Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Many game companies build their games for more than one platform, to capi-
talize on the different markets available for sales and reaching their demographic.
The following is a list of some of the more common platforms used for playing
games:
PC
Console
Handheld
Mobile
Arcade
Games created for many platforms can be played online. We'll talk about
online games after we look at these common platforms.
pC
Games that are distributed for the PC market indicate in their specs whether
they're playable on the Mac and/or Windows. Crossing platforms (being able to
have software work on either Windows or the Mac OS) is becoming more com-
mon; however, fewer games are built for or retooled for use on the Mac, simply
because more gamers own PCs (Windows). Also, most development systems for
consoles, handhelds, and mobile systems are Windows-based.
Games for the PC market can be downloaded directly onto the computer,
played online, or installed using a CD or DVD.
The biggest challenge in PC development is piracy. That's the main reason most
companies cite when discussing why they aren't developing games for the PC, and
also why casual games are turning more to ad-based and micro-transaction/social
games.
PC
, short for per-
sonal computer, is
generally accepted
as the term for any
home computer sys-
tem, whether it's a
Mac or Windows.
micro-Transactions
A
micro-transaction
occurs when a player buys, with actual real-world currency,
some type of in-game bonus. These can be special items like new potions or
spells. This type of business model can be lucrative for game makers. These
transactions tend to be quite small—about a dollar or so (hence the term
micro-
transaction); but if a game is popular (even a few thousand players), the micro-
transactions can add up. They give players access to new, fun items that add to
the gameplay but don't cost a great deal of money to buy.
