Computer inputs and outputs

What Are Inputs and Outputs?

Inputs are any actions or signals that a player gives to a computer or device.
Outputs are the results or reactions that the computer or device provides to the player.

Inputs are what the player does to control or interact with a computer system. They can come from different devices:

Keyboard
- Usage: In PC games, players use a keyboard to move characters, type chat messages, or control the game.
- Example: Pressing WASD keys to move a character in a game like Minecraft.
Mouse
- Usage: The mouse is used for pointing, selecting items, and controlling the camera.
- Example: Aiming and shooting in a game like Fortnite.
Game Controller
- Usage: Common in console gaming (like Xbox, PlayStation), with buttons, joysticks, and triggers for movement, attacking, or interacting with the game.
- Example: Pressing a button to jump in Super Mario.
Touchscreen (Smartphones/Tablets)
- Usage: In mobile games, touchscreens are used for tapping, swiping, and dragging to control gameplay.
- Example: Swiping to match items in Candy Crush.
Motion Sensors (e.g., Kinect, PlayStation Move)
- Usage: These sensors track body movements and translate them into in-game actions.
- Example: Using your body to play Just Dance or to control characters in Wii Sports.
Microphone
- Usage: Some games use voice commands or allow players to communicate via voice chat.
- Example: Talking to other players in Among Us or using voice commands in Star Wars: Jedi Challenges.

Outputs are what the game shows or how it responds to the player’s input. The game generates these results on devices like a screen or speaker.

Monitor/Screen (Visual Output)
- Usage: The most common output, the screen shows what’s happening in the game (e.g., the environment, characters, and actions).
- Example: The game world in Fortnite or the levels in Super Mario Odyssey.
Speakers/Headphones (Audio Output)
- Usage: Sounds in a game provide feedback and immersion, such as background music, sound effects, or voice acting.
- Example: Hearing footsteps approaching in Call of Duty, or the soundtrack in The Legend of Zelda.
Haptic Feedback (Vibrations)
- Usage: Some controllers or devices vibrate to give players physical feedback based on actions in the game.
- Example: The controller vibrating when your character gets hit in FIFA or when you drive over rough terrain in Gran Turismo.
Projector (Virtual Reality)
- Usage: Some advanced video games use virtual reality (VR) where the output is displayed on a headset, providing an immersive 3D environment.
- Example: Exploring a 3D world in Beat Saber or Half-Life: Alyx with a VR headset.
LED Lights
- Usage: Many controllers and gaming accessories have LED lights to show the player's status or to give visual cues in the game.
- Example: The changing color of the PlayStation controller’s light bar, depending on in-game actions or health.

Inputs are what you (the player) do to interact with a game, like pressing buttons or moving a joystick.
Outputs are what the game shows or does in response, like displaying graphics, producing sounds, or making the controller vibrate.
Together, inputs and outputs make games fun, interactive, and immersive!

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