Computer Game Platforms & Technologies

Week 8Introduction to Hardware

So Far We Have...

• Covered game platforms and the software technologies used upon them

• Undertaken the first assignment – well I hope so!!!

• Completed half the content for this module

Hardware

Hardware

• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Executes a sequence of stored instructions that

have been stored in a form of computer memory– All computers have a CPU– Fetch, Decode, Execute, Write

Hardware

• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Clock Speeds• Measured in Hertz• Number of cycles per second the CPU can accomplish

– How many hertz in 1.2MHz?– How many hertz in 2.4GHz?

– Mega Drive clock speed - 7.67 MHz– Xbox 360 clock speed – 3.4 GHz

Hardware

• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Cache– Cache > RAM > Hard Disk

• L1 (Level One)– Built into the CPU– Extremely fast to access although small in size (256Kb is common)

• L2 (Level Two)– Also built in (on modern processors)– Increased latency due to distance (1MB in size is common)

• L3 (Level Three)– Normally shared by cores (i.e. AMD Shanghai chips both have their own L1

& L2 cache, but share a larger L3 cache)– Located on the motherboard

Hardware

• CPU (Central Processing Unit)– Bus• How a computer connects various locations to each other

within the system• Types of CPU Bus

– Address– Data

• FSB (Front Side Bus)– Carries data between the CPU & the System Memory (Northbridge)– Percentage of CPU speed– Can be key in games

Hardware

• Memory– Purpose of Computer Memory• To allow the computer to access and execute specific

files and applications quicker and faster than directly from its stored location (i.e. Hard Drive / Flash Disk)

– Number of types of memory• Functionality• Durability

Hardware

• Memory– Volatile• RAM• DRAM (Dynamic)• SRAM (Static)• SDRAM (Synchronous)

– Non Volatile• ROM• Flash Memory

Hardware

• Graphics Processor– Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) / Visual

Processing Unit (VPU)– Offloads and accelerates the process of 2D & 3D

graphic rendering from the CPU– Can be integrated (on board) or dedicated

dependant on requirements

Hardware

• Graphics Processor– Designed specifically for performing complex

mathematical and geometric calculations– GPU speeds not as high as CPU– Inbuilt RAM to store the image created– Frame Buffer

Hardware

• Graphics Processor– RAMDAC• Converts the digital signals stored within the RAM to an

analogue base so that the monitor can interpret and display the result

Hardware

• Graphics Processor– Xbox 360 (Xenos GPU)• 500MHz• 4 x Full Scene Anti Aliasing (FSAA)• Z Buffering

– PS3 (RXS)• 550MHz• Based on nVidea GeForce 7800 architecture

Hardware

• Power– Internal (see image) stored within a PC case with

an external power lead supplying the electrical current

– PSU dependant on internal components– High power GPU = High Watt PSU

So...