Introduction to video games blog task

1) What were the first videogames like?
The first video games were very simplistic and basic, the very first video game called 'pong' featured no characters but simply was a table tennis simulator.

 2) How have video games changed over time?
Video games have become more and more like movies as time went on, they feature complex characters like Lara Croft and journey games became increasingly popular, especially on portable devices like the Gameboy where games like Pokemon could be played.

3) What do the most successful games have in common? Answer this in as much detail as you can. Think about audience pleasures - what do people like about playing videogames?
 The most successful video game franchises use nostalgia in their sequels by using similar visuals to previous games, others have an interesting premise or complex characters that audiences want to invest time in, this uses the audience pleasure of relationships. 

 4) What criticisms have been made towards videogames?
Video games have been criticised for promoting anti-social behaviour, especially in the past where people couldn't play with others online and have been critisised from promoting wrong behaviour like theft in the Grand Theft Auto games and Call of Duty

5) What is Fortnite: Battle Royale?
Fortnite: Battle Royale is a 100 player fight to the death in a surreal colourful life whrere the player only has 1 life to live, if they survive, they win. 6) How many Fortnite players are there worldwide?
There are 45 million Fortnite players worldwide.7) Why is it so popular? What are the audience pleasures of the game?
Fortnite is completely free on all devices so everyone can enjoy it, there is a colourful background and lack of gore so it can appeal to families with children and it is easy for beginners to pick up.

8) Copy and paste two comments from 'below the line' of the Guardian article - these are comments written by Guardian readers in response to the feature. Select one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and explain why.'A fantastic game for all the family. The violence is cartoon-like, not gratuitous or graphic. I limit my children to only playing the Playstation at the weekends. Simple.' I agree with this comment because it shows why Fortnite is a family friendly game."Shallow" It’s anything but shallow… I disagree with this as I think the premise of the game is reasonably shallow and in my opinion, there is little to no deep characterization.
 criticisms have been made towards videogames?

Revision for Advertising Assessment Grade 8/9 extensions

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Women in the 1950s are represented very differently in two of our advertising CSPs: OMO and Galaxy. What similarities and differences can you find by analysing the two products?

                                                  

OMO Representation of 1950s Women                                Galaxy Representation of 1950s Women      

Differences                                   

After the man offers Audrey Hepburn's character a ride, seemingly saving her but when she takes the hat off the bus driver and puts it on the head of Gregory Peck's character, she changes his character type from a hero to a sidekick, she is in ultimate control of the situation and she leads the narrative so she becomes the hero therefore subverting gender roles as the man is not in control of this situation wheras in the OMO advert, the speech bubble around the logo associated with superhero comics insinuates that the woman is being saved by how good the product is and the advert doesn't consider that the woman's hard work was 

  Similarities 

Both start off as 'Damsels in distress' the woman in the OMO advert not having bright white laundry and the woman in the galaxy advert being stuck in traffic.This pepetuates the steryotype that women always need rescuing.

Galaxy Advert CSP

1) Audrey Hepburn was a famous film actress in the 1950s and 1960s who starred in films such as Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday.

2) Audrey Hepburn was selected for this advert so that older audiences have a feel of nostalgia, referring to the "good old days" when her movies were released, this makes many references to her film "Roman Holiday" due to the italian setting, retro cars and beautiful landscapes to create intertextuality which is when one media text - in this case, an advert relates to another - Hepburn's film "Roman Holiday." 

3)Audrey Hepburn is a timeless style icon associated with golden age Hollywood glamour.

4)The advert being set set in the 1950s provides the audience pleasure of nostalgia or a 'harking for yesterday' and will remind audiences of the good experiences they had watching Hepburn's film in their youth - thus enabling the audience to create a positive association with galaxy chocolate.
5) What is intertextuality?

6)  Hepburn's film "Roman Holiday" is referred to using scenery, retro cars and an actor that resembles Gregory Peck, her co star.

7) The Donor is the person who allows "Princess Anne" to take his hat, Princess Anne is the hero, the chocolate could be argued to be the princess character as it acts as the reward for the hero and Joe Bradley is the sidekick who helps the hero.

8)This links to Todorov's theory as there is an equilibrium, hepburn's character is taking a ride into town, a disequilibrium, her being stuck in traffic and a new equilibrium, her getting a ride from Peck's character 

9) A subverted representation of gender roles are shown as the woman  is the protagonist and leads the narrative and the driver is just a supporting character rather than vise versa.

10) The stereotype that women are submissive and live to support men's needs is subverted as the man supports the woman's needs by driving her and she has the power to change his role by giving him the hat, making her in control of the situation.

Women in the 1950s are represented very differently in two of our advertising CSPs: OMO and Galaxy. What similarities and differences can you find by analysing the two products?