Presentation 2

Analysing The Games. 

recording the details

• Name of Designer /Team

 343 Industries were responsible for building the majority of halo 4 and its core and specialist design.
A.J Trahan

• Name of Publisher

Microsoft studios

• Title of the Work

the work doesn't really contain a title, the work is concept art from the game Halo 4. 

• Date it was made/published
3/25/2013

• Genre
FPS

• Target audience

The target audience is aimed mainly at those who play xbox 360 as it was a title only for xbox 360.

Formal Elements:

Composition

• Main organisational features

It's main features mainly consist of a giant alien structure which is forerunner technology, surrounded by large mountain backgrounds. 

• Focal Point

the focal point could be considered the superstructure, as it generates the most interest, maybe making the viewers ask about it, and what does it do. 

• Geometrical shapes?

The geometrical shapes you could say are the mountains, as the start of a concept process can certainly be built from shapes, creating interesting backgrounds or large areas.

• Symmetry?/ Asymmetry?

Its difficult to suggest there is symmetry in the image, the image is built asymmetrically and is designed to endulge the viewer into the environment and idea of the game.

• Methods used to lead the eye around the work/ scene/gamescape?

The methods mainly come from the depth of the image, the concept piece is designed to make the viewer imagine the raw depth of the environment, what could or would be in it, what possible enemies could the player encounter? 

Space/Depth

• Effects created: (e.g. to create a sense of naturalism, to give

an illusion of great distance, to limit picture space

As seen in the image, the image has massive amounts of space and depth, indulging the viewer into thinking how involved the player can be in the landscape, and what there is to explore and fight. 

Colour

• Main Colours used

Grey, White, Black, Red. 

• Cool and Warm Colours

the colours could be considered fairly cold, the majority of the image is dark, gritty, mysterious, and filled with ice and winter environments. 

• Range of the palette

The Palette doesn't consist of much except for dark colours and patches of red.

• Effects colour creates
The creates a faded appearance of the image, adding to the mystery of the location.

Light

• Chiaroscuro (contrasts of light and shadow) or Even Lighting
There is minimal use of light and a fair bit of use in shadow, to add to the atmosphere of the image.

• Atmospheric Light (what mood is created)
As mentioned above, it is created in a way to add a dark and mysterious atmosphere to the image.

Style

• Realism/ Expressive/ minimal
The style is both realistic and expressive, as it is very well designed, and in depth. 

Influences

• other designers/periods/genres/mediums
halo was influenced by literature from the bible, and from books about heroes and aliens. 

  Historical influences
Halo had no historical influences apart from the bible, some people suggest the main character came from " John 1:17 ".

Subject, Theme & meanings

• Describe the subject (what is obvious in/about the game?)
It is obvious it's set on another planet, and that there are many things to be explored, just from the image.

• Characters (how are they represented?)
There is minimal representation of characters in the image, however, any person who's played halo will immediately know who the characters are.

• Setting
The setting is based on another planet. 

• Mise en scene
The visual elements are of a dark and mysterious nature, full of snow like natural colour. 

• Describe the content (what is it ‘about’?)
About exploring a new enemy and a new location. 

• Explain any ideas that the work is expressing (historical, political,

social, cultural, etc.)
I suppose if a idea had to be selected it would have to be cultural as halo is a heavily cultural game as it's enemies and allies are based around cultural belief. 

• What symbolism is there in the image/ scene?
there is minimal amounts of symbolism. 

• Identify any issues that are raised

• Is there anything controversial about it?
No issues or controversy has been raised or talked about.

Context

Explain any background known about the work (using research)
the work was originally casted out in a group of concept art pieces, to illiterate the sort of environments and the feel of the game Halo 4.

How does the context within which the work was made/is viewed affect meaning? it creates meaning by emphasizing the amount of space and depth in the image and environment, and the mysteriousness of the game. 

• Social/Historical
As explained before it has got historical elements to it relating to the bible, and I suppose you could say it has social elements as it would incline people and/or fans to guess its origins and reasons, and what it contains.

• Geographical/Cultural
A.J Trahan, who designed this specific art piece, would of more been heavily influenced by mountain ranges, as the images are heavily mountainous, and this would of played a huge part in his design, large landscapes would of been great influences for this image. 

• Ideological
The image is also rather idealogical, as it retains a great amount of creation and imagination. 

Personal Response

• What is your reaction to it?
Its a wonderfully creative image, that really gets the viewer involved in its imagination.

• What feelings does it provoke?
a feeling of wanting to conquer the mysteries. 

• Can you pinpoint any qualities that make you feel this way
wanting to jump in, and complete a mysterious adventure.