Nichols

Talcott Nichols
Professor Olivia
UWRT 1101
05 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. The thing that separates them is, in a text you are relying on the words to paint mental
pictures in the readers imagination, whereas with video games the pictures 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. You must take into consideration (Removed is) 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 main purpose of video games in general 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. 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, there must be different kinds of
video games. If there was only one kind of video game, sure some or maybe even a lot of people
would enjoy it, but in order to maximize profit in this capitalist world, there must be many
different kinds. 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

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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
colored graphics (suggestion) , but it showed the players hand and weapon in use. This view
point allowed the player to see through the eyes of the character they were playing. Both of

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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. So the perspective of firstperson in a shooter game, isnt really a genre, but more 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

Evan 2/9/2015 9:52 AM

Comment [1]: Good Tie-in/Connection
st
Shooters/ FPS = 1 Example

through the characters eyes makes it seem more realistic than if it was third-person. The firstperson 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 ammunition count, and a radar or mini-map 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 in which you play as both protagonists and 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.

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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

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nd
Comment [2]: 2 Example, noted

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interesting example of first-person shooter video games. Since the game is was intended as a
recruitment tool, they seemed to strive to provide as much realism as possible. The game starts
off 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

Evan 2/9/2015 9:55 AM

Comment [3]: I could be wrong; Heard it was
meant to be used as a recruitment/training
tool
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weapons. Not only is this a first-person shooter, but it has many heavy aspects of a role-playing
game (RPG). 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).

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 walking. When players run through the battlefield and vault over obstacles, it shows the
characters hand placed on the obstacle , then moves to see both legs jump up and clear the top.
Finally, the view fluidly return to the horizon to keep running. The realism in 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 game is a prime example of the overlap

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of many genres like first-person shooter, role-playing, and simulation games. As players use
different guns during play, they gain experience which allows them to unlock even better guns,
adding aspects of role-playing games.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, released 2014, is latest in the Call of Duty 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 (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 allows the player to double-jump, boost short distances, go partially invisible, hover
for short periods of time, as well as many more customizable options. The exo-suit as well as
the relatively small battlegrounds make this game very fast paced. Also 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 do think 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, or rather, soon to be available to the general
population, is virtual reality. This will definitely have a deep impact of the gaming world,

Evan 2/9/2015 9:58 AM

Comment [4]: Maybe include an explanation
of what an Exo-Suit is for people who dont
play video games

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especially games like first-person shooters which utilize that perspective. There are so many
behind the scenes attributes of games that I believe get overlooked. There are so many parts of
a game, 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.

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Sources 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
United States Army. Americas Army: Operations. United States Army, 2002 Computer
Software.
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.