The Imminent Progress Of PC Games
June 29th, 2008
Only a decade ago we were all enjoying the simple pixel graphics and poorly animated visuals of PC games. This was back in a time where things such as DirectX were new technologies- and operating systems had little support for video games. It’s ironic to see that today you’ll be hard pressed to find any kind of PC without some type of game on it.
But in today’s world, we are more interested in hot topics such as virtual reality. The fabled pixel graphics of the past are long gone, and likely only to return when a bit of nostalgia is in order. But how did we get to the life-like video games of today, and where are we going as a society?
Peripherals In Relation to PC Games
PC games and peripherals go hand-in-hand for a better gaming experience. It all started with ideas such as the “Game Glove” or the much-loved gun peripheral for “Duck Hunt”- a popular Nintendo game in video game past. PC game peripherals have been lacking over the years, but this is not to say PC gamers haven’t had their fair share of the market.
But the most common PC game peripherals are gamepads- surely not the most advanced, but the most common. Gamepads are popular for making the playing experience easier- not necessarily more lifelike. A first person shooter player may, for instance, use a gamepad to use “hot keys” to do certain commands- such as talking to teammates or changing weapons.
PC Games and Graphical Landmarks
In the olden days, pixel art was popular for in-game graphics. Pixel art is the act of making stunning graphics just based on editing individual pixels in an image. In fact, a 3D look could be given on an actual 2D image, something we now call “2.5D.”
In this day and age, it’s hard to find games that are successful and still make use of 2D graphics. Given, there are exceptions, but the norm is that 3D games have taken over. 3D graphics give PC gamers a more real experience, so PC game developers are shifting towards both 3D and virtual reality markets.
Society And PC Games
Each month, there is an estimated 5-6 million users playing World of Warcraft. That is a pretty stunning number, and indeed could account for an entire city of people- or cities! This just goes to show that society is addicted to PC games- and it isn’t something that is going to change any time soon.
Obviously, PC games have had a large impact on society. It will be interesting to see how things pan out in the future as PC games become ever more popular in due time.
The Future of PC Games
Frighteningly enough, products are being tested that can react to a human’s brain activity. Essentially, this brain activity can be used to control an object in PC games- giving humans the superpower they have dreamed of for decades!
Another interesting technology is holographic technology. This type of technology allows for humans to interacts with photons of light, meaning that we can interact with fake objects! This is truly a remarkable technology, and we can only hope that its debut it PC gaming will be swift in the coming decades.
Tags: Internet
Posted in
Internet |