If you’ve ever played a video game, then you know the excitement of virtual reality or augmented reality. These immersive technologies place the player right in the middle of the action, allowing him to experience everything the game has to offer. From magical worlds where you kick a soccer ball around to fighting monsters in virtual reality, these technologies are sure to impress. In this article, we’ll cover a few of these technologies and their potential applications for gaming.
Voting is a form of gaming
Many people don’t vote because they think it won’t matter, but the rise of digitalization has made that argument increasingly hollow. The debate over net neutrality could directly impact gamers, and recent events such as the shooting at a Madden tournament prove that the conversation about mental health and gun control are very real and relevant. Gamer Vote is one way to engage with the political process through games, but it requires some organization. As the platforms develop, it should be refined.
Gamer populations are diverse. They come from every walk of life and from all age groups, though the percentages tend to be higher in younger generations. One Pew Research Center study found that 60 percent of people aged 18 to 29 play regularly. And while only 57 percent of people aged 30 to 49 participated in the 2014 midterm elections, nearly half of gamers in this age group voted in that year. But how do these statistics compare to voting in the actual election?
MMORPGs allow players to interact with other players on the same platform
The term MMORPG is used to refer to any online game where multiple players interact with each other in a virtual world. Some of the most popular MMORPGs are World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XXIV, The Elder Scrolls Online, Guild Wars, and others. The game allows the user to assume the role of another character, use magic, summon creatures, and shoot lightning from their hands. While there are plenty of negatives to these games, they are great ways to engage in online socializing and learning.
Most MMORPGs use a client-server system architecture. On the server, generating software is constantly running. Players connect to the game using client software. The client software may provide access to the entire game world, or only some of it. In some cases, players need to purchase expansions to access more areas of the game. World of Warcraft, for example, has multiple servers that can house thousands of players.
Virtual reality could allow games to interact with characters within games
A new virtual reality game may soon allow gamers to communicate with the characters in their favorite games. By using headsets with sensors attached to them, virtual reality games can create a 3D world that allows players to interact with the characters within. The technology can create a realistic simulation of a physical location based on the player’s body. It could be accessed by a group or individual. The technology could eventually enable people to build and play sub-games within the game to enhance the experience.
The future of VR gaming could be a bright one, and some of the biggest players are already focusing on making VR technology a reality. Palmer Luckey created a prototype VR headset in 2010, and launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to commercialize it. The campaign raised more than $2 million, and Oculus was bought by Facebook two years later for $2 billion. As a result, the tech was used for military applications, including in-flight simulations, in-field tools, and in-game training.
