Have You Explored It Yet? The Importance of Aimlessness in Gaming

Is this the future of gaming? 

Good point: what we’ve called AI in gaming is really not AI. NPC’s or computer-opponents are using rule based or deterministic algorithms rather than machine learning. This article explores where machine learning could make an impact in future games, particularly when it comes to automated content development. 

The progress gaming engines have made is amazing. We could see cinematographic quality in games this decade. 

Amazing concept which can expand PC gaming and finally make it a massive mobile platform. 

This is what social data - analyzed by Ebuyer.com analyzed using Linkfluence - tells us about which games are the most frustrating for gamers.

 

Probably those we care the most about winning too... 

How gaming can help getting your mind to focus on something different than negative thoughts. 

Think gaming is relevant only to the gaming industry? Think again. Gaming has exploded last year and, as a lifestyle trend, is more and more relevant to a growing number of industries and brands.

I’ve been subscribed to Shadow for the pas few months and video game streaming is one of the most exciting trends I see in gaming. While there are still latency problems if your connectivity is not perfect, the possibility of not having to worry about hardware specs, storage, compatibility and many other things is very compelling. For years, I’ve been wanting to play games for which my PC was not powerful enough for (or I had a Mac that didn’t support it...). Streaming platforms could very well end that.

Lexip thinks they can. By adding a couple of joysticks to a mouse they enable gamers to control everything without the need for a keyboard. Interesting to see how it's adopted when it launches.

Audi created a cool experience, designing a VR car simulation together with a sandbox where you can create your own racetrack - as you probably did as a kid. The sandbox is then scanned in 3D and created in the VR environment where you can race it. Combining real-life creativity with virtual entertainment looks a pretty interesting way to create new gaming experiences.

Are MOBA the future of gaming? 

 

Not a fan of the genre but it's impressive to see the numbers scale up so high. 

Yes, WoW is old. Very old in tech years: more than a decade. 

 

For those of you who played or still play WoW, you'll recognize StormWind's suburbs and how much more beautiful they are rendered in this video. 

 

But as a matter of fact, the lack of advanced graphics is probably not going to kill WoW. The lack of evolving gameplay most surely will. 

The guy behind the stories is moving on. 

 

At age 42? Coincidence? I don't think so...

This demo of Star Citizens is a bit long but it's captivating. For the first time since World of Warcraft, I feel there's something new coming in the gaming industry. And hey... the gamers who collectively spent $110+ millions to back that game through the crowdfunding campaigns seem to agree.

Sorry, teenage boys...

Yes, design of video games is awesome and amazing the the kid of the 80's that I am who started to play on Atari game consoles and an Apple II. But behind the pixel revolution, I'm sad that the gameplay innovation has been stalling - with one notable exception being maybe the rise of snack gaming on smartphones and tablets. When will we see the next breakthrough in gaming? When will we see something as revolutionary as Doom or WoW when they came out? Virtual reality gaming? Augmented reality? 3D? Even these concepts seem to have been pitched around for a long time and undersell wrong so far.

Can the casual gaming model that made billins on smartphones work on a box that's sitting next to a PS4, an XBOX or even a Wii?

Interesting account of what coming up Virtual Reality games are all about: the invasion of your personal sphere.