Video game accessories are the different hardware needed to use video game consoles, or that enrich the video game experience. Basically, video game accessories are everything but the console itself, such as controllers, memory, power adapter (AC), and audio/visual cable. Most video game consoles are equipped with the necessary accessories to play games out of the box (minus software): one A/V cable, one AC cord, and one controller. Memory is usually the most needed accessory outside of this, because game data can not be saved to the compact disc. Companies that produce video game consoles also make these accessories for replacement purposes (AC and A/V cables) and enhance the overall experience (additional controllers for more players, or unique devices such as light weapons and dance pads). There is an entire industry company that makes accessories for consoles as well, called third party companies. Prices are often lower than those made by the console maker (the first party). This is usually achieved by avoiding permissions or using cheaper materials. For mobile systems such as PlayStation Portable and Game Boy iterations, there are many accessories to make it more useful in mobile environments, such as mobile phone chargers, lighting for increased visibility, and cases to protect and help organize a set of system peripherals for. The newer accessories include many artificial things like mod chips to bypass manufacturing or home-made software protection.
Video Video game accessory
Accessory type
Game controller
The most common accessory for a video game console is the controller used to play the game. Control has evolved since Pong and spinner days. Now there are direction controls as well as many other input types.
One type of directional control is a directional pad or D-Pad. The D-Pad is designed to look like an additional sign with each branch being one of the four directions of the wind; left, right, up, and down. It's been around since the original Nintendo Entertainment System, and it's been in every Nintendo system ever since. Another feature in the latest console handler is the analog stick, which is used for 360? direction control. Often used for camera angle control, the idea is to give full control to the player by allowing any direction to be used. Analog controls made their first appearance in the 1970s consoles under the name of the joystick; they made a reappearance in the console system with Nintendo 64. The analog stick has been used in every modern console ever since. There is no analog stick on the Wii Remote, but there is a Nunchuk attachment that is bundled with a Wii console. The latest developments in directional control are free motion control. Using the accelerometer in the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, acceleration in any direction can be detected and measured. It is still a new type of control scheme and fully utilized on the Wii as well as the SIXAXIS controller of the PlayStation 3, and the PlayStation Move controller has oblique detection.
While directional control is an important part of the controller, there are also common inputs, usually in the form of buttons either in front or on the top edge (shoulder) controller. These simply designed buttons are usually labeled either by some color, shape, or letter identification. The buttons can be used for simple one-action ideas like jumping or doing some kind of generic attack, but they can also be used to string together a combination of maneuvers such as a martial artist's attack. In systems starting with Super Nintendo, the buttons on the controller's shoulders have become commonplace. In the case of the Xbox (and Sega Dreamcast) series of systems, the shoulder button is formed and used more like a weapon trigger.
Memory unit
Initially game consoles do not have additional storage memory to store game related data. During the Nintendo Entertainment System time on the market, battery-backed cartridge games that can maintain a limited number of game files are introduced. When the original PlayStation was released it included support for an external memory source, called a memory card. The goal is to store important information about the game, such as game status or assessment info. The memory card uses EEPROM type memory. To support the growing use of these cards in the normal game and the amount of different data to store, a larger memory card is created. Other consoles also adopt the use of memory cards, such as the Sega Dreamcast, whose memory cards are called Visual Memory Units or VMUs. The Dreamcast memory unit is unique in that it has a monochrome LCD display, a D-pad, and two buttons. A large third party memory card market is also emerging, offering cards that are often much cheaper and larger than the official memory cards released. Some unique third-party cards require additional software to access the card, or perhaps increase data capacity by compressing existing data.
The Xbox system is sold with a new data storage type for the console: an internal hard drive for storing information. The hard drive is 8 GB and is used more than just a memory device. It is used in conjunction with the game to support part of the game's data so the loading time is reduced. The hard drive also stores downloadable content from the Xbox Live service. Since the Xbox precedent, PlayStation 2 has a hard drive accessory used with the Final Fantasy XI game to store character data. In the new generation PlayStation 3 game consoles are included with one of a variety of hard drive sizes, depending on the purchased console model, 20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, and 80 GB models, or 120 or 250 GB for the PS3 Slim. Xbox 360 launched with 20 GB hard drive. Once users start complaining about the lack of space due to HD content, Microsoft releases a 120 GB drive bundled with their Elite model, and is available for individual sales.
Audio/Video Cable
The console system is played on television. Thus the system requires a way for the information they process to appear on the screen, and for the audio to be played through the sound system. Initially this is done through an antenna switch box. Then this is converted into a coaxial cable arrangement called the RF connector. It transmits audio and video over a single cable. Today's modern systems are very different. All newer systems use industry standards now. One such standard is the RCA composite cable from a single video and left and right audio. The video connector is usually yellow while the left and right audio are white and red respectively. Now newer systems focus on HD content and are featured in the new HD type cable connections required. The bottom line is component cable with RGB format. RGB stands for three colors, red, green, and blue. This is the simplest form of HD cable. It uses three wires for video and two for still audio. The latest form of HD transmission cable is the High-Definition Multimedia Interface or HDMI cable. The HDMI cable sends video and audio signals over a single cable. More importantly, the information transmitted is a digital signal. Other cables use analog signals so that modern systems must be converted to analog and then back to digital for use. Information is often lost in this conversion so HDMI stores the signal as digital so less information is lost, keeping the signal more correct to the source. These cables and signals are too new to be fully utilized, and are really only required for 1080p signals.
Cases
Due to the modern video game market, many cases are available for home and hand game systems. Because portability is often in contact with elements and more prone to accidents, most owners use cases to protect their systems.
Many such cases include soft pads to hold the system while the outer shell provides protection from falling or environmental debris. Some trade off padding to make the case thinner and more concise. While such larger cases usually provide better protection and more space for games and accessories, they can be rather large and difficult to carry in pockets or small bags.
To a lesser extent, cases for the home console also exist. The home console case is usually designed as a backpack or briefcase and has enough room for systems, cables, controllers, and often, some games. This allows gamers to easily transport stationary systems traditionally, making them more mobile and shareable.
The home video console game is packed in a DVD box. Portable uses a smaller format, but both are usually larger than actual gaming media. Therefore, one can find cases that are made to hold only the game media, thus saving space and protecting disks or cartridges from an open environment or improper storage. They can hold one or more games. Larger cases and folders can accommodate the entire collection of players.
Software accessory
Most software accessories for video game systems are just games designed by professional game companies. With some systems recently, homebrew homemade games are being designed and released publicly. The Xbox 360 system has released an official tool called XNA so users can design and develop their own content. It was announced by Microsoft after their announcement about Xbox Live Marketplace. Another popular homebrew type is in the portable Nintendo DS gaming system. Through outside hardware, the internal software used to run the game, BIOS, is overwritten. Replacing the default BIOS with an unauthorized BIOS allows for user-generated content to be played. These games are all from simple ports of old games to completely new ideas and games. Sony also allows homebrew content on their new PlayStation 3 by allowing it to install Linux. Linux allows for different types of content that can be played. Since the open source Linux method uses hardware as long as the user writes the required software, anything can be played on the PS3.
There is more than just software that allows a variety of software can be played. Hardware called modchips allows many changes to the system. Because the chip requires you to open the case to the system and connect it to the circuit, the chip will void the warranty and even be considered illegal by some companies. Most modchips are designed to allow illegal copies of games to be played. They can also allow access to hardware that is not usually present in the system. Modchips overall can add interesting effects but can cause many complications of possible system breaking, from improper installation, and cause legal issues.
Maps Video game accessory
Add-ons/Peripherals
Add-ons, also known as peripherals, are devices that are generally sold separately from the console, but are connected to the main unit to add significant new functionality. This may include devices that upgrade hardware from the console to allow it to play more games using resources, devices that allow consoles to play games on different media formats, or devices that completely change the console's functionality of the game-playing device. for something else. Hardware add-ons differ from accessories in accessories that add useful functionality but are not essential to gameplay (such as Game Link Cable or Rumble Pak), or in some cases can only add aesthetic value (such as case mod or faceplate). Generally, games designed to be used with fixed accessories can be played in the console without compatible accessories, while games designed for use with devices can not be played on the console without the appropriate device.
- Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
- Sega 32X
- Sega Mega-CD
- Sega Channel adapter
- Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System
- Aladdin Deck Enhancer
- Disk Famicom System (Japanese only)
- Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Satellaview (Japanese only)
- Sufami Turbo (Japanese only)
- Super Boy Game
- Super Boy Game 2
- SNES-CD (Canceled) Nintendo 64
- Expansion Pak
- Nintendo 64DD (Japan only)
- Width-Boy64
- Nintendo GameCube
- Game Boy Player
- Game Boy
- Game Boy Camera
- Game Boy Color
- Singer IZEK sewing machine
- Game Boy Advance
- e-Readers
- Eye Game (Canceled)
- Play-Yan
Third party versus first party
Game accessories can be one of two types, first or third parties. First-party accessories are often very expensive for what they are. Therefore, many companies specialize in the production of similar products that perform the same functions. Most of these items are similar but cheaper. They come at a lower cost for various reasons. Since these companies can avoid licensing fees, and do not have the same development costs, they can save money that way. They can also use low quality materials in the production of accessories, making them cheaper but usually more fragile and less reliable. Another common feature with third-party accessories is the better value. While most first-party accessories have only one version, only one type of controller for example, many third-party companies will expand the original product. For example, Sony is not the first to release a memory card twice the capacity of the original. In contrast, many third-party companies are able to release such products first and get a lot of sales from them.
Accessory trends
One of the main trends is to make everything wireless. Most systems have cables mounted on the front and back. Although there are not many cables plugged into the system, if the system is close to the television system and audio system, the cables may be large enough and set up very haphazardly. By making the most of the wireless accessories the goal is to reduce the clutter. One of the problems with wireless accessory is power. There are currently no wireless resources for accessories. So in many cases batteries of several modes are required. Problems with this can be a power requirement of regular accessory functions as well as the components used to maintain a wireless connection. Often the draw on this battery can be so much that it is cost effective to power this device without a rechargeable battery. The solution to this is a rechargeable controller station.
Another growing trend is the unique controller for a particular game. Examples such as being a guitar controller recently for Red Octane's Guitar Hero game. This controller is unusual because it can only be used for one game. A standard game controller can be used for many types of games, so controllers that can only be used for one seem to be intuitive counters. However, with popular games like Guitar Hero sometimes even controllers can inspire third-party replicas. Toys-to-Life games not only provide physical toys for players, but these toys also serve as part of the ingame experience either through the field of close communication or some sort of image recognition.
One problem that is partially enhanced by wireless technology uptake is that users are still forced to stand up and leave their seats to control certain aspects of the game system. To resolve the issue, many consoles have recently included a feature that allows turning, off and resetting the machine remotely.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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