Since the introduction of the internet, our lives have changed forever, and gaming is no exception. We’ll take a detailed look at technology in gaming and how things have improved over the years.
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The Role of the Internet in Gaming
Video games were once something you played mainly by yourself. For the games that did have two-player modes, it would require hooking up a second controller and calling a friend over. The internet has changed all of that, though, and now gamers are more connected than ever.
Multiplayer and online games have gained significantly in popularity. It’s not just the games that have changed, but also how people interact with each other. The internet has enabled an easy exchange of information. Players can share tips, strategies and even walkthroughs of games with others. Let’s look at all the ways the internet has impacted gaming.
Multiplayer Games
There are hardly any games that come out anymore that only have a single-player campaign. In fact, there are even some games that are almost entirely multiplayer, like Rainbow Six Siege.
It’s now incredibly easy to team up with other players and play games online against others. Some games like Gran Turismo, for example, are still single player but allow you to compete against others online.
Cooperative gameplay is incredibly fun and brings a whole new dimension to things. It requires proper communication and strategy with your teammates. It’s not just you alone anymore.
Then there are the massively multiplayer online games such as World of Warcraft, Star Wars the Old Republic and Never Winter. These games represent a whole new kind of gaming. Many of them have RPG elements as well.
They typically take place in open worlds and can hold thousands of players on the servers at a time. Rather than interacting with NPCs as you would in a typical game, the characters are all controlled by real people somewhere in the world.
Multiplayer games have proved to be incredibly popular, and new versions of them are constantly popping up. It’s almost mandatory now for any game released to have some form of online component.
How Games are Purchased
Ever remember standing in a lineup on release day hoping to get your favourite new game? You were probably also hoping that copies don’t run out by the time you get inside. Well, those days are long gone.
Games now come in both hardcopy (disk) and digital formats. Platforms like Steam have helped to popularise digital games on the PC. There’s no more chance of games being out of stock because you can just download a copy.
Technology gaming has made things much more convenient for players. The Playstation and Xbox also have their own online stores where players can purchase and download games. The only real downside is the game has to be fully installed on the hard drive, and games can take up tremendous space.
Mods and Player Created Games
Mods have opened up a whole new world of gaming. Players are creating themselves what are essentially expansion packs or add ons for games. In some cases, they make new games entirely or use the existing engine of one game to upgrade the graphics and mechanics of an older game.
You could call mods the gift that keeps on giving. It’s greatly helped to expand the lifespan of a game and retain popularity for years. By adding new levels, characters, items, or other features, the game never gets dull.
As we mentioned, in some cases, entirely new games are created. One notable example of this has been Super Mario World. The hugely popular title came out all the way back in 1990 and is still widely played. The Mario franchise is perhaps the most well known of all time.
While many newer Mario games have come out with far better graphics and new gameplay, the old side scrolling 2D format is still quite captivating. Various players have created over a hundred totally new Mario games based on the SMW engine, with new ones still being published. Some of these new games even borrow sprites and elements from other Mario games on the SNES.
Without the internet, none of these advancements would be possible. It’s allowed players to share their great creations with others all over the world.
Online Game Guides
Guides for games are nothing new. It used to be that popular games would have guides that would appear in a magazine or had a stand alone version that could be purchased. The internet has changed all of that, though.
Video walkthroughs have made figuring your way around difficult spots in a game far simpler. Youtube is full of playthroughs of all kinds of games. In some cases, you can already find them before the game is even officially released.
While reading a written guide can certainly be helpful, nothing beats seeing things play out on video. For games with complex levels, puzzles or other challenges, these have proved to be invaluable. As video games technology has improved, the complexity of games has also gone up significantly.
Conclusion
There is no doubt the internet has had a massive positive effect on gaming from all kinds of angles. It’s made many things possible which we couldn’t do before. Players can now team up or compete with others from around the world. You can share information, strategies and tips with others. Games often have entire online communities that develop around them. It’s a wonder what other innovations the future will hold.
