exam tips

1. Don't bother writing out the question
2. Don't bother writing long introductions to your essays
3. Get stuck into using MICRO language
4. Cover ALL of the MICRO features
5. State that the MICRO features such as mise-en-scene, sound, editing, camera work COMBINE to construct characters. Nothing in TV Drama is left to chance. Set designs, costumes, hair make-up, all combine to tell the audience something about the character. It is your job to state what that something is.
6. Don't forget MIGRAIN. the key concepts are still relevant
7. Must state that the MICRO features combine to give a representation of gender, class etc...
8. Must then argue whether the representations in the extract are fair and accurate or stereotypical, offensive, unfair...

exam feedback

MICRO elements - mise-en-scene (costume etc..)

- camera work (mid-close-up, tracking shot/reverse shot

- diagetic - natural (if the character can hear it it is still diagetic)

- non diagetic (not natural)

- editing - fast paced, jump cut



CLASS - the characters are not real! they are construction or a representation

Are the representions fair and accurate?

Essay writing

basically - how do videogames target audiences.



film to games - representation of the film accurately into the game, would attract a viewer audience. issues of copyright and mis-representation would be raised.

violence, high levels of violence attract young male players, raises the issues of social effects of videogames - gta series has raised numerous issues in cases of violence in the real world

advertising, the correct advertising can be used to target different audiences. the issue might be of stereotypical effects of women in the industry or for issues of ethnicity and disability - gta 'cherry' m ade by rockstar.

role models, if a role model character is used in a game people may wish to play it. the issue is finding a role model that is morally right in the socail world but still entertaining. - lara croft - made by core design

high action would attract an audience. the issue

the content of the game could attract different people e.g different game play - racing, shooting, action, if all included would attract a wider audience of players, the issue may be of people not liking the majority of the game if it is different from example the shooting fanatics May not like the racing segments of the game.

the story line is essential to attracting audiences but cut scenes or un realisticity may be the issue for some gamers if it is too real or not enough escapism



discuss MIGRAIN at the begining.

BBFC - certficate rating institution.

department of culture, media and sport, DCMS, publishes reports - read the first two paragraphs to get the summary.

game designers, - issues ; demographics (age, gender, social habbits)

distributers,

console developers,

explain how to launch a new game? - advertising campaings - online, press, TV, what images are they going to protray. slogos

issues of videogames:

sex

violence

bad language,





how do people play the game - online, multiplayer, solo, what technologies are they comfortable with.

issue - what console is the game going to be released on? will it be cross platforms? registration

fees
marketing campaign
is there an online gaming community set up or encourages by the publishers to download cheats, hints, tips or downloadable content., like a forum for players to feed into to or off of.
addiction - influence is another issue

media terms

sandboxgames - free-roaming games like GTA 4; second life; sandbox gaes effectively never end and therfore encourage immersion / flow.

goal-orientated narratve - most games have some goal; it may be to earn money, save the princess or compkete various levels/miossions. it is the completion of of these goals that motivates the gamer
GTA 4 is goal orientated narrative - missions also is a sandbox game with 'sub-mission' so you can decide on the goals

Immersion - the state when the gamer is immersed within the game; the gamer is totally absorbed by the game.

Flow - links with immersion; the flow of the game is not interupted in sandbox games which encourages immersion.

Cutscenes - the film-like bits of a game that set the scene at the begining and introduce new missions or tasks. cut scenes can really anoy gamers as they interupt immersion and flow.

Important industry stuff:
The big players in the video games industry:

• Rockstar games - GTA series
• Electronic Arts (EA) - Sports games and others
• Bungie - lara croft
• Microsfoft - X-BOX
• Sony - Playstation
• Nintendo - WII

the development of videogames:

MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role-playing game,

this is a very popular game trend at the moment, it allows gamers to interasct with other game players around the world, and with the rise of social web users on sites such as facebook, bebo and myspace the gameing designers must take note of the current social trend.

generated content - adding game content by users, posts on blogs, online forums etc...

should game companies be sued for promoting violence?

what do the BBFC do?

BBFC - the independent regulator of the film and video industry in the UK. classifications

should they have more/greater powers.

audience and instituions

section B: 'audiences and institutions' - video game questions

stuff we need to know:

ideology - difference between ideology and representation

social class pyramid - classification of social groups ; ABC1 etc...

essay planning & MIGRAIN

representation in videogames:

• The role of women in games - passive objects, games are male centred , the main character is often male e.g GTA


• Women are often prizes in videogames: - donkey Kong - Mario - Zelda {{damsels in distress throughout games, films and television}}


• in Call of duty women are excluded form the gameplay even though there is many women in the miltiary sevices.


• videogames suggest that women are inferior - they need saving by men - they are passive and do not control the action e.g. in GTA the women are strippers and prostitutes. in GTA the character of Xherry is a prize of Nico when he has completed missions and built up money.

Ideology is a system of beliefs or values held by an individual or by SOCIETY. dominant ideologies are reinforced by the mainstream media. - NOAM CHOMSKY: said that the media is there to serve the ruling class; to reinforce their system of beliefs foe example in GTA four:

• women are passive


• women are objectified reinforced by Nuts or Loaded magazine.

representation of masculinity in videogames:

'hyper-masculinity' - massive over sized muscles; fearless fighters, cold hearted killers; drug dealers... 'Hereos????' or 'anti-Heroes'

representation of race / ethnicity:

In GTA four the main character is an Eastern European gangsters (china town triads) there is also little Jacob who is a jamacian drug dealers.

Are the representations a fair portrayal of real life???

Representations of disability

project one

Project one – videogames

Tasks
1) Draw up a list of the games being released in the UK in 2009.
2) Categorise each game from the editors pick section of the Games Spot web site into generic categories (e.g. shoot-em-up, role play football…)
3) Choose o of the games and try to gather as much information as you can on the game.

1)
From the games spot web site there is a list of games being released in the UK this year:
o Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - DS
o Wheelman - X360 PS3 PC
o Don King Boxing - WII DS
o Wanted: Weapons Of Fate – X-BOX 360 PS3 PC
o The Godfather II - X-BOX 360 PS3 PC
o Legends of Wrestlemania – X-BOX 360 PS3
o Football Academy – DS
o Monsters vs. Aliens - X360 PS3 PC DS WII PS2


The action games are:
o Wanted: Weapons Of Fate
o Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown wars
o Wheelman
o The Godfather II


The sports games are:
o Football Academy
o Don King Boxing
o Legends of Wrestlemaia

The sci-fi game is:
o Monsters vs. Aliens



I have decided to investigate the release of the game Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a video game for the Nintendo DS. It is the thirteenth game in the Grand Theft Auto series and the fourth released on a Nintendo console, after Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2 for the Game Boy Color and Grand Theft Auto Advance for the Game Boy Advance.
China.

Ownership
Chinatown wars is a game developed by Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar Leeds (formerly Mobius Entertainment) is an English video game developer. Based in the city from where the name was taken, Rockstar Leeds has primarily published handheld games for Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance , as well as Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition and the Grand Theft Auto Stories series for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). Founded in 1997 by Gordon Hall (president), Jason McGann, Dave Box, Justin Johnson and Ian Bowden, the company consists of 75 game designers and game programmers. In April 2004, the company was acquired by Rockstar Games and renamed Rockstar Leeds. Rockstar games is one of the biggest vidogame producers in the market. It is a world wide organization comprising of over ten different branches over th world ranging from Japan across Europe and America. It also publishes games designed from external companies, for example, it has published the game Oni designed by Bungie. Rockstar has produced and published all of the Grand Theft Auto series or games and others like midnight club and Max Payne.

Convergence
The Nintendo DS has now online capabilities alongside the wireless unit in built to allow players to interact and play with other DS owners within a short distance of each other. The DS now has WI-FI capabilities to allow people to play online, download upgrades and additional features are available between two or more friends what have exchanged friend codes.
However, for Chinatown wars there is no online co-operation gameplay but the game uses the Rockstar Games social club. This is an online forum for players to upload statistics and cheats for other players to see.

Technologies
The latest instalment in the Grand Theft Auto series has reverted back to the old style of gameplay seen in t5he first and second games of the series. It has reverted back to the ‘birds eye view’ format of game play. As there is two screens on the platform DS it allows the top screen to be solely based on the text of the game and leaves the bottom screen to control the character I the text. One of the unique selling points of the game is the additional ‘sub-game’ where the controlled charcter can sell up to six different drugs around the city, where Players can make a profit by recognizing market conditions and demands based on geography and other drug dealers.

Globalization
The game, because of its unique game control layout means it is exclusive to the Nintendo DS as it has the capabilities and technology to allow the game to be played. The Nintendo DS is owned by Nintend, this is one of the biggest console developers at the moment. It is based in japan and has released many other consoles, including the Nintendo Wii and Gameboy series.

4)

friday 27th march notes

cut scene - when your playing a game and then it cuts to a video associated with the action in the game.

OLED television wont hit mainstream for several years. its new , thin brighter with sharper images. display red, green and blue pixels. when you move to the side or above it shows the same image unlike the other televisions. organic pixels so there is no light in the back of the screen so the screen is 3mm at the most. costs a lot of money. is already used on Sony MP3 players, very small screens. advantage, for cameras is that they are used ion the screen so the sunlight cant 'wash out' the image. smarter and clearer images. flexible OLED is available to wear round wrists, clothing may be made from this. OLED screens are transparent so may be used for windows around the home. close future, can be used for lights on the ceilings and on the walls.
this relates to video games as the realism of the games is improving , the technologies are progressing and our normal screens will hold the progression back.

Tom Clancy - hawk
metaplace. evolution form second life game, missions can be undertaken in worlds in the game set up by other players
second life - there is current arguments in academic circles as the game they think shouldn't be classed as a game as there are no rules or missions but there is an avatar.


resident evil 5 is 18.
go into goggle and find a story news or web where video games have been blamed for violence, murder, death or robbery
what occur ed, the video game responsible and the action taken

FAYETTE, Ala. - A 20-year-old whose lawyers claimed the video game “Grand Theft Auto” and childhood abuse caused him to kill three small-town police officers was convicted Tuesday of capital murder.

The jury deliberated for just over an hour before convicting Devin Moore.

Jurors were to return Wednesday to begin the sentencing phase. Moore could face the death penalty.

Defense lawyers had partly blamed Moore’s actions on the hours he spent playing video games from the “Grand Theft Auto” series, in which players shoot police officers and steal cars.

defense lawyer Jim Standridge reminded them that Moore, after his arrest, told police, “Life is a video game; everybody has to die sometime.”

he was taken to the police station for booking a stolen auto charge when he took on of the police mans guns and shoot two policemen and a radio operator and then fleed in a police patrol car.



class 18
torture,
assult on children,
strong language,
red blood,
dismembered body parts,
animal violence,
rape,
illegal drug use,
sexual abuse,
graphic murder

friday 20th march notes

tombraider / 11 / 111 / the last revelation / chronics / the angle of darkness / legend / anniversary / underworld

underworld <>research

platforms
available on the X-BOX 360, Wii, PC, DS and is the first tomb raider to be released on the PlayStation 3
is in the seventh generation because it is only available on the X-BOX 360 and the PS3, it is the newest generation.


designer
this is the third of the Lara croft games to be designed by crystal dynamics, it is an American designer company that was taken over by Eidos interactive, they have also developed the games pandemonium and Project snowblind








Year
Tomb Raider: Underworld, also known as Tomb Raider 8, is the eighth game in the Tomb Raider series, released in November 2008.

Picture of Lara Croft



critical response
over all it has had good reviews on the X-Box 360, PC and the PS3 whereas the game on the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii has had very mixed and negative reviews. most companies gave the game between 8 to 10 out of ten. it has been said that the levels are smartly made, the graphics are better than the last game and but it is still too short.

but... the games have been criticised for 'haywire' camera angles, 'dodgy' combat systems and over easy puzzles.

Friday, 20 March 2009
Tomb Raider - Last Revelation
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation is the fourth video game in the Tomb Raider series. It was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released on PC, PlayStation and eventually to the Sega Dreamcast with exclusive graphical and sound enhancements.


The story begins with Lara Croft's teenaged tomb-raiding origins, accompanied by her former mentor Werner Von Croy. They travel to the temple of Angkor Wat, Cambodia in the hope of finding the mystical "Iris." However, the trip is cut short by an accident where Lara is forced to abandon her companion in order to save her own life. Back in the year 2000 Egypt (this is the only game in the series to keep the globehopping to a minimum, aside from the prequel level the entire game takes place in one country), Lara Croft
Developer(s) Core Design
Publisher(s) Eidos Interactive
Composer(s) Peter Connelly
Engine Tomb Raider III engine
Platform(s) PlayStation, Dreamcast, Mac, Microsoft Windows
Release date(s) PlayStation:
NA 22 November 1999

PC:
NA 24 November 1999
Dreamcast:
NA 25 March 2000
Macintosh:
NA 31 December 2000




Single Player

Genre: Third person shoot/RPG/Adventure

uncovers an ancient tomb where a fearsome Egyptian God Set was once imprisoned. She unwittingly unleashes him and finds herself in a deadly race against time to restore the god to his resting place before an apocalypse befalls Earth. Unfortunately, Von Croy becomes Lara's new rival as he is possessed by Set himself and he makes things considerably more difficult. Lara travels across Egypt to collect the pieces of Horus's armour in order to defeat Set. They are
found in Pharos, Temple of Isis, Temple of Poseidon and Cleopatra's Palaces. She combines them (with the Amulet of Horus) in the Temple of Horus to finally defeat her enemy. However before Horus can be summoned, Set arrives and destroys the armour, knocking the amulet into the water. Lara quickly recovers it and exits the Temple sealing the entrance shut with the amulet. She must leave it in place to keep Set imprisoned for eternity. As she reaches the exit of the temple, injured and exhausted, she is confronted by Von Croy. Fearful that he may still be possessed she is reluctant to hold onto his hands and so falls into the darkness beneath the collapsing temple.

Based entirely in Egyptian locations, Last Revelation's plot revolves around ancient mythology and the alignment of the stars at the millennium. Finding herself in a serious predicament, Lara Croft's objective is clear from the outset - she must escape a terrifying destiny and rectify a situation that threatens to destroy humanity.

Platforms
It is on a 5th generation and can be played on Playstation 1, dreamcast, mac and windows microsoft

Designer:Core Design

Distributer:
Eidos

Year released:
1999-2000

Critical response:
You are now able to swing from ropes and climb up poles
there is a new inventory system, the items in here can be combined to solve puzzles
has graphical and sound enhancements
it is only based in one location being Egypt, unlike the other games which are based on areas all around the world.

Genre:
action/adventure in 3rd person perspective

Sixth generation
















Lara has changed since her experiences in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. She has become darker, harder, less tolerant and her tomb raiding days are a distant memory. Former mentor Von Croy leads her to Paris. She arrives in Paris to find a city in fear. Von Croy has been the victim of a horrific murder and framed for the crime, Lara has no option but to go on the run.


During her exploits Lara encounters a kindred spirit in Kurtis Trent, a hardened adventurer like herself, who is in pursuit of Eckhardt. In her struggle to unravel the trail left by Von Croy, Lara becomes involved in underworld deals, grotesque murders, the dark side of an advanced form of alchemy and a history of blood, betrayal and vengeance spanning across hundreds of years.

genre: third person shooter action adventure.

Eidos interactive is the publisher and core design is the developer.



Game trailer:





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V93YKwMQOSI

screenshot of the game

This game was the worst selling game within the tomb raider series as many people enjoyed tomb raider for its natural raiding tombs, where as this one is set in cities. The game still did well for core fans, they enjoyed another instalment of the series, but for many first timers the game was a disappointment besides the amazing graphics for that period.


Story: -

Laura croft search for a South American relic changes course dramatically when she meets a dangerous figure from her past and she finds herself in a race to recover one of histories most famous artifact.
Designer: -

Riley cooper (lead design)

Distributor –

By core design (company) published by edios interactive

Year :- April 7th 2007

Genre : - action \ adventure


· Review: -

Doug church (originaAccording to the Metacritic review site, the PC, PS2 and Xbox versions of Tomb Raider: Legend have met with

"Generally favorable reviews",
[9][10][11] while the DS vesion has met with "mixed or avarage reviews".[12] The game topped the UK game charts at number 1 and remained there for three weeks. [13] As of 30 June 2006, the game has sold over 2.9 million copies worldwide.[14]

second life report

In a game with a sandbox mode, a player may turn off or ignore game objectives. This can open up possibilities that were not intended by the game designer. A sandbox mode is an option in otherwise goal-oriented games, and should be distinguished from open-ended games with no objectives.


Why is second life known as the ultimate sandbox game?
This is because of the vast amount of upgrading and personal touch on the gamer. Players can buy using PayPal, upgrades onto the game. Also the game is used as a global business market. Companies can use the game to advertise products and stores but also they can hold worldwide business meetings with clients or fellow colleagues, this usage is extended further to the use of second life as a training scheme for employees of companies. The company can design and update their own personal space for clients and business associates can meet in the game, to show PowerPoint t presentation or for training purposes.



What is second life about?
Second Life is a free online virtual world imagined and created by its Residents. From the moment you enter Second Life, you'll discover a fast-growing digital world filled with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity.

What can you do in second life?
The Second Life virtual world provides almost unlimited freedom to its Residents. This world really is whatever you make it. If you want to hang out with your friends in a garden or nightclub, you can. If you want to go shopping or fight dragons, you can. If you want to start a business, create a game or build a skyscraper you can. It’s up to you. Second life is a totally virtual world it is used by gamers and business companies as well. Companies can use second life to meet and greet clients and to sell products like the apple store ion the game. Users design and customise their own ‘avatar’ this will be the character representing them in the game.

project 1 research ideas

promotions-TV adverts, trailers on you tube, launch party, magazines, press releases, posters, social network pages, forums,other games,
games-developers/designers/manufacturers/game shops/console manufacturers
globalisation
franchise-Hollywood directors



maybe 50 cent new game blood on the sand

project resources

http://videogamesunit.blogspot.com

The first game i loved was street fighter on the Sega mega drive. this was a Japanese fighting game set in four countries; China, the US, the UK and Thailand. this was my favourite game as it was the first game that i ever bought with my own money so it was much more appreciated. the best thing about the game was the graphics (which at that time were amazing!) and the real life actions and noises made by he characters.