Planetside 2

• What is Planetside 2?

Planetside 2 is a war game set in a sci-fi environment.

• What genre does the game belong to?

MMOFPS (Massively Multiplayer On-line First Person Shooter)

• Planetside 2 developer/publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
• When was it launched? 

PS4 - June 5, 2013

• How does the gameplay work?

 Players elect to join one of three factions (The Terran Republic; The Vanu Sovereignty and The New Conglomerates) all of which are fighting for territory in the online environment. 

• What are the six different player classes in the game?

1. The Infiltrator is a sniper class with special abilities of cloaking and hacking, and can use sniper rifles, scout rifles and submachine guns to deliver a devastating effect.
2. The Light Assault class is a scout who uses carbines, submachine guns and shotguns. The Light Assault's special ability is Jump Jets, which allow them to fly through the air for a short period of time.
3. The Combat Medic is a healing class. Their weapons include assault rifles, shotguns and submachine guns. The Combat Medic's special abilities allows them to heal and resurrect other players.
4. The Engineer class has the special ability of repairing vehicles, turrets, and MAX Units. The engineer also has the ability to build anti-infantry and anti-vehicle turrets. The Engineer's weapons include carbines, shotguns submachine guns and battle rifles.
5. The Heavy Assault class has light machine guns, submachine guns, shotguns, batte rifles, and also Rocket Launchers, which are effective at destroying enemy vehicles. They also have the special ability of shields to help them endure heavy fire.
6. The MAX class has a mobile armoured suit that allows them to take significant damage before dying. However, due to the suit they are also the slowest class. They have access to anti-infantry, anti-vehicle, and anti-air weapons. Max units cost resources to use.

• What is the story or narrative to the game?

Planetside 2 is a science fiction massively multiplayer online first-person shooter set approximately 300 years after the discovery of Auraxis. After the Earth has nearly come to ruin following a devastating war, the world's governments came to a consensus and united under one banner: the world-wide Terran Republic (TR). Some time later a wormhole, one which scientists fail to explain, appears and then disappears without a trace. Ex-President of the Terran Republic, Tom Connery, believes that the wormhole is a sign of existing extraterrestrial life and launches several space expeditions. So exactly 175 years after Tom Connery and the other leaders of the Terran Republic were killed, the war between the Terran Republic and the New Conglomerate breaks out. Following this, the New Conglomerate attacks the scientists who were still working on the alien technology, the Vanu Sovereignty, and they are as a result drawn into the conflict with the Terran Republic.

Business model

• How much does Planetside 2 cost to play?

It's free to play but there are in-game purchases.

• What does a subscription offer to players?

Increased experience, cert points, and extra resources, which are used to acquire things such as grenades and medical kits.

• What can the in-game currency be used to buy?

Buy 'power'.

• Why do some players dislike games in which users can buy additional weapons or health?

Lack of balance across classes and high system requirements.

The three factions

• The Terran Republic:

An authoritarian government that leverages military might to maintain strict control over the colonial citizens.The Terran Republic is obsessed with the preservation of law and order through violence, and are thus seen by some to be an oppressive and dictatorial force, Their colours are red and black. TR forces are distinguished by their use of rapid fire weapons and miniguns, large magazines, and high speed medium tanks and fighters

• The Vanu Sovereignty:

The Vanu Sovereignty believes that only through the mysterious power of ancient technology can humanity truly evolve its next state of existence. They are an advanced and cunning faction, employing powerful alien technology on the battlefield. Their singular purpose is to uncover the secrets hidden away in ancient artifacts scattered over the surface of Auraxis, and they annihilate anyone who interferes with their progress. Their colours are purple and cyan. Vanu employ advanced plasma and laser technology on the battlefield, distinguished by lack of bullet drop, high accuracy, and low recoil, as well as highly maneuverable hovering tanks and Empire Specific Fighters such as the Scythe

• The New Conglomerates:

The New Conglomerate operates as a loosely organized band of highly effective freedom fighters, vehemently opposed to the stranglehold that the Terran Republic has on Auraxis. Led by an unusual quorum of outcasts, industry titans, and pirates, the New Conglomerate is unwavering and prepared to achieve freedom from oppression by any means necessary. Their colours are blue and gold. NC forces use hard hitting gauss weaponry that is devastating at short and medium ranges with a medium reload time, supported by heavily armoured assault troops and durable tanks and fighters that also have the highest damage per shot in the game.

Planetside 2: Target audience

Write a possible target audience demographic for Planetside 2 in general:

• The target audience for Planetside 2 could potentially range from 18 - 35 years old
• 80% male and 20% female
• Social class: mainly middle class
• Students in college and university
• Towns and cities
• ABC1 demographic

Now write a target audience demographic for each faction from Planetside 2 – it will be similar to the overall target audience but think carefully about changes in age, education or employment:

• The Terran Republic:

ABC1 demographic - requires tactics

• The Vanu Sovereignty:

ABC1 Demographic; requires new technology and education/employment

• The New Conglomerates:

Age 18 - 24 - rebels especially as this game focuses on this particular aspect
Doesn't necessarily require someone to be in employment

Now use what you have learned about psychographic profiling to choose potential psychographic groups for each of the three factions:

• The Terran Republic:

Mainstreamers - seek security; these are people who live in the world of the domestic and the everyday. 

• The Vanu Sovereignty:

Resigned: seek survival.


Succeeders: seek control; succeeders possess self-confidence, have a strong goal orientation and tend to be very organised. As a result, they tend to occupy positions of responsibility in society. When it comes to brands, they will often seek out the best because that is what they feel they deserve.

• The New Conglomerates:

Reformers - enlightenment/change; valuing their own independent judgement. 

Explorers: seek discovery; these people are driven by a need for discovery, challenge and new frontiers. Young in nature, if not in reality, Explorers are often the first to try out new ideas and experiences.

Videogames advertising: Institution

Task 1: developers and publishers

Rockstar Games
Background: founded in 1998 and it's located in New York
Owner/founder: Sam Houser is president and Dan Houser is vice-president
Most successful games: Grand Theft Auto series and L.A. Noire
Interesting fact about the institution: Grand Theft Auto V generated more than $800 million in worldwide revenue

EA (Electronic Arts)
Background: founded in 1982 and it's located in California
Owner/founder: Trip Hawkins
Most successful games: Fifa, NBA Live and The Sims series
Interesting fact about the institution: In 2012, the net income for the company was $76 million 

Zynga
Background: founded in 2007 and it's located in San Francisco, California
Owner/founder: Mark Pincus
Most successful games: Farmville and Texas HoldEm Poker
Interesting fact about the institution: The revenue for Zynga in 2013 was $873.266 million

Nintendo
Background: founded in 1889 and is located in Kyoto Japan 
Owner/founder: Fusajiro Yamauchi
Most successful games: Super Mario Bros
Interesting fact about the institution: Their main rival is Sega Mega Drive

Sony Computer Entertainment
Background: founded in 1993 and it's located in Tokyo, Japan
Owner/founder: Andrew House is president
Most successful games: Gran Turismo series
Interesting fact about the institution: The company has sold over more than 400 million PlayStation consoles worldwide

Task 2: Advertising agencies

W+K Amsterdam

1. What do the letters stand for? Weiden - Kennedy Amsterdam
2. What brands have W+K Amsterdam advertised? Heineken, Powerade and Tesco mobile 
3. In your opinion, what is the most creative campaign on their website? Heineken is the most creative campaign because it uses a lot of elements of street art.
4. What videogame campaigns have they created? Fifa
5. What additional information can you find out about the FIFA 14 advertising campaign? It used pro footballers: Gareth Bale, Stephan El Shaarawy, Tim Cahill and Javier Hernandez ‘Chicharito’ and FIFA-loving celeb Drake, all getting their game on, along with everyday ‘Joes’.

Rokkan

1. How long has the Rokkan advertising agency been around for? Since 2000
2. Where is Rokkan based? New Jersey 
3. What brands have Rokkan advertised? Old El Paso and Tag Heuer
4. Why was Rokkan's campaign for the videogame 'Dishonored' so successful?
5. Who was the publisher for 'Dishonored'? Bethesda Softworks

Task 3: Regulatory bodies

PEGI

Visit the PEGI website and have a look around. 

Now click on the FAQ section of the website and answer the following questions:

1. What is PEGI and where is PEGI based? The PEGI systems provides parents and caregivers with detailed recommendations regarding the age suitability of game content in the form of age labels and content descriptors on game packages. PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) has been designed to replace existing national age rating systems with a single system that is identical throughout most of Europe
2. How does PEGI rate games? PEGI uses a combination of content declaration and game review to determine the appropriate PEGI rating for each game. Initially, the publisher of a game will complete an online declaration form that is sent to the administrator of the system. The completed form is then reviewed and used as a basis for checking the content of the game. 
3. What are the age classifications used by PEGI? The PEGI system was developed and based on existing rating systems in Europe and is supported by the majority of relevant Member State Government Agencies. A wide range of academics, consumers and other stakeholder groups have been involved in the drafting of the assessment form and the shaping of the organisation in order to meet varying cultural standards and attitudes across the member states.
4. What are the seven aspects that PEGI look for when giving a game a rating (e.g. violence)? Bad language, discrimination, fear, drugs, gambling, nudity, sex.
5. What is PEGI online? What does PEGI online regulate? PEGI Online is an addition to the PEGI system and aims to give young people in Europe improved protection against unsuitable online gaming content and to educate parents on how to ensure safe online play.

ASA

Visit the Advertising Standards Authority website and have a look around. 

Now click on the About section of the ASA website and answer the following questions:

1. What is the ASA's mission? Their mission is to ensure that advertising in all media is legal, decent, honest and truthful, to the benefit of consumers, business and society.
2. What are the ASA's values? "Our shared values are to be:
   • Consistent and proportionate
   • Reliable and ethical
   • Fair and respectful to all
   • Accessible and helpful
   • Intelligent and thorough, but also timely and proportionate
   • Open and accountable, acting with integrity and never being afraid to admit when we’re wrong
   • An excellent team, inspiring excellence in each other"

Now click on the Rulings section of the website. This is where the ASA reports on recent complaints and whether they upheld the complaint or rejected it.

Choose one of the complaints and write the following:

1. The company that was advertising: British Sky Broadcasting 
2. Why someone complained: The complainant challenged whether the ad was misleading because they believed the number of programmes available on Sky 1 was limited.
3. Whether the complaint was upheld and why:

Case study 2: Wii Party

General research

• When was Wii Party released on the Nintendo Wii? 

Wii Party was released on October 8th 2010.

• Which developer/institution created Wii Party?

The developer was Nd cube and Nintendo SPD Group No 4, the publisher was Nintendo.

• How many copies has the game sold since release?

The game sold 7.94 million copies worldwide as of March 2012.

Broadcast

• What are the key conventions of a videogame TV advert? What would you expect to see in most videogame TV adverts?

The key conventions of a videogame tv advert are: title, platform availability, game-play, celebrities, voiceover, dramatic music, slogan,logo, age rating, characters, branding, jingle etc..

• How many of the key conventions you have listed above appear in the Wii Party TV adverts? List them with specific details from the Wii Party TV adverts.

Title, platform availability, game-play (celebrities such as Jamie Redknapp and JLS), celebrities, voiceover, , logo, age rating, characters, Nintendo Wii jingle

• What is the typical setting for Wii Party TV adverts? Why is that setting used?

In normal regular homes this is because it's easier to appeal to the target audience and to reinforce that celebrities can be normal and play videogames too. 

• How might the setting appeal to families?

It will encourage them to buy the game as it's seen to be active, fun and interactive.

• What celebrities do the adverts feature?

Ant and Dec, JLS and Jamie Redknapp.

• What do you notice about the celebrities' costume and make-up?

They're all wearing casual clothing and little make-up to emphasise the simplicity of the game.

• Why do you think those particular celebrities were chosen?

Celebrities, such as Jamie Redknapp, involve their families in the tv ad; this is significant as it appeals to families even more and convinces them to buy the game. 

• What do the celebrities suggest about the Wii Party target audience?

It's for a group of friends or family, because the more people the better and more fun the game is.

• What else can you learn about the Wii Party target audience from the TV adverts? Suggest a demographic profile: gender, age, social class etc.

The game is aimed to a more working/middle class type of class, a gender split of 70% females and 30% males because the title is pink coloured which symbolises a feminine vibe. The demographic is ABC1 and the age is between 5-40 years.

• What audience pleasures do the Wii Party TV adverts offer to viewers? Refer to Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory when answering this question.

It creates diversion - helps people go to be entertained, it creates personal relationships  - viewers could feel connected to celebrities taking part in the advert (game-play especially). In addition, it also helps form personal identity - viewers could briefly escape reality and become inspired by the game-play footage, yet be entertained at the same time.

• What examples of branding can you find in the Wii Party TV adverts - either for the game itself or Nintendo Wii?

The Nintendo's brand traditional jingle is used at the beginning and end of each TV advert. Also, the Wii logo is displayed at the beginning of each tv ad (text-on-screen).

• Do you think the TV adverts were effective for promoting the Wii Party game?

Yes, mainly because it encourages and appeals to families to by the game. People become inspired when they see celebrities playing the game and having fun with their families and friends, as a result this ultimately leads to people being eager to buy the game. The game itself involves team working skills and to play with a group of families and friends makes the game even more fun and interesting.

Print

• Find a Wii Party review from a magazine or newspaper. What does the review suggest about the target audience for the game?

http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/20368/reviews/wii-party-review-review/ 

It implies how the game is suitable for the specific age rating as it's fun and active.

• Is the review positive or negative about the game? Copy and paste one quote from the review to support this view.

The majority of views are positive, so this indicates that the game itself is intriguing. 

• Do you think magazine reviews are effective in promoting the game to Wii Party's target audience?

Yes, because the reviews discuss general things.. such as the new updates, characters, quality of the game and it's graphics etc..

E-media

• Visit the Wii Party website. How does it attract and maintain the interest of a Wii Party fan?

It colourful, easy to access everything and has very high-quality graphics.

• What do you notice about the people in the scrolling central image featured on the website?

There are a variety of different people (age and ethnicities) playing the game together, in what seems to be the same house.

• How many times can you find the words 'friends' or 'family' used on the official website? Why do you think the website emphasises this aspect of the game?

It appears many times; this is used to reinforce how the game is targeted at a large scale and variety of people.

• What is the colour scheme for the website? What does this suggest about the target audience?

It's mainly pink, with a touch of multi-coloured. This emphasises how the game is targeted at the female audience more.

• Look at the 'Video Gallery' on the official website. What do the 'Invitation' videos suggest about the Wii Party target audience?

You can check out other Wii parties and check out other people's gaming footage to gain a clearer understanding.

• How many 'likes' has the Wii Party/Wii Party U Facebook wall had?

11224 likes.

• How does the Wii Party Facebook wall cross-promote other Nintendo games? Find three examples and explain why they appeal to the Wii Party target audience.

It discusses the new updates available and gaming footage as well.

• Wii Party does not have such a strong presence on other social networking sites. Why do you think this is?

Other gaming companies have a better competitive advantage, such as EA, because these new games are appealing and have become the new trend.

• Which platform do you think is strongest in promoting Wii Party to its target audience - broadcast, print or e-media? Why?

Broadcast, this is because you can gain a clearer understanding and perception of the game and because the game is a moving image.. so this appeals to the people more and so print isn't that crucial in promoting the game as much as broadcast.

Independent Case Study: Call of Duty Ghosts

Name of game: Call of Duty: Ghosts
Release date: November 5, 2013
Institutions behind the game (game studio/publisher): Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Neversoft and Certain Affinity, and published by Activision

Print

1. Print adverts used to advertise the game

2. What key conventions of print adverts can you find on the example you have chosen? Product name? Font? Slogan? Central image? Colour?

• The product name and the main image interlink well with each other; 'Ghosts' from the title matches with the suspicious looking character on both adverts.
• The font used on both covers is the traditional font used for the 'Call of Duty' brand, so this makes it easier for people to become familiar with new products.

3. *

4. Did your game feature on any video game magazine front covers? Find examples and explain why a front cover feature is so successful in promoting a game to its target audience

.

^ The front cover is effective as it gets the fans excited and generates a buzz.

Broadcast

1.

2.

. 

3. Can you find any other broadcast features on the game - interviews, launch party events, video reviews, clips of the game play on YouTube etc. Write about how they effectively promote the game to its target audience.

• Launch Party - the launch party for the game had loads of celebrities there (football players and pop stars). The fan base for those celebrities will most likely be intrigued towards the game as well. 

• Interview with the exec producer of the game - this generates buzz and the fans are updated on new things involved in the game.

E- media

1. Visit your chosen game's official website. How does it attract and maintain the interest of its target audience?

• http://www.callofduty.com/ghosts - the website keeps the audience updated with new promotions and offers (e.g. new maps available).

2. Are there any creative or interesting aspects to the game's official website?

On the website, there are loads of characters from the game across the page. Also, there are images of new maps and weapons available; this generates buzz.

3. https://www.youtube.com/user/BestKodChannel/videos

4. Can you find any examples of user-generated content on YouTube that players have created and uploaded from the game? Embed any examples on your blog.

5. How does user-generated content such as game play videos help to promote the game?

Fans can develop new skills and techniques.

6. How many 'likes' has your chosen game's Facebook wall had?

104, 800 likes

7. Choose five of the posts on the Facebook page's wall, screen grab them and explain how they appeal to the game's target audience.

8. What is your chosen game's Twitter hash tag?

#CODGHOSTS

9. How did the campaign use Twitter to promote the game?

• Celebrities used the same hash tag "#CODGHOSTS"
• There are loads of COD Ghosts news pages to keep fans updated
• The official COD Ghosts page started discussions for fans and gave away free copies of the game to selected people

10. Can you find any other creative uses of e-media to promote the game? This might include hash tags, competitions, Instagram, user-generated campaigns or anything else that is designed to draw attention to the game.

• https://twitter.com/CallofDuty 
• 
  

Fifa 14: Case Study

• Name of game: Fifa 14
• Release date: November 2013
• Institutions behind the game: EA Canada and Electronic Arts (EA)

Print

• Find a FIFA 14 print advert and describe how it promotes the game.

This print advert promotes the game very well because it uses a well-known footballer (Lionel Messi) as the key central image, so this attracts many people to gain interest for the game.

• What key conventions of print adverts can you find on the FIFA ad?

The key conventions used in the print advert are: the product name, font, colour, slogan and central image.

The slogan: 'WE ARE FIFA 14' is essential as it involves the audience by implying that everyone who plays the game is equal and is potentially one the same level as footballers in some context.

The font of the slogan is the standard font used for Fifa 14 in all the print advertisements; this is crucial as the audience can identify the game easily by looking as the font. 

• Find three reviews for FIFA 14 that were originally published in video game magazines. 

• Why are magazine reviews effective in promoting the game to FIFA 14's target audience?

Magazine reviews are effective as many people who play games (like Fifa) tend to read video game magazines like: PlayStation and Xbox. Also they help contribute to whether or not it's worth other people buying the game. 

• In your opinion, is print or e-media more effective in reaching the FIFA 14 target audience?

I think e-media is more effective because many people use social networking sites (like Twitter and Facebook) more and can associate with it better. For Facebook, pages are set up to keep people updated and for Twitter, #hashtags are a method to help people identify new trends.

Broadcast

• Watch the FIFA 14 TV advert on YouTube. How the does the advert attract an audience?

The advert attracts the audience as it has celebrities (e.g. Drake), football players (e.g. Messi) and a variety of average people from a range of different ethnicities. The advert uses a variety of different types of people, so this makes it easier to be an international advert.

• Why is Lionel Messi driving the van?

Lionel Messi is driving a van and TV screens are attached to it with Fifa 14 being played. This is an effective method to show the audience that Messi can be normal and casual. 

• How does the TV advert feature the FIFA 14 brand? Font? Slogan? Main star?

The TV advert features the Fifa 14 brand in many ways; the players in the advert are used in the game itself. The font used at the end is the standard writing that Fifa uses overall, so people can identify the game easily.The main star (Lionel Messi) is a well-established football player and by using him in the advert makes people even more attracted to the game.

• Why is there a combination of famous footballers, celebrities and regular people in the advert?

There is a combination of different people to show that the game is targeted at a wide variety of race and ethnicities. The game is also being promoted towards other countries to show that football doesn't have to necessarily be associated with Britain and Europe. By using an American celebrity, like Drake, is essential as it reinforces how Fifa 14 is being targeted worldwide.  

• Watch the FIFA 14 trailer on YouTube. How does it differ from the TV advert?

The trailer on YouTube uses the same graphics for the PS3 game itself , whereas the TV advert uses real-life background with actors and football players. 

• Why is the trailer effective in promoting the game?

It  creates a buzz as it hints at the new elements and updates involved in the game. 

E-Media

• Visit the FIFA 14 website. How does it attract and maintain the interest of a FIFA 14 fan?

The layout of the website is effective; when you first click on the website the central image is of a well-known footballer. In addition, the font is essential as it's Fifa's (the brand itself) own traditional font- so this maintains the interest of a Fifa 14 fan. 

• How many 'likes' has the FIFA 14 Facebook wall had? -21,328,447 likes 

• Choose five of the posts on the Facebook page's wall, screen grab them and explain how they appeal to the FIFA 14 target audience.

 Promotion schemes attract Fifa 14 fans.

By promoting the demo this creates buzz and prompts Fifa 14 fans to still maintain interest.

Creating disscussions on well-known football players helps maintain interest. 

Fifa fans are notified about updates on Fifa 14 from the Facebook page.

By posting videos on Facebook helps maintain interest for Fifa 14 fans because they are influenced by famous football players and their techniques.

• What is the FIFA 14 Twitter hashtag?

The main hashtags are: #FIFA14 #UltimateTeam

• What is the FIFA 14 Twitter account currently tweeting about? Find three recent tweets and explain why they would appeal to the FIFA 14 target audience.

This gets Fifa 14 fans excited as they have a chance to attend E3.  

This tweet creates buzz from discussions based on opinions of teams and football players. 

This tweet creates buzz from discussions based on opinions of teams and football players.

• Can you find any examples of user-generated content on YouTube? This means YouTube videos of FIFA 14 game play that players have created and uploaded themselves.