Tania Dales
Interactive Media research student and self taught indie video game developer.
Activity
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Tania Dales replied to Suzanne Conboy-Hill
Excellent news! I am glad you enjoyed the section and have been able to progress your own interests and endeavours in AR further
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Yes, I have previously mentioned how algorithms often become very confused by my watching patterns. I worry that if algorithms become more prevalent, I would be missing out on so much content I would enjoy because of how diverse and sporadic my viewing is.
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I love the concept of an aquatic avatar exploring the ocean. I would find it a bit terrifying, having done a VR underwater experience before, but I did find it really invigorating too.
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Tania Dales replied to Suzanne Conboy-Hill
I love the idea of virtual reality conferences, I haven't attended one myself but became aware of their existence of them earlier this year. It seems like an interesting way to encourage a more immersive remote experience.
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Tania Dales replied to Libby R
On-set experience is great, and there are many transferable skills from actor to runner.
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This is a good point Tamsin, and something I hadn't previously considered. When I was a teenager I remember finding some subtitled films, Cronos, Devil's Backbone, The Eye and another couple which I don't remember. I quickly realised how much I loved the media being produced in different countries and frequently sought out new DVDs.
These days, I don't have... -
Hi Muhammad, I have looked into your question and believe you may find Creative Train useful for your teaching and training requirements.
They do run some online training courses, so I think it would be worth you checking out their webpage: https://creativetrain.co.uk/. If you reach out to them via the contact section of the webpage too, I am sure someone... -
Tania Dales replied to Haseeb Nasim
Hi Haseeb, welcome to the course. It's great to have you here and I hope this course helps you gain the insight you are hoping to gain into the screen industries.
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Yes I love games that have direct player input and impact. I'm a fan of RPGs which have a choice directed narrative, like the Witcher and Mass Affect. It's a really interesting way of encouraging immersion I think.
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Great examples of each structure :)
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Tania Dales replied to Libby R
Yes, those are all very important skills for industry work. Tenacity and a can do attitude are also key for entry level roles like runners. When speaking with an industry professional who runs training courses in how to apply for jobs in the industry, he mentioned that attitude is a huge part of getting noticed and moving up.
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It is definitely an upsetting realisation, and it can be disheartening. I do think there is something to be said about the exposure of these offences, although disheartening, being a partial step forwards too. The more that these instances and attitudes are brought to light, the more normalised it will hopefully become for victims to step forwards and feel...
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Tania Dales replied to Libby R
I find myself being more attracted to games than TV for downtime too. I do enjoy watching TV and watch a fair amount of it, but I find the interactivity of games to allow me to relax consciously more than watching TV allows.
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Hi Muhammad, this is a really good question and I will look into that for you. I'll get back to you with the answer.
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Tania Dales replied to Alishma Iqbal
Hi Alishma, welcome to the course. It's great to have you studying with us here and I hope you gain the knowledge you are looking for :)
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Tania Dales replied to Faiza Meer
Hi Faiza, welcome to the course. It's great to hear your aspirations of studying a screenwriting masters. I hope you find the course helps you continue your studies into the screen industries, and I hope you enjoy it!
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Tania Dales replied to Libby R
That's a good point and I agree with you as a reader and a writer. The protagonist is often key in accompanying the reader through the story so their characteristics hold a lot of sway over the commitment of the reader.
It's tricky to find that balance between realistically flawed and unrealistically perfect. -
Tania Dales replied to Julia Thompson
Hi Julia, welcome to the course. It's great you are interested in storytelling and media, I hope you find the content regarding stories interesting and helpful in your studies.
Your project sounds interesting! -
Tania Dales replied to Libby R
Hi Libby, welcome to the course! It's great that you are in the area, you may be particularly interested in the opportunities that are available in the Yorkshire and Humber area for those looking to get into the screen industries. There is information listed further down the course.
I hope you enjoy the course content and find it informative, and good luck... -
Hi Muhammad, thank you for joining us on the course! It's great that you have found the course useful and wonderful news that you have your students here too to work through the content.
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Tania Dales replied to Shaherzaad Laila
Hi Shaherzaad, welcome to the course. It's great that you are using this to supplement your current studies in media, I hope this course enables you to develop your studies further :)
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Tania Dales replied to Faiza Meer
Hi Faiza, good to have you here with us. I hope you enjoy the course :)
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It's great to see that representations of sexuality in media are becoming more realistic. Often sexuality can be represented in a more fantasy-based manner, and the character can seem to exist for their sexuality rather than it being an aspect of their character development.
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Tania Dales replied to Tamsin Fraser
Hi Tamsin, great to hear you are interested in studying at the University of York. This futurelearn course should act as a good introduction to some of the subjects and modules available on the production course. Any questions, give us a shout :)
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Tania Dales replied to Maarten de Nijs
Hi Maarten, welcome to the course, I hope you enjoy the content available for you here :)
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Tania Dales replied to Sue Cook
Thank you for flagging this up for us, I will look into getting this corrected.
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Tania Dales replied to Sophie D
It's interesting that you mention the use of colours to highlight features. This is something I have actually taken for granted and hadn't noticed, yet now you mention it I can see how much easier the use of colour and aesthetics make the absorption of information.
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Tania Dales replied to Prakriti Khadka
Hi Prakriti, I hope you enjoy the content and learning about the screen industries with us.
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Tania Dales replied to Shannon Renney
Hi Shannon, great to have you here with us and I hope this course gives you a good head start in your studies :)
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That is unfortunate, apologies that you have been unable to access this particular activity. I will make a note that it isn't accessible for handheld devices.
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Sandbox games are good for a similar experience to how you have described Second Life here.
There are a few which have no violent elements to them, such as the creative mode in Minecraft. There are others such as Stardew Valley which have really nice narratives you can follow with the characters, but there are some monsters in the mines.
Farming simulators... -
This sounds like a really interesting concept for an interactive story.
It's particularly interesting that the narrative is driven through the internal dialogue of your character, it would allow the reader to develop an intimately immersive experience. I often find that when I play games or read books that are driven by the sole internal narrative of the... -
Tania Dales replied to Suzanne Conboy-Hill
I haven't come across Artivive, it sounds like an interesting software. I haven't looked too much into AR mobile apps but it's something I have been meaning to check out.
Your work sounds really interesting, and I like the intention of bringing art into a more accessible and relatable environment. -
Tania Dales replied to Suzanne Conboy-Hill
Oh yeah, I think you might be right, they were both HBO anyway.
I loved the way the music and visuals worked together too, especially the piano playing in Westworld's intro. -
Yes I have been following this recently on social media, it is shocking how much people will fight for a fictional (and mythical) character to remain the way they feel it should look.
However, I feel it is extremely important for children's TV and films to be inclusive and diverse. It's important for all children to feel represented by what they are watching... -
I think this is one of the reasons streaming services are so popular now, the freedom that it allows for watching the content you want throughout the day.
Whereas live TV is filtered by age rating throughout the day to protect younger audiences, a streaming service allows you to watch something darker in the daytime if you wish.
I however do not have this... -
I haven't been to the cinema in years now either, I used to enjoy it but I worry that now I may notice the distractions more after viewing from the comfort of my own home.
Gaming, in my opinion, would be any form of immersive and interactive experience which contains gamified elements. Basically, something which includes similar experiences that you would... -
Tania Dales replied to Suzanne Conboy-Hill
Yes, it does seem that as time has gone by useability and accessibility have progressed massively.
I have found the same with PCs, with the option for user maintenance being replaced with maintenance being more ingrained into the operating systems. -
Tania Dales replied to Anhelina Bilous
Hi Anhelina, it's wonderful to have you studying here with us. If you have any questions at all just let us know :)
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That is an interesting point, how production companies in between the corporate and the SME status are less likely to look towards cinema releases. It makes me wonder what the future of cinemas looks like as streaming services become increasingly popular.
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Tania Dales replied to Kendra W
Hi Kendra, good to have you here with us. I hope the information you learn on this course will be useful in your exploration of the screen industries :)
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You might be interested to give games like Journey, and Flow a go. They are calming, no threat and aesthetically stunning. Simple adventure games that are just about exploring movement and your surroundings.
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I haven't seen The Capture, but I would be interested in giving it a go. The female lead sounds like a really interestingly authentic written character.
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It is pretty ridiculous how often expressions of unique interests are met with trolling, people should be able to express their own wants and needs when it comes to media without facing undesirable responses from others.
Female gamers make up a huge portion of the consumer market, yet there does seem to be a bit of a lean into more male interest orientated... -
Tania Dales replied to Thalia S
Yes it is a very 'stripped down to necessities' format, isn't it?
I think that as the web has grown into a more interactive and aesthetic format, as you've mentioned, it's become a bit more accessible.
I wonder how much the available information has changed though, I expect it was a more serious information system in the beginning before evolving into cat... -
It is super tricky to read! I have dyslexia, so I can really glad the format has taken on a more accessible aesthetic. Interesting point about the screen size difference though, I opened it up on my phone to see if it was a little easier to take in the information (my monitor is a 32-inch curved one) and it did make a difference!
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I like that analogy, it's a good way of identifying the differences between the two and the relationship they share.
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Tania Dales replied to Sophie D
Hi Sophie, welcome to the course. That's great! I hope you find the information useful, I am really interested in immersive and interactive theatre which incorporates mixed reality/augmented reality myself.
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Tania Dales replied to Lorelei Hawkins
Hi Lorelei, great to have you learning with us. I hope you find the information regarding careers and opportunities in the industry useful.
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Tania Dales replied to Suzanne Conboy-Hill
I love watching innovative opening credit sequences, I particularly like the opening for Westworld. The opening sequences are often what will fuel my enthusiasm for what I am watching too.
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It's interesting that you use media to fuel your creativity, I often find myself inspired by what I am watching, reading or playing too.
Do you use digital art mediums at all?
And, there are concept artist roles within the industries that are vital in the creation of media, should you be interested :) -
It is infuriating how quickly credits roll by, recognition of who has been working behind the scenes to make something is really important but it sometimes feels like it isn't given enough time for the audience to really take in the names and roles.
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It would be good if there was a way to fairly gain consumer response and feedback in a way that ensures all viewers are heard and taken into account.
Any ideas on how this might be achieved? It's tricky, because viewers' needs and viewing patterns are so diverse and this should definitely be taken into account. -
It does seem as if streaming services are becoming the new norm, I don't know many people that use live TV and those that do often have a hybrid relationship with their entertainment providers and use Netflix or another service to supplement the live TV they follow.
There does seem to be a rise in consumer feedback regarding the entertainment they want,... -
This is an interesting point and one I had an unforeseen issue with recently. I decided to get a Sky Glass TV package (pay monthly for a TV basically), my son had accidentally broken the screen of our TV and at the time I couldn't afford a replacement so it seemed like a good plan.
The Sky TV runs on the internet though, which meant that when Sky had issues... -
I find algorithms in entertainment problematic too, I have an extremely diverse taste in the media I consume and I often find the suggested watching to be based around two or three programmes.
I have to search for new things to watch rather than trust the suggested listings, and I actually find the search engines in the streaming services to be flawed and... -
Great to have you Prakriti, hope you enjoy the journey and course content :)
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Tania Dales replied to Marina Morais
I completely agree with you Marina, diversity always enriches experience - and you don't sound like a grandpa for saying so :).
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Tania Dales replied to Joshua Eadie
Hi Josh,
Glad to have you here, I hope you enjoy the learning material.
Out of interest, what was the open university commercial for? -
Hi Anastasia,
Welcome to the course, I hope you find the content useful for your aspirations, in particular the storytelling and VR sections :) -
Tania Dales replied to Lia Samaniego
Hi Panama,
Glad to have you here, what are you studying for your masters currently and what style of writing do you enjoy? -
Hello Munachimso,
The course is live and ready for you to engage with the material in your own time and at your own pace.
Educators are here to help you up until the end of today and then we will no longer be available but the course shall remain here for you to continue to work through in 'self-directed' mode.
Hope this helps! -
You pose an interesting question here Kenneth, one which is always in the back of my mind when approaching my own research. I explore the potential of technology to provoke raw human emotion, mainly the uncanny.
I am currently looking into the relationships between robots and humans, and the evolution of AI, which often has me feeling uncomfortable and... -
It's funny you mention smell-o-vision, as I recently came across this article/advertisement of a scent generator that supposedly allows viewers to smell as they see. [https://www.olorama.com/smell-o-vision] - bear in mind this is written by the company that sells the technology
Smell-o-vision is something that inventors have been trying to accomplish since... -
It's funny that you mention the teleportation aspect, I did actually get a headset a couple of years ago to try out and I found that some experiences were easier to handle for longer than others.
There was one which was a Sci-Fi planet exploration, it was brilliant but very disorientating because of the 'hopping to' style of movement. I found I had pain in... -
Unfortunately, there is a percentage of people who get motion sickness when using the VR headset technology (myself included).
Apparently, there are ways to combat this, I haven't tried them personally. -
Tania Dales replied to Nicholas Tavender
Hi Nicholas, yes I agree, CV's should definitely be tailored for the role you are applying for.
Some advice I have on this, as someone who applies for educational and industry roles in multiple different disciplines, make a folder of multiple CV's.
For example, I have a CV that emphasizes my game development experience, this one is very different from the... -
Tania Dales replied to Eleanor Ness
I was thinking about your idea again Eleanor and some more examples from a different genre came to mind.
Point-and-click games would be a good one to consider for your narrative, I was first introduced to them by my dad who had the 'Titanic: Adventure out of Time' PC game where you take on the role of a british secret agent on board the Titanic.
My mum also... -
I haven't seen the live-action 101 Dalmations, and I don't believe it's indicated in the animated version, but considering the Batman and Cruella comparison, I'd be interested to know Cruella's social background.
I often find myself wondering who Bruce Wayne might have become if he didn't have the 'Wayne' attachment, would the writer's have given him the 'no... -
Tania Dales made a comment
It is wonderful to see so much support and feedback here for your fellow learners, excellent - keep up the good work guys :)
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It is easy to compare our creative work to what others have written and to see fault in our work as a result of this, but you should value your own voice too and try not to compare it negatively against other work (easier said than done I know!).
I am a creative writer myself, and have dyslexia and imposter syndrome, so when I studied the Creative Writing... -
Tania Dales replied to Tania Dales
@CarolineM I haven't used Canva before, but I really liked the visual contrast of the cartoon-style characters against the photorealistic background, the colors set against each other were great too.
I also enjoyed the tension build and twist of the narrative itself.
Have you used video storytelling before, or is this a new storytelling mode you tried out... -
Tania Dales replied to Michael Stanford
I can resonate with this, I am a fiction writer who really really struggles to sit down and write. I have tons of google docs with ideas, skeletons of stories, and unfinished work.
Every time I sit down to work on an idea I have had, another one comes into my head and I become disinterested with the original idea, perhaps I am just relentlessly flippant but... -
Ah yes, scale is something that plays a big part in the development process, but I am glad you pushed through and got there with it.
Trial and error is a huge part of the creative process, when I first worked through GDevelop I couldn't work out how to stop my character from spawning in the air and dying once I hit the play button. Took me a few goes to work... -
Tania Dales replied to Mark Hildred
Thank you for sharing this, I will definitely be checking it out.
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I completely agree, I was also surprised to see no entries for Sound and Audio but I find it super interesting that it's the storyline and character development entry that is the most popular as it's the narrative element of a game, rather than an interactive one!
Yes, there is a lot more interaction between the different elements in a development setting,... -
Tania Dales made a comment
Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know I'd read (and watched) all entries on the Padlet so far - some excellent work!
Thank you for sharing these with us, I hope you enjoyed the process.
How did everyone find it? -
Tania Dales replied to Nicholas Tavender
Not a problem regarding length Nicholas, thank you for sharing with us. I look forward to reading it through.
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Tania Dales replied to Mark Salter
Thank you Mark. I look forward to reading this.
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Tania Dales replied to Lebuang Mokhele
Lovely idea!
Do you have an idea of what genre you'd set this in? There's a couple which this plotline would work in that come to my mind :) -
Tania Dales replied to Adrian Brewster
This is an interesting concept, I'd like to see how you'd approach this :)
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Tania Dales replied to Lebuang Mokhele
Thank you for you reply Lebuang, these are certainly avenues to explore. Do you have any suggestions on how to approach any of these? :)
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Tania Dales replied to Michael Stanford
Thank you for your honest and thought out response, Michael.
The point of this section was to provoke deep thought, and I'm happy to hear this has been the case.
Class, and social status is also something which does have an impact on equality in industries also, your gender and ethnicity doesn't always come into it. For example, mental health can also... -
Hi Charlie, glad to hear you are looking forward to studying with us.
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Tania Dales replied to Eleanor Ness
Oh excellent! Thank you for letting us know. I shall see if there's a catch up somewhere.
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I'm glad you enjoyed the task, is there anything in particular you struggled with that I can give some advice about? :)
It took me a few go throughs to end up with an end product, and then to create a tutorial for it. -
Tania Dales replied to Kenneth C
Padlet states that intellectual property is owned by the person posting, hope this clears it up for you :)
https://legal.padlet.com/terms -
Tania Dales replied to Denis E
That is indeed dripping with underlying dark contextual background, I'd be interested to read more :)
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Tania Dales replied to Laura Deni
This is great, and I too love the idea of telling this in a classroom as it has the potential to open up a really interesting, and important, dialogue.
I too would love the outcome to be the second boy, in my mind it is the second boy who wins :) -
Tania Dales replied to Kenneth C
Good question, leave this with me a minute and I will look into that for you.
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Tania Dales replied to Eleanor Ness
This sounds like something I would enjoy, I am quickly running out of procedural and investigative series to watch in the evenings!
Looking forward to reading your work :) -
Tania Dales replied to Tutku Tuzuner
Stories really do hold incredible potential, they have the capability to inspire, provoke and prompt change.
I look forward to reading your story when you are ready to share it. -
Tania Dales replied to Kenneth C
I am looking forward to reading this, thank you in advance for sharing your personal story with us.
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Tania Dales replied to Charles Robinson
Shouldn't be a problem, looking forward to reading it :)
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Tania Dales replied to [Learner left FutureLearn]
I hope you are enjoying it so far :)
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Tania Dales replied to Kenneth C
It's great that you are both excited by the power of storytelling, it's something that really interests me too!
I am always fascinated by the journey literature takes from pages to screen, regardless of whether the outcome is popular or not, it's still something which I enjoy :) -
It is the case that endings in video games are predetermined, however, there is an element to RPG (role-playing games) which often allows a multiple endings to the game depending on the choices the player makes. Such as Witcher 3, there are 3 endings and the ending is very much linked to the player's gameplay.
Walking simulators sometimes offer a multiple... -
Tania Dales replied to Eleanor Ness
One of the aspects of video games that interests me is the different formats they can come in.
Creative non-combative games (the creative mode on Minecraft) can be really beneficial for educational purposes and engaging for students. I've recently taken a break from the horror games which centered my MRes research and have been exploring creative games with... -
Tania Dales replied to Eleanor Ness
I haven't played Shape of the World, but it looks lovely.
It's interesting because rather than choices that impact the story, it's the aesthetics that adapt and alter from the influence of the player.
It also has similar characteristics to sandbox games, which are games that allow the player to manipulate and mold the digital space (Minecraft). -
Tania Dales replied to Michelle G
This looks great! Thank you for posting about this, I will be having a look later this week.
I remember having different forms of interactive storytelling games in my I.T lessons at secondary school, I actually revisited one when researching for this article!
