We all remember the fabled days of pixel graphics and poorly animated cut-screens. Just 10 years ago we were living in an age where PC games were barely even supported by the Windows operating system- now you’ll be hard pressed to find a Windows machine without some type of PC game on it.

But in today’s world, we are more interested in hot topics such as virtual reality. The fabled pixel graphics of the past are long gone, and likely only to return when a bit of nostalgia is in order. But how did we get to the life-like video games of today, and where are we going as a society?

PC Games and Peripherals

PC games have been using peripherals for quite some time. They seek to make a better experience for PC gamers by making a realistic experience. A PC gamer may, for instance, choose to use a steering wheel or joystick to simulate driving a car or flying an airplance.

But the most common PC game peripherals are gamepads- surely not the most advanced, but the most common. Gamepads are popular for making the playing experience easier- not necessarily more lifelike. A first person shooter player may, for instance, use a gamepad to use “hot keys” to do certain commands- such as talking to teammates or changing weapons.

PC Games and Graphics

Graphics in the 1990’s were limited to fairly crude visuals. Sure, cut-scenes were able to make stunning appearances to PC gamers, but actual in-game graphics were lacking. This was due mostly in part to the fact that the hardware at the time could not handle the extra work associated with better quality graphics.

Today, almost everything is in 3D. This means that almost everything a PC gamer interacts with has some type of 3D model, object, or sprite associated with it- even if it is a 2D game! This allows for more realism in PC games, and thus, gives the PC gamer a better experience.

Society And PC Games

Anytime we turn around, there is yet another massively popular game sweeping entire nations in a frenzy. The HALO series, for instance, is a prime example of what a PC game can do to a nation. Thousands of people flocked to stores to buy the game as soon as it was released on PC- showing that PC games can be much more popular than movies.

Clearly, PC games have become important to society as we know it. The only thing left to ponder is what PC games will be like in the future.

The Future of PC Games

Products are now being tested that can actually react to patterns in brain activity- meaning you could one day control items in a video game from thought alone. Foundations of virtual reality in PC games such as this are already being created.

Another interesting technology is holographic technology. This type of technology allows for humans to interacts with photons of light, meaning that we can interact with fake objects! This is truly a remarkable technology, and we can only hope that its debut it PC gaming will be swift in the coming decades.

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