Whether you are looking at gaming as a form of escapism or simply a fun way to spend a couple of hours, it can’t be denied that it has come a long way. Contrary to what many people believe, gaming history doesn’t begin in the 1970s and famous Pong. The first video game was made in 1947 and it was based on a radar display. Modern gaming, with its focus on multiplayer and online connectivity, is far cry from those early attempts. Today, technology developments have made it possible to create games that rival Hollywood movies in both appearance and budget. Spending tens of millions of dollars on game development and marketing is business as usual for today’s developers. Here is what you need to know about gaming 101.
Gaming 101 – Picking a Platform
Probably the decision that will have the most impact on your gaming is choosing a platform. The choice is PC or one of the consoles, mainly Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One. The first consideration for many people is the price. When talking about new gear, consoles are significantly cheaper compared to a gaming PC, especially PS4. However, if you are buying used components, price favors PS heavily. The other component is quality and performance. PC, since it can be upgraded, holds the edge here also. Consoles, on the other hand, are easier to set up and use and are pretty much hustle-free. There is no need to chase the latest drivers or worry about compatibility issues. If you can afford it, the best option is to have both. Top games usually come out for all platforms, anyway.
iGaming
iGaming is a subset of the gaming industry that deals with online gambling. At first, it was considered a shady business model, but in the last couple of decades, iGaming has reached mainstream status. There are a lot of factors that contributed to that. One of the main ones is transparency. For instance, the way modern slot machines work, you can see the exact percentage of deposit they will give back to players. It is called Return to Players, or RTP. Usually, online slots have an RTR of 94% to 96%, meaning out of every $100 deposited, they will pay $94 to $96 back. The rest goes to the casino to cover their expenses. Of course, this is calculated over a period of time, so you will need some luck to actually win your money back. That doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with them.
Online Gaming 101
The increase in internet speed has made it possible for the developers to create online games that don’t differ in quality from those played offline. Multiplayer is a huge factor that determines how popular a game will be. There is a huge variety of games available for everyone and across all genres. If you are looking for games you kid can play, it is important to understand the rating system. It is also vital to teach them how to stay safe on the Internet. Unfortunately, there are many risks in online gaming and safety is the number one concern for parents worldwide. Children aren’t the only targets of illegal activities. Scammers often prey on adults who don’t have much experience with online gaming. Letting your guard down can lead to some serious consequences.
Most Popular Genres
Probably the most played games are shooters in their various forms. They can be first-person shooters, battle royal, or any other combination. Games like PUBG, Fortnite, and Counter-Strike draw millions of players every day. MMOs, or Massively Multiplayer Online games, also draw a lot of attention. Titles like Dota 2 and League of Legends are incredibly popular. There are tournaments held regularly with prizes in seven figures and audience of hundreds of thousands that follow their favorite teams and players religiously.
There are also role-playing games. They usually combine several genres, like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and The Legend of Zelda do with the adventure genre. Finally, we have sports games. NBA2K20, FIFA, and Madden are probably the biggest titles in this genre. You can also play strategies, simulations, racing, fighting, tycoon, city builders… The choices are endless.
Establish a Budget
New-comers to the world of gaming often go on shopping sprees, blowing all their money on games and equipment. More times than not, they don’t spend enough time with their new toys to justify those buys. That is why it is important to buy wisely. AAA games usually cost $60, even more when you factor in DLC. Think about the game before purchasing it and make sure that you really want to play it, before spending your hard-earn cash on it.
Despite all the attempts to say that games cause violence, no one has managed to actually prove it. In fact, gaming can help you with stress management. Of course, excess in anything isn’t good and that that goes for playing games. Perhaps the most important lesson in gaming 101 is to keep an eye on the time you spend in front of the monitor.
