Games are generally defined as games that are played with the aim of obtaining some objective, although most people would probably readily define a game as any game that requires human interaction in order to be completed. A game is usually a structured form of interactive play, normally undertaken for amusement or relaxation, and at times used as a teaching tool as well. Games are different from work, which are often carried out for monetary remuneration, and from literature, that are more often a form of aesthetic or creative aspects.
There are many types of games that can be played, including the ones we typically associate with the term ‘board games’. The main article associated with board games is usually the game of Chess, although there are hundreds of different Chess variations around the world. Many players also participate in regular sets matches, a form of gambling where one player competes against another in a bid to reach a specified goal, generally to win the pot (also called the bank roll), which sometimes allows them to collect much more than they started with!
One of the earliest forms of game collecting occurred during the ancient Egyptian period, with items such as amulets, books of magic, jars containing magical ingredients and so forth being sold as tangible goods. These goods became known as papyrus and were eventually buried with other archaeological finds in what came to be known as the Valley of the Kings, as found by archeologists. Many of these items have been discovered since, placing sections of the ancient Egyptian civilization into the context of their day-to-day lives, with books written on ivory being kept within fine porcelain boxes, along with various tools being incorporated into everyday jewellery. The same holds true for the game of Chess, with a vast number of artifacts having been discovered over time that have helped to piece together the puzzle of ancient Egypt, giving historians a clearer understanding of how they lived and how they played the game of Chess.
Over the years Chess has undergone numerous transformations from its early days, when pieces would simply be pieces on a chessboard, to include such things as playing cards, pawns, bishops, knights and rooks, among others. Some pieces would be able to move around a little more freely than others, while special rules regarding certain areas of the board would need to be followed. In more recent times, computer-generated software has also become integral to the game of Chess, allowing players to manipulate the game accordingly. Today, most professional Chess sets include a Chess interface, providing players with the ability to use specialized software to manipulate the game. Although the programming may appear to be complicated, today’s Chess software is very accessible to the layman. Players may purchase a Chess set containing just the standard Chess boards and pawns, or they may purchase a complete Chess program, allowing for expansion of the game featuring not only additional Chess sets but also additional pawns, knights, bishops, rooks and even a capturing device!
The subject of Video Games has also changed considerably over the last few decades. Early video games featured simple block-based games, where the player would accumulate score by “pushing” blocks toward an opponent’s castle to earn points. Today’s more advanced systems have players compete against the computer in turn-based battles that often involve many players at once, as well as other features such as uploading user information for tournament play. In this main article, we’ll discuss the history of Video Games, as well as briefly examine some of the newer, more advanced versions that have become popular in recent years.
Throughout history, people have attempted to create games that could accurately capture the real world experience. One of the earliest attempts was to create a game environment that was identical to that of the real world environment, including weather patterns, landmarks, seasons of the year and so forth. This effort resulted in a great deal of research and development of Chess, the first game known to use a digital element to achieve its goal. Interestingly, even today, many of the Chess programs available to the public are based on ancient forms of Chess, dating back thousands of years. One of the most common features of Chess is the ability to play with one another through Internet games like Chess.