Introduction
As Video game designers it is vital to understand who the audience is so we can produce video games for that specific audience for example there is no point in creating a video game which our audience is not going to purchase and play. To help get a better understatement on how media producers do this, I have analysed Just dance and the last of us which are two video games that are a complete opposite of each other. I am analysing the video games trailers, game play and look of their marketing material to see how the producers have constructed their products in terms of; Genre, Content, Construction, Narrative conventions, Common codes and their modes of address.Genre – what type or category of game is it?
Content - the way it looks and why. Its styling – words, images, sound, colours, fonts.
Construction - the way in which it is structured and how the interaction is constructed.
Narrative conventions – the type of story / gameplay you’d expect.
Common Codes – the ingredients and special features they have in common.
Modes of address – how the game talk to the audience.
Just Dance
Genre- Just dance is a game where the player simulates into a music video game to dance with the rhythm. This makes the game genre, Dance and rhythm.
Content -
The content of just dance is usually a really interesting, bright appearance. The theme usually includes vibrant, vivid colours which brings a positive and happy effect to the player. As you can see to the right, there is a image of the logo. You can easily see that the image is glowing with vibrant colours which are appealing and make the audience have a more positive and alive effect. For example if the image included dull colours such as browns, greys and blacks then it wouldn't be as dramatic or as much as a pleasure to look at. Another feature which Caught my eye on the image is the actual logo. The logo it self has a unusual appearance for example even though it says 'Just dance' they have adjusted the letters individually to give more of a fun, entertaining appearance. For instance The 'A' of just dance is always sticking out a little bit more than the other letters, I like to think that the A is sticking out its 'leg' and is almost 'dancing' which creates a more fascinating affect than just having a boring, old letter.
The content of just dance is usually a really interesting, bright appearance. The theme usually includes vibrant, vivid colours which brings a positive and happy effect to the player. As you can see to the right, there is a image of the logo. You can easily see that the image is glowing with vibrant colours which are appealing and make the audience have a more positive and alive effect. For example if the image included dull colours such as browns, greys and blacks then it wouldn't be as dramatic or as much as a pleasure to look at. Another feature which Caught my eye on the image is the actual logo. The logo it self has a unusual appearance for example even though it says 'Just dance' they have adjusted the letters individually to give more of a fun, entertaining appearance. For instance The 'A' of just dance is always sticking out a little bit more than the other letters, I like to think that the A is sticking out its 'leg' and is almost 'dancing' which creates a more fascinating affect than just having a boring, old letter.
Construction-
The structure of just dance is quite simple, as you can see in the video below just dance has a clear interface with a presentated on-screen dancer which the player has to mimic and copy their moves. Doing this allows the player to get a lot more active because they are made to get up and dance just like the on-screen dancer. Aswell as having a on screen dancer there is also little icons which move accross the bottom of the screen, displaying the move you should be doing and the future moves which are coming up. An intresting feature of how just dance is constructed is that it allows the player to build their own personal routines by creating a custom playlist for instance if the player didnt want to listen and dance to other songs, they can collect all their favorite songs and put it in their own order, Creating their own personal dance routines.
The structure of just dance is quite simple, as you can see in the video below just dance has a clear interface with a presentated on-screen dancer which the player has to mimic and copy their moves. Doing this allows the player to get a lot more active because they are made to get up and dance just like the on-screen dancer. Aswell as having a on screen dancer there is also little icons which move accross the bottom of the screen, displaying the move you should be doing and the future moves which are coming up. An intresting feature of how just dance is constructed is that it allows the player to build their own personal routines by creating a custom playlist for instance if the player didnt want to listen and dance to other songs, they can collect all their favorite songs and put it in their own order, Creating their own personal dance routines.
Narrative Conventions-
Just dance has basically no story line, the game play of the game consists of players dancing with an on-screen dancer which they have to copy their moves. The main goal of just dance is trying to gain a high score and unlock different songs, this means that just dance narrative convention is to just be entertaining and to mainly focus on the dance moves on the game. Common Codes -
Just dance's special features can include the animated avatar which the player has to copy their moves from, its unique, eye catching and really popular way of making the player interact with the game. Another feature which just dance has is how it gives the player feed back for example it tells the player if their moves are good or bad. I personally think this is a special feature because it allows their players to know how they need to improve each individual move. Modes of address-
Just dance is informed controlled, this means that the player has no other choice but to do what the game is telling them to do. In this case, this means that Just dance is informed controlled because the players are being informed to dance.
Conclusion
Just Dance is a dance, rhythm game which allows players from all ages to get a positive feeling by dancing to popular, entertaining songs whilst looking at a clear, happy, bright interface and mimic the fun avatars. This game's target audience is really wide seen as it is appropriate for most ages because its a simple and happy game to play although because just dance audience can be children they have constraints on which songs can be played etc. For example just dance cant bring out rude, sexual songs because children ages 5 + could be playing this game.
Links
https://www.ubisoft.com/en-US/game/just-dance-2016/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt4zIG7kUB
http://pixelkin.org/2015/09/10/just-dance-2016-gold-edition-will-have-all-sorts-of-goodies/
The Last of us
Genre -
The last of us is a action and adventure which includes horror and survival as its genre.
Content-
The content in the last of us is basically the opposite of just dance. In just Dance's logo you can easily see vivid, bright colours from far away but with the last of us the content consists of dark, gloomy, sad colours which all look old, dirty and almost destroyed. I personally think this makes the game look like its going to be a depressing game full of death and loneliness unlike just dance which gave me positive and happy effects about the game.
Construction -
As you can see in the last of us trailers and game play the game is constructed to have a realistic effect. The game is a survival so in the game play you can see violence which means their will be blood, fighting and killing involved in the game so the player can protect their self and survive. The game has a ruined, worn down effect to it. As you can see in the video bellow at 1.00 the game play is showing a small clip of a town with abounded , destroyed cars and houses resulting in dirty, unsafe surroundings in the town. At 2:42 you are able to see what its like to be in a abounded house which you can easily tell is an dangerous place to be visiting.
Narrative and Code conventions-
The last of us has a narrative convention which you would expects in a horror,survival/adventure and action game. For example there is zombies which are infected so the player has survive by using violence and ammo which result in death, blood and core which are all a common code convention for a horror survival. The game is also really dramatic and emotional, each individual bit of the game is intense which cause a vary of emotions such as being scared or nervous. The main thing that caught my attention which does effect the narrative and code conventions are the cut scenes. The cut scenes allow the player to get emotional attached to the game because the player has no choice but to follow the cut scenes making the game story line a lot more interesting and personal towards the player. Below is a video which includes all the cut scenes from the last of us, as you can easily tell each cut scene brings a bit more definition to the game simply because each cut scene is dramatic and intense.
Modes of address-
The Mode of address for the last of us is the complete opposite of just dance. Just dance was more formal, you have to do what the game tells you. Although The last of us mode of address is usually informal, The game is played in third person. When the game is played in third person this means that the player has to talk to other characters to know what to do and even then, the player is in control and is almost the hand of god. For example if the player goes and talks to a character and the character is saying "We have to go and look in this room" It is up to the player if they want to go and look in the room.
Narrative and Code conventions-
The last of us has a narrative convention which you would expects in a horror,survival/adventure and action game. For example there is zombies which are infected so the player has survive by using violence and ammo which result in death, blood and core which are all a common code convention for a horror survival. The game is also really dramatic and emotional, each individual bit of the game is intense which cause a vary of emotions such as being scared or nervous. The main thing that caught my attention which does effect the narrative and code conventions are the cut scenes. The cut scenes allow the player to get emotional attached to the game because the player has no choice but to follow the cut scenes making the game story line a lot more interesting and personal towards the player. Below is a video which includes all the cut scenes from the last of us, as you can easily tell each cut scene brings a bit more definition to the game simply because each cut scene is dramatic and intense.
Modes of address-
The Mode of address for the last of us is the complete opposite of just dance. Just dance was more formal, you have to do what the game tells you. Although The last of us mode of address is usually informal, The game is played in third person. When the game is played in third person this means that the player has to talk to other characters to know what to do and even then, the player is in control and is almost the hand of god. For example if the player goes and talks to a character and the character is saying "We have to go and look in this room" It is up to the player if they want to go and look in the room. Conclusion
Overall I think the last of us is a dark, gloomy but interesting game full of violence, gore. Having a game this intense means that the age restriction will be for 18+. Having a Pegi rating Of 18 + means the game can have violence, swearing and sexual scenes within the game although it also means that some children can still play this game by simply ignoring the pegi rating. So in a way, violence is still the last of us biggest constraints.
Links