Gaming has a long and rich history, with many different gaming styles and genres present from the earliest days of gaming all the way to modern times. In fact, the earliest computer games date back to the early 1950s! Nowadays, gaming is a big part of popular culture. People of all ages play video games, and the market for gaming-related products is huge. In fact, the gaming industry is a $108 billion+ global business and is expected to grow even more in the near future.
With so much to see and do in the world of gaming, it can be hard to know where to begin. From the classics that you grew up playing to the latest hits that everyone is talking about, gaming has something for everyone. Where you start, though, depends on your gaming skills, your interests, and the time you want to invest.
The First Computer Games
One of the first computer games, according to many researchers, is "Spacewar!", created by Steve Wozniak and developed on a DEC PDP-1 computer in May 1962. Spacewar! was inspired by the video game Tennis for Two, invented by the Wozniak’s friend Steve Jobs.
A few weeks later, on 16 June 1962, Nolan Bushnell created the first coin-operated version of Pong, which is often considered to be the first modern video game.
Other early notable games include Harry Mohney’s Adventure, created in 1962 and published in 1966; the Battleship game, created by Ted Daub in 1963; and the Profundo games Air-Sea Battle and Air-Sea Battle II, created by Howard Warshaw and first published in 1965.
Computer Hardware
When it comes to computer hardware, the most important thing to know is what type of computer you have. Knowing this information can help you to decide which games to play and how to get the most out of your system.
A computer’s processor is what runs the game logic and tells your computer what to do. The higher the number of cores the processor has, the better the computer will be at running multiple tasks at the same time.
RAM (random access memory) is the second most important part of the computer. RAM is used by the processor as a “working memory,” where temporary data is stored. The more RAM a computer has, the faster it will work.
Hard drives store digital information, and the larger the drive, the larger the library of games and other media you can keep on your computer. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are a type of hard drive that does not use mechanical parts. SSDs are more expensive, but they are also faster and do not wear out like mechanical drives do.
The Processor
The processor is the brain of the computer. It does everything from interpreting instructions to checking data to make sure it represents reality (rather than, say, making planetary orbits out of orbit.) For example, a computer processor can tell the difference between “move one space left” and “move one planet left.”
The more “neuros” (the human equivalent of a neuron) a processor has, the faster and more complex calculations it can perform. The general rule is that the more “neuros” a processor has, the faster it can run.
Processors come in different speeds, with the most common ones being the: Intel Core i3 (3rd generation), i5 (4th generation), i7 (5th generation), AMD Ryzen (1st generation), and Intel Core i9 (9th generation).
Learn About Game genres and gaming platforms
There are many different game genres, each with its own set of games. Whether you are a fan of action, strategy, puzzle, or sports games, there are bound to be ones that interest you.
A gaming platform is the system that hosts the games created for a specific genre. Below is a brief overview of some of the most popular gaming platforms, as well as some of the most popular game genres associated with each platform.
Computers and the Virtual Reality World
VR (virtual reality) has become a part of many people’s lives, whether in gaming or not. Even if you don’t have a VR system, you can still dive into the virtual world through various computer programs.
Some of the most popular VR programs for computers include: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Samsung Gear VR, and PlayStation VR. These programs allow you to interact with computer games in a whole new way, putting you right in the middle of the action.
Some of the most popular games that can be played in VR include: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Call of Duty: WWII, Final Fantasy XV: Holiday Experience, Fallout 4, and Doom VFR.
Summery
In a nutshell, gaming is a hobby that people of all ages enjoy and require computers or gaming consuls. Gaming is a constantly evolving field, with new games being released every year and with every new technological advancement, they become much more complex.