unit 20 final assignment worksheet for Hardware

1. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 20: Computer Game Platforms and Technologies
Brief 1_Task 2
Name:Michael
Hughes
Researched Definition (include URL
link)
Explanatio
n in your
own words
Imagery Why is this
important
to
hardware
technologie
s for game
platforms?
Human
Computer
Interface
human-computerinterface (HCI) The meansof
communication betweenahumanuserand a
computersystem,referringinparticulartothe use of
input/outputdeviceswithsupportingsoftware.
Devicesof increasingsophisticationare becoming
available tomediate the human-computerinteraction.
These include graphicsdevices,touch-sensitive
devices,andvoice-inputdevices.Theyhave tobe
configuredinaway that will facilitate anefficientand
desirable interactionbetweenapersonandthe
computer.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-
humancomputerinterface.html
A HCI (Human
Computer
interface) is
the
communicatio
n betweena
personand
theircomputer
system. This
includes
everything
fromvoice
inputdevices
to touch
sensitive
devices.
The HCI is a
prettycrucial
thingfor gaming
eversince the
explosionof
touch sensitive
technologyof
the xbox kinect
and Wii to the
newerandmore
modern
explosionof the
Virtual Reality
oculusrift
headsets.
Central
Processing
Unit (CPU)
CPU (pronounced as separate letters) is the abbreviation
forcentral processing unit. Sometimes referred to simplyas
thecentral processor,but more commonly
called processor,the CPU is the brains ofthe computer where
mostcalculations take place.In terms of computing power,
the CPU is the mostimportantelementofa computer system.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/CPU.html
A CPU or
Central
procressing
until isthe part
of the
computer
where most
calculations
CPU’s are
neededwhen
gamingon any
PC or console
due to it making
all of the
calculationsand
code actually

2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 20: Computer Game Platforms and Technologies
Brief 1_Task 2
are done.Itis
one of the core
elementsof
the PC.
executable from
the disc or
downloaded
file.
Graphic
Processors
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a computer
chip that performs rapid mathematical calculations,
primarily for the purpose of rendering images.
http://searchvirtualdesktop.techtarget.com/definition/
GPU-graphics-processing-unit
A GPU or
Graphics
processingunit
isa chipthat
formsup the
displayona
computer
screen.
Withoutthis,
thingslike
videogames
and movies
requiringVideo
driverscan’t
run.
A graphics
processorisa
mustwithinthe
gamesindustry
and gamingin
general.It
displaysthe
pixelsona
screenand
withoutone
computersface
manyerrors and
blackscreens,
BSOD’setc.
Memory
(RAM)
Alternatively referred to as main
memory, primary memory,
or system memory,Random
Access Memory (RAM) is a
hardware device that allows
information to be stored and
retrieved on a computer. RAM is
usually associated with DRAM, which
is a type of memory module.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/ram.htm
RAM is the
random access
memory in a PC.
It allows all kinds
of information
to be stored
until itis moved
or retrieved by
the PC. Itis a
type of memory
Module along
with other
memory units.
RAMis a
requirementfor
a lot of games
nowadays and
the amountof
ram neededis
onlygoingupas
the yearsgo on.

3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 20: Computer Game Platforms and Technologies
Brief 1_Task 2
Display
The display resolution or display modes of a digital
television, computer monitor or display device is the
number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can
be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially
as the displayed resolution is controlled by different
factors in cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, flat-panel
displays (including liquid-crystal displays) and
projection displays using fixed picture-element (pixel)
arrays.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_resolution
Your displayis
the computer
monitorin
termsof a PC.
It works
througha set
numberof
pixelsandthat
isdisplayed
correctlywith
resolution
optionsonthe
PC.
The displayof a
monitoris
pretty
important,like
mentionedon
the graphics
processor
section.Display
isneededin
orderto truly
connect
someone toa
game.
Sound A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an
internal computerexpansion card that facilitates
economical input and output of audio signals to and
from a computer under control of computer
programs. The term sound card is also applied to
external audio interfaces that use software to
generate sound, as opposed to using hardware
inside the PC. Typical uses of sound cards include
providing the audio component for multimedia
applications such as music composition, editing
video or audio, presentation, education and
entertainment (games) and video projection.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card
The soundcard
ina PC(also
knownas an
audiocard)
handles
internal audio
signals.
Howeveritcan
alsodeal with
external
soundssuchas
speak
recognition.
A soundcard is
requiredfora
PC or Games
console asmost
gameswithout
sound(unless
it’s a part of the
gameplay)
usuallyare not
as immersive to
the playerand
can make the
playerfeel
unattachedto
the game.

4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 20: Computer Game Platforms and Technologies
Brief 1_Task 2
Game
Storage
Medium
computers, a storage medium is any technology
(including devices and materials) used to place,
keep, and retrieve data. A medium is an element
used in communicating a message; on a storage
medium, the "messages" - in the form of data - are
suspended for use when needed. The plural form
of this term is storage media. Although the
term storage includes both primary storage
(memory), a storage medium usually means a
place to hold secondary storage such as that on a
hard disk or tape.
A GSM or
(Game storage
unit) refersto
placesthat
keepandcan
retrieve data.
Aka:USB, Flash
drives,External
Hard drives
etc.
These are useful
interms of
addingmore
memoryto a
unitto allowit
to store more
gamesperhaps,
Or more
downloadable
contentfor
videogames.
Interface
Devices An interface device (IDF) isahardware componentor
systemof componentsthatallowsahumanbeingto
interactwitha computer,a telephonesystem,orother
electronicinformationsystem.The termisoften
encounteredinthe mobilecommunicationindustry
where designersare challengedtobuildthe proper
combination of portability,capability,andease of use
intothe interface device.The overall setof
characteristicsprovidedbyaninterface device isoften
referredtoas the user interface(and,for computers -
at least,inmore academicdiscussions - the human-
computerinterface orHCI ).Today's desktopand
notebookcomputershave whathascome to be called
a graphical userinterface ( GUI ) to distinguishitfrom
earlier,more limitedinterfacessuchasthe command
line interface ( CLI).
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/interface-
device-IDF
A interface
device isa
hardware
componentof
a computeror
entertainment
systemthat
allowsa
humanbeing
to interact
withthe
computerina
particularway.
Voice
communications
and Virtual
Realityare
becomingall the
more prominent
invideogames
nowadays.
Meaningthat
More and more
people are
optingto use
these rather
than text
speechand
standard
gameplaywhich
aren’tas much
of an interface
device.

5. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 20: Computer Game Platforms and Technologies
Brief 1_Task 2
Connectivity This refers to the ability of a software
application or piece of equipment to connect
to another application or piece of equipment
(e.g. computers).
'Poor connectivity' means it is difficult for
that machine or software to share data,
usually because it is using a proprietary
data protocolthat few other systems use.
On the other hand good connectivity is likely
to mean that the network, equipment or
software is using a common protocol.
Connectivityis
the abilityto
connectto a
another
applicationor
piece of
equipment.For
instance,
computerscan
connectto the
internetusing
a modemor
router.
It allowspeople
to connectto
the internet,
Meaningif
connectivity
wasn’ta thing,
People wouldn’t
be able to play
the gamesthey
enjoy,use social
media.All video
gameswouldbe
offline based
etc.
Power
Supply
Short for power supply and sometimes
abbreviated as PSU, which is short for Power
Supply Unit. Apower supply is an
internal hardware component that supplies
components in a computer with power. The
power supply converts a 110-115 or 220-230
volt alternating current (AC) into a steady low-
voltage direct current (DC) usable by the
computer and rated by the number of watts it
generates. For example, the image to the right,
is of an Antec True 330, a 330Watt power supply
and an example of a computer power supply.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/p/ps.htm
A power
supplyisan
internal
componentin
a computer
that supplies
the power
converting
froma set
numberof
wattsto a
steadylow
voltage.
Overclocking
can pushthis.
A powersupply
iscrucial for
gaming,A good
powersupply
can pusha
computer’s
specsto new
heights,For
instance a
bettergraphics
card needsa
betterpower
supplysoit
doesn’tburn
out easily.