My counselor asked me last week what a game console was and I was stumped.
So I felt I should write something about it, but using the most simple and general descriptions possible.
This was to achieve a tone similar to that of a consumer magazine or website, such as Computer Active or Which?.
[HEADING=3]What is a video game console?[/HEADING]
According to Wikipedia, a video game console is "an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device (a television, monitor, etc.) to display a video game."
Another way to think about it is that a console is a very specialised computer. While most personal computers are expected to be able to do a lot of different things, a console is expected to do one thing: play games. That means that instead of being able to do many things at once, like writing an email or filling in a spreadsheet, a console does one thing at a time.
Now-a-days all consoles work best with an internet connection. With this connection, you are able to stream videos from the internet (YouTube) or from on-demand video services (such as Netflix or LoveFilm) as well as music from similar services (Spotify). They are also able to play DVDs and some can play Blu-Ray disks too for High Definition movies.
These features was introduced in the most recent generation of consoles to make them a multi-media 'hub' in one's living room.
It has a special way to input things. Instead of a mouse and keyboard, it uses a 'gamepad' or 'controller'. They are wireless and are usually an ergonomic device you hold with two hands, using your thumbs to manipulate the buttons (usually four plus a direction pad) and two analogue sticks on it's top surface and fingers to manipulate triggers on the front.
The analogue sticks are used to move things around on screen, such as a cursor or character, while the buttons are used to interact or manipulate things on screen, such as selecting and confirming or declining an option or action.
Each individual video game is played by using a unique disk. Each disk has a whole game on it which you need to have in the console for the game to work. However, you must have the version of the game for your console, otherwise it would be like trying to play a vinyl record in a CD player. Some games are not released on all consoles. This makes them 'exclusive' to a particular console.
However, you are also able to buy and download full games over the internet. These games are stored on the consoles hard drive, like programs on a PC's hard drive.
There are currently four major home consoles on the market: the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, the Wii and the Wii U.
The Wii is the predecessor to the Wii U, both are manufactured by Nintendo. They both use an innovative motion sensing controller, which can is used more actively than traditional controllers.
The Wii was very successful with families because of the simple games that it came packaged with and their relative simplicity. It cannot play DVDs or HD games.
The Wii U is a different console in and of itself. It also uses motion sensing controllers but primarily has a controller that has a touch screen in it. This screen is used as another way to interact with games in addition to analogue sticks and buttons, also attached to the screen. It can play DVDs and HD games.
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The Xbox 360 is manufactured by Microsoft and is popular among people who play games online with, or against, other people. It is also a good media hub. This means it has good support from online streaming services for movies as well as social media.
It requires an optional monthly subscription fee to access most of the online content, such as multiplayer games and internet browsing.
Movie streaming usually requires a separate account with the specific companies offering this service, which also requires a monthly subscription fee.
The PlayStation 3 is manufactured by Sony and is the only current console that can play Blu-Ray disks. This means it is able to play HD movies and have games that are arguably more graphically detailed.
It has a online support that does not require a monthly charge to access it's features. However, it's multilayer community is smaller than that using the Xbox 360. However, there are notable number of exclusive games on the PlayStation 3.
Very recently the PlayStation 4 was announced by Sony. There are not many known details about it, including how much it will cost, whether it will be able to play PlayStation 3 games or even what it looks like.
Because of this, it can be expected that in the near future, the successor to the Xbox 360 will also be announced meaning that both consoles will receive a cut in price. The same happened to the Wii when when the Wii U was launched. However, this may also mean that new games available for all three main consoles will start to taper off, although the existing games will still be available to play.
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So I felt I should write something about it, but using the most simple and general descriptions possible.
This was to achieve a tone similar to that of a consumer magazine or website, such as Computer Active or Which?.
[HEADING=3]What is a video game console?[/HEADING]
According to Wikipedia, a video game console is "an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device (a television, monitor, etc.) to display a video game."
Another way to think about it is that a console is a very specialised computer. While most personal computers are expected to be able to do a lot of different things, a console is expected to do one thing: play games. That means that instead of being able to do many things at once, like writing an email or filling in a spreadsheet, a console does one thing at a time.
Now-a-days all consoles work best with an internet connection. With this connection, you are able to stream videos from the internet (YouTube) or from on-demand video services (such as Netflix or LoveFilm) as well as music from similar services (Spotify). They are also able to play DVDs and some can play Blu-Ray disks too for High Definition movies.
These features was introduced in the most recent generation of consoles to make them a multi-media 'hub' in one's living room.
The analogue sticks are used to move things around on screen, such as a cursor or character, while the buttons are used to interact or manipulate things on screen, such as selecting and confirming or declining an option or action.
However, you are also able to buy and download full games over the internet. These games are stored on the consoles hard drive, like programs on a PC's hard drive.
There are currently four major home consoles on the market: the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, the Wii and the Wii U.
The Wii was very successful with families because of the simple games that it came packaged with and their relative simplicity. It cannot play DVDs or HD games.
-break-
It requires an optional monthly subscription fee to access most of the online content, such as multiplayer games and internet browsing.
Movie streaming usually requires a separate account with the specific companies offering this service, which also requires a monthly subscription fee.
It has a online support that does not require a monthly charge to access it's features. However, it's multilayer community is smaller than that using the Xbox 360. However, there are notable number of exclusive games on the PlayStation 3.
Very recently the PlayStation 4 was announced by Sony. There are not many known details about it, including how much it will cost, whether it will be able to play PlayStation 3 games or even what it looks like.
Because of this, it can be expected that in the near future, the successor to the Xbox 360 will also be announced meaning that both consoles will receive a cut in price. The same happened to the Wii when when the Wii U was launched. However, this may also mean that new games available for all three main consoles will start to taper off, although the existing games will still be available to play.
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