Alolan_Apples
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At almost 500 blog entries, I realized that I have used text structure a lot when I blog about Animal Crossing or other video games. Just for a review, here’s what each text structure is about:
The first text structure is the primary one when going over the story of a video game. It can not just list events and describe what happened before, but it can also list a timeline of events. For games with a plot, it lists the events in order. Without a plot (like in Animal Crossing), it can be used to talk about timelines.
It can also be used to describe what you did in a game or how you play it. Wanna talk about what you did to your town in Animal Crossing? Wanna talk about what progress or achievements you made in Animal Crossing for the day? Wanna record the history of your town in Animal Crossing? This is what sequencing is used for.
Some game guides use sequencing to help you on how to play. Say like you have trouble solving some puzzle or going past these “secret stages” in Super Mario Sunshine, you can learn how to get past these parts. The way the guides are written is through sequences.
In regards to list orientation, it can be used in game guides, but it goes over what to do rather than how to do. Like a “to do list”. It can be used to describe parts of a situation in a game (like tips and tricks on getting new PWPs in Animal Crossing).
List-oriented sequencing is also commonly used in game ideas, to describe what your idea includes or what ideas you have. Speaking of that, it can be used to point out the features of an existing game too.
Finally, you can use it to talk about what you did for the day without putting it in order. Or what is your work about (like the town tours in Animal Crossing).
The last text structure is on cause and effect in general. For gaming, it has similarities to sequencing and problem/solution. It is common in gaming guides as it explains what would happen next. It also used in plots. And game experiences (you explain why you make certain decisions).
For multiple games in the series, and updates, the cause and effect structure is similar to problem/solution and comparison/contrast structures. Some changes were made for a reason. Some stuff were left alone for a reason. Some changes have interesting effects on the game.
- Sequencing: The text structure about order. It can be time-oriented (step-by-step) or list-oriented (labeling the parts). It is very popular in talking about how to do stuff, as well as in storytelling.
- Descriptive: The text structure about describing. It goes over details of something, primarily using adjectives. It can be list-oriented, but it uses illustrative phrases (such as “for example”, “case in point”).
- Comparison/Contrast: It’s an extension to descriptive, but it goes over two (or more) items. It basically points out similarities and differences. It’s commonly used to point out differences between books and movies based on the same books.
- Problem/Solution: The text structure about solving problems. It usually doesn’t have clue words, but it does describe a problem, and the way to solve the problem. It can also include new problems created by the solution.
- Cause/Effect: It’s an extension to problem/solution and (maybe) sequencing, but it’s more about describing what happened and why it happened, or what happened and what will happen.
Sequencing and Video Games:
The first text structure is the primary one when going over the story of a video game. It can not just list events and describe what happened before, but it can also list a timeline of events. For games with a plot, it lists the events in order. Without a plot (like in Animal Crossing), it can be used to talk about timelines.
It can also be used to describe what you did in a game or how you play it. Wanna talk about what you did to your town in Animal Crossing? Wanna talk about what progress or achievements you made in Animal Crossing for the day? Wanna record the history of your town in Animal Crossing? This is what sequencing is used for.
Some game guides use sequencing to help you on how to play. Say like you have trouble solving some puzzle or going past these “secret stages” in Super Mario Sunshine, you can learn how to get past these parts. The way the guides are written is through sequences.
In regards to list orientation, it can be used in game guides, but it goes over what to do rather than how to do. Like a “to do list”. It can be used to describe parts of a situation in a game (like tips and tricks on getting new PWPs in Animal Crossing).
List-oriented sequencing is also commonly used in game ideas, to describe what your idea includes or what ideas you have. Speaking of that, it can be used to point out the features of an existing game too.
Finally, you can use it to talk about what you did for the day without putting it in order. Or what is your work about (like the town tours in Animal Crossing).
Descriptive and Video Games:
A key detail to descriptive is adjectives. As I went over list orientation in sequencing, it is also part of descriptive, but descriptive tends to give more vivid details. It can be done to describe what your game ideas are about, what you did and how you did something in a game (like ACNL town tours), and what features the game has.
It also includes your experience with the game and not just how you played the game. Like what was your emotions towards the game (like how hard the Water Temple is in Ocarina of Time or how you don’t care about shiny Pokémon).
It is a common text structure in reviews too. If you were reviewing a game, you can describe the strengths and weaknesses, your rating and why you give it, and any other details you want to put into your review.
Comparison/Contrast and Video Games:
Easily my favorite text structure to use, but it’s the least used text structure in video game blogs and guides. It’s not much used to compare two different features or two different parts of the game, but it can be used to describe the series as a whole or different experiences with the same game.
The most it can do is compare between two different games, three different games, or games before and after the update. Between two games, it can go over what features the first game that the second game didn’t have, what features the second game had that the first game didn’t have, what features were changed, and both games had in common. For more than two games, you can talk about what unique features each game has, what some games have in common that others don’t have, and what all games have in common. For updates, it can talk about what has changed and what has stayed the same.
My Rating the Changes entries, they are completely centered on comparison/contrast structure, with the addition of statistics (which is math).
Problem/Solution and Video Games:
The primary text structure for game ideas of games you don’t make is problem/solution. Game ideas are not just descriptive. They are mainly problem/solution, where a weakness is a problem, and an idea or suggestion about that weakness is a solution. When I write my game ideas, I discuss the problems, frustrations, or other things I don’t like, as that’s why I suggest the idea, which is the solution. Want a new 3D Mario in the vein of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine? Getting tired of animals moving in front of your house or on your gardens? Want the Ice Type to be a better Pokémon type defensively? There’s where you come up with solutions.
It can also be used to describe the history of a video game series. Ever wanna know why the Fairy Type in Pokémon is added yet? The problem is the lack of use of Poison and Steel moves, and the over-abundance of Dragon Pokémon in VGC tournaments. Wanna know why newer games are easier? The problem is that older games are too hard.
In regards to talking about new problems created by solutions, this is worth talking about when comparing new games to old games, reviewing games, and talking about your experience with the game. Some changes are bad changes, and some changes are good changes with unexpected drawbacks. Games getting easier is one of them. An Animal Crossing example is that money making was a chore, so they made it easier by adding more ways. This has damaged the game’s virtual economy, and this is why it’s hard to make TBT Bells through in-game items and Bells.
Cause/Effect and Video Games:
A key detail to descriptive is adjectives. As I went over list orientation in sequencing, it is also part of descriptive, but descriptive tends to give more vivid details. It can be done to describe what your game ideas are about, what you did and how you did something in a game (like ACNL town tours), and what features the game has.
It also includes your experience with the game and not just how you played the game. Like what was your emotions towards the game (like how hard the Water Temple is in Ocarina of Time or how you don’t care about shiny Pokémon).
It is a common text structure in reviews too. If you were reviewing a game, you can describe the strengths and weaknesses, your rating and why you give it, and any other details you want to put into your review.
Comparison/Contrast and Video Games:
Easily my favorite text structure to use, but it’s the least used text structure in video game blogs and guides. It’s not much used to compare two different features or two different parts of the game, but it can be used to describe the series as a whole or different experiences with the same game.
The most it can do is compare between two different games, three different games, or games before and after the update. Between two games, it can go over what features the first game that the second game didn’t have, what features the second game had that the first game didn’t have, what features were changed, and both games had in common. For more than two games, you can talk about what unique features each game has, what some games have in common that others don’t have, and what all games have in common. For updates, it can talk about what has changed and what has stayed the same.
My Rating the Changes entries, they are completely centered on comparison/contrast structure, with the addition of statistics (which is math).
Problem/Solution and Video Games:
The primary text structure for game ideas of games you don’t make is problem/solution. Game ideas are not just descriptive. They are mainly problem/solution, where a weakness is a problem, and an idea or suggestion about that weakness is a solution. When I write my game ideas, I discuss the problems, frustrations, or other things I don’t like, as that’s why I suggest the idea, which is the solution. Want a new 3D Mario in the vein of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine? Getting tired of animals moving in front of your house or on your gardens? Want the Ice Type to be a better Pokémon type defensively? There’s where you come up with solutions.
It can also be used to describe the history of a video game series. Ever wanna know why the Fairy Type in Pokémon is added yet? The problem is the lack of use of Poison and Steel moves, and the over-abundance of Dragon Pokémon in VGC tournaments. Wanna know why newer games are easier? The problem is that older games are too hard.
In regards to talking about new problems created by solutions, this is worth talking about when comparing new games to old games, reviewing games, and talking about your experience with the game. Some changes are bad changes, and some changes are good changes with unexpected drawbacks. Games getting easier is one of them. An Animal Crossing example is that money making was a chore, so they made it easier by adding more ways. This has damaged the game’s virtual economy, and this is why it’s hard to make TBT Bells through in-game items and Bells.
Cause/Effect and Video Games:
The last text structure is on cause and effect in general. For gaming, it has similarities to sequencing and problem/solution. It is common in gaming guides as it explains what would happen next. It also used in plots. And game experiences (you explain why you make certain decisions).
For multiple games in the series, and updates, the cause and effect structure is similar to problem/solution and comparison/contrast structures. Some changes were made for a reason. Some stuff were left alone for a reason. Some changes have interesting effects on the game.
