Aberrant reading: If you don't understand the producer's ideology at all.

Preferred reading for Assassins creed: 
-Violence is acceptable if its towards the "bad guys"- binary opposition between good and evil. Also about gender equality- women can fight too.
-Celebration of French history and culture (produced by a French company- they've suppressed their french culture in pervious games to widen their target audience).
-Anti slavery, about fighting against slavery.

Oppositional reading: 
-Violence shouldn't be used to solve problems. (an ideology like this is one believed by someone who doesn't like playing video games)
-The game is boring and unenjoyable.
-The game doesn't make any sense.

Negotiated reading:
-Violence can be used to defend those who are vulnerable but it should't be used to solve all problems.
-The game is boring but the narrative has a good message (anti slavery).
-The narrative is boring but the fighting, jumping etc is enjoyable.


Lore: a term that refers to the deeper story behind video games.

Environmental storytelling: You get the story through description of objects or through characters in the game.

Given the variety of potential experiences, are we even playing the same game?
-Each gaming experience is different.
-Non linear games like "Dark souls 3" make each gaming experience different.

Does a video game have to be fun?

The silver case: the 25th Ward

  • It is a visual novel video game (90% of the game is reading text)- the plot is deliberately hard to follow.
  • Atypical of videogames. 
  • Mocks other videogames.
  • Excessive use of strong language
  • Violence used randomly (mocks video games)
  • More text based and visual- drawings rather than video graphics.
  • Makes reference to pokemon (intertextuality)- we don't actually see the violence.
  • Music is upbeat and happy- ruins the tension.
  • Niche audience- mainly people who play a wide range of video games.

Key theory 18- Fandom, Henry Jenkins

  • Fandom refers to a particularly organised and motivated audience of a certain media producer/ franchise.
  • Fans are active participants in the construction and circulation of textual meanings. 
One of the main benefits of fandom is that it leads to social interaction. E.g: video game conventions allows fans to dress up and meet other fans with similar interests.


















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