The Internet has influenced everything from our shopping habits to the way we communicate with each other. Emoticons--characters to represent emotions--have become commonplace even in corporate memos. Internet junkies are so addicted to their Internet activities that they become distraught when it becomes unavailable. Gaming has yet to take full advantage of what the Internet has to offer, but we are starting to see new facets slowly creep in.
First, the Internet has begun to connect people and allow them to play head-to-head on multiplayer games. In the beginning, most of this gaming occurred over a TCP/IP LAN, and we had isolated islands of gamers getting together after work or at school. But it was rare for a popular game to connect all types of people from all over the world.
Shortly after this phenomenon began to grow, Java showed up on the scene. Java, billed as a cross-platform solution to coding, offered the ability to create browser applet games. These were mostly Asteroid-like games, some of which included sound. These applets were sometimes large, and bandwidth was scarce.
Both of these themes have matured. Java now has grown in both its reputation and its ability to deliver. An example is Templar Studios' Stormrunner. The game is written totally in Java and compressed. From what I can determine, you download a 3MB JAR file that drives the browser applet part of the game. The game server then serves additional code to you. As of May 31, more than 5,000 people had downloaded and begun to play the game. The game's premise is built on the Lego MindStorms series of products: Stormrunner players explore and solve problems by building and programming virtual robots modeled after the sophisticated Lego MindStorms Robotics Invention System. At the time of this writing, it is one of the most sophisticated games ever created for a Web browser.
Today's PC games also nearly always have a multiplayer option. These games have evolved from small hubs connecting a few people to connecting thousands. Gaming companies have now taken the responsibility of providing server space to facilitate multiplayer play. It is to their benefit because it increases sales, and they can leverage Internet play by asking the user to provide a legitimate serial number, which reduces (but does not eliminate) pirating.
One shortcoming of today's games, however, is that Internet play is basically an afterthought. Even new games like Soldier of Fortune are designed to be played alone. The missions are designed for people playing by themselves. Gaming needs to evolve to the point where games are designed for multiplayer use over the Internet. The typical mission should be able to be played co-operatively. I would even look for the core of a game to become smaller. Instead of loading its support files off of a CD, they should be loading over the Internet. As bandwidth grows and Internet availability become more widespread, it's more likely to happen. And manufacturers will really have some opportunities. They will not only be able to fix bugs in the game code, but they may be able to reduce costs attributed to distribution.
Brent Baude
