The Internet and ORPGs – Pros And Cons

With the advent of the Internet, online games have
been played over computer networks. Over the year, the
online gaming has expanded and provided a large
influence to the overall expansion computer networks
from the popular growth of Internet access itself and
the local networks to the Internet.

These online games can vary from games that are text
based to complex graphical and virtual games which are
simultaneously populated by many players all over the
world. Nowadays online gaming has become a social
activity because of the online communities
incorporated into the recent online games.

The rising popularity of flash and java and internet
revolution made video streaming, audio streaming, and
a whole new set of user interactivity possible. When
Microsoft began including flash players as a
pre-installed component of “internet explorer”, the
Internet shift from a data/information source to also
offer on-demand entertainment.

Flash Players

When flash players were included into the internet
explorers, it gave way for web sites to offer games to
the web surfers. World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI
and Lineage II are among the most popular online games
to date.

These games charge monthly fees to their subscribers
so that they may be able to access the services and
avail the services they need. However, games such as
Guild Wars, do not charge monthly fees to their
subscribers.

Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG’s)

With the advent of broadband internet access, massive
multiplayer online games were made possible especially
in developing countries. Using the internet, MMOGs
became very popular to children, teens, and young
adults because the internet allows thousands of
players to play and participate in the same game at
the same time.

Massive multiplayer online role-playing game (World of
Warcraft), Massive multiplayer online real-time
strategy (Mankind), and Massive multiplayer online
first-person shooter (Dark Fall) are one of the most
popular styles of MMOG’s.

Pros and Cons of Online Games

Because of the growing access to broadband internet,
gamers can play there favorite online role playing
games from the comfort of their own home while
interacting with the other gamers even without meeting
them yet.

Here are some advantages and disadvantages of playing
online games at home:

Pros

Online games provide privacy. Online gaming can be
played at home rather than go to internet cafés with
other people lining up just to play the same game.

Online games are cheaper. Because you can play from
the comfort of your own home, you can play for as long
as you can without paying for large amounts in the
internet cafés.

Online games are safe. Online gamers need not to go
out of their homes so as to guarantee safety. You also
need not to reveal your true identity to other players
while maintaining interaction with them.

Cons

Online games are time consuming. These games are quite
competitive and one needs time to think of strategies
and accomplishing their goals. They also need to spend
large amounts of time to keep up with other players.

Online games lessen social interaction. Because of the
large amount of time players spend in front of the
computer and interacting with other gamers mostly
through chat, they become impersonal in dealing with
people. They would rather spend the entire day
interacting through chat than actually meeting and
talking to individuals in person.

Online games can cause eye strain and head ache. While
most online games are fun to play with, they can
become very addictive to the majority of players.
Spending large amounts of time in front of the monitor
not only prove to be eye straining but can cause
prolonged head ache even if they stop playing the
game.