Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 10
Hard-Pressed for a Choice of Technology
Browser-based games have been around for as long as there have been browsers, and one can easily
retrace the evolution of browsers by following the evolution of browser-based games. At first games were
text-based—this was the evolution of multi-user dungeons. MUDs were mainly turn-based due to the
limitations of HTTP, but then developers started adding images, chats, and player interaction. However,
the stagnation in HTML development, which followed the first browser war, resulted in most games of the
2000s being developed with third-party plug-ins, as the multimedia capabilities of HTML4 were humble, to
say the least.
The new round of browser wars, which began in 2009, saw HTML5 become both a major force in browser
multimedia technology and a popular choice among developers. Its incredible pace of progress was
instrumental in this. What we saw in 2008 were simple HTML-based casual games at best, whereas today,
it is hardly amazing to see real-time battles and full, 3D gaming in a browser—with no additional plug-ins.
A key advantage of HTML5 over various aging technologies like Flash and Silverlight is its support and
advancement by mobile platforms. The staggering growth in the number of devices running Android and
iOS makes it a highly promising technology.
What is particularly inspiring is that browser developers are not just adding new technologies, but
promoting HTML5 as a platform for game development. The release of IE9 in the spring of 2011 saw
Microsoft hold the {Dev:unplu99ed} contest for games and multimedia developers offering a total of
$40,000 in prizes. Google Inc. operates Game Developer Central (
http://code.google.com/games
), which
provides developer tools, and Chrome Web Store to promote browser-based games. Mozilla proved the
quickest of all, holding the Game On 2010 contest for developers of browser-based games, with industry
