Windows 7

I've been running Windows 7 on my computer ever since last summer, and one of the biggest changes to the operating system is in the user interface. In my opinion, Microsoft has done a great job at transitioning the user interface from one operating system to the next. When I first used Vista, I felt that it wasn't too different from XP. It still had the start button, toolbar and taskbar that I was familiar with, so I did not have any difficulty adjusting to the new interface. At the same time, it added the search bar after clicking the start button that allows you to search for programs rather than navigating through a menu system. Windows 7 provides a more drastic change than Vista did, but it still has a very familiar feeling that did not take much time to adjust to. Once again, it did not take much time to get used to the simple but useful changes they made to the user interface.



The start button is still there, and the search functionality is still in place, but the emphasis is now on tabs that are located in the taskbar. Mousing over the tabs even gives you a preview of what the window looks like, giving you an easy way to know what each of your minimized windows is doing and fast navigation between them. Interestingly enough, the tabs were actually in Windows 1.0 (pictured below) and were updated and brought back for the latest operating system.



It is only when I go back to using Windows XP that I realize how good of a job Microsoft actually did. The changes from operating system to operating system have been subtle enough to cause for a smooth transition, but when I use XP now that I have gotten used to Windows 7, it feels so primitive. Going back to XP from Vista caused no such feeling, so it is clear to me that Microsoft has drastically changed its user interface after just two generations, but they have done so in a smooth way without jarring old users with an unfamiliar interface. Of course, those who transition straight from XP to Windows 7 may feel differently, but I imagine the transition up will be a lot smoother than my experience when I move back down to XP.

SIXAXIS

The controller for the Sony Playstation consoles has not changed much in shape or button layout since it came out for the original Playstation console. The first major change was the addition of dual analogue sticks. A rumble effect was later added and the joysticks became press-able buttons while remaining joysticks. The rumble was a good way to help immerse the players through the user interface by letting them actually feel what was going on. It was even used in Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid 1 as a way to more directly interact with the player. At one point, a boss named Psycho Mantis was trying to prove his psychic abilities, and instructed the player to place the controller on the floor. Once the controller was on the floor, Psycho Mantis "moved" the controller with his psychic powers (via the rumble).



The PS3 introduced a wireless controller, replaced the L2 and R2 buttons with triggers, and most notably added SIXAXIS to the controller. SIXAXIS is used to measure movement along the controller in six different directions. As the controller lay in its flat position (below), it can be moved up and down, rotated left and right, and tilted forward or back. In order to fit the components required for SIXAXIS into the controller without altering its shape, the engineers at Sony decided they had to scrap the rumble feature. Little did they know, this would be a cause for a lot of complaints. Gamers really wanted to keep the rumble effect, and not many developers have used the SIXAXIS controls in a fun intuitive way.



A lot of games simply use the SIXAXIS controls by making the player shake the controller up and down at certain parts of the game. I find this tedious and unenjoyable, but there are two games that I've played which really make use of the SIXAXIS. When turning a wheel (think of the wheels you see used to open doors/hatches on ships), the player has to hold down on the L and R buttons to place their hands on the wheel, and then rotate the controller to turn the wheel. In order to reposition their hands to give it another crank, they let go of the L and R buttons, rotate the controller back in the other direction, and repeat. While it is very simple and a small part of the game, it is actually quite intuitive and makes you feel like you are actually turning the wheel. They didn't go overboard, but the found a place in the game where SIXAXIS could be used intuitively, and took advantage of it.



The other game that I've played which uses the SIXAXIS well is Flower. Instead of being a small component, Flower uses the SIXAXIS throughout the entirety of the game. The basic premise of the game is that you control the wind, and as you pass through flowers you open them up and collect a petal that rides with the wind. Only one button is needed to propel the wind forward, and the direction is dictated entirely by the orientation of the controller. It is a good example of a natural user interface.

While the SIXAXIS was meant to add another dimension to the user interface of the PS3, not many developers have taken advantage of it. It presents an interesting way to interact with the player, but finding a way to naturally incorporate it into a traditional game has not been done well by many.

Natural User Interface

I was out in Redmond, Washington last summer, and one of the phrases that they used a lot at Microsoft was "Natural User Interface". They are striving for a natural user interface with all of their applications, operating systems, mobile products, and of course with Project Natal. While I was out there, I had the priveledge to try Natal and play their demo called "Ricochet". Ricochet is a breakout/brick breaker style game that takes place in three dimensions. You use your body as the paddle to reflect the balls towards the square panels at the end of a long corridor that you are trying to break. The ball starts out floating in the air above your player, and you have to swat the ball to get it moving. Unlike breakout where the paddle only moves along one dimension, your body must move in three dimensions. Not only does it have to block the ball in the x and y directions to prevent it from going past you, but you must also swing forward to give the ball momentum as it travels down the corridor.



While I was watching someone else play, I noticed there was a lot of lag between their movements and the movements of their character. It looked like it would be difficult to play with a lot of complex motions, but when I got to try it myself, the one word that best described my experience was "natural". I've played a lot of video games in my life, but I've never played a game that was as intuitive as Ricochet. It just felt "right". I could not tell if the latency was caused by the technology or if it was intentionally programmed into the game. Since I was standing a few feet away from the TV, the actions of my avatar were timed to move about when the ball would have reached me had it continued through the screen and towards my actual body. I'm not sure if this will be present in other Natal games, but in Ricochet it felt perfect.

Now I can only hope that Natal will have enough pinpoint accuracy to make the first fun beer pong video game.