Computer Games

Abstract A computer game is an interactive entertainment running on a computers, game consoles, or some electronic devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs. Typically, a computer game accepts input from game players through a keyboard, mouse, joystick, or various types of game controllers to let the players control and interact with game objects. On the other hand, a computer game offers game players different forms of feedback, including visual, audio, and tactile, which are revealed through a computer or TV monitor, speaker, and force‐feedback game controllers, respectively. Technically, developing a computer game is very challenging as it involves not only tremendous artwork furnishings from animators or artists, but more critically, it demands the hard core support from different disciplines of computer science to address various technical issues. In this article, we will review the development in computer games. In particular, we will discuss the technical issues in game development. The rest of the article will present a brief history of computer games; elaborate the development of 2‐D and 3‐D games, multiplayer online games, and the handheld and mobile games; show the details of the critical elements involving game development; elaborate the details in developing a game engine; discuss modern game design issues; and conclude by depicting the future trend of computer games.