Kim Kardashian:Hollywood- Context

Kim Kardashian Hollywood

Context

Due to Kim Kardashian's high popularity at that time, because of her and Kanye's wedding, as well as a magazine front cover of her which was breaking the internet, this was prime time to release this game for all the attention would gain more downloads.

Game

• Create own character, can customise character, can choose gender
• Choose hair, lips, eyes, makeup, nose, clothes, accessories.
• Starts on a red carpet, then in a clothing shop
• GIven instructions and tasks
• Gain money and experience by completing tasks
• Avatar has conversations with other characters
• Meet kim kardashian on the street outside the shop
• Can check goal and achievements to see what to do next.  
• Setting then goes to your avatars apartment
• Can change your clothes throughout the game.
• Invited to different events and photoshoots.
• When you level up and get more money can buy new items and more things come om offer
• Use different transport like the bus stop
• Go to photoshoot
• Can choose the name you want your avatar to be called
• Meets photographer
• Meet photographers, celebrities, working class, different backgrounds
• The celebrities are there so the player thinks that they can achieve celebrity status.
• The target audience of the game is young girls/boys as they can see their rise to fame
• The locations in the game make the user want to carry on playing for they are interested where they may go next
• The player impacts the play by choosing certain options and choosing how they look.
• A wide shot is used at the beginning of the game where you can customise your avatar, the character is pictured on a red carpet being photographed by paparazzi, the setting also looks like the game launch so that the player feels apart of the game and process.  
• Straight away the user experiences fame and experience of a celebrity life to keep them playing.
• It is important for the user to be able to create their own avatar so that it feels more personalised.
• A wide shot of the boutique with a limited amount of clothing to suggest exclusivity. As well a large gold chandelier, dark wooden flooring, white walls, and mannequins are in the small shop, this all connatates wealth. This also makes it more realistic for the user.  
• The user then has to complete tasks set by the store owner.
• The characters included in the game are needed to the help move the narrative forward and create the story line for your character, the user also experiences a more realistic story.
• In the game the avatar can choose what it wants to say and do, this could be responding to scenarios, doing favours.

Kim Kardashian strives to keep publicity on herself, therefore by creating controversy all attention is drawn back to her. This week a photo of herself posing nude was posted on her twitter and she has released the idea of her fragrance being in the shape of her body. This has strategically been released due to the Royal Family introducing a new child in to the family.

Narrative

Avatar starts of as an a lister in a boutique store, single and living alone. The character then meets Kim and their rise to fame begins, becoming richer and more famous, as well as making new friends and going on dates. The whole focus of the game is to become an A Lister and be very famous and rich.

“Equilibrium (state of calm)- The equilibrium is when the character is seen as a working class woman, working in a clothing boutique in Hollywood. She is seen in a wide shot wearing black leather trousers and a short red top, (chosen by the player) to emulate someone who is fashion conscious. However, her life is simple, when we see the characters home which is simplistic, which shows she doesn’t have a lot of money. The game shows the character as being working class, so the target audience can relate to the avatar, and it becomes more realistic, as well as making the user feel as though they have accomplished something when they get to A List celebrity!’-Mrs Miller

Disequilibrium or disruption- The distribution starts as a wide shot of the users avatar meeting Kim Kardashian outside of the the clothing boutique. Kim Kardashian is pictured looking very glamorous and asks the user's avatar for fashion advice. Kim then invites the avatar to a photo shoot which kick starts the characters rise to fame. This makes the user feel a sense of achievement and excitement, through the use of using Kim Kardashian's real voice the audience feels it more personalised and realistic.     

New equilibrium- The user’s avatar becomes more famous and known, the character begins to be invited to more occasions and meets other celebrities. By getting a manager this creates a state of calm for they can trust  the manager to take responsibility and help make decisions. This creates the user to feel happy and encouraged, in addition they may feel a sense of pride.

Stock Characters

-Helper - Manager 1: The manager of the boutique helps give tasks and lets you to ear money points and experience

-Donor - Kim Kardashian

-Princess - Kim Kardashian

-Dispatcher - Manager 2

-Hero - Kim Kardashian

-False Hero

-Villain - Willow Pape + Dirk Diamond

Binary Opposites

Rich vs Poor- The user starts of the game as a low paid retail worker whereas Kim is a rich and famous celebrity

Famous vs Not Famous/A-lister E lister- User at the start vs Kim Kardashian

Good vs Bad- User when gaining popularity faces trolls

Professional vs Non Professional- Photographer is skilled and taught whereas the user starts of as a untrained retail worker.

Popular vs Unpopular- Kim and other celebrities have lots of fans whereas the user at first has no fans, and goes up through the ranks E lister to A lister.

Enigma and Action Codes

Enigma Code- Avatar and Kim meet and the user is invited to a photo shoot, this suggests to the audience that they will become friends and therefore more famous. Cannot change her body shape which suggests she is going to be fashionable and on trend. When the characters talk to the avatar and congratulates her it suggests she will do more. When the avatar starts on the red carpet this suggests she is going to become famous.                                                                              

Action Codes -When you complete a task you get rewarded. The choosing of clothes shows your going somewhere fancy. Meeting Kim. By completing more the more fame you recieve.  

Explain how/why the Kim Kardashian game keeps the interest of the audience, through its narrative? (Olivia Longworth)

The Kim Kardashian Game has become extremely successful since it came out in June 2014. By using proven theories the game has been able to keep audiences interested through the narrative.

Through the use of Todorov's theory (equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium) the audiences have been captivated by the story. The user starts off as a working class male/female in the user's selected clothing, in a wide shot working at a boutique, this emulating someone fashion conscious. However at this moment her life is simple with a small simplistic home suggesting the avatar currently doesn't have a lot of money. This is very relatable and realistic to the target audience and creates the user to want to achieve fame. Following on from this is the disequilibrium, where the users avatar meets Kim Kardashian for the first time outside of the boutique. The glamourous Kim invites the avatar to a photo shoot which creates excitement and achievement for the user. The new equilibrium involves the user to become more famous and rich, with the opportunity to meet other celebrity avatars. Going from an e-lister to an a-lister, this being the increase of fame and fortune. Altogether this interests the audience due to the pride, happiness and accomplishment created through these actions as well as the want to become an a-lister.

In addition Propp's theory (stock characters) helps the popularity of the game. By using key characters; princess, helper, villain, the user can connect better to the narrative. The idea of Kim being the heroine in the the game allows the audience to feel closer to her as well as the game feeling personalised. This makes the audience feel like they are genuinely friends with Kim and think that she is looking out for your avatar.

Another way which the game intices the audience is through the use of binary opposites, Levi Strauss’s theory. The narrative uses many different opposites one of these being rich vs poor, the user starts of as a low paid retail worker whereas Kim is a rich and famous celebrity, this creates the audience to want to achieve Kim’s lifestyle and become the rich. In addition the binary opposite of good vs bad is used when the avatar receives criticism and trolling, this is a realistic problem celebrities have to deal with and therefore by this occurring users can overcome backlash. Also the contrast between unpopular and popular (Kim and other celebrities have lots of fans and are well known however as the user starts off they are an e lister and therefore unpopular) interests the audience towards the narrative due to the crave to be known.

Finally the uses of enigma and action codes contribute towards the game. At the beginning of the story line Kim Kardashian invites the user's avatar to a photoshoot this suggests that the pair may become friends leading to fame. With only one selection of body shape this creates the idea of her being on trend and fashionable. Furthermore when completing the avatars first photo shoot they are congratulated on how well they do, this implies to the audience that they will continue to do more. Additionally at the start of the videogame the audiences character is pictured on a red carpet and therefore suggests to the player that they will become famous. The enigma codes play an important role in interesting the user for they know in the game it is possible to become rich and famous, making them want to achieve this. Another Barthe theory is action codes, throughout  the narrative, players are rewarded with money, experience and points for completing tasks, this interests the audience through the wasnt to continue to grow and achieve.