Task 4

The current history

From 2000 until today, in game industry we have huge development in all sectors. The progress on computer power, graphic accelerator cards, sound cards and in games development tools are rapidly increasing. But the leader on “current history” is the console games. The computer games market is a very stable one, but the market of console games are far more interesting and more powerful than all the others. Because of that we saw and will see new powerful consoles. Microsoft produce the ultimate, X-Box 360, console but the start came from Sony, with PlayStation 2, a 128 bit console (and its a DVD player too). Nintendo release the CameCube and Game Boy Advance. Microsoft entered the video game industry with X-Box in 2001. Nokia released N-Gage game-phone and later in 2004 the N-Gage QD. Sony in 2005 released the PlayStation Portable which gives you the ability to play video games, watch videos, listen to music, upload and view photos, as well as Internet browsing functionality and some on-line games. In 2006 Nintendo announced Wii, which features a new controller (whatever you do in real life affects what happens on the screen). In the same year the Envizions Computer Entertainment announced Evo: Phase One a multimedia entertainment hub which they hope to take the place of DVD player and PC ( play DVD, record live TV, store files and play Computer games).

Microsoft Vs Sony: Titans Battle

Nintendo’s, Wii? Yes, I’ll say if someone asks me about what the significant developments in 21st century. Evo? Yes again. They give new perspective in game industry. But all the knowledge on games development and games hardware (computers and console technology) are the most significant developments. We were expecting the computers to be the “future”, but the “future” came from a console. Xbox 360 is the best game performer in time and with on line-games. The Xbox 360 systems Performance is simply ex-ordinary.

CPU: 3 symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each,2 hardware threads per core, Custom ATI Graphics Processor : 500 MHz, Memory: 512 MB GDDR3 RAM, 700 MHz DDR, Storage: Detachable and upgradeable 20 GB hard drive , 12X dual-layer DVD-ROM and 3 USB 2.0 ports.

Sony in 2005 demonstrates the PlayStation 3 and in 2006 releases it and appeared with a very strong system. Inside it beats a complex heart in the form of the 3.2GHz Cell processor (created form IBM and Toshiba), 550MHzRSX graphics processor and XDR 256 MB memories. Storage: 60GB, Except CD-DVD-ROM. It'll also be one of the first devices which accept the Blu-ray Disc ROM format, which is capable of storing 54 Gigabytes on a single disc and 6 USB 2.0 ports.

The nature of the industry

In a market with 75 million PlayStation 2 owners and 20 million each of Xbox and Game Cube owners, the cost of developing new consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360) and high-profile games, has increased exponentially over the last few years. For example, in 2004 Microsoft released Halo 2. Over 190 people are listed in its credits, and the game took three years to complete with a total development cost of over US$40 million and the cost of consoles is high because of their processor and others parts. And because of that publishers are looking for large returns above all other considerations. The publisher mentality tends to dismiss quirky new game ideas in favour of sequels and licensed properties from movies, comics and TV shows.

Part 2.0- My games…

1997-2006

Playstation

The most games I’ve played were in PlayStation and few in PlayStation 2. But some of them have a special place in my heart. Ace Combat 1, 2, Gran Tourismo 1, 2 (especially 2) and Colin MacRae Raly 1 and 2 for PlayStation 1 are some of the best games I have played. But when I’m thinking about PlayStation the first game that comes in my mind is Final Fantasy 7, which is the first RPG I’ve ever played and the best one. I also played FF8 and FF9 and they were very good games but FF7 had life inside it!! With my brother we beat all the Ultima Weapons except the red one, we collect all the materials, except the summon ones (bahamut zero), and the best weapons for all the characters. Cloud, Aeris, Sephiroth, chocobo… moments that I’m never going to forget.
Computer & On-line Games
On the other hand, computer games were for me, (on-line, lan-game, and some times at home), pleasure and not. I mean that I played games for fun but also to compete and be one of the best and maybe one of the best worldwideJ.

CounterStraike-the period of glory!

I start playing this game at 2000 with my friends in an on-line, lan, game store. The first (and my officially) nick name was “empty_” because I didn’t really thing what name to put for nick-name as I didn’t know anything about the game. At the beginning we played for fun, in public-lan maps or maps with my friends only. The Kalashnikov was my favourite gun but my speciality was the AwP. We became in really short time very good players, very good to play only for fun!
The “fun” CounterStaike became game of “ClanMatch”. The first clan match was in 2001. And from then we played only clan matches, until our clan was one of the best in Crete in 2002 and in top 10 in Greece in 2003 (unofficially).

Diablo Series-(“Okrim_Valor”)

I played Diablo 1 on-line and it was a very good game, I loved it right away. It has poor graphics and sound, was a simple game; but the simple some times is very beautiful, at least for me. However, Diablo 2 expansion was the best from the series. The game has a lot of things to do, explore, find, create and kill. And in that game we played as a team too. With my friends again, we created the Valor clan and it was on of the best clans on Diablo 2. Today only two of us we continue to play Diablo 2.

WarCraft 3-team spirit

The game I love to play and I’m never boring with is WarCraft 3, sorry I mean Dota!! Dota is a map of WarCraft 3. First, you choose a side (5 at each side) Scourge or Sentinels, then you pick a hero and play with your team to win. Guess what? Yes we create a clan for this game too.

On Line RpG-Feel the game or don’t play

Lineage 2 is the game I played most of the times in net-shops in the last years. I am really enjoying playing with my character and helping my clan in many servers. But now (in England) without my friends I’m bored to play alone. Well in the net-sore you can have direct contact with each other and not only in the game. And for now I play SilkRoad, which is another RPG game quite good.

At Home

At home, alone or with my brother I often play Manager! Say it Football or Championship Manager. The objective is the same, pick a team and try to take all the cups or at least be better from your opponents. I played all the series and I’ll continue to play the new ones, because I love the football, and I like very much this game.