Game Interfaces

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Game Interfaces
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Game Interfaces

• What is an interface?
• HCI (Human Computer Interaction/ Interface)
• Considerations and Guidelines
• Physical Interfaces
• Virtual Interfaces

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What is an Interface?
Virtual Interface
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Physical Interface
User
Game
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Considerations and Guidelines

• Using the senses
• Users Memory
• Visual Design
• Usability
• Ergonomics
• Health and Safety

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Physical Interfaces - Beginnings
Space Invaders (Midway 1978) Joystick Interface
and above the common arcade joystick set-up used
especially by Street Fighter 2 (Capcom 1991)
below.
Space War (MIT 1962) used an Oscilloscope.
Dial interface for Pong (Atari1972)
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Physical Interfaces Different Controllers
Space Harrier (Sega 1985) Used an analogue stick
with a trigger (similar to a fighterpilot stick.
Gun Interface foron-rails shooter Operation Wolf
(Taito 1987)
The same style and interfacewas replicated
adding a 2 player option in Terminator 2 (Midway
1991)
Star Wars (Atari1983) Used a pilots
steeringwheel with additionalbuttons.
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Physical Interfaces The Gun
Lethal Enforcers (Konami1992) Popular game which
made use of the optical gun.
Time Crisis (Namco 1996) In addition to the
optical gun, this game also offered blow back on
the gun and a pedal.
Police 911 (Konami 2000) Used an optical gun and
infrared sensors to detect body movement.
Brave Fire-fighters (Sega 1999) Took a unique
twist on the traditional optical arcade gun.
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Physical Interfaces Nice and Silly.
Silent Scope (Konami1999) Fixed gun set-up much
like Terminator 2 but with a scope that contained
a monitor which displayed rifle cross-heirs.
Daytona (Sega1994) A steering wheel with force
feedback, a manual gear stick and a pair of
pedals defined the car/ racing arcade machine.
Final Furlong (Namco 1997) Wellthis image speaks
for itself!
World Kicks (Namco 1999) Used an analogue stick
for direction and a kick pad for power.
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Physical Interfaces Nice
Dance Dance Revolution (Konami1999) The one with
the dance pad!
Its still around and remains an icon for arcade
physical interfaces.
Drum Master (Namco 1999) Check that out! Inspired
Nintendos Donkey Konga.
Wave Shark (Konami 1996) A jet-ski racing game.
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Physical Interfaces Home Consoles
1960 saw the Keyboard.
What a joystick looks like today.
1968, Douglas Engelbert invented the mouse.
Joystick (Atari 1977) Invented by Stephen D.
Bristow.
The Atari paddles (1982).
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Physical Interfaces The D-Pad
Nintendos first controller for a home console
which used the iconic D-Pad (Digital/
Directional) was invented by Gunpei Yokoi in 1982
for the Game and Watch portable game series.
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Physical Interfaces Nintendo Lead the way
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Physical Interfaces Nintendo Leads the Way
The SNES pad (Nintendo 1990), with 6 2 Shoulder
Buttons.
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Physical Interfaces Nintendo Leads the Way
Segas Saturn (1994) and Sonys Playstation(1994)
follow suit..
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Physical Interfaces Nintendo Leads the Way
The Nintendos N64 (1996) introduced a analogue
stick and a memory card slot which also allowed
the use of the Rumble Pak.
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Physical Interfaces Nintendo Leads the Way
Sonys Dualshock controller (1997 - left) and
Segas Dreamcast then adapted to the change. But
the Dreamcast did however introduce the analogue
trigger.
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Physical Interfaces A slight pause?
Nintendos Gamecube Controller (2001) included
analogue buttons but its later release of the
Wavebird Controller which would influence the
next generation. Whilst Microsofts Xbox (2001)
played it safe and pretty mush duplicated the
Dreamcasts.
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Physical Interfaces Whats new?
Both Microsofts Xbox 360 pad and Sonys
Playstation 3 use RF rather then infra-red or
leads for that matter
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Physical Interfaces Where now?
Nintendos Revolution (2005) controller is also
wireless but contains sensors inside to detect
movement.
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Physical Interfaces Nice try...
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Physical Interfaces Worth a mention
Eye Toy (Logitech 2003)
Nintendo DS (2005)
Virtual Boy (Nintendo 1995)
oh and Virtual Reality (Thomas Massie 1995)
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Virtual Interfaces - Visualising Data
Super Mario Bros. (Left) makes use of text to
communicate whilst Street Fighter 2 uses a bar to
communicate the energy level.
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Virtual Interfaces - Icons
Command and Conquer Red Alert 2
Civilisation A Call to Power

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Virtual Interfaces - The HUD (Heads Up Display)
A Fighter Pilots HUD.
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Virtual Interfaces
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Questions?
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Next Lecture
Character Design Mitja Kostomaj Next week at
10am.