Nichols

Talcott Nichols
Professor Olivia

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:10 PM

Comment [1]: Always put the professors
last name

UWRT 1101
23 February 2015
Genre Analysis First-Person Shooter Video Games
Comparing video games to text, in a genre analysis, is a bit like comparing apples to
oranges. It is generally accepted that [v]ideo game genre study differs markedly from literary

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:11 PM

Comment [2]: Why are you comparing
video games to text?

or film genre study due to the direct and active participation of the audience (Wolf, 2002,
p.114). (Dominic 1). Another thing that separates them is that in a text you are relying on the
words to paint mental pictures in the readers imagination. Whereas with video games the

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:11 PM

Comment [3]: See Purdue Owl for how to
properly cite indirect quotations

pictures and details are created and displayed for the player. For instance, when they make a
movie of a book you really loved, but the movie just wasnt as good. In order to classify video
games you must first take into consideration the interactive nature of video games. The players
directly control what happens to the characters and all of the details are generated by the game.
The interactive nature of video games also help achieve the main purpose of video games
which is to entertain and obviously make money for the developers. In order to do that, the
games have to capture the audiences attention, be enjoyable, and mildly addictive at times. Have
you ever had that one book you could never put down? Game developers strive for that same
feeling which keeps you coming back. In order to achieve that over a broad spectrum of people,
they create different kinds of video games. If there were only one kind of video game, some or
maybe even a lot of people would enjoy it. Although in order to maximize profit in this capitalist
world, there must be many different kinds.

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:12 PM

Comment [4]: Dont forget to include a
thesis statement that states the purpose of
this paper and what you are going to discuss.
Olivia 3/1/2015 4:13 PM
Comment [5]: According to who?

 Nichols 2

As all genres are formed, the genres of video games come from years of evolution. From
the very first video game, the genres have been dividing and evolving as the consumers demand
new things. The shooter game is one of those genres that has emerged. Originally stemming
from the game Maze War (1974) a game in which players could move forward and backward,
turn left and right in 90o increments, searching for other players in a 3D maze. The maze was just
simple lines with white walls, and other players were just seen as eyeballs.
Later came Wolfenstein 3D (1992) which was a significant game in the shooter genre.
Wolfenstein 3D was one of the first that was deemed first-person. It not only incorporated
color graphics, but it showed the players forearm/hand and weapon in use. This viewpoint
allowed the player to see through the eyes of the character they were playing. Both of these
game had the same basic gameplay, although as technology progressed, more and more was
added to the genre. Unlike writing, where everything is created in your imagination, video games
progress and become more realistic as technology allows.
The perspective of first-person in a shooter game isnt really a genre, but more of a
subgenre. The main genre being shooter, has a focus on combat with the majority of weapons
being guns. Immersion is enhanced through a first-person perspective. (David 32). Playing as
if you were looking out through the characters eyes makes it seem more realistic than if it was
third-person. The first-person perspective is portrayed by showing the characters arm or hands
and also the weapon they are using. There is sometimes extra information on the screen like
player health, equipped weapon name, current weapon ammunition count, and a radar or minimap of the battlefield.
First-person shooter (FPS) games usually have a single player mode in which you play
either a single character or multiple characters, playing as both the protagonists and sometimes

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:18 PM

Comment [6]: What is the purpose behind
including information about the history of
video games?
Olivia 3/1/2015 4:15 PM
Comment [7]: Im not sure I agree. If you
are going to attempt to make this point, you
will need to support it with strong evidence
from credible sources. Also, you are supposed
to be focusing on one genre in this analysis,
not a subgenre.
Olivia 3/1/2015 4:18 PM
Comment [8]: If your focus is going to be
on shooter games, then I wouldnt spend the
first page and a half discussing video games in
general. You need to get straight to the point
in such a short paper.

 Nichols 3

the antagonists, through a preset story line. Along with the single player story-line there is
usually an accompanied online multi-player mode in which players can go up against other
players across the world. Since FPS games focus on combat with guns, most titles are military
themed.
Common discourse modes in FPS games are obviously interactive as well as narrative
and instruction. Interactive is almost the core of video games due the fact that games require
player input in or to function. Narrative is used during single player mode to unfold the story
line. Instruction is used during the tutorial phase of play in which the player is taught how to
maneuver and shoot.

Americas Army was released in 2002 by the US Army as an installment of the U.S.
Armys recruitment and PR/propaganda efforts. (David 32). Americas Army (AA) is an

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:20 PM

Comment [9]: You need a transition here.

interesting example of first-person shooter video games. Since the game was intended to be a
recruitment tool, they strived to provide as much realism as possible. The game starts of as if you
just left boot camp, and you must complete your training before you join the ranks in battle. You
must learn things like first aid, vehicle recognition, and how to use different weapons. Not only
is this a first-person shooter, but it also has many heavy aspects of a role-playing game (RPG).

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:21 PM

Comment [10]: The use of you
throughout your paper is a bit too informal for
a formal analysis. I would use terms like the
character or the player instead.

Role-playing games are generally games in which your character can grow and change as you
play. Once you complete the initial training, you may either play single player missions or go
online to play against others. As it is a recruiting tool, it is partly aimed at a teenage audience
and so violence and gore have been significantly toned down. (David 32).

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:24 PM

Comment [11]: Im not sure I understand.
Be careful about assuming knowledge on the
part of the audience.
Olivia 3/1/2015 4:22 PM
Comment [12]: How does this paragraph
related to genre?

 Nichols 4

Battlefield 4 was released in 2013, as the latest game in the Battlefield series which
started in 2002. This game is once again set in the present time, playing as a US soldier. Pushing
immersion even further, this games graphics are miles ahead of Americas Army from 2002.
With new technology, characters look even more real with some even modeled after
recognizable actors. When players walk around, the screen tilts back and forth to mimic the
human gait, or natural walking motion. When players run through the battlefield and vault over
obstacles the camera does something interesting. It shows the characters hand placed on the
obstacle then moves to see both legs jump up and clear the top, then the view fluidly return to the
horizon to keep running. The realism is this game is incredible. Battlefield 4 has immense online
arenas where typical games are 32 vs. 32 players. Since these battlegrounds are so large, there
are many vehicles placed in the game, anywhere from jeeps, to tanks, to airplanes and
helicopters. When players enter vehicles, it shows the steering wheel of the jeeps, and the cockpit
of the airplanes. As the player turns the jeep left, the character in the game turns the steering
wheel left. This simulates as if you were actually there in the game steering the vehicle. Also, as
players use different guns during play, they gain experience which allows them to unlock even

Talcott Nichols 2/22/2015 2:53 PM

Moved (insertion) [1]

better guns, adding aspects of role-playing games. This game is a prime example of the overlap
of many genres like first-person shooter, role-playing, and simulation games.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, released 2014, is latest in the Call of Duty (CoD)
series, which started in 2003. This game is set in the near to distant future, in which you again
play as a soldier. This game also has a single-player storyline as well as an online multiplayer
mode. The typical number of players in a game is 6 vs. 6. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:25 PM

Comment [13]: How does this paragraph
related to genre?
Talcott Nichols 2/22/2015 2:53 PM
Moved up [1]: As players use different
guns during play, they gain experience which
allows them to unlock even better guns, adding
aspects of role-playing games.

 Nichols 5

(CoD:AW) is a faster paced game than Battlefield 4, relying less on strategy of the team and
more on individual player skill.
In this latest installment of the CoD series, the exo-suit is the biggest addition. The
exo-suit addition allows players to double-jump, boost short distances, go partially invisible,
hover in mid air for short periods of time, as well as many more customizable options. These
abilities shift the game from the more typical horizontal gameplay to more vertical and
horizontal. In horizontal gameplay everything happens around you, typically at eye level.
Vertical gameplay introduces aspects that force you to look up or down. Much like Battlefield 4
where you must look up to shoot down opposing air support.
The exo-suit as well as the relatively small battlegrounds make this game very fast
paced. Like Battlefield 4, this game has a big portion of role-playing game features. Instead of
gaining experience on an individual gun basis, your character gains experience and unlocks guns
has he levels up. You can also unlock other items like clothing and different looking exo-suits to
make your character appear how you want.

Like all genres, I strongly believe this one is changing as well. As more and more games
are produced, developers try new additions to their games, whether it be for profit, increase
realism, or just experiment. Every new game that emerges, even from other genres, affects the
subsequent games produced.
One newer piece of technology, soon to be available to the general population in a cost
effective form, is virtual reality. This will definitely have a deep impact of the gaming world,
especially games like first-person shooters which utilize that perspective. Virtual reality will
eliminate the space between user and monitor/TV simulating realism even further.

Olivia 3/1/2015 4:25 PM

Comment [14]: How do these two
paragraphs related to genre?
Olivia 3/1/2015 4:25 PM
Comment [15]: This claim is not supported
in the body of your paper.

 Nichols 6

There are so many behind the scenes attributes of games that I believe get overlooked.
For instance, the addition of rewards in games increases a players drive to obtain them and
therefore play longer. There are so many parts of a game and to focus on one aspect, especially
to classify its genre, wouldnt be right. Ive come to learn that there is a lot that goes into genre
classifications, and that its a controversial topic because one text, game, or video might be a
certain genre to one person, but a different genre to another person.

I enjoyed reading your paper. I think that this is a strong start. However, there are also some
significant issues that need to be resolved, specifically in terms of following directions. My
biggest concern is your classification of first-person shooters as a subgenre. This paper should be
analyzing a genre, not a subgenre. Also, you spend far too much time discussing video games in
general, when you should be focusing solely on your genre. A number of the questions (please
see rubric below) were not answered in your paper. For instance, instead of using your corpus to
support your analysis of the genre, you only described the examples. You should focus on how
the examples fit or do not fit the features of the genre that you describe in the first part of your
paper (which is also missing). I would strongly encourage you to reread the assignment sheet and
come to me with questions.
The following is the rubric for the assignment, including what you would have received had this
draft been your final draft. This grade will not be recorded anywhere. It is simply a chance for
you to see where you stand.

 Nichols 7

Works Cited
David A. Clearwater. What Defines Video Game Genre? Thinking about Genre Study after the
Great Divide Loading The Journal of the Canadian Game Studies Association 5.8
(2011): 29-49. Web. 22 Jan. 2015
Dominic Arsenault. Video Game Genre, Evolution and Innovation Eludamos. Journal for
Computer Game Culture 3.2 (2009): 149-176. Web. 22 Jan. 2015
EA Digital Illusions CE. Battlefield 4. Electronic Arts Inc., 2013 Computer Software.
Sledgehammer Games. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Activision Publishing Inc., 2014
Computer Software.
United States Army. Americas Army: Operations. United States Army, 2002 Computer
Software.