The gaming world is coming up with innovative inventions and ways in every decade, and in every generation. Video games are becoming more advanced in graphics, storytelling and especially in gameplay, testing the challenges of gamers alike the world over. In this blog I would like to discuss the evolution of using resourceful Visual Aids to help with your gaming skills.

I remember during the golden age of video games after the gaming industry collapsed, learning how to play the game and receiving tips on how to beat the game goes beyond a simple user’s manual, it goes to strategy guides and tip hotlines to help anyone get pass a difficult level in the game. I hardly purchase strategy guides to help me out since of course I had to spend more money on top the game I purchased. I avoid going on the tip hotlines because my parents would not like to pay more money for their phone bill. I am more skilled to figure ways out for myself without the dependence of these certain visual aids, or discover a cheat code to easily beat the game.

The closest thing in finding helpful tips for free was this gaming news/game show based in Canada called Video & Arcade Top 10 and it cadres only to Nintendo games. The TV show hit the airwaves in 1991. At that time there was no DVD or Blu-Ray players, no IPod, or Tablets; the World Wide Web was a mere few years away, and not to mention it was the time of the console wars between Nintendo and SEGA which was heating up the gaming market in the 90’s. It was a great time for people me to be a video game fan because the TV show was a pop culture classic. It was a type of show I watched on a weekly basis simply because I was a video game geek (proud to be called that). The main host goes by the name Nicholas Picholas (not his real surname). In my opinion the TV show was ahead of its time combining a competitive game show for kid contestants and giving news on the video game world, along with some hints and tips for various Nintendo games. It was better than making your parents pay extra from their monthly phone bill for going on those 1-800 gaming tip hotlines. Maybe a little bit better than purchasing a strategy guide. The TV show was the best thing since slice bread. What I remember most about the show was that TV hosts talk so darn fast like Auctioneers. There were other shows pretty much like that one, but only give news and hints in the gaming world such as Game Nation; another Canadian based video game TV show and Electric Playground; a US base TV show I watched for a while talking about video games. However Video & Arcade sticks out as a precursor to gaming websites such as Gamespot and IGN and others alike providing game hints and cheat codes game previews, reviews and news. For those who never heard of the kid’s game show/video game news show here is the link on a short article about the TV’s main game host and about the show:

http://www.cgmagonline.com/articles/interviews/happened-nicholas-picholas-video-arcade-top-10/

I also suggest to find an episode on youtube whether or not you are familiar with the TV show. I must say that the hints and tips at that time were helpful despite those young adults talking fast.

At the turn of the century getting hints and cheat codes off of the internet was the next step of evolution along with game demos and videos of game experts giving viewers a walkthrough on how to beat a level the easiest way. Youtube was the most popular broadband video website where gamers can post their gaming skills. And that’s what I use from time to time if I am stuck on a level and can’t figure out what to do. Hey, it’s all free getting tips from the experts so I might as well use the resources to my advantage. After purchasing the PlayStation 4 nearly a year ago, I never even thought that the game console features a capture gallery where you can upload a screenshot from a game you played and if you like share it on Facebook. You can also upload a video from a game level you played. Which I find helpful, in order to figure how you beat the level the easiest way or how figured out a perplexing puzzle. I find this a very good visual aid because I felt that it can be overwhelming to retain everything, when playing the game again, especially when playing a very lengthy open-world adventure game. Having a Capture Gallery for game consoles to study the secrets that you have unlocked and what not is not the first idea. The beginnings of saving games as a recording or replay gallery has its roots in PC games. One that sticks out for me is Blizzard’s Warcraft III (there might be other Blizzard games that has that feature prior to the 2002’s hit game). Providing a replay mode for Custom games, LAN (Local Area Network) and online play where after completing a match against the computer or another player(s), a game can be saved as a replay and to be kept as a study guide. It can conveniently help improve your game that way. Another thing is Blizzard fans of Real-time Strategy games and RPG’s of Warcraft, StarCraft, or Diablo created replay sites where players can upload their replays and fans of those games can download and view the replays to learn the strategies from the experts.

Being a gamer for 28 years, I have seen a lot of changes from primitive 2D pixel graphics to more realistic 3D graphics. There is no exception for getting tips and hints for video games, which served as visual aids, which evolves along with technology in the video game industry. It started out with 1-800 tip hotlines and strategy guides, getting hints and codes from cable TV and VHS videotapes, to CD-ROM game demos, and unto the internet to look for hints and cheat codes and studying videos from the internet to discover the secrets to improve my gameplay ability. I will always adapt to stay current with the times, but I will never forget my roots in the world of gaming or the pioneers that paved the way for gaming evolution and innovation.

Note: I suggest that the video game industry should have a Hall of Fame (if they don’t have one yet) and they should not only induct legendary video game designers, musicians, and pioneers, but they should induct individuals who are professional gamers (current or retired) over the generations, they should induct video game broadcast journalists, hosts, editors and magazine writers, and illustrators because they also deserve to be credited to be our influence and to fuel fan’s interest in Video Games, whether we just play games in our spare time or be involved in the Gaming industry in one aspect or another.