Monday 12 December 2011

Monday 12th December

Monday 12th December.
    Just a quick update on all thing Game Art….
    Game Production: Finished my tree project off today and handed it in. It took me a while to figure out how to unwrap and texture it. I had a lot of trouble but in doing so, have learnt useful tips on how to tackle something with similar properties. I couldn’t have got by without the help from my friends. I feel I could have done them better, so over the next few weeks I’ll hopefully have time to practise it, putting the tricks that I learnt into practise so that the difficult layout of the programme will seem easier and will be firmly stored in my head. This way I’ll be able to produce better quality 3D items that I feel pleased with. Overall, I’m happy at how I tackle the projects that have been set, as I have had no experience with this type of software before, so the bits that I’m learning are very interesting, I’m just finding it a little difficult to grasp all the different ways of rendering items, and trying to cope when 3DsMax has a fit.
     Visual Design: I have been attempting to do more drawings than before to try and get my hours up. I find myself enjoying it and being pleased with some of the final results. I seem to get into this mindset where I’m lost in my drawing. In my A-level art, I would find it hard to get “hyped” up by any of the topics or to feel motivated to do my best. Thankfully, I’m really enjoying the drawing topics here. I don’t realise the time quickly escaping me as I try new techniques and rendering. I feel excited when I draw now, because I want to see what and how I can improve! I’m also really pleased with the topic of the next project, however, I’m going to have to plan my time more wisely. As this is a major problem for me.
    Critical Studies: I’m hoping to add lot’s of variety to my blog from now on. I always have good ideas stored up in my mind, but when I sit down at my desk and whip open Microsoft Word my mind ends up going blank. And when I do write something, it’s either really boring or inappropriate. Which is why I write this entry today. I feel like it’s a good chance to see how my views and opinions change when I look back and if I act on any of the negative notes I have made today, so that I can improve.
    Gaming: I’m in the mood for some scary games, even though I tend to chicken out quite easily…..

Sunday 4 December 2011

New Game Journalism

   Game reviews are an important piece in the mechanical clog-work with regards as to the success or failure of a game. This is because many gamers, are influenced by other people’s opinions. Personally, I try no to rely on other people’s opinions as it tends to “taint” your own view, but when I do read one, I believe it as cold hard truth even though I know it’s far from it. But what makes a review something to remember? All reviewers want to be the one that “stands out” and to be the person who makes or breaks a game, as this is what will keep them in the business.

     There are a lot of issues regarding working with reviews in the gaming industry. To people who may not of had experience in this, may see it as an easy way to able to play games and talk about them for a living. But, because game reviews are taken so seriously, it’s a very hard part of the industry to get into. Anybody can write a review, but it takes someone very talented to persuade an audience for or against something. You need to have good literary reviewing skills to begin in this industry, but that means you need to have had some experience, but because you aren’t in the industry it just makes it a difficult circle to break.

       Reviewers are mostly employed by companies revolving around the media, like for example, magazines and gaming websites. This means that these companies pay the reviewers wages. The reviewers need to have something interesting to say, otherwise the audience (and therefore the consumers of games) will get bored of hearing the same thing told over and over again. They are paid to make it interesting, so audiences will buy their magazines and visit their websites.

         Personally, I think a “standardising” ranking system would make reviews more boring. They should be able to stick to a basic overall reviewing system to include the need-to-know aspects of a game but be able to extend on the basics, to make for a more interesting read. This means that you will have the information you need to know about the game surrounded by the “padding” of the other things which may make the game more or less interesting for the consumers. An objective ranking system isn’t totally necessary for sales, but a loosely based reviewing system may help expose any problems or benefits about certain games.

       My feelings towards new game journalism is, as I have stated before, I find them slightly too biased and perhaps a little tedious. People’s opinions on things will always differ, like everything else in the world, somebody may like one thing and somebody may despise it. This makes for a more interesting world to live in, though I feel like it is too easy to take these opinions as truth. If I do read a review on a game, I tend to find a variety of reviews from different sorts of people, to gather a collective response. However, if I’d like to buy a game, and I read some bad reviews, I will still buy it so that I can make my own mind up.     

     A recommended version of game reviewing is to gather a group of people and share the thoughts on a certain game. This way, it gives you the ability to see the sort of body language which comes with the reviews, as some popele may feel strongly against something and some may not. You would not be able to tell if you are reading the review instead of seeing it in person. Also, if there is a difference in opinion, then people may discuss and argue their points, backing them up with better reasons. The continual going back and forth from one reason to another gives other’s the chance to take in the opinions and reasons.

    If I were to review a game, I always tend to try and make it seem better than necessary because I want people to appreciate the effort that has gone into making it, even if it’s really not my sort of thing. I’d make my review too biased and then would easily be persuaded in a discussion. Instead of giving my reasons as to why it’s bad or good, I’d prefer to give reasons on how it could be improved, discussing the positives along with it. Therefore, giving constructive criticism as to not offend anyone.

Friday 2 December 2011

The Mist

    Today, we watched the film “The Mist” I shall discuss a few ideas conveying around the theme “Religion”.

       “Religion” plays a big part in “The Mist” as it is used as a metaphor for all things controlling and evil. This can be seen quite obviously by the way the Christian women (Mrs. Carmody) is acting towards the rest of the group. She first appears hostile and aggressive as she is the only one expressing a stereotypical Christian attitude towards the mist and the creatures. She believes they are the sign of the biblical end of the world. In doing this she brainwashes the other people in the supermarket back to the ages of human sacrifice all in the name of “God”. She keeps telling everyone of how they should repent for all their sins, she fills there thoughts and therefore influences them to follow her. She uses the religion to make her feel although she is God, everyone follows her commands like her mindless army. In “The Mist” the followers of religion are shown as sheep, just following the nearest person who believes they are “Gods Profit”. She doesn’t give the group any helpful ways of handling the situation, she just feeds off their collective fear. This shows the way “God” is perceived in this film, living off people’s fear and lies. This can be seen in real life, as nobody knows for certain if there is a God or not.

      Another example of the evilness of religion, is when Mrs. Carmody attacks the last of the military, for she blames him for the creatures coming through. This shows a interesting theme of Religion Vs. Science. Religion is based on purely what people believe, there is no certainty about any religion, they believe that the world was created by God(s). The military are working for the scientists, who believe the world was created by a big bang. Ever since these two entities have been a key part in people’s lives, they have conflicted. This is shown by the film, however the film is not shown from a biased point of view. In the same aspect, they are both sources of evil, the scientists being the physical of evil, and religion being psychologically evil.

     When Mrs.Carmody attacks with the rest of her “followers” she calls the military man Judas. In the bible Judas is the one that goes against Jesus. When the group picks him up, he is shown as the metaphor of Jesus, having the same body position as when Jesus was nailed to the cross, being taken to his ending by the mindless crowd. This is where we see the true meaning of religion, Mrs, Carmody is shown as evil personified, even though she is calling him Judas, he is seen as more Jesus, begging for forgiveness even though it wasn’t his fault about the monsters, as it was his job.

      The next scene with strong religious influences is when the “group” leaves the supermarket, this scene is accompanied by heavenly music, as the car leaves the car park in slow motion. The high beams of light from the car shines across the expressionless faces of the religious followers as they stand in the window wtching the other group leave. This represents the heavenly light that people see when they die, the expressionless faces represents death. They are like mindless zombies, as Mrs. Carmody has brain washed them with her religious views. The fact that there are monsters outside means that they are trapped inside the supermarket. They cannot reach the light. This is reminiscent of how life is, to get to the “safety” of heaven, you must first concur your fears and fight the “monsters” (Metaphorical of coarse).

     In conclusion,  the theme religion in “The Mist” is represented as the source of evil and is used as a way to control people into doing evil things, via the way Mrs. Carmody acts throughout the entire film, and how people follow her even though the way they act is evil.