The Rain of Realism: Gaming crosses into Hollywood Borders

A Special Thanks to my Friend and housemate Charlie for bringing this game to my attention.

Ever wish you could watch a movie and interact with it through it's characters? Kissing the girl, punching the villain, or interrogating the tough suspects?

As of February 23rd a game by Quantic Dream by the name of Heavy Rain was released. Labeled as a Film Noir thriller (my favourite) the game immerses you into a film-like story, taking you on an interactive ride as several characters as they try to figure out the mystery of the oregami killer, a merciless and mysterious child murderer.

Now you must be thinking "aren't all video games interactive?" well of course, but the game's graphics and style as you will see in the trailer and review videos approach the gameplay and cinematics as completely immersed into one another. Many games limit your movement or improve graphics during cinematics before they switch back to the gameplay. The design of the game allows you to play with the most detailed and consistent graphics to date, almost bordering photorealism, and with a great soundtrack and compelling mystery I find it very hard to call it a videogame instead of a movie.

The nature of the movement-sensored gameplay and controls during the game do not take away from the camera positioning or cinematic techniques that are simulated in the game. Some reviewers wonder if this cross-over between cinematic storytelling and gameplay together is a watershed moment in video game and film technology.

If in a few years we are able to be part of our favourite movies by "playing them" would it be a cool new improvement? Or should we keep a healthy barrier between Hollywood and our ever evolving games?

I don't know about the rest of you, but I wouldn't mind fighting as russell crowe while watching Gladiator or Chasing a bomb maker through Madagascar as Daniel Craig in Casino Royale.


Christian A.V. Petrozza

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Mmm Mmmm Money- A Million Dollar company markets in an unstable economy

While watching the Olympic highlights on the CTV network, an anchor in the marketing department brought up the great decline of Campbell's soup and their cuts in order to give some money flow and new marketing strategies a chance to continue their sales. Strangely, much of their television advertising was pulled for these cuts and put towards person-to-product marketing, such as the rebranding of their iconic soup can.

The rebranding of the can would change the location of the red stripe, the omission of the spoon, a contemporary bowl, and the addition of some or more steam over the soup. This may sound very silly and terrible for the image of campbell's, and it was, but it was all in an attempt at funding their Neuromarketing strategy, sounds like a government conspiracy, doesn't it?

In a nutshell, the idea of Neuromarketing is to use popular imagery that has been studied through live subjects in order to evoke universal emotions. New tests were initiated to update their branding, and thus, the changes came, but it was all in vain.

Although their cuts raised their worth by 11% in the United States, their overall soup-sales dropped 18% in the US since the following year, and continue to suffer. So much for their evil Neuro-scheme to make money.

In these times of economic strife, other companies, are fighting to keep peices low while competing with sale brands like No Name in order to cater to the deal-seeking populous. Unfortunately not all companies can sacrifice much and therefore lose their customers. Market researchers believe that their consumer losses will not replenish with the economy, due to their lack of affordability in a time of need. Those who are able to prosper, have done so with re branding.

The mega store Wal Mart has recently changed the details of their brand and slogan during this period to "Save Money, Live Better". This change engages the audience to think that their traditionally low prices will affect not only their wallet but their life/family life at home. One of their most recent commercials, although hilarious, strikes home this message.

Some consumers seem to embrace change in their products or stores as they re brand, whereas they feel alienated by others in a brand's attempt to entice the user with cheap labelling tricks. But after such a long tradition of Campbell's soup giving nourishment to millions of Americans for decades, why are they in the decline? Why don't they continue to rise like World-sucking Wal Mart?

Christian A.V. Petrozza

Our Game, THEIR FAILURE

I just finished watching the USA-CANADA Hockey game on CTV for the last two periods and had a few issues with it, no wait, that is an understatement, a GIGANTIC amount of issues with it. A friend mentioned on his facebook status and I quote "...is wondering why there is Timbits Hockey on CTV" I completely agree with this. I do not watch hockey as much as I used to *eversincethestrike*cough*richbastards*cough* but when I did I remember watching players scoring awesome goals, checking clean, and STAYING ON TWO SKATES!!!! I felt like I was watching a bunch of baboons on roller skates trying to play hockey on an uneven frozen lake (u heard me, roller skates, frozen lake), and it wasn't just Canada, the United States as well!!

You would think that these guys are getting paid through the nose, ears, and other gaps in the human anatomy to play HOCKEY, but apparently even after their NHL and Canadian lets-win-medals program money they STILL can't skate, or play a proper last minute with six players.

At this time in my rant I would like to point out that WOMAN'S HOCKEY appeals to me for this exact reason. They are CLEAN, they are AWESOME, and they don't bother doing this deaking BS that all men's team players do. The women skate up to the net and shoot, they don't get uber close and try to dizzy the sumo wrestling goalie into forgetting where the puck is then MISS when they are point blank because they forgot that they actually had to score!! So lots of respect to the simplicity, clarity, and finesse of Woman's hockey.

Now remember I am not mad about our loss as much as I am about what men's hockey has become. This was disgraceful on both ends and I hope either both coaches are fired, or they just do not allow NHL players to be in the Olympics, because clearly, they have too much money to care whether they are playing a great game, or playing the same way a rock parties at a rave.

Next time CTV, Show something more awesome next time, that we are actually good at, Like Skeleton, Moguls, Snowboarding, or Speed skating.

Christian A.V. Petrozza