The Future of Games

                             by David Proper
            Copyright 1995 David Proper - All Rights Reserved

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There has always been speculation on what the future will hold. Here is my 
opinion on what the future of computer games will be.

Currently in 1995 each game is a seperate entity. If you want to race, you 
load a racing game. If you want to fly a plane, you load in a different 
game that lets you fly. In the future I belive all games will be combined 
into one. The game engine will be capable of doing what is required. 
Instead of seperate games, people will sell/buy/trade game modules. Game 
modules will include game objects, and rule sets. The objects will define 
the way objects looks. Such as a car object, or a plane object. The rule 
sets will define how objects behave, and act. How they interact with each 
other. Objects will be as simple as defining a texture with a single rule 
set that gives the weight, and properties of that texture, such as a sheet 
of silk, up to complex objects like a car with hundreds of rule sets. 

Along with object blocks and rule sets will be game rules. Role Playing 
Gamers will be familer with game rules. Game rules will define how a 
particular game is played. How you are to win at the game, how players 
interact with each others, etc. Instead of loading up an entirely differnt 
game program when your in the mood for a different game, you will simply 
apply another game rule set to the environment. Game rules will be capable 
of being intermixed, so you could have the goal of one game while utilizing
the tools of another one.

Thies virtual worlds will also be interchangable. For instance, you could 
start on a level like SimWorld. Then "zoom in" to a SimCity type of view. 
Once you build your city, you could "zoom in" further with a Quarentine
type rule set. After dirving around, you could pull over, get out, and
employ a Doom rule set to go into a building that you created with yet
another object editor. All games will be combined into one. 

By the time all this takes place, about everyone will be linked via some 
massive network system. Probably not Internet since it's allready having a 
hard time meeting the high increase of bandwith required. So you'll be 
capable of 'driving' into other people's cities where you can play a game 
with thier rule sets. Or, a city could be setup to employ Bulletin Board 
like features. You could drive into town, get out, and walk around. Walk 
into the arcade and you'll find the 'doors' section, with either line by 
line type games we have now, or other virtual worlds with thier own rule 
sets. Then you could walk about to the town bank, where you can deposit or 
withdraw online time or file credits. After a few games, you could goto the
city library, where you could access digital books or download new files. 
Or drop into the town's coffee shop and chat with other people.

Each BBS, or city, will have it's own rule sets. So if someone dosn't want 
you shooting mistles off and destroying thier buildings, they will be able 
to deactivate weapons. 

The major force that will slow the development of such a "gaming" system, 
will of course be the software companies themselves. Since they will no 
longer be able to charge $60 or more for a single game. They will only be 
able to sell objects and rule files. Although Role Playing book makers will
feel right at home, the software companies will not. Because once the 
digital world engine is created, anyone will be capable of creating objects
and rule sets. So the software companies will lose thier hold in CyberSpace
since they wont be needed. If you question that comment by asking "Who will
create new objects and rule sets if not the software companies?" Next time 
you log on to a BBS, take a look in the file areas. See how many Doom add 
ons, how many new planes for the Flight Simulators you find, and how many 
other rudimentary "objects" you find that were created by people who 
release thier works for little or nothing in return. The people will create
thier own objects and rule sets, and most will release them to others. Most
of the time for no charge, others asking for small donations. This trend 
will continue, and flurish, in the new digital gamming world. 

Your next question I am sure will be that of who will create and maintain 
the digital world engine. For this I turn your attention to the Linux 
world. There is an operating system that is basiclly maintained and 
upgraded by people who enjoy working with Linux and usally don't charge for
thier work. So this digital world engine will, at least in theary, be 
capable of being maintained, upgraded, and fixed by the very people who use
it. The software companies will most likly try and jump in sell thier wares,
but for the most part, the code, objects, and rule sets will be maintained 
by the people who use them.