Editing PC game (section)

=== Types of gaming ===

==== Local area network gaming ====
{{See also|LAN party}}

[[Multiplayer video game|Multiplayer gaming]] was largely limited to [[local area network]]s (LANs) before cost-effective [[broadband Internet access]] became available, due to their typically higher [[bandwidth (computing)|bandwidth]] and lower [[latency (engineering)|latency]] than the dial-up services of the time. These advantages allowed more players to join any given computer game, but have persisted today because of the higher latency of most Internet connections and the costs associated with broadband Internet.

LAN gaming typically requires two or more personal computers, a [[Router (computing)|router]] and sufficient networking cables to connect every computer on the network. Additionally, each computer must have its own copy (or [[Spawn installation|spawn copy]]) of the game in order to play. Optionally, any LAN may include an external connection to the Internet.

==== Online games ====
{{Main|Online game}}

Online multiplayer games have achieved popularity largely as a result of increasing [[broadband internet|broadband]] adoption among consumers. Affordable high-bandwidth Internet connections allow large numbers of players to play together, and thus have found particular use in [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]]s, ''[[Tanarus (video game)|Tanarus]]'' and persistent online games such as ''[[World War II Online]]''.

Although it is possible to participate in online computer games using dial-up [[modem]]s, broadband Internet connections are generally considered necessary in order to reduce the latency or "lag" between players. Such connections require a broadband-compatible modem connected to the personal computer through a [[network interface card]] (generally integrated onto the computer's [[motherboard]]), optionally separated by a [[Router (computing)|router]]. Online games require a virtual environment, generally called a "game server". These virtual servers inter-connect gamers, allowing real time, and often fast-paced action. To meet this subsequent need, [[Game server|Game Server Providers (GSP)]] have become increasingly more popular over the last half decade.{{When|date=February 2019}} While not required for all gamers, these servers provide a unique "home", fully customizable, such as additional modifications, settings, etc., giving the end gamers the experience they desire. Today there are over 510,000 game servers hosted in North America alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://store.steampowered.com/stats/|title=Steam: Game and Player Statistics|website=store.steampowered.com}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=January 2024}}

==== Emulation ====
{{Main|Emulator}}
Emulation software, used to run software without the original hardware, are popular for their ability to play legacy video games without the [[computing platform|platform]] for which they were designed. The operating system emulators include [[DOSBox]], a DOS emulator which allows playing games developed originally for this operating system and thus not compatible with a modern-day OS. Console emulators such as [[Nestopia]] and [[MAME]] are relatively commonplace, although the complexity of modern consoles such as the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] or [[PlayStation]] makes them far more difficult to emulate, even for the original manufacturers.<ref name="xboxemulation">{{cite web| url = http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/xbox360_05.asp| title = Xbox 360 Review| access-date = September 12, 2006|date=November 2005}}</ref> The most technically advanced consoles that can currently be successfully emulated for commercial games on PC are the PlayStation 2 using [[PCSX2]], and the Nintendo Wii U using the [[Cemu]] emulator. A [[PlayStation 3]] emulator named [[RPCS3]] is in development.
Most emulation software mimics a particular hardware architecture, often to an extremely high degree of accuracy. This is particularly the case with classic home computers such as the [[Commodore 64]], whose software often depends on highly sophisticated low-level programming tricks invented by game programmers and the [[demoscene]].

Other projects aim to bring compatibility of older games and its features back to modern platforms such as WineVDM (for running 16-bit games on 64-bit Windows), nGlide (for enabling [[Glide (API)]] to other video cards), IPXWrapper (for enabling [[IPX/SPX]] based LAN play).