Gaming is the generic term used to describe any digital interactive media. It applies to any media that makes use of images, sounds, and interactivity to pass across messages to the user. In other words, it is an interactive computer game or video game. A computer game is typically designed to yield some sort of reward or monetary advantage for its user. These games are usually highly competitive and have been designed around the idea of “player vs. player.”
A video game is simply an electronic device that includes sound, graphics, animation, visual output, and interaction with a user to generate input to or from a processor. The earliest forms of gaming were fairly simple affairs using mechanical machines and weren’t very competitive or even very detailed. The idea behind most video games today is to render non-stop action and interactivity, usually through the medium of a computer. By the late 1980s, however, advances in technology led to the development of games that were more complex, requiring more sophisticated machines and more complicated software. These games have steadily increased in complexity and appeal over the years. The term “gamble” refers to the use of random number generators to generate the outcome of a game.
One of the most popular forms of gaming is virtual reality, also known as massively multiplayer online role-playing games or MMORPGs. MMORPGs feature a persistent virtual world where players take on the persona of members of a fantasy class, often creating their own persistent virtual world in which to engage in dramatic and interactive play. These video games provide an opportunity for many gamers to experience a sense of socialization and even teamwork while engaging in massive interactive fantasy play.
There are several sub-genres of video gaming. Action and adventure games are the stereotypical type of game. Many video gamers can easily identify with this type of game. Action and adventure games require players to engage in highly detailed and sometimes intricate real-time combat. Often, these types of games include weapons, fighting strategies and magical battling. Other types of games, such as simulation, puzzle and racing games require players to utilize their skills to win the game instead of simply beating the system.
Computer games fall into a different classification. Computer games, unlike video games, do not require the use of any physical devices. In other words, a personal computer is not needed to play video games. However, most personal computers come pre-installed with dozens of video games, many of which are considered modern classics. One of the earliest types of computer gaming was Pong, a simple game developed for the IBM-PC. Today, millions of people around the world play video games using personal computers.
Through the years, the World Wide Web has made it possible for gamers to interact with one another in an almost real-life fashion. Video chat allows two or more individuals to connect with each other over the Internet using specialized chat clients. In this type of game, one person keeps the other company by revealing information or otherwise communicating with him/her through typed words or short messages. Other types of video games include voice chats (for audio interaction), role playing (which lets players assume the role of another individual in the game) and visual chats (in which players can converse with one another using a computerized interface). Immersive and impressive gaming experiences can be achieved through the use of one or more of these types of online games.