| Video games are big business to the | | | | A sense of danger, or at least drama, is |
| financial world. It is important for | | | | important to a successful video game. |
| video games developers to constantly | | | | To the extent that a player is drawn |
| improve upon their existing games and to | | | | into the game and feels involved is |
| develop new ones. Companies hire | | | | proportional to the success and |
| Hollywood calibre graphic artists to | | | | popularity of a video game. Graphic |
| provide Oscar winning quality graphics. | | | | presentation of the game is integral to |
| Focus groups try to spot trends and | | | | this and most games require eye popping, |
| preferences to target what features | | | | three-dimensional artwork. The graphics |
| should be added to traditional games or | | | | must present and create a virtual |
| incorporated into new ones. Children | | | | environment that is alluring, navigable |
| are often "hired" as consultants to test | | | | and ever changing in response to the |
| games and report on their appeal and | | | | player's actions. Most video games rely |
| flaws. They are paid with newly | | | | nearly equally, ironically enough, both |
| developed games and game related items, | | | | on repetition and the element of |
| such as a Nintendo player or Game boy | | | | surprise to create a hypnotic world that |
| instruments. | | | | remains both challenging and |
| But what features are crucial in the | | | | interesting. Most video games must tell |
| development of a popular Video game that | | | | a story and the level of manual |
| will be successful financially? Of all | | | | dexterity required to play the game |
| the elements that comprise a popular | | | | increases as the complexity of the story |
| video game, interactivity is the most | | | | line gets more involved. |
| important. This feature enables the | | | | Finally, music plays a fundamental role |
| player to explore virtual environments | | | | in popular video games. Music adds to |
| that range from realistic depictions of | | | | the mood, the element of surprise and |
| the normal world to highly stylised, | | | | the general tone of the video game. |
| artistic virtual environments, and | | | | Video game players no longer choose |
| sometimes alternate between them. | | | | games on the basis of graphics and |
| Interactivity allows the flow of the | | | | character appeal alone. Now the type of |
| game to change with the player's | | | | music that is incorporated into the game |
| movements and decisions, thereby | | | | is equally important in the selection |
| creating an individual scenario or | | | | process. And the overwhelmingly most |
| experience for each player and every | | | | desired form of music in video games is |
| game. Interactivity has given rise to | | | | hip-hop. This form of music provides an |
| the phenomenon of emergent narrative, | | | | intensity that draws the player in, and |
| which occurs within the context of the | | | | the rhythmic beat makes for a hypnotic |
| game and represents the player's | | | | quality. Hip-hop is the type of music |
| reactions to elements of the game and | | | | that the player can coordinate his |
| even his own reactions to them. It is | | | | movements to and achieve a movement flow |
| this emergent narrative concept that | | | | with. Hip Hop gives energy of its own |
| makes playing the game and experience | | | | to the game and is rapidly becoming a |
| that is unique to the players and to | | | | key element in the development of a |
| each and every game played. | | | | popular video game. |