenever I can. I’m not sure what the future will hold for games… maybe the same as always.
When we got back, I started pre-school again and nearly forgot about the video games, until some of my friends mentioned buying a console. I thought it was something like the arcade games I played, and told my parents about it. One day after school, I went home to find that they had bought me an Atari Terminator. It sounded so awesome. I’m not quite sure, but the first game I played on it was likely Mario, or something with tanks. I can’t forget how much my father and I played Mario together. I didn’t have a lot of games for it, and most of them were actually some kind of gypsy rip-off versions sold for pocket change, but they worked, and therefore I didn’t care. Believe it or not, I enjoyed playing outside more than in front of the monitor, although there was one game which I absolutely loved.
A friend of mine had a Nintendo and a few games for it, but one of them stood out, one which we are all familiar with: CONTRA! It was such a battle to play it, and we were around ten boys fighting over two controllers but nevertheless, it was even awesome just to watch it.
As I got older, there was a period where I wasn’t into video games much. I had more fun drawing and playing with toys. But after a couple of years, I was becoming a teenager, toys were no longer the ‘cool thing’, and little by little I got back to computer games. I don’t remember them all, but some were Wolfenstein, Counter strike, Half-life, and Halo.
I used to go with my friends to computer clubs, because it was only at these places that we could get good internet connection in order to play online multiplayer. We organized matches against one another, to see which one of us was the best. Mostly we played Counter Strike, which I really didn’t care for that much.
Years passed and I did enjoy playing games when I had the time. The time when I had to choose what I will study in a university had come, and I stopped to think about my own interests, and what I was good at. My search ended at game design.
Today, the games that I enjoy most are Hats (or Team Fortress 2, as it is more commonly known), Dead space, Gears of War, and other related titles. But I do revisit the old school games whenever I can. I’m not sure what the future will hold for games… maybe the same as always.
Friday, November 12, 2010
History of video games 2000
The new century brought with it technology more advanced than anything we had seen before. For me, technology began to really blossom in the way that it became more publicly available. Digital technology became more reachable for the normal person, and much more advanced than it had been before. The market was flooded with high tech gadgets, computers, and consoles like the XBOX, Playstation 2, and computers with advanced graphics and memory capabilities.
Video and computer games started to be eye-candy for the masses. The advanced technology allowed computer games to be more sophisticated, beautiful, and even multiplayer. What started as a small wave quickly became a tsunami sweeping the public with its capabilities.
Looking back at the year 2000, it’s been only 10 years and technology again surprised us with its progress. Everything today is HD, or has the best hardware and software. Games have amazing graphic abilities because of such progress. It’s not only in games, but everywhere. More and more movies, for example, are developed in 3D, which I dislike because it kills a lot of the camera work, and nobody appreciates a good photographed movie or well scripted one. Everything is eye-candy and special affects today, but that is an entirely different subject
Genres in games, such as MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role playing games - and first person shooters became more and more popular because they held the buyer’s attention with advanced graphics and fantasy worlds which we hadn’t seen before. That is also because the cost of developing these games continued to increase. The more money the company had to develop a finished product, the better it usually was, but only sometimes.
There is a difference between game developers and game publishers. In one hand there are the game developers, people like myself, trying to create something new and intriguing for the public, something they themselves like, and that hopefully the people do too. In the other hand, the game publishers want to gain as much money as possible from the game sales. Often they try to suck as much as possible from a hit game, making more and more releases of it with sequels, that they turn the game from something extraordinary into something mundane. The game market also grew a lot because there weren’t quite so many titles back in the day. And almost every year, several great titles are released which bring millions – or in some cases billions – of dollars in sales.
Consoles have progressed massively over the last 20 years, from consoles that could barely run 8-bit games with a handful of colors, to machines on which you can run the latest in graphic games with ease. Today, we have the XBOX 360, Playstation 3, and innovative consoles like the Nintendo Wii. Even handheld games have progressed with an astounding rate, from black-and-white screens to displays that can run advanced games and even in the close future in 3D with the newest Nintendo product, the 3DS. Technology which can track your movement and allow you to control your game character with your body has been developed, though it’s still in its early stages, and doesn’t have much practical use, or fun games to go with it. The Sony Kinect may not be the first to come on the market, but it is definitely one of the most advanced.
Computers never slept and kept on growing. These days we have machines that have the computer power of a million of the most advanced computers we’d had no more than 20 years ago. Games in 3D have already been released for the computer and more are developed, becoming the newest trend in gaming.
It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to think what will follow next in games in the next few years. With 3D advancing more and more, and movement detection, one day we may need a whole room for a game, nothing in but some sensors and projectors that will display the whole game world around us, giving us the sensation that we are actually inside the game. But we have lots of time until then. For now, let’s enjoy our favorite games, new and old.
Video and computer games started to be eye-candy for the masses. The advanced technology allowed computer games to be more sophisticated, beautiful, and even multiplayer. What started as a small wave quickly became a tsunami sweeping the public with its capabilities.
Looking back at the year 2000, it’s been only 10 years and technology again surprised us with its progress. Everything today is HD, or has the best hardware and software. Games have amazing graphic abilities because of such progress. It’s not only in games, but everywhere. More and more movies, for example, are developed in 3D, which I dislike because it kills a lot of the camera work, and nobody appreciates a good photographed movie or well scripted one. Everything is eye-candy and special affects today, but that is an entirely different subject
Genres in games, such as MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role playing games - and first person shooters became more and more popular because they held the buyer’s attention with advanced graphics and fantasy worlds which we hadn’t seen before. That is also because the cost of developing these games continued to increase. The more money the company had to develop a finished product, the better it usually was, but only sometimes.
There is a difference between game developers and game publishers. In one hand there are the game developers, people like myself, trying to create something new and intriguing for the public, something they themselves like, and that hopefully the people do too. In the other hand, the game publishers want to gain as much money as possible from the game sales. Often they try to suck as much as possible from a hit game, making more and more releases of it with sequels, that they turn the game from something extraordinary into something mundane. The game market also grew a lot because there weren’t quite so many titles back in the day. And almost every year, several great titles are released which bring millions – or in some cases billions – of dollars in sales.
Consoles have progressed massively over the last 20 years, from consoles that could barely run 8-bit games with a handful of colors, to machines on which you can run the latest in graphic games with ease. Today, we have the XBOX 360, Playstation 3, and innovative consoles like the Nintendo Wii. Even handheld games have progressed with an astounding rate, from black-and-white screens to displays that can run advanced games and even in the close future in 3D with the newest Nintendo product, the 3DS. Technology which can track your movement and allow you to control your game character with your body has been developed, though it’s still in its early stages, and doesn’t have much practical use, or fun games to go with it. The Sony Kinect may not be the first to come on the market, but it is definitely one of the most advanced.
Computers never slept and kept on growing. These days we have machines that have the computer power of a million of the most advanced computers we’d had no more than 20 years ago. Games in 3D have already been released for the computer and more are developed, becoming the newest trend in gaming.
It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to think what will follow next in games in the next few years. With 3D advancing more and more, and movement detection, one day we may need a whole room for a game, nothing in but some sensors and projectors that will display the whole game world around us, giving us the sensation that we are actually inside the game. But we have lots of time until then. For now, let’s enjoy our favorite games, new and old.
Friday, November 5, 2010
History of video games 1980-1990
Color, something which is not new or intriguing these days, but back in the 80’s, to actually play a color game was something quite thrilling. With the birth of the color screen the variety of games expanded, and more logical and sophisticated ones appeared just because you could tell the difference in objects and what they did, by their colors. In that year, the game industry finally found what growing on the market was like, as publishing houses appeared.
The 80’s were the zenith of the golden age of video games, which saw a lot of technologically innovative and genre-defining games on the market, such as Pac-man, Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, and Zelda. These are games which we all know and remember, games that are still progressing with time. During this period, games were making their big step into the home entertainment area.
In the following years, computers became more powerful and less expensive on the market. The one with the biggest success was the Commodore 64, because it was marketed and priced aggressively. It had good graphics and sound for its time, and it also utilized the same game controller ports popularized by the Atari 2600, allowing gamers to use their old joysticks with the system.* As well, the Macintosh arrived at this time but it lacked the color capabilities of the earlier Apple II, as it instead was focused on much higher pixel resolution. A new era of 16-bit machines was born when, in 1985, Atari ST and Commodore Amiga came to the market. At the beginning they were too expensive for the normal user until later on in the decade, when they became more powerful and less expensive than their competitors. In the late 70’s and early 80’s there was something new taking its first steps, which now is a giant among online gaming. The first online gaming was nothing else than just text, something like just sharing a message to another person, but in time it became more sophisticated and progressed with a staggering rate. Two of the most popular games that used multiplayer were Doom and Golden Eye.
Milton Bradley Company Microvision released the first interchangelable catridge-based handheld system in 1979.* The next year Nintendo released its Game and Watch line which was a handheld electronic game. Its design was really popular and most of the handheld games today are practically using the same design. Nintendo progressed massively in the years and still makes handheld games like the Nintendo 3DS.
1983 was the year when everything around games just froze: the production, the interest, everything. A lot of companies in North America went bankrupt, and a lot of people say this was due to only one horrible game. Back in the days young and old were intrigued and amazed after watching Steven Spielberg’s E.T, and for some it was a great joy when they heard their favorite movie was going to be a game. But all that brought was disappointment, along with thousands upon thousands of E.T. cartridges in a landfill in New Mexico. Of course, the game crash wasn’t only because of one game but several, like Custer’s Revenge and Pac-Man, which suffered extremely tight deadlines
Two years after that the video game console market was revived form the dead. More and more consoles and games were published on the market. The rebirth of the game market was mostly thanks to Nintendo’s release of its 8-bit console, the Famicom, known outside Asia as Nintendo Entertainment System. It was published with a bonus – Super Mario Bros - which was a great market idea and instantly became a success. The Nintendo systems dominated Asia and North America but weren’t so popular in Europe, Australia, or Brazil, which was an open gap for consoles like the Sega Master System to fill in. The joystick was also renewed with a better interface. The phenomenon in Japanese culture was born in 1986 with remarkable games like Legend of Zelda and Dragon Quest. A year after an RPG was created, and swept the world with its magic, and it continues to do so today. That game was Final Fantasy. It became the most successful RPG of all time.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_computer_and_video_games
The 80’s were the zenith of the golden age of video games, which saw a lot of technologically innovative and genre-defining games on the market, such as Pac-man, Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, and Zelda. These are games which we all know and remember, games that are still progressing with time. During this period, games were making their big step into the home entertainment area.
In the following years, computers became more powerful and less expensive on the market. The one with the biggest success was the Commodore 64, because it was marketed and priced aggressively. It had good graphics and sound for its time, and it also utilized the same game controller ports popularized by the Atari 2600, allowing gamers to use their old joysticks with the system.* As well, the Macintosh arrived at this time but it lacked the color capabilities of the earlier Apple II, as it instead was focused on much higher pixel resolution. A new era of 16-bit machines was born when, in 1985, Atari ST and Commodore Amiga came to the market. At the beginning they were too expensive for the normal user until later on in the decade, when they became more powerful and less expensive than their competitors. In the late 70’s and early 80’s there was something new taking its first steps, which now is a giant among online gaming. The first online gaming was nothing else than just text, something like just sharing a message to another person, but in time it became more sophisticated and progressed with a staggering rate. Two of the most popular games that used multiplayer were Doom and Golden Eye.
Milton Bradley Company Microvision released the first interchangelable catridge-based handheld system in 1979.* The next year Nintendo released its Game and Watch line which was a handheld electronic game. Its design was really popular and most of the handheld games today are practically using the same design. Nintendo progressed massively in the years and still makes handheld games like the Nintendo 3DS.
1983 was the year when everything around games just froze: the production, the interest, everything. A lot of companies in North America went bankrupt, and a lot of people say this was due to only one horrible game. Back in the days young and old were intrigued and amazed after watching Steven Spielberg’s E.T, and for some it was a great joy when they heard their favorite movie was going to be a game. But all that brought was disappointment, along with thousands upon thousands of E.T. cartridges in a landfill in New Mexico. Of course, the game crash wasn’t only because of one game but several, like Custer’s Revenge and Pac-Man, which suffered extremely tight deadlines
Two years after that the video game console market was revived form the dead. More and more consoles and games were published on the market. The rebirth of the game market was mostly thanks to Nintendo’s release of its 8-bit console, the Famicom, known outside Asia as Nintendo Entertainment System. It was published with a bonus – Super Mario Bros - which was a great market idea and instantly became a success. The Nintendo systems dominated Asia and North America but weren’t so popular in Europe, Australia, or Brazil, which was an open gap for consoles like the Sega Master System to fill in. The joystick was also renewed with a better interface. The phenomenon in Japanese culture was born in 1986 with remarkable games like Legend of Zelda and Dragon Quest. A year after an RPG was created, and swept the world with its magic, and it continues to do so today. That game was Final Fantasy. It became the most successful RPG of all time.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_computer_and_video_games
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