Written Analysis #5

For the final written analysis, I will be reflecting on my topic and the applications of the concepts introduced in this course.  I believe the concepts of rituals and heroes were the most related to the Xbox One and Playstation 4, as well as their respective launches.  In those prior analyses, I explained that rituals were easily applicable to the console launches themselves as well as the habits of playing them.  I also stated that while the systems themselves are not really applicable to having a hero, they are home to many of them due to every video game having at least one of their own.  It was a stretch applying some of the concepts taught in this course to my topic; however, a few of them fit very well.

The most interesting findings from my analyses were the applications of the concepts of celebrities, formulas and icons.  A lot of people know the characters video games are associated with, but not too many people know the names behind them, both in the creative and business sides of the industry.  As I mentioned in one of my analyses, these people have somewhat become celebrities themselves as they are the faces the public can associate with the respective brands and systems.  Furthermore, I thought an interesting finding was the idea that the consoles themselves are icons of the brand.  The formula application was interesting as well in that it really made me think about the components that comes together to make these games and systems work as they do.

I will definitely look at my pop culture topic differently given my weekly analyses.  Before, I only saw these consoles and video games as something fun to play to pass some free time.  Now, I have a better understanding of the concepts that lie within these systems and the games I enjoy playing.  This is something I never really looked at before.  Going forward I should be able to easily identify myths within the plot of games, rituals involving the systems themselves and their respective titles, formulas that make up and drive the plot of the games, and much more.

Journal Article Analysis

The article, Terror in Horror Genres: The Global Media and the Millennial Zombie, written by Nicole Birch-Bayley is about our unnatural fascination with zombies as well as the shift in global media causing a change in pop culture.  After the global media shifted, zombie films had to do with a crisis culture.  “In lieu of this cultural revolution, zombie films came to reflect the worst-case fears of an apprehensive media culture, entertaining the same anxieties about world events, in this case, a fear of terrorism and epidemic in the zombie form.  …  As zombie films evolved over the years, their objectives changed; in many cases, the politics of the time period disappeared from zombie films altogether.  …  This stylistic shift on zombie films suggests that the way in which society interprets social and political tensions, such a global anxieties over terrorism and disease had changed since the turn of the millennium viewers now watched zombie films experiencing an intensity that was not only the product of a millennial manifestation of popular culture but also the result of a changing global media.”  (Birch-Bailey, 2012, pp. 1137-38)

At the turn of the millennium, zombie films changed and entered into a different chapter of filmmaking.  These films questioned whether we have become immune to violence and global crisis as well as whether we react differently to it.

In this article, Birch-Bayley discussed various zombie films and what she believed they reflected.  First, she discussed Danny Boyle’s 2002 movie, 28 Days Later.  This film launched a new definition of zombie.  A violent virus caused rage in the carriers (zombies) instead of the carriers rising from the dead.  Additionally, the zombies could run, sprint and destroy everything they came into contact with.  According to Birch-Bayley, “28 Days Later became the first and most marked film to imitate global anxieties both in the respect of terrorism and epidemic.”  (p. 1142)

Second, Birch-Boyle discussed Zack Snyder’s 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead which depicted “a modern society of suburban sprawl and a twenty-first century shopping mall honoring a similar critique of American capitalism and materialism”.  (p. 1143)  Again, these zombies were different from the tradition slow moving ones as they could run, jump, bite and scream.  “These highly hyperbolized zombies are a part of a film culture that suggests that since the media is often exaggerated since newscasters feed images of violence and urgent threats on a regular basis, why not create zombies that mimic that same cultural urgency?”  (p. 1143)

Third, Birch-Boyle discussed Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s film 28 Weeks later.  This movie was a sequel to 28 Days Later.  In this film, the zombies were even more extreme.  The film depicted how the military is ineffectual in its endeavor to maintain order as well as stop the catastrophe.  Burch-Boyle felt the film focused on “the fear of society’s inability to suppress a global crisis; it is the fear of the ineptitude of society, of social or governmental institutions that propels these films forward toward a contemporary form of media skepticism.”  (p. 1144)

Finally, Birch-Boyle discussed George Romero’s 2007 film, Diary of the Dead.  This film followed a group of students who became disrupted when they were filming an assignment for class.  The students decided they would film a documentary titled “The Death of Death” to show the nature of the crisis.  The students seemed more concerned with how the media was handling the events than what was transpiring.  “What is most important in this particular zombie film is the message that is being sent through the media outlets, through film, through television, and through the internet.”  (pp. 1145-1146)

For me, this article was definitely thought provoking as I have never really watched any zombie film with the notion of it addressing violence and global crisis.  In my opinion, people can, and do, take something, twist it and interpret it how they wish.  With that being said, I am not so sure I agree with everything Birch-Bayley is trying to convey in this article; however, I do agree with her point that “The more voices there are, the more spin there is.  The truth becomes much harder to find.”  (p. 1146)

I do not feel this article is important.  While it is interesting, it is one person’s take of the

hidden meaning of zombie movies.

References

Birch-Bailey, N. (2012). Terror in Horror Genres: The Global Media and the Millennial Zombie. The Journal of Popular Culture, Vol. 45 (No. 6), pp. 1137-1151

Written Analysis #4

This week’s written analysis is regarding the application of the concept of formulas, i.e. the structure all mediums of pop culture follows.  Like a math problem, formulas of pop culture involve various parts working/coming together as a whole.  While this is not a topic directly relateable to my topic of last year’s new console launches, it is completely relateable to the systems and their video games.  The respective pieces of technology within the systems that rely on each other to work properly are what can be considered the “formulas” of the Xbox One and Playstation 4.  Additionally, the features of the systems as well, such as the ability to play games, watch movies, listen to music, and get online can be included in this.  The above usually comes standard in every new console, making them the convention of the systems.  The evolving technology under the hood of each generation of consoles, the changing element of the formula, is considered the invention.

Every genre of video game follows a specific formula, be it a shooter, sports simulator, motion fitness game, action/adventure game, etc.  For the sake of this short analysis, I will briefly touch on the formula for the recent Xbox One release, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.  This game is a multiplayer shooter, which follows a pretty standard/often retreaded formula for a video game due to its increasingly frequent use.  Formulaic elements of an online shooter include numerous game modes (ex: Capture The Flag, Team Deathmatch, Survival), usually two opposing factions (plants and zombies in the case of this game), and simple goals such as outlasting all of the other players or getting the most kills of anyone playing.  There is not much more to it than that.  This formula is almost at the point of being abused as most game developers simply follow it to a tee and fail to change it up or creatively add to what has been done already.  As a result, a lot of the previously mentioned elements of the shooter formula are conventions, as they are almost always present in every game to fall under that category, no matter what.  The genre really lacks changing elements such as the inventions of formulas, which could be a problem for it in the long run.

I gained a lot of insight from applying this concept to my topic.  Prior to this, I had an idea of what formulas were, but was not too familiar with things such as the conventions and inventions of them.  Applying those to the system I own and one of the games I play on it allows me to better understand the application of formulas in the realm of video games.  While I only applied it to one genre for the sake of paper length, it is easy to tell that the shooter could benefit from more inventions (changes/deviations) as opposed to the many conventions (staples/constants) the genre has become increasingly known for.

Written Analysis #3

This week’s written analysis is regarding the application of the concepts of heroes and celebrities to the Xbox One and Playstation 4, as well as their respective launches.  Even though, neither topic directly applies to the above, that does not mean they are not applicable to them at all. 

Almost every video game ever made has some sort of hero, whether his/her motive be good or bad.  A few of the heroes that have since been introduced or reintroduced to the gaming community on these relatively new consoles include Nick Ramos (Dead Rising 3), Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes), Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), Edward Kenway (Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag), and Deslin Rowe (Infamous: Second Son).  Plenty more will join them in the months to come, including but not limited to Batman (Batman: Arkham Knight), Aiden Pierce (Watch Dogs), and BJ Blazkowicz (Wolfenstein: The New Order).  The motivation and qualities of all of these heroes differ whether it be for the sake of survival and rescuing others from grizzly fates (Nick Ramos & Lara Croft) fighting the oppressive tyranny of a government funded control group (Deslin Rowe), or for the fame/notoriety and riches that come with the title (Edward Kenway).  Some of these characters define hero to a tee, such as Deslin who through a freak accident gains superpowers that help him in liberating Seattle. Others are defined by their courageous actions and bravery in the face of danger both living and undead (Nick Ramos & Lara Croft).

To a lesser extent, the concept of celebrities can be applied to the games on these systems as well as key figures within the companies (Microsoft and Sony) that make them.  While these people are far from being on par with the celebrity status of the likes of Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, they are still celebrities nonetheless. They wind up being the public face of a company or brand as well as someone gamers look up to like Kazuo Hirai (CEO of Sony) and Phil Spencer (Head of Xbox Division at Microsoft).  Characters that have been around for decades in the video game world, have sort of gained celebrity status as well, such as the case for Lara Croft who is essentially known as the first lady of video games.  This is due to the fact that she is the most well known female game character created.

The insight I have gained from the application of these concepts to my topic is I have really developed a better definition of what makes a hero in that it is not simply someone with inhuman abilities, but someone defined by positive actions to a varying degree.  Games have also depicted heroes recently as every day people, who when faced with difficult circumstances, rise to the occasion to adapt to and combat them. This is what happened to Nick Ramos when the zombie outbreak hit Los Perdidos in Dead Rising 3, and the reimagined Lara Croft whom was an archaeology student out with a group of friends on an expedition when their boat crash landed on a dangerous island in the Tomb Raider reboot.  Basically, a hero can be anyone inspirational who encourages positivity out of others.  In regards to celebrities, I did not really learn much more outside of there being a varying degree of celebrity in the video game industry, them being more of a public face and advocate for gamers as opposed to someone who stars in big name movies or shows.

Written Analysis #2

This week’s written analysis asks if the concepts of rituals and stereotypes are applicable to my chosen topic.  In my opinion, both concepts are easily relatable to the Xbox One and Playstation 4.

Rituals are habitual activities that are performed routinely.  There are plenty of these applicable to the Xbox One and Playstation 4.  A relevant well-known ritual is the midnight launch.  People interested in purchasing the systems as well as those who pre-ordered them travel to select stores prior to midnight on the day the product is initially introduced for sale to partake in pre-release celebratory activities at the store such as game demos and trivia contests.  The midnight launch was not limited to the release of the above-mentioned consoles.  This ritual can also be applied to major video game releases for the respective systems.  So far, this ritual has been done for Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Titanfall, Infamous: Second Son, and Killzone: Shadow Fall.  A second ritual pertaining to my topic is trading in older games to receive credit towards new releases.  Stores such as GameStop offer promotions in conjunction with the release of highly anticipated video games. These promotions entice customers to trade in their old games towards the purchase of the new release by offering more credit than is customary for doing so.  This incentive results in customers trading in more often than usual. Moreover, it is a custom for hard core gamers to play the new game they purchased almost immediately after they get home with it.

As far as stereotypes are concerned, even though they are not directly related to the systems themselves, they are related to the gamers, the people who purchase these systems and play games on them.  The gamer stereotype is generally defined as a clueless slacker who spends nearly every possible free minute playing video games.  Unfortunately, this is stereotype is negative and more often than not is untrue.  I personally would define a gamer as someone who enjoys playing video games as a hobby and may actively follow news regarding them as well.

The insight I can gain from the application of rituals to the Xbox One and Playstation 4 is that I actively partake in many of them.  I do not own a Playstation 4; however, I did purchase the Xbox One a few months ago, and traded in several games I no longer wanted to acquire games for my new system.  Furthermore, I plan to purchase future games at launch and, if possible, go to the release celebrations of new games such as Wolfenstein: The New Order, Watch Dogs, Batman: Arkham Knight, & Assassin’s Creed Unity. 

The insight I can take away from the application of stereotypes is that I proudly consider myself to be a gamer.  That being said, I do not fall into the negative connotation many people believe defines a gamer.  

Written Analysis #1

For this week’s written analysis, I decided to apply the concepts of popular beliefs, myths, and icons to the November 2013 launches of Microsoft’s Xbox One & Sony’s Playstation 4.  Based on my reading, I believe the only theory that can be applied to the systems themselves is the concept of icons.  Icons are meant to represent something and are predominantly good; however, there are a select few that are bad – taboos.  Icons are also known to be an item that a person has a strong emotional attachment to.

The Xbox One and Playstation 4 represent the latest entertainment product released by both companies, that being the future of home console gaming.  Over the years, the Xbox and Playstation brands themselves have become icons as well.  Both are staples of the video game industry and home to many well-known series such as Halo, Gears of War, LittleBigPlanet, Uncharted, and many more.  Furthermore, they represent a successful product that has made both Microsoft and Sony a household name.  Thus the concept of an icon can be applied to many different aspects of my chosen topic ranging from the systems themselves, to the companies behind them, and even the games. 

The insight I gain from applying the concept of icons to my topic is that the Xbox One I purchased a few months ago can be considered an icon.  As previously mentioned, it is a representation of Microsoft as a video game console manufacturer.  Additionally, the Xbox brand itself is popular amongst a lot of gamers due to its robust Xbox Live multiplayer service. 

The Xbox One fits a lot of the criteria for the “sacred” status of icons. First, it is a status item that people could be impressed I own due to its $500 price tag.  Second, nobody really touches my system aside from myself.  Lastly, it was something I saved up for so I could enjoy what the future of the video game industry has to offer (my emotional attachment to it).

Icon Analysis

For the second week of class, we were tasked with identifying 3 pop culture icons, why they can be considered as such, and what the three icons mean to me.  Our class textbook defined icons as something/someone that represented the good and/or positive aspect of whatever it is they are from.  Also, the importance or value of an icon is in the eye of the beholder (in the case of this blog, me).  So the icons I chose to look at come from different backgrounds: video games, live television (wrestling), and fictional television (animation/cartoons).  They are John Cena (WWE), Mario (Nintendo/Super Mario Bros.), & Homer Simpson (The Simpsons).  I chose these icons because they represent my interests, as well as the bigger picture in terms of where they are from and what they represent.  They are essentially "larger than life" so to speak.

 

John Cena - Love him or hate him, John Cena is the current face of the WWE, much like Hulk Hogan was years ago. He is the current most well-known and popular wrestler amongst the WWE's primary demographic: kids.  John Cena lives by many traits, but the one most notable in my opinion is perseverance.  The shirt he is wearing in the picture above says "Never Give Up."  John Cena never does.  He sees his feuds through until the end, favorable outcome or not.  

This positive message he sends to WWE's audience, as well as that fact that he essentially is the face of the company make him easily qualified to be an icon in my opinion.  I was also privileged enough to meet him last Summer at Philadelphia Comic Con, making him that much more of an important icon in my eyes.

Mario - Much like John Cena is the face of WWE, Mario has become the face of Nintendo.  Mario may be a plumber by trade, but he is a textbook hero as well.  Almost every game he stars in he is determined to rescue Princess Peach from the evil clutches of Bowser and will not stop until he does so.  Mario is one of Nintendo and video gaming as a whole's first characters, debuting in the arcade game, Donkey Kong.  The premise of that is very similar to his role in the Super Mario Bros. series, only Bowser is swapped in favor of Donkey Kong, and Princess Peach is replaced with another damsel in distress, Pauline.  Mario faces every obstacle in his way head on until he achieves his goal.  To me, that along with him being the mascot of the Nintendo company as a whole, more than qualifies him to be an icon.  I also believe he is an icon because as I was growing up, the Super Mario Bros. games were among the first I played, so Mario holds a special place in my heart when it comes to my hobby of playing video games.

Homer Simpson - Last, but certainly not least is Homer Simpson, one of television's most iconic family men.  As with Mario, Homer is a character I grew up with, for The Simpsons was one of my favorite shows then, and still is now.  So again, this icon holds a special place with me.  Homer may usually be a bumbling clueless dad that finds himself in all kinds of hilarious situations, but at the end of the day, his family is what matters most to him, which is proven time and time again in many of the show's episodes throughout its historic 25 year and counting run.  I believe Homer is an icon because he not only represents the head of the household/family man, but he also represents the average working class citizen, something we can all relate to in some way.

So there you have it.  In some way or another, all 3 of the above icons hold a personal meaning to me, as well as a meaning in the bigger picture of things, whether it be in the wrestling industry (John Cena), the video game making business (Mario), or the land of television and animation (Homer Simpson), each icon stands out as a positive representation of where they hail from in some way, shape, or form.