C1 Gaming

 Thursday 19th September 2024

       DO NOW

1. Magazines, newspapers, advertisement, social media accounts, the news, the radio, music, TV/film          and games

2. Anywhere, whether its the magazines in shops, cinemas, computers on your phone or around you            in daily life.

        

                                                                 VIDEO GAMES

LO - To explore the history & context of video games

          

Video games are a relatively new media form 

 Since the 1970s they have has massive growth. This has been due to the rapid technological                     development - think graphics, narratives, interactivity, consoles, internet ect...

In recent years, the diversity of game genres and platforms on which they can be played has                    meant an explosion in the gaming industry

  

In 2024, the video games market is projected to reach a revenue of 282.30 billion

1970s - Space invaders is introduced in Japan, this released created a shortage of 100 yen coins. In a years time 60,000 space invaders machines in the US tempt Americans to spend millions of quarters on the game 

1980s - Nintendo's gameboy makes handheld gaming popular. Although it is not the first handheld gaming accessory with cartilages that can swap games, it still proceeds to charm users with the long battery life, good gameplay and easy use  

1990s - Sega creates sonic the hedgehog (for the genesis aka sega-megadrive) Gamers proceed to get sega systems as they love sonics speed and attitude 

2000s - Nintendo creates a new handheld console to maintain dominance in the handheld gaming market. The nintendo DS is created with a stylus (for touchscreen), two processors/screens, it is completed with multiplayer capabilities and popular games.

2010s - Players hunt for creatures in the real world with Niantic's new free game (pokemon go) Its a hit 

in the summer and people debate whether its a 'fad' or has a hopeful future for later augmented reality

P - personal identity

I - information

E - entertainment

S - social interaction

                 

                                                              BASELINE TEST

Audiences play video games as it has many beneficial factors, it can create pleasure and enjoyment,  it allows people to interact,  it can give us useful information, and even change our personal identity. The gratification theory shows us that people are drawn to social medias e.g gaming if they are attracted to at least one of those factors. People often get a large dopamine boost when playing games as it is a rewarding experience completing something you've work hard on, or progressing in a challenge. Playing games also creates a knowledge mindset people often look for, as it stimulates peoples problem solving ability and how to resolve issues while having fun and enjoying the experience. Gaming involves a lot of multiplayer-play that helps boost social skills and enjoy others company while also working as a team and having fun.

Tuesday, 24th September 2024

DO NOW

1 - Representation means how the media chooses to re-present the world to us.

2 - The first thing you consider when looking at how something is represented is whether it is positive or negative.

3 - A stereotype is a overview of a specific group of people (or things) based on things like age, gender, sexuality, race or other uncontrollable factors. (generalised view)

4 - There are 2 exams in media.

5 - Audiences is missing 

                                                             STEREOTYPE

STEREOTYPE - A stereotype is a generalised representation of a person, place or thing. They are limited and often offensive or used for comedy

Private school boy - Posh, Typically British, well educated, in films typically white, spoilt   

Football player - well built, fit, athletic, typically a man, young

Cornish man - Loves pasty's, usually people think they will have an accent, always represented as white, fishermen, 'messy'

Teachers representation - Usually grumpy and strict in the clips but they challenged it with positive behaviours towards students also shows in some clips 

Students representation - Mainly negative with a tiny amount of positive reinforcement that is barely recognisable

Teachers representation in second clip - Stern, does take their job half seriously

Students representation in second clip - Very negative with no positive reinforcement whatsoever, stereotypes were being reinforced.

                        

                                              REPRESENTATION IN MAGAZINES

Masthead - The title of a newspaper or magazine that is printed at the top of the page

Cover lines - Tells the reader about other articles inside the issue apart from the main one, is usually placed on the sides

Main image - Represents the information inside of the magazine usually the image is the whole of the background 

Main cover line - This is a bold large cover line displayed towards the bottom of the magazine 

Puff - An eye catching graphic or text to draw attention

Colour palette - The main two or three colours used on the cover of the magazine 

Direct address - Addresses the reader making it seem more personal and applied to 'you' / when the person on the cover is looking at the camera and looks like they are looking at you

Star vehicle - The celebrity used to bring a broader audience

Thursday, 26th September 2024 

Do Now

1 - The acronym used for Bulmer and Katz theory is pies

2 - Entertainment

3 - Personal identity

4 - Information

5 - Social interaction 

                                                         RESIDENT EVIL

     Leon kennedy 

        

Resident evil 2 is a single player survival / horror game was released on 21st of January 1998, this game is playable on many. platforms such as PlayStation, Windows, the Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, GameCube and even Game.com. In this game you survive by completing puzzles, killing monsters that are typically zombies and collects items to help you when playing the games storyline. 

Leon Kennedy age in re2 - twenty one

Kennedy is a known survivor of the 1998 Racoon city destruction incident, at the time he was about to start his job as a police officer. Following his escape, he was forcefully recruited into a top secret anti umbrella team.

Augmented reality - is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer - generated 3D content. The content can span multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory and olfactory

I was surprised that together 55 - 65 year olds take up 15% of the gaming community 

                                                      CASE STUDY: FORTNITE

1 - Epic games created Fortnite

2 - Fortnite was launched in 2017 and has now been around for 7 years

3 - Fortnite has made a gross of $32 billion usd

4 - Fortnite battle royale, Fortnite save the world, and creative

5 - 100 Players are dropped out a battle-bus and are left to loot areas to gain items to kill other players            to come first achieving the victory royale

6 - Fortnite is a battle royale game 

7 - Fortnite has accounts on lots of platforms for example TikTok and Youtube

8 - Fortnite is a multiplayer game where you team up with other players it also has voice chat                       capabilities for enhanced gameplay 

9 - Fortnite has been successful due to the genre, character customisation and gameplay

Thursday 10th October 2024

Do Now 

1 - Bandura

2 - Children may become violent due to the impacts of games that are too old for them 

3 - Video games may become very addictive for some people 

4 - The gaming audience expects better quality games and platforms as technology has become more            advanced

5 - These companies make money from in game currency purchases and the adverts attracting people to        the game

                         

                                                                    Regulation

Lo - To explore hoe video games are regulated

PEGI regulates video games 

PEGI age 3 - The content in these games are considered suitable for all age groups. These games should never contain anything that may scare children (e.g. images and sounds) or contain any bad language. It may include a very mild form of violence as long as it is in a comical context/childlike setting

PEGI age 7 - Content in game may be frightening for younger audiences. Very mild forms of violence are acceptable in this age game as long as the violence is implied, non-detailed, or non-realistic it is deemed okay

PEGI age 12 - These video games show a slightly more graphic nature towards fictional characters or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters. Bad language in this category can be mild and sexual innuendo/posturing can be present.

PEGI age 16 - This rating is put into action once the depiction of violence or sexual activity reacher a stage that looks extremely similar as it would be expected to be like in real life, Bad language in this rating can be more intense and extreme and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs can be present.

PEGI age 18 - Games that are 18 means adult classification is applied when the level of violence is considered (gross) gory and extreme, apparently motiveless killing, or violence towards characters that are deemed defenceless. explicit sexual activity, simulation of gambling and the glamorisation of illegal drugs should also fall into this age category.

Violence - The game will contain depictions of violence. Games rated PEGI 7  can only contain non-realistic or non-detailed violence. Games rated PEGI 12 can include violence in a fantasy environment or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters,  PEGI 16 or 18 rated games have increasingly more realistic-looking violence.​

Fortnite is a PEGI rating of 12 for the frequency of violence although it is directed at fictional characters the main issue that parents deal with this game is the concern of addiction that children sometimes gain.

How is the video game industry regulated? Refer to Fortnite to support your answer  [4]

The video game industry is regulated by PEGI, this company evaluates games and gives them a corresponding age rating that is deemed appropriate for this age description. The age ratings referred too are 3, 7, 12, 16, and 18. Ages 3 are deemed appropriate for all and cannot contain any content that may scare children or have any inappropriate content like swearing or sex references. Ages 7 can have mild non-realistic violence. Ages 12 can include more graphic nature towards fictional characters for example Fortnite, where you non-graphically kill players to reach the top bad language and sexual innuendo may be present although this is not included in Fortnite although there is controversy when children too young play this game is it can be deemed unsuitable for younger ages as the idea of violence may be too explicit and influence a child's behaviour. Ages 16 is put into place when the depiction of violence or sexual activity is similar to real life bad language can be more extreme whereas alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs can be present. Age 18 is applied once violence is extremely gory, motiveless killing and violence towards defenceless characters. explicit sexual activity, gambling and illegal drugs are included in this rating.

Technological convergence - is when technologies (multiple different kinds of devices e.g. playstation, phone, pc) can be mixed and have the same gameplay although on different platforms...???

Cross media conversion - The mixing of two different media platforms

Fortnite collaborations - Resident evil, Marvel, you tuber collaborations, jujutsu kaisen, dragon ball, singers, DC, star wars, my hero academia, lego...

Synergy - The collaboration of different media products or services to help promote each other, or the impact of using a cross-media approach to engage an audience

Thursday 17th October 2024

Do Now

1 - PEGI regulates video games

2 - Technological convergence is when technologies can be mixed 

3 - Cross media convergence means the mixing of two different media platforms

4 - Synergy means the collaboration of different media products or services to help promote each other

5 - Fortnite is a age rating of 12 due to mild violence towards non realistic characters

Convergence benefits the Fortnite brand by being accessible on multiple different platforms, this allows a wide range of people on different consoles, tech, and mobiles to all have access to this game creating a wider audience. Another way convergence benefits Fortnite is the factor that you can switch platforms mid game to be able to play the game whether it is at home, or on the move, making Fortnite accessible no matter where you are or what you are doing as long as you have access to internet. Fortnite's tournaments and competitions are also broadcasted on social media and on streaming platforms like youtube, this helps Fortnite to be noticed everywhere whether its by someone noticing gameplay whilst scrolling on social media or just to be browsed  and remembered as it is seen worldwide, everywhere. 

Synergy helps the Fortnite brand because it created a wider audience from outside of gaming through association from different characters or artists that certain fan bases may be familiar too (for example artists like Ariana Grande, who was added into Fortnite as a Fortnite festival event. Ariana applies to a younger to a teenage audience, bringing multiple different age ranges together to play the collab the game has created and expand the overall audience.), and make them want to interact with the game. Another benefit that synergy brings is that the previous method of bringing popular fan bases in helps to keep the game fresh and desirable as it is always making more collaborations to fresh new media. Synergy helps to appeal to different ages of gamers by collaborating with brands like lego or marvel to help create a larger age range that is interested in the game through age associated companies or associations while also making profit and helping promote the other brand through their game.

How do video games make money?

Lo - to explore how the gaming industry is funded

Battle royale is free to play game, so it makes money through in game purchases, players buy items in the item shop whether it is an emote, skin, glider, jam track, or a pickaxe you can obtain these by  purchasing the  in-game currency v-bucks  

'Games as a service'

In-app purchases

'Micro transactions'

Crew subscription

Merchandise and licensing deals

Collaborations in Fortnite - My hero academia, Jujutsu kaisen and even Attack on titan

E-sports and events

The Fortnite world cup was first held in 2019. It received considerable media attention and was streamed on their twitch channel. Events like collaborations like Ariana Grande created events like her 'Rift tour' in August 2021 where Fortnite scheduled aa series of virtual shows in the game. These were publicised on their websites and socials (teaser trailers, posts on twitter, instagram, and facebook, rift tour quests and in game purchases).

Explain why Fortnite makes money and how they have remained so popular?

Fortnite is a free to play game that makes an income through the in game currency called v-bucks where players can exchange this in game currency for skins, emotes, pickaxes, gliders and other in game bonuses and passes like the battle pass. Fortnite has remained popular and remained highly played due to factors like collaborations with big brands, artists and producers of famous shows, these collaborations bring many audiences together to play the game whilst also promoting the brand that have collaborated with. Events and E-sport competitions on social media also attract social media attention and draws attention to the game and the people who play them...

Thursday, 7th November 2024

Do Now

1 - Fortnite is typically made to appeal males

2 - Fortnite appeals to such a large audience by the diversity of in game items and events that apply to         different franchises and fandoms bringing them all into the game.

3 - Fortnite appeals to the age 12+

4 - Epic games created Fortnite

5 - PEGI regulates the video game industry

Audiences

1 - The main elements of the Fortnite homepage is a collaboration image of the new Snoop dog skin             that has just released as playable

2 - On the website multiple products and game-modes have been advertised

3 - Snoop Dog, Eminem,  and Lego are all the collaborations on the website

4 - There has been 6 different releases of nows in the last 3 weeks new in game news to keep up with            what is going on in the game and future updates for example the new Fortnite festival season and            the chapter 2 remix.

5 - You can sign in and log into your personal account to buy things from the item shop or from passes.

The Fortnite crew is advertised to try to make Fortnite players want to be apart of it so they do not feel left out our that they are missing out

Ways websites promote engagement

Homepage is appealing through the use of bright, animated graphics and the use of imperatives (commands) and exclamations for example Watch now!

A range of posts highlight the latest news and developments in Fortnite; for example, new characters or future events. The linked pages typically include animations. images and direct adress.

Some posts further adress the audience by addressing them in role.

The menu bar includes links to pages for each mode of the game and other features like competitions & merchandise.

A link to the Epic games website and a range of other games, increases the potential for viewers...to play an epic games game if they are not interested in Fortnite

78% are male, 22% are female, 53% are 10-25, and 42% are in fill-time employment

E-sport stars

Cartoon violence for the younger audience

Ninja, the most famous Fortnite player

Thursday, 14th November 2024

Do Now 

1 - Fortnite makes money from in game purchases (players buying v-bucks)

2 - Fortnite has collaborated with Resident evil

3 - Fortnite has remained popular due to the different collaborations that correspond with different               people 

4 - PIES stands for personal identity, information, entertainment, and social interaction

5 - Epic games owns Unreal engine

Difference audience groups 

Gamers

family 

friends

students 

teachers

children 

celebrities

people of certain fanbases

Applying audience theory #1

Active - Media that you engage with often doing something in relation to it (for example video games)

passive - Media that you often just observe, you do not interact with it (for example tv) 

The audience for Fortnite are active as they interact with the websites and media that is connected to Fortnite as the media that they have designed is made to have appealing links and buttons to engage the player more. Fortnite players play the game, meaning that the game itself is an active form of media that can be properly interacted with, it is the same with the item shop where you interact with transactions and in game items.

Character customisation

item shop

Interacting with live events

social media platforms like youtube where you can comment and discuss

select different items like guns and meds

choosing what you want to build (lego game-mode and creative)

Applying audience theory #2

Uses & gratification (PIES)

Personal identity

Information

Entertainment - escapism, killing people, acting as another person, tense and exiting 

Social interaction - play with people, friends, and meet new friends

Try to include in the 3 main paragraphs

1 - one way video games target different groups / collaboration / theory of personal identity

2 - convergence / different platforms - play with friends - social interaction

3 - Creative / active - choices, build make your own game - entertainment 

Video games target different audiences by creating a platform where people can choose different identities in game and personalise who they are, This links with the gratification theory, players are more likely to interact and enjoy a game when they can involve a piece of themself into their gameplay. This helps games like Fortnite to gain different ranges of players. As they collaborate with more fandoms this brings them all together into one to express themselves through their interests and to create a broad community. But games like Fortnite do not just collaborate because of the gratification theory, creating new bases of gamers helps them to keep their collaborations fresh and to keep the game enjoyable and playable to most categories of people, even those who do not specifically like or enjoy these promotions.

Not only do collaborations help keep these kinds of games fresh, games like Fortnite are playable on a wide range of platforms meaning you can play with anyone, anywhere. Meaning that these games are more accessible to more people on a wider scale. This is another form of the gratification theory, social interaction will make games like these successful as an important part of gameplay is to enjoy moments with other people...

Thursday, 28th November 2024

Do Now

1 - A active audience is the audience that actively interact/engage with media 

2 - A inactive audience is an audience that doesn't interact or engage with media 

3 - The uses and gratification theory is the theory that there are 4 main aspects of media that make               people want to interact or play it, using these theories bring more people to interact with the specific       media. aka person identity, information, entertainment and social interaction

4 - Fortnite engages the audience by making plenty of new collaborations that target different audiences       (synergy/convergence)

5 - Epic games owns unreal engine

Video games: exam preparation 

Epic games publishes Fortnite

Fortnite is a PEGI rating of 12 for the frequency of violence although it is directed at fictional characters  the main issue that parents deal with this game is the concern of addiction that children sometimes gain once playing for a prolonged amount of time.

Convergence benefits the Fortnite brand by being accessible on multiple different platforms, this allows a wide range of people on different consoles, tech, and mobiles to all have access to this game creating a wider audience. Another way convergence benefits Fortnite is the factor that you can switch platforms mid game to be able to play the game whether it is at home, or on the move, making Fortnite accessible no matter where you are or what you are doing as long as you have access to internet.

Synergy helps the Fortnite brand because it created a wider audience from outside of gaming through association from different characters or artists that certain fan bases may be familiar too 

Fortnite is funded through players doing in game purchases of the currency V-bucks 

Audiences play video games as it has many beneficial factors, it can create pleasure and enjoyment,  it allows people to interact,  it can give us useful information, and even change our personal identity. The gratification theory shows us that people are drawn to social medias e.g gaming if they are attracted to at least one of those factors. People often get a large dopamine boost when playing games as it is a rewarding experience completing something you've work hard on, or progressing in a challenge. Playing games also creates a knowledge mindset people often look for, as it stimulates peoples problem solving ability and how to resolve issues while having fun and enjoying the experience. Gaming involves a lot of multiplayer-play that helps boost social skills and enjoy others company while also working as a team and having fun.  

Thursday, 12th December 2024

Do Now

1 - An active audience is an audience that interacts with media or a game instead of being passive

2 - A passive audience does not interact with the media but may watch it (accepts media messages               without question)

3 - The uses and gratification theory is the theory that people play games due to personal identity,                 information, entertainment, and social interaction

4 - Fortnite engages the audience through synergy and all the events and social media pages they have

5 - DEL structure