DTH gaming

Since the Digitization of cable TV in India, there have been myriad developments in this field to provide quality content to the consumers. Also the TRAI is making it compulsory for people to have STBs installed. This has resulted in large scale penetration of this technology to millions of household. People now get superior picture and sound quality, a large number of channels, movies on demand, HD channels. But one more underrated feature that this technology provides is video-games.

For me the most important point about this technology is this underrated feature. Digitization of Cable TVs have brought video-games to the people. It penetrated games in the living rooms. Kids and their families now have video games on their finger tips. This is equally fascinating as it is with the video-games penetration via Smart Phone in India. Now if you think logically, almost all homes in India now have access to video-games. This over-the-air game content offered by DTH Providers is mostly free. And even if they charge consumers it is very nominal. For example, the Active-Games pack on TataSky is Rs.5/day. Absolutely affordable. This, i think, is extremely critical if we want to see gaming-culture in India. Easy and Free access to video-gaming to masses will increase awareness amongst them. This will make people believe that video gaming is a good fun activity and worth spending money on.

So, recently I played Krish3 video game on my TataSky STB. Now though the positive points I stated above is valid but there are negative points as well. These games as of now lacks in quality. The games itself are very slow with poor graphics and repetitive/minimal gameplay. This is of-course result of the fact that the STB hardware are not suitable or infact not manufactured to run high powered games. The only difference with the Smart Phone gaming is being that games on Mobiles are much more robust, graphically wonderful and also has 3D gaming. Games on STBs are 2D only. So though kids may like them but they will eventually get bored of it. These games are not at all meant for Harcore gamers. Only casual kid gamers may enjoy it to some extent.

Having said that, if we look into the advancement in this technology then, even the STBs will be powered with softwares like Android. Android powered STBs are already in the market. Imagine the OUYA like game console integrated with the usual STB functioning. Now this will be something interesting to look for. Consumers in India will witness this very soon.  

#myouyaiscoming

Time to rejoice. My OUYA console has been shipped and will reach at my place by 30th May. Finally! Ouya guys kepts their promise. Here's an excerpt from the confirmation mail that I got yesterday:

#myouyaiscoming

Soooo...we thought you’d like to know that your OUYA is en route to your doorstep and you can now track your little game box with big dreams using the tracking number below.

I know you’ve heard this from us before, but allow us to say once more...

YOU helped to make OUYA come to life.

YOU helped to give the support necessary to make this vision a reality.

OUYA would *not* have happened without you.

And for this, we thank YOU.

We hope you love the product and that you’re proud of what we’ve built together.  As you know, OUYA will continue to evolve as we make improvements and iterate based on your feedback -- so keep it coming!

Your order was shipped via DHL Express Worldwide, and is estimated to arrive May 24, 2013 - May 30, 2013.

Yes I believed in it and now its here. Proud to be its backer! 

Im thinking: Why video games are so fun?

Fun is a simple notion easily misunderstood by majority of us. We know that fun is a feeling of being happy. This is true. But we think that there is fun only in some limited activities. We are skeptical about why some activities are so fun for some people.The answer is, we are only limited by our experience, thinking that fun is bounded.

Gaming is exactly that kind of fun most often misunderstood by people. Even worse, they don't even try to understand.Games are the most advanced products that challenge the latest technology. If developing games challenges the technology then playing games challenges the player in every possible way. Let me put that in double quotes:

“Games have immense power to convince you that, no matter what, you can win. Games guarantees you a success. When a player plays a game he knows that he can solve all the virtual challenges thrown at him.This is the single most important achievement games provide to the player. The probability of you wining the challenge is almost 100%. But games demands struggle. Games demand focus. Games demand concentration and Games demand practice.”

And this is why I think games are fun. They are virtual pleasures, agreed, but worth a shot if it can make you happy and put a smile on you face.