Introduction

As a gamer I have lead vast armies into battle. I have taken the opposition's flag and raced back through heavy gun fire to claim the prize. I have commanded countless troops to glory and defeat. I've linked up with other players online to form strong teams. Faced monsters, saved hostages from the grip of terrorists, ran to cover under a hail of bullets, dodged sniper shots, and piloted a helicopter over enemy held jungle to rescue stranded teammates, with the threat of a enemy missile ending my ride permanently at any second... 

This is only a small portion of what I've done, and like the countless other gamers out there you to can experience this by playing online. 

You may have played games on a console or on your PC alone against the computer, and found that over time you became bored of the game, either because it's repetitive or you finished it - your £30-40 game has become obsolete and is reduced to collecting dust! However online gaming gives your games a whole new lease of life! Playing against real people gives unlimited challenges and adds a whole new dimension to your game. You'll be able to outwit your opponent (after all he/she is only human), link up with other players to form teams ("clans") and also download free MODs, ie. MODifications which are customisations made to the game, often creating an entirely new experience, taking you into the world of the online community where fellow gamers are there to help and enhance the online gaming experience.

Online gaming will give these  games a whole new lease of life !

If you're reading this now, then you've taken the first step. It maybe hard going at times and I won't kid you - you'll have to take some rough before you have a smooth ride. It takes a little dedication to reap the rewards, but after reading this guide you'll soon be online...

A typical Gamer...

In the real world a typical gamer is around 18 - 25. In fact the age range is hard to pin down, but 18-25 is about right. There are old gamers 40+ and young gamers around 14, and countless numbers in-between. Gamers come from a wide range of backgrounds. For example a gamer called GrannY had a carpenter in one day who spotted his PC. They then had a quick chat about Counter Strike. Most gamers appear to be male although there is a sizeable female following, which is growing daily. There are 2 types of gamers, casual (pop online now and then to have a quick game), ...and hardcore gamers who take part in the online gaming community.

Gamers come in all shapes, sizes and ages. You can't pigeon hole it, and wherever you are, wherever you live, there's an online gamer somewhere nearby. It could be your next door neighbour, the person serving you at the supermarket, someone sat on the bus near you, or even your dog when you've tucked in for the night. You'd be surprise who actually plays online :).