Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Video Game System for Kids




There are many choices in the games that kids can play. Some are educational, fun and extra entertaining for many kids to enjoy. Because of our new innovative technology and progress, even changes in the way children games have also transformed to a more realistic and virtual game playing with contents unacceptable for many kids to view.

Before, video games were invented for educational and entertainment purposes that kids have enjoyed playing even today. Most likely, parents did not have to worry about what their kids are playing because game content was safe and fairly protected from harmful contents. Like the Atari video game system, offering wholesome games such as Pac-Man or Space Invaders, kids are open to have a fun and be entertained without any explicit content and away from corruption that could influence the children's behavior. Unfortunately, changes in technology have altered the way video games are today. Games of today are more realistic and are in stilled with adult content that many game manufacturers have included in their games. Therefore, parents are now concerned on the typical game system that they want their kids to have. In fact, many parents are opting to find the best video game system that is best for their kids but away from adult contents and other threatening factors that could influence the kids.

Unlike before, Atari game system was the best video games made available to kids. Now, video game system has increased due to so many selections available to consumers especially to parents. Large selections of different types of game system such as Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo's GameCube, and Microsoftís Xbox and Xbox 360 video games from Microsoft are some of the selections that parents consider purchasing for their kids.

The best selling game console in the market is the Sony PlayStation 2 (or often referred to as PS2), it caters to all ages while providing about 600 different types of games. These games have been rated for every age bracket to enjoy and specifically for preference of age limitation allowed for each game and level usage. For example, games rated with E are allowed for ages from six and up. Other games at this rating, however, are complicated for younger children to play therefore, rating with E10+ are advisable for children above ten years old to play. Likewise, other games for younger children below 10 are rated with EC or in other words, Early Childhood.

A popular video game system that children basically love is the Nintendo GameCube console. This game system has about 263 games that are based on children's favorite titles like the Sega's Sonic GEMS Collections, Mario Party 6 and Mario Tennis from Nintendo, and other game titles particularly for GameCube console that are also rated E.

Another video game system rated E is the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game with a built-in parental control. The Xbox has about 270 available games while the Xbox 360 has about 12 games and increasing with other popular releases. Although, some of these games may not only be available on the Xbox but as well, be available to GameCube and PS2 or all three video game systems mentioned. In such, the Xbox games with E rating like Astropop and Feeding Frenzy can have crossover titles that many publishers have also released and made possible to other video game system. For instance, rated E games like Eidos InteractiveLEGO Star Wars are available to GameCube, PS2 and even Xbox whereas other rated E10+ are also available to other game systems, while other games like the rated EC Global Star Software's Dora the Explorer are solely for Xbox and PS2 only.

Choosing the best video game system for the kids is important especially if parents are very concerned in their kid's preference in video game playing. The abovementioned video game system can help parents understand the kinds of video game system available to kids while assisting parents in finding the best video game system to give to them. Parents should keep in mind that video game systems for their kids should have parental control options on the game system to lock functions or set limits to the kind of games or titles allowed for playing or viewing. From the abovementioned video game systems, the most advisable for parents to purchase is the Xbox and Xbox 360 because it comes with a built-in parental control.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Computer game system requirements

What does a Computer Game System Require?


Every system that exists on this planet needs a requirement. No matter how many or how big the requirement is, it is essential to comply with the requirements to full realize its potential or to just simply make it work. In science, a system may require any factor affecting it. For example, for a plant to complete its photosynthesis, it must collect carbon dioxide from its surrounding.

This idea is also true in computer gaming. In video games, the peripherals or the devices that you are going to use must meet the requirements set by the game. These requirements are primarily on the capacity of your device; say a console, to perform tasks and to read the game set for by the programmer.

Compatibility also has something to do with computer requirements. The idea behind this is the simple fact that a game can be played with compatible device which can play perfectly the said software. For instance, the video resolution of a program may differ according to the monitor that a gamer may use. With requirements, the user may know which monitor can possibly display good video.

Why set a minimum requirement for a certain console in line with the game? All game programs are innovated in the highest technology environments. When they are incompatible with the hardware devices, chances are that the operation of such game may be greatly affected. These minimum requirements are neither for the game producer nor for the console maker. These are actually for the consumer, in the case of computer video game, for the gamer to have the best possible output from a combination of right game the right system requirement.

Requirements are actually computer specifications that each device must possess. Basically, each game may require certain specifications to the device they must be played with. The game may require the following from the computer:

ï    Processorís Speed ñ the speed for the processor is one of the crucial system requirements a certain game may ask your computer to possess. This said speed will determine how fast your computer will act or execute a decision. Since, games are all executable programs, speed of the processor is very important. Processor speed has a unit of megahertz (MHz) and gigahertz (GHz). The unit megahertz are smaller unit than gigahertz. More precisely, a gigahertz is equal to a thousand megahertz. High-speed processors can run any game equal to its speed and lower but slower processors may not run games with higher speed requirements.

ï    Random Access Memory ñ this is commonly known as the internal memory or plainly memory of the computer. This memory helps store some data immediately needed by the processor. Most of the computer machines available in the market has preset RAM equivalent to 64MB. Most games may require RAM equal to this. However, there are game programs that require higher RAM like 126MB. This is not something to worry about because RAM can be upgraded with higher memory capacity.

ï    VRAM ñ this stands for Video Read Access Memory. The ability of your computer to display good resolution games depends on the VRAM. This memory works with the video card. Video cards are like processors however it is only focused on feeding the monitor with visual commands. The VRAM is a temporary memory that saves all graphical information that will be later on fed to the video card and the processor.

ï    Disc Capacity ñ refers to the capacity of the hard drive to store files and information. Disc space is also measured and uses the unit megabytes (MB) just like the VRAM and the RAM. The higher the disc space, the more games that you can store and play in your computer. Like the RAM, disc memory capacity may also be upgraded. One can even have higher memory that can be measured in gigabyte (GB).

ï    CD-ROM drive speed ñ not all the games that are installed in your pc may no longer require a disc. Most game companies upgrade computer game programs using discs. This are later added in the game specs by means of reinstalling it in the computer. The faster the CD-ROM is the faster the installation will be. Every now and then, you will use the CD-ROM not just in playing games but also in ensuring copyright protection and the like. Just like other requirements, the CD-ROM speed can perform its duty well to game programs that has equal speed requirement or slower.