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Project Cover Sheet
Make this form the first page of each draft you submit. Fill it out completely. Next
save as a PDF. Then add to the saved PDF file of your paper.
Name: Matt Rosenhahn
Current working title of this project: The Great Debate: PC Gaming vs. Console Gaming
Coming to Terms with Your Own Work-in-Progress
1)Write 3-5 sentences explaining the topic of this project. Explain the sources of the
idea for this project.
There has been constant controversy over which system provides the better gaming
experience for the user. I used many internet articles and an interview of a nationally
ranked video gamer to provide pros and cons on each of the platforms. My idea for
this topic came about when Call of Duty: Black Ops was released. For about a month
minimum, that game was all I ever head about. I became interested in what about
video games influences a user to be stuck like glue to it. Then through discussions
with peers I decided to compare PC gaming and Console gaming.
2)Comment on the present strengths and limits of your piece—those aspects or
sections you’re pleased with and those you want to work more on.
Introductions are always the hardest part of a paper for me. I want to be able to grab
the attention of the reader but still stay on track on what my paper will be about. I
still have a bit of progress to add on the console gaming argument. I have my
conclusion and interview outline and I believe those are fine, I wanted to get this part
out for criticism because I know it needs work.
Process Notes
What was going on in the process of composing? How did I compose it? What
worked well for me? Where did I struggle? Where did I get lost and when did things
break down? Where did I get a good idea and how did I get a good idea, etc.
I am struggling a bit with knowing when to use my references in certain spots. I
struggle in introductions.
Comparative Notes
How was working on this particular project different from what I’ve done in papers
for other classes? How was it similar?
This paper is much different than any other paper I have worked on in the past. I
have never used APA formatting with a paper, it takes getting use to.
Guidance for Peer Reviewers
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What kinds of feedback are you seeking? That is, are there particular areas of the
draft that you would like specific feedback on? Questions about doing research?
Approaching your topic? Finding appropriate resources?
Any and everything. This was challenging for me so I am looking for any way to
improve. Just give it to me straight up you will not hurt my feelings just aid me in
making a better paper.
Other Comments
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy end of the year to edit and help me
out with this paper. It means a whole lot.
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Introduction
Users spend hours out of their day playing console games or computer games.
According to the Entertainment Software association, in 2008 “65% of American
households play computer or video games” (Entertainment Software Association,
2008 2). In a majority of teenage lives, games trump homework. According to
psychologist David Lowenstein; Boys who play video games on school days spend
30 percent less time reading and girls spend 34 percent less time doing homework
than those who do not play such games” (Lowenstein1). This is due to the illusion
or real life situation given in video games. Kids get to be something they are not,
possibly something that their parents and society would not be proud of or an
inspiration figure to the world. Many adults believe that video games are hindering
to the youth’s development. What they do not comprehend is that video games
provide a sort of collective intelligence that libraries can not.
Video games emphasize expertise rather than status, they promote
international and cross cultural media within their communities. Friendships form
in online communities due to the advancements of a microphone headset, typed
messages, and even a keyboard adapter to plug into a controller. Interaction
through gaming is soaring past limits ever imagined years ago. Ask the designers of
Sega Genesis if it were possible to speak to another gamer located across the
country and there is no way they would believe in that. Video games are the hot
topic within the youth of today. Present day, the evolution of technology has made
user gaming experience extraordinary. A video game is an electronic game that
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combines interaction with a user interface to make a visual feedback on a video
device.
There are various platforms of systems that are used to play video games.
These platforms are mainly categorized in two subjects; PC and console. PC stands
for personal computer. The size, ability, speed, and memory of personal computers
make them very convenient to the end user, which is the person who is playing the
video game. A console is a modified computer system which produces a signal that
can be used with a device such as a monitor or a television to be displayed. User
interface design plays a role in each of these forms of gaming. User interface design
is the design of computers, applications, machines, and or devices with the intention
to increase the user’s experience and interaction. The goal of user interface design
is to make the gamer’s understanding of the game simple and efficient. User
friendliness is a key component when it comes to interface. Creators attempt to
make something that they believe will be easy but at the same time challenging
enough for the user to understand and then stay interested in. There has been an on
going debate over which system gives the user a better gaming experience. Each
platform provides many examples why theirs tramples the other. Heated blogging
arguments, YouTube videos, and web posts arise within this debate. This topic may
be impossible to ever conclude, but it is very entertaining.
Interface
As stated in the introduction, user interface design is the design of computers,
applications, machines, and or devices with the intention to increase the user’s
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experience and interaction. Simplicity and competence are the aims of user
interface design. A good user interface design aids in finishing the task at hand
without attracting unnecessary attention to itself.
There are processes and requirments necessary in the user interface design.
The steps are: functionality requirements gathering, user analysis, information
architecture, prototyping, usability testing and graphic interface design.
Functionality requirements gathering is understanding what is necessary for the
system to reach goals and the eventual needs of the users. User analysis refers to
what will be best for the user according to their wants and what appeals to the user.
Information architecture “is the set of ideas about how all information in a given
context should be treated philosophically and, in a general way, how it should be
organized” (Moon, 2000). Prototyping is a series of events swiftly putting together
a functional model. Usability testing is the actual testing of the prototypes on a user.
Graphic interface design is the look and feel of the final interface. Much thought is
put into each process in user interface designing. User interface demonstrates a sort
of input, which allows the user to navigate the system, and or output, which are the
system’s outcomes due to the user’s action. Interfaces are all about how the user
manipulates the game and the interface ends up defining the game.
Console Gaming:
An argument can be made that the console is the better gaming machine.
According to sales tracking firm NPD Group: of the 18.85 billion dollars the video
game industry generated in North America in 2007 only 14 percent was attributed
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to PC sales (NPD). Console gaming deffinatley has the attention of more users than
the PC does. As the user progresses through life it becomes more difficult to sit
down at a moniter and concentrate, it is much easier to just turn on the console and
play a game that the whole family can get into.
Console gaming has significantly evolved over the years. The year was 1977
when the Atari 2600 made a big splash in the gaming industry. The release of this
system did not make it a major hit, but the release of games did. This system
included the games: Pacman, Space Invaders, Pittfall, Demon Attack, and Missle
Command. The controller for this game was one joystick and one button, does not
get more basic than that.
(Figure 1)
Of course the graphics were not good, it was only 1977, but at this time the games
were visually appealing to their users. With this controller, the user is able to move
left, right, up and down, and press the button. Pretty exciting right? To this
generation it was a blast and a significant uprising in the video game industry.
Users enjoy kicking back relaxing with a wireless controller which can
ultimatley provide mass comfort.
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(Valdes)
The Xbox 360 can support up to four controllers at once making this wireless
controller great for multiplayer games. The wireless controllers are powered by a
pair of AA batteries of a rechargeable battery pack. The movement with the analog
sticks is great for the user to either run or walk depending on the pressure put on it.
This sensitivity is not able with the mouse or keys within PC gaming. The Xbox
controller has a very comfortable layout to its buttons. The triggers supply easy
access for quick responses during gameplay and the action buttons are close
together also making the Xbox controller very user friendly. There is a headset jack
which allows the user to plug in their headset and communicate with other gamers
in online play. The downfall to these controllers is that there are not enough
buttons regarding a Real Time Strategy games. The combinations of buttons and
movements on the analog sticks would get very complicated, way too complex for a
console game. Consoles are able to get by this though because there is not as much
interest in Real Time Strategy games as there is in other categories, like sports.
The Nintendo Wii remote can provide for the next generation in point and
shoot games. The motion sensor controller is a big hit amongst families. Great
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bonding time, laughs, and smiles are an outcome of the Wii. Sadly, so are shattered
LCD television screens though… regardless of that, console controllers have found a
way to latch onto their users and keep them interested in console gaming.
Depending on the preference of the user they may like console gaming more.
Just like there are only certain games on the PC, there are games that are only on
console gaming. Many users will prefer to play a sporting game on a console. The
movement is smoother.
PC Gaming
PC gaming was one of the earlier forms of gaming systems. PC games are
said to provide a deeper experience for the user. Not only can they provide visual
and auditory effects, but deeper technologies can make you feel as if you are right in
the game. Fans can be placed along with the PC system to configure with the game,
for example, if in a game the user is driving in a car a fan can blow on the users face
to make it seem as if they have the windows down and are driving in real life.
Another addition is a mist machine. If the gamer is in a first person shooting game
and is walking near a waterfall the mist machine will shoot out to make it seem as if
the user is there. The PC has two main “controllers” when it comes to gameplay. The
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keyboard and the mouse are the main forms of participation for a game on the PC.
(Figure 3)
Also, the mouse provides exact placement and makes “sniping” much easier.
The sky is the limit for upgrading PC settings. The graphics of PC games can
be almost real life looking with upgrades to computer settings. The games for the
PC can be from two to four times better than on a console. Many applications can be
added onto the PC so this makes the PC more versatile than counsels. PC’s are about
five to ten time faster than the PS3 console.
The PC has the advantage in the range of games they can have. Multiplayer
browser games can not be used on a console and neither can real time strategy
games. RTS games require collaboration and the maneuvering of units during the
game play. User interfaces had to become more complex in order to work with the
challenges in RTS games. When it comes to first person shooting games, the console
will not be able to match how precise the PC is. The mouse adds pin point accuracy
to shots and movement throughout the games. Real time strategy games are the
most popular forms of PC games. Real time strategy games provide the user an
experience which gaming counsels can not provide due to the simplicity of counsel
gaming. These games require many buttons due to its complexity. There are just
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not enough buttons of console controllers like there would be on a PC. PC games
allow the user to customize their controls exactly how they want them
Online play for most PC games is free unlike some console games. Xbox
consoles require the user to sign up for a membership to an Xbox live account in
order to play against or with people online. Another cool thing about the PC gaming
is that the PC games allow users to make modifications or create levels. Very few
console games have this ability. Another interesting fact with the PC is that the user
is able to purchase a game over the internet now. This is much more convenient
than having to wait in a long line at Gamestop just to finally get up to the counter
and discover that your game is sold out.
With the PC everything is simply a “click” away. There are no hassles in
multiplayer modes with trying to find controllers then untangling them and setting
them up. Internet quality is much better. Modifying games is not a problem. Pc
gaming has everything done within the PC.
Common Game
One video game I was able to find that was made for the PC and console
platforms was Madden 2004. I owned this video game and I will attempt to explain
the controls for it.
On Playstation 2 the controls were pretty basic. For offense, the “X” button is
speed burst, “O” is a spin move, the triangle is hurdle or protect the ball, the square
is to dive and the left analog stick is used for movement. The right analog stick is
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not used for anything in game at all. The player movement within the game is
smooth and realistic.
On the PC the controls were much more difficult for me to figure out. It took
about two months for me to figure out how to throw the ball when I was on offense!
Playing offense and defense used so many different keys on the keyboard it was
hard to figure out and keep my fingers spread across the keyboard. F, D, S, A, space
bar, and G were the most commonly used keys. The arrow buttons controlled the
player movement. The movement was very sketchy, the players would take 90
degree turns while running full speed which in real life is not possible.
Personal View
I basically grew up outside. I never received the full video game experience
like many of my friends did. That has carried on now into present day for me.
Walking through the hallways of my dorm residence I see almost every room with
their television on playing either Madden 11 or Call of Duty Black Ops. My
roommates are obsessed with Call of Duty. The first night it came out they pulled an
“all nighter” and I was not too happy with that. I have tried the video game. I find it
annoying after a while. The game play seems to be repetitive, the kills seem to be
reoccurring, and at times non realistic. I guess it’s alright, not really my thing
though. Being an athlete I am more interested in sporting games. I enjoy playing
Madden 11 and NCAA 11 with my friends. I find the controls very easy to use and to
understand. I have noticed that there are different variations to the skill setting that
will set you up with the most basic form of game play. The controls are very close
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and they are not too many so it is easy for me to get down quickly. I think the game
play is a little erratic at times due to some of the unrealistic cuts made on lower
difficulty levels. Also, online play tends to lag. Lagging is when the host connection
of the online game is subject to disruption or disconnection causing the game itself
to pause or sputter. This does not pertain to the console system so much as to the
connection but it’s just an observation.
I have very slim experience with PC gaming. The one sports video game I did
play on the PC was Madden 2004. I do not have the game anymore so my details of
it are from memory. My first impression of the game was wow, the graphics are
very good. For the year, the game resolution was quite high and in a time where
graphics were starting to evolve, these were top notch. I would choose to play with
a team who had a great running back because I did not know how to throw the ball.
The controls for passing were confusing to me. Could have just been me, but this
game was not too user friendly in the passing game.
Oregon Trail was the strategy game I played. I use to spend hours of my free
time on this game. I believe that all the controls of the game were through the
mouse so it was simple to play this. The game had many interesting facts and
allowed the user to have fun playing a video game and still learn information that
could be valuable to their education. An observation of present day real time
strategy games that I have I obtained from my roommate. He loves to play the
computer game League of Legends. I watched his hands as he rapidly clicked on the
mouse and quickly shuffled his fingers around the keyboard. I became
overwhelmed just from watching.
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I love simplicity. If I had a choice though, I would still have to stick with
counsel gaming. The simplicity is the aspect that I search for in a game. A real time
strategy game would still be too much of a hassle for me to deal with. I like the
smootheness of the gameplay on consoles and the simplicity of the interface.
Another thing I like about console gaming is that more people associated with me
game over consoles rather than the PC.
Interview
This is an interview I conducted with my roomate Rodrigo Ramirez*. He has
a lot of experience playing PC games and console games. For Xbox 360, he was
invited to a private Halo 3, team tournament sponsored by Doritos. His team
finished up in 43rd place, and he became nationally ranked as a player as 36th in the
nation. When it comes to PC gaming, he began in 2009 with the game League of
Legends. He still plays that game to this day and he has a Elo rank of 1600, which is
very high. (Elo does not stand for anything it is just the name of the man who came
up with the ranking system) (A select few questions were taken from the interview).
Which platform are you currently playing more of and why?
-
PC. My friends from back home are playing League of Legends more now
than they play COD (Call of Duty) so that is a big reason. The only console
game I really played was Halo 3 and not too many people play it anymore so
the console has kinda died out in me.
How long did it take you to understand/master the controls within League of Legends?
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-
More or less two weeks. There are tutorials in the game that helped me to
understand which keys to press in certain situations.
How many keys do you use?
-
I actually do not use keys. I use only this mouse. (showed me mouse) It is
called a Razer Naga. It does everything the same as a regular mouse does and
then more. All together the mouse has 17 buttons. There is no laser light or
ball for the movement of the mouse. It is laser movement powered but the
shiny red light does not appear. The buttons on the side allow me to use only
one hand on the keyboard during combat. It is easier to manage stuff with, I
can just press a number on the side and it will send an attack for me.
("Razer naga molten," )
I am still new to using this mouse but I can tell that it will play into my
advantage.
What was your favorite thing about playing Halo 3?
-
Besides the fact that I was good at it? I liked working with a team. Online
play was always interesting and exciting. Online play is the best, I don’t like
playing game modes where you can’t play against people in.
* Pseudonym substituting real name for privacy purposes
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Conclusion
Obviously, video gaming is incredibly popular in today’s society. Whether it
is on a console platform or a PC platform, games are consistently played. Questions
still arise. What interface condones user activity with a game? Through my
research I have determined that it is not possible to decide which interface or
platform is better, but instead that it is up to user preference. There are all sorts of
gamers in the world and depending on the genre of game the user likes can
influence which platform they are more fond of. To base a final decision off opinions
from PC and console users would not be fair to one said in the end because each
provide valid points as to why their platform is supreme.
The goal of interface design is to make the user’s understanding of the game
simple and efficient and this is reached through complex ideas. This competition
between the PC and the console designers is reaching new levels. People spend
millions of dollars designing interfaces they believe will be best suited for a user.
The improvements made on interfaces have grabbed the attention of its users and
will continue to in the future. Improved interfaces lead to improved video games
which produce happy users. And as for the better platform, the debate will be
drawn out for years to come.
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Reference:
Entertainment Software Association, Initials. (2008). Essential facts about the
computer and video game industry. Retrieved from
http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2008.pdf
Figure 1(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=atari+2600+joystick&view=detail&id=840
8FDCF5A9CDDE3307EC58359593C1DE06AFC12&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR
Figure 3(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=keyboard+and+mouse&view=detail&id=5
294555544D37A8D9E103DC616A2120FEA6493FC&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR
Lowenstein, D. . (n.d.). Video games and homework. Retrieved from
http://www.drlowenstein.com/_data/user_docs/video-games-versushomework.pdf
Moon, J. (2000, December 30). What is information architecture?. Retrieved from
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/information-architecture
Razer naga molten special edition-mouse. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.bing.com/shopping/razer-naga-molten-special-editionmouse/specs/5B065F41B02EB3450001?q=razer+naga&FORM=CMSMSP
Valdes, R. (n.d.). How xbox 360 works. Retrieved from
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/xbox-three-sixty5.htm