Today I found out that there aren't just game trailers that preview the game itself, but there are trailers that only show gameplay. These are just called gameplay trailers and tend to only be shown at game conventions or only on the internet. You won't find these trailers on T.V.
I have also started designing my storyboards of my game trailer. It will be about a teenage boy about the age of 18, and he has suddenly been sent back in time to the prehistoric age (but with a twist) and has to fight his way through dinosaurs and all sorts to get back to the present. My game is going to be rated a 16+ due to violent scenes and offensive language. My main character will be called Tim and will be played by one of my friends in 6th form. I will start shooting early next year.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Tuesday 30th November: Research
After researching into magazine adverts for games I decided to look into TV adverts/trailers for three different games. I analysed all three and compared all of them on their style and how they present their games in different ways.
This is an IGN trailer for Halo reach.
- This video also starts off with a warning to younger viewers. Just in case their parents/carers do not want them watching the video due to inapropriate language or violent scenes.
- This trailer is aimed at adolescant and older viewers as children would not understand the trailer too well due to its realism.
- This trailer involves real life people to show the realness of the game. It could be that the game is so realistic that it could happen for real or it could be that it was based on a real story or event.
- The actual trailer opens with a bald man lieing down with a futuristic, mobile phone-like object in his hand showing that the game may be based in the future. People interested in futuristic games will be drawn in to this.
- Robotic arm machines then come in to inject needles into the man which also adds to the futuristic theme to the game. These machines are very high tech peices of technology which shows he may be in a laboratory or something similar.
- The camera then closes in on his eyes and flashes to a different scene showing that he is having a flashback of looking at what look like his parents in a high tech gadget of some sort.
- An army truck then becomes involved in this trailer in one of his flashbacks. This shows that he was in the army alongside four other men. They look scared and very stiff, so this shows that they may be going into war.
- The tag on his chest shows that his name is Carter.
- A futuristic plane then takes off showing he got in the plane. Most gamers that have played previous Halo games will recognise this plane which is the first hint of this trailer that this is a Halo Reach trailer.
- The plane then takes off into space showing that this game is very sci-fi and futuristic.
- It then shows a shot of his face being pulled back due to the plane moving at such an incredible speed.
- It now goes back to the present, where the man is being injected with needles on the end of the two machines on the sides of his bed. The needles go close to the body before the shot takes it away with what looks like blue dye being mixed with water. this shows what is being injected his body.
- He tenses his body and all of his muscles showing that he is pain and is tensing to relieve the pain. Then his eyes turn blue which means whatever he has been injected with has turned him this way.
- It then fades away the next day where he now has clothes on, gets up and walks toward a piece of armour which resembles a "spartan" from the Halo series. The shot shows his face in the helmet of the armour through the glass in front of the armour. This man is obviously going to be put in his suit therefore becoming spartan.
- Now some text appears just like in the Enslaved trailer to finally sum up the story of what just happens in this trailer.
- The title of the game is now shown along with the producers name and the game distributer. These are placed at the end of the trailer and not at the beginning like the Enslaved trailer and then it goes on to show the release date and a small print which tells you where to purchase the game.
- The xbox 360 title then comes up to show that the game is only released on this one console and no others, therefore being xbox exclusive.
- Overall this trailer is very slow to start off, with hint of what game it may be for until half way, but this can also be good as it it keeps the viewer watching to find out what the trailer is about. This is also a very good trailer but in a very different way.
This is the game trailer for Ghostbusters, which was originally a movie.
- The game starts off with the age rating, which is 'T' for teen which also is just 16+ in the UK.
- Then the title of the producer "Atari" is shown just before it says HD (High Definition).
- Then the film producers "Columbia" is shown as the game is based on the film "Ghostbusters".
- The trailer starts off with text and a voiceover which says what the text says. This adds more effect to the text and draws the viewer in as the voiceover is a deep male voice which sounds like all the film trailer voiceovers.
- It then has a short shot of a large blue explosion before going back to the text again. Shots like this add dramatic effect.
- The text and voiceover make the start of the trailer sound like a superhero trailer. For example: "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's superman."
- It then shows a man running away from a blurred effect around the camera showing it may be a ghost. It then zooms in to his eye which shows he has wither been consumed, killed or captured.
- As the famous phrase from ghostbusters is said from the voiceover "Who you gonna call?", there are people running away from the camera screaming and shouting in panic before the ghostbusters are introduced with the theme song for the ghostbusters playing in the background.
- The next few shots are multiple shots of different scenes from the game, including the ghostbusters dancing, which shows that the game will partly be a comedy with short puns and jokes. This means that people of all age will enjoy this game, but may be rated a higher age rating due to scary moments with ghosts and monsters which may be inapropriate to young children.
- The title is shown inbetween the multiple shots to ensure the viewers know what the game is as not all viewers will have seen or heard of ghostbusters.
- During the shots there are quotes from the game to help tell the story and add little puns and jokes to show the comedy of the game.
- The trailer shows a lot of buildings and vehicles being destroyed as the game involves a lot of larger monsters and a lot of action.
- It then says the name of the game in the deep male voiceover to finalise it all and show what the game is. I then shows and says the release date like in all of the other trailers.
- The title of the game, the game producer, the film producer and the game consoles the game will be released on are all shown on the same screen together. All of this is above the small print that shows copyright notices and where to purchase the game.
- Overall this trailer is for viewers of all ages and is very similar to the film trailer. The added puns and jokes make a great laugh to watch which will appeal to a lot of viewers. Very different from the last two trailers, but is still very good as it draws the viewers attention in through the jokes and a little bit of drama and action.
These three trailers are all very different from each other but all share a few aspects. These include the titles and copyright notices being shown at the end. Other than that though they are all very different, with one showing all gameplay action with music, quotes from the game and no comedy, another having no music and is very dramatic with no action or jokes and is made with real people, no gameplay and no voiceovers, and the last trailer being very funny but still includes some action and drama along with music and voiceovers and quotes from the game.
This is the E3 trailer to the video game "Enslaved".
- The video starts with a warning to younger viewers as it may be inapropriate for children. They must include this as some adult viewers may not want their children watching it as it may have some disturbing images or inapropriate language.
- It then goes on to show the games distributor 'Ninja Theory' and the developer and producer 'Namco'. This is just to show who the producers and distributers are in this game.
- The beginning of the actual trailer starts with scenery from the game to show the game graphics for appeal and where the game is set. The added calming music in the background adds dramatic effect.
- It then has some text involved which lets the viewers know that the game is set 150 years from now, which may appeal to some gamers.
- Then some more panning shots of the game's scenery to add to the detail of graphics being shown, and straight after, some more text which adds to the story of the game. Older viewers will understand how much the graphics improve the gameplay, as they have had experience of older games with a much lower graphic standard.
- Quotes from the game start to play to help tell the story of the game so that the viewers know what the game is about.
- The two main characters now walk on so the viewer now knows who the main characters are and who the gamer will play as.
- More text is shown to help tell the story.
- Shots of what look like the game's "bad guys" so the viewer knows what he/she may be up against when playing the game. Added tense background sounds make the trailer even more intense to watch.
- Intense drums start to play in the background making the trailer very tense to watch and making it sound like there is serious danger.
- After the main plot of the game is told from scenes and quotes from the game, the trailer then goes on to show the gameplay. This is what the game actually looks like when you are playing the game so it shows the viewers what they will be doing when they play the game.
- The title of the game then doesn't come on until last when the music stops as this makes the trailer worth watching to find out what the game is called so that the viewers can go out and buy it.
- The last thing it shows is the website of the game in case some viewers are more interested into the game and want to look more into it. It also show the release date of the game and what consoles the game is coming out on. The rights are also shown at the bottom in small print to show copyright terms and conditions.
- Overall this was a very good trailer and has most of the main points of making a good trailer.
This is an IGN trailer for Halo reach.
- This video also starts off with a warning to younger viewers. Just in case their parents/carers do not want them watching the video due to inapropriate language or violent scenes.
- This trailer is aimed at adolescant and older viewers as children would not understand the trailer too well due to its realism.
- This trailer involves real life people to show the realness of the game. It could be that the game is so realistic that it could happen for real or it could be that it was based on a real story or event.
- The actual trailer opens with a bald man lieing down with a futuristic, mobile phone-like object in his hand showing that the game may be based in the future. People interested in futuristic games will be drawn in to this.
- Robotic arm machines then come in to inject needles into the man which also adds to the futuristic theme to the game. These machines are very high tech peices of technology which shows he may be in a laboratory or something similar.
- The camera then closes in on his eyes and flashes to a different scene showing that he is having a flashback of looking at what look like his parents in a high tech gadget of some sort.
- An army truck then becomes involved in this trailer in one of his flashbacks. This shows that he was in the army alongside four other men. They look scared and very stiff, so this shows that they may be going into war.
- The tag on his chest shows that his name is Carter.
- A futuristic plane then takes off showing he got in the plane. Most gamers that have played previous Halo games will recognise this plane which is the first hint of this trailer that this is a Halo Reach trailer.
- The plane then takes off into space showing that this game is very sci-fi and futuristic.
- It then shows a shot of his face being pulled back due to the plane moving at such an incredible speed.
- It now goes back to the present, where the man is being injected with needles on the end of the two machines on the sides of his bed. The needles go close to the body before the shot takes it away with what looks like blue dye being mixed with water. this shows what is being injected his body.
- He tenses his body and all of his muscles showing that he is pain and is tensing to relieve the pain. Then his eyes turn blue which means whatever he has been injected with has turned him this way.
- It then fades away the next day where he now has clothes on, gets up and walks toward a piece of armour which resembles a "spartan" from the Halo series. The shot shows his face in the helmet of the armour through the glass in front of the armour. This man is obviously going to be put in his suit therefore becoming spartan.
- Now some text appears just like in the Enslaved trailer to finally sum up the story of what just happens in this trailer.
- The title of the game is now shown along with the producers name and the game distributer. These are placed at the end of the trailer and not at the beginning like the Enslaved trailer and then it goes on to show the release date and a small print which tells you where to purchase the game.
- The xbox 360 title then comes up to show that the game is only released on this one console and no others, therefore being xbox exclusive.
- Overall this trailer is very slow to start off, with hint of what game it may be for until half way, but this can also be good as it it keeps the viewer watching to find out what the trailer is about. This is also a very good trailer but in a very different way.
This is the game trailer for Ghostbusters, which was originally a movie.
- The game starts off with the age rating, which is 'T' for teen which also is just 16+ in the UK.
- Then the title of the producer "Atari" is shown just before it says HD (High Definition).
- Then the film producers "Columbia" is shown as the game is based on the film "Ghostbusters".
- The trailer starts off with text and a voiceover which says what the text says. This adds more effect to the text and draws the viewer in as the voiceover is a deep male voice which sounds like all the film trailer voiceovers.
- It then has a short shot of a large blue explosion before going back to the text again. Shots like this add dramatic effect.
- The text and voiceover make the start of the trailer sound like a superhero trailer. For example: "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's superman."
- It then shows a man running away from a blurred effect around the camera showing it may be a ghost. It then zooms in to his eye which shows he has wither been consumed, killed or captured.
- As the famous phrase from ghostbusters is said from the voiceover "Who you gonna call?", there are people running away from the camera screaming and shouting in panic before the ghostbusters are introduced with the theme song for the ghostbusters playing in the background.
- The next few shots are multiple shots of different scenes from the game, including the ghostbusters dancing, which shows that the game will partly be a comedy with short puns and jokes. This means that people of all age will enjoy this game, but may be rated a higher age rating due to scary moments with ghosts and monsters which may be inapropriate to young children.
- The title is shown inbetween the multiple shots to ensure the viewers know what the game is as not all viewers will have seen or heard of ghostbusters.
- During the shots there are quotes from the game to help tell the story and add little puns and jokes to show the comedy of the game.
- The trailer shows a lot of buildings and vehicles being destroyed as the game involves a lot of larger monsters and a lot of action.
- It then says the name of the game in the deep male voiceover to finalise it all and show what the game is. I then shows and says the release date like in all of the other trailers.
- The title of the game, the game producer, the film producer and the game consoles the game will be released on are all shown on the same screen together. All of this is above the small print that shows copyright notices and where to purchase the game.
- Overall this trailer is for viewers of all ages and is very similar to the film trailer. The added puns and jokes make a great laugh to watch which will appeal to a lot of viewers. Very different from the last two trailers, but is still very good as it draws the viewers attention in through the jokes and a little bit of drama and action.
These three trailers are all very different from each other but all share a few aspects. These include the titles and copyright notices being shown at the end. Other than that though they are all very different, with one showing all gameplay action with music, quotes from the game and no comedy, another having no music and is very dramatic with no action or jokes and is made with real people, no gameplay and no voiceovers, and the last trailer being very funny but still includes some action and drama along with music and voiceovers and quotes from the game.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Thursday 25th November: Research
Today I've looked at magazine articles to different games. These vary from adverts in magazines of different games and reviews to games in magazines. First of all I looked at magazine adverts.
I looked at advertisements to lots of different games but I decided to choose four advertisements which I liked the most for examples.
(Incomplete... )
I looked at advertisements to lots of different games but I decided to choose four advertisements which I liked the most for examples.
(Incomplete... )
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Thursday 11th November: Research
During the past week I have been researching some more on game front covers. I went into shopping centres to look at games and game magazines and realised that some games have different covers depending on which games console it is realeased on.
For example, "The Simpsons Game" has a different front cover for the Xbox 360 than the front cover on the Nintendo Wii. The game is exactly the same on both consoles, but the front covers are a little bit different with different characters in different poses.
As you can see all of these covers are from different countries because of the different ratings in the bottom left corners of the covers, but this doesn't necessarily mean they are all different ratings. Although in some countries they will be different age ratings due to their laws but these three game covers are all the same age rating.
For example, "The Simpsons Game" has a different front cover for the Xbox 360 than the front cover on the Nintendo Wii. The game is exactly the same on both consoles, but the front covers are a little bit different with different characters in different poses.
As you can see all of these covers are from different countries because of the different ratings in the bottom left corners of the covers, but this doesn't necessarily mean they are all different ratings. Although in some countries they will be different age ratings due to their laws but these three game covers are all the same age rating.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Wednesday 3rd November: Research
Today I did some research on the PEGI title within the age ratings in games. Game age ratings vary from 3+ to 18.
The rating 3+ is basically a game for anyone but children under the age of three must have parental guidance watching them, not that that should be a problem as a child under the age of three doesn't tend to play on game consoles.
The next rating up is 7+, this means that any person from the age of 7 can purchase and play this game suitably without adult supervision.
12+ is the next rating up which supports games being able to be played by people from the age of 12. This is mostly used on games that have small violent scenes or minor swear words.
The next rating up is 16+. This is when all of the violence and sexual content starts to come into games, even if it is only minor it still needs to be either censored or only shown to older people.
And the last rating is 18+. This means that this is a game for adults only, people from the age of 18 and upwards are aloud to play it due to illicit and sometimes offensive content.
This is a pie chart on the status of game ratings in the year 2008.
I have decided to make my game a 16+ because my game is aimed at adolescant people that are old enough to understand some violent and offensive content but not old enough to view sexual or really offensive content.
The rating 3+ is basically a game for anyone but children under the age of three must have parental guidance watching them, not that that should be a problem as a child under the age of three doesn't tend to play on game consoles.
The next rating up is 7+, this means that any person from the age of 7 can purchase and play this game suitably without adult supervision.
12+ is the next rating up which supports games being able to be played by people from the age of 12. This is mostly used on games that have small violent scenes or minor swear words.
The next rating up is 16+. This is when all of the violence and sexual content starts to come into games, even if it is only minor it still needs to be either censored or only shown to older people.
And the last rating is 18+. This means that this is a game for adults only, people from the age of 18 and upwards are aloud to play it due to illicit and sometimes offensive content.
This is a pie chart on the status of game ratings in the year 2008.
I have decided to make my game a 16+ because my game is aimed at adolescant people that are old enough to understand some violent and offensive content but not old enough to view sexual or really offensive content.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Friday 29th October: Research
Today I did some research on game front covers to see what detail has to be done to make sure that my game front cover would be able to sell if real. My game game front cover must cover the main rules of other game front covers to ensure that it is realistic and able to sell.
Fable 2
Left for Dead 2
Bioshock 2
Naughty Bear
I have noticed that all of these games have detailed but basic backgrounds so that all of the concentration is set upon the main picture at the front. This is to make sure that the picture is the feature that catches the customer's eye and makes them want to buy it from the incredible detail in the main picture. Another thing relevant to a game front cover is to label the age rating in the bottom left corner. The covers I have shown above are all american ratings but in the UK the ratings will vary from 3+ to 18. I intend to make a 16 rated game.
I have noticed that all of these games have detailed but basic backgrounds so that all of the concentration is set upon the main picture at the front. This is to make sure that the picture is the feature that catches the customer's eye and makes them want to buy it from the incredible detail in the main picture. Another thing relevant to a game front cover is to label the age rating in the bottom left corner. The covers I have shown above are all american ratings but in the UK the ratings will vary from 3+ to 18. I intend to make a 16 rated game.
Monday, 25 October 2010
25th October 2010: Research
Today I spent my lesson doing research on different TV ads for games on any console. After looking at many different TV ads i realised that there are a few things that are needed within making a TV ad for a game. These are:
- Music: There must be relevant music which suits the advert best, the music must suit the game which has been chosen.
- Dialogue: Some ads include dialogue into the ad, the dialogue must be clear and loud enough to be heard and it must be relevant to the game without any indecent language.
- Genre: All game ads must state the genre from the very beginning to draw the attention of the viewers, this is best done with music or video, whether it be gloomy music for a thriller or a bright scene for a fun family game.
- Separate advertisements: All of the game ads I have looked at so far have included a separate advert at the end to advertise the console in which it can be played on.
- Age: The ad must always include the age group that the game may be played as some viewers may be too young to buy it.
- Game footage: In the ad you must always include at least one piece of game footage to show that it is a game otherwise viewers may become confused and ignore it. Also when showing game footage you must state that it is game footage in writing or if it isn't real game footage you must also state that as well.
- Ratings: It is also best to show ratings in your ad as it makes the viewers believe that the game is good enough to buy as it has been reviewed already by experts.
- Release date: You must show the release date of the game so viewers know when to buy it.
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