Personal computer game

For information on this form of gaming in general, see computer and video games.

Personal computer games are games played on a personal computer. These games usually require a specific operating system such as Microsoft Windows. Mac versions of popular games are common and Linux versions are emerging.

Overview

A typical PC has a mouse, keyboard, speakers, and a display screen

Most setups will include a keyboard and mouse. Computer games can employ dozens of keys to perform actions in a single stroke.

Games that require keyboard input favor PC implementations, including MUDs and other text-based games. Some games are more workable with a mouse, such as real-time strategy games and first-person shooters. Many mouse-driven games will still retain use of the keyboard with the free hand to take advantage of the large number of keys available for individual functions and shortcuts. But the keyboard and mouse are less suitable for other game types, such as fighting games.

Some players use additional input devices, such as joysticks and microphones (for voice chat). Computer games are usually playable with just keyboard and mouse so that the game is at least usable for those without other peripherals.

Computer monitors are intended to be viewed by one person at close range. As a result, most PC games are made for single-player or networked multiplayer play.

Hardware

Dedicated graphics accelerator cards enable PC games to use high-resolution 3D graphics. There are cards available at varying levels of performance and support for certain features. Most today are based on the DirectX and OpenGL graphics APIs. Computer game developers must spend time testing games with this variety of hardware in order to ensure the software functions on any combination of components.

Dedicated sound cards enable PC games to use digital sound and music, as well as participate in voice communication. Sound hardware has been sufficiently standardized that it seldom causes compatibility issues.

Other upgradable hardware are used in the form of processors and ram. Although not as significant in performance, some Processors like the AMD 64 are made for the Cpu to operate simutaneously with the Videocard. The Pentiums are used to be more stable, but as drivers for AMD developes, it is no longer an issue. Pentiums are a more expensive choice and more "visually appealing" (because of a higher clock rate and more popularity among ordinary people) for consumers. Ram is also needed in storing large amounts of data to create more expansive areas in games.

Many Gamers use a Mouse, keyboard and/or flightstick as a perferred choice in gaming.

Multiplayer

Support for networked multiplayer through internet or LAN connections has become a requirement for many genres, like first person shooters, real-time strategy, and racing games. The internet has also allowed the creation of massively multiplayer games supporting hundreds to thousands of simultaneous players.

Screenshots

Cultural

Japan

Many Japanese gamers view personal computers as a business tool, and that games are best played on dedicated hardware. However, some genres like bishojo games are popular. The MSX Computer series had also impacted the future of games for computers and consoles alike.

First Generation

Computer games history has not received much attention from researchers. Although one might expect a consensus on such a 'young' research area, many details are more than cloudy. Which game, for example, was the first?

The usual answer is Spacewar. In the 1960s computers were a luxury for the few. The machines were enormous and usually exclusive to research institutions or the military. In 1961 Harvard employee Stephen Russel used a computer for statistical calculations for employees at the university. However, he and his friends had another interest; they were devoted fans of Edvard E. Smith's science-fiction-saga Skylark. With this saga fresh in memory they constructed Spacewar.

In 1976 the first adventure game was born (Adventure; Woods. Read more about Adventure). Later in the 1980's the strategy games became very popular following in the wake of successes such as Pirates (Microprose, 1987) and SimCity (Maxis, 1987).

The first generation of games lacked in quality. Most were basic Text games, or Windows Card games like Solitaire. The first "text adventure", Adventure (Crowther & Woods 1977) was created 15 years after Spacewar. Unlike the action game, an adventure is not based on fast reflexes; the time of the adventure game is on pause whenever the player is deciding the next move. In a text adventure, the player communicates with the computer by typing the direction to move. More than a game, these were interactive fiction.

The traditional adventure game is often based on a loose interpretation of the books of J.R.R. Tolkien; elves, trolls, dragons, caves, and treasures. A typical game involves travelling through a system of caves to find a treasure. Adventures revolve very much around puzzles; how to open the gate, how to catch the bird, etc. The last purely text-based interactive games were published in the late 1980’s, and with the arrival of the mouse, textual interaction was replaced by graphical interfaces.

Interactive fiction has had a comeback with the game Myst (Cyan 1993).

Other games types were developed. Some were based on the IBM PS/2 Model 30 - with a 20 megabyte harddrive and 256 colour MCGA graphics. Titles like Leisure Suit Larry and Sim City are still popular today. Other games were Flight Simulators ,(Comanche, Microsoft Flight Simulator Series), Microsoft's Mechwarrior series, and Strategy(Command and Conquer, StarCraft, Warcraft) games.

When computer games drew closer in quality to console gameplay, third-party programmers developed games to release as Shareware. Shareware, was a way to distribute computer game demos.

At that time, 16-bit systems had little capability to create 3d texture maps. While leading Sega and Nintendo systems kept their CPU speed at 3-7 MHz, the 486 ran at 66 MHz. Computers had much faster processors. Doom was a break through in graphics while consoles had Mario. As computer technology grew more sophisicated, the Pentium era of gaming arrived.

Nowadays computers compete with consoles. Computers are not just business machines any more, and gamers get the newest card, not computer, to stay up to date. Developers use artistic skill, not the faster machine, to create a more realistic gameplay experience.

See also

• List of gaming topics
• List of IBM PC games