Gaming Magazine Pre-Production Treatment

Introduction

In regards to my preproduction Media Studies Foundation portfolio task I have researched how existing Gaming magazines present their motivation through their front covers. content pages and double spread articles. In this presentation I will critically analyze the gaming magazine font styles, photo types and images that are used in order to create a successful gaming magazine. I will design and develop my magazine in order to make it appeal to my target audience, the gaming community.

Existing Gaming Magazines That Inspire Me-PC Gamer Front Cover

I like the design of the masthead as it is memorable because of the two background colors that make the white letters pop out so they are easy to read. It is simple and it doesn’t distract from the main image, it lets it be in front.

The main image is a main character from the newest popular and trending game, Skyrim V. I like the fact that the character is used as it attracts fans of the Skyrim franchise and of the open world genre. His battle stance is wild and engaging which promises an adventure packed game with epic battles which many gamers want inside such a game.

I think the color scheme is very nicely does as the letters are seen and readable while no taking to much attention away fro the main image. The white letters contrast well with the game background, and the red makes the headings stand out.This magazine has effectively used font sizes and designs as they made the titles large in proportion to their importance within the magazine.

The layout of the magazine is arranged to keep the character the main focus, yet have a lot of informative cover lines around him. This emphasizes his importance yet makes them visible as soon as the consumer has seen the image.

Existing Gaming Magazines That Inspire Me-PlayStation Front Cover

The black color of the masthead contrasts well with the neutral white background and is visually pleasing to the consumer. The use of logo makes it easier to recognize the magazine and the console products. It uses a simple sans-serif font that doesn’t stand out, however that is fine as it is not the focus of the front cover.

I love the design of the main image and its text as they stand out and are really eye-catching compared to the white background. The character is walking towards the reader making them feel engaged and familiar towards the character. It portrays the post-apocalyptic genre very nicely as it shows the scrap armor on the character. The text for the image is the most eye-catching and noticeable part of the front cover, as it is in a huge, red bold font.

The cover lines do not distract from the main image the yet are still visible, the variety of font colors prevents monotony. They are placed around the main image, with the more important line in color and slightly larger font.

I think the graphical designs behind the picture make it really stand out and add a nice touch to the front cover.

Existing Gaming Magazines That Inspire Me-Xbox Content Page

The organized layout is very appealing and effective as it neatly separates the contents and the images. The separation allows the images to stand out nicely and for the contents to be ordered and visible cleared.The contents side is organized in a single column, with a vivid variety of colors, such as green red, blue, black and yellow. to make it stand out and visually appealing. The colors also make it more exciting and easier to read.

On the right side of the content page are the images place3d. The images contain a visible bold font of their page number, and another font that is the name of the game I the featured image. The images are positioned in a vertical style, on top of each other. This contributes to the meticulous and ordered style of this content page. The images are all from different game type genres to appeal to a larger target audience.

Under the images is a publisher statement and other less relevant, but necessary information that needs to be placed on the content page.

The left bottom side of the page contains a Xbox controller to target the hardware enthusiasts as well as show of other merchandise besides the console games.

Existing Gaming Magazines That Inspire Me- Gamer Nation Content Page

In this content page I like the graphical designs as they make the contents and images stand out. The designs are edgy and modern, flowing in a unique way. They are refreshing and prevent the content page from being too plain.The font for the title and subtitles is appealing and it is in the same style as the graphical designs. With the color outline both of them look more visually appealing, however the letters are hard to read as the font gets smaller.

The images are placed in the top until near the end, dominating this content page. They are laid out horizontally, giving you a glimpse of the most important characters in the game. On the left side of the images is the name of the game in its original designer font, making it more exciting and matching with the game image. In the right corner is the page number, I a large white font making it easily visible and using a matching font as the one used for the headings.

I think the contents page layout is very effective as all the important games of the issue get their own feature, with the less important ones getting two columns in the lower part of the magazine.

The dateline is in the far left bottom corner as it is not an important selling point, the title is parallel to it as its importance is not stressed.

Existing Gaming Magazines That Inspire Me-Assassins Creed Double Page Spread

I think that the background is this double page spread article is very effective as using the game itself as the background they show of its graphical beauty that appeals to many gamers. The background is engaging and shows use a beautiful medieval setting . Showing one of the games locations peaks consumer curiosity and compels them to buy the magazine and later the game itself.

The masthead is easily readable and stands out as it is in a huge font, which is the font used for the game itself. The game franchise familiarity is nice, and the font itself is attractive to people who don’t know about the AC franchise. It is black to represent the smooth style of the game.

The layout of this double spread is engaging as it blends together text with images. It is mixed properly so there isn't too much text to make it hard to read and the images are place a the begging, middle and end. There is an separate paragraph that has its significance emphasized with its yellow background.

The images chosen are attractive as they showcase the games gameplay and combat. They are snapshots placed around the text and are not the main focus of the double spread article.

Existing Gaming Magazines That Inspire Me-PC Gamer Double Page Spread

The masthead of this double page spread is eye-catching and striking as it is a huge red font, followed by an exclamation point to show its significance. The O’s have an element of the game in the center to relate more to it and to make it more visually appealing.The headline under it is intriguing and peaks consumer curiosity, as it shows how good the game is and what effect it has on peoples lives.

There is no main image in this double spread but rather a collection of smaller sized snap shots, mostly grouped on the right side with text describing the game .

I like the layout of this double spread article as it is nicely organized and focused. It keeps all the additional gaming context to the far right, the main review and gameplay pictures in the center and the left is reserved for the masthead and main line alongside a small summary introduction paragraph that talks about the rest of the review.

The background fits nicely with the darker themes of the game, it is rough and gritty to emphasize the games world and story.I personally dislike the portrait of the author as I think it is unnecessary and not a valid selling point. It just takes up space so the corner doesn’t look empty.

Potential Magazine Names

Potential Magazine NamesBullzay

Level Up! GamerMania OutSider

Online World

Game Over Games ‘n’ Chill Trigger

The OutSider is an abstract and mysterious name that intrigues the potential readers as they don’t know what type of gamming magazine it is yet the name is attractive and compelling. Some people however might not perceive it as a serious gaming magazine

Online world attracts many people as it shows it will also talk about online gaming and various internet trends instead of only games. However it might sound very effortless and unattractive as there are many magazines with similar name to it.

This magazine name is a popular reference used in video games. It will appeal to may who like action and adventure games, however it might deter some of the older audience as they may find the name childish.

GamerMania is more of a cheesy name for gaming addicts, who live a lifestyle around gaming. This magazine name sounds stereotypical and not very exciting but it could sell to new people who have only recently started playing games.

I think Bullzay is a cool and contemporary name that will attract many readers who play the FPS gaming genre as it requires shooting precision. On the other hand there is a risk that many will not get the accuracy reference due to the modification.Game Over is another popular gaming reference, it sounds nice and seems cool at first sight, but it may turn people away due it its underlying negative sense of the end of the game and defeat. It really doesn’t appeal to any specific genre which makes it general and hard to establish a regular consumer base.

This magazine name is very effective as it targets a broad audience of both casual and hardcore gamers. The name invites you to a simple game with you friends, family or girlfriend/boyfriend where you all relax and play. This leisurely title also makes good use of the apostrophes on the letter n to make it more visually appealing. It might be too simple of a name for some people.

This gaming magazine is intended for mature audiences that enjoy shooting games as it is a more serious and intense name. however it only targets a niche audience with its name, not the rest of the gaming community. It is a more unusual name for a gaming magazine which gives it an intriguing appeal to some potential consumer.

Magazine Name Tally ChartFor my magazine name I have asked 20 gamers of ages to participate in this questionnaire and answer which name they had liked the most.

Level Up! //Bullzay ///Game Over /Games ‘n’ Chill ////Trigger ///Online World /OutSider /////GamerMania /

Magazine Name

OutSiderThis is the magazine name my potential audience has chosen for my magazine. This was one of my favorites alongside Games ‘n’ Chill and Bullzay. I would have chosen Bullzay as it targets a niche market, the FPS sub community which is one of the largest in the gaming community. One the other hand Games ‘n’ Chill would have also been a good option as it is a very catchy and easygoing name. However my potential audience preferred OutSider due to its unusual and intriguing name as it does not really relate to gaming, so the possibility of finding out what it relates to is exciting. They have chosen it because the name is unconventional for a gaming magazine.I think that OutSider is a really good name as it shows of the cool and outgoing of games and gaming.

Font ResearchGamePro has a bald capitalized font in order to be able to capture the audiences attention and be clearly visible. The font color is orange in order to be very invasive and eye-catching. There is a blue 3D effect to make it more visually exciting and not bland.This magazines masthead font is divided into two parts. First is the large font number representing he gaming console the magazine features, Xbox 360. Its size is larger in order to be seen by the audience. It uses a different and smaller font to distinguish itself. The font is white in order to contrast the background and be visible.

PC Gamer has used a striking capitalized font that has two different background colors. Its white font contrasts against the black and red background to make it more exciting. The font itself is simple and doesn’t stand out too much. The red and black are a good color mix so it is visually attractive.

This Masthead is again in the typical gaming magazine white, in order to contrast the black background. The black and white combination is very popular and overused in the gaming magazines. It has a yellow line at the bottom of the masthead to make it noticeable and eye0catching. It also has a little logo in the top right corner so it becomes distinguishable.

Potential FontsOutSider

OutSider

OutSider

OutSider

Algerian- This Font is very eye-catching and recognizable due to its contrasting outline. It has a cool and contemporary as it is very informal and a serif font. I might choose this as its visually attractive, however it is not striking enough and lack presence. It might also not fit in with some background colors of my choosing due to the outline.Hot Mustard BTN Poster- This is a very relaxed and friendly font. It is capitalized with a thick outline. The font is very playful and childish and might appeal to a younger consumer base for a kids magazine, however it is not appropriate for a gaming magazine. The sans-serif irregular style is more for party invitations, it is not attractive enough.

Century Schoolbook- This font is more formal and serious as it is not bold or outlined, but rather a subtle and cool serif font to show that they are still relaxed yet professional. This font is definitely a possibility as it could show the serious side of gaming and would represent my magazine as more mature.

Incised901 BdCn BT- This Font is striking and contemporary, it stands out as it is capitalized however it is not forceful as it doesn’t contain an outline. It is sans-serif to show some formality, which is negated by the relaxed and comic style of the letters. This magazine is the one I would pick as it is eye-catching and visually appealing, while not being over accessorized.

Chosen Masthead Font

OutSiderI have chosen the Incised901 BdCn BT as my magazine font as I believe it would be most fitting for a gaming magazine as it is mature yet not too formal and boring. This font is suited for both the mature and the younger gaming community. It is eye-catching and it is visually appealing to the readers due to its uncommon letter design because of the curves and sleekness of the lines and because they are elongated. This font sets a semi-formal tone that a gaming magazine should follow, formal and clean designs mixed with modern and contemporary language. I think that this unusual choice of font for a gaming magazine will reinforce the ‘outsider’ idea of uniqueness.

Main Image ResearchIn the gaming magazine industry the front cover images that are featured are video game characters from the most popular and trending video games. In order to fulfill criteria and achieve desired grade and outcome I would need to creatively respond to this challenge and come up with an original photo to be used on the front cover. Possibly ideas for an original image on the front cover could be : a person playing a specific new video game, female provocative model or a cosplayer, a person who likes to dress up as a fictional character.

For the person playing a specific video game I would choose a medium or medium close-up shot as I want to show of the model as well as the game and gaming console that will be in the picture. The model should wear casual clothes, to provide a relaxing atmosphere, with the same hairstyle and amount of make-up they usually wear when playing alone. The pose would most likely be the subject gamin in their chair or on their bed. With the photography set to be a typical room contain gaming equipment.

For the provocative female model, I would use a long shot to show of the body of the female and use it as the magazine front cover main selling point. For clothes she should be wearing something very provocative and daring, yet not be overly sexual so the readers wouldn’t mistake the type of magazine this is. Hair and make-up should be done well to make her appealing and sexy. The set should contain something gaming related in the background. Her pose should be dominant pose that represents powerful female characters.

For the cosplayer I would use a long shot to show of their costume as it represents the gaming community and the fandom for the game, in full display it would be a good main selling point for the front cover. The clothes, hair and makeup should all try to be authentic as possible to the character it represents, in order to capture the audience. The set should similar to the game characters world in order to achieve the maximum wanted effect of replicating the character for the fans.

Mind Map For The Main Article Topic

Potential Article

Subjects

Interview- I think an interview with someone famous within the gaming community such as game developer, pro player or even a famous youtuber would be a great article subject as it gives the opinions ad insight of influential people who have devoted their careers to gaming. The interview will appeal to those who wish to contribute to the community and wish to be more involved with gaming, as they will read the opinion of someone well established from the industry they wish to get into.

Popular game review- Through devoting a double spread article to the latest top trending game the magazine will appear modern and up-to-date with the latest games and gaming related news. If the game is popular it will attract many customer who are thinking of buying it after reading the review. In order to get them interested the best way is to use a double spread, in order to put in the necessary information as well as captivate them with impressive images of the game.Gaming event- focusing the

article on a gaming event such as a comic-co would really show the diversity in my magazine as it does not solely focus on games, but also the whole community that plays them. The article would show off the newest games and technologies present, the most visited gaming company boots and there could be photos of some really impressive cosplays.Gaming lists- This is the safest pick for my article subject as it

requires primary and secondary research, depending on the list whether it is how people rank games or their personal opinion of them. This is a good choice because people always love lists, especially if I choose a popular topic such as best MOBA games it will intrigue the fans of the genre and interest the ones who are not if they wish to try the games out in the future.

Initial Double Spread Article TopicInterview With Pro Gamer I have chosen to do an interview with Pro Gamer, Marko Djuricic, as his opinions are relevant to the gaming community, due to him successfully creating a career in the gaming industry through his contributions in online games such as Smite and CS:GO. His thoughts and opinions are interesting to the new gamers who would like to get into the games, and his tips are widely followed. He is a good choice as he is very popular and has a huge fan base on Facebook and twitter. Doing an interview with someone well-known in the gaming industry is very attractive as he can give his own commentary on the current state and future of the gaming industry as well as professional gaming. I will ask the interviewee questions about the game they play professionally, their career highlights and teammates, the road to their success, is it easy to get sponsors, and the future path and current state of the gaming industry. I think this is a good subject for my double spread article as it shows the views of a successful gamer, which the audience will be attracted to and appreciate.