Media Paper 1: Learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to).

No feedback given.

2) Did you succeed in meeting or exceeding your target grade for A Level Media? If not, how many additional marks do you need to achieve your target grade in this paper?

The grade boundaries for this paper:

A* = 78; A = 68; B = 56; C = 46; D = 36; E = 26.

Now read through the AQA mark scheme. This is vital as the paper was an official specimen exam paper and therefore the mark scheme tells us a lot about what AQA are expecting us to produce. The original question paper is here if that is helpful too.

Yes, I just barely met my target. My ultimate goal is an A which means I would need another 22 marks to get there.

3) Write a question-by-question analysis of your performance. For each question, write how many marks you got from the number available and identify any points that you missed by carefully studying the AQA indicative content in the mark scheme:

Example: Q1: 5/8 marks
Additional points: didn't mention codes and conventions of music promotion flier/poster;  didn't discuss unconventional focus on mouth rather than eyes; didn't discuss idea that gender stereotypes are ironically reinforced to emphasise 'outsider' element of artist.

Q1 - 4/8
Overall the use of media language is consistent with the codes andconventions of the media form (flier / electronic advertisement)
The syntagm consists of visual and verbal signifiers (dominant signifiers potentially include the mouth, the artist’s name, words like LAUNCH)
The composition is interesting in that it works in three ‘layers’ which each have different textures representing a movement from signs with high

motivation to signs of high convention

Q2 - 5/12
products must reflect the cultural values of their target audiences in order to be successful but these may be diverse and can explain the differences in representation the various texts are similarly unhelpful. The singer’s name is just out of kilter as is the title of the album which rather than anchoring a preferred reading merely extends the paradox / intrigue

boys write love songs too? In a music industry still dominated by specific ‘boys’ singing of their various loves for girls in general, this is another double take, conventional only at first glance, the point at which we are taken in the title makes explicit reference to the audience since we are,
potentially, ‘the free’ and are connected culturally to a tradition of protest

songs

Q3 - 4/9
gangster iconography in the costume and props – spats, the flicking of the coin refers to 1930s gangster genre
fantasy elements through special effects and transformations
the road which the artist dances along, with its impossible lay out across an imagined city suggests the yellow brick road of the Wizard of Oz (Michael Jackson had previously appeared in a remake of the film – The Wiz)

Q4 - 10/20
this is how gender is constituted as the repetition of stylised acts though 50 years apart, for Butler they are manifestations of the same ongoing process creating the illusion of gender difference
the male model subverts traditional gender expectations through appearance, body language, transformation through make up usually associated with femininity
this subversion of socially constructed norms calls into question the relevance and stability of gender / sex as categories (the binary doesn’t work) the relationship between sex, gender, sexuality and power is transparent / exposed (deconstructed): this was never ‘real’ always ‘fantastic’
this performance of gender lacks credibility as does its certainty about the gender binary it acts out

Q5 - 5/6
creating videos and video edits related to their fan focus purchasing / accumulating / collecting merchandise / memorabilia engaging in ‘cosplay’ (roleplaying in costume) creating fan art

Q6 - 5/9

preparation is vital to this kind of production (e.g. work with actors): Stephenson talks about working with Scott Chambers (Richard), spending “Hours and hours of discovering a complex character together so we could bring him to life with respect and honesty”
Stephenson created his own production company and relied on friends and acquaintances when the big companies said ‘no’


Q7 - 13/20
The Surgery wants to offer useful advice in an appropriate way to a largely student audience: it wants to be cool and reliable!
there are clearly other readings that can be made by this audience who have this kind of information available in many different formats. Its demise in 2017 might suggest that these ‘oppositional readings’ were becoming ‘dominant’.
negotiated readings could include the explicit association of the ‘aliens’ with Nazi invaders which caused some panic
it could be assumed that any reading that took the product as literal truth is oppositional (though this could be challenged if it is considered that the ultimate goal of the producers was to create publicity). An interesting aside in the age of ‘fake news’.


4) Look at Question 4 - a 20-mark essay evaluating how useful Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity is. Write a full essay plan for this question using the indicative content in the mark scheme and with enough content to meet the criteria for Level 4 (top level). This will be somewhere between 4-6 well-developed paragraphs planned in some detail.

Intro - 

• Breif explanation of the theory
• Some basic information of the two CSPs

Para 1- 

• Maybelline focus
• Subverting male stereotypes
• link to Butler
• change in apperance between olden times vs newer times

Para 2- 

• Focus on score hair cream advert
• Since it's oolder, the use of stereotypes is more logical
• Constructing masculinity structure
• Binary gender
• link that with Levi Strauss

Para 3 -

• Back to focusing on Maybelline
• Butler - gender is a social construct
• Link that to the CSP
• Two step flow - influencers
• Time passes - social media platforms

Para 4 - 

• Focus on Score hair cream advert
• Typography and iconography (things you can see)
• Reference to James Bond stance and power above all
• Link to power of male over women

Conc- 

• Evaluation of the two CSPs 
• Which one has more valid interpretations
• Effect of sociocontexts

5) Based on the whole of your Paper 1 learner response, plan FIVE topics / concepts / CSPs / theories that you will prioritise in your summer exam Media revision timetable.

• Linking the name of theory to the theorist
• Industries
• Michael Jackson - conventions
• Life hacks
• Audience theories (War of the Worlds)

Videogames: Final index

Videogames: Women in videogames

Videogames: Further feminist theory

Learner response: OSP assessment

Videogames: Tomb Raider Anniversary

Videogames: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Videogames: Henry Jenkins - fandom and participatory culture

Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 1 - Language and audience

Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 2 - Industries

Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 3 - Representations

The Sims FreePlay - Representation blog tasks

Textual analysis

Re-watch some of the expansion pack trailers and answer the following questions:

1) How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?

• The trailer for the teen expansion packs reinforces female submissive behaviour aswell as male protective ideologies. The characters aren't in expected outfits such as dresses or suits and ties, instead, they are wearing universal clothes that all genders can wear.
• For the boutique trailer, two females are highlighted. One is traditionally feminine whereas the other one wears more androgynous clothes with shorter hair etc..

2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?

• the traditional gender stereotypes of male and female.
• The heterosexual stereotype, there is a lack of LGBT representation.

3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?

• Butlers gender performance theory
• Gilroy- 'Double Consciousness'
• Baudrillard- postmodern theory 

Representation reading

Read this Forbes article on gender and racism in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:

1) How realistic does The Sims intend to be?

• The game doesn't intend to be realistic but its aims to be believable.

2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?

• The realistic creation of avatars has helped improve the representation.

3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?

• The Sims does challenge racism or sexism explicitly as the game is under the control of the payer, ot the game developers.

4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?

• The game hasn't made any bold statements on fluidity and forces players to choose a gender.

5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?

• The 'American Dream' ideology is reinforced with avatars having to work for success and happiness.

Read this New Normative feature on LGBTQ representation in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:

1) How did same-sex relationships unexpectedly help the original Sims game to be a success?

• The game represented a minority community which gave it a lot of positive publicity.

2) How is sexuality now represented in The Sims?

• The sexuality is now up to the players as they have full control over their avatars.

3) Why have fans praised the inclusion of LGBTQ relationships in The Sims franchise?

• It gave positive representations on the gay community which hadn't been seen before in other games.

4) Why did the Sims run into regulatory difficulties with American regulator the ESRB? How did EA respond?

• The game allowed for players to have sex which wasn't a family-friendly addition to the game.

5) How is sexuality represented in the wider videogames industry today?

• More games are praising sexuality and are moe accepting of it.

Reality, postmodernism and The Sims

Read this Paste Magazine feature on reality and The Sims franchise. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?

• The game is said to be too realistic and annoying to play.

2) What audience pleasures did the writer used to find in The Sims franchise?

• Diversion
• Fantasy element

3) Why does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?

• The writer is frustrated with these DLC's because they reinforce everyday domestic tasks and don't prove a sense of diversion.

4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?

• I agree that the game has been made to realistic as players cant go to the game for any division as they are faced with the same modern-day struggles of reality.

5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?

• This representation suggests that the game has blurred reality with virtual reality.

The Sims FreePlay social media analysis

Analyse The Sims FreePlay Facebook page and Twitter feed and answer the following questions:

1) What is the purpose of The Sims FreePlay social media channels?

• To gain a fandom and start fandoms etc..

2) Choose three posts (from either Twitter or Facebook) and make a note of what they are and how they encourage audience interaction or response.

• how incredible is this mansion? 
• Don't miss out on fashionista hairstyles
• Whose excited for the lake house grand prize?
• They encourage comments by players to give their opinion and increase excitement in the game.

3) Scroll down the Facebook feed briefly. How many requests for new content can you find from players? Why is this such as an important part of the appeal for The Sims FreePlay?

• More players are requesting new content.
• The game needs to update in order to stay relevant in the modern age.

4) What tweets can you find in the Twitter feed that refer to additional content or other revenue streams for EA?

• There are no other revenue streams seen in the feed other than the content of The Sims mobile game.

5) Linking to our work on postmodernism, how could The Sims FreePlay social media presence be an example of Baudrillard’s hyperreality and simulacra?

• The game is a representation of reality which means there are replications of real-life throughout the game which creates a blur for some players as they can't distinguish what is real life and what isn't.

The Sims FreePlay Case Study - Industries

Regulation – PEGI

Research the following using the PEGI website.

1) What is the VSC and how does it link to UK law?

• VSC - A Rating Board is an Administrator of the PEGI age rating system and is  used in over 30 countries throughout Europe. 
• Links to UK law through the fact that 16 and 18 rated games are legally enforceable and cannot be sold to anyone under those respective ages.' 

2) Note down the key statistics on the homepage.

• 13938+ Games Rated
• 15141+ Apps Rated 
• 1702 Number of Member Oultets
• 30 years in operation

3) What is the purpose of PEGI?

• The purpose of PEGI is being committed to providing as much helpful information we can about video game ratings.

4) Click on the PEGI Rating tab in the top menu. What are the age ratings and what do they include?

• PEGI 3:"majorityof games in this category do not contain anything that requires rating or warrants a content warning."
• PEGI 7"majority of games in this category do not contain anything that requires rating or warrants a content warning."
• PEGI 12"detailed and realistic looking violence towards fantasy characters is allowed."
• Parental Guidance
• PEGI 16:"expect to see more mature and realistic violence against human characters."
• PEGI 18:The adult classification, applied when the level of violence is both realistic or severe in nature, often being graphic with blood and gore.

5) Scroll down to look at the ‘How games are examined’ infographic. What is the PEGI process for rating a game?

• Assess the contents of the game 
•  receive video footage of the game as well as a copy of it.
•  Another assessment to ensure nothing has been misinterpreted from a questionnaire. 
• Play the actual game and assess gameplay and representations.
• The game receives a PEGI rating.

The ‘Freemium’ gaming model

Read this Lifewire feature on freemium gaming and answer the following questions:

1) How does the freemium model work?

• A game with limuted features and is free to download but has in app purchases that expand the gameplay.

2) Why do some gamers believe freemium is ruining games?

• They limit the game play of the game.

3) What are the positives of the freemium model for gaming?

• expand the features
• "the ability to download and try a game for free is great"

Now read this Business Insider feature on freemium gaming and multiplayer games. Answer the following questions:

1) Note the key statistics in the first paragraph.

• 70-80% of the $10 billion or more in iOS revenue.

2) Why does the freemium model incentivise game developers to create better and longer games?

• It allows players to spend more time playing the game.

3) What does the article suggest regarding the possibilities and risks to the freemium model in future?

• The possibility of addiction amongst players 
• Accidentally purchasing games by children.

Read this New York Times feature on freemium gaming and answer the following questions:

1) Why did Temple Run use the freemium model?

• To enhance the gameplay with the addition of extra tolls when purchased.

2) The bigger gaming studios like Electronic Arts used to avoid the freemium model. Why are they now embracing it?

• They end up being a lot more profitable as well as reaching a wider audience.

3) Why does Peter Farago suggest independent game makers benefit more from the freemium model than the major publishers like EA?

• “Freemium is a weapon against the establishment,and the establishment has a hard time even wanting to pick up that weapon.”

Electronic Arts

Read this Pocket Gamer interview with EA’s Amanda Schofield, Senior Producer on The Sims FreePlay at EA's Melbourne-based Firemonkeys studio. Answer the following questions:

1) How has The Sims FreePlay evolved since launch?

• There were limited amounts of avatars you could create but now you can have puppies,kittens and dragons etc...

2) Why does Amanda Schofield suggest ‘games aren’t products any more’?

• Players can communicate with each other and suggests improvements to the game with creators.

3) What does she say about The Sims gaming community?

• They are involved in the development of the game.

4) How has EA kept the game fresh and maintained the active player base?

• They use the excitement of the players and ask for new developments the players want to see in the game.

5) How many times has the game been installed and how much game time in years have players spent playing the game? These could be great introductory statistics in an exam essay on this topic.

• The game has been installed 200 million times.
• It has been played for an equivalent of 78,000 years.

Finally, read this blog on how EA is ruining the franchise (or not) due to its downloadable content. Answer the following questions:

1) What audience pleasures for The Sims are discussed at the beginning of the blog?

• Diversion- escape of reality.
• Personal relationships.
• Personal identities. 

2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?

• Expansion packs 
• Stuff packs 
• DLC

3) How did Electronic Arts enrage The Sims online communities with expansion packs and DLC?

• They felt that the features in the packs should have already been in the game anyways.

4) What innovations have appeared in various versions of The Sims over the years?

• The ability to have multi-generational legacies and travel between neighbourhoods and see other player creations.

5) In your opinion, do expansion packs like these exploit a loyal audience or is it simply EA responding to customer demand?

• I thinks these packs are bad as they are subject to hackers and trolls which can steer new players away.

Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 1 - Language and Audience

Language / Gameplay analysis

Watch The Sims: FreePlay trailer and answer the following questions:



1) What elements of gameplay are shown?

• Third person gameplay

• Control over avatar

• Avatar creation

• Designing creation

• Animals

• Love

• Exploration of areas

2) What audience is the trailer targeting?
The trailer is targeting Aspirers. Audiences who are 12+.

3) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer?

• Diversion

• Personal identity

• Personal relationship

Now watch this walk-through of the beginning of The Sims FreePlay and answer the following questions:

1) How is the game constructed?

• Third person gameplay

• Control over avatar

• Avatar creation

• Designing creation

• Animals

• Love

• Exploration of areas

2) What audience is this game targeting?
The trailer is targeting Aspirers. Audiences who are 12+.

3) What audience pleasures does the game provide?

• Diversion

• Personal identity

• Personal relationship

4) How does the game encourage in-app purchases?
People get addicted to the game and seeing these extension packs that the game offers make them want to buy it to exceed the game at a much quicker pace.


AudienceRead this App Store description and the customer reviews for The Sims FreePlay and answer the following questions:  1) What critics reviews are included in the game information section?

• An overall rating of 4.5

• They said that it was a 'good game, but some really annoying/unfair aspects'

2) What do the reviews suggest regarding the audience pleasures of The Sims FreePlay?

• Decision making/ control

• Realism/ reflects real life

3) How do the reviews reflect the strong element of participatory culture in The Sims?Gamers/ audiences of the game give feedback and suggest new ideas for the Sims where developers would take these reviews and incorporate it into the new game.

Participatory cultureRead this academic journal article - The Sims: A Participatory Culture 14 Years On. Answer the following questions:

1) What did The Sims designer Will Wright describe the game as?Will Wright called the game a doll house.

2) Why was development company Maxis initially not interested in The Sims?Tee board of directors thought doll houses were for girls only and were not keen on the idea of selling a game out that was linked to targeting female gamers.

3) What is ‘modding’?modifying the game to unlock new things, speed up things etc. Anything that is used to make a change to the original game play.

4) How does ‘modding’ link to Henry Jenkins’ idea of ‘textual poaching’?With fans using the orignal content of the text to them move on to create there on products/ content of the game will lead to the idea of textual poaching and how products can be based on the original from fans.

5) Look specifically at p136. Note down key quotes from Jenkins, Pearce and Wright on this page.Jenkins - ‘there were already more than fifty fan Web sites dedicated to The Sims. Today, there are thousands’. - shows how popular the game is
Pearce - ‘The original Sims series has the most vibrant emergent fan culture of a single-player game in history’. - how strong the community for the game is and how many people like the game.Wright - ‘We were probably responsible for the first million or so units sold but it was the community which really brought it to the next level’ - The community of the game was the people who truly brought the game to where it is today.

6) What examples of intertextuality are discussed in relation to The Sims? (Look for “replicating works from popular culture”)

• Anime

• Star Wars

• Star Trek

7) What is ‘transmedia storytelling’ and how does The Sims allow players to create it?
Transmedia storytelling is the technique of telling a single story or story experience across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies. They allow the player to make their own decisions throughout the the game play.

8) How have Sims online communities developed over the last 20 years?In the last 20 years, developers have been looking more and more at feedback from online communities.

9) Why have conflicts sometimes developed within The Sims online communities?sometimes what players want aren't what developers want. Due to this, it may cause several issues between the online communities and developers.

10) What does the writer suggest The Sims will be remembered for?'The cult following that it engendered well beyond the lifespan of a popular computer game'


Read this Henry Jenkins interview with James Paul Gee, writer of Woman as Gamers: The Sims and 21st Century Learning (2010).

1) How is ‘modding’ used in The Sims?

Creating a  world where it becomes of blend of real life and game life. These are changes put to use where it alters certain aspects of the game play to make it more realistic or reflecting it on real life issues etc.

2) Why does James Paul Gee see The Sims as an important game?

The Sims is supposed to be take the players beyond the game, creating a realistic mini world where players can indulge themselves into.

3) What does the designer of The Sims, Will Wright, want players to do with the game?

He wants it to empower the players where they are in complete control of everything around them. This power is seen as a self empowering tool to help users.

4) Do you agree with the view that The Sims is not a game – but something else entirely?

I believe that The Sims is still a game after all where people will interact and the player will enjoy playing the game. Perhaps it may act as diversion for the player but in the end, it will still be a game to them.

5) How do you see the future of gaming? Do you agree with James Paul Gee that all games in the future will have the flexibility and interactivity of The Sims?
I believe that gaming has much more room for improvement. This is because of how fast gaming has already grown over the years. Gaming went from a 2d box set console to now a 3d vr set allowing users to live in a completely separate life. Gaming will only evolve quicker from now on. I believe that gaming will go even beyond The Sims where it is practically incorporated into our daily lives.

Videogames: Henry Jenkins Fandom

1) What is the definition of a fan?
An audience member that consumes a particular media aspect more often compared to other audiences.

2) What the different types of fan identified in the factsheet?

• Hardcore fans
• Newbie fans
• Anti fans

3) What makes a ‘fandom’?
When a group of 'fans' come together to form a grouop dedicated to a certain topic. They act as a group and will discus  almost everything about that topic.

4) What is Bordieu’s argument regarding the ‘cultural capital’ of fandom?
Bordieu says that "cultural capital of fandom confers a synbolic power and status for the fan especially within the realm of their fandom"

5) What examples of fandom are provided on pages 2 and 3 of the factsheet?

• A Liverpool fans bedroom
• The walking dead fan arts
• A range of other fanarts and fan vids

6) Why is imaginative extension and text creation a vital part of digital fandom?
It allows fans to differentiate themselves from other consumers where they can start creating their own media from these different fandoms.

Tomb Raider and Metroid fandom research

Look at this Tomb Raider fansite and answer the following questions: 

1) What types of content are on offer in this fansite?

• Help resources
• Forums
• Games

2) What does the number of links and content suggest about the size of the online fan community for Tomb Raider and Lara Croft? Pick out some examples from this page.

Since there is a huge group in the online fan community, it suggests that the fandom is well known and very popular.

3) Scroll to the bottom of the page and look at the short ‘About me’ bio and social media updates. Is this a typical example of ‘fandom’ in the digital age? Why?

Yes it would be considered as an example of fandom as it shares details about the fan creator where you can find out more about the creator just from scrolling down on a website.

Now look at this Metroid fansite and answer the following: 

1) What does the site offer?

• Games
• Social media links
• Game features

2) Look at the Community Spotlight page. What does this suggest about the types of people who enjoy and participate in fan culture?

These people tend to be gamers who are very into anything related to the game that they are playing.

3) There is a specific feature on Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. What do the questions from fans tell you about the level of engagement and interest in the game and franchise from the fan community?

They make it obvious that they are truly interested in the game and put their all in to compete against each other.

Henry Jenkins: degree-level reading

Read the final chapter of ‘Fandom’ – written by Henry Jenkins. This will give you an excellent introduction to the level of reading required for seminars and essays at university as well as degree-level insight into our current work on fandom and participatory culture. Answer the following questions:

1) There is an important quote on the first page: “It’s not an audience, it’s a community”. What does this mean?

This means that the group of fans aren't just ordinary consumers of the game but have a much stronger and closer bond with each other.

2) Jenkins quotes Clay Shirky in the second page of the chapter. Pick out a single sentence of the extended quote that you think is particularly relevant to our work on participatory culture and the ‘end of audience’ (clue – look towards the end!)

"In the age of the internet, noone is a passive consumer anymore"

3) What are the different names Jenkins discusses for these active consumers that are replacing the traditional audience?

• Influencers
• connectors
• Loyals
• Media actives

4) On the third page of the chapter, what does Wired editor Chris Anderson suggest regarding the economic argument in favour of fan communities?

He suggests that "investing in niche properties with small but committed consumer bases may make economic sense if you can lower costs of production and replace marketing costs by building a much stronger network with your desired consumers"

5) What examples does Jenkins provide to argue that fan culture has gone mainstream?

Producers will look at what fans want in order to make something successful. Without he fans, the producers wouldn't know what their audiences really want.

6) Look at the quote from Andrew Blau in which he discusses the importance of grassroots creativity. Pick out a sentence from the longer quote and decide whether you agree that audiences will ‘reshape the media landscape from the bottom up’.

"The media lanscape will be reshaped by the bottom up energy of media created by amateurs" I would agree since it is true that producers now look more and more at what consumers think of their games before making a second or a third version of  the game.

7) What does Jenkins suggest the new ideal consumer is?

Jenkins suggests that the new ideal consumer would be "someone who consumes a media text and then goes as far as celebrate it, talk about it and share it with their peers"

8) Why is fandom 'the future'?

Fandoms allow consumers and audiences to share and promote this game all over the world. It will be one of the main ways a company would use to promote and spread word about their product.

9) What does it mean when Jenkins says we shouldn’t celebrate ‘a process that commodifies fan cultural production’?

Jenkin believes that is fan culture is commodified, companies would easily be able to take advantage of them which is why he says we shouldn't celebrate the process of commodifying fan cultural productions.

10) Read through to the end of the chapter. What do you think the future of fandom is? Are we all fans now? Is fandom mainstream or are real fan communities still an example of a niche media audience?

I believe that fandoms have been growing at an incredible pace. The idea of separate groups forming seems more popular. Everyone has an interest in something and on the planet, there must be a few others in the 7 billion who share the same interest as you. People will enjoy things and that itself can be called being a fan of something. Whether that person is really in a group about a certain thing and wehter they just enjoy it by themselves, they would still be considered fans. Fan communities are definitely mainstream or at least enarly there since there are so many platforms for people to hare these on. Eg. Discord, youtube, steam etc. 

Videogames - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Language

Analyse the game cover for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (above).

1) How does the cover communicate the genre of the game?

The game is an action/sci fi game which is communicated through a number of ways. The gun that the character has may signify this genre. The costume of the character and the faded creature in the background may suggest the sci fi genre.


2) What does the cover suggest regarding gameplay and audience pleasures?
Diversion is surely one of the audience pleasures as its  futuristic and unrealistic. Furthermore, the game is played in first person, allowing the gamer to be able to fit into their shoes.


3) Does the cover sexualise the character of Samus Aran? Why/why not?

The cover does not sexualise the character as the character is covered in armour and the helmet hides her identity. 


Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for the game:




1) What do you notice about genre?
The use of weapons show the action genre and the use of 'alienated' music makes it fit the sci fi genre.


2) How is the character introduced? Is Samus Aran obviously female?
The character is introduced as a strong character that is able to hold a fight herself and come on top. She is heroic and skillful. The character also shows signs of being a female due to a few features. One of these is the figure of the character. Even though she is covered in armour, her waist is abnormally thin which makes it a bit more obvious that she is a female.


3) How can we apply Steve Neale’s genre theory that discusses “repetition and difference”?
The use of the conventions of the sci fi genre can be the repetition aspect of the theory and the difference would be the use of a female protagonist instead of a male protagonist.

Gameplay analysis

Watch the following gameplay clips again:

1) What does the gameplay for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes involve?

Head up display allows the player to be able to experience a more realistic adventure through the game rather than it being a third person game. We see much of a faster paced gaming and more checking boxes that make sense to the gamer or people who know the game only.

2) Write an analysis of the media language choices in the construction of the game: e.g. genre, narrative, mise-en-scene, camera shots etc.

Metroid uses a list of convetional aspects to the sci fi genre including the use of a spaceship, futuristic costumes and a typical colour scheme. 

3) Analyse the clips for audience pleasures, applying audience theory and considering media effects.

• Realism
• Diversion
• Personal identity
• Pleasure of intellectualism

Audience

Research the audience for Nintendo and specifically the Metroid franchise, including Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. You may wish to start with the following pages:

Reddit discussion of why people play Metroid

Giant Bomb forum: Who exactly is Nintendo’s demographics?

Reset Era: Nintendo’s audience getting older

1) Who might the target audience be for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, based on your research? Discuss demographics and psychographics.

Demographics - Mainly young males ages between 15 to 25.

Psycographics - Exploreres, Strugglers and Mainstreamers

2) How has Nintendo’s audience changed since the original Metroid game in 1986?

Nintendo has kept the same target audience from 1986 to present day. They still target families.

3) What audience pleasures are offered by Metroid Prime 2: Echoes or the wider Metroid franchise?

Diversion is surely one of the audience pleasures as the first person experience allows the user to experience the life of Samus through her own eyes. It brings them out of reality and puts them into the game for the period of the game session.

4) What effects might Metroid have on audiences? Apply media effects theories (e.g. Bandura’s social learning theory, Gerbner’s cultivation theory). 

Since the earlier versions of Metroid showed Samus to be a reward at the end of the game. This may have carried over making audiences believe that women are a reward and to view them as sex symbols.

Read this Gamesparks feature on gaming demographics and answer the following questions:

1) Who is considered to be the stereotypical gamer?

Younger male players

2) What has changed this?

Games are increasing on the platforms able to play it on hence making the age and gender changes between then and now.

3) What role do women play in the videogames market? Quote statistics from the article here.

"Women own more consoles than men. It said around 42 percent of women said they had either an Xbox or PlayStation in comparison to 37 percent of men"

4) Why are older gamers becoming a particularly important market for videogames producers? How can you link this to the Metroid franchise?

Game developers make newer games by using older gamers as a base layout for the game. By taking their thoughts, they start the creation of the game.

5) What does the article suggest regarding audience pleasures and expectations for different generations of gamer?

Competitive environments are favoured by younger audiences compared to older audiences.

Industries

Read this Destructoid blog on the Metroid franchise. Answer the following:

1) Why has Metroid never quite fitted with the Nintendo brand?

Although Nintendo was aimed at families, Metroid is aimed at a much niche group of people.

2) What franchises have overtaken Metroid in the sci-fi hyper-realism genre in recent years?

Halo and Mass effect.

3) Why does the writer link old boy bands from the music industry to the Metroid franchise? Do you agree with this reading of the brand?

The idea of growing out of something is key to the link with old boy bands. With old boy bands, their popularity decreases when the audiences get older and 'grow out of it'.

4) What is an ‘AAA’ or ‘triple-A game’ in the videogames industry?

When a game is extremely successful, it is noted down as a triple A game.

5) Do you think there will be further Metroid games featuring Samus Aran? Should there be?

Metroid is no longer a popular game, remaking it may seem like a waste of money and time so I don't think that there will be able sort of new game for it. I think now is an era of evolution for everyone and games featuring female protagonist surely need to step up.


Representation

Read this BBC3 feature on Samus Aran and answer the questions below:

1) What was notable about the original Metroid game in 1986?

The introduction of a female protagonist.

2) What were the inspirations behind the gameplay and construction of Metroid?

Zelda and Mario bros

3) Why are the endings to the original Metroid considered controversial?

The character ends up taking off her armour and being shown in revealing outfits for the eyes of the audiences.

4) What reaction do you think the reveal of Samus Aran in a bikini would have got when the game was first released in 1986? Have attitudes towards women changed?

Back then, it wouldn't have been such a huge issue but for people in current days, it becomes much more of an issue where a lot of controversy would surround the matter.

5) How have later versions of the Metroid franchise sexualised the character of Samus Aran?

Samus's body proportions were highly emphasised upon in the later games showing an incredibly thin waist which did not match any of the other parts of her body.

6) How can we apply Liesbet van Zoonen’s work to Samus Aran and Metroid?

Zoonen says that gender is constructed through the media which in this case may be true as Metroid defined the 'perfect' female and set standards for what females should look like.

7) What did Brianna Wu suggest regarding the character of Samus Aran?

Some people like Wu believe that Samus is a transgender character.

8) Do you see Samus Aran as a feminist icon or simply another exploited female character?

Samus Aran is a mixture of the 2 as she is a strong female protagonist yet she is still being conformed to stereotypes and still sexualised for the audiences pleasures.


Read this Houston Press feature on Samus Aran and entitled male gamers. Answer the following questions:

1) What does Anita Sarkeesian suggest regarding Samus Aran?

She says that the reavling outfit of Samus is a reward for the audiences of Metroid.

2) Why does Brianna Wu (and others) suggest Samus Aran may be transgender?

"When interviewed for the official Super Metroid strategy guide and asked to share unknown trivia about the hunter, Hirofumi Matsuoka, who worked on her original design, said Samus was a “newhalf”, a somewhat vulgar term that is close to the English term “shemale.” I’ve seen some fans argue that this refers to Samus having blood from the alien Chozo race in her veins, but Wu and McGrody also mention how Samus was originally portrayed to be 6’3” and more muscled in her appearance."


3) Why is Samus Aran useful for male gamers trying to argue videogames are not sexist?

Samus is a female who is the protagonist in the game. This is traditionally played by a male but the use of a female can allow male gamers to argue this matter.

4) Why are Lara Croft, Zelda and Peach not ideal examples to argue for female equality in videogames?

"Lara Croft will always be haunted by her cartoonish, sexual appearance in early games, Zelda and Peach are damsels too often, and the anti-feminist crowd is hesitant to use Chell since Portal 2 is a feminist masterpiece."


5) What does the ‘SJW’ in ‘SJW-gender politics’ refer to?

Social Justice Warrior.

6) How can we apply Gerbner’s Cultivation theory to representations of women in videogames as discussed in the article? How might this lead to ‘entitled male gamers’? 

Gerbner believes that audiences are swayed more easily when they are told the same information over and over again. This may link to Metroid since the sexualised character may result in audiences believing that women are sex symbols and are a guaranteed reward.

7) Does the videogame industry have a problem with gender? Provide evidence for your argument.

I don't think that there is a direct problem with gender but I do believe that due to some of the old stereotypes and already set expectations, it has lead to a a more male dominated environment compared to a more female dominated environment. An example to go with this would be a game such as mobile legends or league of legends. League having highly skilled male players such Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok and Song "Smeb" Kyung-ho compared to one of the only female rosters in League Vaevictis who lost 52-2 in the LCL. Even though there are female palyers, very little make it to the top where they play professional. This lack may be argued unfair or may be argued as not being skilled enough. Skills make up performance and in the videogame industry, this is applied very much with precision. On the other hand, being a team game also means teamwork is required.