Video Game Evolution: Cloud Gaming

The 1970s saw the dawn of the mass-market video game. Although there is debate over which game was 'the first', Computer Space and Pong were among the first video games to be made available to a mass audience. Since these early days, as technology has progressed the standard and quality of video games have also evolved. If players of Pac-Man and Frogger in the late 70s and early 1980s were given the chance to play a modern video game, they would likely be startled by how different games have become.

Games today have first-rate graphics and gameplay options that allow the player to roam freely around an environment and choose how their storyline will develop. Games consoles can now 'see' the movements of a player and convert their jumps and arm waves into actions within the game. Though many new games are utilising new technology such as motion capture and touch screens, one of the most recent innovations in the video game arena is 'cloud gaming'. A great deal of the technology industry has started to embrace 'the cloud' for various uses, such as hosting, storage or computing - it is fairly unsurprising therefore, that the gaming industry has also made the move towards the cloud.

So what is cloud gaming? In very simple terms it is a form of online gaming that utilises the cloud. There are already a variety of online gaming options available - such as Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network for example - but cloud gaming differs from these options in a very particular way. With the usual methods of online gaming you still need to own a games console in order to play on the game and in most cases you will also need to own an actual copy of the game. Cloud gaming is completely different. Instead of needing a physical console to actually run the game, the required processing power and the actual game data itself are all hosted in the cloud. You will only require a computer or a console that has an internet connection and access to a cloud gaming service. The game you want to play will be run in the cloud, utilising the much faster processing and rendering speeds available on a cloud server, and streamed to your device. Button presses on your controller to control and play your game will be sent to the cloud servers instead of simply to your device. Cloud gaming is a logical step forward from the popular video-on-demand services like the BBC iPlayer or 4oD.

Cloud gaming has a number of benefits over traditional video gaming. One of the biggest benefits of cloud gaming is how instantaneous it is. If you see a game you like and want to play then you can do so instantly. You do not have to trek out to shops to buy a physical copy, wait for an online order to be delivered or endure long downloading times. The game is there and ready to be played through your internet connection as soon as you want to play it. Secondly, cloud gaming reduces the need to have a computer or a console with high graphic and processing specifications. The games will actually be running on cloud servers and devices that have much greater power and capabilities than a home device, so you do not need to have the newest and best console in order to run the latest games. Thirdly cloud gaming is arguably a much more cost-effective option. As previously mentioned, with cloud gaming there is less of a requirement to buy expensive high-performance devices. The price of subscribing to a cloud service is also, in many cases, much cheaper than buying new physical copies of games. Lastly, cloud gaming may lead the way for platform independence. As the game is run in the cloud it will not matter as much what operating system your console or tablet uses.

There are several disadvantages of cloud gaming that will need to be addressed by any company planning to offer cloud gaming services. Potential customers may avoid cloud services because they may feel they are paying for something that they do not own. Buying a physical game gives you a sense of ownership, that you have bought that game and can play it at any time. With cloud gaming you are paying for a game that you will not have a copy of - if the service goes down or goes out of business then you will be unable to play any of the games that you have paid for. Another potential disadvantage of a cloud service is that, because it is a fairly new technology, there are bound to be a number of initial technical problems and issues that will need fixing or patching. The 'newness' of the service may also mean that multiplayer games will have a sparse user base until more people sign up - leaving customers with no one to play against. The second-hand game market will suffer, and likely disappear, if cloud gaming becomes the norm - but this could be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on where you stand.

Despite its initial flaws, it seems likely that cloud gaming will be an important development for the video game industry. It has a great deal of potential and really fits in with the variety of internet-based services that are now the norm. One barrier that may hold it back, however, is whether the service can be offered across the whole country. Currently, the UK has an average broadband speed of 8Mbit/s in cities and 3Mbit/s in the countryside. While it is less of an issue in big cities, many people across the UK do not have access to the 5Mbit/s broadband required for cloud gaming. This situation may change with the development and rolling out of 4G internet and with the government's plans to give more areas in the UK access to superfast broadband, but at present many people cannot access the service at all, while others are complaining of lags. There are still several hurdles for cloud gaming to cross before it can really take off - it is also unlikely that cloud gaming services will completely replace physical copies, many people still like to have something real in their hands.

In recent weeks, cloud gaming has re-emerged as a hot topic in the technology industry after a few quiet months. Most recently Sony announced their next generation console at an event in Manhattan on the 20th of February. The PlayStation 4 will have an improved processor and graphical capabilities, but more importantly will put much more focus on the cloud and streaming. Sony purchased the cloud gaming company Gaikai last year and appear to be making the move to integrate their services with their new console. Though the PlayStation 4 console was not revealed at Sony's event, they did give a preview of the new controller. With the controller players will be able to share video game clips over the internet and allow their friends to watch them play. According to journalists and bloggers the event was very much focused on cloud gaming. Previous to the event, Sony registered various 'PlayStation Cloud' domain names - only serving to underline their focus on the cloud.

Though Sony's announcement is the latest in cloud gaming related news, there is likely to be even more news in the upcoming months as the next generation Xbox will also be announced. Steam may also become an important player as they have already established themselves as an important provider of games over the internet. The video game retailer Game also has plans to set up their own cloud game streaming service in the latter part of 2013. Though there are some sceptics of the cloud in the video-game industry, most notably the Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata, it seems that cloud gaming will become a burgeoning sector in the next year or so.

© Izzy Evans 2013

If you would like to find out more about 'the cloud' then you can visit a Cloud Hosting Provider.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Izzy_Evans

Read More

Playing Video Games Before Bedtime Can Be Harmful to Dream

Gamers who play video games for more than two hours before bedtime have a problem with sleep,and not only with normal sleeping but also they have problems in the time of sleeping with constant awakenings - this information is based from results that couple new survey shows and researchers say that we really should take care what our kids are doing before going to bed.

Many of these people (kids, students... ) usually play at night before sleeping, after school, university lectures or work, but recent research that is conducted at the Australian University "Flinders" showed that it was night playing video games that causes problems with sleeping.

The research was conducted on a group of 17 teenagers who played a new quick and violent video games between 50 and 150 minutes two nights in a row. Those who have played only 50 minutes had no significant problems with sleep, while the other group that played more than 150 minutes was having problems sleeping and some teenagers woke up several times in the night.

Michael Gradisar Professor at "Flinders" says that all persons who participated in the survey went to sleep at the same time as always, so they didn't stay awake longer because of the game so it wouldn't affect research. Nighttime awakening influenced the REM phase to the people who played 150 minutes and this REM phase is reduced to about 20 minutes.

Other experts say exactly REM phase has an important role in remembering things learned during the day, so that playing video games before bedtime for students is not exactly the wisest thing.

"Digital trends" say that they cannot be quite sure whether bad sleep is caused by playing video games or from excessive viewing on screen, or whether it is related to technology in today's screens. Of course they are protecting their business. Last year's survey of the National Sleep Foundation found that there is a link between poor sleep and use of devices with screens which have the backlight, such as smart phones, game consoles, computers and TVs.

In the future we can expect new research that will try to discover how watching TV,gadgets and playing video games can affect the length and quality of sleep, and till then it would be good to listen to the advice of NFS and cut viewing screens and devices before bedtime.

Yes you can play a lot of lovely games for kids during the day but leave the night for good, quality sleeping.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saso_Gjorevski

Read More

The Role of Video Games in Stress Relief

Today we live in a very high functioning fast-paced world that slows down for nobody. It can get very overwhelming quickly if you don't have a way to get rid of all of the stress that accumulates in our everyday life. We all have our methods to relieve the stress and calm ourselves down at the end of a tough day. It can actually be very dangerous if you don't have a good way to moderate all of this angst. Heart disease and mental illnesses are a serious issue when you are constantly bombarded with stressors without any way to relax.

Many people frown on playing video games because they believe that it is counterproductive and it will result in a lot less work being accomplished. As long as they are used in moderation, they can actually increase productivity. Moderation is the key word here because it is very easy to get addicted to games and waste a lot of time. There is a very large difference between playing for hours on end as opposed to playing for a few minutes a couple times a day. Taking a break and using a different part of your brain for a little while can actually stimulate it in a way that will open it up to new ideas. Playing puzzle games has been shown to activate parts of the brain that can potentially help you think outside the box for other tasks.

There are tons of different options for games that you are able to play wherever you are. All the new developments in flash technology allow us to play incredible games with impressive graphics on the go. All you need is a flash-compatible device and the internet. The best aspect of these games is that they are usually completely free to play or just involve optional micro transactions for more serious players. The new unreal engine (games created with UDK 4) will now be playable from your browser which is truly astonishing. You may need a more powerful computer to play these games properly but it just shows the power of browser games in the current age.

There are also consoles that fit in your pocket such as PSP and the Nintendo DS that can keep you entertained even without an internet connection. Even tablets and most smartphones can support impressive graphics engines. Everyone has their own preference when it comes to gaming platform as well as their favorite genre of game. These titles can run you quite a bit of money after you've purchased the console and the various video games that accompany it. New games can be especially expensive and can cost up to $70 for a single title. The capabilities of these handheld devices are simply amazing now though and far surpass what was possible just a few years ago.

I am not saying that this is the only way to remove stress there are certainly tons of other ways to do it. I find playing video games incredibly relaxing myself. Some people like to go to the spa, play sports and others cope with television. We all need to let our mind wander every now and then to ensure we don't get stuck in a boring repetitive loop. When life gets mundane you can spice it up with a new game and be in a new world within minutes.

If you are looking for a ton of really fun and free games to play then you should check out a few online. There are new games added every day and will offer hours of entertainment. You can always find me over at my personal website JDF SEO if you want me to recommend any!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_D_Fraleigh

Read More

Video Games As A Truly Recognised Medium

Video games are misunderstood. Often thought of as something children occupy their time with before they eventually grow up and discover the wonders of alcohol and socialising with 'normal people' (at least this was my personal journey) I've decided to try and redress the balance and explain not only how video games have started to surpass film in awareness but also in recognition to rise as a behemoth of the entertainment industry that carries inside it secretly unique experiences unobtainable in other mediums.

Ask any average person on the street to name a video game character they've heard of and I would hazard a guess most would say either Sonic The Hedgehog or Mario. Nothing surprising about this. Not only has Nintendo slapped the plump plumber on every conceivable game, lunchbox and toy in the past two decades but joining Sonic, has even had multiple cartoon series based on their adventures. Any parent with children would be well versed in trawling the local Toys 'R' Us and avoiding anything Nintendo related. The bright colours, the plush toys, the candy. Despite all of this, when teacher's used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up I never said, 'Plumber'. Astronaut, Fireman or Ninja tended to have higher priority in my lofty life ambitions. Yes, that's right, all could be potential members in a Village People comeback tour.

Nintendo has always been about the family market, and with the latest Wii U release further cementing itself as the 'go to brand' for family friendly gameplay, gaming is actually bringing people together more than it ever has. It's become a truly social experience where people who have little to no knowledge about gaming or complicated controllers can get involved simply by moving their arms and a small wand like device. Whilst not being viewed as 'art' in the strictest sense of the word (even I can't claim squashing an evil mushroom is high brow) it allows people to experience things they traditionally never would have due to misunderstanding, cautiousness or simply fear of being bad with new technology. If art is about personal experience, then gaming can be considered the peak of both social and personal entertainment.

Ultimately, the reason games can be treated as an equal, or even a superior medium to films or books, is the level of interactivity. Some books draw you in allowing you to imagine a character, period or event - a game picks you up, puts you in the world and asks YOU to experience it firsthand. Even with 3D, surround sound and IMAX creations, films still can't compete with video games in the true level of absorption or immersion you experience.

If anything be it film, book or video game manages to evoke true human emotion as result then that is a success in my book. Sometimes zombies must be killed, it's a fact, but for those looking for slightly more refined experiences let me point out two hidden gems. Catherine and Nier. Both could be described as 'niche' games because they either didn't have the budget or the marketing behind them for promotion. The reason I choose these specifically is partly because many reading this wouldn't have heard of them, but also because the experiences both deliver are diverse and emotionally extremely engaging unlike anything I am yet to find in comparison (real life withstanding).

Catherine is so unique in not only it's concept but the whole aura of the game is both decidedly off-the-wall Japanese yet instantly grounding to anyone in the 27-35 demographic. It's both a puzzle, adventure, dating sim elements, horror evoking a whole host of emotions from surprise and happiness to shock and awe. Revolving around a 32 year old male unsure of how the rest of his life will pan out he finds himself struggling to come to terms with the developments between his long term girlfriend Katherine and the new girl he wakes up to one night after a drinking session called Catherine. Wording careful text messages to both, speaking with your friends in the bar, and dealing with the recurring nightmares and puzzles within, all amounts to a game that will have you transfixed on Victor's world but also on your own and how much you can relate to the problems you both face. It's genuinely like looking in a mirror at times, and that's what makes it such a clever game.

Nier is a similar in that it's a pastiche of many genres, some completely jarringly different and unexpected from what the game appears to be on the surface. It is however unusual in that the main protagonist (at least for the European version) is a man in his 40s+ which is rare in an industry always including wide-eyed youthful characters to appeal to as big a market as possible. Set in a fantastical and beautiful world, but without the traditional goblins and warlocks archetypes, you're thrust into a journey centred around trying to save your daughter from dying. She has been inflicted by 'The Black Scrawl' and you have an unstoppable urge (as any father would have) to save her at any cost. For all intents and purposes YOU are her father. It creates an immediate purpose driving all of your actions and understanding why this has happened to his family. The music is hauntingly beautiful and I would genuinely pay good money to hear this repeated by a full orchestra - honestly it really is that powerful and the characters you meet are so full of personality that by the end you feel exhausted and emotionally drained. In a good way. The emotional power this game packs is staggering and incomparable to any book I've read or film I've seen. The action has immediacy, the voice acting is some of the best I've heard but I fear it was overlooked by many.

We've got clans of people winning hundreds of thousands of dollars through Call of Duty tournaments, London's first e-sports bar opening soon focussing on, that's right, virtual sporting games and tournaments and Candy Crush Saga taking over the mobile gaming universe single handed - gaming is very alive and here to stay. No extra lives needed.

For video game reviews and other interesting content visit my site at http://souther29.hubpages.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Olly_Russell

Read More