For more than 70years, video games have mesmerized people around the world by providing a unique source of recreation you can’t find in other hobbies. Of course, there are some people that might choose books, sports, or even music over it and that is not surprising. The thing is, video games can do all of this, no sweat! Just pick the title you want, and you are all set. It is so widespread nowadays that it actually has its industry from actual development to content creation. But where did it all start? Join me as we explore video gaming from its humble roots to its seemingly essential role in society today.
Back When the Gaming World was Young
Video games did not start as wide-ranging and spectacled as it is today.At present, you can find a game for all sorts of hobbies. Yes, even the ones that are over PG 13. Butlet’s take a step back and see how far the industry has evolved.The first game ever published involved missiles being fired at targets to simulate a sort of war game. The choice of display, a cathode ray tube. And this is where its name was based, the “Cathode Ray TubeAmusement Device”. Created by Thomas Goldsmith and Estle Ray Mann in 1947, the device is analog as it can be! It used vector drawn dots on the screen to simulate projectiles being propelled to intended targets.
Then every few years,new and improved ones came out. The ideas for the early game titles, came from a very simple source—real life activities. A Tic-tac-toe game came out, then a tennis game, then ping-pong, and when creators where running out of concepts they switched to sci-fi and fantasy. One drawback however was, that these devices were somewhat expensive. But if think about it, doing different recreational activities from the safety of your home, that definitely can’t be cheap.Then in 1971, Nolan Bushell and Ted Dabney found a way to make video gaming a bit more accessible to the market. “Computer Space” the first coinoperated video machine made its debut in 1972 complete with a black and white screen. By 1978, six years later, a Japanese Video Game Developer released“Space Invaders” through an arcade machine. This was the start of the golden age of arcade video games. This is when different companies started to compete on which machine will dominate public locations such as shopping malls,convenience stores, and even restaurants. This is also when the mainstream media started showcasing video games on their segments, which ultimately cemented the hobby into society.
Different Schools of Gaming
As I mentioned before, video games can come in different forms depends on which hobby you are going to base it from. This makes the selection diverse. So diverse that the industry has created its own verticals inside itself. This allows gamers to have a plethora of options to choose from and select the ones that will tickle their fancy.
1. Action Games
From the name itself, these are games that rely heavily on hand-eye coordination andsometimes even motor skills from different parts of the body. This is becausethe game itself, revolves around the plyer who is in-charge of the majority ofthe action. Common examples of this are platform games that involve the playercharacters jumping around the stage from platform to platform. Shooter gamesare also part of this, both the first person and third person ones that revolvearound the character’s use of guns to clear a level. And of course, thecompetitive player’s choice, Fighting Games. Who wouldn’t want to pit differentcharacters gifted with combat prowess against each other? There are also theBeat ém up games that exploded in the arcades a few years back. These are thegames where players combat waves after waves of enemies until they reach thefinal boss. Lastly, there are those Rhythm games that revolve around music anda player’s capability to match the action that flashes on the screen.
2. Adventure Games
These types of games were actually created way before any video game device.Adventure games originated from text adventure games back in the 70’s that allowed readers to be part of the story through interactive fiction. Unlike action games, adventure games do not revolve around heavy movement required from players, but rather their problem solving skills through numerous puzzles inside the game. The most common example of these were detective games.
3.Action Adventure Games
These games are the combination of both. Requires hand-eye coordination, but also has occasional puzzles that players have to go through. Sometimes these puzzle seven translate into special enemies or boss battles, requiring players to think sharply as they maneuver the battlefield.
4. Roleplaying Games (RPG)
These games had its build up from the famous tabletop roleplaying game called Dungeons and Dragons. A player cast in a story, to roleplay a character that exists inside the games main storyline. The story progression is the main hook of these titles, and every decision that the player makes can easily affect all other aspects in the game. It has pretty much evolved from the pen and paper beginnings to computers and consoles nowadays, but it still retains the core roleplaying mechanic that makes the genre a crowd favorite. This involves games such as the Final Fantasy and the Ultima series.
5.(Real-time) Strategy Games (RTS)
These are the games that need the player to continually make decisions as things changed rastically in the battlefield. Normally the main goal inside these games is to build an outpost in a certain battle map using resources you collect,intelligence you gather, and units you produce. These games are StarCraft, RedAlert, and Battle Realms.
6. Simulator Games
If you have ever heard about Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, then you already have an idea of what this genre is about. These games involve realistic controls and mechanics while playing the game. This can be in the form of life simulation where the player is in charge of an artificial person’s life or a whole ecosystem. The other form is vehicle simulation, where players get to commandeer different varieties of vehicles, but of course using realistic versions of the controls.
The Station, the Box, the Switch, and the Master Race
Now that you are familiar with at least the most common types of gaming genre, let us dive a bit on where exactly you can play these games. It used to only be on Gaming Consoles like the Atari, and the Arcades back in the day, but when Personal Computers (PC) started to get into the market, video games have found a stronger alternative. Having said that, while both a console and a PC can mostly play the same games, the PC versions normally have better graphics and performance. The console though still retains its relaxing vibe, less bugs, no hassle vibe, thus retaining its followers. Recently, mobile gaming has been on the rise with the development of stronger mobile handsets in the last few years.
Electronic Entertainment Direction
With the latest launch of Gaming Conventions this year, we can assume that the gaming industry is definitely still growing stronger than ever. This has something to do with recent scientific studies as well about video gamers having an edge over some who are not. Not to mention its influence on people’s culture may it be pop or historic, which positively reinforces the impact it has on society. Not only does it provide the entertainment that a busybody needs on her time of relaxation,but also jobs for the qualified.
