Task 2 P2, M2, D2

Human computer interface (HCI)

The term human computer interface refers to the tools used to physically control the computer and its running programs e.g. Console controller, PC mouse/Keyboard, Handheld consoles, Mobile phone/Tablet touch screen. 

 

For each user there will be different preferences, for example some gaming enthusiasts prefer the aesthetic feel of the console controller due to its reduced number of buttons and ease of handling whereas some prefer the PC keyboard because of the increased level of control options and programmable hotkeys. When considering the touch screen of mobile devices and the simplicity of the handheld game format, this is a medium which would appeal more to the casual on the go gamer/user as it can be used anywhere are for a multitude of purposes.

 One thing that should be taken into consideration with the difference in HCI's is that each one lends itself more to one kind of game than others. With consoles and handheld games their ease and speed of use lend themselves better to action/shooter and fighting games better than the keyboard and mouse of a PC, which is better suited to the strategic game which would require a more complete and calculated control device.

Looking at ergonomics the forerunner is most probably the console controller due to the fact that it has been specifically designed to fit the users palm and allow for all controls to be reached without actually needing to move the whole hand, as opposed to the keyboard which requires the user to move the entire hand to reach the full amount of possible controls. Even though this does allow the PC user a vastly superior method for controlling every aspect of their game play with unrivalled precision, it can seem cumbersome to many users.

The mobile phone and tablet are also designed to fit the users hands however not in the same way. This is due not only to accommodate a display but it also needs to fit easily in the users pocket or bag, restricting the possibilities for ergonomic design.  The games more commonly used by this control method are simple movement and single action games that don't require anywhere near as much precision or control as the other formats in this document.

Interface devices

Expanding on the subject of human computer interface, there have been many different interface devices released on a plethora of gaming platforms. These devices include such classics as;

 - The light gun for duck hunt on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System)

- The steel Batallion controller for XBOX

- the guitar hero controller Xbox360

- The Kinect Xbox360

All of these devices have offered new and innovative ways for the player to interact with their games in a way that had previously been impossible in the field of home gaming.  By giving the user the ability to actively participate in the same actions as the characters on the screen these devices have offered new levels of immersion, making the games that they have accompanied so much more memorable. There have been exceptions to this, one being the light gun which on later consoles was developed to accompany various other first person shooter games. The other being the Kinect which has been released simply as a new way to control the xbox's many multimedia capabilities as well as an ever increasing number of games that have been designed exclusively for use with this device.

               

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

The CPU is the hub of the computers operations, it sends information and commands to the other parts of the PC. The speed of the CPU is measured in cycles per second known as Megahertz or Gigahertz.

As one of the most important parts of the computer system it is definitely one of the aspects worth considerable investment when purchasing a new PC or in fact any electronic device that requires fast and unhindered actions. The most popular brands for processors are intel and AMD, two companies that have over the years proven that they can produce hardware capable of some of the most intense computing tasks that can be carried out on a home computer. As time goes on the speed and power of commercially available processors is constantly on the rise due to the ever increasing demands of both industry standard programs and home gaming, the latter being the big selling point of most of these products.

One aspect of the CPU which allows for faster processing speed is the cache which carries out an operation similar to that of RAM, in that it stores important data for frequently used programs so that in the event of the same process needing to be carried out again it can produce the same result with less time needed to carry out the required calculations.

GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)

The GPU is, in essence, very similar to the CPU. It carries complex calculations at high speed to be sent to other parts of the system that are then displayed for the user. However the major difference is that this processing unit is dedicated solely to dealing with rendering of images that produces the GUI (Graphic User Interface) or in simpler terms, the images that are displayed on the users screen.

The GPU does bare similar physical features to the CPU however it is, in most cases, much more complex and capable of performing at a higher level than the CPU. However instead of being fitted directly to the motherboard it is the main part of another element which is called the Graphics card.

The two major competitors in the field are AMD and NVIDEA, both of which produce high quality graphics cards capable of producing truly stunning graphics and allowing the user to play games that feature graphics that simply could not be played using the CPU alone.

RAM (Random Access Memory

The purpose of random access memory is to increase the speed at which a program can be operated by storing commonly/frequently used information that the CPU/GPU has already used. By doing this it reduces the amount of work that needs to be carried out and increases the speed at which operations can be carried out.

This aids the user experience in that loading times are reduced giving a more seamless appearance to the processes being carried out and also over time increases the overall productivity of a system when it comes to tasks that need to be repeated multiple times.

Currently there are many different forms of RAM available including DRAM (Dynamic RAM), SRAM (Static RAM), DDR (Double Data Rate), DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM).

RAM is always measured in Gigabytes (GB) but not all types of RAM are compatible with all motherboards, in order to find out if it is compatible you will need to find out the frequency that the RAM is operating on, the most common frequencies for RAM products are 1600MHz and 1333MHz.

Power supply unit (PSU)

The PSU is the means by which power is taken in by the system and distributed to other components that require a direct link to the power. Power supply units come in the form of internal and external, internal being built in to a system such as a PC whereas the external would be the AC adapter to be used with a console or laptop.

Connectivity

Connectivity between gamers has been in a constant state of advancement for some time, and it is only in the last 8 years that it has really been developed enough to offer a really satisfying and reliable experience. That's not to say that there hasn't been problems; server crashes, security violations, account bugs resulting in the loss of personal funds. However as time goes on the technology and security is always being improved.

The different types of connectivity available are used in a variety of ways, for example bluetooth can be used for the transfer of data in multiple forms e.g. contact information, images, audio files and even live audio from a voice call.

Wifi is the commercial name for WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) which is a wireless form of connectivity using radio waves in an extremely localised area. This form of wireless connection, which was first named Wifi sometime in 2000, allows for high speed data transfers without needing to connect your device to a router  or another computer via any physical cables. Wifi technology has advanced to the point where it has become so popular and commonplace that free wifi is available in most public places, such as; public transport, pubs, hotels and cafés.

Mobile internet/3G - 3G which stands for third generation is the third generation of mobile internet technology (preceded by GPRS and WAP).  This connection allows for a information transfer at rates of up to several Mbit/s and can be used to access content on the internet as well as video calling and mobile television.