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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of two worlds





Introduction. (Q's 1-5)
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: fate of two worlds (MVC3) is the sequal to Capcoms Marvel vs. Capcom 2:age of new heroes originally released in 2000. Ten years finally passed and a follow up was born directed and produced by Ryota Niitsuma. Featuring an all new revamped version that kept fans of the series and new enthusiasts alike waiting hand and foot for release date (Feb 15, 2011). The series had got its title by collaberating the North American hero icons (Marvel) and the Japanese hero icons (Capcom) in one game to fight to the death with no real background story as to why or how they even got into such a battle. Unlike the predicessors of this installment MVC3 has added a storyline in which our heros from both factions are trying to defeat a team of Marvel villians assembled by Doctor Doom that decided to team up with Resident Evil's Albert Wesker, in hopes of ruling the universe. While this alone sounds very interesting, what really lets the series excell is its unique style of gaming. Although its a fighting game, intstead of a one- to- one fights its three on three, each team with their own unique ways creating combos, or special moves, and each character having three special ways to contribute to the battle. I mentioned that its team oriented, well each three man (or women) team is customized by the player allowing you to make any team you want, based off of the characters given in the character selection screen. In the game you have two main modes offline and online. Offline mode allows you to play the story mode which is coined "arcade mode," play with friends locally, go to training mode, or do missions in which players are required to win certain fights or pull off certain senarios; There is also a gallery in which you gain character models, and artwork only viewable in game. In online mode you can battle for leaderboard rankings, or friendly matches including tourniment styled battles, gain titles/trophys and download new content for the game. The object of MVC3 is to defeat each stage of teams. Example: round one, thats a stage in where your three person team will fight another three person team. You win by diminshing all three of the other team members life bars. This is accomplished by six buttons, the four hit buttons and the two assits buttons, you use these to create combos and attack the apposing team. There is usually seven rounds in "arcade mode" then a boss battle which will always be Galactus because he is the big "destroyer of worlds."
The graphics for this game are top notch and are being held up with a whole new fighting game engine created just for the MVC3 installment. The art style is 3D characters (shell shaded slightly) with 2D settings only allowing the characters to move up,down, left and right. The music for the game is the classic jazzy fighting game style of music created for each character while they enter the arena, as well as every stage, loading screen, and viewing mode; all very enjoyable infact i have the soundtrack on my ipod. This bit of information is not what most fans of fighting games are looking for though, the bread and butter of a fighting game is the "character roster" and MVC3 delivers! With a wide range of characters from Capcom (including Chun-Li, Dante, Morrigan, Chris Redfield, Zero and more) and an impressive roster from Marvel (including Wolverine, Deadpool, Hulk, Thor, Spiderman, and more) this game was well equipped from the "get go" for fans of both groups. You obtain 36 characters just to start with, while the game develops there will be more characters to download through the shopping networks (the first downloadable characters will be Shuma-Gorath, and Jill "Valentine" on March 15, 2011) also included in the the stores for download will be alternative character costumes to add on to the four costume colors they already have. The characters are picked based off of what is popular in the time being or what fans would enjoy but also what can be brought to the game that will be new. For example "Deadpool" he wasnt a very popular character amongst people who werent hardcore fans of Marvel, but he was brought into the game because he had a large fanbase and now even larger. The character roster is also picked by the limitations and balance of the game because you cant have a character that is too powerful and cannot be beaten by someone else in the game, that will cause the game to be unbalanced and not fun for the players. In short character casting for fighting games can make or break the game easily. Below is a video of what http://www.ign.com/ thinks are the top 10 greatest moves in the game. This video was chosen because i think it accurately repersents the game and its wild, flashy, fun self.




Evaluation. (Q6)
I would give this game a (9.75/10) because of the lack of character roster although there are 36 characters and more coming that you can buy, that doesnt make up for the fact that MVC2 had 56 and you didnt have to buy any new characters they were the base characters you got with the game. Another thing Capcom had a "spectator mode" on Super Street Fighter 4, which for fans is a huge deal because we enjoy watching and playing, thats how we come up with new stradegies on playing.
Putting all that aside this game is a wonderful game for new gamers and veterans alike! With the easy button lay-out, the amazing memorable cast of characters, bright enjoyable enviroments and the fun gameplay there is nothing anyone can do but pick up and play! The replay value on this game is beyond high, not only is the core game fun, but the developers at Capcom are constantly adding new things to improve the game for the gamers, which always has us coming back for more!

(Q7)
When buying this game i bought the special addition which came with a comic book featuring both Marvel and Capcom characters, some decals of characters, a mini art book, a free month subscription to Marvel comics online, and two characters to download on March 15th not to mention the special metal case. From there I noticed that my work had a giant vinyl MVC3 poster that was only given to certain stores, I begged for them to put it on auction and ended up winning the poster for $35. I added the sountrack to my ipod library, and continue to add more and more art pieces to my computer. My roommates and friends have MVC3 tournaments at my house, which is interesting because none of them were fans till they played then they became enthralled with just the idea of this game becoming a part of their lives! So me buying the poster was a great idea they love it and are very envious. As far as my family goes my mom plays MVC3 and MVC2 she is the one who really got me into the arcade fighting games and really pushed for me to play a game that would be stimulating and enjoyable at the same time.
(Q8)
What did i learn from this "case study?"
That people can and will enjoy a game even if they are not very good. As long as they have a variety of characters, the gameplay is simple, and they can visually be stimulated, then they will enjoy all of it.

Below is a montage of gameplay from Marvel Vs Capcom 3


Thursday, February 17, 2011

Topic #3: Paper Vs. Online


I'm comparing the Albany Democrat-Herald to http://democratherald.com/.

Let's look at the paper version first: The primary focus is the Albany area. It's organized into sections like Sports, and local. It contains many photos which alter between color and black and white. Well the sunday paper comes with tons of ads. The stories are past news printed up.
Online version: Primary focus is the Albany area.It's orgainzed into sections but goes more into details to National, World, Local, Sports, Weather and etc.Many colored photos and videos.The ads are different because they offer websites unlike the printed version that has local shops.The news is new and updated probably by the hour unlike the print which is printed every morning.
This an average newspaper and doesn't seem different from the competition. It's just the newspaper for the city of Albany. The targeted audience is for the people who cares for thews or maybe likes the Sunday paper for the comics and ads. The ads don't seem to fit but in newspaper if a company pays for an ad, the newspaper places where it fits best. Everything in the news can be offensive. It depends on who is reading it and what the article is about.
I prefer the print version. I love reading the Sunday comics and the ads. Plus the ink that gets left on your fingers from holding the paper too long. The online version is better because it's updated all the time and people can find out faster than the print version. I don't interact with this publication at all.
I learned that print newspaper is old media and it's a dying art form.
A fellow student looked at the same newspaper as me and here's a link to her comparison:
-Nikki

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Topic #2 -- Television as a Cultural Mirror (Modern Family)

1/3/2011





For our Television show I chose to do an ABC original show, "Modern Family". (Priemered September 23rd, 2009 @ 9/8c) created by: Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd.
This show is a satirical comedy about three familys that face everyday issues and how they are able to over come the issues in their own comedic ways. .
The storyline begins with the Dunphy family, the all american middle class family; mom(Claire Dunphy), dad(Phil Dunphy), two daughters (Haley and Alex Dunphy), and the beloved son (Luke Dunphy) . Then another family gets introduced Claires brother(Mitchell Pritchett), his partner (Cameron Tucker) and their child (Lilly) which is adopted. they repersent the common homosexual higher middle class family. After that Claire and Mitchells father (Jay Pritchett), his wife (Gloria Delgado-Pritchett) and her son (Manny Delgado) are brought into the picture. Jay is repersenting the hard working father that could not keep a stable relationship, but got a "Latino mail order bride" of sorts(which he has a few years on), in hopes of showing the everyday viewer (at home) this lifestyle can be accepted in everyday society.
All three of these families are on the uprise in American Society. They unviel everyday issues brought up for these families in a way that the average american wouldnt normally think about more or less consider and issue. For example in episode one, Cameron and Mitchell are bringing their daughter Lilly home, they are on an airplane and some passengers pass by and make mention to some "fruit cakes." Cameron decides to get out of his chair and lecture the entire plane about how being homosexual is a personal choice and that they have no right to judge him or his family, only later to find out that they had been talking about what the hostess was serving people on the plane.
Its everyday issues like this that they address in this television show and i love it because of that, and i have noticed through my small town that the people who watch it seem to be less hostile, and more accepting to new styles of living.
Modern Family is filmed in a documentary style in a studio. much like "The Office."

THE MAIN CAST (pulled from imdb)
Honestly i believe they casted an all star crew because everyone of these people is very connected with their role and have fun with it! You can see by they way they preform on the show that they love the roles given and geniuenly love being on the show!

These people need to get payed somehow though right? well while watching this show on the ABC online programs i was able to get my full dosage of commercials! (WHOO!) this show was brought to us by...
Although i do watch these adds and dislike every second of it, i do not let it ruine my family friend night! In my household we watch Modern Family religiously, my best friends come over, everyone comes home and we sit around the television and watch the new episodes, then watch whatever else is on. But we treat it like an inside joke more or less they use key phrases that we love to quote and joke around with eachother about because we as the "middle class" American feel like we connect with the show.
Finally am i fan on the Modern Family Facebook? yes 100% yes i think that this show has so much more to offer comedy wise and moral wise than most television shows out there today, so i support it all the way, anyway possible.

a few interesting ways to support the show

ALSO

a few other critic reviews (some more proffesional than mine)


~Devin Cordova

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Hard Times - Coca-Cola Commercial


I first saw this ad on tv on during the Superbowl. Like every year Coke as an ad in the line-up. I was surprised to see The Simpsons. I remember Cola always uses polar bears as the characters of the commercials or Santa Clause during the holidays. They are trying to persuade you into thinking their beverage makes you happy. You see Montgomery C. Burns losing all his money and possessions, so he's depressed. He's walking through the park and everyone is happy except him. Then Apu gives him a Cola and he's happy.

It's not the best way to promote their product because I felt it was advertising The Simpsons more than the beverage. It was great they incorporated a media and a show that recognized all around the country. All the main drinks in the actual show is the Duff beer, Buzz cola, and the squishee. Where does Coke~Cola fit into it?

The targeted audience was probably about teen to mid-adult. Since the show can be inappropriate for young children. It reminded me of when Butterfinger was using The Simpsons for advertising.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6A3SAjkNOM

Seemed sort of redundant and already done. The message of this commercial had no meaning. A guy who was rich all through the series loses everything then bam! After one drink of Coke he's as happy as he can be. It makes no sense.

It's not memorable since Butterfinger beat it to the punch already. I don't think it worked out at all. It made absolutely no sense at all ti to me. I used to buy Coke~Cola all the time but now with the economy I go with store brands. Coke gets expensive as well as the other big brand sodas. For everybody who knows the show, knows everyone hates Mr. Burns except for Smithers. Everyone would be jumping for joy for him to be bankrupt and miserable. Then Apu has a kind heart and gives him one. I did not respond to this ad at all. I was bored with it.

I learned that companies are running out of ideas for advertising. It's a viscous cycle. I feel like America is losing it's imagination and creativity. It goes the same for movies. All these remakes now. What happen to original ideas? I think they should of done something else. Snickers had a good idea with Betty White. That was classic now. Betty White getting tackled is one of a kind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEH1omnG77c

It's sad that commercials themselves our getting redundant and they are suppose to be persuading us to buy this product. Just because you use a show to advertise doesn't mean it will work.


 http://engrishfunny.failblog.org/
Just love  them.

post 1

he we are talking about dookie do's and honey buns!