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Running Head: PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 1
The PlayStation 4 System Design and Interaction
Griffin Hermann
Dr. Pat Jinkins
19 April, 2015
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 2
The PlayStation 4 system (PS4) is a video game console created by Sony Computer
Entertainment. It is the successor of the popular PlayStation 3 system. The PS4 was released in
the United States on November 15th, 2013. The PS4 and the Xbox One, the rival system created
by Microsoft, are considered as the next generation of console gaming. With these gaming
systems getting more and more complex, the ease of interaction has become a faucet of their
designs. As the systems are marketed to a broad range of users, interaction must be intuitive
and learnable. The PS4 (Figure 1) accomplishes this goal by using a variety of ways for the user
to interact with the system. The console’s graphical interface, The DualShock 4 controller, the
PlayStation Eye, touchscreens, and voice recognition software all provide unique ways to use
the PS4.
Figure 1. The PlayStation 4 system with the DualShock 4 controller and Playstation Eye. From http://whatisplaystation4.com/playstation-4-specs-and-capabilities/
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 3
The PS4 console (see Figure 2) is a highly complex system that is more advanced than
any gaming system before it. Boasting a powerful 64bit central processing unit (CPU) and an
AMD Radeon graphics processing unit (GPU), the PS4 uses the combination of these two to
provide the next-generation gaming experience (“The Teardown”, 2014). As can be seen in
Table 1, the PS4 has many complex parts that the average user would not understand.
With all of the components combined inside the console, the designers then had
the important job of creating the software for the system. The PS4 outputs its graphical user
interface (GUI) on a separate screen, such as a television screen. The GUI allows users to
interact with a computer by using images like a cursor or folders, instead of command line text
(Fennigkoh, 2013). The GUI had to be designed so it was usable and intuitive to a large target
user group. Dr. Larry Fennigkoh (2013) says in his paper, Visual, Perceptual, and Cognitive
Factors in Human-Computer Interface Design and Use, that “Computer jargon, even written in
English, can seem to be a foreign language”.
Figure 2. The PlayStation console. Featuring power and eject buttons on the front. From http://cdn3.dualshockers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/PS4x.jpg?eaa32fTable 1: Sony PS4 Components (“The Teardown”, 2014).
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 4
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 5
The resulting PS4 GUI (Figure 3) combined important human cognitive factors for the
user. Colors have the unique trait in that they can affect cognition by changing the way a user
feels (Fennigkoh, 2013). The background of the home screen seen in figure 3 is blue. In western
societies, blue is often associated with “trust, loyalty, depth, and stability” along with “coolness,
tranquility, and calmness” (Fennigkoh, 2013).
To interact with certain aspects of the interface, icons are used to represent different
functions. As Wickens and Hollands (2013) wrote in their book, Engineering Psychology and
Human Performance, “it is important that the meaning of each icon is clear…. And not
confusable with other icons in the set”. Looking at figure 3, there are several icons at the top of
the home screen. A shopping bag representing the PlayStation Store, a pair of faces showing
how to get to the friends list, and a toolbox to show how to get to the settings menu. Menus
are also an important feature of the PS4’s GUI. All the relevant features intended for the user
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 6
are too numerous to fit on the home screen. Menus are a popular option for interaction
because “…human recognition memory is much better than absolute recall” (Fennigkoh, 2013).
With the graphical interface in place, designers needed a way for the user to use it. The
DualShock 4 controller (Figure 4) is packaged with every PlayStation system. The front of the
controller consists of two analog sticks, direction buttons (or D-pad) to the left, shape buttons
to the right, a small speaker, and a large touchpad in the middle. The top of the controller has
trigger style buttons and an LED powered light bar (Figure 5). The LED light bar communicates
with the PS4 and allows the DualShock 4 to be used as a motion controller as well (Hsu, 2013).
The console itself has buttons on the outside to interact with as well. A very
minimal amount of buttons do to the reliance of other interaction methods. The PS4 console
has a power button in front along with a disc eject button. The buttons have no writing only the
familiar icons for “power” and “eject” (see Figure 2).
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 7
The user can traverse the home screen and subsequent screens by using the directional
buttons or analog stick. Selections can be made by using the “X” button on the desired
application. The touchpad is a new feature to handheld controllers. It acts as a single button for
certain applications, but can also be used for gestures as well. Swiping up, down, left or right
can all be input gestures for certain games and applications.
The DualShock 4 controller utilizes haptic technology in its design. Alex Wright describes
haptics in his article, The Touchy Subject of Haptics. Wright (2011) says haptics is “technology
that invokes our sense of touch”. When utilizing features on the home screen or playing a
game, the controller has the ability to vibrate at different levels. Vibration could be considered
another information channel that could help lessen the cognitive load by transmitting data to
the brain from the feel of the vibration (Wright, 2011). Instead of having visual or auditory
feedback to the user, the controller can provide feedback that is “…in an abstract way without
conscious attention” (Wright, 2011).
Figure 4. The front of the DualShock 4. From http://www.meijer.com/assets/product_images/styles/xlarge/1000947_711719100379_A_400.jpg
Figure 5. The light bar and trigger buttons of the DualShock 4. From http://whatisplaystation4.com/playstation-4-specs-and-capabilities/
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 8
The PlayStation Eye is an accessory to the PS4 system that is sold separately (Figure 6). It
costs about 60 dollars extra, but it provides extra capabilities. The camera can detect the
movement of the DualShock 4 controller along with the gestures and voice of the user. This
gives the user the ability to use movement and their voice to interact with the system.
In some games and applications, the PlayStation Eye uses augmented reality (AR)
to engage the user into the action. AR shows computer generated imagery over real world
environments (Wickens & Hollands, 2013). Users can access this augmented reality feature by
using the Playroom application found on the home screen. Fun games include AR Bots (Figure
7), where you have live AR bots inside your controller and you can flick them onto the screen
using the touchpad. AR Hockey (Figure 8) challenges friends to a holographic game of air
hockey (“The Playroom”, n.d).
Figure 6. The PlayStation 4 Eye with its specifications. From http://whatisplaystation4.com/playstation-4-specs-and-capabilities/
Figure 7. AR Bots is an augmented reality game using the PlayStation Eye. From https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-playroom-ps4/
Figure 8. AR Hockey makes the users play each other in a holographic air hockey game. From https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-playroom-ps4/
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 9
The Playroom application also supports the use of smart phones or touchscreens. They
can connect to the PS4 by Bluetooth. A game called Toy Maker, seen in Figure 9, lets the user
create their very own character (“The Playroom”, n.d). Authors of the paper, Game interface
enhancement under smartphone platform focused on touchscreen interaction, talk about the
best gestures to use when using a smartphone interface. The multi-tap method, user puts two
fingers on the screen, was found to be the most intuitive and has better learnability (Kim & Lee,
2015). This correlates to using the multi-touch gesture to create the character in Toy Maker.
The PlayStation Eye provides the ability to use body movement as the controller.
In the paper by Hannah R. Marston, Design Recommendations for Digital Game Design within
an Ageing Society, she makes valid points that can apply to all users. She says that
“encompassing body movement as one of the design guidelines will facilitate greater user
engagement and experience” (Marston, 2013). The PlayStation Eye uses augmented reality to
engage the user in a different way than what is expected.
The PlayStation Eye also has speech recognition software to let
the user execute commands just by talking. It has a 4 channel microphone array that can pick
up basic commands such as “start this application” or “open friends list”. Speech interaction
can be good and bad thing. In the paper Speech-driven environmental control systems--a
qualitative analysis of users' perceptions, by Simon Judge, Zoe Robertson, Mark Hawley, and
Pam Enderby (2009), they talk about the experiences of participants using speech-driven
systems. A reason to favor speech recognition features is that users may believe that “the
potential gains from using their voice outweigh the annoyance of errors” (Judge et al., 2009).
They authors found that reliability was the key issue when using speech as an access method.
(Judge et al., 2009). So although the PlayStation Eye supports speech recognition, the feature
may not be utilized unless it is very reliable.
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 10
The PlayStation 4 system and accessories provide the user with many ways to interact
and use the system. The graphical user interface of the home screen is organized and utilizes
menus to provide all the necessary features. The classic controller style interaction in the
DualShock 4 with the addition of haptic feedback from vibration. The PlayStation Eye uses
augmented reality and speech recognition to engage the user. Touchscreen and smart surfaces
are yet another type of interaction that can used.
As gaming systems become more complex, the ways to interact with them
increases. Instead of holding the controller, people will be the controller. As the technology
grows, these types of interaction will become normal. The next generation of gaming is more
than just the games, it is the experience.
Figure 9. The Toy Maker game in the Playroom utilizes touchscreen and smart surfaces to create the user’s own character. From https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-playroom-ps4/
PLAYSTATION SYSTEM INTERACTION 11
References
Fennigkoh, L. (2013). Visual, perceptual, and cognitive factors in human-computer interface design and use. Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, 18-23. doi:10.2345/0899-8205-47.s2.18
Hsu, D. (2013, October 24). The PlayStation 4 controller: A close look at the touchpad, light bar, design, and everything else (part 4, exclusive). Retrieved April 20, 2015, from http://venturebeat.com/2013/10/24/the-playstation-4-controller-a-close-look-at-the-touchpad-
Judge, S., Robertson, Z., Hawley, M., & Enderby, P. (2009). Speech-driven environmental control systems--a qualitative analysis of users' perceptions. Disability And Rehabilitation. Assistive Technology, 4(3), 151-157. doi:10.1080/17483100802715100
Kim, Y., & Lee, J. (2015). Game interface enhancement under smartphone platform focused on touchscreen interaction. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 8045-61. doi:10.1016/j.cie.2014.11.017
Marston, H. R. (2013). Design Recommendations for Digital Game Design within an Ageing Society. Educational Gerontology, 39(2), 103-118. doi:10.1080/03601277.2012.689936 light-bar-design-and-everything-else-part-4-exclusive/view-all/
The Playroom™. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-playroom-ps4/
The Teardown. (2014). Engineering & Technology (17509637), 9(1), 88-89.
Wickens, Christopher D. and Justin G.Hollands. Engineering Psychology and Human Performance. 4th ed. Prentice-Hall. 2013.
Wright, A. (2011). The Touchy Subject of Haptics. Communications Of The ACM, 54(1), 20-22. doi:10.1145/1866739.1866746