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I came up with this idea just before going to sleep one night last week, so don't blame me if someone goes and posts something similar a minute before I do so. Anyway, here's my rant:
As everyone knows, gaming with other humans isn't as big a problem as it was, say, ten years ago. Gone are the days when the furthest a person was, in actual fact, a metre away, playing on the same computer/console and looking at the same screen. In fact, I remember that I played an old Spectrum game (who remembers those?) with my brother once on the same keyboard - when Q, A, O and P were the default controls for any game (I was around 5 at the time, so it's a miracle I still remember all this). No-one at the time predicted that language, which would be anyone's immediate guess into any multiplayer barrier, would become the main problem, seeing as technology at that time couldn't even link a computer terminal with another.
However, as with all things in life, the situation improved, and when the technology that enabled local computers to freely link up with each other existed and became mainstream, gamers and workers everywhere rejoiced as they could now play Doom against each other, while at the same time placing a piece of cardboard between screens in the hope that the opposite player couldn't see where he was on the map. Anyway, that was with LANs, but it wasn't until access to the internet became widely available that distance barriers began to fall, and with it, a new society (like Hybrid Heaven!) was created, with countries co-existing with each other as they saw the possibilities open to them i.e. worldwide fragging in Quake.
Having lived off an Amiga (literally) before inheriting my brother's PC (he's still alive, though), I explored the technology equivalent of poverty: - ping times were massive even when compared to people running off an original Pentium PC (this was only three years ago), and the nearest processor upgrade for the Amiga was way beyond my budget. Despite receiving satisfaction when my friends saw that my Amiga could actually connect to the internet, I fell down to earth (or down the stairs - you decide) when I saw how long it took to even load up a simple web site like my brother's (no frames, borders - just a few tags, a couple of JPEGs and an animated GIF) - and without further hesitation, I nagged my bro get a new PC so I could have this one.
Anyway, back to the topic - although PC gamers (almost) everywhere got to frag each other on Quake at delayed intervals, this was limited to a select few; those who had powerful PCs, and more importantly, that vital internet connection (which was not that common a few years back, not without regular, pricey charges). Furthermore, playing on-line with other folk halfway around the world (or against your next door neighbour) was limited to those who enjoyed killing each other over and over again. Global gaming still had not reached and enticed the majority of people.
When affordable, internet service providers came onto the scene (i.e. first Freeserve, but the best at the moment is freeola), and then later on ntlworld with their unlimited internet access, the situation improved further as more people (including myself) got to at least experience the internet at a leisurely pace, without the timer frightening you to bits as the user was charged per minute. And, like with any new subject, beginners first have to experience the easy stuff (web browsing) before moving onto the more hardcore elements, i.e. online gaming. But there was still two more barriers: a) state of technology and b) variety.
With the numbers receiving internet access each year increasing, it didn't matter a jot unless the technology was also improving rapidly - after all, there's no point playing Quake with someone who still has a P75 (ahem), firstly because it would be too easy, and secondly because it wouldn't be fun for the person playing on the slower PC. In fact, some might say they have an unfair advantage. However, this point is no longer that big an issue as it once was, because with developers everywhere creating games and applications requiring more grunt from hardware, users were forced to upgrade to keep in touch with the latest software advances. The second point was with variety - even though people had access to the internet, had the interest to participate in online gaming, and even had the technology to do so competitively, there wasn't really much variety for those who were pacifists to show themselves gracefully, limiting themselves to RPG games based on updates via a browser or by email.
It wasn't until games like Ultima Online and other gaming genres allowed themselves to be web featured that players everywhere smelt a fresh batch of fun and games coming along, and with that, greater participation into on-line games that didn't run in a window controlled by the OS. Of course, when the Sega Dreamcast came along as the first console with online capabilities, it opened the door to more potential gamers, especially to those who couldn't afford a PC. It's just a shame that more games weren't implemented with online features, and this, along with the lack of publicity, formed the building blocks of the DC's downward spiral, in turn producing a minor knock on internet gaming - probably discouraging Sony to include a modem with their PS2 as standard.
With the ever-improving technology of both PC and communications hardware, especially with ADSL now being integrated into more and more people's homes (thus allowing more data to be sent at much faster times than using the now ageing 56K modem dial-up connection method), players everywhere, old and new, can now look forward to more responsive, interactive and exciting online games being made.
As everyone knows, gaming with other humans isn't as big a problem as it was, say, ten years ago. Gone are the days when the furthest a person was, in actual fact, a metre away, playing on the same computer/console and looking at the same screen. In fact, I remember that I played an old Spectrum game (who remembers those?) with my brother once on the same keyboard - when Q, A, O and P were the default controls for any game (I was around 5 at the time, so it's a miracle I still remember all this). No-one at the time predicted that language, which would be anyone's immediate guess into any multiplayer barrier, would become the main problem, seeing as technology at that time couldn't even link a computer terminal with another.
However, as with all things in life, the situation improved, and when the technology that enabled local computers to freely link up with each other existed and became mainstream, gamers and workers everywhere rejoiced as they could now play Doom against each other, while at the same time placing a piece of cardboard between screens in the hope that the opposite player couldn't see where he was on the map. Anyway, that was with LANs, but it wasn't until access to the internet became widely available that distance barriers began to fall, and with it, a new society (like Hybrid Heaven!) was created, with countries co-existing with each other as they saw the possibilities open to them i.e. worldwide fragging in Quake.
Having lived off an Amiga (literally) before inheriting my brother's PC (he's still alive, though), I explored the technology equivalent of poverty: - ping times were massive even when compared to people running off an original Pentium PC (this was only three years ago), and the nearest processor upgrade for the Amiga was way beyond my budget. Despite receiving satisfaction when my friends saw that my Amiga could actually connect to the internet, I fell down to earth (or down the stairs - you decide) when I saw how long it took to even load up a simple web site like my brother's (no frames, borders - just a few tags, a couple of JPEGs and an animated GIF) - and without further hesitation, I nagged my bro get a new PC so I could have this one.
Anyway, back to the topic - although PC gamers (almost) everywhere got to frag each other on Quake at delayed intervals, this was limited to a select few; those who had powerful PCs, and more importantly, that vital internet connection (which was not that common a few years back, not without regular, pricey charges). Furthermore, playing on-line with other folk halfway around the world (or against your next door neighbour) was limited to those who enjoyed killing each other over and over again. Global gaming still had not reached and enticed the majority of people.
When affordable, internet service providers came onto the scene (i.e. first Freeserve, but the best at the moment is freeola), and then later on ntlworld with their unlimited internet access, the situation improved further as more people (including myself) got to at least experience the internet at a leisurely pace, without the timer frightening you to bits as the user was charged per minute. And, like with any new subject, beginners first have to experience the easy stuff (web browsing) before moving onto the more hardcore elements, i.e. online gaming. But there was still two more barriers: a) state of technology and b) variety.
With the numbers receiving internet access each year increasing, it didn't matter a jot unless the technology was also improving rapidly - after all, there's no point playing Quake with someone who still has a P75 (ahem), firstly because it would be too easy, and secondly because it wouldn't be fun for the person playing on the slower PC. In fact, some might say they have an unfair advantage. However, this point is no longer that big an issue as it once was, because with developers everywhere creating games and applications requiring more grunt from hardware, users were forced to upgrade to keep in touch with the latest software advances. The second point was with variety - even though people had access to the internet, had the interest to participate in online gaming, and even had the technology to do so competitively, there wasn't really much variety for those who were pacifists to show themselves gracefully, limiting themselves to RPG games based on updates via a browser or by email.
It wasn't until games like Ultima Online and other gaming genres allowed themselves to be web featured that players everywhere smelt a fresh batch of fun and games coming along, and with that, greater participation into on-line games that didn't run in a window controlled by the OS. Of course, when the Sega Dreamcast came along as the first console with online capabilities, it opened the door to more potential gamers, especially to those who couldn't afford a PC. It's just a shame that more games weren't implemented with online features, and this, along with the lack of publicity, formed the building blocks of the DC's downward spiral, in turn producing a minor knock on internet gaming - probably discouraging Sony to include a modem with their PS2 as standard.
With the ever-improving technology of both PC and communications hardware, especially with ADSL now being integrated into more and more people's homes (thus allowing more data to be sent at much faster times than using the now ageing 56K modem dial-up connection method), players everywhere, old and new, can now look forward to more responsive, interactive and exciting online games being made.
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Yeah congrats DJ, you deserved it!! This truly is a great piece of work! Well done!
You gonna choose Paper Mario then?
You gonna choose Paper Mario then?
Well done DeltaJava for your win.
Im also looking forward to online gaming for the masses, the Xbox looks pretty cool because of its ethernet port as standard allowing you to connect to the online gaming world. The Xbox communicator headset (for talking to friends or enemys online!) should also increase the fun of online gaming, hopefully Microsoft will also use its financial muscle to make getting online cheaper to (The own 33% of the shares in NTL after all).
But best of all if everyone only has a standard Xbox playing against each other then gamers shouldnt be at a dissadvantage because someone has a higher spec machine :-)
Im also looking forward to online gaming for the masses, the Xbox looks pretty cool because of its ethernet port as standard allowing you to connect to the online gaming world. The Xbox communicator headset (for talking to friends or enemys online!) should also increase the fun of online gaming, hopefully Microsoft will also use its financial muscle to make getting online cheaper to (The own 33% of the shares in NTL after all).
But best of all if everyone only has a standard Xbox playing against each other then gamers shouldnt be at a dissadvantage because someone has a higher spec machine :-)
Why you asking me it should be Tony and Ali or Mr Snuggly you should be sucking up to!!
Well at least give me Paper Mario when it's released then.
But we dont want to give you that!!
Give me the damn GAD!!!
Please.
Please.
good post
is that GAD i hear?
is that GAD i hear?
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