Advent of the Internet
Online games are games played over a computer network.
Currently, the term online almost always means the
Internet. During the expansion of online gaming over
the years, it gave a large influence to the overall
expansion of computer networks from local networks to
the Internet and the popular growth of Internet access
itself.
Online games can range from text based games to
complex graphical and virtual games which are
populated by many players simultaneously all over the
world. Many of the recent online games have
incorporated online communities which made it a form
of social activity.
Internet revolution where websites could utilize
streaming video, audio, and a whole new set of user
interactivity was made possible by the rising
popularity of flash and java. When Microsoft began
including flash players as a pre-installed component
of “internet explorer”, the Internet shift from a
data/information source to also offer on-demand
entertainment.
Online Games
The inclusion of flash to internet explorers paved way
for web sites to offer games to web surfers. Most the
popular online games such as the popular World of
Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI and Lineage II charge
monthly fees to subscribers to access to their
services, while games such as Guild Wars use an
alternative scheme which offers a no monthly fee.
Most sites let their subscribers play for free by
relying on advertising revenues from online sponsors.
Others, like Runescape, offer people free play while
leaving option of paying for special services and
unlock new content.
Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG’s)
With the growth of broadband internet access in many
developed as well as developing countries, massive
multiplayer online games were made possible. Using the
internet to allow thousands of players to play the
same game at the same time made MMOG’s very popular to
children, teens, and young adults. Massive multiplayer
online role-playing game (World of Warcraft), Massive
multiplayer online real-time strategy (Mankind), and
Massive multiplayer online first-person shooter (Dark
Fall) are one of the most popular styles of MMOG’s.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Games
The growing access to broadband internet has made it
possible for gamers to play games at their homes and
at the same time interact with other people without
actually meeting them. Here are some advantages and
disadvantages of playing online games at home:
Advantages:
Privacy. Players have the privilege of playing their
favorite online games at home rather than going into
an internet café and line with other people just to
play the games.
Cheaper. Players have the option of playing at home
rather than going out and pay for the hours they play.
Safe. Players can safely play their online games at
home at the same time interact with other players.
Disadvantages:
Time consuming. Online games are very competitive and
to compete means spending a large amount of the
player’s time playing online just to keep up with the
other players.
Less social interaction. Most of the online players
play at home and spend most of their time in front of
the monitor. Although players interact with other
players online, they still spend less time actually
meeting the person and interacting with them
personally rather than in front of a monitor.
Eye strain and the occasional head ache. Online games
are very addictive to the majority of the players.
They spend most of their time playing the game and
some even spend the whole day in front of the
computer. The strain on the players eyes vary on how
long they play the game. While spending the whole day
staring at the monitor, the eyes are strained more
often than usual and even after they stop, their brain
is over used the occasional head-ache is often felt.
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