Design for Interaction

Brief Two - 'Nintendo D.S. Lite.'

(fig 1) Nintendo DS Lite console.

Initially I was going to discuss the Nintendo Advance gaming console, but fortunately I have been lucky enough to get hold of a new Nintendo D.S. Lite (fig 1). The reasons why I want to discuss this product are because of its unique design qualities, as well as being an appropriate product for the set brief. The device itself is lightweight & portable, with dual screens and has a multimedia interface. This console is relatively new to me, so before writing this I had little prior knowledge of the devices interface, functionality & button layout.


Description of Product and its Functionality.

The Nintendo DS Lite is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It is a slimmer, more lightweight, aesthetically sleeker redesign of the earlier Nintendo DS model. It was commercialy released in Europe during June, 2006 and has sold over 4.15 Million units worldwide (Total DS sales for all models is 22 Million units worldwide). According to Nintendo, the famous Game Boy line of products are aimed at gamers on the move and is intended for use throughtout every day life in multiple environments. Furthermore, this product is meant to symbolise Nintendo’s flare for innovation. Indeed, the letters "DS" in the name are meant to stand for Developers' System, which refers to the features of the handheld, designed to encourage innovative gameplay ideas among developers. It can also stand for Dual Screen(Nintendo DS Frequently Asked Questions).

An interesting innovation Nintendo have made with the DS is that they have incorporated Wi-Fi technology. If you have access to a Wi-Fi Connection, you can connect wirelessly, chat and play with other Nintendo DS owners across the globe. Furthermore you can also connect to local wireless networks, with a wireless range of 30 to 100 feet. This means you can connect with a local wireless network and play up to sixteen players.

As for game compatibility, the Nintendo DS is compatible with Game Boy Advance cartridges (the smaller Nintendo DS cartridges fit into Slot 1 on the top of the system, while Game Boy Advance games fit into Slot 2 on the bottom of the system). The DS is not compatible with games for the Game Boy Color and the original Game Boy, which should be of little concern to most users as these games are now obsolite and are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain.

Interface Design

The DS Lite weighs in less than the original DS at 218g. It's smaller than the original too at 13.3 x 7.4 x 2.2cm. The device has two screens, the Top Screen boasts a backlit, 3-inch, transmissive TFT colour LCD with 256 x 192 pixel resolution, capable of displaying 260,000 colours. Each three inch screen can reproduce a true 3D view, with impressive 3D renderings. The lower display has the same specs as the top, but is overlaid with a pressure-sensitive touch screen, designed to accept input from the included stylus, the user's fingers, or the "thumb stylus": a curved plastic rectangle attached to the optional wrist strap. The touch screen allows players to interact with in-game elements more directly. This means that you no longer rely on just buttons to move your character or shift perspectives in games. In addition, you can also navigate menus or access inventory items by using the touch screen.

Traditional controls are located on either side of the touch screen. To the left is a D-pad and to the right are the A, B, X, and Y buttons, with small Select and Start buttons below them. Shoulder buttons L and R are located on the upper corners of the lower half of the system. Also on the lower half of the system can be found a clearly defined ‘power’ button, as well as a ‘volume’ button and a headphone slot.

The Nintendo DS also features stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound, located on either side of the upper display screen. This is a first for a Nintendo handheld, as the Game Boy line of systems has only supported stereo sound through the use of headphones or external speakers. There is also a built-in microphone, located below the left side of the bottom screen. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including speech recognition, chatting during gameplay and minigames that require the player to blow or shout into the microphone .

Task Analysis

As this product is predominately used for playing games on the move, I have decided to analyse how the user would perform the task of loading & playing a game like Super Mario Brothers. Below in bullet points are the steps and actions required to perform this task and information on how I knew what to do.

* Firstly I had to insert the Super Mario Brothers cartridge into Slot 1 on the top of the system. I knew to do this because I have played many games consoles in the past & they have all required me to load a game first. Furthermore, I knew to incert the game into Slot 1 because it is a smaller DS cartridge, that would not fit into Splot 2 (for Gameboy Advance games).

* Next I had to press the ‘Power’ button on the left of the console. The button is cleraly labled and again I knew to do this action from past experience. You are made aware that the device is now on because a Green LED display appears (Red appears when there is a low battery).

* When you open the device there are two screens. On the top screen is a clock displaying the time and a calendar displaying the date. On the bottom screen there are several option files, including the Super Mario Bros game file. To select the option file I simply pressed the ‘A’ button, although I could have used my thumb or the provided stylus on the touch screen. This was not initially obvious; I tried pressing the ‘start’ button first, but worked out the appropriate button through a process of elimination.

* At this point the game is now loaded. To start playing and to navigate my character I know to use the traditional D-Pad and the four A,B,Y & X from my previous experience with such consoles.

Please click link for additional pictures- http://www.flickr.com/photos/64946738@N00/sets/72157594333225201/show/