Sports games involve high quality 3D graphics and high-speed animation and special effects that allow users to play such games as soccer, baseball, snooker, and other games on computers and on the internet. The advances in software and graphics technology have made software renditions of such games next to real and fun.
Before the rise of software and computer technology, few would have imagined playing baseball in virtual reality or on computers. These were games to be played outdoors, in lush green parks, or on the street. Now we can play them on monitor screens in one’s bedroom, or online with other players.
Some of the games that are popular today include the following:
Billiards – A combination of letter keys and the mouse allow the player to aim and shoot with high precision. The rules remain the same, and the visual effects are 3-dimensional.
Bowling – A number of customizable ball, 3 alleys, and near-realistic ball and pin movements make this club game come alive in your drawing room.
Tennis – A 3 set tennis match against the computer allows amateurs to try their hands with this game. The players and the strength of the hits are controlled by combining mouse dragging and a few keys.
Snow Boarding – An obstacle filled race that gives more points the earlier you finish. The controls as usual are with the mouse and keyboard. You get the choice of listening to background music as well.
Most of the virtual games are a test of one’s hand-to-eye coordination. It is a skill that comes with practice. The levels of the games differ and the usual options available are beginners, intermediate and advanced. Since the games are played against a computer software, the level of difficulty in limited by the quality of programming.
To learn more about playing online sports games, visit online sports games
Showing posts with label internet games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label internet games. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Internet Gaming – From the MUD to the Arcade
Twenty years ago, I sat in my brother-in-law’s den watching five year old Philip soundly trounce his grandmother at his favorite game – Pac Man. After his third successive win, Phil gave his grandmother a puzzled look and asked, “Geeze, Grammy, didn’t you play Pac Man when you were a kid?”
I know that I didn’t play Pac Man as a kid. I’m from the Pong generation. I did get my chance to brush up on my ghost-eating skills for a quarter a game in the Student Union in my freshman year at college. By the time little Phil was cheating his grandmother (sly little runt had set her on Advanced while he played Easy – and forgot to mention to her that you had to EAT the power pills in order to eat the ghosts), the world of gaming was on a roll that simply gathers more momentum with each passing month. Companies like Nintendo and Sony started off by translating the arcade games to console – but soon took off in their own directions. In just ten years, the gaming industry has become one of the fastest growing and most profitable sectors of the technology industry. Interconnectivity took gaming to new heights – connecting to the Internet expands your base of competition from your neighborhood arcade to the entire world.
But connectivity didn’t necessarily mean the World Wide Web. One of the problems with playing console games written for the Playstation, the GameCube or the Xbox is that you have to OWN a console in order to play. Enter Macromedia Flash and Sun Java, the two most popular plug-ins for web browsers. Java was created to be a cross-platform programming language designed to run in your browser no matter what operating system you’re using. Macromedia’s Flash animation program is possibly the most universally supported and installed browser plug-in in the world. In just a few short years, both platforms have come a long long long way from flat bouncy ball type graphics to absolutely stunning 3-D graphics.
Not surprisingly, the first wave of web browser games powered by Flash and Java have been rewrites of some of the old favorites – from standards to retro – and some engaging if silly games like Swat the Clown. They include those that captivated many of us during those golden years of the late 70s and early 80s, and feed the current appetite for all things retro, but they’re not the only games to play online.
In fact, you’ll find everything from classic board games like Stratego to casino games to puzzles and shoot’em-ups. Some are multiplayer – many more are designed for one player against the computer – just like PC games and console games. What are the most played games online these days?
Casino Games top the ranks, with online interactive poker being one of the most popular activities on the web. It’s hard to resist the chance to gamble, and online casinos are cashing in – in spades. Still, there are plenty of places to test your skills in poker, blackjack and other casino games without spending a cent.
Retro Arcade Games are a close second. Following the trend for all things retro, a whole new generation is discovering the fun of trying to maneuver falling blocks into place before they stack to the top of the screen, and shooting up Asteroids as they get close to your space ship. If that doesn’t float your boat, there’s still Prince of Persia, Frogger, Donkey Kong and dozens of other games that once graced arcades and barrooms everywhere.
Puzzle Games overlap the classic arcade games, with such classics as Tetris, Connect 4 and Stratego straddling the line between classic board games and the best of the arcade games. They run from the fun of lining up marbles in a row to flipping over coins to wipe out an entire board of your opponent’s coins with one move in Reversi.
Sports Games never stop being fun. While fantasy football and baseball leagues keep the tycoons busy, some of us can still spend hours playing Mini Putt Golf and Pong. You can step into a batter’s cage and hit a few out of the ballpark with one of the baseball games, or go for the gold in racing, skateboarding or tennis. If you’re in a silly mood, you can play drafts with penguins as sliders, or whack-a-mole with your mouse.
No matter what your taste or pleasure, chances are that you’ll find a game to suit it online. Just fire up your browser and point it to http://www.excessively.net , and enjoy a trip back – and forth, and sideways and round and round the mazes.
I know that I didn’t play Pac Man as a kid. I’m from the Pong generation. I did get my chance to brush up on my ghost-eating skills for a quarter a game in the Student Union in my freshman year at college. By the time little Phil was cheating his grandmother (sly little runt had set her on Advanced while he played Easy – and forgot to mention to her that you had to EAT the power pills in order to eat the ghosts), the world of gaming was on a roll that simply gathers more momentum with each passing month. Companies like Nintendo and Sony started off by translating the arcade games to console – but soon took off in their own directions. In just ten years, the gaming industry has become one of the fastest growing and most profitable sectors of the technology industry. Interconnectivity took gaming to new heights – connecting to the Internet expands your base of competition from your neighborhood arcade to the entire world.
But connectivity didn’t necessarily mean the World Wide Web. One of the problems with playing console games written for the Playstation, the GameCube or the Xbox is that you have to OWN a console in order to play. Enter Macromedia Flash and Sun Java, the two most popular plug-ins for web browsers. Java was created to be a cross-platform programming language designed to run in your browser no matter what operating system you’re using. Macromedia’s Flash animation program is possibly the most universally supported and installed browser plug-in in the world. In just a few short years, both platforms have come a long long long way from flat bouncy ball type graphics to absolutely stunning 3-D graphics.
Not surprisingly, the first wave of web browser games powered by Flash and Java have been rewrites of some of the old favorites – from standards to retro – and some engaging if silly games like Swat the Clown. They include those that captivated many of us during those golden years of the late 70s and early 80s, and feed the current appetite for all things retro, but they’re not the only games to play online.
In fact, you’ll find everything from classic board games like Stratego to casino games to puzzles and shoot’em-ups. Some are multiplayer – many more are designed for one player against the computer – just like PC games and console games. What are the most played games online these days?
Casino Games top the ranks, with online interactive poker being one of the most popular activities on the web. It’s hard to resist the chance to gamble, and online casinos are cashing in – in spades. Still, there are plenty of places to test your skills in poker, blackjack and other casino games without spending a cent.
Retro Arcade Games are a close second. Following the trend for all things retro, a whole new generation is discovering the fun of trying to maneuver falling blocks into place before they stack to the top of the screen, and shooting up Asteroids as they get close to your space ship. If that doesn’t float your boat, there’s still Prince of Persia, Frogger, Donkey Kong and dozens of other games that once graced arcades and barrooms everywhere.
Puzzle Games overlap the classic arcade games, with such classics as Tetris, Connect 4 and Stratego straddling the line between classic board games and the best of the arcade games. They run from the fun of lining up marbles in a row to flipping over coins to wipe out an entire board of your opponent’s coins with one move in Reversi.
Sports Games never stop being fun. While fantasy football and baseball leagues keep the tycoons busy, some of us can still spend hours playing Mini Putt Golf and Pong. You can step into a batter’s cage and hit a few out of the ballpark with one of the baseball games, or go for the gold in racing, skateboarding or tennis. If you’re in a silly mood, you can play drafts with penguins as sliders, or whack-a-mole with your mouse.
No matter what your taste or pleasure, chances are that you’ll find a game to suit it online. Just fire up your browser and point it to http://www.excessively.net , and enjoy a trip back – and forth, and sideways and round and round the mazes.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
A Look Back At Video Game History – Do You Remember Pac Man, Space Invaders And Super Mario Brothers?
Of all the things that the 1970’s produced, there are few that made as big of a cultural impact as video games. There’s no question about it: video games have been a significant force in society and one of the most popular leisure pursuits. Chances are if you’re under the age of 40, you played them, some of us a lot. There was Atari, Intellivision and Colecovision. Don’t forget Sega and Nintendo. Today there are web sites that allow you to download free online games.
And if you remember those days of the late ‘70’s and early 80’s, you recall that the games relied on graphic improvements and better ways of shooting the enemy. It was more or less a solitary pursuit. With the rise of the Internet and online games however, lots of things changed, including the ability to download games and playing online games, making games a more social activity, with lots of players, or opponents playing each other from different countries. This may be the biggest change – and the latest benefit that games have offered the world.
But what about the early days? How did it all start and what were the video games that defined the era?
The Innovators
Many people think that Pong was the home game that started it all, but really it was Magnavox and their "Odyssey" system in 1972. Although it was very simple, it was still the first. It had twelve simple games with graphic overlays. However, there was lots of room for improvement, and that’s where Pong came into play.
Nolan Bushnell created Pong, along with Al Alcorn, the founder of Atari. Rumor has it that when the prototype was tested at a California bar, the machine broke down after two days, because it was so popular. The next logical step was to create a home version. So, one year later, Atari released Pong, complete with built in paddles, and a speaker. Of course, Pong was a huge success and represented a new stage in the evolution of gaming. Over sixty Pong knock-offs would be produced, but Atari dominated the market.
Next was the implementation of the microprocessor, which the entire industry adopted. As a result of this, more complicated systems could be developed. These systems produced groundbreaking and innovative graphical and auditory effects that had never been seen before. Consumers were eating it up. The industry was on fire. In 1981 alone, five billion dollars were spent on video arcade machines and another billion dollars was spent on home video game systems. Atari’s VCS/2600 system remained the dominant player through 1982, when the gaming market experienced a crash.
What were some of the great games? How about Pac Man? Pac Man, the yellow blob that ate up dots and avoided squid-like ghosts, was a worldwide sensation and probably the biggest game of all time.
Space Invaders was another incredibly popular game. In fact, it really marked a turning point for arcade games, bringing them out of bars and into family friendly places like shops and restaurants. The premise of Space Invaders was to stop an alien invasion. This simple formula went on to become the most successful arcade game of all time.
Then there was Super Mario, which was huge as well. It involved an Italian anti-hero who was deliberately designed as a character that everyone could relate to. Soon thereafter came Zelda, Metroid, and other classics.
Rise and Fall of Atari
Atari was the hottest thing in the gaming world in the early ‘80’s. Today, they are a relic of past glory. So what happened? Atari made some bad decisions, and although it’s a little complicated, it’s helpful to understand the situation. At that time in the computing world, magnetic mediums were implemented in the data storage used in Arcade machines. These mediums allowed for a higher memory capacity than ROM cartridges.
In 1982, Atari had the option to include a disk drive in their systems. The price difference would have been nominal, and the memory capacity would have been significant. Atari, however, thought that magnetic media was too “fragile” for the consumer to adequately handle. Atari's "concern" for the customer backfired on them. In the previous years, there had been a very fine line separating arcade game quality from home game quality. With arcades utilizing storage capacities ten to forty-five times larger than home systems that fine line became a chasm. Arcade games seemed to be evolving exponentially, while home systems seemed "stuck in a time warp.”
The public quickly became uninterested in video game specific consoles, and sales plummeted.
This would mark the end of Atari's reign of the video game market.
The Rise of the New
In 1984, everything changed. The reason? Two innovations: The reduction in cost of Dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips which allowed more memory, and the production of higher power 8-bit processors, which lowered the prices of the previous chips. Sega, a new player in home gaming systems, entered the console market with their Master System 2. The Sega Master system would sell very well, but its success would be limited.
The other key player was Nintendo of Japan. The genius of Nintendo was their marketing prowess, as they poured millions into advertisements. These advertisements hit consumers at the perfect time, as evidenced in their sales. In fact, Nintendo couldn’t manufacture enough systems to keep up with demand. After all was said and done, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) would become the highest selling system in history. They would also become the most notorious, as they were involved in the intimidation of retailers, competing companies, and other suppliers and partners.
Over the next five years Sega and Nintendo would battle for dominance, going back and forth. The consumer definitely benefited from this rivalry.
Today, it’s between PlayStation 2, the Xbox and the GameCube. Xbox has taken the step to merge the past and present, where Xbox "Live Arcade" is a console system that has a "download-like" characteristic where you can buy games via the console itself. One thing in the video game industry will always remain: the classic games of yesterday were great games, helped define an era, and will always be fun.
And if you remember those days of the late ‘70’s and early 80’s, you recall that the games relied on graphic improvements and better ways of shooting the enemy. It was more or less a solitary pursuit. With the rise of the Internet and online games however, lots of things changed, including the ability to download games and playing online games, making games a more social activity, with lots of players, or opponents playing each other from different countries. This may be the biggest change – and the latest benefit that games have offered the world.
But what about the early days? How did it all start and what were the video games that defined the era?
The Innovators
Many people think that Pong was the home game that started it all, but really it was Magnavox and their "Odyssey" system in 1972. Although it was very simple, it was still the first. It had twelve simple games with graphic overlays. However, there was lots of room for improvement, and that’s where Pong came into play.
Nolan Bushnell created Pong, along with Al Alcorn, the founder of Atari. Rumor has it that when the prototype was tested at a California bar, the machine broke down after two days, because it was so popular. The next logical step was to create a home version. So, one year later, Atari released Pong, complete with built in paddles, and a speaker. Of course, Pong was a huge success and represented a new stage in the evolution of gaming. Over sixty Pong knock-offs would be produced, but Atari dominated the market.
Next was the implementation of the microprocessor, which the entire industry adopted. As a result of this, more complicated systems could be developed. These systems produced groundbreaking and innovative graphical and auditory effects that had never been seen before. Consumers were eating it up. The industry was on fire. In 1981 alone, five billion dollars were spent on video arcade machines and another billion dollars was spent on home video game systems. Atari’s VCS/2600 system remained the dominant player through 1982, when the gaming market experienced a crash.
What were some of the great games? How about Pac Man? Pac Man, the yellow blob that ate up dots and avoided squid-like ghosts, was a worldwide sensation and probably the biggest game of all time.
Space Invaders was another incredibly popular game. In fact, it really marked a turning point for arcade games, bringing them out of bars and into family friendly places like shops and restaurants. The premise of Space Invaders was to stop an alien invasion. This simple formula went on to become the most successful arcade game of all time.
Then there was Super Mario, which was huge as well. It involved an Italian anti-hero who was deliberately designed as a character that everyone could relate to. Soon thereafter came Zelda, Metroid, and other classics.
Rise and Fall of Atari
Atari was the hottest thing in the gaming world in the early ‘80’s. Today, they are a relic of past glory. So what happened? Atari made some bad decisions, and although it’s a little complicated, it’s helpful to understand the situation. At that time in the computing world, magnetic mediums were implemented in the data storage used in Arcade machines. These mediums allowed for a higher memory capacity than ROM cartridges.
In 1982, Atari had the option to include a disk drive in their systems. The price difference would have been nominal, and the memory capacity would have been significant. Atari, however, thought that magnetic media was too “fragile” for the consumer to adequately handle. Atari's "concern" for the customer backfired on them. In the previous years, there had been a very fine line separating arcade game quality from home game quality. With arcades utilizing storage capacities ten to forty-five times larger than home systems that fine line became a chasm. Arcade games seemed to be evolving exponentially, while home systems seemed "stuck in a time warp.”
The public quickly became uninterested in video game specific consoles, and sales plummeted.
This would mark the end of Atari's reign of the video game market.
The Rise of the New
In 1984, everything changed. The reason? Two innovations: The reduction in cost of Dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips which allowed more memory, and the production of higher power 8-bit processors, which lowered the prices of the previous chips. Sega, a new player in home gaming systems, entered the console market with their Master System 2. The Sega Master system would sell very well, but its success would be limited.
The other key player was Nintendo of Japan. The genius of Nintendo was their marketing prowess, as they poured millions into advertisements. These advertisements hit consumers at the perfect time, as evidenced in their sales. In fact, Nintendo couldn’t manufacture enough systems to keep up with demand. After all was said and done, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) would become the highest selling system in history. They would also become the most notorious, as they were involved in the intimidation of retailers, competing companies, and other suppliers and partners.
Over the next five years Sega and Nintendo would battle for dominance, going back and forth. The consumer definitely benefited from this rivalry.
Today, it’s between PlayStation 2, the Xbox and the GameCube. Xbox has taken the step to merge the past and present, where Xbox "Live Arcade" is a console system that has a "download-like" characteristic where you can buy games via the console itself. One thing in the video game industry will always remain: the classic games of yesterday were great games, helped define an era, and will always be fun.
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