Hot Dates and Fairy Tale Romances

I really enjoyed this article, I enjoyed the article because it doesn't focus on violence in video games like everyone else does-but it focuses on sexuality in video games. It looked at Final Fantasy 9 and The Sims. One thing that was brought up repeatedly about FF9 was the Erotic Triangle theory- i thought it was so interesting and It would have never even crossed my mind! The theory is that there is a sort of triangle between the person playing the game, the avatar, and the love interest. Its like they begin to fight and pawn over the love interest. I was completey mind blown by this, who would have thought of it? What i also found interesting was when it was stated that the main character does not have many details and at times may even look androgynous when you are playing with it, but when they cut to little video you can tell that its a boy. It allows for the player to be able to identify more with the character-girls can see themselves in the character as well as boys. In the sims you have the option to create whoever you want, different skin colors, body types, sexes etc. You can even choose to live with a man if you want and aren't backed into just being in a heterosexual relationship. i think the game has made strides in making it a world where people can all really relate to their actual lives. True, in the game homosexual marriage is not allowed but having a child is, so i think we are really making progress in a sense. The article also discussed how heterosexuality is considered to be the norm- in FF9 your love interest is a woman(like so many other games) and on top of that the main character is always commenting on other women. It makes me wonder how homosexuals and women feel playing a game like that-where you are constantly reminded that being hetero is "normal." Game makers truly have to start developing games where people can actually identify with the characters- not just an androgynous character they kinda identify with. I think a game where you can choose to be a man who wants to have woman as a love interest or a man who wants a man as a love interest! the same goes for women! I think it would be a great stepping stone in getting more people interested in video games.

Art Form For The Digital Age

Video Games are everywhere, in almost every home, on t-shirts, and even influencing film. But can video games be considered an art? And i dont mean the process of creating a video game i mean an actual video game. Most people will say no. I myself am on the cusp. I think my problem is that I know that it is just a game and in reality i want to disconnect from my reality and just play a game. I feel that the graphics and sometimes story lines of a game can be amazing. Is that enough to consider it art? I think art is suppose to make you think. Considering the fact that the whole idea of video games has really got me thinking..... i would have to say yes, video games can be considered art! A new modern form of art but art nonetheless. I think now this generation growing up has come up with video games, so in the future i think it is going to be accepted as a form of art. And people wont dismiss it as just a game. One thing I think that must be changed in video gaming is how well known it is. For example we go to film from a certain director and expect to see certain things. Once people start buying video games for a certain creator then i think i will slowly start to blow up, and to my understanding its already happening. Im glad that eventually, if people are educated enough art wont only be considered paintings or sculptures, that now it can be digital, fun, and entertaining. If anything if videogaming can lure more people into the art world and even introduce people into other art forms.

Its a Video Game Certainly, but is it Art?

A good point was brought up in this article, the point being that when most people think of video games the think of adolescent boys in their boxers playing these games all day. I think that is true and it is the stereotype, but as stated video games are in that quarter century mark between it being a hugely accepted art or one that is only found in a select group like comic books for example. Jenkins also makes a great point in stating what our video games need-which is more of an emotional connection with the character and the game itself. I myself have never been emotional with a game or even cried but I think if we make video games with a more emotional connection that video games will become more relate able to people, in turn it being a media that all types of people would want to partake in. Also, I think Jenkins makes and excellent point in saying that we need to create a critical vocabulary for video games and the genre. I think if we did have a critical vocab people will understand that this can be something serious and it does have more aspects to it that just being a fun past time adolescent boys play. I think art is what you make it be. I personally dont think that a urinal on top of a table is art, but I do think that art is something that's makes you ask questions and think, I believe video games can do that and i think with time they have only gotten better and will continue to do so.

What The Bleep Do We know?!

Whether or not you agree with this film, whether you loved it or hated it, one thing is for sure.... it made you think! So many different things were presented that I think not many people have thought of or realize. People live their whole lives blaming other people and "mysterious forces" they cannot control for the way their life is going. Of course, if they are complaining it is because they are not completely happy with their life. At the end of the day... YOU are responsible for your life and what it is today. You and only you are responsible for the majority of things that happen and it is in your power to make a change. Your life is what you perceive it be, it can be great or terrible. I liked the fact that one of the doctors being interviewed said he wakes up and plans out his day- visualizes it, and because he does that he creates his whole day and that is how is day turns out. I am going to start doing this and make some changes in my own life. The idea of God, emotion, addiction, was explored in a very interesting way-some things i don't agree with but it really opened my mind.

I really enjoyed learning about Dr. Emoto's water study. It was so fascinating- do you really need more proof to show you that a way of thinking can change you? Your thoughts can really affect your physical reality. I am a firm believer of positive thinking, but this study surely solidified that way of thinking for me.

I also liked the way the film was made-there were three different film techniques- it was a documentary as well as a narrative film with actors and even had cartoons! I really enjoyed this because just when i thought my head was going to explode with the talk of quantum physics the narrative began again and relieved some pressure. I would defiantly hands down recommend this film to a friend, they can hate it if they want-but i think intellectually everyone should be challenged and this is truly a way to do it.

Super Mario Brothers Brawl and WII Play.

I have to say, I love Super Mario Brawl. I find it extremely entertaining. Yes, fighting and violence is the point of the game but boy! do you have a good time with it! In the game i will be analyzing for the course Rainbow Six Las Vegas II the game is extremely violent, with guns and blood splatter and very real deaths. In Brawl- its playful, its not bloody, its cartoonish. Because of the fact that it is a cartoon I think that many people over look the fact that It is indeed violent and the point of the fame is to get rid of the opponent. We are blinded by cute little Mario and Luigi, which makes it "ok." The majority of the characters are men, or some sort for creatures but one female is in the game and thats Mrs. Dame in Distress herself princess peach. She is still very girly, but i am glad that you are able to pick her to fight instead of just having to save her the whole game.

I also like the WII play. it is a good way to make not only children but everyone active as they play video games. Obesity has become a problem in the country and at least with this, people can have a good time while working out. I like that you can choose and make your own avatar and make them look like whatever you want. It can be a version of you or you can mold it into someone you would like to be! Its a good way to make people have a fun time while actually moving around and exercising. It is really fun to play from ping pong, to shooting games, it is not violent and it is a good alternative for those younger kids whose parents do not want them to play violent games.

Vice City

All I can say is wow- Grand Theft Auto Vice City sucks. Maybe it's because I enjoy cartoonish games like Super Mario, but in my opinion vice city is just boring! Not to mention extremely stereotypical and violent. I think it sort of scary I think it is boring because half of the time the violent things that happen in the game are terrible. I guess I have slowly become desensitized to violent images considering all we see in the media on a day to day basis.The whole game revolves around this one guy going around and beating on people. All the police officers are white and the majority of people I saw on the streets that the character was beating up were Hispanic or black. The only women i saw in the game were hookers, but it was nice to see them fight back when they got hit. In depicting Miami, it makes it out to be that there are only Cubans and Haitians here. Within the game they portray Cubans as drug dealers who wear thick chains, have accents and wear Hawaiian shirts. The game also portrays the Haitians as gang members or delinquents. The violence was intense in this game, with guns, knives and even grenades! When someone was injured blood splattered all over and I believe you got extra points for beating up on people. The only thing I can say that was a positive in this game was the fact that when the character did do something wrong-steal a car, kill or hurt someone- there were consequences and the cops would chase you and if they caught you would arrest you. Although the game is very stereotypical I'm glad to see some consequences for the persons actions. That is pretty much the only good thing i see in the game. Grand Theft Auto Vice City is defiantly not a game for me, nor do i think it is a good game for young children, what do you think?

Violence and Pop Culture

What this article says is brilliant-simply brilliant, "we should be focusing on what our children are doing with the media." Finally! someone who can objectively take a situation and not automatically run and blame the media not just video games, but movies, television, and even the net. It seems so simple, what are our children doing with what is around them? I know people who have played violent games their whole lives and are completely normal, why do these people not turn out like psychos? I think its because they have a strong family behind them helping them understand that video games and real life are two very different things. WE have to teach children what is right and wrong and show them that these are two very different realities. I am currently playing Rainbow Six Las Vegas 2, yes it is violent as violent as other games? Not at all- it is a first person shooter where the main objective is to harm others and even try to score more points for head shots. Why am i not overly aggressive? why am I not running around wanting to shoot people in the heads? It is because I took this form of media and enjoyed playing, a way to help pass the time and understood that this is not real, It is a game. Doing this in real life Is wrong and If i did go around shooting people I would not be able to just get up and turn life off- there are consequences. Stop pointing the finger at the media America its not its fault some people turn out the way they do. Whether the media was around or not some people are going to be murderers and rapists. Yes, the media can have some affect on children and their way of thinking, but that is when parents are SUPPOSE to step in and help the child understand what is a game and what isnt.

What about us girls?

While reading the article I was particularly interested in the lack of video games made for girls. Yes, if you think about it most games are directed toward the male population. But what about us girls? There are only a handful of games where girls are their main demographic. And most of those games are for PC's. Girls do like to play video games! I found it strange that since this business is all about making money that they haven't devoted more of their time and money into making games for girls to play and not just PC games! People are so naive, and I even saw that in my family- while playing a video game, Spyro the dragon a game that can even be looked at as gender neutral my oldest sister walked into the room and said: "what are you doing? video games and all that stuff are for boys." That is the general consensus that people have about video games. There is nothing wrong with girls wanting to play video games! what is the big deal? I think the article made great points in stating that video games can help peek a girls interest in technology, and that it also helps improve their computer literacy. Lets face it computers are a big part of our society and we all need to know how to use it. Girls should be able to have everything that boys have, and be able to enjoy it without feeling that this is only meant for boys, on top of that the video game industry is missing out-there is money to be made.

Fair Play:Race

In this section of Fair Play, It discuses Race. A lot of the things that I read in the article are things I already knew and am familiar with. And some things, I read it and thought "Oh yeah, thats true." For example, when I read over the fact that Native Americans were almost non existant in games as were latina women. I think those are things we are all aware of but kind of shrug off or don't really care about unless we are that group. In rainbow six las vegas there was only one woman you could chose as you player, and she was white. Although in one part of the game there was a woman you had to rescue and she in fact was Latina. Not once in the game did i see a native american or Asian for that matter. After reading this section of the article i Thought to myself, you know the only hispanics in games are either drug-dealers, sports players, or bad guys. African Americans are violent are the bad guys and have a short fuse-while 87% of whites are the hero. What kind of message are we sending to todays youth? Which made me think..... are young kids after playing certain games look to President Obama and automatically think "bad guy?"

Scary Thought.