From the minute a child is born, 'let's play a game' is usually among the phrases he/she hears daily. During those early stages, they play games with toys, i.e., dolls, action figures, cars, and dollhouses. Growing up, however, the interest shifts from toys to video games. Although physical games are a thing on their own, online gaming has its charm. Allowing one to play from the comfort of their homes, using nothing but a console or joystick to move the player around, is always fun. Thus, the ever-growing interest in online games has encouraged developers to enhance the playing experience every year. Every online game has a team behind it, working hard to deliver newer features and high-quality graphics.
Evolution of Online Games
The mere idea of online gaming emerged from the development of computers and the Internet. The later developments brought forth newer platforms, i.e., mobile games, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. Each forum came with its own accessibility features and ease of usage.
Online Gaming Platforms
The era of online gaming took off with PC games, wherein all it required was a good Internet connection. Well, so do the other platforms, except that their primary focus lies upon advanced video graphics. Let us now take a look at how these platforms have changed over the years:
PC Game
Back in the 1980s, personal computers started gaining popularity in most of the developed countries. They came fitted with powerful processors, which, of course, made them a great platform to host gaming. The idea was phenomenal and even led Bill Gates to design his own game, by the name of 'Donkey.' This stood as an inspiration to other developers to use their coding skills and implement more features. As this began to advance, users were also able to connect with other players to play. This platform boomed with the release of the most popular 90's game, Doom.
Online Gaming - Multiplayer
Although accessing the Internet was expensive and provided a slow response, it was still a break-through for online gamers. The advancement began in 2000, as the Internet speed increased and the gaming experience leveled up. Players were also able to connect to others over the net and communicate and interact in the game.
PlayStation
Introduced back in 1994, the Sony PlayStation has been a hit ever since. Its success is termed as the best-selling gaming platform, as the PlayStation 2 was released in 2000. This was an entirely new era of online gaming, as all the significant sports, i.e., FIFA, Cricket, NBA, and WWE, began appearing as games. Users could customize their players and play against rival teams online. Most of these games required a stable Internet connection for accessing advanced options.
This is a gaming brand owned by Microsoft, introduced in 2001. It brought along an innovative gaming experience and streaming of online games. Each year, the company releases newer versions with more powerful processors, high-resolution display, and enhanced graphics. The recent launch from the series is Xbox series X, which arrived on 10 th November 2020.
Advancement of Video Graphics
Considering the massive fan base of online gaming, it is easy to understand why developers work immensely to provide high-end graphics. Some of the highly popular games these days, e.g., The Last of Us, is the ultimate proof of how realistic the characters look. The graphics designers have paid attention to the tiniest of details, from human expressions to diverse complexions and hairstyles. Below are the areas where the advancement of video graphics have elevated the entire gaming experience:
- VR headsets provide stimulation that makes the players feel as if they are in the game.
- The high-resolution display within the VR headsets gives a real-life touch to the animation of the surroundings. The players find themselves in the game setting, playing as the protagonist.
- Wireless consoles help the players pick or move objects around. The advanced graphics make it feel like we are picking them up. Although all we do is move the console around.
- Cameras now come with facial recognition. This is crucial for data security, as well.
- Newer graphics allow cameras to capture features of the users and give them a realistic player profile.
- Ultra 4K resolution makes the videos appealing with bright colors and clearer character traits.
The Future of Online Gaming
One may have often read the term 'Artificial Intelligence' when scrolling the Internet. Well, it is indeed the latest development in the IT field, and the beginning of computers taking over the world. It has also been a part of online gaming for quite a while now. There, it usually controls the non-player characters, by generating responses and human-like behavior.
Another exciting change to look forward to would be the advancement in online casino games. The current pandemic has taken online gambling to reach its heights. Due to the remarkable feedback, we now have options to play casino games with online slot machines, e.g., Sweet Bonanza free play, and more. The future, however, is bringing major new changes like virtual reality slots and 3D graphics. Also, at the moment, we play with artificial intelligence taking the role of dealers. Yet, the future promises to bring in live dealers so as to make the experience more realistic. The best part of all this? It requires minimal effort from the player's side! All one needs is a smart-phone or other digital devices like an iPad or Tablet. The next step is going online, registering yourself, and enjoying the fun of gambling from our couches. What's more, developers are working towards providing a 4K resolution to casino games, which will ensure smoother graphics and more interest from the gamers.
The modernization of technology will possibly never cease. Rest assured, so is the case with the advancement of video games as well. The future looks bright, promising us games that will be more intriguing, more addictive!