CS - 7/11/12

In this contextual study session Kim and Sharon did more of a recap lesson to help us in choosing a question.    They talked about lots of different information that could be used to help us choose a question.  they talked from themes in games to creating worlds in theme parks to comics.  Here are some points they made:

• In games, look at themes of the topic and reinforce it
• Theme = what the actual game is about

- delivers the experience player want = the goal

- idea that ties your game all together and all elements must support it

e.g. pirates attraction at Disney

-attraction based on pirates, but how to be more specific?

*historical documentary about pirates

*battle between ships

*search for hidden treasure

*pirates are villains and must be stopped

Final Theme: Fantasy of Being a Pirate

-step one is done, theme set

-step two is to use every means possible to reinforce the theme

e.g. part of the pirate fantasy is steeing and controlling a pirate ship.

• Stories start/implanted in childhood like fairy tales and influence many creative acts in adult life
• in newspapers, comic strips paved the way for the 'cliffhanger' move serial of the day (left you on cliffhangers, hooked people in for the next issue)
• For games you make:

*what is my theme?

*am i using every possible means to reinforce it?

*what parts of my game get people i tell excited about it?

Here are some possible points of topic:

Pixar, Disney - creating worlds out of the tv screen, comic genre, definitive characters - looking at characters in different genres.

Talking to Kim, i have decided to do the trans-media of Pixar, look at the films they make and how they branch out into the market with toys, clothes, games etc. and maybe, have a talk that the games are not art but just another way to make money and manipulating children.