1. Callum Deighton
Glossary
Media Text
Media Text is a form of media that can be examined by the public; this
can range from newspapers to magazines to advertisements. This is
used to promote the media it represents and can show the audience
what the media is about and what to expect.
Media Text for The Last of Us shows it as a dark action oriented game,
for example in the following image there is a gritty feel to the image
which represents how the game is very post-apocalyptic. The picture
also shows that the game has a lot of exploration from the images of the
protagonists Joel and Ellie looking around desolate areas, which can
also represent again the post-apocalyptic feel of the game. Another thing
to note is that the image also reveals a lot of action and suspenseful
moments such as Joel aiming a shotgun at another person as well as
Joel in the middle of a fight.
2. Callum Deighton
ht tp://www.wallpapervortex.com/wallpaper-31672_the_last_of_us.html#.VDaUx_ldXTo
On the other hand the Media Text for Just Dance portrays it as a near
enough completely opposite type of game. In the image below one of the
initial portrayals the image gives is that the game is very colourful and
bright, this gives a feeling of friendliness as well as it being eye-catching
to the public. The image also shows multiple people which can show that
multiple people can play the game, making it a party game; it also
portrays the people performing all different styles and showing lots of
movement, this shows that it relies a lot on people using their body and
that there is a wide variety of songs/dances.
ht tp://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/en_US/images/abn/2013/vg/pr/justdance2014/jd14.jpg
Semiotics
3. Callum Deighton
Semiotics is the study of the meaning of signs and symbols and can be
defined as the media term for reading and decoding something.
http://www.3dtested.com/media/the-last-of-us/pickup-item.jpg
For example, in The Last of Us there is a visible Green Bar shown in the
corner, this can be assumed by the player to be a health bar, especially
with the health pack icon above it, also another example is that the icon
for the magnum and the bullets can be assumed to be the equipped
weapon and ammo.
4. Callum Deighton
http://www.cubed3.com/media/2011/November/jesusraz/jd2e/71mCJC19wyL.jpg
In Just Dance the semiotics present itself in a different way from The
Last of Us. There is a number underneath the players name that can be
identified as the players score. Another thing to note is the stick figure in
the bottom corner which shows it in various poses similar to the one the
dancer performs on the screen which the player can identify as the
poses/dances the player must perform to get a higher score, with the
various words such as "PERFECT", "GOOD" and "OK" showing the
player how good they are at performing the moves.
Genre
The Genre is what the style of media is presented in it, for example in
movies a film like Alien can be seen as Sci-Fi due to the outer space
5. Callum Deighton
setting and a film like Indiana Jones can be seen as Action/Adventure
due to the amount of chase scenes and high tension action.
http://media-titanium.cursecdn.com/attachments/49/601/hunter.png
http://www.naughtydog.com/images_blog/2013_08_29_Patch103_TLOU_960p.png
6. Callum Deighton
http://media.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/files/2013/02/PeUH9mo.jpeg
The Last of Us is an Action Adventure game as well as Survival
Horror, the first image shows the action/adventure aspect well
as it shows the protagonists hiding from someone hunting them
down which presents itself as very intense as well as showing
the survival aspect of fighting for survival. The second image is
the same in showing a very intense situation; it also might show
a bit of the survival aspect of the game as well. The third
picture shows the horror aspect very well with the gruesome
enemy chasing the protagonists, which also again shows the
action adventure aspect.
http://ps4daily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Just-Dance-2014-4.jpg
7. Callum Deighton
http://images.gameskinny.com/gameskinny/d9ca3cdb5e8141ecadf05cb346f1b10c.jpg
http://www.eggplante.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Just-Dance-2014-Gameplay-1.jpg
Just Dance 2014 presents itself very differently from The Last
of Us. Just Dance is a party/simulation game and it is shown
pretty well in the photos provided. All 3 photos show multiple
people on the screen/in the game which shows the party aspect
of the game, also the pictures show a wide variety of
famous/popular dances and songs which shows the simulation
side of the game.
Content
8. Callum Deighton
Content is how the media presents itself visually to show the
viewer what the selected media is about and what to expect
from it.
http://www.hdwallpapers.in/walls/the_last_of_us_remastered-wide.jpg
In the image presented above the image presents The Last of
Us is completely devoid of colour which gives the sense of how
the world in game has been stripped of everything good in it
due to the apocalypse, which represents the colours. Also the
facial expression shown on the protagonists faces shows how
they feel in the world and how tense the situation is. Also Ellie
is preparing her gun which shows how in the game anything
can happen at any point.
9. Callum Deighton
http://images-eds.
xboxlive.com/image?url=8Oaj9Ryq1G1_p3lLnXlsaZgGzAie6Mnu24_PawYuDYIoH77pJ.X5Z.MqQPi
bUVTctSgedfZqsQZEjyh.7mdJo8jInpWJETzg.OnasJzql517YiCxFnsqBUOeXUyjqat.Vx4T67z7PQQieEPd3
cRo0RMhTvYOdpHqkIERnhYJ8n4FrhPI4jVTSFv02QF.v8T5WkbWhQl.jDD_gkeneTznefC5.q_D4AAzmPLj
e9uYW9g-&format=jpg
In the image for Just Dance the image presents itself in a
completely different direction from The Last of Us. The first
thing to notice is that the image has a wide variety of bright
colours, which can be very eye-catching for the viewer. Another
thing to note are the multiple people shown in the picture, which
can represent that the game can be played as a party game
with multiple people, also the people are performing different
dance poses which can show that the game has a wide variety
of songs.
Construction
10. Callum Deighton
http://www.gametangents.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/shotgun-ellie-anticipation1.png
http://bigheadmode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/JustDanceFruit.jpg
The construction of the games are how the game lies itself out
as well as how it shows/structures itself for the player. In The
Last of Us the game has its main focus on its story and how it
goes throughout the course of the game, it’s interface is not too
11. Callum Deighton
complex with the game showing the health and ammo/items in
the corner as well as showing important advice when needed
such as when there are items nearby for the player to pick up
and use. In Just Dance its main focus is directly on the
gameplay and how the player interacts with it, its interface is
much more complex with the last of us with the top showing the
players score and how good they are doing as well as the
bottom corner showing what move to perform next and when to
perform it.
Codes and Conventions
Codes and Conventions in video games are essentially the
things that help guide the player through what the game is
trying to show. In The Last of Us the game shows its codes and
conventions well by giving signs on what is going on such as
news reports and signs shown throughout the game about the
infection that is shown throughout the game. Just Dance shows
its codes and conventions by informing the player on how well
they’re performing with words showing under the players score
such as “PERFECT” “GOOD” AND “OK” as soon as they
perform a move.
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from playing the game. The advertisements shown for The Last
of Us focus on a lot of action, horror and gun fights and focuses
a lot on showing its story, where as the advertisements for Just
Dance focuses a lot on the gameplay, party style and modern
music to grab people’s attention with music they might
recognise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UdnAudgZkI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaOWRvmt
EFQ
14. Callum Deighton
Target Demographic
The Target Demographic is the type of media present itself to.
The Last of Us presents its target demographic for an older
audience with its complex story and gameplay being for more
of an adult audience. Just Dance presents its target
demographic to a generally younger audience with all the
modern music being advertised for it and its party aspect and
motion gameplay being for a teenager/young adult audience.
