Background
Multiplayer video games are games played by more than one person using an electronic device called a computer that reads input from one or more input devices, runs them through a mathematical model of a game environment, and generates a video signal that is output through an electronic display. For purposes of this article, a "computer" can be a general-purpose personal computer, or it can be a dedicated video game console. There are three modalities of multiplayer video game: single-head, LAN, and Internet; a single program may allow playing a multiplayer game in one or more modalities.
Single-head
Single-head games involve one computer, one display, and multiple game controllers. They can either split the screen (as in Mario Kart series, Goldeneye 007, and We ♥ Katamari) or they can place all players' characters into a shared view (as in Pong, Bomberman, Street Fighter II, NBA Jam, and Super Smash Bros. Melee).
Advantages
- Less expensive, using only one computer and monitor
Disadvantages
- Limited to players among geographic neighbors
- Games whose design requires a first-person or behind-character view must split the screen, giving less screen area per player
- Generally limited to genres that either are turn-based or work well on a gamepad, as most operating systems do not recognize multiple distinct keyboards or pointing devices
- Handheld play is for turn-based games only
LAN
LAN games involve multiple computers on a local area network. Quake and Starcraft are the stereotypical examples of this.
Advantages
- Use of full screen allows for a more detailed first-person or behind-character view
- Allows for real-time use of keyboard and mouse
- Allows for handheld play
Disadvantages
- Limited to players among geographic neighbors
- Expensive: Requires one computer per player and one monitor per player
- Expensive: Many implementations require one software license per computer
Single-head plus LAN
Mario Kart: Double Dash! and Halo 2 support a compromise between single-head play and LAN play by allowing multiple players per computer and multiple computers in a network.
Internet
Internet games involve multiple computers on the Internet. Many LAN games have become playable over the Internet, either through private sessions (similar to virtual LAN parties) or through automatic matchmaking. In addition, the Internet makes possible games with large persistent worlds, such as massively multiplayer online role-playing games.
Advantages
- Use of full screen allows for a more detailed first-person or behind-character view
- Allows for real-time use of keyboard and mouse
- Larger pool of players
- Allows for handheld play in select hotspots
Disadvantages
- Pool of players consists largely of strangers, and some games make it easy for criminals to contact children through the game
- Pool of players consists largely of strangers, many of whom are "griefers" who take sadistic pleasure in causing other players not to enjoy the game
- Expensive: Requires one computer per player and one monitor per player
- Expensive: Monthly fee applies to Internet access and to many games
- Expensive: Virtually all implementations require one software license per computer
- Players in geographic areas without higher-speed residential Internet access are at a severe disadvantage in real-time games
Problem: Dearth of PC games
There are not enough commercial video games for the Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, or GNU/Linux platforms that support single-head multiplayer. Virtually all titles with a strong real-time single-head multiplayer component are exclusive to consoles. Why is this? If I have multiple people in one house who want to play a PC video game, such as myself, two kids, and their friend from school who is visiting, why should I be forced to buy multiple computers to let them play a game at the same time?
See also
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Legal
Copyright 2006 Damian Yerrick. The author grants permission to use this work subject to the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.5.