New Digital Media Object

@PerrinKyla

The Wii system by Nintendo is a new media object because the games and creation of the system was created by computers, making it digital. Nintendo has been producing consoles and games for many generations that continue to become more and more advanced. The Wii games are based on body movement while holding a controller. There are games for both young children and adults that are based on television shows, movies, other video games, and workout routines. The first characteristic of numerical representation means that the Wii has a visual representation that can be broken down and that it was created on a computer and originated in a numerical form (Manovich 28). In the second characteristic of modularity the Wii has media elements that are included in the games such as images, sounds, shapes, and behaviors (Manovich 30). Majority of the time the voices that are used in the video games are the same voices from the actors and actresses in the movies the games were based off of. Automation does not seem to have as much of an effect of the Wii system as some other new media objects but it does have 3-D graphics that are used in the games to set up the backgrounds and settings (Manovich 32). The characteristic of variability is in my opinion one of the most important, if not the most important characteristic. There are many possibilities for making characters and games for the Wii. In variability, instead of making identical copies, there are many different versions available (Manovich 36). On the basic Wii sports game Mii characters can be made to fit each players personality and on most other games different characters can be chosen and dressed up however the player wants. In the final characteristic of transcoding, there is a culture layer and a computer layer that is incorporated into each game, meaning that human culture is represented by the computer. In other words there is always a story and a plot to the games (Manovich 46). The Wii games can also be translated from or into another format such as Xbox or Play station. The Wii system could even be considered transmedia because the games being used are the same media as movies to relay the same information (DTC slide 29) but no matter what the Wii is a new digital media object.

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