Videogames case study 1: Lara Croft Go

Language

1) Who is Lara Croft and when did she first appear in a videogame?
in 1996 was the first game that she appeared in
2) What classic films influenced the creation of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider games?
it was influenced by Indiana jones
3) How has Lara Croft and Tomb Raider moved beyond just being a videogame?
they have been seen in a film and comics
4) What devices can you play Lara Croft Go on?
only on mobile
5) What type of game is Lara Croft Go?
its an action turn-based puzzle game
6) How does Lara Croft Go use narrative (storyline)?
it still has the aspect of being in the jungle and finding relics and artefacts
7) What iconography can be found in Lara Croft Go? How does this help communicate the sub-genre of videogame? it introduced the famous character the puzzle based gameplay, the level design and that they could be played on mobile

8) What other characters or enemies feature in the game?
in Laura croft go its laura and in hitman go it is hitman or also known as agent 47
9) What is the setting for Lara Croft Go? How does this compare to previous Lara Croft or Tomb Raider games?
it has the element of a jungle and tombs being explored
10) Read this BBC article on the history of Lara Croft and Tomb Raider. How has the character of Lara Croft evolved over the last 20 years?  
it has evolved from a polygon styled character from a more detailed character to a movie chracter

Audience

1) Why might an audience enjoy playing Lara Croft Go?
people who like the lara croft series and people who like mobile games
2) Where and when might an audience play a game like Lara Croft Go? Think about the device it is played on and the times of the day someone might want to play the game.
at a time where they are bored and a place where they dont have their console or device that they usually play on
3) How did Square Enix design Lara Croft to make it appealing to an audience?
its a puzzle game which works in a unique way at the same time adding in the features which it had with previous games
4) Which of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory might apply to Lara Croft Go?
diversion as this is some sort of entertainment and at the same time it is a puzzle game which can mean that this requires some sort of thinking skill
5) Who is the target audience for Lara Croft Go? How does brand loyalty contribute to this target audience?
it is designed for people who like indiana jones kinds of games and puzzle and lara croft fans, brand loyalty can be used for when the 

Representation

1) How are women usually represented in videogames?
as weak and sexualised
2) How does the character of Lara Croft reinforce female stereotypes in the media?
body type of the character and appealing to male audiences
3) How does the character of Lara Croft subvert female stereotypes in the media?
strong brave adventurer and a very skilled fighter
4) Why do some people believe the videogames industry is sexist and needs to change?
because they keep sticking to the idea of stereotyping women and men of how some are stronger than the other
5) Do you think Lara Croft is an empowering feminist icon or just another objectified woman designed to appeal to male gamers?

i think it was to show that women can be strong individuals and somewhat appeal the male audiences

so that they can profit from their interests

Industries

1) What does PEGI stand for?
pan european game information
2) What is PEGI's job?
it is to rate the games age rating
3) Which company created Lara Croft Go?
square enix moral
4) What two popular videogame franchises were combined to create Lara Croft Go?
hitman go and lara croft go
5) What else is part of the Lara Croft/Tomb Raider franchise?
the element of climbing and adventuring 



Grade 8/9 extension tasks


Exam practice extension task:

“Videogames are increasingly played and enjoyed by a wider and more diverse audience." 

Does your study of Lara Croft Go support this view?

Write a detailed three-paragraph answer to this question using the information you have learned in this case study.

Language
1) Watch some Lara Croft Go gameplay online or, even better, play the game yourself. How is the game constructed to attract and maintain the engagement of an audience?

this is a fun game at the same time it is a puzzle which makes it something that makes you think at the same time it is fun, i think it is for people who are looking for some sort of challenge that will somewhat train their brains

2) How is narrative, character, iconography and setting used to create intertextuality? (Links to other genres and media texts)it uses it by linking to other story lines and the current one, it uses the same iconic lara croft and the same type of place and situations

Representation
1) Read this NME feature on the history of the Lara Croft character. Do you agree that she is now a 'feminist icon' rather than a 'trapezoid-boobed pinup'? What do these terms mean?
a person related to being a female and demanding things but a representative, the other one means that they have been sexualised in the actual product
2) Have later versions of the Tomb Raider/Lara Croft franchise featured a less-sexualised version of the character? Does this suggest society is changing in its attitude towards women?
i think they have reduced the sexualised amount during the more recent games
Industries
1) Why do videogame producers prefer the self-regulation of PEGI to government regulation? Why is videogame regulation increasingly important in the 21st century?
so that it can specify the specific age for certain people
2) Watch the full lecture embedded above: Distilling a franchise - the making of Lara Croft Go. How did the designers make conscious decisions based on previous franchises to create a successful game?
they added the same climbing and running mechanics and the enemies then but it into a puzzle and they used that same jungle place 
Audience
1) How has the marketing of Lara Croft/Tomb Raider franchise changed over the last 20 years and how might an audience respond to this? Think about reception theory - preferred and oppositional readings. 
they have evolved to become a unique game that was once old then created a franchise to a newer version
2) Does Lara Croft Go target a female audience? Why do you think female gamers dominate the phone/tablet market? i think it might as it shows the protagonist as a female, this makes to show that they are powerful in a physical and mental manor as in the games lara is an independent female who makes her way through the jungle.

OSP & Videogames: An introduction

1) What were the first videogames like?
They were simple, games like pong was just a game about hitting a ball from one panel to another and seeing who could get the highest score. another one would be the Atari breakout where you would break the blocks and you would keep doing it until they cleared off.
2) How have videogames changed over time?
They have changed massively as they introduce new concepts of the different games, most have become a game where you need a computer which can run games at a very high speculation.
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 concept of the game, so games like fortnite have many other bootlegs or games similar like PUBG (Player Unknown Battle Grounds), they both have the same concept of last person standing wins kind of aspect, they also run on the same engine (unreal engine) which makes some aspects of the game run similarly and perform in certatin ways
4) What criticisms have been made towards videogames over the years? Here's a good article on the impact of videogames on players that might be helpful.
there isn't really any criticism its actually supporting the benefits of games instead of agreeing with people who say that "video games cause violence" ect. it does include some downsides to it but the amount of information that they put makes it so that it can actually help people, video games dont change anything phytologically bad but can actually make their hand and eye coordination better,

Read this Guardian feature from about the sensationally popular videogame Fortnite: Battle Royale and watch the original trailer below.

Now answer the following questions:

1) How many Fortnite players are there worldwide? Here's an updated article with recent figures for you.
200 millioin +
2) Why is it so popular? What are the audience pleasures of the game?
it is a battle royale game, also known as last person standing wins, although it is a shooter game it shows no other form of violence as there ins no blood or anything linked to that, it has a cartoon styled graphics so it is more appealing to the eye of people, this takes away the some violence aspect, so thats why it is rated PEGI 12 but it was made for kids because of all of the cartoon-like characters    
3) Why might some people criticise Fortnite?
take an audience of people who criticise the game the people who say that it should be banned because it is addicting and causing violent behaviour as it is a shooter, they complain about fortnite specifically when they haven't really played the game which makes them some sort of a passive audience
4) 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.

Said by on person: "I limit my children to only playing the Playstation at the weekends. Simple."

said by another: terrible idea

"1) your kids will grow up despising you
2) they will see you'd rather they be bored and miserable then do what they enjoy just cause you object to it and resent you for it
3) Computer games naturally get them more engaged in computing which leads being interested in Science and engineering
4) a game like this teaches co-operation, creativity, social skills, problem solving and a competitive spirit
5) if they do well at the game they earn a sense of confidence
6) their friends likely play it, and you've just isolated them from their friends making them shut-ins and removing their sense of confidence as everyone they know takes part through the week and you've limited them to the weekend
7) any homework or studying goes better with allotted breaks else it becomes an unbearable task and they learn nothing
8) let them do what they want, its only way they will really learn and develop"

"I'll add, if I'm missing something then I'm happy to be enlightened and give it another go, comments below seem to indicate a lot of people (adults included) think it's quite good. I'm guessing it could have improved in some of the recent patches so I might try it out again one evening."

I agree with both of these statements as this shows that video games can be very enjoyable and doesn't cause violence, this just shows that if you try it then you will like it or you will know what it is like and then later you can talk about it, then and only then you can criticise it.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this news story reporting that Prince Harry has called for Fortnite to be banned. Why does the Prince think Fortnite producer Epic Games is irresponsible?

He thinks that it is irresponsible because it is too addicting and it is a game about eliminating others until you are the last person left, this makes him think it is very violent, he also said that it is more addicting than alcohol  and drug, well at least this is a game and it isn't making everyone an addict to harmful substances. I think that epic games is a responsible company they keep everything family friendly for the kids so that they can play without having anyone say that it is bad for them but there are many people who criticise the game for being violent because it contains weapons.

Radio: Apple Beats 1 radio CSP case study

Background, industries and the impact of the internet

1) How have our music listening habits changed since 1960?
before in order to listen to music we had to tune into the radio and wait for the song that we would like to hear but now we can use the internet or apps which will let us stream and listen to music
2) When did Apple Beats 1 Radio launch and what is it?
it was launched in 2015 and it is a radio station which is dedicated to music not like a radio like radio 1 where they will discuss matters or the traffic they would just broadcast music to the people listening into the radio.

3) What is the difference between Beats 1 Radio, iTunes and Apple Music?
beats 1 shows the emerging of the future developments in media, itunes is an app which lets you listen to music by buying it off the itunes store or you can download it and then listen from there, apple music is a video and music streaming service.
4) Why was Apple so keen to enter the online music world and compete with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music (and others)?
because they have special people like dj and singer, etc. of their songs on there and then they sold it as they sold songs that were popular and many others in order to gain money and revenue
5) Why did Apple choose the three selected DJs for launch? 
they chose 3 very well known djs then used them for apple beats which then makes it so that if they are very well known and famous then that means that lots of people will hear about them then they will go to apple beats then apple will gain more money out of it.
6) How does the use of DJs differ from Spotify, Amazon Music and other streaming services? 
the dj's are real people who have gone live, so this means that they can do a lot more than just broadcast music, they can probably remix it or edit it so that they match the audience's pleasures
7) How does the content of the Julia Adenuga show differ from Radio 1? 
Because she previously worked for the FM radio station
8) Why does Beats 1 radio give Apple the power to make or break new artists? Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the music industry? this is a power which has a big responsibility so the person who chooses who stays and who goes has know properly what they are doing and why they are doing it.

9) Read the BBC feature on the launch of Apple Beats 1 Radio. Did the industry experts think it would be a success? Why? kind of because they were confused on why they even made a radio station in the first place when they already have the phones and computer that they sell

10) Give arguments for and against the idea that Beats 1 will be a threat to traditional media industries (e.g. radio stations, record shops, online music retailers etc.)

reasons for: becasue they wold eventually take over the music industry by having all of the music, this will then make it so that no one can profit from what they have made so if it becomes very big then it might eventually ruin the music industry,

reasons against: this is because they are just a radio station which broadcasts music requested by people and made by artist and have djs as the radio people, they wouldn't be able to out sell the other companies.

Audience

1) Who is the target audience for Beats1 and Julia Adenuga in particular? Refer to demographics and psychographics. it seems lie it would be for a younger generation as they broadcast pop music on the radio station which is a popular thing with the younger generation of people.

2) Why do people listen to Beats1? Which aspects of Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory relate to Beats 1 and its audience?
becasue of fan loyalty as there is a bunch of  artista and djs that they hired to be on the radio station
3) Can the audience actively interact with the Apple Beats 1 Radio or are they passive when listening? How? Give examples. 
they are somewhat active as they can request music that they would like to hear on the radio
4) Is Apple Beats 1 aimed at a mass or niche audience? How does this differ to BBC Radio 1?
at a mass audience, this will differ to BBC radio as they broadcast different types of music, and apple beats is more interavtive by the audience requesting which song that they want to hear, onradio 1 there isn't much to do other than wait and listen.
5) Do you think Apple Beats 1 radio will be popular with young audiences or are streaming services the future of audio-based media?
yes as apple is already a conglomorate company so they are known worldwide so this will give them the chance to share the word about apple beats

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Computer World feature on Apple Beats 1 Radio. Why does it describe it as 'genius'? 
becasue they are an active radio station that allows the audience to request songs and songs that contain profanity they are censored out
Read this BBC interview with Julie Adenuga regarding her new role at Apple Beats 1 Radio. Why is she so influential in terms of breaking new artists? 

because she needs to continue on making her own music so that the others are busy doing the radio she is making songs which are made then later broadcasted.
Read this Fader interview with Julie Adenuga. Why is she the 'most trusted voice on UK music' and why did this appeal to Apple to hire her for Beats 1 Radio?
so that when she was on the radio she was a well known voice then later people would go prone to listening to her voice on apple beats
Finally, try this exam question on Radio: How far do you agree that Beats 1 and similar online providers are a threat to conventional radio stations?

I think that apple beats is kind of like the online music broadcasting systems which then allow the people to request music, any other music that contains profanity apple will censor that in order to keep it "family friendly" this is a good move and as other radio stations don't do this then this makes them a unique company.

Radio 1 Launch CSP: blog tasks

Historical, social and cultural context

1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?
Radio home and Radio light and third
2) How was BBC radio reorganised in September 1967? What were the new stations that launched?
They just renamed it then put more poopular songs at the time and more of quizes and dramas
3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?
It was a radio station which played pop music this was very popular for younger people as it played newer songs and more popular  as they wnjoyed it
4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?
Because they were beyond control of their regulators
5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down?
They created a new radio station called needle time
6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?
It was another radio boradcasting station wich only played 5 hours of music then the rest were like dramas and comdeys etc. it was later a problem asit struggled financialy and younger people didin't really enjoy it as much and they tried to copy pirate radio which didn't really go well
7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?
It was more developed and more suitable for the people who were listening to it
8) Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC? Tony blackburn,but when they tried to copy pirate radio many young people weren't very happy as they tried to but failed in impressing the young people's needs.

9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners? It may have appealed to them in a way in which they may have hooked them on into radio 1 and then they would have listened to it and later it would grow in popularity for them and then later on to be a successful radio broadcasting channel.

10) What conventions did Tony Blackburn's radio show borrow from pirate radio - which made it very different to previous BBC radio content? He borrowed the aspects of the pop culture and then shaped it into a way where people would enjoy the music and content that was being broadcast ed by the company 

Audience and industry

1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?
It was aimed for younger audiences as they played pop music on it 
2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?
because they originally didin't seem cool to the younger people and it wasn't financially doing so well
3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory).It  broadcast ed pop music at the time, the word pop means popular so having a radio channel which broadcast ed pop music was something that many people enjoyed

4) How is the BBC funded?
by a licence fee like a tv fee so that the people who watch it have to pay for it 
5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional reading have been of BBC Radio 1 in 1967?  The oppositional reading would have been that radio 1 was just a way that BBC would have gotten more money as they tried to copy pirate radio in which didn't go very well which just caused more hate toward the radio station, so in this case this would make them a dishonest company and radio broadcasters.


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Guardian interview with the second DJ to broadcast on BBC Radio 1. How does he describe the 1960s and his move to the BBC? He describes it as being the best job being offered to him and that he had landed in the centre of the universe, this shows that being a DJ on the BBC radio might have been the most popular job at the time. 

The BBC is a public service broadcaster. What does this mean and why is it an important part of the history of BBC Radio 1? Everything and anything said on the radio channel means that it is notifying the public and that they should be fully aware of what they are saying, so its like a news channel but not entirely as they have to focus on broadcasting music.