Today, as, indeed, at the very beginning of developmentgaming industry, among gamers can be found mention of games called shooters. Now we will try to see how it all began, what was the history of the development of this area of the gaming computer sector, and also note some good shooters recommended by modern gamers. Naturally, there will be no attention and, so to speak, classics of the genre.
What is a shooter?
Since the emergence of games where it was necessaryshoot (and almost always at everything that moves), shooters took almost the leading position in the PC game market, as well as for modern gaming consoles. Today, the best shooter games are in such great demand among gamers all over the world that it is impossible to imagine.
However, approaching the definition itself,note that the word shooter means "shooter", "machine gunner" or something else like that. In general, it is clear that the same best shooter games on PCs imply a gameplay in which either the player who is the main character or the gamers team, if this is a network action (from the English action - “action”), is constantly fired.
It is worth noting that now under the definitionShooter gets quite a lot of games. As a rule, they are divided into two main types: first-person shooters, also designated as FPS (First Person Shooter), and those where the view opens from a third person, as if following the main character on the heels. In general, good shooters of both genres are found today in such abundance that it is impossible to imagine. But let's look at the history of the development of this unique direction.
How it all began: 3D technology
История создания игр такого плана свидетельствует that at the very beginning, and now almost all games use three-dimensional image transmission technology on two-dimensional monitors and screens. Now emulation has reached almost perfect. And if we take into account the use of modern helmets or a few aging virtual reality glasses, then there is no reason to talk about emotions at all. It remains perhaps to convey feelings when a bullet hits you.
А начиналось все достаточно прозаично.The fact is that at that time there were no certain 3D technologies, so in most cases pseudo-three-dimensional elements were used, mainly in the form of long corridors or labyrinths. That is why the best shooters of that time were often called “roaming”. And if initially it was only necessary to shoot at moving targets, over time the tasks became more complicated: now it was necessary to look for keys to access a certain place, to perform some specific tasks, to solve puzzles, etc. Only after you get full access to All riddles and all enemies are destroyed, the transition to the next, more difficult level is made. By the way, a multi-level mission system was until recently considered the most popular.
The best first-person shooters on the PC at the dawn of the gaming industry
But back to the origins of the genre. It is believed that the very first games of this plan at one time were such as Wolfenstein 3D, Hover Tank 3D, Catacomb 3D, etc.
Somewhat later such unique games appearedsubsequently became classics of the genre and received further development and continuation, like Doom, Quake, Heretic, Hexen, Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, Unreal and many others.
By the way, these particular games looked different.Although they had emulation of a three-dimensional space with a first-person view, they nevertheless were launched under DOS, and many of them were eventually transferred to the Windows platform.
As for the main direction, it is inFPS (meaning the best first-person shooters on the PC) basically needed to destroy monsters, zombies, mutants, etc. But in parallel with this, projects developed in which the player looked at what was happening not with his own eyes, but controlled the character behind his back. They are called Third Person Shooter (third person shooter).
And the list of the best shooters of the time, of course,can not do without the brightest representative of this trend, which has already become a classic of the Tomb Raider game with the notorious Lara Croft in the role of the Tomb Raider.
Interestingly:the game was so popular that it received four more parts in the sequel. Two parts of the same film with Angelina Jolie in the lead role were even filmed. But the interest was caused not only by the fact that it was necessary to shoot, but also by the fact that in order to fulfill each mission it was necessary to solve a lot of accompanying riddles and puzzles, and sometimes even choose the only way to cross the chasm.
Что самое интересное:then it was required to find exactly one, the only possible solution for the continuation of the gameplay. Today there are many of the most unpredictable and unpredictable games, where the development of the storyline can depend solely on the actions of the player.
Games that served as the basis for creating other
Naturally, when the first graphicchips like 3DFX cards, and then nVidia Riva allowed to significantly increase the performance of computer systems in terms of modeling three-dimensional textures, and many games using advanced technologies were continued. For example, the sequels were released Quake, Unreal, Doom, etc.
But the most important event was the emergence of the cult ontoday's half-life game. It was a real breakthrough. It was this shooter that later served as the prototype for creating new developments based on its unique engine.
How not to remember now one of the most populargames called Counter Strike? But it is initially based on the Half-Life engine, and even has a lot of branches like Opposing Force and more modern versions. By the way, the game itself Half-Life has recently received a second birth.
Moreover, many of the best shooter games have stoppedbe a kind of single missions and involve team actions, and using online communication technologies, transfer of teams and a strict hierarchy in the team itself (which is the cost of the Team Viewer program or technologies used in the RaidCall package).
Best PC Shooters: Hybrid Versions
As for the consideration of the so-calledhybrid versions, here it is worthwhile to dwell separately on the technologies themselves. The fact is that they got their unwritten name due to two main aspects: switching the vision mode (from the first or third person) and passing the gameplay alone, by a team or with installed bots. Please, the same latest version of Unreal Tournament, Quake IV, Far Cry - they all have such mods (this concerns the gameplay related to the main player).
Modern modifications of shooters
In addition to the above, it is worth noting thatthat the current and, as is already clear, the modern best shooters on the PC have a distinctive feature: they have several user modes. In particular, this applies to the game of confrontation: you can choose, for example, deathmatch, when the battle takes place only between two players in real time. Please, the same Quake III: Arena or the fourth part of Unreal Tournament is designed specifically for online matches. Although you can use single missions, but from the point of view of modernity, this turns out to be uninteresting and boring occupation.
Network games
As for the development of network games, hereInternet technology had the greatest impact. It has become absolutely unimportant where you are exactly - you can easily play with a rival from Australia or recruit a team of players in the US.
After all, it is clear that dealing with reala rival, and not with a bot, is much more interesting, because the computer system predetermines certain player actions in advance, and a real rival or partner can do completely unpredictable.
World Championships
What can I say, but at one time the best first-person shooters on the PC were included in the composition of modern sports competitions, in which the team championships were held.
If anyone does not remember, the Russian team of gamers at one time won the grand prize for Quake III, and a little later - for Counter Strike.
The best shooters of the year
2015 in terms of games in this direction broughta lot of surprises. If you make a certain rating of the most popular, sought-after and most anticipated games of 2015, in which there are the best shooters of the year on the PC, according to various estimates, it might look something like this:
- Battlefield: Hardline.
- Evolve.
- Grand Theft Auto V.
- Resident Evil: Revelations 2.
- Tom Clancy’s The Division.
- Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.
- Star Wars: Battlefront.
- Unreal 2015.
- Payday
- Dying Light.
- Armored Warfare.
This is not the most complete list. This can include a huge number of games, with completely different genres.
And this we no longer talk about such monsters of allmodifications like Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, Borderlands, Titanfall, BioShock, Crysis, War Thunder, Splinter Cell, S.T.A.L.K.E.R, Metro 2033, etc. And this is not all the best shooters on the PC. They can be listed not only for a long time, but for a very long time.
And if you remember "Serious Sam", where you needit was only to shoot out of everything that is, indiscriminately, it can be noted that this game as an FPS shooter still remains a means of relieving stress or negativity: just thresh for all monsters indiscriminately, and even with a musical arrangement in the style Heavy Metal. This is what is called a full drive!
Top Mobile Games
Now a few words about what they representare the best shooters on "Android" (or other mobile systems). Here it is worth looking only at the list presented in the rating of the same Play Market (Google Play) or the AppStore.
The championship belongs to zombie horror and militaryStrategies like Dead Trigger 2, Dead Earth: Sci-Fi, NOVA 3, Special Force, Squad Strike 2, Critical OIps, Modern Combat, Call Of Battlefield, Neon Shadow, Mission Impossible, Dead Effext 2, FPS Darkness, Sniper 3D: Assassin, Enemy Strike, Evolution, SWAT, etc. You can enumerate, as they say, to infinity. In general, the list of "Best Shooters on Android" is updated with new items almost every day.
Forecasts in the development of gaming technology
And finally, a certain result.The best shooters are quite diverse, although it is possible to mention several established trends in this genre. In particular, this concerns coordinated team actions, a return to the battles of World War II, anti-terrorist operations, opposition to evil spirits, of which the most popular are zombie horror, etc. But in general, good shooters on the PC, it seems, do not lose their relevance they will be, especially considering the unprecedented development of virtual reality technologies, where each player can feel himself, so to speak in the body of his character (well, what is not “Avatar”?)
The use of helmets will give additional incentivethe gaming industry, and who knows, maybe quite soon the player will be able to feel not only the fullness of the movements or the perception of the surrounding space, but also the real pain of being hit by an opponent’s weapon?
Но уж лучше пусть виртуальные игроки используют good shooters, forcing people to think about committing certain actions on personal computers, what they will do in real life. Perhaps, it is even a certain means of withdrawal of accumulated adrenaline or anger? War is as old as the human world ...
