Many game makers see online gaming as an important part of the industry's future. That's what TEN is discovering. Going after such die-hard gamers isn't exactly easy pickings. One of the biggest challenges for online gaming companies is a pesky technical problem called ''latency.'' Because the Net works by passing small packets of data through various routes, action games such as Doom can become a little disjointed when Net traffic is heavy and packets tend to get delayed or lost. MPath's Web site is one of only a few that give subscribers with multimedia PCs the ability to talk to other players during a game.
Members speak into their PCs' microphones.
MPath software digitizes their voices and blasts them over the Net to other parties. Players without microphones can chat by typing messages. After only six months of tests on America Online and CompuServe, the company has gathered a phenomenal following. Each night, pilot wannabes fill up multiple rooms set aside for flight sims. ''On some nights, you can't get online because we have up to 2,000 people logged on and flying,'' says J.W. Bill Stealey, chairman of Interactive Magic. He says about two-thirds of his titles will have Net access and be able to connect with each other.