Contextual Studies

Writing About Games 

This session was really useful and interesting, we were looking into games journalism, how it does and doesn't work and why. We were looking into the criticism's of game journalism, "new games journalism" and also had a discussion about academic writing with video games. Here are the vital notes that I took from the session. 

• There is a difference between journalism and writing about games. 
• Online games journalism is overtaking paper sources.  
• They rely on companies revealing big news, previews and then reviewing the games as a cycle procedure.
• Games journalists act like PR's for the major companies and developers who have themselves, already created adverts, teaser trailers and released images. It's the game journalist who simply uses these pieces to create articles and post them to the public (as well as the companies), so effectively they just recycle news to share with the public
•  "Play Meter" was the 1st games magazine in 1974.
• Many companies are worrying about how to inform people and communicate with them. With all the options available nowadays (and magazines/papers becoming obsolete) just how do companies and journalists reach you? TV? Radio? Computer? Just what is the most popular and effective way to get your information out there? 
• Junket journalism is where there is a fancy "wine and dine" event for games designers and publishers so that they can score a major piece of news first. 
• Gonzo is a term coined by Kieran Gillen and it's a new sub genre of journalism. It is a new writing style and focuses on the experience of the game as opposed to its general score. Reviewers take time to produce a quality piece of writing that really immerses the reader into the game and how it really felt as opposed to a rushed, under pressure article that many journalists will produce. These often end with a score that might not be a true representation of the game which is unfair to the reader and developer. Often journalists are under pressure to release a review fast.
  
  

New Games Journalism/Gonzo

• Stylistically popular with more mature audience The Escapist, Edge, Wired, Game Developer, The Guardian etc.
• Attempts to address perceived shortfalls in mainstream game journalism.
• Takes the ideas of ‘New Journalism’ and its sub-genre ‘Gonzo’ and applies them to digital games.
• Emphasizes the player and their experience, not the game. More like travel writing.
• Gonzo journalism fact blended with fiction - subjective.
• Influenced ‘golden age’ of music journalism - Lester Bangs and Robert Christagau.
• Both NJ & Gonzo often criticized for misogyny.
• New Games Journalism...argues that the worth of a videogame lies not in the game, but in the gamer. What a gamer feels and thinks as this alien construct takes over all their sensory inputs is what’s interesting here, not just the mechanics of how it got there.

Contextual Studies Written Essay/Research Question 

At the end of this session we were given the outline to the contextual studies project we have to do which is a 1000 word essay on a subject of our choice focused around the sessions we have been having and our general interests. We were shown some key factors to remember when writing to better prepare us for when we write our essays. These points are: 

• Identify a) subject matter and b) research question.
• Suitable research question key, informs the point of view or line of inquiry of the whole project.
• Ensure you are interested in your subject matter/question.
• Do not be over-ambitious.
• Identify previous research in your area of chosen study. 

Evolving & Preparing My Research Question
Here are the important things to remember and consider when writing my research question:

• A change in topic or question can be a positive sign. 
• As more is learnt the focus and formulation may change. 
• Allow research to lead.
• Do not be too precious or fixated on your original question. 
• Split the project into phases - research, interpretation, production.
• It is important to play games relevant to your question to help your research.
• When playing games I must be analytical - make notes, screen shots, relate to wider history and culture. 
• Try not to stick to my favourite genre or game, it's more beneficial to write about and explore different areas which still interest me.  
• Look into the Structural (key gameplay) or Thematic (representational shell) gameplay.
• Take note of key elements during play such as the styles of lay your games have, these include - aarseth: superficial, light, partialcompletion, innovative etc. 
• Ensure that my argument is strong and well structured.  
• Include honest evaluations and summaries/conclusions. 
• Talk about your motivation of study, why you chose the topic and why it is important to you. 
• Identify and critically evaluate sources (cultural value and significance of digital games).
• Include a ‘ludography’ - game, year, studio/publisher