Other Software : Games

Playing computer games is an increasingly popular way of spending lesiure time. People enjoy games because they enable them to do things that they couldn't do in real life, such as run a football team, pilot a spacecraft or fight evil monsters. Games can be very entertaining and provide a very accessible type of entertainment.This is because they can be played anywhere, do not require the player to be physically fit and can be played by just one person.

The first computer games could only be played in an arcade on specially designed arcade machines, but now games can be played in several different ways :

Games usually include very high quality graphics and animation or video, together with excellent music and sound. Because these things require a lot of storage space most games are supplied on CD-ROM or DVD. To play the latest games on a desktop computer you usually need to have a lot of RAM and a fast processor. Most games are easier to play if you have an input device such as a joystick in addition to your mouse and keyboard.

In many games it is possible to play against the computer as an opponent. The computer may use a form of artificial intelligence to decide how to play. Newer games also let you compete against other people in different locations across the world via the Internet.

Some people believe that spending a lot of time playing computer games is a bad thing. They think that people who spend too long playing games don't do enough physical exercise to keep them healthy and may miss out on the opportunity to socialise with others. There are also concerns that peoples behaviour may be affected by the amount of violence contained in some games. An age rating system, designed to stop young children obtaining very violent games has been introduced.

GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004