Page 389
1. What is the difference between a video game and a computer game?
Video games mean games played on televisions. Computer games are games played on a computer monitor.
2. Why did the video game market crash in the 1970s and again in the 1980s?
The 1970s crash happened because there was a glut of Pong imitations and the second-generation consoles were introduced. The 1980s crash happened because there was a glut of consoles, a price war, competition from computers and independent developers, and hastily designed and unoriginal games.
3. How have video games affected society?
Critics believe games have desensitized children to violent behavior. They also believe they perpetuate stereotypes.
4. What distinguishes the different generations of video game consoles?
Graphic improvements, better processors, new connectivity and media added
5. What technological and market trends are shaping video games today?
Console gamers' ever increasing expectations in regards to minimum technological requirements, social networking sites, games collecting revenue like blockbuster movies
Page 400
1. What are the major segments of the video game industry?
consumer electronics companies who make game gear, developers, publishers, and retailers
2. What do video game publishers do?
make copies of the game and distribute them to consumers
3. What are some genres of video games?
sports, adventure, fighting, racing, educational, platform, puzzle, role playing, strategy, music
4. How can you tell if you have a video game addiction?
If playing a game interferes with aspects of life, such as school, work, and friends.
5. What are serious video games?
Games that not only have an entertainment component, but an educational one as well.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Chapter 8 questions
Page 225
1. What was TV like in its Golden Age?
heavily focused on live drama anthologies and news and public affairs programs
2. How did cable television develop?
Cable companies relayed signals from major market TV stations to smaller communities. In 1972, the FCC reversed its ban on urban cable and instituted a minimum 20 channel system.
3. Why is network television in decline?
Cable, satellite, and the Internet are playing big parts in the decline.
4. How has digital technology impacted television?
It has made the picture and sound clearer. It has given rise to HDTV and multicasting.
Page 235
1. What are the Big Five media conglomerates?
Time Warner, Disney Corporation, National Entertainment/Viacom, National Entertainment/CBS, News Corp, NBC Universal/Comcast
2. Why is it hard to make a profit from network television?
They often pay huge fees for sports, production fees for entertainment shows, and multimillion-dollar salaries for on-air talent. They also pay the same taxes and operating expenses all media firs incur.
3. What is the relationship between television networks and their affiliates?
Local affiliate program directors arrange contracts with networks and syndicators and fills the broadcast schedule.
4. How do the economics of broadcast television production differ from those of cable channels?
Cable channels have revenue stream of fees built in that broadcasters don't. Thus, it is easier for cable channels to become profitable than it is for networks.
Page 243
1. Why are there so many reality shows on TV these days?
It's cheap to produce.
2. What strategies do networks use to maintain the flow of audiences between programs?
They may schedule programs of the same genre in blocks. They will have a new show follow a proven show. In some cases, an established show will be between two weaker shows. Local stations run the same show in the same time slot every day.
3. What are the current rules governing television ownership?
There is a law preventing the Big Five owning TV stations that reach more than 39 percent of the TV households.
4. How can we clean up violence and sex on television?
FCC regulations, not watch it, or advise what the program contains, and/or get annoying organizations like The American Family Association to advocate for cleaner TV
5. How diverse is television ownership?
This question requires more work than should be necessary. I may get back to it.
1. What was TV like in its Golden Age?
heavily focused on live drama anthologies and news and public affairs programs
2. How did cable television develop?
Cable companies relayed signals from major market TV stations to smaller communities. In 1972, the FCC reversed its ban on urban cable and instituted a minimum 20 channel system.
3. Why is network television in decline?
Cable, satellite, and the Internet are playing big parts in the decline.
4. How has digital technology impacted television?
It has made the picture and sound clearer. It has given rise to HDTV and multicasting.
Page 235
1. What are the Big Five media conglomerates?
Time Warner, Disney Corporation, National Entertainment/Viacom, National Entertainment/CBS, News Corp, NBC Universal/Comcast
2. Why is it hard to make a profit from network television?
They often pay huge fees for sports, production fees for entertainment shows, and multimillion-dollar salaries for on-air talent. They also pay the same taxes and operating expenses all media firs incur.
3. What is the relationship between television networks and their affiliates?
Local affiliate program directors arrange contracts with networks and syndicators and fills the broadcast schedule.
4. How do the economics of broadcast television production differ from those of cable channels?
Cable channels have revenue stream of fees built in that broadcasters don't. Thus, it is easier for cable channels to become profitable than it is for networks.
Page 243
1. Why are there so many reality shows on TV these days?
It's cheap to produce.
2. What strategies do networks use to maintain the flow of audiences between programs?
They may schedule programs of the same genre in blocks. They will have a new show follow a proven show. In some cases, an established show will be between two weaker shows. Local stations run the same show in the same time slot every day.
3. What are the current rules governing television ownership?
There is a law preventing the Big Five owning TV stations that reach more than 39 percent of the TV households.
4. How can we clean up violence and sex on television?
FCC regulations, not watch it, or advise what the program contains, and/or get annoying organizations like The American Family Association to advocate for cleaner TV
5. How diverse is television ownership?
This question requires more work than should be necessary. I may get back to it.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Chapter 7 questions
Page 190
1. What was the studio system?
A system where few movie studio executives dictated the decisions that drove the industry. It used stars as a way to promote films.
2. Which were the main studios?
Paramount, Loews/MGM, Warner Brothers, Fox, and RKO
3. What were some of the main silent film genres?
Westerns, war movies, horror, romances/love stories, physical comedies, historical costume dramas, documentaries, action/adventure, melodramas
4. What genres came in with talking films? Which were prominent in the 1930s and 1940s?
crime dramas, animation, character studies, detective movies, suspense/monster, horror, film noir, serials; film noir, westerns, and crime dramas
5. Why did studios want to own their own distributors and movie theater chains? Why did federal regulators force the studios to divest themselves of their movie theater chains in 1948?
It was more profitable because they did not have to pay separate agencies to perform these duties. The government felt the studios were becoming too powerful.
6 How did the movie industry compete with television?
At first, they tried to compete directly for viewers. Then, once the studios realize they couldn't win, they started airing television specials and selling programming for television.
Page 198
1. Who developed the basics of film camera and projector technology?
Thomas Edison
2. How does movie sound work?
Sound is recorded on an optical track right on the film. This is transferred through various means (too scientific for me) that go to an amplifier which is then fed to a theater's speakers.
3. How was movie image quality improved?
Everything was transitioned to digital, which provides better quality.
4. How have special effects in film developed?
At first, it was due to camera techniques that created optical illusions. Now computers, as they are being upgraded, are producing better special effects.
5. What will be the impact of high definition and 3-D on film technology and business?
Because of the nature of the technology and how popular it is, theaters charge more for 3-D movies. This will initially increase business, but 3-D may be a fad. If it passes, studios may lose money.
Page 200
1. How do independent filmmakers differ from studios?
Independent filmmakers generally struggle for distribution. Many independent films are distributed directly to DVD. Special festivals, such as the Sundance Festival, showcase independent movies.
2. What is currently the typical distribution cycle of a film?
windows for different forms of media
3. What has been the effect of home video on the movie industry?
It has taken away from theater ticket sales.
Page 207
1. What movie genres are most dominant now?
comedy, drama, horror, science fiction, classics, family, western, animation, etc.
2. How are films targeted to audience segments now?
select theater distributions to create buzz and targeted to a specific age
3. Why were film ratings developed? What are the pros and cons of ratings?
to give people an idea of what they might encounter in a film and to avoid outside regulation; pros: as stated, it gives people an idea of what the movie contains, cons: has the unintended effect of encouraging younger viewers to want to see the movie
4. How has audience segmentation changed film production?
Studios started aiming toward specific audience traits, such as race, age, and gender.
5. What copyright and piracy problems does the film industry face?
illegal copying and downloading
1. What was the studio system?
A system where few movie studio executives dictated the decisions that drove the industry. It used stars as a way to promote films.
2. Which were the main studios?
Paramount, Loews/MGM, Warner Brothers, Fox, and RKO
3. What were some of the main silent film genres?
Westerns, war movies, horror, romances/love stories, physical comedies, historical costume dramas, documentaries, action/adventure, melodramas
4. What genres came in with talking films? Which were prominent in the 1930s and 1940s?
crime dramas, animation, character studies, detective movies, suspense/monster, horror, film noir, serials; film noir, westerns, and crime dramas
5. Why did studios want to own their own distributors and movie theater chains? Why did federal regulators force the studios to divest themselves of their movie theater chains in 1948?
It was more profitable because they did not have to pay separate agencies to perform these duties. The government felt the studios were becoming too powerful.
6 How did the movie industry compete with television?
At first, they tried to compete directly for viewers. Then, once the studios realize they couldn't win, they started airing television specials and selling programming for television.
Page 198
1. Who developed the basics of film camera and projector technology?
Thomas Edison
2. How does movie sound work?
Sound is recorded on an optical track right on the film. This is transferred through various means (too scientific for me) that go to an amplifier which is then fed to a theater's speakers.
3. How was movie image quality improved?
Everything was transitioned to digital, which provides better quality.
4. How have special effects in film developed?
At first, it was due to camera techniques that created optical illusions. Now computers, as they are being upgraded, are producing better special effects.
5. What will be the impact of high definition and 3-D on film technology and business?
Because of the nature of the technology and how popular it is, theaters charge more for 3-D movies. This will initially increase business, but 3-D may be a fad. If it passes, studios may lose money.
Page 200
1. How do independent filmmakers differ from studios?
Independent filmmakers generally struggle for distribution. Many independent films are distributed directly to DVD. Special festivals, such as the Sundance Festival, showcase independent movies.
2. What is currently the typical distribution cycle of a film?
windows for different forms of media
3. What has been the effect of home video on the movie industry?
It has taken away from theater ticket sales.
Page 207
1. What movie genres are most dominant now?
comedy, drama, horror, science fiction, classics, family, western, animation, etc.
2. How are films targeted to audience segments now?
select theater distributions to create buzz and targeted to a specific age
3. Why were film ratings developed? What are the pros and cons of ratings?
to give people an idea of what they might encounter in a film and to avoid outside regulation; pros: as stated, it gives people an idea of what the movie contains, cons: has the unintended effect of encouraging younger viewers to want to see the movie
4. How has audience segmentation changed film production?
Studios started aiming toward specific audience traits, such as race, age, and gender.
5. What copyright and piracy problems does the film industry face?
illegal copying and downloading
Monday, April 18, 2011
First video games
I remember playing several games on my dad's Atari 2600. The games I remember most are tennis and Breakout. I remember playing several other games besides those, but I can't remember their names.
My first game system I owned was an original Game Boy. The first game I remember playing on it was a game called Battle Bull. It was a maze-type game where you could manipulate the blocks that acted as the environment. You could also destroy stuff.
I used to be a much more serious gamer in my youth. Compared to many people, I guess I'm still a pretty serious player, but not nearly as much as other people. Now, I mostly just play sports games and whatever blockbuster games that I'm interested in.
My first game system I owned was an original Game Boy. The first game I remember playing on it was a game called Battle Bull. It was a maze-type game where you could manipulate the blocks that acted as the environment. You could also destroy stuff.
I used to be a much more serious gamer in my youth. Compared to many people, I guess I'm still a pretty serious player, but not nearly as much as other people. Now, I mostly just play sports games and whatever blockbuster games that I'm interested in.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Looney Tunes- Pronoun Trouble
I've been watching Looney Tunes lately. The video I'm sharing is a snippet from one of the most classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Even if you may not have seen this particular cartoon, you've probably have seen Looney Tunes before. If not, then I pity you.
Anyway, while the video may not have cutting edge new media elements (it was produced in the 1950s, after all), there is a line that appeals to English majors, which I've given away in the title.
Without further ado, I present and beg you to watch the video:
Anyway, while the video may not have cutting edge new media elements (it was produced in the 1950s, after all), there is a line that appeals to English majors, which I've given away in the title.
Without further ado, I present and beg you to watch the video:
Friday, March 25, 2011
People's TV habits
(Disclaimer: After I wrote this, I noticed there were more responses to the discussion board. Since I didn't see these before I finished writing, I only wrote about four people's opinions.)
I see that most people (Jacki, Aneshia, me) have a DVR, while Angie relies on Netflix.
As far as the writer's strike, three of us thought it greatly affected the content on the TV. A couple of people thought that dragged down the writing of Heroes and Lost. To me, I thought the first season of Heroes was compelling. The second season lost luster. The third season had a terrible first half (note to writers, never send your characters to Africa for an extended period) but I thought the second half of the third season recaptured the sense of pace and excitement that the first season of the show had. I got too busy to watch the fourth season. I don't think that writer's strike was the reason for Heroes degrading in quality. I just think they ran out of creative ideas. As for Lost, while I don't remember that point in the series well, I don't remember it being too much of a difference in quality overall to the series. Sorry if this response seems too long-winded, but at one time these were two of my favorite TV shows, so I have big opinions regarding them.
As far as how many hours we watched, a couple of us (Angie and me) could watch a bunch in short spurts and then not watch very much at other times. Jacki watched a lot of TV. Aneshia didn't watch much TV until bed.
I maintained that shows usually had a cliffhanger to encourage a person to watch commercials in order to get the next segment of show. Aneshia is not enthralled by commercials, using that time to do something else. Jacki and Angie are seeing ads embedded into sites like The NY Times and YouTube.
Angie solely uses Netflix as her TV, so everything she watches is online. I mostly use Netflix except for the occasional TV show. Jacki only watches online sparingly. Aneshia does not watch online.
I believe cable as we know it will become obsolete. Instead we'll opt for a selective channel system. Jacki theorizes that as video games become more mainstream, more channels dedicated to them will pop up. Angie believes that there are already too many choices, which can drive away people like her from the TV. Aneshia has no opinion.
I don't like reality TV and have a hard time seeing the appeal of it. Angie doesn't watch it, but can see the appeal. Jacki said that the genre is okay, but that they lack substance. Aneshia is the most devoted watcher of all of us, with the three shows she watches taking up Thursday night.
I see that most people (Jacki, Aneshia, me) have a DVR, while Angie relies on Netflix.
As far as the writer's strike, three of us thought it greatly affected the content on the TV. A couple of people thought that dragged down the writing of Heroes and Lost. To me, I thought the first season of Heroes was compelling. The second season lost luster. The third season had a terrible first half (note to writers, never send your characters to Africa for an extended period) but I thought the second half of the third season recaptured the sense of pace and excitement that the first season of the show had. I got too busy to watch the fourth season. I don't think that writer's strike was the reason for Heroes degrading in quality. I just think they ran out of creative ideas. As for Lost, while I don't remember that point in the series well, I don't remember it being too much of a difference in quality overall to the series. Sorry if this response seems too long-winded, but at one time these were two of my favorite TV shows, so I have big opinions regarding them.
As far as how many hours we watched, a couple of us (Angie and me) could watch a bunch in short spurts and then not watch very much at other times. Jacki watched a lot of TV. Aneshia didn't watch much TV until bed.
I maintained that shows usually had a cliffhanger to encourage a person to watch commercials in order to get the next segment of show. Aneshia is not enthralled by commercials, using that time to do something else. Jacki and Angie are seeing ads embedded into sites like The NY Times and YouTube.
Angie solely uses Netflix as her TV, so everything she watches is online. I mostly use Netflix except for the occasional TV show. Jacki only watches online sparingly. Aneshia does not watch online.
I believe cable as we know it will become obsolete. Instead we'll opt for a selective channel system. Jacki theorizes that as video games become more mainstream, more channels dedicated to them will pop up. Angie believes that there are already too many choices, which can drive away people like her from the TV. Aneshia has no opinion.
I don't like reality TV and have a hard time seeing the appeal of it. Angie doesn't watch it, but can see the appeal. Jacki said that the genre is okay, but that they lack substance. Aneshia is the most devoted watcher of all of us, with the three shows she watches taking up Thursday night.
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