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The effect of time on video games.

Today video games seem to be going in many new and different directions. One is definitely incorporating new technology.  Another is the graphical content of the video game.  The role of the female characters in the video game has also change over time.  Video games have also become the stories which make the movies.  People have built entire lives with video games.  Video games have also allowed players to associate with people all over the world by simply playing a game online.  Technology has made systems where the game is played on smaller more portable handheld consoles.  Video games have also opened the door for new employment opportunities.  The effects of time on video games has been good and bad and will continue to have mixed reviews as technology continues to advance.

The technology as stated before can be good and bad.  The good part of technology is that it has better graphics, more functions in games, and handheld games.  The bad is that players of video game can becomes so engrossed in the game they could spend the whole day playing and finish the game the same day.  Games are not as challenging, for instance, I found that I could finish the tomb raider legends (2006) game in one day. When I played the first tomb raider (1996) it took me about 5 days to complete. There was so much more to the first game and no doubt I liked the first game better, than the newer high graphics one.  The good, is today's graphics, the characters are clearer and more realistic, and their movement is much smoother.  But, I have found that better visuals do not make the game better.  Also, the change in graphics has made the cartoon looking games to slowly disappear from the gaming market.

            With better technological graphics the contents of the video games has become bloody, violent and sexual.  It is evident that the public finds the content of these games acceptable because sales have skyrocketed from the 1990s to the 2000.  Most games do have a back story but that story may not be appropriate for children.  To deal with that issue games are rated for their content and some games cannot be purchased unless you're over the age of 18, but it doesn't seem to stop children from getting their hands on them.  The games with foul language, excessive violence, and sexual innuendos are usually the most popular game.  The bad part of video games is the fact that foul language, excessive violence; sexual innuendos are considered entertaining to so many people, both young and old. 

            Homosexuals were also censored in video games because it was seen as “inappropriate” to include them, so they were either cut from the game or change to not be homosexual. Now, however, homosexuals are now allowed to be in games and some games even allow the main character to choose their sexuality.

            In the beginning of the video games the role of the woman was very minor.  The games were mostly orientated for males but now females are also being recognized. Until the introduction of Tomb Raider, a female archaeologist, who fought off criminals, wild animals and who handled dangerous situations, all to obtain the item in the game.  I thought Tomb Raider is a good character she is smart, very strong and entertaining.  Today female characters play many different roles in video games now, as main characters or side characters, and as protagonist or antagonist. One good example of this is “GLaDOS,” an evil computer with a female voice in the game portal, who is known as one of the best new characters created.  The physical graphics of the female in the video game is usually portrayed as very slim, fit, and beautiful and wears really revealing clothes. In the video game Soul Calibur and its sequels they did not allow their females to age, so they were taken out of the game. It’s as if they had to keep a certain unrealistic image so they couldn’t get older.  With more females becoming gamers, in time it may encourage game designers to allow the female characters in the game to look more realistic.  Female gamers are also treated differently when playing online and definitely with voice chat. I can remember a time when I was online and a person asked if I was  a girl. I told him yes he then asked what my name was. I did feel that just because I was a girl in a chat room full of boys, I was segregated from the group and treated differently.  To counter this sort of treatment a gamer group called “Frag Doll” was created which not only is an all girl gamer group it also aims to promote females views and ideas in gaming.  Though, not everyone likes the idea of female gamers they are here to stay and growing in numbers.

Many video games like, “Tomb Raider” became so popular until the movie was made about it.  Other games were so entertaining until Hollywood could not resist filling the role of the graphically designed character with a human.  Many movies, cable and TV shows has been turned into video game.  So the gamer can feel like they are part of or have some influence over their favorite fictional character.  Financially it is a win win situation for both the show or movie and the video game.  For instance, “Dragon Ball Z” television show explains some of the situation in video game.  On the other hand, the video game “Resident Evil” inspired the movie but both the game and the movie went different directions when continuing the story.  Both the TV show and the video game has kept children and some adults entertained for many years.  Also, the technology used in today's video games has been incorporated into movies.   So, you only require a voice and the technical staff to make the character.  Movies, cable and TV shows will continue to have a relationship with video games as long as it benefits both.

Some video games stops a person from living a real life because the virtual life seems better, “Sims” is a game that does that.  Went it first became available people would sit for hours building neighborhoods, people and even pets in a virtual world.  Rather than get out and live in the real world.  That is the bad part about video game you missed a lot by playing so much, time has not changed that effect at all and now “Sims” has a “Night Life” game, and “Pets” game, among many other “Sims” video games.

A good thing about video game is the world wide appeal.  While playing a video game online you could meet someone and become friends.  The person could live right around the corner or on the other side of the world, and a video game could bring you both together.  One warning, a gamer should be very careful they chat with online.  You can't see the person you're chatting with only assume that they are telling the truth about themselves.  But if you're fortunate enough to meet a person, that holds no threat to you and you become friends it will enhance the online video game experience, but you still need to get out and socialize with other people.

With time video game systems have changed.  The launch of a new video game console goes hand-in-hand with the new video game.  From the ”Atari VCS” launched October, 1977 to “PlayStation 3” launched November 2006, the moment of purchasing the console is met with hope and excitement for the gamer.  The game also change in size and capabilities from the “Nintendo Game Boy” launched August, 1989 which is a handheld video game console to the “PlayStation Portable” launched March, 2005 which not only plays video games, goes online, it takes pictures and plays movies.  So the good thing about that is handheld entertainment, the bad is lack of socializing.

Over time the video game industry has grown.  Industry names such as “EA”, “CAPCOM” and “KONAMI” to name a few have built a multi-billion dollar industry.  Jobs in this field now require a college education and the field is continuously growing.  More colleges and institutes offer game design classes to assist in filling job opportunity in that field.  Some careers include, video game developer, character animator, 3-D modeler, and digital artist just to name a few.  The continuous development of video games will ensure creative minds to continue developing entertainment for the gamer.

            Video games are rising now and they are becoming more popular in society then they were in the 90’s.  The technology associated with the games are also continuing to advance, the demand for the games and not slowing down and the opportunity for more creative minds is growing.  Everyone is getting into it either by playing with a group of friends online or by themselves, or by just playing a game on there “iPod.,” or another handheld consol.  Good or bad active entertainment, thankfully shows no signs of slowing down.

           

ASSIGNMENT FIVE

I thought the exhibit was interesting. It showed me many different ways to look at America and find out things I never knew. The piece that stood out to me was the piece The Silent Echo Chamber. I just thought it was interesting to show people on tv before the camera starts. To me it seems like their contemplating everything they have to do and say, so they look a little uneasy. It showed how they act and look while waiting for the camera to start rolling. It’s not really fair to the ones being filmed but I think it kind of shows more about the person. They seem out of character when the camera is off, and not as they normally are when they are being recorded. Seeing these famous people during these times, seems like looking in on a private moment for them. They probably never wanted to show anyone these moments yet we find them amusing and if we saw this on tv we would probably think nothing else of it but that it was funny. Seeing it in an exhibit make us look more into it. They look like their preparing themselves or just waiting for the camera to start. People don’t usually see them like this, they see a composed and collected individual. So seeing them now, kind of show us another side to them, maybe even makes them seen a little more like a normal person. It’s rare to see someone before a camera starts. They seem to be either uneasy looking, just doing their own thing, or doing something really unexpected. It kind of reminds me of a zoo. As bad as that sounds, a lot of us found it interesting and just wanted to sit and stare and see what they were going to do, but it’s not a zoo, it’s an exhibit.

Assignment 4

Yes I think a photo is like a visual appropriation because one usually takes a picture for one self. Sometimes we do share the images we take but usually only to show off what we have taken. We save a moment or memory that we want to keep for ourselves as an image to show the event. Well truth is hard to explain especially in a photo. Truth is having everything how it is and not how it seems. A photo that shows this, it’s hard to say if there is any. The truth can be spoken or written but still it depends on the person speaking or writing. For a photo the truth may be show or hidden, maybe on purpose or by accident. Photos can show truth but most of the time not the whole truth. Document can tell truth or an opinion or a fictional tale, I think it all depends on the person writing. A person can try to get as close to the truth as they possibly can when writing or they can ignore the facts and write a crazy fantasy. A painting, I think, also tells what the artist wants to tell. If they wish to paint a historical event, does that not show truth? It really happened right? So isn’t there some truth to it? Perhaps but I still think it depends on if the artist want to show truth or paint something completely full of lies. Truth isn’t always plainly there. Even what we see with our eye, or hear with our ears may not be the truth. The truth is hard to find when it isn’t plainly given, and sometimes truth can be trivial or it can be important. Truth can be purposely hidden or accidentally hidden. Truth can be many things, so should we look for a truth in everything? Maybe. It’s hard to truly know what’s true and what’s not. Sometimes people think it’s better when others don’t know the truth, or we know the truth but won’t except it. Aren’t this times when the truth is thrown aside? Is it really that important that we have the complete truth out of everything? I sometime look at a photo and like it for what it is, not what maybe true or what might not be. So am I wrong for liking a lie?

ASSIGNMENT 2

This is Lollipop Chainsaw, a video game that I recently bought. On the cover there is a young blonde teenage girl in a cheerleading outfit, holding a pink chainsaw on her shoulder, and has her boyfriend’s severed head hanging from her hip.The girl on the cover depicts an typical female high school student, with blonde hair, pigtails, and a petite feminine figure. This is clearly aim at a male audience with the hot girl, giant chainsaw, and zombies. In the background there are school lockers, with zombies coming out of one, more zombie hands at the bottom, and a lot of pictures on the locker. The sender of the message is WB Games, Kadokawa Games, and Grasshopper Manufacture. The receivers are people interested in hack and slash video games with zombies, people that like games with interesting concepts and, most likely, males. The message is that this game is an awesome game with zombies, chainsaws, and chicks in cheerleading outfits. It uses ethos because the look on her face seems to say that there’s going to be a lot of chainsawing action and mass zombie slashing, and the randomness of the pink chainsaw, which makes it seem like it will be an interesting game. The title for the game also gives the game an interesting look because the “Lollipop” in the title has a chainsaw with blood and a skull, with pigtails, coming off it, and then there is a rainbow going from the neat looking “Lollipop” to the rugged looking “Chainsaw”. Kind of makes it look really crazy too. Also the splatter marks on the lockers show that there will be a lot of action, and the colorful pictures of zombies on the locker give it a sort of fun feel. It also uses pathos because on the cover they placed there company logo’s, which makes other people that are fans of the companies maybe want to try the game.

Assignment One: Blog Creation and First Post

Hi, my name is Corina My interest and hobbies include video games, drawing, singing, dancing, cooking, making costumes, writing stories, and making music. I like to do a lot of different things because I find that their all interesting and thought it would be fun to try out. Even the things that I can’t do but find interesting, I look it up on Youtube or anywhere else to watch others do it, like make up, or Faceups. I’m always willing and eager to try anything creative and I always want to learn more. I decided to attend Columbia mostly because it had the courses I wanted to take. Since the field I’m in is a rising field not many colleges offer it. Before, many people had to teach themselves about video game design and programming. Even I got a jump start on it by trying to teach myself about how to develop a game, but now it is offered in schools. So I choose Columbia to further my education in video game development. Like said, my major is video game development. Ever since I was younger, I loved to draw and create. I also loved to play video games. So when I got older I figure out that I would love to create my own video games. I first thought I could just be happy with just 3d modeling or programming but take an honors class in motion graphics, proved to me that I did not enjoy modeling or programming as much as I thought I did, and knew that I wouldn’t like it for a career either. Though, in that honors class, I got to lead a team to produce one of my ideas for a game. I really enjoyed that, so I decided to try to become a video game producer. I know that I won’t be able to go straight from college to video game producer, so I want to try to get a small job, like video game designing, so I can work my way up. From this class I hope to gain more encouragement to write more and become more expressive in my writing. I have a ton of story ideas but I’ve only just started to write them down. I don’t plan to keep all my stories as writings, I’d like to turn some of them into animations, comics, or video games, but it will still be useful in recording my ideas.