Starbucks Marketing Plan for VIA Instant Coffee in India

Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Starbucks Marketing Plan for VIA Instant Coffee in India specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction Since ages Indians have been more inclined towards tea rather than coffee. As such, marketing coffee in India can be a tough job. But owing to the marketing strategies of companies like Starbucks, a trend of coffee drinking has started picking up, especially among the younger generation. It should be understood that the market trends differ from country to country. The existing managerial literature proves that the marketing strategies available for internalization are not basically the same across cultures (Cayla Arnould, 2008; Mitra Golder, 2002). This report analyzes and justifies a marketing plan for the introduction of Starbucks VIA instant coffee into the Indian market. Appendix 1 demonstrates the graphical representation of the marketing plan. VIA instant coffee is a ve nture that has been over two decades in the making for Starbucks as the corporation readied itself to have a commanding market share in the $21 billion instant coffee market (Business Pundit, n.d.). The major reason behind Starbucks decision to introduce the product is to capture the immense consumer market available in India as the country is home to at least 1.03 billion people and is the second most populated country in the world after China (Johnson Tellis, 2008). In this report, we shall analyse the performance of Starbucks using SWOT and PESTEL analysing methods.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Company Overview, Mission Objective Starbuck’s principal mission is â€Å"†¦to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time† (Starbucks Company Profile, 2011 para. 4). Market Analysis/Audit External Audit This kind of audit is done on variables that the organization cannot control. One of the most commonly used tool for analysing the market of any product is PESTEL. It means the Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal aspects that may affect any business. Figure 1: PESTEL Analysis Economic India is currently the fifth largest economy in purchasing power parity, not mentioning its growing middle class and youth with more disposable income (Johnson Tellis, 2008). Political India is a huge democratic country and the government is engaged in the welfare of its citizens through various economic policies. The infrastructure system of India is becoming better day by day. Technological India is a fast developing country and as such, the modern technological inventions are being adopted in all spheres of life.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Starbucks Marketing Plan for VIA Instant Coffee in India specifically for you for onl y $16.05 $11/page Learn More Social-cultural Starbucks may experience uncertainty avoidance from local consumers due to the predominantly Indian tea-drinking culture. The company may also face a cultural distance between its own marketing strategies and those of its partners in joint ventures (Heerden Barter, 2008). Mistakes arising from misunderstandings of Starbucks brand names in the speciality coffee industry may also arise. The enormous diversity of India, which is typified by inconsistent policies and social-economic inequalities, may also serve as a hindrance (Johnson Tellis, 2008). As groundwork for foundation, Starbucks has been engaged in some social activities in India. According to Sandra Taylor, Senior Vice President of Starbucks’ Corporate Social Responsibility observed, â€Å"We have one effort with our Tazo division and with Mercy Corps, where we are supporting projects in 24 villages in Darjeeling, India, a tea-farming area. One project is t o improve water and sanitation.† (As cited by Michelli 2006, p165). Legal India has stringent policies regarding foreign-owned businesses. Environmental There are many social groups in India that are engaged in the preservation of the environment against pollution. These groups stage protests against companies that are responsible for any kind of pollution. If Starbucks has to face such protests, it will tarnish the company image. But since Starbucks follows the ‘Fair Trade Movement’ policy, it doesn’t have to worry. Market trends: According to BusinessWire (2011), â€Å"†¦the market for coffee in India has been growing steadily as consumers are becoming more acceptable towards international and premium brands† (para. 4). Internal Audit This type is done on variables than can be controlled by the organizationAdvertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Current Market Position Starbucks is the unparalleled market leader in the coffeehouse business, operating more than 17,000 retail outlets in over 55 countries around the world (Starbucks Company Profile, 2011). Target Market Traditional target market for Starbucks includes the â€Å"affluent, well-educated, white collar customers† between the ages of 25 and 44. As the company expand internationally, an emergent target market consists of the â€Å"younger, less well-educated customers in a lower income bracket† (Moon Quelch, 2003). Profit Margins The company posted a 28% increase in fourth quarter profit of the 2011 fiscal year on sustained strong sales at existing retail outlets. For the quarter, â€Å"†¦Starbucks earned $385 million, or 47 cents a share, up from $278.9 million, or 37 cents a share, in the same 2010 period† (Andrejczak, 2011 para. 1). SWOT Analysis Strengths Analysis Taking advantage of opportunities Starbucks VIA instant coffee provides a good opportunity for entering the rapidly growing instant coffee category that other multinational coffee houses cannot match, not mentioning that the company has a good retail opportunity due to its foodservice and product line-up (Thompson Arsel, 2004). Strong financial base Starbucks is a very profitable enterprise reinforced by a strong financial base, thus allowing the entity to expand globally through undertaking new business ventures. International recognition Starbucks brands in the speciality coffee industry has won international recognition. The company continues to maintain a global presence. Its extensive brand recognition has turned into brand preference and eventually into brand loyalty, assisting the company to maintain a strong customer base (Johnson Tellis, 2008). Weaknesses Analysis Weak position in the Indian market The company is yet to make inroads into the Indian tea-drinking culture and it is expected that it may meet challenges trying to establish itself (Johnson Tellis, 2008). High concentrations in the United States This implies that the company may suffer great financial losses if the U.S. retail stores underperform because of harsh economic conditions or intense competition. Opportunities Analysis Opportunities for Global Expansion Starbucks can expand its revenue base by expanding its global operations in countries with rapid economic growth such as India and China (Johnson Tellis, 2008). Co-branding Starbucks can enter into brand-franchising agreements with other partners in emerging markets to boost its sales, reputation and competitiveness (Johnson Tellis, 2008). Threats Analysis Highly competitive market The main competitors of Starbucks in India are Cafe Coffee Day and Barista. Socio-political Groups There are certain social and political groups that are opposed to foreign products. Even though the number of such groups is limited, they can create unnecessary nuisance. Assumptions Assumptions are critical in any market ing plan as they function to standardize the planning environment (McDonald Keegan, 2002). This plan assumes that: VIA instant coffee will achieve a market segment of 10 percent before December 2012 as Starbucks engage more partners and franchises in the Indian market. Price competition for the instant coffee market in India will force price levels down by 15% across the board Marketing Objectives Strategies Marketing Objectives Creating a Starbucks experience that makes customers in India to visit established outlets for the coffee, stay for the striking environment, and return for the connection To build an image and reputation separate from competitors aimed at creating brand loyalty Marketing Strategies Starbuck’s market strategy revolves around â€Å"†¦a deal to buy coffee beans from Tata Coffee, an Indian Company, and work with that firm’s affiliates to open stores in hotels and inside other retail stores† (Bajaj, 2011 para. 2). Segmentation Positi oning: Venkatesh (2011) notes that â€Å"†¦market segmentation is a strategy in which a large heterogeneous market is broken down into small homogenous segments and a separate marketing program is developed for each segment† (p. 15). The market segment selected for VIA instant coffee is the high-end consumer segment and the strategy used will be price discrimination. Estimation of Expected Results It is expected that the introduction of VIA instant coffee into the Indian market will assist Starbucks to rapidly expand its retail operations and increase growth in its speciality sales and other operations. It is also expected that customers will achieve higher satisfaction levels Identification of Alternative Plans and Mixes Alternative Plan Based on initial sales of VIA instant coffee, the company may decide to introduce a new instant coffee product to target the middle class. Sheth (2011) observes that â€Å"the new middle class, especially in large population markets in China and India, is creating large-scale first-time buyers of everything† (p. 167). Marketing Mix for VIA Instant Coffee Product The product – VIA instant coffee – falls under the category of convenience products since it can be purchased from selected retail outlets and supermarkets. It lacks the signature bitterness and darker-roast temperament of brewed Starbucks coffee, thus is seen as an excellent choice to compete in traditional tea-drinking cultures such as India (Business Pundit, n.d.). Price VIA instant coffee will be marketed to the higher-end consumer bracket, thus will retail at a premium price. The company wishes to use the high price tag to demonstrate the high value of the product and its commitment to adequately satisfy customer needs and demands. Chan et al (2010) are of the opinion that an effective price discrimination strategy communicates the unique value of a particular product to the customers. Place The place where a product first premier ed and the distribution networks that exist to ensure the product is adequately restocked are critical success factors for any internalization exercise (Chandrasekaran Tellis, 2008; Douglas Craig, 2011). VIA instant coffee is set to premier in the cities of Mumbai and New Delhi due to their affluent upper class and high population rates. Promotion Promotional activities are critical in exposing the product to the local audience and in targeting marketing communications with the view to elicit positive responses from the targeted audience (Narayan Manchanda, 2009). Starbucks promotional activities revolve around the word of mouth. Budget Marketing and other related activities are costly and, as such, organizations intending to launch new products into global markets must prepare adequately if they are to succeed in their endeavours. Starbucks financial objective obligates management to use the lower store-opening costs model (of up to $ 315,000 per store) when expanding to ensure that expenditures do not exceed returns (Moon Quelch, 2003; Keller, 2011). First Year Implementation Programme Starbucks will embark on partnering with local enterprises that share in the values and commitments of the company. The product will be initially introduced into two of such partnerships in Mumbai and New Delhi to evaluate uptake before comprehensive roll-out strategy into other major cities across India is kicked off in Mid March 2012. Although TV commercials will be aired in mainstream channels to introduce the new product, the main promotional strategy will be through word of mouth. A Market research survey will be done in September 2012 to assess customer attitudes and market share. Conclusion Studies demonstrate that most organizations target to enter international markets not only to exploit their existing competitive advantages (Tsai Eisingerich, 2010; Mayrhofer, 2004), but also to sustain and develop their strategic positioning (Couturier Sola, 2010; Gregory, 200 2). Other factors, such as profits and growth targets, international market opportunities, economies of scale, intense competition in traditional markets, saturated existing market and proximity to global consumers, may also account (Hollensen, 2010). With the introduction of VIA instant coffee into the mainstream Indian market, Starbucks will not only be aiming to enhance its competitiveness but also its strategic positioning. List of References Andrejczak, M., (2011). Starbucks Profit up 28%, Hikes Divided. MarketWatch. Web. Bajaj, V., (2011). A Starbucks Venture in Tea-Drinking India. The New York Times. Web. Business Wire, (2011). Research and Markets: Coffee Market in India 2011. Web. Cayla, J., Arnould, E. J., (2008). A Cultural Approach to Branding in the Global Marketplace. Journal of International Marketing, 16 (4), pp. 86-112. Chan, K. W., Yim, C. K., Lam, Simon S. K., (2010). Is Customer Participation in Value Creation a Double-Edged Sword? Evidence from Professional Fi nancial Services across Cultures. Journal of Marketing, 74 (3), pp. 48-64. Chandrasekaran, D., Tellis, G. J., (2008). Global Takeoff of New Product: Culture, Wealth, or Vanishing Difference? Marketing Science, 27 (5), pp. 844-860. Couturier, J., Sola, D., (2010). International Market Entry Decisions: The role of Local Market Factors. Journal of General Management, 35 (4), pp. 45-63. Douglas, S. P., Craig, C. S., (2011). Convergence and Divergence: Developing a Semiglobal Marketing Strategy. Journal of Marketing, 19 (1), pp. 82-101. Gregory, J. R., 2002, Branding across Cultures, Prentice Hall, London. Hollensen, S., (2010). Global Marketing: A Decision-Oriented Approach. 5 ed. London: Pearson Education. Johnson, J., Tellis, G. J., (2008). Drivers of Success for Market Entry into China and India. Journal of Marketing, 72 (3), pp. 1-13. Keller, K. L., (2011). How to Navigate the Future of Brand Management. Marketing Management, 20 (2), pp. 36-43. Mayrhofer, U., (2004). Internation al Market Entry: Does the Home Country Affect Entry-Mode Decisions? Journal of International Marketing, 12 (4), pp. 71-96. McDonald, M., Keegan, W. J., (2002).  Marketing Plans that Work. 2nd ed. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Michelli, J., 2006. Starbucks Experience, Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi. Mitra, D., Golder, P. N., (2002). Whose Culture Matters? Near-Market Knowledge and its Impact on Foreign Market Entry Timing. Journal of Marketing Research, 39 (3), pp. 350-365. Moon, Y., Quelch, J., (2003). Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service. Harvard Business School. Narayan, S., Manchanda, P., (2009). Heterogenous Learning and the Targeting of Marketing Communication for New Products. Marketing Science, 28 (3), pp. 424-441. Sheth, J. N., (2011). Impact of Emerging Markets on Marketing: Rethinking Existing Perspectives and Practices. Journal of Marketing, 75 (4), pp. 166-182. Starbucks Company Profile, (2011). Web. Thompson, C. J., Arsel, Z., (2004). The Starbucks Brandscape and Consumers’ (Anticorporate) Experiences of Glocalization. Journal of Consumer Research, 33 (3), 631-642. Tsai, H. T., Eisingerich, A. B., (2010). Internalization Strategies of Emerging Markets Firms. California Management Review, 53 (1), pp. 114-135. Venkatesh, R., (2011). New Parameters in Market Segmentation – Ethnic Marketing is the Key. Advances in Management, 4 (11), pp. 15-19. Appendix Figure 1: Marketing Plan (McDonald Keegan, 2002) This report on Starbucks Marketing Plan for VIA Instant Coffee in India was written and submitted by user Mina Lester to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Pablo Neruda Saddest Poem

Eyad R. Saqr ESOL 102 Response Saddest Poem Tow weeks ago one of my classmates has presented a poem from his culture, and I am sure that it’s a Latin culture. The poem is called â€Å"Saddest Poem† written by Pablo Neruda who is as I understood one of the most famous Latinos poet. This poem was translated to English, even though it didn’t lose its original structure. No one can argue about the main idea of this poem that it’s a sad poem and we can clearly see that from the title. Neruda uses many of the poetry techniques to complete a perfect picture ending with this poem. Sitting, metaphor, sounds, and imagery all were the elements that leaded to this nice piece of literature. When I read this poem, I felt that I am watching a movie or seeing something in front of my eyes. I dived in my imagination to live this poem. It’s about a man who is writing a poem to his ex-lover, we can assume that Neruda is the man because it’s written in the first perspective yet we aren’t sure. He is alone; there is only the night and the stars. He is thinking of her. â€Å"I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too. On night like this, I held her in my arms I kissed her so many times under the infinite sky†(6-8) He keeps thinking of her and repeating â€Å"I can write the saddest poem off all tonight†(1,5,11) he is very sad. Then he moved to describe her and their relationship â€Å"she loved me, sometimes I loved her.†(9) Then he compared losing her with â€Å"to hear the immense night, more immense without her.†(13) â€Å"My soul is lost without her†(18) this is a usual saying but its still a personification as well as â€Å"my eyes search for her†¦. my heart searches for her..†(19-20) There is a very nice line that I like because of it sounds, which showed me how sad he is â€Å"We, we who were, we are the same no longer.†(22) The â€Å"wee† sound is just showing how lost and sad he is... Free Essays on Pablo Neruda Saddest Poem Free Essays on Pablo Neruda Saddest Poem Eyad R. Saqr ESOL 102 Response Saddest Poem Tow weeks ago one of my classmates has presented a poem from his culture, and I am sure that it’s a Latin culture. The poem is called â€Å"Saddest Poem† written by Pablo Neruda who is as I understood one of the most famous Latinos poet. This poem was translated to English, even though it didn’t lose its original structure. No one can argue about the main idea of this poem that it’s a sad poem and we can clearly see that from the title. Neruda uses many of the poetry techniques to complete a perfect picture ending with this poem. Sitting, metaphor, sounds, and imagery all were the elements that leaded to this nice piece of literature. When I read this poem, I felt that I am watching a movie or seeing something in front of my eyes. I dived in my imagination to live this poem. It’s about a man who is writing a poem to his ex-lover, we can assume that Neruda is the man because it’s written in the first perspective yet we aren’t sure. He is alone; there is only the night and the stars. He is thinking of her. â€Å"I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too. On night like this, I held her in my arms I kissed her so many times under the infinite sky†(6-8) He keeps thinking of her and repeating â€Å"I can write the saddest poem off all tonight†(1,5,11) he is very sad. Then he moved to describe her and their relationship â€Å"she loved me, sometimes I loved her.†(9) Then he compared losing her with â€Å"to hear the immense night, more immense without her.†(13) â€Å"My soul is lost without her†(18) this is a usual saying but its still a personification as well as â€Å"my eyes search for her†¦. my heart searches for her..†(19-20) There is a very nice line that I like because of it sounds, which showed me how sad he is â€Å"We, we who were, we are the same no longer.†(22) The â€Å"wee† sound is just showing how lost and sad he is...

Developing Effective Employment Relationships Essay - 2

Developing Effective Employment Relationships - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that businesses today face a lot of challenges, ranging from international competition growth to changes in the technology market that impact business direction. One of the most fundamental challenges is establishing effective employment relationships, both in a recessionary environment and in a more conducive and stable economic climate. To build effective employee/manager relationships, there are several leadership models that provide valuable human resources-based outcomes. These include transformational leadership, laissez-faire leadership, and transactional leadership. All three of these models have differing approaches to building successful employment relationships, either focusing on autonomy, inspiration and vision iteration, or establishing effective rewards for meeting performance targets. Whatever model utilized in the organizational environment, there are opportunities and challenges associated with how employees will respond i n a recessionary environment and when economic conditions are more favorable for business growth and development. During a recession, employees begin to find personal concern about their employment security. Job security, under respected models of psychology, is a fundamental need that must be fulfilled before the employee can achieve self-esteem, a sense of social belonging, or achieve full self-actualization; the process of reaching the pinnacle of motivation and self-expansion. When employees feel that their jobs are in jeopardy, they will be more resistant to enacting change processes and will be de-motivated toward meeting performance expectations. When employees feel that their job positions are in jeopardy due to economic recession or business slowdowns occurring as a result of the macro-level economic environment, they are less motivated to perform under Expectancy Theory. Under this theory, employees choose a certain behavior based on the perceived desirability of the outco me of this behavior. Economic recessions often lead to internal job reductions through layoffs, thus consolidating job roles until the recession has run its life cycle and business returns back to expected levels of profitability. Employees that have remained behind and witnessed job losses with important reference group colleagues and associates, issues of job security are fresh on the minds of the employee.

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interview - Essay Example All three of them were from different places. John was from Arizona while William was from Sydney and Martin from London. A number of topics such as their early life, school life, interests, hobbies, jobs, experiences etc were discussed with them. Their answers have changed my perception about the senior citizens. They are the role models for the younger generation. Early life A peep into the early life of these senior citizens was a refreshing experience. They always used to live together with the entire family which gives an excellent image of their lifestyle. Their parents had always thought them to value the relations. Young children along with their grandparents and parents made up for the perfect family. Stories of children playing together with each other, fighting for toys were a refreshing feeling. All the vacations to the farm, the celebrations, birthday parties with all the brothers and sisters are enough to prove the bonding which they had with each other. The best part o f their life has been the way their bonding has been carried out for years. They never miss out on any opportunity to meet on occasions. This bonding has been carried out over the years and has been passed on to their children as well. Interview with them also gave insights about their first home. Though they were not able to recollect all the information as to where their first house was, most of them said that their first home was somewhere near the valley. They played with their friends, brothers and sisters in the lawn which was a part of their first home. The most exciting part of their life was that most of them used to play with the cattle while they took them for grazing. I am a part of a generation which expects students to create advanced gadgets. But after knowing about the life of these senior citizens, I have realized that I have missed out something in life. John was born in the state of Arizona, during the Second World War. Though it was the time of war where thousand s of soldiers and sailors were sunk by the Japanese warplanes, their families always stayed together. They explained how their parents made sure that their children were not affected by the war and gave them all the values to be a good citizen. This picture of their family tells us the sense of bonding they had with each other. The love, bonding and care has been carried out over the years and something which everyone should learn from them. A lot was learnt about these senior citizens and their early life. It changed my thinking about the bonding between the brothers and sisters. My perception on them was that everyone during their growing up had forgotten each other and got along with life. They have proved my view on them wrong. Even after years, they have maintained the same love and bonding with each other. It is a lesson for most of us in the younger generation who are in the race to win and succeed. It has changed my perspective towards life. Everyone should grow like them. H appiness is not about just achieving ones personal goals; it is about being lovable towards the ones who care for you. Though they have not grown with the most advanced of technologies around, they have experienced the smallest of happiness in life. Living, sharing and creating happiness with their loved ones has enriched their life. It is the path which they have left for us and we

The Moroccan Goumiers: Origin and History

The Moroccan Goumiers: Origin and History INTRODUCTION Linguistically speaking, the term Goum comes from the Arabic word () pronounced with a Maghrebi accent which means stand up. This term is going to define a military unit that was formed by the French army to be used first internally for pacification purposes and then externally for fighting the Axis powers. The Goums were predominantly Berbers from the region of the Middle as well as High Atlas, their simple lifestyle and isolation from the lowland in Morocco distinguish them from the other Moroccans mainly the Arabs and Arabized Berbers. Their way of fighting made them fierce warriors that were admired by the French militarily and feared by the Germans and Italians, in addition to the fact that they condoned many barbarous acts that they were doing to their enemies. They regard war as a way of living to the extent that they were assiduous in their missions by perfecting their fighting methods. The Goums made a reputation as redoubtable warriors both in Morocco, North Africa and Euro pe with the testimony of many military officers. This research papers will analyze the emergence Goums by dividing the papers into three parts. The first one is devoted to the origin of the Goums, the second to the contribution of the Goums within the French Army in World War II and the last to the fate of the Goums after the end of World War II. The Origin of the Goums and the Pacification of Morocco The Goums were first recruited from the Berber tribes that were objected to the French army such as Ait Warayn, Ait Seghrouchn, Imermuchn, Ichqirn, Izayyan, Ait Yahyathe Goums are: hawk faced Moroccan troops whose specialty is mountain fighting. Their especial value is their uncanny gift for moving silently through trackless mountain country. Their method of working is similar to the action of an incoming tide on a series of sand castles. These waves of Goums could be unloosed on a shapeless mass of mountain country that orthodox troops would find impassable. They would move up silently on any opposition that presented itself, dispose of it and push on regardless of what was happening to those on their right or left. They had a habit of bringing back evidence of the number of victims they had killed, which made them an unpleasant enemy to face.[1] The origin of the Goums goes back to the area of the pacification of Morocco, they were used against the resisting Berber tribes in the Atlas Mountains until 1934, the end of the pacification. The birth of the Goums is going to be in 1908 when the French General D`Amande recruited six Goums in the regions of Chaouia to fight the resistance against France in tribal area.[2] The first resident general in Morocco was General Louis-Hubert Lyautey who intended to rule Morocco indirectly by using the Moroccan elite that would govern the country for the benefit of France. However, his idea of indirect rule did not prove to be successful as the Makhzen under the sultan was not able to control the regions outside its realm (Blad Siba) such as the Atlas Mountains, where tribal societies were either with the central power or against themselves.[3] Lyautey realized that diplomacy is not working with the tribes in the mountains therefore he resorted to organizing North African French troops such as the Tirailleurs and Spahis to fight insurrections. Under these circumstances the Service Des Affaires Indigenes et Renseignements (AIR) came into being, the service divided auxiliaries recruited from the tribes into three distinct groups: Partisans, Mokhaznis and Goums.[4] The Goums were the elite of the French colonial force and their assigned mission was to police the rebellion areas among their tribal areas and was used as Groupes Mobiles,[5] pacification soldiers that performed the task of inspection as they know their areas more than the French. The Atlas Mountains proved to be a difficult mission for Lyautey due to the harshness not only of its mountains but also of its inhabitants, to the extent that the French Morocco was separated from the Atlas Mountains by the River of Oum er Rebia[6], thus deemed a region off the French Control. When Lyautey started his military campaign against the tribes in the Atlas Mountains staring from the city of Khenifra, he encountered a fier ce resistance from the Zaini tribe mainly from Moha ou Hammou, Moha ou Said and Ali Amhaouch.[7] Lyautey relied on Goums as well as Algerian and Senegalese Tirailleurs to get Moha ou Hammou.[8]But the price was high as the French military was subject to many defeats with its pinnacle in the Battle of Lhri. Regarding the ethnic composition of Goums, when they were first formed in 1908 in the region of Chaoia they were a mix of both Arabs and Berbers. However in the late 1920s, the French are going to confine the recruitment of Goums to be mainly from the Middle as well as the High Atlas. From this perspective the Goums were distinct from other colonial troops such as tirailleurs and saphis by being distinctly Berbers, a reason that made France to use them as police officers against any resistance.[9] The Berber tribe of Ait Seghrouchn is going to be the most favored by the French to recruit the Goums. The tribe was attacked by the French and many of its inhabitants decided to enlist in the French army due to the death of their family. The Berber name of the tribe ouchn means wolf. The way of their fighting is derived from their attribution to this animal. According to Barbara erenchih the origin of war goes back to the area of Mesolithic when in fact game animals were scares and a holocaust of animals occurred, and psychologically the prey animals are revered. In Scandinavia the warriors were leaving their human form and assuming the form of a bear when they go to fight. From which the origin of the word berserk came.[10] Consequently, when the Goums of Ait Seghrouchn went to fight they assume the form of a wolf and leave behind their human form. The Goums were noticeable for their quality of loyalty to the extent that they remained faithful to their officers during the dissents in Morocco. As it is stated by Edward L. Bimberg during all these turbulent years the Goums remained steadfast. While the tribes of their origin vacillated loyal to the French one day, fighting them the next the Goumiers remained faithful, not to France, but to their officers, the Frenchmen to whom they owed their fealty.[11] The tribes proved to be a difficult task for the French, but Eventually, it was nature that defeated the tribesmen. The French dammed the streams that ran through the Berber positions, cutting off their water supply.[12] And by 1933, the last of the dissident tribes, the Aà ¯t Abdi, the Aà ¯t Sokhlman and, toughest of them all, the Aà ¯t Haddidou, came down out of their mountain strongholds and submitted to the French generals. The pacification of Morocco was complete.[13] After the end of the pacification, the Goums became ob solete and there was the idea of discharging the Goums as they were no longer needed. However, due to their ferocity and trustworthiness the French agreed to keep them as gendarmerie (police officers) in case new dissents aroused and by the start of World War II the Goums were going to have a new mission where they built a reputation of being fine warriors.[14] Tunisia In 1939 Germany invaded Poland ushering the start of the Second World War and it is obvious that France will be using its colonial troops such as Tirailleurs, Spahis and Zouaves to fight the Axis powers. The Goums were also on the picture, however they were used as a police rather than military force but eventually they were sent to Tunisia to fight the Italian and German forces in its border with Libya. unlike the French, the Berber when they were fighting the Germans had no natural or historical animosity towards them, on the other hand they just fought for the sake of fighting and the fact of being paid for their service was a motivation for them to fight savagely against the Germans.[15] When the French realized the power of the Goums they organized them in tabors to be used in military missions, the tabor came to be used in hand with the word irregular.[16] The Goums were deployed in Tunisia two times. First, In 1940 Tunisia was menaced to be attacked by Italians from its East-South border with Libya. Therefore, in May 1940 the Goums were deployed to Tunisia to fight against the Italians. However, when France lost in the phony war, it negotiated an armistice that allowed the Vichy France to head the country of France. It is worth mentioning that in contrast to the Italians who were being wary of the Berbers as a threat the German did not regard the Berber as a menace but rather a band of peasants. Additionally, France pointed to the Germans that they were used as gendarmerie. Thus they were allowed for their continuation in France Vichy; in the meantime the Goums were the resort of France to build its army without any interference from Germany.[17] The fact of being situated in the mountainous region of Morocco made the action of French officers unnoticeable. What made the Berbers to be highly regarded by the French was their loyalty to the extent that they remain loyal even during their defeat by Germany and under Vichy France. As it is stated by Moshe Gershovich This manifestation of Berber loyalty towards the France`s worst moments in history was celebrated as shining proof of the common bond which had been forged between the two peoples, the ultimate fruit of colonial genius and benevolence.[18] Second, in 1942 the Goums were redeployed in Tunisia where they acquired a reputation as brave and fearsome warriors who showed to the allied forces their skill in infantry They helped capture the city of Bizerte and Tunis, to the extent that Horrocks described the Berbers as The toughest of allon whom pain and discomfort seem to have no effect whatever.[19] The Goums fighting performance in Tunisia made them the suitable candidate to fight the Axis powers in Italy. The Mission in Italy After their participation in Tunisia which showed to the allied forces the fierceness and warrior quality of the Berbers they were taken to Sicily on what was called operation Husky[20] the 4th tabor that went was composed of 58 French officers and 678 Goums.[21] Sicily did not prove to be a hard terrain for the Goums as its rugged and mountainous terrain were similar to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Nevertheless, they did found the Island hellishly hot, unbelievably dusty and malarial besides.[22] The 4th tabor was essential at helping the American 1st division that were heavily attacked by Italians.[23] The Sicilian campaign ended after the capture of Messina, which proved to be a crucial battle for the Goums as it is proposed by Edward L. Bimberg It was their first adventure overseas, the first time in their history they had fought outside Africathey had overcome what may have been some- thing of an inferiority complex, a sense of being country bumpkins fit to fight only in African wars. One way or another, for the Moroccan irregulars Sicily was an important breakthrough.[24] The fall of Sicily paved the way for the fall of Sardinia and Corsica. The French were aware of the power of the Goums and their competence in war and after their deployment in Tunisia the French army added a metal unit insignia in which it was written Who Laughs Last Laughs Best[25] which served as a reminder for its enemies about the glorious victories of Goums against Germans. In 1943, due to the success of the Goums in Tunisia and Sicily with four tabors being under the command of the allied forces, a new position was created under the name of the Commandment des Goums Marocains (CGM) with Colonel Augustin-Leon Guillaume as its commander.[26] Its role was to maintain communication between those four tabors. The American relied on CGM which would be a part of the fifth army of Clark to invade Italy under the codename of Avalanche.[27] The Goums did not find the new invasion to be hard for as the allied forces did not like the terrain the Goums find an advantage. As it is stated by Edward L. Bimberg, as far as mountain fighting was concerned the Goumiers were at no such disadvantage. The Italian peaks and ridgesmeant nothing to the Moroccans.[28] And while the Germans regarded the mountains as a barrier for defense against the allies, the Goums did not find difficulty in their specialty as mountain warriors. While the Goums did a remarkable job of fighting the Axis powers, a new element of their charater was revelaed by their misconduct that was noticeable by Italians. As it is stated by Edward L. Bimberg: They were not popular with the Italians. This was the result of the off-duty conduct of some of them in the mountain villages and isolated valley farmscertain elements among the Moroccans had engaged in a wild spree of rape and pillage across the Italian countryside when they were not busy killing Germans.[29] In the movie La Ciociara which is based on the novel La Ciociara by Alberto Moravia, the group rape of two women by the Goums after the battle of Mosseni was portrayed. These brutal events were engraved in the memory of Italians as an Italian word marocchinare came to describe those events. In 1964 a monument was erected in the city of Roca di San Pietro, named Mammai Cioria to remind Italians of the atrocities committed by the Goums. The reasons behind the misconduct of the Goums has to do with the fact such things as rape and loot can be explained through the isolation of the Berber tribes in the Atlas Mountains. The reason why the people went to war in the first place was to rape and loot, to the extent that Alexander the Macedonian was portrayed as being gay for not indulging into rape during his conquests.[30] Barbara Ehrenreich stated that war not only depart from the normal; it inverts all that is moral and right: in war one should kill, should steal, should burn cities and farms, should perhaps even rape matrons and little girls. [31] She even pointed out that rape has been endemic wherever warriors rule and was even legalized in medieval Europe as the feudal lord`s droit de seigneur[32] Edward L. Bimberg stated that: Not that they had anything against the ItaliansTheir origins, however, can-not be forgotten; to the Moroccan tribesman, that was the way war was waged. To the victor belonged the spoils, and the Goumiers were somewhat puzzled by the restraints put upon them by their officers.[33] This misconduct of the Goums was used as justification by the French authorities for its brutal policies when dealing with tribal people in Morocco.[34] The Moroccans indulged in rape, theft, pillage and murder, consequently Clark, the head of the Fifth American division under which the Gums were supervised, ordered the execution of law transgressors. Accordingly, 15 Moroccans were executed while 54 were imprisoned to various sentences.[35] The action committed by the Goums came as a surprise to the French officials Alphonse Juin, commander of the French Expeditionary Corps (CFE), and Guillaume. Therefore, the French decided to bring Berber women to Italy through the US Navy LST to prevent future misconducts by the Goums, to the extent that they were the only soldiers in WWII that brought their women with them.[36] Surprisingly the policy did help in quelling rape and pillage but the disgrace did not disappear.[37] Apart from their misconduct in Italy, the Goums were also known for the fact that during the night they would sneak in the American tents and steal their stuff.[38] Additionally, their way of fighting involved also the pro cess of cutting throats and ears which was reminiscent of what the Trojans did to their enemies,[39] the basic aim of these practices was to take souvenirs.[40] The Goums succeeded in chasing the Germans down and reached the cities of Rome and Siena where they fought their last battles in Italy. After that, the Goums have to go to Naples to be embarked directly in southern France to fight the German in what was called Operation Dragon.[41] Italy was an opportunity for Berbers to distinguish themselves again after Tunisia as worthy warriors who can survive under any conduction. As it is pointed out by Edward L. Bimberg: The Italian campaign was the supreme testing ground for the Moroccan Tabors. Could these lightly armed primitive tribesmen survive in modern warfare? Their officers maintained that they could and did, that their performance in the mountains of Italy was proof of their value, even in the most difficult circumstancesSupply alone, with one air drop and 4,000 mules, was in itself an almost magical accomplishment.[42] When the Goums preparing to be embarked in Southern France, the French`s inspector general`s department published a report about the Goums, which mentioned their strong points as well as weak points. It pointed to the qualities of Berbers in warfare such as scouting and patrolling[43] particularly in Mountains, Overflowing or swarming, or what is called by French as de`bordement[44] which means being fast to attack with the element of surprise, in addition to Adaptability, endurance and cleverness in making booby traps.[45] The major weak points of the Goums tend to be lack of inventiveness especially in the absence of French chiefs,[46] the fact of taking orders instead of improvising is a constant characteristic of the Goums, In addition to their reluctance to attack a well-equipped target as they prefer war of movement to a sedentary siege.[47] Another interesting fact that is mentioned in the report is the Goums` dislike and contempt of the tank,[48] which is normal as any warrio r society fears new weapons because not only do they menace their life but also the survival of their groups as fighting elite that is redoubtable and in need of in addition to the fact that a man who fights through a tank is hiding in a machine. For instance, the samurai had the same feelings as they were abhorred by the invention of guns to the extent that they banned it.[49] The report was made with the intent of finding solutions to the weak points as well ameliorating the strong elements of the Goums, for instance by equipping them with anti-tank rifles.[50] The Mission in France The participation of the Goums in operation dragon (also known as Anvil) was at doubt not because the French doubted the warfare power of the Goums, but out of fear from their reputation as being prone to rape and plunder like in Italy, to the extent that Pope Pius XII in Vatican had protested against the use of Goums in Europe.[51] However, General Guillaume defended the Goums and asked for their participation in the French soil. [52] In France, the Goums were going to be under the command of General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny who unlike Giraud, Juin and Guillaume was neither African nor having an experience of fighting in North Africa. Another issue that was an obstacle for the deployment of the Goums in southern France is the military nature of Operation Dragon which was gigantic as it included five battleships, nine escort carriers with 216 aircraft, 122 destroyers and escort vessels and 466 land- ing craft, all from five navies American, British, French, Australian and Greek and an imposing fleet of transports and supply ships as well. [53] Finding room for the Goums among this vast military along with their mules and horses was a cumbersome one. Many officers showed their opposition to the inclusion of the Goums in the ships as well as undermining their capacity as warriors based on their looks. For instance, General Alexander Patch of the American force was against their deployment. Nevertheless, the need for Goums attested to be vital for the Allied forces as General De Lattre convinced the officers that opposed the Goums Deployment in the operation, mainly the Americans. He pointed out to their specialty of mountain warfare which would be useful in getting along the mountain ranges surrounding the two cities: Toulon and Marseille, in addition to the Alps and the Vosges in Alsace.[54] To put things differently, regardless of their look or reputation as rapist and plunderers, the Goums were crucial for the success of Operation Dragon. Moreover, regarding the issue of rape and pillage De Gaulle agreed to the deployment of Goums in France as long as they were not used in cities.[55] Eventually, 6000 Goums along with 1200 mules were embarked in the ship heading towards the shores France.[56] The German forces that were stationed in France to defend the South were the 19th army under the control of General Friedrich Wiese. The major German power was stationed in two major French cities Marseille and Toulon. In the former, it was the 244th Infantry Division as well as naval and Luftwaffe ground units and the latter it was 242nd Infantry Division and the Kriegs-marine.[57] The cities captured by Germany such as Marseille were used as fortresses while the leading roads to the city were fortified by artillery, machine guns, mines and wire.[58] What made the invasion more difficult is due to the fact that the Germans followed Hiller`s rule of fighting to the last man. Regardless of the way the German fought, the Goums had the advantage of identifying war as a reason for their life therefore making the best of it. What was noticeable regarding the Goums in contrast with the allied forces is their Berber character that can be seen from their clothing: djellaba, rezzas and mule-r iding. To the extent that De Lattre described their march toward Marseille as trotting along in single file with their mules, bare footed, their hob-nailed boots hanging about their necks or slung at their belts with their tin helmets. The endless striped djellabas gave the landscape an African appearance.[59] The Goums proved to be worthy of their reputation as fierce warriors, they were mostly used in areas that involved inhospitable terrains such as the Mountains of Alps where the Goums were stationed to guard the eastern border of France with Italy, their mission was to prevent any infiltration of Axis powers to France from the Alps to the Col de Larche while the allied forces guarded the less harsh border between Col de Larche and the Mediterranean Sea.[60] The Alps proved to be a strenuous terrain for the Goums, as it is acknowledged by Edward L. Bimberg The Alpine terrain in that area was particularly difficult, even for the Goumiers. They found the footing around the Col de Larche and the Plateau des Bouchieres extremely unstable. It was all shale, a rock made of densely packed clay that split easily into layers, of a type unique to the territory and strange to the Moroccans They had never before experienced this kind of stone that sheared off underfoot as they marched, making the uphill going doubly difficult and the down- hill even more dangerous.[61] The fight in Alps was an arduous one that generated many casualties from both sides. However, the Goums remained in the Alps only for a month and then replaced by units of the FFI (). As the German received heavy losses in Southern France mainly by losing Toulon, Lyon, Grenoble and Marseille Hitler ordered his troops to evacuate Southern France.[62] The next mission of the Goums in France after the Alps is going to be in the Vosges Mountains. The new terrain was different from the Atlas Mountains as it was heavily forested, dark and dank,[63] to put it in other words Its terrain was perfect for defense, and the Germans had made the most of it.[64] So, De Lattre expected a long battle in the area which was hindered by the weather as well as the harsh terrain, however the general relied on deceiving the German to think that their aim is at the Vosges instead of Belfort Gap, an aim in which he succeeded at. In order to do that, the Goums were kept busy by fighting the German on the mountains,[65] and eventually the victory paved the way to freeing Alsace and getting the Colmar Pocket.[66] The Mission in Germany Obtaining Alzace was not enough for the French, for that reason De Gaulle urged his army to go further, beyond the Alsace in the Rhine to capture the capital of Wà ¼rttemberg and Baden province, Stuttgart. However, there was an obstacle as the other bank of Rhine is settled by the mountainous, wooded terrain of the Black Forest.[67] But that was not obstacle for the Goums whose reputation did not stop at Italy and Tunisia but arrived to Germany too as the people were more fearful of the Goums than the regular allied forces. As it is affirmed by Edward L. Bimberg, The German civilians were, understandably, totally cowed, and the white bed sheets of surrender were displayed everywhere. They were particularly fearful of the Goumiers, whose hooded djellabas and scraggly beards made them seem like some avenging medieval monks.[68] As the French army occupied such cities as Karlsruhe and Pforzheim, the next step is to invade Stuttgart. However, the American forces under the command of Gen eral Devers were engaged in fighting the Germans in the north. De Lattre was recalcitrant to the orders of his superiors and preferred to go to the mission without informing the Americans, his plan was to surround the city by isolating it like a siege and the Goums were used effectively in that matter.[69] Just like Alsace, getting Stuttgart was not enough for the French but they sought something further which is Ulm, the basic interest of French is based on its pride, it wants to be known in history that France reached as far in Germany as the Danube River.[70] Another city that De Latter was after is Sigmaringen, the headquarters of the French Vichy government in exile, under the command of Marshal Petain.[71] Although the two cities were missions for the American Seventh Army De Latter made it a personal mission to get the honor of France as well as capturing the traitors: Marshal Petain and Pierre Laval.[72] Once the Allied forces captured German cities, there was a task that the Goums were skillful at that it was always performed after the fall of each German city, the task was mopping up or what is called in French ratissage.[73] The final place where the Goums along the allied forces fought the German is in the Voralberg Massif in the Austrian Alps.[74] After the End of World War II The Goums fought with the French amry in the world wr two with loulaty and efficiency however Germany was not the last mission where the Goums served but they also went as far as Indo china in 1948 1854.[75]unitl where they severed a heavy defeat in the Tonkin Region in the north, ten tabors were snet to the area, the reason for the deafet is due to the guereilla warafer tactic empoloeyed by the northern vitnamese as weel as the terrain that was unprecendt for the Goums. In the oprocess many leflet were given to the goums incldung other nother African soldiers to join the veitanoimie military by referring to them as comrade. When the Goums were discharged from the French army due to the end of World War II and the changing time in Morocco as Moroccans ask for Independence under the PI, The Goums preferred to support the Pasha of Marakesh, El Glawi in contrast with the supporters of Mohemmed V. the king went into exile and Mohammed Ben Arafa became the sultan for a short period and by the independence.[76] Conclusion The Goums were good at fighting and helped the allied forces in their war against the axis power, they were used under the command of French officers, and they proved their warrior spirit in Tunisia, Italy and Germany. To the extent that only four of the Goums have became prisoners of war during their experiences in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, France , Germany and Austria.[77] The Goums are specialized in mountain warfare however during their deployment in Europe they proven to be adaptable to other types of warfare. The Goums are not mercenaries but military unit under the international law and a basic evidence of that is the fact that the Goums were fighting in Europe for the sake of France to the extent that When one Goumier was offered a monetary reward, he refused it saying, It is for France.[78] Their reputation seems to be tarnished by the brutal events of Ciociara and the defeat in but still they did a difficult work of helping the allied forces freeing Europe from the Axis power s. Bibliography Augustin-Leon Guillaumes Goums in a Modern War. Military History Quarterly. Winter 2007. http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/20_21_century/ 4644596.html?featured=yc=y Maanouni, Ahmed El dir. Les goumiers marocains(Moroccan Goums). with Eric Deroo and Alain de Sedouy. GMT Productions, 1993. Bimberg, Edward L. The Morrocan Goums: Tribal Warriors in a Modern War. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999. Eisenhower, John S. D. They Fought at Anzio. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 2007. El Merini, Abdelhak. L`armee marocaine a travers l`histoire (Moroccan Army through the History). Rabat: Dar Nachr El Maarifa, 2000. Ehrenreigh, Barbara. Blood Rites: Origins and the History of the Passions of War. Henry Holt and Company: New York, 1997. Gershovich, Moshe. Collaboration and Pacification: French Conquest, Moroccan Combatants, and the Transformation of the Middle Atlas. Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East 24.1 (2004): 139-146. Gershovich, Moshe. French Military Rule in Morocco: Colonialism and its Consequences. London: Frank Cass, 2000. Ilahiane, Hsain. Historical dictionary of the Berbers (Imazighen).The Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland, 2006. Maghraoui, Driss. The Moroccan Colonial Soldiers: Between Selective Memory and Collective memory, in Ali Abdullatif Ahmida, ed., Beyond Colonialism and Nationalism in the Maghrib: History, Culture, and Politics (Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave, 2000): 49-69. Maghraoui, Driss. Nos goumiers Berbà ¨res: the ambiguities of colonial representations in French military novels. The Journal of North African Studies 7: 3 ( 2002): 79-100. Bouchareb, Rachid. Indigà ¨nes (Days of Glory). with Jamel Debbouze, Roschdy Zem and Samy Naceri. Tessalit Productions ,2006. Van Creveled, Martin. The Tansformation of War. New York: The Free Press, 1991. De Sica, Vittorio dir. La Ciociara (Two Women). with Sophia Loren and Jean-Paul Belmondo.Compagnia Cinematografica Champion, 1960.

Red Dead Redemption Analysis

Critical Analysis of a Game: Red Dead Redemption Professor Shawn Graham Jad Slaibeh 100804020 Submitted: Thursday February 7th 2013 The game I have chosen for my critical analysis is Red Dead Redemption. Red Dead Redemption was made, published, and engineered by a company called Rockstar Games (Rockstar Website). The major distributor of the game is a company who happens to own Rockstar, Take-Two interactive. Being one of the most successful video game developers to date, Rockstar is famous for creating the popular and controversial game series Grand Theft Auto.Rockstar differs very much from other video game developers because they are one of few who have grown and experienced the advancement of video games in terms of graphics and gameplay. Rockstar is known for revolutionizing the concept of having an open world in console video games. This was not originally the case and happened over years of expansion. Rockstar’s first game was released on the original PlayStation. The g ame is called Grand Theft Auto. Its camera was in a bird’s eye view with basic 3D graphics consisting of repetitive player movements. In comparison to today, the game was really quite simple in terms of graphics and game play.The game lacked a larger narrative. Its gameplay was based mostly around the options of stealing cars, doing hits for gang members, killing civilians, and evading the police. This lack of narrative and focus on violence may be one of the reasons why Rockstar dealt with a lot of controversy from the media. As Rockstar grew and released multiple titles, their video games utilized the advancement in technology to create a larger narrative. Using Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), Rockstar developed third person 3D modeled sandbox game (Ogilvie, 2010). With this new open world, the game developers were able to explore more narrative options.Red Dead Redemption used their graphical improvements to allow for new historical representations such as: talking N PCs with their own ethnicity and culture and NPCs who show facial emotion and body language. This allows players to connect better with the world Rockstar has created because they represent what people are familiar with. Rockstar had greatly passed simple storyline of Grand Theft Auto. This is why I chose Red Dead Redemption. It excels in the ability of experiencing a fun and highly skilled game while having improved representations of people, stories, and histories.They do so through implementing character traits in certain NPCs. The NPCs are programmed primarily in two ways. One is to help the player in their quest by providing information to solve the main problem space. The other is to try and stop the player; this creates another problem space that the player must solve. The addition of these advanced NPCs really helped Rockstar deliver a story to their players. They force the player to constantly see familiar NPCs which creates a bond between them and the player. These NPCs fo rce you to make many moral decisions throughout the game.These moral choices the player has to make adds a great deal of advancement to the narrative because the game is programed to change based on these decisions. If the player was to help a gang of thieves raid a site in order to get money, civilians would remember due to the decrease in honour and news would spread. Decisions the player makes affect how NPCs, such as townsfolk or sheriffs, approach the player in the game. If the player was riding their horse along a prairie road and happened to see a gang of thieves taking someone hostage, the player could kill or hogtie the bandits and their honour meter would go increase.These decisions program NPCs to now feel safe around the player by cheering for them. These cheers can often make the player feel happier because of the heroic role they are playing. This social value is what makes Rockstar games a fan favourite. Another reason Rockstar advanced so quickly was the positive cha nge in hardware. The game was originally released on both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 on May 18th 2010. I played the game on my Xbox 360 console. To capture the experience of the Wild West, Rockstar consulted some historical experts in the field, along with channelling a lot of time and money into the graphics of the game.According to a New York Times online article, Rockstar spent between 80-100 million dollars on developing the game (Schiesel 2010). I mention this statistic because this comes to show the new era of devotion Rockstar brought to video game production. In any video game, soundtracks can be an incredible boost in its overall character. The soundtracks in Red Dead Redemption are authentic; it gives the game historical flavour. What I mean by this is you truly get a feeling of the Western experience. Rockstar brought on composers Woody Jackson and Bill Elm.In a behind the scenes video, the composers explain that it is essential for them to â€Å"find a balance, paying hom age to what was there but also trying to add our stamp to the music† (GamerSpawn, 2010). Another interesting fact they mentioned was the ability for the game to launch certain lines of music to start based on your actions. For example, if you jump on a horse, a bass line rolls in. If the player is in a shootout, the music intensifies. The music helps reinforce the player’s connection with the historic west by creating familiar sounds associated with the Western era.Before I mention the problem spaces of the game, I would like to continue back to explaining some of the hardware information behind Red Dead Redemption. First we will talk about the controller/controls. Controls have the potential to play a big factor in how we experience a video game. The way the controls are programmed correlate directly with your character’s movement. This gives the player a bigger sense of control. This control makes for a better physical connection. Red Dead Redemption’s c ontroller functions do a great job in the ability to allow the player to become immersed in the game world.If you were not aware of the classic Xbox 360 controller, here is how it is laid out: Some basic controls of the game are: left stick controls which direction your character moves in, right stick controls which direction your character looks, pulling the right trigger will fire your weapon, and pulling left trigger starts the aim mode which makes it easier to hit your target. The Xbox 360 controller, along with the Red Dead Redemption controls, allow the player to control what we are familiar in our everyday lives For example, to shoot a gun in the real world you have to pull a trigger.This is emulated when pulling the trigger on the Xbox controller. When driving a vehicle and turning in a certain direction, we turn the wheel. This is emulated by moving the left stick in order to direct your character. This makes the experience more enjoyable and recognizable. Throughout the ga me you are only controlling one character, the protagonist. The name of this protagonist is John Marston. Marston is a former outlaw who makes a deal with the state to bring justice to his former gang of outlaws in order to get his family back.Upon Marston's attempt to find and capture his former gang members, the plan goes wrong for our protagonist and he is left for dead. Luckily, you are approached by a local ranch farmer, Bonnie Mcfarlane. Bonnie saves your life and brings you back to her farm. That is our initial problem space. The player is immediately placed into the world with a want to defeat our twisted former gang of outlaws and get our family back. This creates an immediate sympathy for our protagonist which adds even more of narrative. Because the game represents plausible situations, players are more likely to sympathize.Although we are placed in a world where there is only one end goal of killing the men who left you for dead and are in the way of getting your family; we have a wide variety of choices in the path of attaining this goal. This concept of beginning the game after being left for dead completely on your own creates an even bigger problem space. My big question was, what do I do first? The player has the ability to access this map in the start menu: [pic] In the Western era, maps would certainly be a way to represent space. Therefore the map gives us the ability to represent space in a way that people are used to.This adds a historical flavour to it because it represents history with adding its own personalized flavour. This map is a fictionalized/representational map of Canada, Mexico and the US. Much like the real world, each territory has its differences. For example: certain NPCs with ethnic representations are present in each area, certain animals are associated with familiar habitats in different territories, and territories such as Canada have more green lands where as Mexico is represented as more dry. To travel to these diffe rent lands, we are immediately handed a horse.When the player first gets their horse, it is quite slow. This is a problem and slow travel can become quite boring. Upon playing I thought there had to be some options to overcoming this problem. Like the real world, the player has the option of feeding their horse to increase its stamina. Another implementation is the trust bar that develops with the players’ horse. This trust bar adds narrative because we are familiar with gaining trust with living things in the real world. The longer the player has kept their horse, the faster it gets and the more risks it is willing to take to get you to your destination.The game specifically promotes value by rewarding the players for keeping the same horse. In doing so, the interface encourages the player to behave a certain way with this virtual animal, representing a relationship common to real life. Even though this horse is merely a program in a video game, the power of the game and the value I had onto it made me have a connection to it. Unfortunately, it is quite possible for the player’s horse to die. For example, upon passing by a poor woman being harassed by drunk men just before entering a town, one of the men shot my horse dead while attempting to hogtie them.After all the investment of money I had put into my horse to increase its stamina, the time spent together gaining trust, and the many missions we had completed together, my horse was now gone. Connecting to history, the video game allows the player to feel the pain that people must have gone through when their own horse died. Clearly their problem was much bigger than a video game can represent, but it once again brings out empathetic emotions. Although the game itself was not based off any real characters or real story lines, it still had the power to create a real connection.The game places the character in an age outside of their norm. If a car breaks down, that person now has the ability to take out a cell phone and call a friend to pick them up. If in 1900 someone’s horse died, that is that until a new horse is acquired. This was now part of my problem space. With these newly acquired problems that I did not have just thirty seconds earlier, I clearly had to deal with these men who altered my path for the negative. Due to this setback I had developed, I quickly hogtied the surviving men and placed their bodies on the train tracks for the upcoming train to deal with them.Although this was an act of immorality because the game gives you an option to return them to the sheriff’s station, I felt no sympathy for these men who, before shooting my horse, were attacking a lone woman. Looking at the game on a narrative level, this meant that a side of my true character was shown, one that let my emotions dictate my actions. At that exact moment the video game explained and taught me a lesson in morality. It also explained how, just like in the real world, others may have handled that same situation completely differently.Moving forward in the game, I was forced to purchase another horse and develop a new connection between us. Purchasing horses is one of the many ways that money is used to solve problems in the game. Money is quite similar to how it is in the real world. The player needs to do work and complete services in order to gain it. It is quite hard to gain money, unlike the other Grand Theft Auto games, which enforces the player to spend wisely. Some examples of situations where you need money are: to buy weapons, ammunition, houses (in order to have multiple save points), and medicine to heal.The player may also acquire money through selling items they find and doing favours and missions for locals and friends met along the way. There is one final question to be answered: was the game historically accurate? The answer to this question is: it depends what you classify as â€Å"historically accurate†. The term is thrown arou nd quite often. Unfortunately, based on the game play, there is far too much fantasy to consider it a game that accurately depicts the lifestyle that people lived in the early 20th century.The game is based off a completely fictional story with fake characters in a fake world. However, the game did a great job of showcasing some aspects of the time frame by utilizing: the advanced RAGE physics engine, the programmed NPCs with character traits, a familiar map system, the player’s horse that rewards you for your loyalty and protection, and the advanced controller settings. Overall, the narrative behind Rockstar Games’s Red Dead Redemption will be remembered in history as one of the most advanced video games for its time. Reference List: 1.Rockstar San Diego Official Website – Available from: http://www. rockstargames. com/reddeadredemption/ 2. Ogilvie Red Dead Redemption: All the RAGE – Available from: http://ca. ign. com/articles/2010/01/28/red-dead-redemp tion-all-the-rage Jan 28 2010 3. Schiesel Way Down Deep In the Wild, Wild West – Available from: http://www. nytimes. com/2010/05/17/arts/television/17dead. html? pagewanted=all=0 May 16th 2010 4. GamerSpawn Red Dead Redemption: Soundtrack Behind the Scenes – Available from: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=vEsknPy5rvg July 29th 2010

Irony of Kingship in Edward Ii

Irony of kingship One way to discuss the â€Å"irony of kingship† in Christopher Marlowe’s play Edward II is to focus on the ways in which Edward himself falls short of Renaissance ideals of a good king. Edward, in other words, has inherited the title of monarch, but he often fails to live up to the responsibilities of ruling a monarchy. His personal affection for Gaveston is so great that he often neglects his duties to his other subjects. This kind of neglect is already implied in Gaveston’s opening speech.In that speech, Gaveston begins by reading two sentences from a personal letter he has received from Edward: My father is deceas'd. Come, Gaveston, And share the kingdom with thy dearest friend. No sooner does Edward’s father die, and no sooner does Edward thereby become king, than he is already focusing, ironically, on his own personal desires. The idea that a monarch could â€Å"share† the kingdom with a friend (no matter how â€Å"dear†) would have struck many of Marlowe’s contemporaries as foolish and irresponsible.Gaveston’s reaction – in which he delights in the prospects of being â€Å"the favourite of a king† – already suggests the potentially ironic outcome of Edward’s plan: he hopes to benefit himself by giving too much power to a man who ironically seems primarily interested in his own â€Å"bliss† and â€Å"delight. † Instead of feeling summoned to England as a responsible statesman, Gaveston correctly sees an â€Å"amorous† intention in Edward’s words.Many Elizabethans would have thought that the king now had a responsibility to put his personal affections aside (especially since he was already married) and act in the best interests of the nation. Instead, Edward’s motives seem, ironically, the opposite of those of a king who should be truly devoted to his people. Clearly, Gaveston has no great desire to go to England and encou rage Edward to be a selfless ruler.Instead, Gaveston next mentions his desire to be held in the king’s â€Å"arms. † Speaking of Edward, Gaveston refers to â€Å"The king, upon whose bosom let me lie,† even if doing so means that he will â€Å"be still at enmity† with â€Å"the world† (that is, with others in the kingdom). Gaveston’s desires, like those of Edward, are mainly personal. The crucial difference is that Gaveston is not the king. Edward is, and his subsequent behavior will seem ironic in light of his very important social role.Gaveston assumes that once he has become the personal favorite of the monarch, he will not have to show respect to other important people in the realm: Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers! My knee shall bow to none but to the king. Given the nature of the relationship between Gaveston and Edward, the last line just quoted would have struck many Elizabethans as especially ironic and even shocking. The play’s opening speech already implies that little good can come to the kingdom from the kind of relationship the ambitious â€Å"favourite† desires.Keeping aside the facts of the king’s typical waywardness and unnatural love towards his favourite, we can analyse the issue of kingship from a totally different dimension. He has never been a good king, but if we judge Edward as a human being then definitely we have to say that he is an over emotional, honest, and good hearted person who lacked the political shrudeness and cunning to handle the power-hungry barons who were ready to take the advantage of the immaturity of the young king and desired to snatch his power and money.If Edward would have given a little more time , perhaps he could have prove himself a better king , but Younger Mortimer did not allow such chances and slaughtered the king secretively to suit his purposes. Now the question arises that if a man is not cunning, shrude and tricky is that a vice or virtue? Can we really blame Edward just because he could not conform to the so called notion of being a perfect king? All these questions are very ironical and makes the very issue of kingship all the more complex which keep open multi-dimensional possibilities to interpret the topic as well as the play itself.