PCs are also good for playing games<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Do you really need a Pentium II processor in
\nyour PC?<\/p>\n
If what you do is create text documents, access the web, send
\nand receive e-mail messages, manage your personal finances and
\nmaintain your schedules and appointments, you probably don't need
\na Pentium II.<\/p>\n
A classic pentium running at 166 MHz and Windows 95 would do.
\nWe all know that, and Intel knows it, too.<\/p>\n
But Intel also knows that some of its best-selling
\napplications, for which people give very solid reasons to cough
\nup US$ 2,000 and more for a new, powerful desktop PC, are games.<\/p>\n
That was why when MMX, streaming SIMD and other new
\ntechnologies were added to generations of their processors, talk
\ncentered around games. Indeed, new computing technologies enter
\ngame software probably much faster than common business
\nproductivity tools such as word processors, spreadsheets, and
\npersonal information management (PIM).<\/p>\n
These include technologies such as 3-D rendering, frame-buffer
\nand lighting capabilities.<\/p>\n
Of course, at least an equal amount of computing power is
\nrequired to create these games in the first place. Besides, other
\napplications such as desktop publishing, graphic design, CAD and
\nCAM as well as programming and application development can
\nbenefit from the extra horsepower that Pentium II, III and now 4
\noffer.<\/p>\n
But it is funny that so many people judge the real benefits of
\nmore computing power in terms of how well the system runs Doom,
\nQuake III Arena, Unreal Tournament, Diablo II, etc.<\/p>\n
Believe it or not, new technologies in graphic display have
\nbeen driven largely by the needs of games to display screens
\nsmoothly in millions of colors. Take a look at the specifications
\nof graphic chips such as GeForce GTS2, and you will see that it
\nis designed to meet the needs of truly heavy-duty game software.<\/p>\n
And it is also interesting that among the first types of
\nprograms to become available when Palm PDAs became popular-- and
\npeople would immediately download them from the web -- were also
\ngames. The same was true with the pocket PC-based PDAs. So, even
\nthough we have Nintendo and PlayStations, games have basically
\nbecome inseparable from personal computers.<\/p>\n
And it is not really a sin to keep a game or two on your PC.
\nWindows users are familiar with solitaire, and have probably
\nspent hundreds of hours on this game alone. Another game that
\ncomes with Windows 9.x is FreeCell. This one is not so popular,
\nbecause it requires more mental exercise to solve. Other common
\nbut less challenging games include Pac-man, Mine Sweeper,
\nTic-tac-toe and collections of other puzzles.<\/p>\n
Serious PC games, which require serious machines and a
\nbroadband internet connection, include online games such as Roger
\nWilco that let you play against an opponent on the other end of
\nthe internet.<\/p>\n
Serious machines are needed to create an environment that can
\nreally immerse the players with realistic sights and ear-
\nshattering sounds. In fact, immersion is the keyword, because
\nmany of the games are simulations of real-world activities. On
\nyour PC, for example, you can race a Formula One, play ping-pong,
\nbilliards, golf, hockey, football, pinball and basketball,
\nparticipate in combat, fly an aeroplane or a spacecraft, enter
\npyramids, explore Planet Mars, you name it.<\/p>\n
One thing to remember is that, although games can be
\naddictive, not all of them are bad.<\/p>\n
Some, are educational and can be intellectually challenging.
\nRead the reviews on the web before you buy an original game
\nsoftware package for your children, and look for the age target
\nof the product on the box.<\/p>\n
Better still, download demo versions from the internet before
\nyou go out and buy them. (Zatni Arbi)<\/p>",
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