MMORPG Browser Gaming's Threat To Consoles |
| Date Added: September 06, 2009 02:36:29 PM |
| Author: DaveSeo |
| Category: Online Role Playing Games |
| A browser based game is simply a game that you can play online within a web browser like Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari. Browser games are unique in their simplicity; all you have to do is go online to register. There are no downloads, no installations and no wait. They exist on remote servers online and you just set-up an account and become stored in their database. Early games included chess against a computer opponent, or individual player. These games evolved over time into elaborate environments with the ability to do individual quests and attack multiple players online. Console gaming has always been the standard way for most gamers to get their gaming fix. In recent years, with the explosion of The Internet, and advances in browser technology, console gaming has become overshadowed by free online gaming opportunities. This advancement in technology includes advances to full screen Java Script applets, flash media and even code itself. Since most browser based games allow users to sign up and play with little or no cost, they became a favorite in comparison to a potentially expensive console and game. Some browser based games restrict certain actions until a small fee is paid others allow the exchange of online goods if the player decides to pay. As game developers advanced the features of online games, many gamers are giving up their old consoles for the quick, cheap and easy-to-use browser games. These online games could be the newest threat to traditional console games for the next generation of gamers. Example Browser Games: Evony: www.evony.com - Evony Online Whiskey Wars: www.whiskeywars.com - Text Based MMORPG Rogue Vampires: www.roguevampires.net- Text Based RPG Omerta: www.barafranca.com - Online Mafia Game The expanded features of Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language [DHTML], or Asynchronous JavaScript And XML [AJAX] allowed programmers to use new client side technology to power their online browser based games. Since this is an integral part of most browsers the speed of the games increased. Logging in, and actually playing the game became more stable, more reliable and more fun. Online gaming has the advantage of not needing to install dedicated gaming hardware. Another new development in recent years has been the adoption of dedicated servers which use technology, like server-side scripting - Specific programmed games running on the server - Server Side Includes [SSI], PHP, and MySQL database storage make the games come to life, & work without user intervention. This system best suits the Massively Multiplayer Online games [MMO] or Role Playing Games [RPG]. Both types of these games are popular among young adults, and even mature gamers who traditionally played [RPG's] on a console. Server-side driven games enable animation, real-time chat, turn based attacks, strategy concepts and many other features that were impossible online until recently. Browsers are evolving, they are able to harness power in the players computer and server-side processing. As this evolution happens, browser based games are becoming more graphically advanced and more powerful. Games can become more dynamic with advanced story lines that could include more quests, tasks and other features that will entertain gamers. If a gamer has an internet connection, they are able to play. Browser based games are not limited to hardware on a player's computer, or a dedicated console; all they need is a fairly reliable Internet connection. Since these games are so easy to use, easy to find, and ease the cost of ownership, browser based MMO games are posing a new threat to the traditional consoles. |