1. Genre, Narrative & Representation

2. Computer Game Genres • Action/Adventure • First-Person Shooter • Third-Person Shooter • Sporting Simulation • Construction/Life Simulations • Driving • Puzzle • Survival (Horror) • Real-Time Strategy • Role-Playing Game • Action/Adventure • Horror • Sci-Fi • Fantasy • Drama • Romance • Comedy • Crime • Thriller With one exception, how is the list on the left different from the list on the right? Computer Games genres are defined by what the player DOES, not by the content...

3. Genre • Third-Person Shooter: the action is seen from behind the character’s head – the character you play is visible on-screen. • First-Person Shooter: the action is seen from the character’s point-of-view – you see a gun/cross-hair (targeting sight).

4. Third-Person vs First-Person • FIRST PERSON • The player is more involved in the action • More immersive/atmospheric • Limited field of vision (enemies right behind you are unseen) • Cut-Scenes break the first-person perspective THIRD PERSON • Easier to connect with character • More ‘cinematic’ • Can lose atmosphere in story mode Debate: which mode of viewing offers the best game experience in story-mode?

5. Pause for IGN Video • How far do you agree with the arguments put forward about Halo 3 and Gears of War 2? • How far do you think that the criticisms of each game extend to the whole FPS/3PS genre?

6. Camera Orientation • What are the specific advantages to a third-person approach in Gears of War 2? • How does it change the playing experience? Usual Orientation Chainsaw-Duel Orientation

7. Objective-Driven Game-Play • What are the various ways of letting the player know what they need to do next? • Anya (voice-in-the-ear) • Dialogue • Mission Orders • The ‘Tac-Com’ • ‘Run towards the sound of gunfire’ • Cut-Scenes “Mine says: ‘Teach the Rook the Golden Rule’!” How do these methods of instructing the player what to do differ from, say, those used in Wii Sports Resort?

8. Achievements and Gamer Score Achievements are offered for completing certain in- game tasks (like playing through as Dom, instead of Marcus). Unlocking achievements increases a player’s Gamer Score – a form of ranking that accumulates the more games you play and the more achievements you unlock. How might this fact change the way a player plays the game?