Gaming is a popular pastime for many adults and children. A computer game or video game is an interactive electronic game which entails interaction with a user device or user interface, including a keyboard, mouse, joystick, or finger support, to produce visual output on a display. It may include text, sound, images, or other media. The objective of the game is to entertain, inform, or teach the participant.
Video gaming involves using a personal computer connected to a high-speed Internet connection. Personal computers can be customized to meet user needs, from basic systems with one or two fixed function keys and a small amount of memory to high-end platforms with thousands of functions and input devices. Computer game software is customized to meet the specific needs of the player. Video game consoles are used to play games; these personal computer video game consoles include memory, hard drive, video memory, video display, and audio output.
Video game consoles can also be connected to the Internet. This form of online gaming is referred to as “online gaming.” Many online gaming consoles have both offline and online modes. Online gaming is typically allowed users to connect to other online users and compete against them or their friends in head to head competitions. Certain online gaming platforms provide tools that allow users to rate games and submit their own personal reviews.
PC gaming involves the use of personal computers and the Internet to play multiplayer online video games. In the past, PC gaming involved requiring a joystick or keyboard to interact with game controls. Modern PC games require only a mouse, since most modern computers have touch screen capabilities. Some PC games also have overhead view views, where the player has a view of the game world from above. These PC games are usually played between live participants over the Internet, using Internet connections through either a common server or game console.
Role-playing game platforms include World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) series. World of Warcraft is the most popular MMORPG in the world. In World of Warcraft, the gamer takes on the persona of an adventurer and wander through the vast world trying to quests, fight off monsters, and obtain epic items and weapons to level up. In addition, the player earns new friends and can engage in combat with other players at any time. There is even a “teach” feature in which a gamer can gain knowledge and skills by participating in battles and quests, allowing him or her to become more proficient with weapons and strategies.
In another form of massively multiplayer interactive entertainment, gamers communicate through terminals and chat programs to engage in real-time interactions with other people. Some of these interactive games are text-based and others are video game consoles with built-in web browsers. With the advent of the Internet, virtually anyone with an Internet connection can now participate in gaming. Today’s video gaming websites offer chat facilities where people can trade gaming tips and assist each other in questing and fighting, just as they would in real life.