Online gaming today



Online gaming is no longer alien to internet users, and everything from MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) to Flash based multiplayer games are a part of online games. There is no denying faster internet connections have contributed immensely to the increasing popularity of online games, but what has made online games truly popular is the amazing diversity and variety that online games offer. Although, no one really knows which game was the first online game, but it is believed that HTML based quiz games were the first online games.

With time, online games evolved to use scripting languages like JavaScript and VBScript which increased user interactivity and made online games more interesting. However, the first revolution in online gaming was bought about by Flash based animation games. Flash based animation games have constantly improved and are now the most popular media for online games. Flash based games cover a variety of genres and everything from online pool to combat games have been recreated using Flash. Flash has made considerable improvements to the way animations are controlled and it is now possible to impart advanced programming concepts like artificial intelligence (AI) to Flash based games.

Flash based online games are still the most popular online games, and improvements in server technology and programming techniques have meant that even complex 3D games like pool, can be recreated. In fact, sports games like football and cricket have also become increasingly popular and online games are becoming more realistic with each passing day. However, online gaming has grown into more than just flash based games; the latest in online gaming today is MMORPG. The most successful MMORPG game till date is ?The World of Warcraft? (WoW). The World of Warcraft has nearly 5 million users and offers a variety of multimedia features that have made it extremely popular with online gamers.

Online games are divided into two categories; the first category includes games that can be played without any gaming software. Browser based online games work on almost any platform and the only requirement is animation software plugins for software like Flash or Shockwave. Browser based games are extremely popular because they are usually free to play and are compatible with almost all hardware. Software based online games like WoW require a yearly membership fees and are not freeware. There are a few freeware MMORPG games available, but none are as impressive or as feature rich as WoW. Furthermore, browser based online games are also multi-player and internet users can compete with each other online, quiz games and games like chess, pool and football are also extremely popular.

Online games have shown considerable improvement in the past decade, and advances in technology have made online games progressively easier to use and more impressive than their predecessors. Today, a user can make the most of online gaming by simply logging on to websites like www.8baller.co.uk and playing single player and multi-player pool games online. Further improvements in technology are expected to improve both the playability and the interactivity of web based online games.