Summer Project Research

Research: Battlefield Hardline

Related Articles:

Sales

• http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-very-happy-with-battlefield-hardline-sales/1100-6427131/

This article talks about how the publishers of the game are pleased with the sales that Battlefield Hardline has gained. This does go against the negative views that the game has since the Battlefield franchise is known for simulating wars.

• http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Battlefield-Hardline-Bad-Idea-DICE-Said-2011-64729.html

This article talks about how annual releases may harm the reputation that Battlefield may have. This is because competitors such as Call of Duty would have annual releases that harm the creative freedom as there wouldn't be much of a break to introduce a fresh new game for their fans. Over the past, Battlefield had released instalments every 3 years. However, Hardline was released one year later which had fans disappointed as some of them had called it a "reskin" or that "it should've been DLC". Also, the game wasn't a big departure as it had played similarly and the variety of weapons for players to choose from wasn't so different from its predecessor Battlefield 4.

• http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/23/battlefield-hardline-takes-arresting-lead-in-uk-sales-charts-5116403/

This article talks about the sales that Hardline had in the UK as it had one of the highest sales in March 2015.

Controversy

• http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-how-real-world-police-controv/1100-6425198/
• http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/797623-battlefield-hardline-trailerbox-art-causes-controversy-wake-ferguson-shooting/
• http://kotaku.com/soldier-cops-are-giving-games-like-battlefield-an-image-1620511782

Reviews

• http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/03/17/battlefield-hardline-review
• http://www.trustedreviews.com/battlefield-hardline-review
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztZDVr3mZzg 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEaOBQkh7PI

The first two are reviews done by businesses which have praised the game and have rated it 8/10. However, the third review is from the perspective of a fan named "AngryJoe". He is known for his trustworthy reviews as his reviews are from the perspective of a gamer who understands the values of games to a consumer. The same applies with TotalBiscuit who both share similar opinions on the game. This could dictate those big outlets such as IGN could be paid by EA to give a good review as this aligns with the two-step flow theory.

MIGRAIN key concept research

Media Representations 

• Who is being represented? In what way? By whom?

The people being represented in the game are the police and arguably genders as well as ethnicity. The representation of the police in the game can be seen as either corrupt or powerful. An example of the corruption present would be in the game's Story Mode which follows the protagonist Nick Mendoza as he is scapegoated in order for the higher ups such as Captain Dawes to make sure that their control in the Drug War still stands. The police in the game can also be seen as powerful due to the multiplayer which arms the players with a variety of weapons which might normally be for military forces. And there is also the gender representation. We see the character Khai, someone could arguably be seen as stereotyped since she is Asian and she has studied in martial arts But the subvert is that she is in the action as an officer that fights alongside the protagonist. There is also a stereotype with the character Boomer who would stereotype the criminal behaviour as a hacker who is a soldier who went AWOL. However he can be seen as an anti-hero as although they do crimes, it is usually against other criminals. These characters are being represented by the creative team of Visceral Games who have been known for creating great stories for games such as Dead Space.

• Why is the subject being represented in this way? 

The subject of crime and gun violence is being portrayed in a way which isn't seen as gruesome but rather less rewarding in the Story Mode. However, in the Multiplayer, the player is rewarded for killing enemies. The contrast lies in the gameplay that each game mode offers. In the Story Mode, you haven't rewarded any points for killing but rather arresting criminals within the area. It could also be argued that it is more rewarding for non-lethal take-downs which would suggest that Visceral promotes players to not just rely on their firearm. Moving on from the gun violence, the police is being represented in a more corrupt form. This could be because the Story Mode for Hardline takes inspiration from American Cop drama. Reviewer AngryJoe has also mentioned in his review that the campaign is only enjoyable "if you have never seen any cop drama ever". Therefore this could present a sense of familiarity for fans who would enjoy cop dramas as this game sets a good quality. In addition to this, the Story Mode is set up like watching a season of Battlefield Hardline with the missions being called Episodes and the intro being presented in a similar fashion to a TV Show.

• Is the representation fair and accurate?

I could argue that the Story Mode would have a fair and partially accurate representation. However, the game would have its unrealistic moments for when after you arrest a criminal they don't shout for help. This could be seen as unrealistic but it only makes sense from a gameplay standpoint. And since this is only a game it could get away with it. The representation of the varied ethnicity can also be seen as fair as there isn't a lack of variety within the cast. There may some stereotypes with the black character seen as a criminal. However, the criminal is seen doing this for a better cause. In addition to the stereotypes, there is also the sense of police brutality that is seen with our first introduction to Khai who is seen as using violence as a way to gain information from a criminal. In addition to this, there is the Multiplayer which presents a variety of races. However, the Multiplayer lacks what competitors like Call of Duty can do which is that there isn't an option to play as a female. Females haven't been playable throughout Battlefield and even with its upcoming Battlefield 1 which is set in World War 1, it also lacks the chance to play as women. However Battlefield 1 won't feature females as it would ruin the authenticity of the game as it doesn't feature any of the Russian Forces as of yet. 

• What opportunities exist for self-representation by the subject?

The opportunities aren't entirely there however it could be seen as a way for more shooters to feature the cops side of the urban battle. However, games like the Grand Theft Auto franchise doesn't embrace this as they would always promote the criminal behaviour. This could be because it offers more freedom to the player especially considering that portraying the cops could be difficult as players don't like having to abide by restrictions. However, this could offer a chance for more shooters to present more FPS games to include the perspective of the cops. 

Media Languages and Forms 

• What are the denotative and connotative levels of meaning?

The denotation of the game can be seen as another first person shooter that would desensitise players to violence and other serious topics. However, some connotations could be that it is seen as a re-skin to its predecessor to BF4 because of how similarly they both play and look graphically.  Some criticisms would include the lack of detail that Hardline has with its weapon models in the game in comparison to Battlefield 4 which has presented some damage or grit with the weapon suggesting the usage of the weapon over time. Meanwhile, Hardline's weapons appear fresh and new. Another reason that it has been seen as a re-skin is because of the weapons that are featured in both Battlefield 4 and Hardline. Most of the weapons from BF4 are also featured in Hardline. Especially considering that the game was released over a year later, fans were expecting some variety. On the topic of variety, the over connotation would be that the game can be seen as different as the game features more maps that are urban and more interesting. In addition to this, the game has also featured new game modes specific to the game's theme such as Hotwire which is a variation of the classic game mode Conquest except instead of featuring flags, the capture points are vehicles that are required to drive around in order to achieve points.

• What is the significance of the text’s connotations?

The significance of the connotations really highlights that Battlefield Hardline is seen as a different and unique game as it offers players a new experience in comparison to the previous instalments which simulates all out warfare. However the game still has combat of similar size to previous games, it still offers a variation that would still interest fans of the franchise who are willing to give Hardline a better chance. In addition to this, the connotations can also be seen as significant as people would expect the Story Mode of Hardline to be a serious one. However, the Story Mode has been praised as being better in quality compared to previous games. This could be because of the Developers of Hardline have also been known for their Story Modes with the Dead Space games. Other connotations are that it is usually seen as a cash-grab attempt from EA to "milk the Battlefield franchise". however Hardline is still a functional game. Even during the release day, it was more stable than the release state of Battlefield 4 which had bugs and glitches which had tempered their loyal fans with the game having negative criticism due to its unplayable state.

• What are the non-verbal structures of meaning in the text (e.g. gesture, facial expression, positional communication, clothing, props etc)?

The logo for the game presents a style with the "Hardline" part of the logo including a bullet which runs through the line which gives it a visual connotation. of the word "line". In addition to this, the cover also includes the lens flares of police sirens which would indicate the vehicle aspect of the game which is a big part of the Battlefield franchise. In addition to this, there is the use of police uniform on the character can also signify the theme of cops vs robbers. The use of the police badge which is seen next to handcuffs on the uniform would also highlight one of the in-game mechanics which involves the players arresting mechanic in the game. One of the biggest props that are highlighted on the poster is the shotgun that the character is holding. This would present the firearm combat that players would be involved in. Especially considering that a majority of players would play this game for the multiplayer, this would definitely present to an audience that this game is a First person Shooter.

• What is the significance of mise-en-scene/sets/settings (CLAMPS)?

The significance is quite high considering that the game would want to present the atmosphere for players to explore when they are in the game. This was especially present in the second mission of the game which had the player walk through an urban area which would soon introduce the characters to each other. Another reason why this would matter is because of the multiplayer maps which are in the game and the Expansion packs which are sold to players. The expansion packs tend to utilise the mise-en-scene/sets better than the Multiplayer maps which would explain why they would want to sell this Downloadable Content so that they could get more sales. An example of this would be the Getaway Expansion pack in which the maps are uniquely styled to fit the element of driving and escaping from the cops. Therefore these maps would be big. However, this would be contrasted with the Robbery Expansion Pack which would present maps that are seen as potential areas for heists to be done. Maps in the game would involve Museum which is known for its close quarter combat on foot. So, therefore, mise-en-scene is used to try and present the atmosphere of the maps that players battle in.

• What work is being done by the soundtrack/commentary/language of the text?

The soundtrack that was composed by Paul Leonard-Morgan is based on some high octane action which is why most of the tracks sound like they would suit an action sequence as some of the tracks. In addition to this, there is also another soundtrack which is the radio soundtrack. This playlist consists of music composed by artists that involve hip-hop songs that would relate to the theme of the game which is an urban combat zone. However, the composer of the official Soundtrack had also composed a soundtrack for another police themed product. The soundtrack was for Dredd 2011. This could explain why there is the theme of action within the soundtrack.

• What are the dominant images and iconography, and what is their relevance to the major themes of the text?

The dominant image that is seen in the promotional material and the front cover of the game is a man holding a gun. This would indicate to the consumer that they are purchasing the game and are aware that it is a first person shooter. This idea with a man or soldier holding a gun is one of the most dominant images that is seen in a majority of covers as this would. In addition to this, the dominant iconography could be seen with the feature of the gun. This would display the genre that this game is about and what players would expect to play when they start-up the game. The relevance to the theme would be that it glorifies gun violence as it is one of the selling points of the game.

• What sound and visual techniques are used to convey meaning (e.g. camera positioning, editing; the ways that images and sounds are combined to convey meaning)?

The campaign would use some techniques to present the narrative to the audience. Some angles could include the low angle that was used at the end of the game as it had presented the protagonist as the superior character in that instance. However, the Multiplayer would also use visual techniques alongside a track that would play. The shots that are used in the loading screen are establishing shots that are used to tease the player as well as introduce to the player the area that they will be fighting in. Other instances where the establishing shot is used would be at the end of every round in Hardline as there is a blurred establishing shot behind the graphics that would give a summary of the game on whether they won or not. This blurred shot is also accompanied with a zoom out.

Narrative 

• How is the narrative organised and structured?

For the most part, this game follows a linear narrative structure. However, it does start off with a glimpse of the present day before being presented with a three-year flashback. The three-year flashback focuses on four of the missions and the other six continue on with the start of the fifth mission playing out the same way as the start of the game's narrative. This is quite a different narrative technique in comparison to its predecessors such as BF4 which had a linear campaign and BF3 which was non-linear as that game had involved flashbacks to form the narrative. However both BF3 and Hardline follow a similar beginning in the sense that they both start off with a glimpse of the present day before flashbacks.

• How is the audience positioned in relation to the narrative?

Since Battlefield Hardline is a first-person shooter, the audience is put in the perspective of protagonist Detective Nicolas Mendoza as we follow his story for the reason why we see him in a prison bus in the very beginning before it transitions to the three-year flashback which the audience playthrough. From this point onwards the narrative is linear. 

• How are characters delineated? What is their narrative function? How are heroes and villains created?

The characters are delineated as quite strong characters. This is present with the fact that they all don't require too much help and can handle themselves in bad situations. Examples could include the antagonist which is Captain Dawes, he ends up using Nicolas Mendoza to try and use him as a scapegoat to explain where the missing transaction had gone which is left in his house which had led to his arrest. The villains are created quite crafty as the antagonist are the people that would eventually betray you and put you in prison. This would make them a strong enemy as you would see the protagonist transition from cop to criminal which would present the element of surprise for the audience. As for heroes, they were created through the campaign as the protagonist would try to earn their trust. The narrative function of the allies the protagonist gains after Episode 5 would be to help with the protagonist to get revenge on Dawes Khai wants him to suffer and her past connections with Tyson and Boomer end up making them allies to help Nick get his revenge.

• What techniques of identification and alienation are employed?

The techniques of identification are used with the protagonist who would want to try and understand his story and his position. Dialogue is used to give some exposition to the character which would give the audience some insight into the character that we play as. There isn't really much alienation with the narrative techniques as for the most part, it takes inspiration from crime dramas.

• What is the role of such features as sound, music, iconography, genre, mise-en-scene, editing etc within the narrative?

Sound

The role of sound such as dialogue would be present for the narrative to give the players an understanding of the characters. The sound would also be used in the narrative by having the protagonist talk about the crime scenes that the players would uncover if they end up digging up in the game looking for these items. So dialogue for the most part in the campaign is used to mainly inform the audience of the current situation that has occurred.

Music

Music in the game would give atmosphere to the current scene or mission. This could be used to further impact the emotion or moment in the game. An example of this would be the use before the end of a game that would give that sense of adrenaline to the players to try to push forward until the end of the match. Music can also give atmosphere before the start of the match as it would appear on the loading screen for an audience to understand what sort of area that they would be battling in. An example of this would be that the map Cemetery which is based on a graveyard would feature some dark and gloomy meanwhile, the map The Block would feature some background music in the style of hip hop to give the map an urban feeling.

Iconography

This is used in the game to try and present the action of the game. This is evident with the heavy feature of the use of guns which would further emphasise the infantry combat that players would be engaging in the narrative.

Genre

The game features the genre of action which would make some of the action set pieces such as the zip line scene make sense as it would be these that would use cliches such as the action hero surviving near impossible moments. This could also be seen as genre defining the campaign for Hardline. In addition to this, there is also the protagonist who is a male. This would present that stereotype of action games being targeted towards men.

Editing

The editing in the campaign is quite basic in the sense that the cutscenes would mainly use cutaways between gameplay and cutscenes so that they would know when they can and can't play. In the end of every episode, there tends to be a transition to a preview for the next episode in the game. The previews would generally use fast-paced editing to entice an audience into playing the next episode as it gives quick glimpses into the next mission in the game.

• What are the major themes of the narrative? What values/ideologies does it embody?

The major themes of the narrative would be the main theme of revenge and trust. For the flashback sequences that we see our protagonist in, that presents the theme of trust as it would present the protagonist first meeting with Khai and soon being betrayed by his boss Captain Dawes and his mentor Detective Stoddard blame him causing his arrest. The second act of the narrative sees that sense of revenge as Khai would help Nick with his revenge as she was also about to be scapegoated in the similar fashion to Nick. This would embody the ideology of corruption in the Police Force which is a popular theme that is seen throughout many crime shows.

   

  Genre 

• To which genre does the text belong?

This could fit into the action and crime genre as the action would come from the shootouts that the players would experience and the crime would come from the general theme of the narrative as the protagonist's occupation was a detective until he was wrongfully accused and sent to prison.

• What are the major generic conventions within the text?

The generic conventions in this text would have the protagonist going through trouble as he is caught with obstacles that he would eventually overcome. This would also have that sense of a satisfying ending as the hero gets his revenge but he stumbles in the riches of the antagonist which would act as the reward for the protagonist. 

• What are the major iconographic features of the text?

The iconographic features would be the guns that are present in the game as one of the ways that players would combat each other. Another form of iconography would be the vehicles. Fast cars that aren't branded but are recognisable by physical appearance which would be one of the main aspects that fans of the Battlefield franchise would expect. Other forms of iconography would be the action scenes that are in the game with car chases in the story. However, these chase sequences can also be experienced in the Multiplayer of Hardline in the Hotwire Game Mode.

• What are the major generic themes?

1) Revenge 

2) Violence

3) Patriarchy

4) Crime 

• To what extent are the audience’s generic expectations of the text fulfilled or cheated by the text? Does the text conform to the characteristics of the genre, or does it treat them playfully or ironically?

The audiences expectations of the text would be fulfilled as the Story Mode for Hardline would take inspiration from cop dramas. Therefore those who would watch these dramas may be accustomed to the general aspects of the story. However, those who don't watch cop dramas may not anticipate these moments and instead may find the campaign entertaining.

The text would use the genre as a way to present the narrative's setting and characters. However, the increase of quality for the Story Mode did have audiences pleased with the efforts of Visceral Games. However since the gameplay felt familiar, this may leave die hard fans displeased as they would prefer a war simulator quite like its predecessor BF4.

• Does the text feature a star, a director, a writer etc who is strongly associated with the genre? What meanings and associations do they have?

The text doesn't really feature many people who are associated with the genre as they took inspiration from dramas. This would be because many of the writers and development team behind the campaign would be unknown actors. However, there has been their competitor Call of Duty who are known for having some voice actors that may have a fanbase.

Media Institutions 

• What is the institutional source of the text?

The developers of the game are Visceral Games and the publishers of the game are EA.

• In what ways has the text been influenced or shaped by the institution which produced it?

The publisher EA had wanted to compete with Call of Duty's annual releases and since their franchise Battlefield would take 2-3 years until the next release, they had assigned Visceral to try and produce a game that would be released a year later after the release of Battlefield 4 at October 2013. However, the game got delayed until March 2015. The theme of the game was taken as inspiration for the first initial idea that BF4 developers DICE had which was initially start off as a Cops vs Robbers Theme. This was later scrapped and instead, they developed a game set in WW2 titled Battlefield 1942 which was released in 2002. Now over 11 years later that idea came to reality as Battlefield Hardline.

• Is the source a public service or commercial institution? What difference does this make to the text?

The game was seen as a commercial institution. This was because fans of the franchise didn't want a Battlefield set in the urban war as this may ruin the title of Battlefield as they would expect big maps for players to engage in war. The difference that it would make to the text if it was a public service would be that it would be more appreciated by its hardcore fans. However since the fans didn't expect nor didi they want this, they decided to play BF4 instead which lead with player counts being lower than BF4.

• Who owns and controls the institution concerned and does this matter?

Visceral Games is an EA company so, therefore, EA would be the owners. This would matter as EA are known for being money hungry. This would be because of their attempts to try and sell their microtransactions with the feature of Battlepacks. 

• How has the text been distributed?

The text has been distributed digitally and is readily available for PS4,PS3, XBOX 360, XBOX ONE, and PC. With those same platforms, you can also purchase physical copies that are available to many mainstream stores and game stores around the world.

Media Values and Ideology 

• What are the major values, ideologies and assumptions underpinning the text or naturalised within it?

The ideologies that are presnt in the text could be the representation of the Police Force. In this case the game would present the police as a military styled force in the sense that it would present the police faction in the multiplayer with Assault Rifles, SMGs, and a wide variety of weapon types. It is quite simillar to the weapon variety in BF4. Also it does subvert 

the stereotype of black people being arrested or physically assaulted with police brutality. However this statement could be nulliufied with the first misson as you arrest a driver who was linked with drugs. And the force that the protagonisat used seemed slightly lethal.

• What criteria have been used for selecting the content presented?

The criteria that was used for selecting the content selected would have to be moments that would keep the audience engaged. These would involve cliche or expected quick time events that involve players button mashing to ensure that the action is completed. In addition to this, there is also the expectation of close quarter combat that is seen in a majority of first person shooters. Also since the game wants to highlight the vehicle gameplay they would also make sure that the game would have a vehicle based mission for players to playthrough.

Media Audiences 

• To whom is the text addressed? What is the target audience? (Demographics, Psychographics)

The demographics of the game would be 18-35 as the game has an age rating of 18 as it would include mature content as it involves killing. In addition to this, there is also the expectation that the general hobbies would be a gamer that may have some disposable income. The male/female divide would have to be 70M/30F as a majority of the players and YouTubers seen playing the game are male. The Psychographics for the game would have to be mainstreamers as before the launch of the game, it was promoted through various methods from TV to online.

• What assumptions about the audience’s characteristics are implicit within the text?

Some of the characteristics that are present with the audience of Hardline would have to be that they are desensitised to mature content like brutally killng enemies. As well as that there is the sense that the audience aren't too social as gamers aren't seen as going out which a standard audience would consider being social. 

• In what conditions is the audience likely to receive the text? Does this impact upon the formal characteristics of the text?

The audience would recieve this game as either a gift or that they chose to purchase the game themselves. The age rating may be a concern to parents however titles like Call of Duty are known for having young children play their game. This could signify that young males would want to seem cool so the only way to do that would be by playing games that are out of their age range as that would give them their sense of diversion from reality. So age wouldn't entirely be a barrier unless the underage customer decides to purchase the game on his own in which case that would be prevented.

• What do you know or can you assume about the likely size and constituency of the audience?

The population of players that would play the game are quite small with statistics that would go at around 20,000 players on PS4. Also this size would be considered small in comparison to its predecessor BF4 and the recent launch of the Battlefield 1 Open Beta which has had millions of active players. This could be because of the fact that this is a highkly anticipated game which has the most likes for a videogame trailer with 2 million likes.

• What are the probable and possible audience readings of the text? 

Audiences may see this game as a re-skin of BF4 as it doesn't offer much difference in compariaon as some have also started to say that "This game should've been DLC". In addition to this, the game has been criticized as being a cash grab as there wasn't a AAA Battlefield title that would release a year after the previous one and this had potentially demotivated players from purchasing the game as they had experienced a lack of change which woulod make it unique.

• What are the audience pleasures, uses or gratifications?  (Refer to theory).

You could argue that players would get a sense of diversion as players would face off against enemies as either criminal and cop. There would be game modes tailored to how a players gamestyle. For instance if a player wanted more vehicle orientated warfare then they would want to play game modes such as Conquest or Hotwire as these game modes host big maps which would allow space for these battles. However if the player is more of an infantry player then Team Deathmatch and Bounty Hunter would be game modes for them as this focuses on close quarter combat and no vehicles so it is all run and gun. Also players could also have some achievement as they wouldn't be seen as inactively engaging Hardline as this gamne would require the player to be aware of their situation in order for them to play well on the battlefield.

 

• How do you, as an audience member, read and evaluate the text? To what extent is your reading and evaluation influenced by your age, gender, background etc?

As a player who is technically underage by a few months, this text has been developed for a mature audience due to the excessive swearing that is in the campaign and in the muliplayer. In addition to this it also rewards players for killing enemies in the multiplayer so this may not be suitable for those who are pretty sensitive to themes that go around crime or warfare which Hardline tries to relplicate so that they can satisfy their FPS fans. Background isn't really much of an influence unless you're American so therefore you would recognise familiar areas as the maps of Hardline would tend to be inspired by real places within America.