Get real with virtual
It’s an entertainment medium that’s the product of a techno-savvy generation, and one that’s scaling new heights in virtual reality, writes KANISHKO DAS
Gone are the days when a son would ask his reluctant dad for quarters to experience the ultimate gaming experience. The definitive quest for glory, either on a twisty race course or relieving a desperate hostage situation, was only for those who could wait in long queues for a shot at saving the world or a chance to stand on the top step of the podium. But fortunately, arcades are a thing of the past as bigger and better options have taken over the hearts and imaginations of gaming enthusiasts worldwide.
From battlegrounds to soccer pitches, racing cars to running lives, virtual is increasingly giving the real a run for its money. A gamer’s mind today is overwhelmed by stunning detail in which every nuance of reality is captured and depicted in the game-play of today’s warzones and race tracks. From real physics to breathtaking graphics, from out-of-the-world sounds to the intricacies and details of the story line, this era of gaming is no walk in the park. At present an average game takes up a massive 5 GBs of disk space, and sets demands like a bare minimum 512 MB graphics card and twin processors – basically pushing the average two-year-old PC to its limit just to run normally. The price tag on each game can also sometimes be regarded as equally extravagant. Long gone is the time when games used to be a tool merely for passing time. With the advent of intuitive artificial intelligence in gaming just after the dawn of the new millennium, this form of entertainment has reached a totally new level today.
From real physics to breathtaking graphics, from out of the world sounds to the intricacies and details of the story line, this era of gaming is no walk in the park.
Soccer is an all-time favourite. Electronic Arts (EA) has controlled the market of soccer maniacs for more than half a decade. Its latest instalment FIFA 2010 has simply gone on to overshadow its predecessors. Real time commentary, array of teams and stadiums to choose from and best of all, the player and team game-play together makes up a package which is mindboggling. From selecting a team jersey to line-ups, from scoring goals to hearing the cheering crowds, to team management – the atmosphere created during the entire gaming experience really kicks up the pressure during the matches and highlights both, ecstasy and the disappointment. The game is available on most common platforms today and hosts several new features including pre-match scouting, more intelligent team players, skilled dribbling and abilities to use skills employed in practice in real game-play. Devansh Dwivedi, a Delhi University student and gaming enthusiast claims, “It’s basically football coming to life!”
Next in line come the immensely popular first person shooter games. Brought into the limelight by the worldwide phenomenon of a game known as Counter-Strike, again in present times these games have scaled dizzy heights, pushing frontiers in science and animation. A few games are currently setting the standard and are vying for top honours. Newest amongst these releases is Battlefield: Bad Company 2 by EA Digital Illusions CE. The game, made in mind-numbing detail, boasts physics in the real world in great detail amongst other highlights. From collapsing buildings due to continuous bombardment or the effect of taking bullets, its realism is absolutely spectacular. Based on general war-time scenarios between usual foes Russia and the USA, the single player mode alone is based around a US special ops team of four trying to diffuse World War III and their quest to find a deadly electromagnetic pulse weapon, while supplying vital intelligence to the head command about enemy associations, positions and advances. The team is forced on difficult terrains combating enemy defence and offence and making use of different vehicles including new additions, such as a UAV helicopter, a quad bike, a three-man patrol boat, a personal watercraft, a UH-60 Black Hawk, a ZU-23 mounted on a BTR-D armoured personnel carrier and a host of different modern weapons including grenade launchers. The story with its twists and turns is in itself a complete package. But the multiplayer online version of the game again takes first person shooter games to a different level. The game is restricted to people 15 years old and over because of its graphic detail. “There is not a moment in the game where you think you know what will happen next; I actually find myself holding my breath sometimes. It is a surreal experience, just awesome!” says Jason Clemensen, a Sydney Uni student.
The human mind is increasingly engaged more in the virtual than in the real, as time of life lived online more or less matches time lived off it.
Also falling in the same category are games like Left 4 Dead 2 by the Valve Corporation. Based on unearthly scenarios in the wake of a deadly virus amongst the human race, the game features a group of four survivors battling through hordes of the infected to try and get rescued. The game-play is controlled by an artificial intelligence engine which coordinates the levels of difficulty and scenarios, to make the actual playing more challenging. With heavy emphasis on cooperative game-play, it again hosts a range of features like out-of-the-world graphics and new weaponry. Again, the story has a whole share of twists and is a feast for the average gamer, though restricted to 15 or 18 year olds and above depending on which country one resides in, due to safety issues. “It is a one of a kind game and the setting in certain levels really makes your jaw drop!” exclaims fan.
Racing cars have been the ultimate fantasy of millions of gamers, and racing video games have been around for a much longer time than most other forms of gaming. Leading this pack is a series from EA, the widely popular Need for Speed. The critically acclaimed series has rolled out fourteen instalments till date and at least two more are in the pipeline. The game is played both in single player mode or multiplayer online. From real physics where the software recreates real car behaviour, damage, car tuning and most importantly the legendary police pursuits, these features make the series stand out. Sporting the top and most exotic cars in the driver market today, these cars can be customised, parts can be upgraded and they have optional nitrous boosts. To add to the thrilling racing experience is traction control to manage the car’s behaviour and prevent loss of traction while racing at top speeds. The latest instalment in the series is Need for Speed: World, slated for a second quarter release in 2010.
Finally we come to the bestselling PC franchise in history, The Sims. Developed by Maxis and published by EA, the game has released three instalments till date and the fourth is under development, which is being developed by The Sims Division. The player here basically creates people called Sims and runs their lives for them. But what makes this game click is the wide range of things the gamer can do, and requires great amount of physical, mental and emotional involvement.
Today, a plethora of games and platforms are hitting store shelves with ever increasing diversity. With the advent of Wii, gaming now demands greater physical involvement from gamers, while platforms like the Xbox360 and Playstation3 are pushing frontiers to make the virtual feel that much more real. We find Nintendos on almost every kid’s palm and finally with the advent of the iPhone, it seems the horizon of gaming just got bigger as social gaming is up-and-coming. The human mind is increasingly engaged more in the virtual than in the real, as time of life lived online more or less matches time lived off it. Arguably there is a long way to go before we can seriously consider our virtual lives more real than the real, but the velocity with which we are approaching such a predicament is increasing exponentially.
