Computer Gaming Basics

When you hear someone refer to “video gaming,” the image that probably comes to mind is a high-tech console, computer, and television screen projected onto your TV. While this is the most common type of video gaming, there are many genres of computer games that involve interaction through use of a mouse or other hand-held devices. Some computer games are available only for play on a computer and others require you to use a specific device, such as a handheld game console, to interact with the game. One type of popular computer game is the card game, which is played with a spread card reader. A card game usually requires no special equipment.

Console gaming is another type of popular computer game, where the player controls a character in a video game through the use of a game pad or steering wheel. A typical console game will have a variety of buttons, which will typically include a fire button, a jump button, a crouch button, and an attack button. A keyboard is not generally required for a console game. Often, a simple mouse or a touch screen is all that is needed to control the character in the game. Modern consoles, such as the Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox 360, require little more than a standard personal computer and a web connection to play games.

PC gaming, also called “multiplayer gaming” or “online gaming,” is gaming over the Internet using a personal computer and/or network of computers. Typically, PC gaming does not require specialized hardware or software. Players can play any computer game from any location that has Internet access. This form of gaming is becoming more widespread, with hundreds of online multiplayer games being played every day.