Task 1 - Analysis

In this task, I aim to analyse the Action-Role Playing Game Genre. I shall analyse the genre's

• Characteristics (Codes and Conventions, Audience and Purpose and the Genres changes over the passage of time)
• Narrative Structures (How do player's engage with the Codes and Conventions of the genre.)
• Character Representation (How is the Gender constructed and presented, who is present or absent and who is positively or negatively represented in the games narrative)  

The Action-Role Playing Game Genre adheres to many codes and conventions. Such common codes and conventions include an emphasis on Character customisation, a focus on exploring a large detailed open world, and options to pursue multiple play-styles among many other's. These are used to provide a universal identity for Action RPG's and separate them from the more varied general RPG genre. There are many action RPG games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Diablo, The Witcher etc. These all share the same Codes and Conventions, and as such, feature many similarities in their construction. They all are very similar, while at the same time, have numerous differences. They may share Codes and Conventions such as detailed and varied open worlds, vast character creation and customization and a variety of play-styles such as Warriors, Thieves, Mages etc.

The audience of Action RPG's are generally portrayed as young males. While it is inevitable that young males do make up part of the Action RPG audience, they aren't the only demographic. The audience of Action RPG's are varied and many races, gender, cultures etc enjoy and play Action RPG games. While fans of this genre are generally portrayed as adult males stuck in their mothers basement, this is simply not the case. Many people of all backgrounds play RPG's and as a result the main core of Action-RPG's as a genre stay the same, but their are many different takes on the Action-RPG genre. This allows for the genre to evolve and cater to people with different like and interests.

The purpose of the genre is to entertain due to it being the main foundation of a game's game-play and narrative. It is designed to appeal to a specific audience with a liking of a game with Role Playing Aspects with a large and detailed combat system. The other purpose of the genre is to pull in an audience who prefers more detailed and immersive game-play backed up with significant action mechanics. This allows for the industry to cover another audience and expand the potential and growth of the industry. Another purpose of the genre at times is to inform. Some Action-RPG games feature racist themes with in-game minorities being treated as second or even third class citizens. This is partly done as a narrative aspect, but can also be interpreted at a way to inform people of the vile nature of racism and promote to younger players that racism is wrong and ruins and even ends innocent lives.

By adding in racist factions such as The Thalmor, it brings attention to the racism problems of the past and present and gives the game, and the genre a more mature tone otherwise unseen in past Action-RPG's.

Over the years, Action RPG's have changed in numerous ways. Their gameplay has changed over the years, as well as their approach to narratives, environments etc. They started off as primarily Eastern based RPG's such as Hydlide. The combat was real time opposed to turn based or text based allowing for game of that nature to branch off from the main RPG genre and form their own sub genre Action RPG. The combat was initially simplistic with buttons or keys simply being used as ways to spam basic attacks. Modern Action-RPG's such as Skyrim and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have more advanced combat systems with different button presses doing different types and forms of attack. Modern Action-RPG's have more fleshed combat skill tree's allowing for greater variety in combat. Also the improved graphics and animations allows combat in modern game to be more realistic and visceral than the Action RPG's of the 80's and 90's.

Action RPG's are known for their emphasis on combat and Action RPG's such as the Witcher are no exception. 

Action-RPG's generally have the same or similar narrative structures allowing for them to engage with the codes and conventions of the genre. The overall plot of Action-RPG's have been similar across the years, as has been the plots representation in gameplay. The narrative structures of Action-RPG's adhere to the codes and conventions of the genre to the point certain repeated narrative plot points have become tropes of the genre.. Such narrative codes and conventions used frequently in Action-RPG's are romanticized narratives, Characters born with powers that have to be used to save the world and help others, a person or object that needs to be saved/retrieved etc. The genre and RPG's in general are known for having narratives that never really deviate from the original formula and as such certain narrative points have become tropes. Action-RPG's also are known for working the narrative directly into gameplay. Examples include allowing players to choose how the plot advances such as killing certain characters may deviate the narrative, the option for multiple endings such as in the Force Unleashed where the player can have a light side or dark side ending and morality systems such as Fables alignment system. These mechanic's are seen frequently across the genre and help bolster the game narrative and due to their frequency, they have become codes and conventions themselves.

Fable is one of the most well known video games to feature a full blown morality system

Across the genre, characters are generally treated the same across most Action-RPG games with deviations becoming more common the further the genre becomes more modernized. Male characters are portrayed as strong and brave, with the hero's in Action-RPG games generally being male, with the only exceptions being if the game features a character creator allowing for a female to be played. Women are usually shown as weak especially in older games however, modern games are beginning to break this trope and women are beginning to be portrayed more realistically and are shown to be just as strong and reliable as the male characters especially in games such as The Witcher. Overall, both male and female characters are presented in a positive light with the occasional deviance especially in the older Action-RPG games. As the genre has developed, the games within it it begin to reflect more modern views such as women being just as capable as men which is reflected in the genre. A notable example of this is Fallout 4 where the player can either be a woman called Nora or a man named Nate. She is given a backstory where she is shown to be a fully qualified lawyer, and the certificate proving it can be seen in the players house at the start. Right of the bat, Fallout shows that women are just as capable as men.

If the player chooses, Fallout gives the player an option to play as a female character who is shown to be just as capable as a male character.

Written References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy
http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/fantasy-genre-codes-conventions/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_role-playing_game
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Nora

Visual References:
http://www.gamer-buzz.com/the-gamer-stereotype-is-finally-dead/
https://www.cosplayhouse.com/The-Eldar-Scrolls-V-Skyrim-Thalmor-Justiciar-Cosplay-Costume-Version-01.html
https://www.vg247.com/2015/04/30/new-the-witcher-3-screenshots-show-combat-exploration-and-general-carousing/
http://pixelgate.co.uk/morality-systems-need-to-be-less-black-white-video-games/
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Sole_Survivor

Task 3 - Responses

In this task, I shall establish and analyse what my personal response has been towards The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in regards to The Reception Theory model.

In short, the reception theory is when an audience doesn't passively take in media, they actively create their own thoughts and feeling on what they have just consumed. This is the opposite to social control when the audience passively accepts any media consumed and are told what they are to think of it, and as such, social control is achieved.

In regards to my own personal response to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, I feel I have reacted positively to the game overall. When utilizing the reception theory, it is made clear I have actively consumed Skyrim as a media text and I have made my own opinions and thoughts about the game, opposed to passively consuming it and being told what to think and feel when playing it allowing me to resist social control.

The way in which Skyrim has been encoded, is that Bethesda have adhered to the codes and conventions of the fantasy genre, and have actively drawn on audience expectations, taken from feedback of their previous game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. This was done in a way to make sure the audience decoded Skyrim in a way that makes them notice that Skyrim is an improvement over its predecessor and that it adheres to the codes and conventions of the fantasy genre such as the 'hero needs to save the world' plot, the races from popular culture such as Orcs, Elves, etc and swords and magic in a medieval world just to name a few.

I feel that I decoded Skyrim in the way that Bethesda aimed for when encoding Skyrim. I feel overall I have had a positive relationship in regards to interacting with Skyrim as a media text. I have a positive relationship with the game due to the way it was encoded. Due to the fact Skyrim was encoded by using the popular codes and conventions of fantasy and due to the fact I like fantasy, I instantly decoded Skyrim in a positive way due to the game being encoded to cater to people with the same or similar likes.

I feel that Skyrims emphasis on using the common codes and conventions of fantasy to encode it allowed me to decode it successfully due to my proclivity of the mainstays of the fantasy genre. Due to this, I feel that my personal response and relationship in regards to Skyrim has been positive as a results of the codes and conventions encoded into Skyrim.

I feel that its reliance on the main codes and conventions of Skyrim allows the game to provide a similar narrative feeling to its predecessors, due to the fact they themselves are very traditional with no significant deviations from the traditional codes and conventions of the genre. Due to this, the game feels similar allowing me to decode it in a way that positively reinforces my personal response with Skyrim, due to my liking of the previous entries in The Elder Scrolls series.

Overall, I feel my personal response to Skyrim was positive. My response adhered to the Reception Theory because Skyrim was encoded in a way that when I decoded it as a media text, the game instantly appealed to me. I actively consumed Skyrim opposed to passively which allowed me to form my own opinions and thoughts towards the game upon decoding it.


Written References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_theory



Visual References:
http://www.slideshare.net/pradanayar/reception-theory-39659828

Task 2 - Effects Debate

For this task I shall write an article emphasizing the positive effects of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. I shall also provide arguments against the negatives aspects of Skyrim and I shall use the programme Are Video Games Really That Bad? as my main source of evidence.

Overall, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has many positive effects to playing it. Video Games are generally vilified by the media and bold claims are made that Video Games cause great harm opposed to positively affecting the people who play them. This is explored in great detail in the BBC Horizon programme Are Video Games Really That Bad? Multiple scientists come together in order to determine how video games affect the body and mind. For example, the scientists test for reactions to violent content in both video games and real life and see what changes after playing violent video games.

This is just one of many tests taken in order to determine the effects of playing video games. One advantage to playing Skyrim is that it could potentially expand your attention span. A study was taken by Professor Adam Gazzaley, and it was proven that by playing video games consistently over a long period of time, a players attention span would be increased. Due to this, any video game, including Skyrim could improve a players attention span. This would help with skills such as multitasking which would prove useful in day to day life. This particular skill was tested. A woman by the name of Daphne Bavelier produced a test where a gamer or non gamer had to track a certain amount of balls across a screen. A large amount of balls were put on a screen with constant motion and the testers had to follow a certain amount of specified balls. Daphne found that testers that played video game's could track more balls across the screen. Due to this, it had been proven that by playing video games and at an extension, Skyrim, you can improve your ability to multitask.

Another positive aspect to playing Skyrim is that it can also help reflexes. This is due to the fact, Skyrim requires controls such as a a game pad to control, and if used for a long time, players can gain faster reaction times in real world activities such as driving and sports. This is was taken advantage of when a Doctor who specializes in keyhole surgery, created a game specially designed to teach surgeons to perform keyhole surgery without using the low simulation tests used previously for keyhole surgery training. By playing Skyrim, you could potentially gain faster reflexes over time which adds another positive effect of playing Skyrim.

Due to the frantic nature of video game gameplay, scientists believe that video games can combat mental decline. A woman by the name of Simone Kuhn tested elder's in order to see if playing video games could prevent the mental decline seen by most people at an older age. Certain tester's had to play Super Mario 64, and the others had to not play any video game. After two months had passed, their brain activity was tested. What was found that by playing Super Mario 64, the players had to think of how to pass by multiple different situations, and as such their brain was tested often enough that they experienced no mental decline, while the testers who didn't play video games lacked the simulation to prevent it. Due to its nature as a video game, Skyrim can help combat mental decline due to the simulation that it can provide.

One commonly noted negative effect video games can provide is addiction. It has been covered in the media ever since the industry's first years. Skyrim is no exception. Due to its nature of an RPG that lets you do anything, Skyrim is a prime candidate for inciting addiction. However, multiple studies have been taken to determine if video games are addictive by nature. Two conclusions were drawn. Professor Mark Griffiths felt that reactions to video games depends on the rewards offered, and Dr Valerie Voon discovered that those that crave immediate reward are the ones that tend to get addicted to video games. AS such, games like Skyrim aren't addictive by nature, but it depends on the temperament of the player.

Overall, Skyrim has more positive effects than negative. It can increase your attention span, ability to multitask, improve reflexes and combat mental decline. And all this was proven by experts in their respective fields. While a game like Skyrim can get a player addicted, it is due to the nature of the player, and it is their responsibility to play games such as Skyrim in moderation. Overall, this proves Skyrim has plenty of positive effects.

Video Reference (BBC Horizon Are Video Games Really That Bad?:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x38qzq8

Task 1 - Audience Theory

In this task, I shall produce an analysis of my personal response to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by using the uses and gratifications theory.

In regards to using the Uses and Gratifications to determine my own personal response, I feel that my personal response to Skyrim apply's to three of the four main points of Bulmer and Katz's theory.

The first point I believe my personal response to Skyrim falls into is the Diversion point. At its basic fundamentals, video games are diversions, forms of entertainment designed to pass the time. AS such, Skyrim is a media product designed to be consumed in a way that incites enjoyment. I personally play Skyrim as a form of entertainment which means my personal response to Skyrim falls into the diversion point of Bulmer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory.

The second point I feel my personal response to Skyrim falls into on Bulmer and Katz's Uses and Gratification's Theory is personal relationships. This is due to the fact Skyrim is a form of entertainment and due to this people will use Skyrim as a talking point. As a result, conversations can be started among friends, which would end up in strengthening personal relationships. This point also apply's to my personal response to Skyrim. Due to my liking of the game and the fact it also appeals to my friends, It has been the subject of many conversation and at points has also started them. As a result, my personal relationships have been strengthened due to interacting with Skyrim. Due to this, I feel my personal response to Skyrim apply's to the second point of Bulmer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory.

The third and last point I feel from Bulmer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory that apply's to my personal response to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is personal identity. Due to the fact Skyrim is a video game and as such a form of entertainment can be associated as a form of personal identity should someone like and play video games. This is part of someones personality, and as such can be associated as a form of personal identity. Due to the fact I myself like video games, and as an extension, Skyrim, I feel this aspect of my personality is a part of my personal identity. Due to this, I feel that my personal response to Skyrim is relevant to the third point of Bulmer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications.

Overall, I feel my personal response to Skyrim applied highly to Bulmer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory due to the fact my response covered 3 of the four main points. I feel that I have explored my responses relevance to the chosen points and that all three apply for definite.

Written Sources:
https://ladafranulovic.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/uses-gratifications-theory/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications_theory



Visual Sources:
http://www.slideshare.net/HeworthMedia1/audiences-and-video-games

Task 3 - Conclusion

Conclusion

Overall, through observation and analysis of the Skyrim and the opinions of fellow player's, it can be concluded that Skyrim was created primarily for gamers that have an invested interest in RPG games and as such, detonates it to the audience via the content and the codes and conventions of the fantasy and RPG genres.

By looking at how the game addressed the player, it showed that the game tried to appeal to fantasy fans first and foremost. It was common consensus among the interviewees that Skyrim was mainly aimed at casual RPG player that had a liking for more mature takes on the fantasy genre. The game strictly adhered to fantasy and RPG codes and convention, in a bid to denote to the audience that the game is made for people like them.

The games selection of content was one of aiming to convey a Nordic feel and a atmosphere of being alone in a vast country where harsh conditions are being made worse by civil war and the return of the dragons. The games art style is designed to back this atmosphere and at times, it is apparent certain content is there to immerse the player in the game world.

The games construction of content was apparent to appeal to RPG fans and this was shown when the interviewee's said that they all enjoyed Skyrim and that it appealed to them as RPG fans by adding in gameplay mechanics that are common place in the other RPG games they like. This shows the game content is constructed to appeal to RPG fans.

The modes of address allowed the player to either be a puppet master or an omniscient Narrator allowing for immersion or a comfortable level of disconnect depending on the player. This allowed for it cater to more RPG fans due to the option of two distinct ways of controlling your character.

The codes and conventions of Fantasy and RPGs were shown throughout Skyrim and it dependence on them was noticed by the interviewee's. They all felt that Skyrim was too much of a traditional RPG to have any real uniqueness among it rival's narrative wise. It simply relied on its gameplay and world building to immerse the player opposed to the narrative which was very cliched at parts.

Overall, Skyrim's way of addressing the audience, was by constructing its content in a way that appeals to Mature RPG fans. It's selection and construction of content as well as its codes and conventions were also noted by interviewee's as constructed in a way to appeal to that type of audience. 

Task 2 - Audience Response

In this task, I aim to gather players thoughts on The Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim's content by asking them question on how they felt the game tried to communicate to them and to the target audience. I also aim to gain their views on the more mature aspect of the game such as violence, and if they felt it negatively affected them or the experience.

Q: Do you like Role Playing Games?
Interviewee 1. Yes, I have played them for as long as I remember.
Interviewee 2. Yes, I enjoy RPG's and I have done for a long time.
Interviewee 3. 50/50, I mostly prefer online First Person Shooters, but I have played some RPG's which I have enjoyed.
Interviewee 4. Yes, I haven't played many RPG's but I have enjoyed the one's I have played including Skyrim.



Q: How do you personally feel the game is catered to your gaming interests?
Interviewee 1. I find this game fun to play due to its game mechanics and atmosphere.
Interviewee 2. I played Fallout, and the games are similar, which appealed to my interests.
Interviewee 3. I liked Lord of the Rings, which is similar so that appealed to me enough to play Skyrim.
Interviewee 4. It's a change to the genre's I usually play, which gives it a refreshing appeal.



Q: Did you feel Skyrim had a high level of violence, or did you feel it has a larger emphasis on exploration?
Interviewee 1. I feel it is more about exploration than violence.
Interviewee 2. I feel it is more about the exploration than the violence, due to the games open world being so detailed and explorable.
Interviewee 3. I think it can be more violent, due to other games having far higher levels of violence in comparison.
Interviewee 4. I think it is tame in comparison to how violent it can be such as in games like DOOM.



Q. From your time playing Skyrim, did you feel the game appeals more to Hardcore RPG fans or a more casual RPG market?
Interviewee 1. I think that Skyrim appeals to a more casual audience due to the lack of gameplay mechanics such as degrading weapons and perma death that was prominent in the RPG's of the 90's.
Interviewee 2. I feel that Skyrim is dumbed down significantly compared to its predecessors. The Elder Scrolls have gone from hard core cult classic games to games catered towards children in my opinion.
Interviewee 3. While I think Skyrim is more complicated than most RPG's I feel it is aimed at a more casual market. Especially when compared to RPG's such as Dark Souls.
Interviewee 4. I think that Skyrim is more casual than other RPG's in the market due to its easy difficulty and it's constant hand holding.



Q: Did you feel that Skyrim is a game made for a more mature audience, or a audience that is primarily consisted of younger age group?
Interviewee 1. I feel Skyrim is more aimed at a mature audience due to its violent content and it mature take on the usually tame fantasy genre.
Interviewee 2. I think Skyrim is more mature than anything, due to gameplay aspects such as the ability to decapitate enemies should you wish.
Interviewee 3. I think Skyrim was made for a younger audience due to its toned down gameplay mechanics and its lack of real difficulty.
Interviewee 4. Skyrim seems to be aimed at more mature audiences because of the games violence and the nature of the racism aimed at members of an ingame race.

Q: Do you feel Skyrim adheres to the codes and conventions of the fantasy genre, and if so, did that appeal to you?
Interviewee 1. I think Skyrim is very much your typical fantasy game due to its main character being a hero who's very existence is to save the world. Due to its lack of imagination, the codes and conventions did not appeal to me.
Interviewee 2. Skyrim does follow fantasy codes a lot, but due to this, it lacks a narrative or gameplay that is really unique in comparison to other games in the genre. While the gameplay appealed to me, the narrative did not.
Interviewee 3. Skyrim sticks to the codes and conventions of fantasy throughout and does not deviate from them all through the entire game. However, since I am a big fantasy fan, this appealed to me.
Interviewee 4. Yes, I think Skyrim did adhere to the codes and convention, but this may of prevented Skyrim from being truly unique. While I enjoyed Skyrim, I would of liked it to deviate more to deliver a more varied experience.


Overall, the audience liked Skyrim and felt it catered to their gaming interests. When it came to looking at whether Skyrim had a greater emphasis on violence or exploration, there was a common consensus that Skyrim was more about exploration than violence. The interviewees felt this due to the fact the game's violence is tame, in order to tone down its focus which would increase player interest in the games exploration aspects.

When asked about whether Skyrim has a greater focus on casual players or hardcore players, there was universal agreement that Skyrim is a casual RPG. The main reasons given were that Skyrim was not challenging and game mechanics such as degrading weapons had been removed taking away from the realism. They also felt competitors such as Dark Souls were true Hard Core RPG's and had aspects of gameplay that Skyrim lacked in order to appeal to the hard core.

When asked about whether Skyrim was focused on a young or mature audience, the general feeling was that it was aimed at adults. One person felt it was aimed at children due to low difficulty and lack of realistic mechanics. The other felt it was a mature game because of the violence and the mature themes explored.

Finally, the interviewees felt that Skyrim did adhere to the codes and conventions of the fantasy genre. Every participant felt Skyrim followed them to strictly and as such, Skyrim prevented its self from being truly unique and giving the genre something that hasn't been done before.

Task 1 - Deconstruction

Genre Description:
The genre of Skyrim is an RPG (Role Playing Game) which means the games emphasis is on letting the player create their own character and do whatever they want within a large and varied game world.  The game also borrows elements from the action adventure genre and also for certain quests borrows aspects from the horror genre as well. The RPG genre is a genre that allows the player to take control of a character, that can usually be customized, and are dropped into a large virtual world, that is designed to immerse the player. RPG's usually have vast in-game universes and the narratives are grand in scale. The RPG genre has taken many forms since its inception, and started out with 'Pen and Paper' Table Top Games such as Dungeons and Dragons. From this form of game, RPG's were formed. The games are known for their vast open worlds, large amounts of free choice, including decisions that can affect the narrative or even the game world itself, a emphasis on exploration, combat and human-NPC interaction's. They are also closely associated with the fantasy genre with many RPG's being set in worlds that consist of medieval cultures. There are deviences from this with RPG franchises such as Fallout having a reputation of being one of the very best RPG series ever made.

RPG's typically take place in fantasy world with magic and elves etc, however there is the occasional Non Fantasy RPG that takes the world by storm such as the Fallout series as seen above.

Selection of Content:

Skyrims look and styling is one of a Nordic country and culture. The games color is generally grey and white, due to Skyrims in-game terrain being mainly snowy tundra. The color scheme is one designed to represent the game world as one of war and conflict and that life is long and hard for the games characters. The architecture of the buildings and dungeon within the game are based on Nordic Architecture in order to show the player that they are in a country located in the far north of the game world and that the main population of the ingame world are themselves Nords. The art style is designed to convey realism, with emphasis on a lack of color to show the player they may be in a fantasy world, but it isn't all sunshine and rainbows like the fairy tales of old. The NPC's are normally modeled to look more built up than NPC's from earlier titles in the series, due to the harsh conditions of the game world forcing the nordic population to grow extra muscles mass to tackle the requitred manual labour to keep food on the table and the fires stoked. The art style also gives off a feeling that the game world has existed before the player put in their game disc and that it will live on even after the player has left it. The dungeons feel as if multiple adventurers have been in over their millenias of existence. All in all, the games selection of content is made to show the ancient nature of the land of Skyrim and that life there is hard and grueling. It is overall a mature take on previous fantasy game art styles such as the art within Skyrims predecessor Oblivion.

The box art is designed to resemble the front cover of a book. This is to show the player that by putting the disc in to the disc tray is just like opening the front cover of abook, and the choice of a book cover implies that the game wants to give off a message that it is just as detailed and gripping as a good book.

Construction of content:
The way in which Skyrim is structured and the interaction is constructed is a way highly similar to similar games in the RPG genre. The player has access to a lrage and detailed game world filled with quests to complete and items to collect. Just like many games in the RPG genre, the game has a central storyline which can be completed via a main quest and a ample amount of secondary side questlines and the occasional quest unrelated to any branching narrative. The player has access to plenty of weapons and apparel with certain items being unable to be found unless the player has reached a suitable level. The game has a traditional leveling system with the player leveling up certain skills with use and when the skill level rises, so does the player level. this allows certain gameplay feature's and equipment to be locked until the player has sufficently leveled up.

The overall pace of the game is somewhat slow with the vast amounts of quest and activities implemented specifically to accomodate a hundred hour or more playthrough. The games primary emphasis is to allow the player to explore the game world and the locations within it. Within such locations, there are usually enemies, loot and puzzles. The enemies are located with most ingame locations and throughout the games overworld. They are there to gives the player opposition and to remidn the player of the hositility of the enviroment they are within.


Codes and Conventions:
Skyrim adheres to many codes and conventions of the RPG and Fantasty Genres. This is in both technical and symbolic codes. The technical codes of RPGs are commonplace in Skyrim. The is a UI with a section for displaying the players Health, Stamina and Magika. It also has  acrosshair which allows the player to aim ingame offensive weapons such as the Long Bow. Apart from that, Skyrims UI is very limited in comparison to RPG's such as Mass Effect. There is also a camera that can be altered to accomodate and first and third peron view. This allows the player to either look through the players eyes or look at them from afar akin to the view of a puppet master.

There are plenty of diagetic sounds, from a game soundtrack to sound effects for actions like discovering a location, sheathing a sword and walking along snowy ground. These help provide the games atmosphere. The sound also changes when certain scenarios change within the game such as when the player enters combat, music for that situation plays. This is to increase the sense of atmosphere ingame.

There are also symbolic codes within the game. The music is mean't to display the wonder and the beauty of the ingame world, and the music is created with that in mind. It's purpose is to fill the player with wonder at the ingame world and that it is avaialble for the player to explore. The camera also has symbolic codes. The default angle, FPS, shows the player what the dovahkiin is looking at, and is mean't to put you into their shoes, and show the player what it means to have great responsibility since the dragonborn exists mainly to fight and kill dragons that hope to rule the world.

All in all, the codes of the game are to denote to the player the atmosphere and feel of the ingame world and also show the player more practical information like player health etc. The player is meant to read into the codes and conventions shown in Skyrim, otherwise known as semiotics.

Modes of address:

Skyrim's primary mode of address, is of an Omniscient Narrator. You have full control of the players body, and as such, can command it to do certain things. For example, the player can initiate fight's with NPC's across the game world, and if the player chooses not to control the character to fight back, the player dies. The game also speaks to the audience through third person. While the player is an omniscient narrator if they chose to control the player through their eyes, the game also features the ability to look over the character via a third person camera. Due to this, the player can interact with the Player Character as a puppet master of sorts, with the Player Character being almost a literal puppet. The only difference is that instead of strings, the player uses Keys or a Joystick to manipulate the Player Character.

The modes of address, is also informal in nature. Due to Skyrim being a game designed to entertain its audience, the game addresses the audience in an informal manner. A formal mode of address would be used for text such as letters, which are used primarily as ways to convey important information, while Skyrim is designed to entertain opposed to inform.


Written References:
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/role-playing-game-RPG
http://www.pcgamer.com/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-combat-detailed/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/17/women-video-games-iab
http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/fantasy-genre-codes-conventions/
https://riddlesdownmedia.wordpress.com/a2-media-exam/194-2/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_video_game

Visual References:
https://techcrunch.com/2011/11/20/review-skyrim/
http://gematsu.com/2011/06/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-box-art-revealed