Thinking Blues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thinking Blues - Essay Example This ‘first encounter’ as he calls it and the many that followed brought on the realization that there was a palpable tension between the author and other nighttime pedestrians especially women just because he was black. He became ‘thoroughly familiar’ with ‘the language of fear’ within a year of his coming to Chicago. He learned to expect car-drivers stopped at traffic lights to hurriedly lock their car doors as he crossed in front of their cars on dark, lonely intersections. He learned to deal with pedestrians preferring to cross to other side of the street rather than have to pass him. He suffered ‘unpleasantries’ with people like policemen, bouncers etc whose job it is to keep troublemakers at bay. To keep his peace of mind the author has learned to control his anger at being mistaken for a criminal every now and then. In actual fact he makes it a point to make elaborate gestures of being peaceful and on the right side of the law likening his various ways of assuring his ‘victims’ to the cowbell worn by hikers in bear country. Through his essay the writer brings forth very clearly the dilemma and dangers that are faced in public spaces in urban America by black men who do not conform to the stereotype of being themselves dangerous or outside the law. Black Men and Public Space, by Brent Staples is an essay that illustrates the above thesis very poignantly. His hurt more than indignation at being perceived as dangerous simply because he was big, burly and black is palpable through out the essay. The essay begins with the words, â€Å"My first victim was a woman- white†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . (Staples, para1) In actual fact, it is the author himself who was victimized. Soon after he arrived in Chicago as a young graduate who by his own admission was timid, a ‘softy’, a ‘good boy’ and one who ‘doubted the virtues of intimidation’ got wrongly suspected of being a mugger

Energy Strategy of the European Union and its Impact on Oil and Gas Assignment

Energy Strategy of the European Union and its Impact on Oil and Gas Industry - Assignment Example Several energy-related policies and ambitious measures are being planned and executed by the member states of EU in this account.To make these plans work out quickly and efficiently, additional emphasis must be laid on issues like attaining greater energy efficiency, tapping alternate sources of energy, maximising the use of renewable energy, and making use of nuclear power (Tindale, 2014). However, when an additional emphasis is laid on these above issues, it can influence the functioning of the oil and gas industries. Furthermore, in this venture, preserving the environment is also very much indispensable and so focusing on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is also important (Tindale, 2014). So, this report will focus on the EU’s energy strategy and its impact on the oil and gas industries. Apart from the above-discussed political scenario, the need to come up with environment-friendly energy options has prompted EU to come up with energy efficiency policies from the start of the new millennium. That is, from the mid-2000s, EU has been setting targets for its member countries to improve its energy efficiency on short-term and importantly long-term basis. Long-term basis in the sense, at the end of 2006, the EU pledged to reduce its annual consumption of primary energy options of fossil fuels by 20% by 2020. On the same lines, the European Commission as a policy directive also framed the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) for the EU, which establishes a general agenda for the promotion of energy efficiency within the member states. The main objective of the EED is to aid the EU’s member states to achieve a target of saving 20% of their energy consumption by 2020. According to the European Commission, the EU is on track to achieve a 20% reduction in 2020, 30% in 203 0, and importantly the long-term target 80% reduction in 2050 (Ea Energy Analyses, 2012). According to EU’s policies, the member states are stipulated to achieve energy efficiency in the above-depicted sectors including industries, transport, household, and importantly power or energy generation sector (European Commission, 2013). In the households, people are provided with individual metering scheme along with free of cost access to real-time energy consumption data which would help them in managing their energy consumption in a far better manner.

Point And Click Adventure Games Film Studies Essay

Point And Click Adventure Games Film Studies Essay The intentions of this dissertation are to delve into the depths of a much-loved yet dwindling genre of video game, the Point and click Adventure. Setting out to investigate what made the genre so popular in the 1990s and discuss the mystery surrounding what game theorists and fans refer to as The Death of The adventure game. Point and Click adventures are all but a dusty book in the archive that is todays hugely successful gaming industry. However its position in the minds of the people that experienced it that singles out point and click as not only important to its fans but to the video game industry itself. Many games since the mid 80s have come and gone, leaving very little, if any impact on the gaming industry. Developers today hold the genre in high regard. In an interview with Claas Paletta of Daedalic Entertainment, I asked him about his experiences with the point and click genre: Point and click had a huge impact on me and my friends as teenagers in the 90s. I remember waiting for the next LucasArts or Sierra title to be on the shelves. Its what made me want to be where I am today, I just wanted to be involved in video games. I still play them all to this day, If I can get away with it. Claas, like many involved in the gaming industry have shown just what an impact the genre has had on their careers. Point and click is a genre that inspired a generation of game developers, with their witty humor, mind-bending puzzles and in-depth story. This ability that point and click had to tell a story was in no small part due to the biggest developer in the genre and of the 1990s, LucasArtsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢. Founded under the name LucasFilm Games in 1982, they were originally set up as a research development company, however in 1984 they announced themselves as a developer and publisher of entertainment software. After several years of development a member of the LucasArts team developed the SCUMM engine, which stood for Script creation Utility for Maniac Mansion, a game that begun the revolution in Point and Click. His name was Ron Gilbert, he would go on to be a driving force behind the point and click generation of games at LucasArts, with titles such as the famous Monkey Island series and Day of the Tentacle; a sequel to Maniac Mansion. It was this engine that rejuvenated what was at the time parser driven adventure genre. The player would have to type commands into the game to achieve progression, however with the advent of the SCUMM engine Point and Click was born. With the experience of many successful movies in their arsenal, LucasArts and their development team, were able to create in-depth story and complex narrative that could only be comparable to that of the movie industry. Games at this time simply could not compete with the complexity of some LucasArts titles. The likes of Sierra who some would say kick started the adventure genre in the 80s with titles such as the Kings Quest series (1984-1994) were unable to create anything to get near the sales levels that LucasArts achieved. The first Monkey Island sold around 44,000 copies in the US alone, with estimates claiming Europe tends to double that number. According to an interview with Tim Schaefer (2007), co-creator of the monkey Island series: In 1990, Monkey Island took nine months to make and cost $200,000. In the early 90s, we were really excited if we sold 100,000 copies of a PC graphic adventure. This would leave sales at an estimated 150,000 units Worldwide. So considering the context of the time, and the money spent on the development of the game, Monkey Island was a huge success. Moreover, taking into account the ownership of PCs in 1990, in which not every household would own a PC, this figure was considered to be a very high and successful number despite it being vastly overshadowed in todays market. These sales were no fluke, of course the standard of game was the main contributor to its success, nevertheless LucasArts had one main advantage over their main rivals Sierra, an already huge captive audience. This audience was due to the huge success of the film franchises Star Wars and Indiana Jones. George Lucas had built a huge fan base due to the success of these movies, a fan base that were hugely excited by the prospect of video game versions of their favorite movies. Poss quote. With such a huge following LucasArts were able to create videogames that would appeal to the masses. They could call upon their already established film franchises to excite and connect with the player. For example the use of subtle references to the StarWarsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ saga in the second Installment of Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2: LeChucks Revengeà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢(1995). During the climactic fight scene near the end of Monkey Island 2, LeChuck proclaims to be Guybrushs father, a twist taken directly from the Star Wars Movies in which you discover Darth Vader is, in fact Luke Skywalkers father. Its this innovative ability to interweave story, narrative, humor and in some cases popular culture into a single entity that set LucasArts and the genre it helped to re-mould, apart from other games of the time. Narrative within games had never been so advanced, it created mass appeal for PC gamers, a generation that played games before they progressed into the mass consumer market that they exist in today. So is narrative in question today? With titles being churned out much like in the movie industry, is narrative in modern gaming not what it was in the early to mid 1990s? Methodology When investigating this area of media it is important to take into account the ways in which I will tackle research surrounding the subject. The majority of the dissertation will be reliant on looking into the History of not only the point and click genre but the history of video games overall. Monkey Island and the point and click genre was a period in gaming, in which, I as a participant was heavily involved. This is a vital consideration when it comes to charting the events of The Death of The adventure game One Research model that will be useful for my investigation is the somewhat controversial method of Auto-ethnographic research. This is the process in which the writer or author writes his or her own personal narrative exploring their experiences within a certain field, rather than relying on the beliefs and findings of others. This is wholly the case in this dissertation due to my exposure and experiences with the subject matter. Despite the process becoming more widely used within the spheres of new media and journalism it is still thought somewhat controversial as a reliable method of research. Many Qualitative researchers have expressed concerns with the validity of the method, expressing concerns that all analytical texts should in some way connect to something larger element of life, rather than stating its importance through personal belief. Conversely Chang(2008) argues the benefits of Auto-ethnography. He claims that it allows for a research method that is friendly both rese archers and readers because of the texts engaging qualities, allowing the researcher to gain a cultural understanding of self in relation to others, on which cross-cultural coalition can be built between themselves and others. In summary, Auto-ethnography, used in conjunction with other forms of research, will allow this dissertation to become more engaging and allow, what are considered, important self-experiences to be communicated to the reader. One factor that must be considered if this method is going to be executed correctly is the coherent understanding that subjective opinion of the subject matter can be somewhat skewed by the fact that my relationship with it was established at a young age. The genre was what I grew up playing, it is important not to make drastic claims, solely based upon personal experiences of enjoyment interacting with the genre. The form that this dissertation will take, heavily relies on the recollection of historical events, breaking down these events and uncovering potential reasonings for the fall of the point and click genre. This makes hands-on research a somewhat tenuous subject in uncovering truths. Nevertheless, by employing an ethnographic approach that will coincide with the aforementioned Auto-ethnographic method I will endeavor to perform interviews with industry insiders, people that have in some way been involved in some element of the video game industry during the time period in question. One potential pit fall with interviewing could be the structure of the questions asked. It is important that I set out to ask no leading questions, and leave the participants response to be entirely reflective of their experiences. One potential issue I have encountered during the interviewing process was the location of the interviewees. The majority of the people of whom I wished to speak to are based in either the USA or Europe, this meant that interviewing face to face was implausible, this meant all interviews would have to be conducted via email. Potential problems with this process of interview include the inability of the interviewer to probe any interesting responses, Cowen(2001) tells of the importance of interview technique, she talks of the importance of empathy and rapport, listening and questioning, restatement, clarification and persistence. Many of which cannot be adhered to in an email-based interview. Chapter 2 The secret mythology of Monkey Island It is vitally important to single out and identify what it was that made Point and Click adventure games so popular in the 1990s. One of the most successful titles released in this period of escapist gaming was the work of a small team at LucasArts. In order to understand their success, we must understand the roots of the games; their inspirations, intentions and results. LucasArts video games had the advantage of two hugely popular and highly praised film trilogies to call upon when developing their Star Wars and Indiana Jones games. These aforementioned box office hits were all inspired by the works of Joseph Campbell, a prominent figure in the analysis of heroic myth throughout civilization. Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer who endeavored to break down the structure of myth. Most importantly in the context of this essay, was his analysis of the many faces and intentions of the Hero. Campbell (1968) explains the basic structure in his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces like this: A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. In October 1990 a videogame emerged as one of the most unique and critically acclaimed adventure games of the decade. It also, like many of Lucas films, relied on this same myth structure but placed it in a completely new and unique setting. The Secret Of Monkey Island (1990) takes these same principles of the heroic myth as laid out by Campbell and delivers an interactive experience packed with wit and humor that has become a classic in its own right. Monkey Island is one of the best examples of interactive narrative that was released during the point and click era of gaming. It achieved this by using varying techniques of narrative and video game design to deliver a Joseph Campbell experience. Whilst other games in 1990 were helping you build railways or guide two plumbers to save a princess, Monkey Island was setting out to tell a story of Love, laughs and a mans endeavor to become Guybrush Threepwood, A Mighty Pirate. In the opening moments of the game the player is introduced to their setting, Melee Island. This is where the adventure really begins. We are then introduced to Campbells archetypal Old Wise Man in the form of the blind Island lookout; this is where the player and hero, Guybrush Threepwood, are given their instructions to complete the quest of becoming a mighty pirate. Our protagonist, Guybrush, is already on an island inhabited by pirates much mightier it would seem than he. So this initial opening chapter begins his quest to become a member of a pre-existing society; much like Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars trilogy. Campbells concept of proving your worth to the tribe before setting out on your journey. This is done by a series of trials in which Guybrush must prove his credential as a pirate, again connecting with Campbells outlining of the heroic myth. Campbell states that the ease with which a Hero defeats these challenges demonstrates how great of a person the truly are. This same argument can be easily transferred onto the puzzle solving element of Monkey Island, and in fact any adventure game. However it also coheres well with narrative idea that the protagonist, Guybrush, must struggle from the beginning in order to prove himself. Anything but the mighty pirate he dreams of being, Guybrush and the player must solely rely on their wits, and the puzzles and game design reflect this. To beat the swordsman, you have to participate in learning based puzzles. Learning insults by fighting various wandering pirates around Melee Island, then using logic to work out the correct insults to beat the sword master. Another challenge is to plunder some buried treasure from a dark forest, relying on either a guide or stumbling around in the woods until you by chance achieve your goal. Such decisions to solve puzzles or aimlessly wander are often ones faced by various heroes in their journeys through similar darkness. For example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the first known pieces of literary work, the character of King Gilgamesh chooses to descend under the mountain in his quest for the Fruit of Immortality, stumbling around until he finds his way out before the Sun reaches him. The third and final quest is to steal an idol from the governors mansion, a test of wits and man-eating poodles this trial similarly harks back to ancient legend and myth. The previously mentioned man-eating Poodles, are a reflection of the beast guarding the prize. Guybrush must find a way past this defender before he is able to venture into the governors home, which represents the cave or temple of many ancient myths. Whether its the three-headed Cerberus defending Hades or the dragon protecting the Princess (as the governor eventually turns out to be) the beast plays a large role in the structure of mythology. LucasArts game design allows the player to be challenged in ways that mimic the patterns and conventions of the heroic myth by testing various skills that allow the overarching quest of the game to be embarked upon. One of the ways that LucasArts made the story of Monkey Island so compelling was the use of cutscenes to tell the story and fill in the gaps that were unobtainable during initial game-play. During the opening stages of the game a cutscene reads Meanwhile, deep beneath Monkey Islandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This is where we get our first glimpse of our storys Villain The Evil Ghost Pirate LeChuck and his ghost ship anchored deep under Monkey Island in a place that can only be described as Hell. The player is exposed to the undead crew of the ghost ship ominously discussing your arrival. The glowing blues and reds of this nightmarish locale are equally off-putting and are a stark contrast to that of the colors of Melee Island. This place is equally the subject of myth for all of the characters you meet throughout your journey, they tell Legends of doomed journeys to Monkey Island, ships returning without their crews. These cut scenes and NPC enabled narrative progression is what allows the player to gain an air of excitement and intrigue. They must venture to this Hellish place, yet have no idea how they will get there. Such an idea of the goal or part of the quest being some distance from home is a convention noted by Propp(1968) in his work Morphology of the folktale, he stated: Generally the object of search is located in another or different kingdom. This kingdom may lie far away horizontally, or else very high up or deep down vertically. The trigger for the main quest to begin is LeChucks kidnapping of Governor Marley. The players relationship with Marley is dependant on the order in which the trials are completed, Guybrush will either have a jilted romantic exchange with The Governor due to his not being a pirate or she is taken away just as the relationship with Guybrush has begun. In either circumstance Governor Marley takes the role of the desirable female figure that everyone desires. Numerous NCPs will talk of their admiration for Governor Elaine Marley, whilst she complains of her annoyance at having to continually turn away their advances. The Villain of the piece, LeChuck is also driven by his lust for Elaine, leading him to kidnap her and take her to the illusive Monkey Island. The female figure or love interest is an important convention of any myth Campbell explains that part of her value is to serve as both a goal for the hero but also one that can be attained through spiritual purity, in the rather skew ed case of Monkey Island this is represented by Guybrush proving himself as a mighty pirate. Campbell explains the female goddess figure as follows: She is the paragon of all paragons of beauty, the reply to all desire, the bliss-bestowing goal of every heros earthly and unearthly questà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦she is the incarnation of the promise of perfection; the souls assurance that, at the conclusion of its exile in a world of organized inadequacies, the bliss that once was known will be known again. This has never been truer than in The Secret Of Monkey Island and its sequel Return to Monkey Island The unattainable female character drives the plot of both games. This however was lost in the subsequent games in the series, highly criticized by the games creator, Ron Gilbert, for having Guybrush and Elaine Marry. Part of the function of her role in the story was lost when this decision was made. Guybrushs endless pursuit of Elaine whilst she laughs him off was one of the key driving forces behind what made the story and characters so successful. When she is kidnapped, neither Guybrush nor the player once hesitates in their need to rescue her. The transition from the pirate Island of Melee to the high seas in pursuit of Monkey Island coincides with a shift in chapter but also backdrop. It becomes daytime for the first time in the game, suggesting a new dawn, a new adventure. This theme continues with the discovery of Monkey Island, which is framed and explored during the day time. However before actually reaching the island the player must again fulfill another convention of fairytale and myth. Described by Propp as The Acquisition of a magical agent the Hero receives some sort of magic, which helps progress the story. This comes in the form of a potion that Guybrush must put together using inventory items. Once the potion is complete Guybrush enters a Rip Van Winkle-like state. This concept of the Hero entering a dream like state during his journey into the mythical realms is a key element of many myths that Campbell outlines. Once Guybrush has awakened he has reached his destination. This all works towards emphasizing th e mythical and mysterious aura surrounding the island, portrayed earlier in the story. Exploring Monkey Island allows for the skills learnt earlier in the game to be finally tested, albeit applied in new ways. Just as Campbell stated: The initial trials will dictate how difficult the heros journey will be The players ability to puzzle out this section of the game has fundamentally already been tested. Those skills now only need to be refined and adapted to suit the new puzzles. The earlier insult based swordplay becomes collecting bananas to please a monkey enough to hold a gate open for you. Wandering around the dark forest evolves into exploring an enormous island, finding a way to the other side and eventually down under the island, cohering with the earlier mentioned convention of the goal being far away above or below where you start your journey. Prior to this our wits are tested as we attempt to find a way around the Vegetarian Cannibals that inhabit Monkey Island. Eventually the player finds themselves in the depths of Monkey Island, it soon becomes clear that guybrush will require a guide for this particular leg of his journey. There is only one route through the twisting passageways of Hell, and in order for us to follow this path we must rely on the decapitated navigator. Once the player reaches the Ghost Pirate LeChuck and his ghostly pirate ship, that was shown in earlier cutscenes, the player finally can feel the satisfaction described by Joseph Campbell of the Hero as he reaches the mythological setting. Once onboard the ship after much jostling with a rather obnoxious severed head, Guybrush must recover a magic root that enables the player to mix a potion that has the power to defeat the ghost pirates. This idea of obtaining a magical agent is representative of the fruit that Gilgamesh pursues a convention also seen in countless other myths. It is described by Campbell as a Symbol of knowledge and life, however in Monkey island it is of course a way to make some root beer, which we all know is deadly to ghost pirates. This discovery and return to Melee Island coincides with the return of the Villain, LeChuck. Along with the return of LeChuck comes with it the feeling of terror and danger, this neatly coincides with the return to the darkness of M elee Island, creating a daunting scene for the imminent and fast approaching climax. This meeting of the Hero and Villain is often depicted as a battle, which only the Hero can overcome. However with the wit and satire that LucasArts bring to the genre of point and click, we learn that in fact Governor Marley is still more competent that all the other characters combined. This further cements her place as the divine female, whilst Guybrush defeating LeChuck reflects his role as the hero of the piece. In his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Campbell goes on to explain: It is obvious that the infantile fantasies which we all cherish still in the unconscious play continually into myth, fairy tale, and the teachings of the church, as symbols of indestructible beingsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but the circumstance is obstructive too, for the feelings come to rest in the symbols and resist passionately every effort to go beyond. And this could be described as the result of Monkey Island. It explains why it is ultimately such a well loved and critically acclaimed game. It has taken the conventions and structure of Mythology that we all subconsciously know, love and understand and combined it to create a comedic, fulfilling and rich story for its audience. The creators understood what makes story work due to their extensive experience in the film industry, in the creation of Monkey Island they crafted an interactive experience that breathed further life into conventions and structure that have been integrated in mans stories for thousands of years. They proved that games arent necessarily all about the graphical elements, by allowing the player to truly engross themselves into a story and character they felt that they already knew they could create a game that would be permanently associated with a genre and a generation for years to come. SECTION 3 Failings of the PAC genre, 3d gaming. During the mid 1990s society was very much engrossed in emerging technologies and the age of the computer. Technology was progressing faster than ever before, with home PCs becoming more and more powerful. Computers were beginning to really show the world, specifically the mass media audiences, just what they could achieve. In 1995 Toy Story was released as the first solely 3D rendered feature film. It set a benchmark for the industry and firmly put a stamp on the market, showing just what computers were able to achieve. Meanwhile, in the games industry, the market at this time was in somewhat of a battle between the home consoles. At the time the only real contenders in the race to win the hearts of the consumer were the firmly established Nintendo and new kid on the block, Sega. Nintendo had dominated the market of home consoles since the advent of the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1985, some 5 years later Nintendos command of the home video game business appeared unassailable. However in the early 1990s a challenger emerged. Armed with much faster technologies, riskier games and a more aggressive marketing strategy, Sega arrived on the scene with the MegaDrive. As Kline, Dyer-Witheford and De Peuter explain in their book Digital Play (2003), this console war pathed the way for the future of home video gaming: The contest between Sega and Nintendo revolutionised video gaming, propelling new extremes of technical innovation, marketing intensity, and cultural audacity and opening the way for other contenders This new competitive edge to the video game industry had never been seen prior to this first big clash between rivaling factions. The point and click genres main contributors, companies such as LucasArts and Sierra, began to get left in the wake of these quickly growing gaming giants. In an interview with the gaming blog Rock Paper Shotgun, Ron Gilbert, one of the original co-creators of Monkey Island and inventor of the SCUMM engine, aired his feelings on how the rest of the industry took off and left action adventure behind. He stated that games such as Doom and Tomb Raider appeared and injected adrenaline and new types of energy into video games, an energy that Point and Click simply wouldnt be able to contend with. This suggests that within the inner circle of those involved in developing point and click it was felt that the genre was beginning to dwindle. As Monkey Island writer Tim Schaefer stated in an independent interview: It felt very much, as if the genre we loved and helped to create and nurture had been infected. We all knew what was wrong but were powerless to help However, before the effects of the console war could be felt, whilst the home console was in its early years, The Action Adventure genre was allowed an environment in which to flourish. With its already established SCUMM system, created in 1987, LucasArts led the way in cutting edge narrative based action adventures. With titles such as Maniac Mansion being such a huge success, the genre continued to go from strength to strength whilst not paying too much attention to the ongoing battle between the Japanese contenders. As a genre, Point and Click offered something to gamers that, at the time, only the movie industry could offer, its ability to connect with its audience through the use of in-depth and immersive story and narrative. However they offered something new in story-telling, the unique quality of video games meant for a potential revolution, breaking the shackles of the standard linear storytelling. LucasArts had a strong team of developers behind the titles such as Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle. The likes of Ron Gilbert and Tim Schaefer were strong believers in story telling. Story as a medium of communication has been on this earth since the dawn of our species, so the implementation of this fundamental value of human society should be an easy one. However, this isnt always the case. Many games created after the point and click generation in some circles are thought to have neglected these story-telling elements in favour of highly polished graphics or over indulgent gameplay elements. This was never more apparent than in the period after the boom of the first fully 3d games. With the release of hugely successful titles after their first release Maniac Mansion, including Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Island and Sam and Max it could be said that LucasArts and other leading point and click developers were sitting pretty at the top of the pile of PC game developers. However, the video game industry is not one where a company is allowed to rest on their laurels, there is always someone waiting in the wings to challenge you and take the top spot. This landed in the hands of another Japanese technological giant, Sony. In 1995 the Sony Playstation was released with huge commercial success. This was the beginning of the boom in home consoles and the eventual progression into fully 3D gaming environments. The first major title to bring the concept of 3D environments to the forefront was Core Designs Tomb Raider, released in 1996 on three platforms, including PC, Tomb Raider would become one of Playstations most successful titles, whilst playing a large role in the 3 D revolution of video gaming. In order to fully comprehend the success of 3D video games, it is important to understand why the consumer wanted to be a part of them. As mentioned in the earlier chapter, Video games up until this point were 2D based arcade games, or more narrative driven titles such as the point and click. What the 3D revolution allowed developers to do was to take this story based game type and mould it into something with higher levels of realism. The creation of 3D worlds arguably allowed for a greater level of immersion for the player. Realistic soundscapes, voice-overs and sound effects, also worked to heighten the players sense of involvement. Immersion is a word banded about within the arena of video games, but it is important to fully understand its different forms and how they affect the player. Were Point and click games just not immersive enough? Or did the marketing led phenomena of progressively increased visuals and graphical aesthetics bring about the end for the un-advancing genre? When looking at where the point and click failed, it is important to focus on how the industry changed. As previously mentioned with the advancements in 3D graphics, PC games were slowly being left behind, requiring a multitude of upgrades in order to play titles that were easily running on the more compact home consoles such as the Playstation. With the advent of 3D gaming, came a new generation of gamer. It was the era of instant gratification. Conclusion There is no government approved starting place. Sometimes its story, other times its setting or a lead character. It all evolves in concert with each other. (Ron Gilbert, 2007) These are the words of Ron Gilbert one of the co-creators of Monkey Island, arguably the most popular Point adventure game ever made. Much like his hypothesis for creating video games, this Dissertation doesnt necessarily begin with a setting or a main character

Nature of Logic and Perception :: essays research papers

According to the American Heritage dictionary, the definition of Logic is â€Å"the study of the principles of reasoning, especially of the structure of propositions as distinguished from their content and of method and validity in deductive reasoning†. It also says that logic is â€Å"valid reasoning.† I believe that logic and critical thinking are closely related in that logic is used in the process of thinking critically. Perception, as stated in the American Heritage dictionary, is â€Å"the process, act, or faculty of perceiving†. Perceiving is to become aware through any of the senses. I think that a lot of my behavior or actions are driven by my feelings or attitudes. An example would be if I were feeling angry my action could be to yell at the person I was angry with. I think that my feelings or attitudes are driven by my beliefs. I come from a dysfunctional family, like most of us I guess (assumption), and my mother was the primary care giver in our home. I have seven brothers and sisters however I was raised with my two youngest sisters so I was the oldest in the house. My older brother is thirteen years older than me and my older sister is just one year old than me. Growing up, I had some a few good memories of my older brother, but I had no memories of my older sister. Actually I should say that I have no visual memories of my sister. My mother told me stories of my sister. The weird thing is that growing up, it seemed like she had this long relationship with here, but in reality it was only a little over a year. After I was born, my mother separated from her husband and lost custody of her daughter and never saw her again until recently when my youngest sister found her. Boy that was an Oprah story! Anyway, the reason I bring all this up is because my perceptions growing up regarding my mother’s life were full of pain.

“Country Lovers” by Nadine Gordimer and “Veronica” by Adewale Maja Pearce Essay

Explore the ways in which relationships are shaped and influenced by traditional cultural expectations in the short stories you have studied. Relationships – platonic and intimate – are sometimes built from cultural expectations; but to what extent are people willing to go to uphold those traditions? I will discuss two short stories â€Å"Country Lovers† by Nadine Gordimer and â€Å"Veronica† by Adewale Maja Pearce, in which both focus on close relationships which are condemned from the start due to strict and uncompromising cultural expectations. Cultural influences are portrayed strongly by the non-British writers; one is set in an unnamed African village, and the other Apartheid South Africa. Both stories tragically show the destructive effect on relationships, when a tenacious fixation with tradition causes them to be obeyed beyond the point of humaneness, and everything else – including love – is disregarded. In â€Å"Country Lovers† the protagonists Paulus (heir to wealthy farming business) and Thebedi (a black farm worker) form an inter-racial relationship in the period of Apartheid rule in South Africa. During Apartheid the divide between blacks and whites was immense. Skin colour determined every aspect of social life. Whilst the affluent whites had their own well-equipped facilities, living in large houses and having well-paid jobs, blacks had to manage with a much lower standard of life. â€Å"Apartheid laws prohibited most social contact between races† (Microsoft Encarta 2006) and inter-racial sex and marriage were strongly opposed by law making it virtually impossible for a blossoming relationship such as Paulus’ and Thebedi’s to progress. They stood at two different sides of the track, whilst Paulus was son of a rich farmer, Thebedi worked on his farm. The contrast between them is great; and so their economic and social differences would be deeply frowned upon. An instance of the contrast, is the scene after Paulus and Thebedi met at the riverbed it says â€Å"and each returned home with the dark – she to her mother’s hut, he to the farmhouse†. A hut in comparison to a house proves the extent of Apartheid and the blacks living conditions. Njabulo, also a slave labourer would have lived here, and he had feelings for Thebedi. Njabulo’s relationship with Thebedi is also dictated by the expectations of a black man in that time, and also his limitations because of it. For example, Paulus returned from school, and brought Thebedi gifts, because he could afford to, although â€Å"Njabulo said he wished he could have bought her a belt and earrings† (line 35). He couldn’t display his love for her, because he didn’t have the means. When Njabulo made arrangements to marry her, he couldn’t offer her parents the customary cow that should have been given in place of Thebedi. This also shows that the customs of the blacks could not be taken under consideration whilst segregation that was going on. Also, when the â€Å"very light† (line 114) baby was being born it simply states â€Å"Njabulo made no complaint†. The preceding sentences had been very long and descriptive with many clauses, but this contrasting short simple one gives it importance and could show that he didn’t care, but could also show that he couldn’t do anything about it and so just accepted it. Despite the fact that it had been proven that Thebedi had had an intercourse with a white man, Njabulo maybe couldn’t ask her about it because he was a second-class citizen and couldn’t do anything. Also, maybe he felt uncomfortable to question her in regards to the baby, because it wasn’t uncommon for white men to rape black women in those times. Cultural expectations forced Njabulo to keep quiet, and so it impacted negatively upon their relationship. There was no trust or compassion between them as he had â€Å"no complaint† when Thebedi had another man’s child. Despite Thebedi’s marriage, the love between Paulus and Thebedi seemed very pure. In line 1 of the story it sets the scene for what the whole story is based upon – â€Å"The farm children play together when they are small; but once the white children go away to school they soon don’t play together any more, even in the holidays†. It immediately drags us into the harshness of living under Apartheid. The entire tone of the narrator is cool and unemotional, perhaps to show the thoughts and feelings of the time. Most white people didn’t really care about the inequality during the Apartheid system, and so had no compassion towards the blacks or to what they were going through. The unemotional tone of the story could also reflect the harshness of the people that were for apartheid or unsympathetic towards the experiences of black people, as the writer Nadine Gordimer was a strong activist in the anti-apartheid movement. The opening line shows how there is no discrimination when the children are young, but as they get older they discover the divide, and so blacks begin to call whites â€Å"missus and baasie† and blacks drop further and further behind in schooling. The story uses country specific words to show that it is not set in England such as â€Å"koppies† – small hill in South Africa. The story sharply contrasts the everyday relationships between whites and blacks as they get older to say â€Å"The trouble was Paulus Esendyck did not seem to realise that Thebedi was now simply one of the crowd of farm children down at the kraal†. He goes against the norm and continues to entertain their relationship, rather than just stop his feelings for her. The language used here such as â€Å"the trouble† shows that it was a problem that Paulus could not just forget Thebedi. Even when he grew up and out of childhood and experienced the things of adulthood, it did not discourage his love for her. Although it was expected of Paulus to like these white girls as it suggests in the story â€Å"the sight of their dazzling bellies and thighs in the sunlight had never made him feel what he felt now†, â€Å"The head girl of the ‘sister’ school was said to have a crush on him he didn’t particularly like her† he had stronger feelings for Th ebedi. In the story, Paulus and Thebedi both go on a walk but unaware of each other but then meet whilst on the walk. This could symbolise that they each want to follow their own paths, but it leads back to one another, â€Å"they had not arranged this, it was an urge each followed independently†. They then go into deep conversation, and during this scene the writer uses lots of descriptive language and imagery to depict their surroundings, such as, â€Å"twisted and tugged at the roots of white stinkwood and Cape willow trees that loped out of the eroded earth around them† and â€Å"old, and eaten trees held in place by vigorous ones, wild asparagus brushing up between the trunks, and here and there prickly-pear cactus sunken-skinned and bristly†. This technique may have been used prolong Paulus and Thebedi’s scene of happiness and contentment with each other – â€Å"she laughed a lot†¦sharing her amusement with the cool shady earth†. Another view is that nature is the only thing around them, it is not discriminatory and doesn’t judge them allowing them to be happy. The turning point in the story is when Paulus and Thebedi have intercourse and it is a blissful time, it says â€Å"they were not afraid of one another†¦this time it was so lovely, so lovely he was surprised†. Although, due to the segregation of the time inter-racial relationships were forbidden (as they were illegal) and so their meetings had to be secret, for being found out would have incurred harsh punishments and being socially shunned. Paulus and Thebedi hide their love from others, specifically by making excuses for Thebedi’s gift â€Å"she told her father the missus had given these (gilt hoop earrings) as a reward for some work she had done†, and by sneaking in and out of the farmhouse â€Å"she had to get away before the house servants, who knew her, came in at dawn†. They both lead double lives. Paulus leaves for veterinary school and Thebedi marries Njabulo – the lives they â€Å"should† be leading if they stuck to the cultural expectations. Once the baby is born everything changes. The writer constantly refers to childhood, during the key scene when Paulus searches for Thebedi and their baby, â€Å"He drank a glass of fresh, still-warm milk in the childhood familiarity of his mother’s kitchen† and also â€Å"For the first time since he was a boy he came right in the kraal†. Children are usually associated with innocence and naivety, and so maybe this was used to contrast with the act of murder he will commit, or maybe to remind the readers of the relationship he had with Thebedi when he was younger. In lines 132-134, the long sentences used increase the suspense and tension for the reader, as they are eager to find out what happens next, whilst the writer rambles on about non-essential information. There is a change in Paulus as he no longer enters into long conversations with Thebedi; his language is short and clipped as he says â€Å"I want to see. Show me†. After Thebedi shows him his child, she uses an anecdote which corresponds to the situation, â€Å"the gang of children had trodden down a crop in their games or transgressed in some other way†¦and he the white one among them must intercede with the farmer†. This shows that the baby was the product of some â€Å"transgression† and the responsibility befell on him, Paulus to put it right. You can see that he felt some sorrow or regret as it says â€Å"he struggled for a moment with a grimace of tears, anger and self-pity†. The relationship between Paulus and Thebedi had been destroyed because of the cultural expectations, as it says â€Å"she could not put her hand to him†. Thebedi could not even console her young lover, as she had no idea how he would react, maybe in anger he could hurt her, and he was confused â€Å"I don’t know†¦ I feel like killing myself†. This was now no longer an intimate relationship although they shared a close moment, a chance to reconcile their love Paulus walked out, because the traditions had made it impossible for them to try and rekindle their affection for one another – â€Å"For a moment there was the feeling between them that used to come when they were alone down at the riverbed† Others opinions and views of Paulus are that the prospect of being prosecuted outweighed his love for Thebedi and his child. He had to reassure that she had never been near the farm house, and willing her to take it away and finally did the only thing he could to make sure he was not found out. The last line summarises the whole story, even though they continued a relationship from childhood it was doomed from the beginning due to the pressures and harshness of living in a segregated society, â€Å"It was a thing of our childhood, we don’t see each other any more. â€Å" Adewale Maja-Pearce depicts the tragic story ‘Veronica’ in which two members of a rural African village born and raised together, begin to lead very different lives on the ground of hampering cultural expectations. The narrator Okeke recollects his experiences in the village, and his platonic relationship with a fatalistic childhood friend Veronica. Set in the middle of the last century, views of the roles of men and women were rigid and unyielding. The story shows how African women of the time were subjected to constant pressure and mounting responsibilities which in turn leads to fatal consequences. In Afrcian society, men were traditional â€Å"breadwinners† and it was a woman’s role to do childrearing and house work. Veronica automatically adopted the responsibilities of her entire family as ‘since she was the eldest child†¦bringing up the other children had fallen on her’. The adjective â€Å"fallen† does not show the responsibility in a good light, as it suggests that a heavy burden has been dropped onto her. It also describes her family situation as she had to take on tasks stereotypically associated with men- such as â€Å"chopping firewood†, as well as taking on maternal roles such as catering for her siblings. Her father abuses her â€Å"listening to her scream†, and is described as a â€Å"brute†, and her mother described as â€Å"weak†. Maja-Pearce may have used the characters as allegory for the political views of the African country. Veronica is a symbol of the abused and mistreated citizens whilst her father symbolises the government and their indifference and apathy towards the citizens deprivation, and her mother could symbolise th e â€Å"weak† bystanders that can’t do anything due to their lack of means. This view also ties in with the fact that historically during this period a civil war would soon be in progress, and also that Maja-Pearce had written several stories that challenge the principles of African society. The relationship between Veronica and Okeke is told solely from Okeke’s point of view as he gives a background, until he talks of his leaving the village. The writer could have done this to show that Veronica’s situation was probably much worse than Okeke knew about, and so the reader would imagine terrible things would happen to her whilst Okeke heard â€Å"screams in the night†, and so empathise with her more. This technique could be seen as building tension and anticipation for when they meet, or to show that this crucial dialogue is a very important part of the story. A turning point in the story when Okeke and Veronica’s friendship is ended by Okeke’s plans to leave his home village and make a life for himself in the city, whilst Veronica refuses to abandon her family. The parting conversation shows just how much cultural tradition has been impressed on Veronica. When Okeke suggests that she leave the village, she replies â€Å"Me!†. This could be vewed as mock indignance, because she feels that Okeke is telling her to forget her set role in society, or it could be seen as genuine surprise at him suggesting that she should give up everything near to her. Okeke then asks for her reasons for staying and she says ‘I can’t just leave my family’.

Personal Leadership Vision Essay

Everything started to come together in the spring of 2013. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Graduation was only a few short months away. Okay, so maybe it was more like ten months, but it certainly didn’t seem like that long. My then boyfriend, now husband, and I moved into our first place together in March, and I got the Marketing and Sales Internship that set me up for the perfect job with the Houston SPCA. After graduating in December, I had a Bachelors of Science degree in Agriculture Leadership and Development with an emphasis in Animal Science. But I couldn’t just up and leave quite yet. I still had five months left at my internship. The Marketing and Sales Internship equipped me with so much more than I could have asked for. I built upon my relationship building strengths, and created a substantial network of peers, professors, and mentors. I was able to hone my communication skills, and how I interact with the public and potential customers. And finally, I was able to see interdepartmental communication and operations, also the interaction of one outside agency with another outside agency. This allowed me to see what worked and didn’t work in order to create ideas and plans for any future jobs I would have. After the five months had pasted, I put in my application to Houston SPCA. Ever since I saw an episode of animal cops, I knew this is what I wanted to do with my life. I have always wanted a career with purpose and I though why not join that with my love for animals. I absolutely love getting up and coming to work everyday. No day is ever the same, and so I am constantly learning and building my knowledge and skills. Also, by coming to work, I am able to fight injustice for those who can’t fight for themselves. Presently, I am in my dream job. I am the President of the Houston SPCA. I am able to be involved with every aspect of our organization. Everything from cruelty calls, to media and publications, and community outreach to shelter maintenance, I have my hand in. Now, I am not saying I am a Theory X kind of person, that is in everything because I like to dictate and watch over everyone. That is not a pleasant experience. I have my hand in everything because I love the job. It also allows me to stay connected with my staff and volunteers to make sure their needs are being met as well. Now have the title of President may sound glamorous, but I had to work my way up the chain of command just like everyone else. My first job at the shelter was as an animal behavior specialist. In this position, I not only helped rehabilitate our shelter animals, but I also did a great deal of socialization with our clients as well. I really liked to sit down and get to know a family before they adopted a pet. This allowed me to suggest the best possible animal match for the both the family and the animal to be adopted. If everyone left happy then I had done my job well. This is something I learned back in Marketing and Sales Internship. As the President of the Houston SPCA I can have some very strange, and sometimes inconvenient hours. But thankfully, I have a wonderful family that not only supports me, but they love my job as much as I do. My husband, the boyfriend I moved in with in March, and I have known each other since daycare days. I went to his mother’s daycare, we went to the same high school, and we worked and the same summer job. However, although I knew him and knew who he was, I didn’t really know him. Our friendship grew while we worked together, and our friends always whispered in our ears about the possibility of us taking our relationship to the next step, but neither of us was brave enough to say anything. That is until my first semester at Texas A&M. Don’t get me wrong; my first semester at school was great. I was away from home and at the school I wanted to be at, but something was missing. At first, I couldn’t pinpoint it, and ironically enough, I was talking to my husband about it. God finally got tired of waiting on us to admit how we really felt about each other, so he pushed a little harder. For some reason, I suddenly found the courage to tell my husband how I felt and ask if he felt the same. And, well he did, but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows after that. We both knew we had feelings for each other, but weren’t sure we wanted to risk our friendship and take things to next level. At this point, God didn’t just push us a little bit harder, He shoved. It was a defiant, I brought you two together for a reason, so stop fighting me, get your butts in gear, and let my plan unfold, kind of moment. And, I am so thankful each and everyday that God put this amazing man in my life. He helps balance me out. He is an honest, trustworthy, hardworking man that does anything and everything to provide for his family. Family, I have always been apart of a family, but its weird to actually say I have my own family now. Yes, that’s right; a husband, three kids, numerous pets all situated on a 15-acre ranch outside of Houston. Now, I am not saying I didn’t expect to have a family. I have always wanted to be a wife and a mother. It’s just weird the time has already come. But once again, God has blessed me. We chose to live on a ranch because both my husband and I have always wanted to live in a place with land and animals. As a girl, we had the land, but never any animals except for our family dogs, which were inside dogs. We wanted to be able to have animals, to plant gardens, and to just have room. We felt it was vital for our family to be able to separate from the hustle and bustle of the city, and just slow down. There is a downside to living on the ranch sometimes though. Because there is always something to do, and there are always mouths the feed, it is difficult to get away and take â€Å"vacations†. But, my philosophy is, if you love what you do, then it’s not work, and if you are not working, then who needs a vacation? I guess that it the key to it all. I finally stopped worrying about finding a job. I took a step back, and asked myself what I wanted from life. Did I simply want a paycheck, a means to an end, or did I want a career that fueled my passion? And when I finally decided to let it all go, and do something that made me happy, things fell into place. I am not saying it was easy; there were some bumps along the road. But I worked through them. With the support and encouragement of my family, I put my faith in God; I took action and turned my dream into a vision.