GAMES TIMELINE

COMPUTER GAME INDUSTRY 

 

key definitions:

  MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role-playing game

AUGMENTED

REALITY - The rendering of digital images or data onto real-world objects

PERSISTENT

WORLDS -  A virtual world

CRPG - Classical" Role Playing Game A subgenre of video games

AVATOR - an icon or figure representing a particular person in a video game

How have video games and consoles  changed through history?

Over time video games and consoles have definitely evolved over time, especially with video games over time they have become more realistic and When we compare the graphics of today’s games with the ones that existed in the 1990s and even the early 2000s it is a huge comparison. The games of those days do not have the sophisticated textures and the use of colour they used back then was very bold and colours that didn’t really go together. Video games have also changed in regards to graphics, as back then they didn’t have certain softwares to increase the quality and graphics so they were quite low. However,  today we have the necessary hardware that allows for greater pixels and shading on a massive scale. The increase of artificial intelligence has transformed the gaming experience. Back in the old days, in multiplayer games when you did not have anybody to play against and had to battle the computer, it was a dull and unpleasant experience. Nowadays, when you play these same types of games, the computer is much smarter and cunning trying to mimick human intelligence to make the gaming experience more realistic and better. 

Back then, certain games were either too easy that the audience would just get bored because the levels weren’t hard enough or too hard so that they would just quit. As time went on games and consoles evolved in appealing to the audiences pleasures and giving them a greater experience whilst playing the game. Various pleasures and experiences that games provide for the audience is the intense music which allows the audience to be interested and pay more attention to the game, the customisation of characters which allow the audience to choose what they want. Most of all the freedom of being able to do whatever they want and the use of multiplayer which adds to making friendships and making a game more exciting. Another aspect, is the completion of levels because it gives the audience a sense of accomplishment and encourages them to keep playing until they complete another level. 

Video games serve many other purposes like:

Entertainment - people playing games and use consoles for fun

Competing - Competing in games on a high skill level typically for prizes and possible against friends which make it more fun

Socialising - Many gamers meet new people on games and interact with thousands of people and in many cases friends are made over gaming.

Youtube/Videos about certain games - People create content for others to watch on video streaming website like youtube and  people gain entertainment from watching them and so does the person making the video, they can also make money in some cases. Also they can gain tips and tricks on how to play the game which could make the game more enjoyable.

  

GAME TIMELINE-

1940 – The first “video game”

Edward U. Condon invents a computer that plays a game, “Nim”, against human competitors. The computer won 90% of the time.

1985 – The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) launches

Nintendo, a company originally founded in Japan as a playing card company during the late 1880s, got into the video game business in the 1970s and revolutionized the industry with NES. NES games were graphically superior to their predecessors, and the extra memory allowed for multiple levels and storytelling.

1988 – Gaming meets the real world

Developers started looking to the real world for new series. One example, the “Madden” football series—named after legendary NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden—has gone on to become one of the best-selling and longest-running franchises in America.

1989 - Sega Genesis launches + Gameboy

The next generation of consoles launched in 1989, when Japan-based game company Sega released the Genesis. This introduced us to another classic character: “Sonic the Hedgehog”. Sonic was seen as a more mature counterpart to Mario, helping win over older gamers.

1991- The competing Super Nintendo (SNES) was released.

1994 – The PlayStation is born

CD-based games could store massive amounts of data compared to cartridges, allowing developers to create longer, more sophisticated games. Classics like “Final Fantasy VII”, “Resident Evil”, and “Metal Gear Solid” showed the console’s then-newborn abilities.

1999 - Online gaming

The Dreamcast console released by Sega although not a hit featured the first signs of online gaming.

2001 - Microsoft creates a console

In 2001, Microsoft decided to get into the gaming industry, launching its own console, the Xbox. The original Xbox upped the ante in the console wars, pushing out companies like Sega and pitting Microsoft against stalwarts Nintendo and Sony.

2006 - Wii was released by Nintendo 

2004-2009 - Other types

Outside of consoles, PC gaming fostered growth for massively multiplayer role-playing games (MMORPGs), including “World of Warcraft”. These games allow thousands of players to play at once, interacting with each other and even cultivate their own insulated economies.

2009 – present – Mobile games

Mobile gaming also started taking hold with the release and popularization of social and phone-based games like “Farmville” and “Angry Birds”. Later mobile games would start driving massive revenues, like “Clash of Clans”, “Mobile Strike” and “Candy Crush”.

2010 – present – eSports

Started in the early 1990s, eSports has exploded in popularity. In eSports, professional players compete against each other in popular games like “DOTA 2”, “League of Legends”, and “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive”. Like other sports leagues, eSport athletes earn big salaries from sponsors and spectators who pay to watch.

Present

Virtual reality and more realistic games are now becoming more popular where it feels as if you're in the game and have more control of what happens.