Research: Batman Arkham City 2 trailer

STRENGTHS:
* Very dark lighting style, so if I was to create this I could allow keep my focus in the shadows so I reduce the obvious use of people in a video game trailer
* Extremely recognisable character and logo (Batman), so fans are instantly aware of what the game is and what it could be about
* No plot is given away but little clues are hidden in the details (e.g. Joker is hooked up to a 'Gothom General Hospital' blood bag, etc)

LIMITATIONS:
* A lot of extras to recreate as well as the fluid filming around a large city
* Not a particular theme (crime and investigation) that would be easy to create without very in-depth planning and consideration
* Trailer gives NO DIRECT insight into the game, because it is a sequel. My game will be new and a first edition, so this type of 'insinuation' can't be possible for me to achieve.

GENRE:
The genre of this video game is strongly based within Crime and Investigation, with an element of stealth, action and adventure. Though it's not clear from the advertisement, the game is a third-person combat/Hack 'n' Slash, and is primarily revolved around Batman trying to save Gothom City from destruction under the new control of The Joker. Much like the lighting and animation/costume design, the entirity of the game is set in darkness and shadows, a familiar concept to any Batman fan.

AUDIENCE:
Though some people may argue that a Batman game is for children and comic book lovers, this game is full of sophisticatation, and with it's '18+' certificate it's anything but a child's game. I'd want my game to reach to the same audience as this as the following of the 'Batman' franchise will bring in mass profit, as well as the mature content that some audience seek to find for a sense of authority. Developing a Batman themed game is a sure-fire way to attract a specific audience and thus a robust fighting game involving the Caped Crusader will be a huge hit. It's predessessor 'Arkham Asylum' sold 2 million copies in the first 3 weeks of it's release, and it then went on to become 'Game of the Year', a highly prestigious award, as well as obtaining a spot in the Guinness Book Of World Record for being 'The World's Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game'.

NARRATIVE:
The plot to this game takes place a year after where the 2009 'Arkham Asylum' left off, but now neither Gotham City nor Blackgate Prison are in any sort of shape to hold any inmates, causing them to run wild in their own corner of area in the town – Arkham City. Batman however remains in action throughout the streets when Two-Face devises a plan to publicly execute Catwoman. The game holds a strong sense of morals within the narrative, though some may see it as needlessly violent and agressive, something I'd love to include in my own narrative.

Research: Battlefield Bad Company 2 trailer

STRENGTHS:
* Use of 'people' and 'real action' could be created, if not as well as in the trailer but similarly
* Gorgeous location and fluent cuts, constant continuity
* F-P view, could be made possible
* Amazing and majestic background score, ambient sounds allow for deep atmosphere

LIMITATIONS:
* Impossible style and genre for me to produce (helicopter, explosions, warfare)
* Hardly explanation to the game, just the title and the graphics/concept

GENRE:
The genre of this game is a FPS (First Person Shooter) based solely around warfare, with an intricate campaign as well as a squad-based and tactical online multiplayer mode. The graphics are impeccable and have been described as the 'best video game graphics to date', along with its impressive map scale and serene environments. The campaign takes place behind enemy lines in Russia where your squad is infiltrating and securing Scalar weapon devices, and without a doubt the game is an explosive and action thrilling adventure from start to finish.

AUDIENCE:
Since its release in March 2010, the game has shipped over 5 million copies worldwide and has quickly challenged previous fans of ANY online shooter ever made. With it's 'near-photo realistic' graphics and an atmosphere of rewarding for pure skill instead of luck, the game has sparked a lot of attention in the eyes of former warfare shooter fans of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This kind of publicity has in fact potentially gained more popularity for the title as gamers are willing to experiment and find out their own opinion on the true champion of online warfare. This type of marketing campaign is second to none as it's comparison to another game, especially the most popular game EVER made as it sold over 4.7 millions copies in it's first 24 hours of release, has definitely helped the title to achieve maximum publicity. So for me to aim my game of the 'back side' of another would theoretically could an advertising campaign that would draw the focus of players of an old, popular and familiar game onto my own.

NARRATIVE:
The plot is based around a combination of intense and gripping 'stealth' as you sneak behind enemy lines to infiltrate their information, along with an incredible infusion of strategic and erratic warfare. Using a combination of weapons, gadgets and vehicles, the gamer is thrown all over Russia in an attempt to stop Scalar weapons from recreating a Tsunami able to kill millions and millions of civilians. The game is fast paced and action filled, a concept I want to have in my advertisement as this type of game is most popular to hardcore gamers, so I can attract more of my preferred demographic. The use of 'fast paced' styles will also aid me in the trailer I make, as I won't be able to create animations for a game so I will need to use real people. By using fast cuts and unsteady handy-cams I can make a human look less real by eliminating the steady focus and recognition.

Research: Dead Space 2 trailer

STRENGTHS:
* Quick flashes and cuts to retain ominous + harrowing, eyes can't focus on a particular subject to make sense of it
* Incredible use of sound effects and over dubs
* Gives clues away to plot and narrative for a game to appeal to old fans
* PEGI logo, Dead Space logo, though no release data or website for further info

LIMITATIONS:
* VERY fancy editing style and animation, something which would be impossible for to learn and reproduce without years of practising and learning
* Setting + conflict is something I could never replicate (space + mutants)
* A story line I could not reproduce or gain inspiration from because of my distinct lack in game mechanics and development

GENRE:
The genre of this game is strongly a survival horror, with elements of third-person shooting and adventure. Its primary audience is that of people who tend to play fantasy/horror games as the setting is placed on a space ship and you are surrounded my mutants. The game is a certificate '18+' because of its strong gory content and horrific use of violence and terror. Though my trailer could never achieve the full effect of 'terrifying', perhaps a horror game would be best to attempt as this means I can make the trailer dark and mystic, by using strange lighting and harrowing background scores.

AUDIENCE:
For big fans of 'Shoot 'Em Ups' and in particular intensely horror games, Dead Space 2 has an audience very tailored to its brand. It isn't suitable for children or those with a tendency to get very frightened over visuals of a petrifying nature, but this is intended by its '18+' certificate. Described as a 'nail-biting experience' and 'disturbingly gruesome', the game was well received by all major critics and commercials, selling 1 million copies since its release in 2008. As much as making a huge blockbuster title is a great idea in my head, the challenging idea would actually to be to create a game for a very niche audience such as this.

NARRATIVE:
The narrative is deeply set in a completely fictional environment in outer space, where the protagonist is an engineer set to fix communications on another ship. However when he gets there he finds that an infection has spread causing the dead to rise in the most grotesque and aggressive form. Isaac Clarke must go through the ship fixing the problems as well as discovering what happened, whilst fending off the mutants whose only way of life is the attack in order to spread the disease. The plot is completely morbid and explains why eventually the protagonist suffers from PTSD, but does have an audience. Horror fans have dubbed this game as one of the most terrifying but incredible games of its time, and though the graphics and lighting is dark and ominous, it reflects the narrative perfectly and from every angle the game is a success.

Research: Dead Rising 2 trailer

STRENGTHS:
* The 'Zombie' idea is simple to recreate
* Photographs, camera angles and character types are also easy to process
* Comedy, if done right, could really add to the audiences appeal of the trailer
* The stories principle is basically portrayed in the trailer, suggesting it's not a hugley plot driven game

LIMITATIONS:
* The 'Zombie' idea is done a lot by students because of how easy it is
* The death scenes + involvement of weapons would be incredibly difficult
* Lots of 'AI' + extras to plan, organise and make-up, which I won't have the time for

GENRE:
Another game that can be placed into the category of survival horror, but this time with the added feature of zombies and fully customizable combat systems. Gamers can use typical everyday objects to fend off the horde as they go about their business, or they can craft two things together to make the ultimate weapon, these can range from combinations of motorbikes and chainsaws and even shotguns and rakes. Also in the third-person perspective, the camera is set behind Chuck Greene, a charming and hilarious protagonist to reflect comedy into a game that could otherwise be seen as a horrific tragedy. With the success of other 'Zombie' based games such as 'Left 4 Dead' and 'Resident Evil', the genre surrounding this game is at its most popular, making the release of this game perfect for the current buying market.

AUDIENCE:
Another '18+' down to its graphic violence and language, the game appeals to horror, comedy and previous fans of the prequel. Also with a concept that has been seen in many previous titles, the audience demographic for survival/zombie games has not seen a decrease in gross sales. With an ingenious marketing scheme including a pre-released demo that can be playable for up to 3 hours, as well as featuring replica gameplay elements and fully moddable weapons, fans of the game were able to really get to grips with the game before it was even released. This also works perfectly for the developers and publishers as it can see how popular a game could potentially be and tune the advertising campaign so not to over spend their budget.

NARRATIVE:
Though the basic premise of the game is survive throughout the zombie apocalypse, a new sense of urgency is now present in the game as you must also look after your little girl, who has been bitten by a zombie and the only way to stop her mutating is to find and give her Zombrex every couple of hours, on PRECISE timings. It's set 5 years after it's predecessor, so old fans won't see much in the change of appearance or character development, but now the protagonist is found in the fictional setting of Fortune City, a replica of Las Vegas. This continuation of theme and character archetypes gives the audience a sense of recollection, which under any normal circumstance would drive them back into stores to pick up the sequel. As prementioned, the use of comedy eases the horror of the game, so much so that in fact hilarity and sheer entertainment can be derived from situations of mass murder or brutal torture.

Give 3 clear discussion of how theoretical perspectives studied will DIRECTLY influence your Advanced Production

1) GENRE - As I have decided to undergo the project in which you create a series of media for a Video Game release, I need to research deep into specific codes and conventions for certain game genres. This means that in the long run, I will stop myself from creating something completely out of context and therefore decreasing my chance of getting a higher grade. Research is key in particular on a subject such a gaming genre as there is such a wide scope. Genre can be in the form of the context (e.g. Horror, Action, Adventure, Platform) but I can also be seen in how the game play is presented (e.g. FPS, 3-person shooter, side scroller, RPG). All of these ideas and possible concepts need to be taken into consideration as some elements will be completely out of my league to recreate. For instance, an FPS set in the Second World War will be impossible for me as I can create that technology to present it, as well as the time, money and acting skill available to me as a college student.

2) AUDIENCE - As a huge gamer myself, I know a lot about the audience surrounding a game, and what kind of advertising can really get people 'pumped'. So after I find my genre, I need to focus on my audience. They are completely separate in the sense that you can make a war game for adults that is violent and vulgar, whereas you can make one for kids that is simple and educational. An audience is only responsive to the evidence you feed them as well, so there is no point coming up with an amazing concept for a video game, and then advertising it wrongly to my audience. I need to draw in potential buyers, but I also need to keep them on the edge. Giving away too much of the narrative or making the game look awful will weaken my audiences’ response.

3) NARRATIVE - A huge debate in the Gaming Industry is the argument between graphics and storyline. Some people would say that as long as a game looks incredible, the story is allowed to lack, but some think oppositely. So I need to make sure that my narrative is creative and unique, or else that is half of the audience I have lost. After placing my project within a specific genre and audience demographic, the narrative is the next thing to take into consideration, in the example of the pre-mentioned war game; I could make a chilling and emotionally-responsive game but is this what the audience want? If I'm planning on releasing a horror game around the same time as another huge sequel to a multi-million franchise is also being released, I will miss out on a huge market (a.k.a. February 2011 will be the release of Dead Space 2, so no other horror developers will even consider releasing a horror game then). So the narrative needs to reflect the need of the audience and my consumer, or else it is a pointless and needless media.

Give 5 detailed examples of a paper-based/research skill aquired/developed for your AS Coursework that will DIRECTLY be used in your A2 Coursework.

1) CREATING PLANS - This in particular was a skill I needed to enhance greatly as from a personal opinion I can be very unorganised. When I was given the role of 'Director', I also had to pick up the responsibilities of organising an entire group of people, as well as what had to be happening on a certain date. I had to help and guide friends of mine from an authoritive position into creating the best work they could and by the deadline I had set. I felt that this matured me a lot, as well as helping to clear my mind of what wasn't needed on the project, leaving me and my group with only the crucial work left.

2) ORGANISATION - As pre-mentioned, by organisational skills took a huge leap from the beginning of the year until the end, and I'm hoping to take this further as the final year is most important in reflecting my understanding and development of all the skills I have been taught over the past 2 years. I blogged a lot last year about things that had happened in a particular lesson, even if they weren't relevant to the final evaluation, but the memories I typed would help me to remember certain other things that I could write about. As well as this, simple things such as a Homework Diary, neat folders on my Computer System and a more organised note system will all be in place to help me maintain as organised as I was last year.

3) WORKING TO DEADLINES - Once again, this is a skill I did impressively last year, but will need to be heightened this year as the work load is increasing rapidly. As well as this year being tougher all round, I am now completing the A2 project entire on my own, so I will only have myself to answer to if I don't complete a piece of work on time. I won't have the help of others to guide me or give me some assistance, which is something that I will indeed miss from last year, but I now have an opportunity to prove to myself that I can reach critical deadlines if I just remain focused and organised.

4) IN-TEAM ROLES AND JOBS - From last year’s group, I developed an understanding in what it is like to be a director and how to lead a group. This unfortunately meant I missed out on some other skills that my partners may have enhanced over me, such as recording and editing skills. Though with my very technology-filled mind I should be able to catch up. This however is something I wish I could of changed; the limitations of our roles last year. I was strictly a director, whereas another person would be strictly an editor. I feel that if we had shared some roles or been taught by the other member, certain skills could of been passed over, as well as furthering our communication and feedback capabilities.

5) GROUP 'MEETINGS' FOR DISCUSSIONS - This was something I was keen on doing as much as possible, as it was a perfect window of opportunity to talk with my group mates about their worries and excitement about the coming course, as well as how they were developing in their specific areas. I tended to take notes and keep them in a folder for later use, as this meant I could record all of our thoughts in case we needed them at a later date, as well as passing on inspiration from one person to another. We critiqued each other work and progression and then we would go off and continue how we were, perhaps with new ideas to introduce. Overall, I think this helped bonding and the flow of communication greatly, I felt I could say what I felt with the group and not just bite my tongue.

Give 5 detailed examples of a practical skill aquired/developed for your AS Coursework that will DIRECTLY be used in your A2 coursework.

1) TECHNOLOGY - I've learnt a great deal about programmes such as Premiere Pro and Photoshop last year, which will aid me this year by reducing the learning curve around them. Therefore I can get straight into the coursework without learning much new in the way of technology that might initially hold me back.

2) TEAM SKILLS - From being in a group last year of diverse minds and experiences, I have developed better communication skills as well as being able to accept feedback and critics in a positive way, and therefore reflecting new possible ideas that will work better than my own.

3) ANALYSIS OF MY OWN IDEAS - Instead of personally feeling my first idea and intention was the best, I went on to realise that in fact by taking apart and deconstructing original concepts and expanding on them, I could potentially further my work scope and enhance an original approach into something far more complex.

4) INTENSE PLANNING - By looking at every flaw, strength and limitation, I learnt to look around faults that would otherwise harness my project so I could avoid potential mistakes. This allowed me to be far more confident as I went through the project, instead of hesitating at every hurdle.

5) IMPROVED RESEARCH SKILLS - I began looking at good influences and poor examples of research in the field I was working in to determine the strengths and limitations of myself. This also meant I saw a wider perspective of things I could personally achieve.

How has my creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your coursework productions?

From learning the strengths and limitations I have in terms of using Digital Technology in AS last year, I was able to pass over my creativity in the best way that I could. I also discovered what things are and aren't possible to convert, and this is a skill I can use in particular as I can automatically cross off creative ideas in my head that I know will not work.
My skills with Premiere Pro have greatly broadened as the only video editing software I had used before was Windows Movie Maker. I can now cut, change tempo and edit videos and projects together fluently and with ease, though hopefully this year I can try and take things a step further to make my understanding of this technology a great asset to my highest potential achievable grade.
A new skill I have learnt is that of filming and the control needed behind a camera, along with the knowledge of critical lighting and sound recording. This in particular was not only a huge step for me to learn, but one of the most enjoyable as I was most interested in this section. This year I plan to again take things a bit further in perhaps using different techniques with camera angles, lighting and sound to create a project that shows clear development in knowledge from last year, as well as portraying new creativity skills.
Any lastly, the use of Blogger as a tool to present my work, research and course development was a technology that I found a huge amount of confidence in and had no difficulty in processing. I have blogged for a long and concentrated time in my life so my presenting all my coursework on here was a great aid to me. This year I hope to try and improve my knowledge on Blogger, by inserting many different formats in the posts I create as well as keeping it very up-to-date, so as to help my final evaluation and keep a check on past creative ideas that I may have forgotten.