Lesson 1 Cultural Background

Lesson 1 Cultural background A) Quizz: Let's find out what you know what about the history of video games! 1) When were the first video games invented? in the a) 1950s b) 1970s c)1990s d) 2010s 2) What was the first video arcade game and was commercially produced? a) Computer Space b) Pong c) Galaxy Game d) Tetris 3) What is the most popular paying app people have bought? a) Angry Birds b) Candy Crush Saga c) Tiny Wings d) Words with Friends? 4) What is the hero's job in Super Mario? a) plumber b)butcher c) carpenter d)painter 5) Which film based on a videogame has made the most money? a) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider b)Mortal Kombat c) Super Mario Bros. d) Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

B) Listening: The US Game Industry by Numbers. Tasks: 1) Prepare a chart with 9 lines for 9 items Numbers you hear What these numbers correspond to

2) Listen to the recording and note down the numbers you hear. 3) Listen to the recording again and write what these numbers correspond to.

Transcription Lecturer: Video games have become very popular over the last 30 years. Let me give you a few statistics about the phenomenon.

Last year, consumers spent $21 billion on video games, hardware, and accessories. Fifty- one percent of all American households have a video game console.

In a country of about 315 million, that’s just about 186 million players.

Seventy-two percent of American households play video games.

Teenagers are not alone playing video games! The average game player is 37 years old. Seventy-one percent of players are over 18 years of age.

The average gamer spends about 18 hours a week playing video games. Forty-two percent of all game players are women. Half of all parents play video games with their children at least once a month.

B) Text: A leading form of entertainment The computer and video game industry has experienced an explosive growth in the last 10 years. New products and new entertainment experiences are coming out over time. Many people think of gaming as a kid thing that doesn't merit serious consideration-but, in fact, it's serious business. The videogame industry employs thousands of people. The majority of video games in the US are purchased and played by adults and the largest titles make far more money than Hollywood. Games, like films, TV, and literature, are products of our culture. They can be great or bad! They can take you just five minutes to play on your phone during a bus ride- or 500 hours of your life exploring a rich virtual world full of imagination. To make money, major companies like Sony and Microsoft produce their own games but they also sell hardware like PlayStation and Xbox. They dominate the industry, but there are hundreds of small developers everywhere, working in their garages or bedrooms.

1) Read the text and tell about the situation of the computer and video game industry. 2) Tell about what people usually think of video games. In your opinion, explain if that is true or not. 3) Discuss whether this is a good idea to say that video games are "good" or "bad". 4) Explain what major companies do to make money. 1. The computer and video game industry has experienced an explosive growth.

2. Many people think of video games as a kid’s thing but it is serious business. The industry provides lots of jobs; most players are adults and the largest titles make more money than Hollywood/the cinema.

3. Video games can be “good” or “bad”. They are products of our culture.

4. Major companies produce their own games but they also produce hardware.

C) Vocabulary: Video game genres: Match the game genres with their definitions

A simulation games 1. they closely simulate aspects of reality B action games 2. require careful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory.

C adventure games 3. They have game play with emphasis on combat D strategy games 4. They require the player to interact with people all the environment in order to solve puzzles. E role-playing games 5. They involve up to hundreds of players interacting with each other over the internet. F massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or 6. They cast the player in the role of a MMORRPGs character who must evolve in a world full of monsters and acquire experience points.

a. Simulation games closely simulate aspects of reality.

b. Action games have gameplay with emphasis on combat.

c. Adventure games require the player to interact with people or the environment in order to solve puzzles. d. Strategy games require careful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory.

e. Role-playing games cast the player in the role of a character who must evolve in a world full of monsters and acquire experience points.

f. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, involve up to hundreds of players interacting with each other over the Internet.