Let the Wookie Win: Co-op Gaming

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by the Game Writer Guy, for VG

Killing your S.O. is bad form, I?ve been told, but I?ve seen evidence to the contrary. Here at Veterans Gaming, it?s our avowed opinion that the family that games together stays together.

Co-op has a long and storied history. For most, their first co-op gaming experience was in front of a console, whether that of an arcade cabinet like Double Dragon or an Atari 2600 and the family television. For PC gamers -- the majority of Veterans Gaming aficionados -- co-op has meant anything from shared-keyboard games to LAN parties to playing Quake while battling against both network lag and a distant stranger.

So what?s the state of co-op today?

The Legacy of Latency

When I first started working in the game industry, latency -- or the annoying, disruptive delay that you get when your gaming device is trying to shoehorn too much data through too small of a bandwidth pipe -- was a forbidding obstacle to the dream of online gaming, and to co-op gaming as well.

Things have changed dramatically. Modem gamers are nearly extinct, and broadband internet connections are the new standard. Many gamers pursue their hobby wirelessly, playing from coffee shops or public wifi spots as time allows.

However, technical limitations still exist even in today?s speedy networked environments. The bandwidth requirements of dynamically-loaded game assets has skyrocketed with the increased resolutions of monitors and TVs and increased sound capabilities of gaming devices. The canny gamer also is aware of the technological limitations in some of the most demanding games. Fighting games, which rely on the most precise timings and control responsiveness, often struggle in their online implementations. Similarly, MMORPGs rarely feature ?twitch? gameplay because of the bandwidth demands of a large world with multiple player characters. Instead, the usual MMORPG gameplay involves directing or sequencing actions of an avatar -- gameplay that does not hinge on instantaneous response.

Technological Enhancements

Improvements in gaming consoles have converted a great many casual and console gamers into co-op players. The PC?s mouse-and-keyboard control combination now has to compete with more precise wireless controllers, and modern gaming consoles can easily accommodate four players.

Consoles with high-definition video output can now display gaming environments in detail comparable to that of a gaming PC, at least to the casual observer. Most importantly, game consoles center their activities around the living room entertainment center, all on one large screen, instead of individual PC workstations. Although there are certainly exceptions, the living room is the typical centerpiece of leisure activity and group interaction, with furniture and audio-visual equipment to match.

Co-op Gaming Resources

Now that we?ve discussed some of the tech and history, let?s get to the meat of the issue: How can you find the best co-op games for the PC or your favorite console? And how can you figure out what kind of co-op those games offer? After all, playing on separate PCs may not work for you if you don?t want to have to buy multiple copies of the game. And, if you?re a console gamer, you may not be happy with a game that requires each player to be on a separate console.

Thankfully, there?s a splendid website that answers all of these questions, Co-Optimus.com. For your reference, here?s their list of co-op PC games http://www.co-optimus.com/system/4/pc.html.
And here?s videogamer.com?s list of the top 10 co-op games of all time http://www.videogamer.com/features/article/13-01-2010-945.html

Get out there and play... and bring a friend!