The document defines several key terms used to analyze and describe different types of media texts, using the games "The Last of Us" and "Just Dance" as examples. It discusses how a media text can be anything that conveys a message to an audience, such as newspapers, TV, advertisements, games, or radio. It also explains how semiotics refers to how different people can interpret the same media text differently based on their own tastes, and how genre describes the overall feeling or tone conveyed by a media text through visuals and audio.

1. Glossary of terms
Media Text
A media text is anything that is used to give a message to an
audience. This could be any form of media including
newspapers, TV programs, an advertisement, a game or even a
radio program.
In the case of “Just Dance” and “The Last of Us” the media
text is a game.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-wins-bafta-game-of-the-year-award-steam-sale-for-
other-award-winners-and-nominees/1100-6418275/
Semiotics
This refers to how a person will interpretive a piece of media
text, for example, one person may really enjoy a horror film,
while another person may hate them completely.
Horror or action fans would usually be attracted to a game
like “The Last of Us” because it is very dark and violent,
whereas as a person who likes to socialise a lot may be more
attracted to a game like “Just Dance” due to its upbeat and

2. happy theme.
http://inspiredideashere.wordpress.com/category/semiotics-poster-group-project/
Genre
A genre typically refers to the general
feeling that they media conveys through
visual and audio. This can give an idea of
what the media contains and what can be
expected by the audience.
For example an advertisement for a horror
film would use dark colours such as black
and grey as well as a tense ambiance and
quiet voices to convey a sinister mood to
the film.
In the case of
“Just Dance”, you
can tell that this
is a very happy,
cheerful and bright
theme to it simply
by looking at the
game’s case (right)
due to the bright

3. colour scheme and happy characters. In contrast, you can tell
that “The Last of Us” is a much unhappier, gloomier game
because of is use of deeper, darker colours and focused
expressions on the characters faces, and the fact that they
are holding weapons(left).
http://arronbanksa2.blogspot.co.uk/p/film-poster.html
http://justdance.wikia.com/wiki/File:JD2014BoxArt.jpg
http://www.ozgameshop.com/ps3-games/ex-display-the-last-of-us-game-ps3
Content
This is everything that is featured in a media product
including audio, animation, text etc.
“The Last of Us” and
“Just Dance”,
despite both being
the same kind of
media (games) have
very different
content that appeal
to very different
audiences. The
content in the “The
Last of Us” will
appeal to action and
horror fans due to its dark theme and tense atmosphere, but
the content of “Just Dance” is much brighter, happier and eye
catching.
http://justdance.wikia.com/wiki/File:JD2014BoxArt.jpg
http://www.ozgameshop.com/ps3-games/ex-display-the-last-of-us-game-ps3
Construction
Games are mostly controlled using a keyboard,
handheld controller or D-pad. “The last of Us”
is an example of a game that uses a handheld
controller, as opposed to “Just Dance” which
is controlled by a players movement in front
of the Xbox Kinect or other motion capture
devices.

4. http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2013/02/which_of_these_ps4_controller_mock_ups_is_your_favourite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinect
Codes and Conventions
The codes and conventions are what
you would expect to see from a game
simply by looking at it and what kind
of story it contains.
In the case of the “last of us” you
would expect a sad, dark story but
with “Just Dance” you wouldn’t expect
to see a story, or you wouldn’t play
it for the story.
Both use the audio differently
however; “Just Dance” creates a game
heavily based around the music
whereas “The Last of Us” uses the
audio to create a powerful, dark
ambience.
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-and-grading-on-the-gender-curve/1100-6411051/
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/just-in-just-dance-2-goes-5x-platinum/
Modes of Address
This is how the game speaks to the player, this could be in
one or more of 3 methods: 1St person, 3Rd person and the “voice
of god”. 1st person is where you make your own story, 3rd person
is where you are told the story and the “Voice of god” is
where you have little or no control of the story or are a god
like presence to the character.
This is demonstrated in a formal way in “the last o f us” where
you are following a set story (3rd person) but are also in
control of everything the player does, making you their
complete controller.
“Just dance” on the other hand is very informal as it commands
the player to do as it says in order to play the game.

5. Target Demographics
This is who the game or media
would appeal to, a game like
“The last of us” would appeal
more to men around the age of
20 and people who like horror
or action games. A game like
“Just Dance” would appeal to
more social people who enjoy
having parties with lots of friends as well as people who like
to dance.