How tech is changing the way we game online
Head back even 10 years and the way we would play online would be very difficult. With games limited to either a console or a desktop capable of powering our favourite titles, you needed to lay down quite a bit of money towards computer power before you could begin to play. Now, that is all changing. Here are some of the ways tech has changed the way we game.
Tablet Gaming
The introduction of tablets like iPads has completely changed the realm of casual gaming. Sites which offer fun activities like online bingo games have all caught on to the fact that many more households are using these devices. They are even becoming substitutions for laptops in some households.
As a result, the game developers who make games for this casual market have all began to ensure that their games are always mobile compatible. Not only does this mean changing aspects of the programming to ensure it works with that of the tablet, it means that the user interface of the game is much more compatible with someone who would be exploring it by touch instead of using the precision a mouse offers.
Cloud Games
It is rare that people buy a physical copy of a game nowadays. Whereas once there would be no option but to buy a game disc, the popularity of online shops like Steam has helped to popularise digital downloads.
Solutions like Steam have cloud capabilities which allow players to save their progress online. If they have to switch device due to a malfunction or an upgrade, they will find all their data intact. All they need to do is redownload the game and they can continue to play. This is a much better system than what used to happen; especially if you consider that a lost or broken disc would need to be replaced before the game could be accessed again.
VR
We have dreamed of fully immersive computer games for ages and such a plot has been part of sci-fi films for nearly as long. Escaping our world for a virtual world is now finally a reality thanks to the progress which has been made on virtual reality. We can now step into entirely new worlds without leaving the comfort of our homes and the technology is beginning to allow us to take our friends and family too.
There are several ways to make this a reality. The first would be through one person in the VR and others outside. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes operates in this arena with one person attempting to disarm a virtual bomb while those outside flip through a manual and attempt to relay instructions. It is a fun party game which can provide a lot of laughs throughout.
We are also beginning to see an increase in games which allow multiple people to enter the same virtual space. This true immersive multiplayer is slowly gaining momentum in popularity and, as VR becomes more mainstream, we can hope to see more games including such a function.
Gaming is evolving and it is fascinating to see how it is changing. Who knows what we will be able to accomplish in even another ten years? The possibilities are truly endless.
