csp: lara croft GO
The Tomb Raider Franchise was begun in 1996 with the release of Tomb raider I. It is a good example of cross-media convergence, as it is available in many media including video games across different platforms and a series of movies. For this CSP, we are studying the mobile game Lara Croft Go specifically. As a casual mobile game, the controls tend to be simple (only swiping on screen) and easy to pick up. The plot tends to be simple and formulaic: there is a clear objective and many short term goals. People only play for short time periods and when they are bored so the short levels allow them quick gratification. Therefore, the format of a mobile game is not suited to complex, interwoven plot threads or more serious themes.
The aim of the creators of Lara Croft Go was to create a nostalgic experience for the audience and remain faithful to the original franchise, while also appealing to a larger mass market of casual gamers with its simple puzzle solving mechanism. The use of an 3 dimensional isometric view and colour palettes gave the audience an aesthetically beautiful experience, for example the colour scheme changes from neutral -> blue -> red as one progresses through the levels; colour and lighting change depending on the intensity of action, in order to draw focus to the small details of the scene. Additionally, while the background may appeal blocky, Lara is more dynamic and animated. While this was mostly successful, some loyal fans take an oppositional reading and find the game too "PG-13" and one dimensional as it has a very basic plot.
The series stars Lara Croft, who has become an iconic video game protagonist. In many ways she breaks the stereotypes associated with women. For example, she is known largely for being a female action hero which is a rare commodity in the video gaming community; additionally, she represents an empowered and capable woman who can take care of herself and kick butt and do anything that a male action hero would be able to. However, there are also ways that she conforms to what is expected: she is also known for popularising the current stereotype of a sexualised female video game character. She is commonly scantily clad, which is an intentional decision to make her attractive for men.
The aim of the creators of Lara Croft Go was to create a nostalgic experience for the audience and remain faithful to the original franchise, while also appealing to a larger mass market of casual gamers with its simple puzzle solving mechanism. The use of an 3 dimensional isometric view and colour palettes gave the audience an aesthetically beautiful experience, for example the colour scheme changes from neutral -> blue -> red as one progresses through the levels; colour and lighting change depending on the intensity of action, in order to draw focus to the small details of the scene. Additionally, while the background may appeal blocky, Lara is more dynamic and animated. While this was mostly successful, some loyal fans take an oppositional reading and find the game too "PG-13" and one dimensional as it has a very basic plot.
The series stars Lara Croft, who has become an iconic video game protagonist. In many ways she breaks the stereotypes associated with women. For example, she is known largely for being a female action hero which is a rare commodity in the video gaming community; additionally, she represents an empowered and capable woman who can take care of herself and kick butt and do anything that a male action hero would be able to. However, there are also ways that she conforms to what is expected: she is also known for popularising the current stereotype of a sexualised female video game character. She is commonly scantily clad, which is an intentional decision to make her attractive for men.
TIME AND PLACE
The Tomb Raider franchise showcases intertexuality, as some of the backgrounds or scenarios adhere to the conventions and trends of the times. For example, the jungle/exploring/treasure elements of the series are similar to those of Indiana Jones. Intertexuality can be influenced by cross-media convergence, as they take inspiration from other forms of the game across platforms. Humans have always enjoyed exploring and discovering new things, making the themes always appealing; the mise-en-scene is of ancient ruins, which gives the franchise a timeless quality. The only indication of whatever time period the game is set in would be the modernity of the weapons that Lara Croft is carrying, and the use of guns has spanned many years so even then it remains ambiguous. This why older editions of the video games can still be played, and why the game can constantly be remade into new iterations. |
COMMON ENEMIES
These include large, intimidating animals such as tigers, bears, wolves, which have historically been human predators and that we know can easily kill us, or other animals such as spiders which many people have phobias of. In mobile gaming, Good vs Evil is usually very clear as people don't want to think too hard, and usually play these during short snatches of time eg. while waiting for something. In Lara Croft enemies are influenced by the jungle setting. They tend to be animals rather than other people, because Lara Croft Go is a casual mobile game and usually these are mindless, which makes them unsuited to the moral ambiguity of killing other people. Common enemies include:
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AUDIENCE and MARKETING !
The audience of Tomb Raider as a franchise would be men ranging from the ages of 15-35, who are middle class. Stereotypically (and statistically), more men play action games than women, and Lara Croft has a reputation as a highly sexualised female character as well as being designed specifically to appeal to men. The age range would be the usual market for gamers, although older men who play games may still be attracted as they would be familiar with the franchise since childhood. It also tends to target a middle class demographic as games are expensive, and consoles or platforms add to the cost further, so a working class audience may have other priorities to spend their money on.
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Lara Croft Go, specifically appeals to a much wider market. It has an established fanbase who would play for nostalgia, while it would also appeal to a newer audience. Firstly, as a mobile game it is much more accessible to people from all walks of life, than for example a console game which is a more exclusive platform (it is more expensive, games on console are more expensive and fewer people have consoles). It also has a lower age rating of 7+, compared to other editions of Tomb Raider games on other platforms, which can go up to 17/18+. This widens its appeal to a larger age range. Moreover, Lara Croft Go is designed for casual gaming, which means the game mechanics are simpler, easier to pick up and provide more instant gratification. This allows to appeal to a much larger audience of the everyday mainstream person, rather than just gamers. This wider audience is reflected by the complex multi-platform advertising used for the game. For example, holding a competition and posting advertisements in Metro, the free newspaper on the subway system in the UK; this allows it to be seen by everybody as almost everyone in London uses public transport. This would spread awareness of the game and unconsciously appeal to the audience. The popularity of the game could also be enchanced because its multi-platform. For example, it is available on ios, android, linux, windows etc. and on mobile, console and PC. This makes it accessible to different audience based on what devices they already have, making it more appealing for them to test out a new game.
The reception to the game is overwhelmingly positive. Metacritic rated it 84/100, which is a very high rating for a game, and the main criticism was simply that there weren't enough levels. It also won 4 very popular awards for mobile games, such as:
The audience of Tomb Raider as a franchise would be men ranging from the ages of 15-35, who are middle class. Stereotypically (and statistically), more men play action games than women, and Lara Croft has a reputation as a highly sexualised female character as well as being designed specifically to appeal to men. The age range would be the usual market for gamers, although older men who play games may still be attracted as they would be familiar with the franchise since childhood. It also tends to target a middle class demographic as games are expensive, and consoles or platforms add to the cost further, so a working class audience may have other priorities to spend their money on.
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Lara Croft Go, specifically appeals to a much wider market. It has an established fanbase who would play for nostalgia, while it would also appeal to a newer audience. Firstly, as a mobile game it is much more accessible to people from all walks of life, than for example a console game which is a more exclusive platform (it is more expensive, games on console are more expensive and fewer people have consoles). It also has a lower age rating of 7+, compared to other editions of Tomb Raider games on other platforms, which can go up to 17/18+. This widens its appeal to a larger age range. Moreover, Lara Croft Go is designed for casual gaming, which means the game mechanics are simpler, easier to pick up and provide more instant gratification. This allows to appeal to a much larger audience of the everyday mainstream person, rather than just gamers. This wider audience is reflected by the complex multi-platform advertising used for the game. For example, holding a competition and posting advertisements in Metro, the free newspaper on the subway system in the UK; this allows it to be seen by everybody as almost everyone in London uses public transport. This would spread awareness of the game and unconsciously appeal to the audience. The popularity of the game could also be enchanced because its multi-platform. For example, it is available on ios, android, linux, windows etc. and on mobile, console and PC. This makes it accessible to different audience based on what devices they already have, making it more appealing for them to test out a new game.
The reception to the game is overwhelmingly positive. Metacritic rated it 84/100, which is a very high rating for a game, and the main criticism was simply that there weren't enough levels. It also won 4 very popular awards for mobile games, such as:
- IGN's Best Mobile Game of the Year 2015
- Apple's Best Game of the Year
- Apple Design Award 2016
- The Game Awards 2015 Best Mobile/handheld game.
nics of lara croft go
NARRATIVE
ICONOGRAPHY
CHARACTERS
SETTING
- An action-adventure game in which a heroine (Lara Croft) explores ancient ruins and fights monsters to complete her main objective. Often this has to do with rescuing someone or obtaining treasure as reward, and a boss monster such as the Queen of Venom must be defeated.
- There is only one main plot thread, and it tends to be simple, but there are many smaller goals in between as well, for example completing a puzzle to move forward and progress through levels. Puzzles often consist of unlocking doors / moving objects, and are based on timing certain moves.
- The game mechanism is that one can activate levers to change the setting by opening new paths
- Obstacles that must be avoided or enemies that must be overcome. These enemies have movement patterns
- Collect single use items and items
ICONOGRAPHY
- Lara Croft is often presented as a sexualised female through the clothes she wears, which are often short and revealing. The outfits are often simple and would be reasonable for the adventurous activities she's doing, except they are so short. As the game developed, the weapons have changed to suit the context and time period of the audience. For example, it ranges from unarmed combat to sticks or machine guns.
- template laid down by franchise
CHARACTERS
- Lara Croft is the only consistent character. She is an action hero, often breaking the stereotypical image of feeble women in society by doing all activities a male action hero would, and by killing enemies. Despite this, she continues to be an object of sexual desire for men who make up the majority of the audience. She is reduced to a 2D character with no significant or memorable character traits.
- Enemies in the game vary depending on the setting. Often they will be dangerous animals like snakes, because it's a jungle setting. However, the enemies are also affected based on the platform. For example, games created for mobile devices or younger audiences would be more PG while those for serious audiences may fight for longer periods of time or fight people rather than animals.
SETTING
- This may vary based on the edition of the game, however common elements include: Ancient ruins, caves, stone structures, jungle etc. This is a reference back to the first edition of the game, which made these themes iconic and representative of the Tomb Raider franchise. It is also an example of intertexuality, where the game reflects trends of the time, for example the popularity of Indiana Jones and jungle adventures.
pegi ratings
Pan European Game Information.
A system of rating games to warn parents and audiences of the contents of the game, and allow them to make informed decisions about whether to play it / let their child play it. This has become more necessary now than in the past, during early days of gaming, as gaming has become more accessible and mainstream whilst the content has also gotten more graphic and realistic. Larger audiences of people are playing games now, especially young and impressionable children. Therefore, there is a greater importance in making sure that they are not prematurely exposed to content that could harm their mental health and development.
The PEGI game ratings can also help games appeal to their target markets better, as a higher rated game may make it seem more exclusive and 'cooler' to adolescents.
3 - universal, nothing inappropriate
7 - nothing inappropriate but more complex game mechanics
12 - parental guidance; slight violence
16 - parental guidance; bad language, suggestions of sex, online platform etc.
18 - only for adults, violence and killing
There are also logos on the game boxes which warn for possibly inappropriate content such as violence, discrimination, sex, bad language, fear/horror etc.
A system of rating games to warn parents and audiences of the contents of the game, and allow them to make informed decisions about whether to play it / let their child play it. This has become more necessary now than in the past, during early days of gaming, as gaming has become more accessible and mainstream whilst the content has also gotten more graphic and realistic. Larger audiences of people are playing games now, especially young and impressionable children. Therefore, there is a greater importance in making sure that they are not prematurely exposed to content that could harm their mental health and development.
The PEGI game ratings can also help games appeal to their target markets better, as a higher rated game may make it seem more exclusive and 'cooler' to adolescents.
3 - universal, nothing inappropriate
7 - nothing inappropriate but more complex game mechanics
12 - parental guidance; slight violence
16 - parental guidance; bad language, suggestions of sex, online platform etc.
18 - only for adults, violence and killing
There are also logos on the game boxes which warn for possibly inappropriate content such as violence, discrimination, sex, bad language, fear/horror etc.