Welcome-Orientation

Welcome to this educational Color Theory blog. You are currently reading the last post; please move your cursor to the right, select the folder labeled "May" for May posts, and then navigate/scroll down to the first post entitled "Thesis." The blog reads from the Thesis to the end here. Enjoy your stay.

-Brian Shafer

Color Associations Examination 2

Game Examined: Monster Hunter Freedom 2.

Color Associations/uses examined: Food, Tactility, Sound.

Please note: The camera's reproduction of the images from a LCD PSP screen has created a loss of chroma and color accuracy.

Monster Hunter 2 is a portable game played on a small PSP screen. Color is important in games such as these because due to portable gaming platforms being less capable of big details, color serves as an immediate indicator of things; color is used to associate the player with familiar objects, such as food for example.

Green and Yellow are used in this case by the game developers to indicate the presence of healthy, natural, earth grown foods. These colors are used in the game to mark gardens, select shrubs, and similar spots of edible vegetation.

Red and Orange are used in the game to indicate meats and other fleshy foods (depicted in the image above).

Blue and violet are used in MH2 to attract players to edible fungi such as mushroom and other quaint delectables.



Sound: The loudness of a color, as stated before, depends on its chroma.



Tactility: Monster Hunter 2 has a myriad of landscapes and an assortment of varied tactile surroundings.



In the image above, the low chroma rocks may seemed solid but the vibrant high chroma red, orange, and yellow colors of the lava flow speak otherwise. Unstable, melting hot to the touch, and bubbling, the environment that the video game developers created is not a place that you might want to bathe in.

Playing it safe with earthen colors, Monster Hunter 2 uses green for grass in most landscapes and for textures of growth. Blue and violet are used to depict cold, crunchy snowbanks and brittle environments, with blue being used again for crisp, airy skies.

Symbolic Color cont. 3

Lastly, the main character Jeanne D'Arc and the colors chosen for her appearance is symbolic as well. Yellow is spiritual color, this color helms the character's head due to it being used for her hair. Her eyes are also used as a symbolism of religion. Blue is heavenly and a symbol of faith; intentional or not, the game game developers created the perfect color scheme symbolically when creating their version of their god's messenger.

Symbolic Color cont. 2

Of important note is the game's power/magic hierarchy system. What appears to be a simple triangle of color/symbols is, on the contrary, a very complex and highly symbolic representation of religion. The image above is not only the games magic system but rather is also an order and depiction of spiritual rank. At the bottom left of the shown pyramid is a green star. The natural, earthen green reinforces the symbolism of the star shown. The green star is symbolically Earth. Above Earth, (determined by following the arrow to right of the green star) is a blue moon. The color blue symbolically reinforces the astral and celestial placement of the moon. The blue moon is symbolically Heaven. Following the arrow higher than Heaven, the yellow sun is reached at the head of the hierarchy pyramid. Yellow is spiritual, the color of truth, and the color is a reinforcement of the radiant sun. The yellow sun is God.

Symbolic Color cont. 1

Orange is loud, boisterous, and symbolically courageous. The game uses orange symbolically for the personality of the lion warrior La Hire. Orange is pinned between the color red, the color of fire, and yellow, the color of the sun; for La Hire it retains much of both symbolic attributes as it meshes power in with radiance.

Symbolic Color cont.

The game repeats these symbolic spoilers. Enter Gilles De Rais. Before the player learns anything about this character his hair color and attire alone imply what social rank he is of; (See image above) violet is the symbolic color of royalty and the game developers waste no time in silently conveying that their creation is nobility indeed.

However, there are other symbolic uses for violet than as a simple social status/hierarchy marker.

There should be no surprise based off of the past analysis of the game developer's use of violet as a symbol of royalty that the pale fellow in the image above is also nobility. The Duke of Bedford in the game Jeanne D'Arc does stretch the symbolism of violet a bit further however. Violet is a color of mystery, secrets, and the occult. The duke above is the game's main villain, one who uses witchcraft as his main mode of assault.

This stretch away from violet as a symbolism for nobility is extremely short lived. The game is heavily reliant on this indicator. There is even a violet frog in the game, which eventually at the end of the story, it is revealed that the frog is actually the "real" Henry VI, true royalty, who was turned into the squat amphibian by the violet clad Duke of Bedford.

Symbolic Color

Symbolic Color is when color is used to symbolize or represent an idea, concept, topic, or thing. The following posts will examine how symbolic color was used in the video game Jeanne D'Arc, a strategic fantasy parody of the legend Joan of Arc.

Symbolism can be used to strengthen contrast and the battle system within Jeanne D'Arc does just that. Blue is an airy color, a sky color, one that is associated with the heavens and astral workings. It is a peaceful, soft color that symbolizes purity. In the left white oval in the image above, Jeanne D'Arc's HP (life essence) is shown. The game developers used for their parody of the legendary "messenger of god" a sky blue; this color symbolically links her life force to the heavens. Directing one's attention to the far right, a Dark Elf's (the opponent of Jeanne D'Arc) life force is shown. The video game developers chose in this case the color red, symbolically linked to evil, blood, and sin. The contrast of the game's symbolism is quite clear when examined; based off of color alone it can be determined that Jeanne D'Arc is good and the Dark Elf is bad.

The game repeats this red=evil symbolism, even with the main characters. Roger, a pivotal character in the game is shown wearing red at all times; in this case red is a subliminal symbolic indication of his personality. Although he is a "good" character for most of the game, Roger eventually, uncontrollably due to a demon trapped within him, turns evil, becomes driven by hate, and enters into the role of a martyr, attempting to suffer for a cause.

Color Associations - Landscape-Tactility

Landscapes/Tactility: Colors such as green and yellow (sometimes orange) and blue can be used to create earthen landscapes such as forests, deserts, quarries, and other natural settings. Examining the image above you can see evidence of these colors (yellow and blue are very low in chroma however) and how the game developer's used this palette for an earthen setting. The colors also affect the tactile nature of the ground. Green emulates the soft nature of earth/growth, yellow shows the delicate swell of warm foliage, and blue projects the solid cold weight of stone. Blue and violet are also used naturally for skies and clouded areas.

The image above uses blue and green, two cold colors to convey a frozen landscape. Blue is used tactily for water/ice, and green is used for an organic/gaseous texture. The video game developers push the visual association of a cold environment by using visually cold colors.

These cold colors affect tactility in interesting ways. Blue is a color that is visually associated with water, the sky, and ice; a liquid, a gas, and a solid. To this extent, cold colors such as blue can be used accordingly to manipulate the environment to the game developer's needs. (The image above uses blue to convey a fragile solid.)

Naturally, warm environments imply warm colors. Red, orange, and yellow are utilized in Soul Caliber IV to emulate fiery lava and molten rock. These blazing colors, when visually read together, affect tactility. They bleed into one another creating a liquid, melting effect which can be used in video games to suggest instability in the surrounding environment.

Color Associations - Sound

Color Associations can be linked to Sound (loud or muted colors), Environments/Landscapes, and Tactility (surface texture). In the following posts, these associations will be examined in the game Soul Caliber IV.

Sound: Any color has the potential to be loud, whether the color is cold or warm, the potential exists. The cause of a color's loudness is simply this: chroma (intensity of the color). If a color is more chromatic than another color, it will appear to be louder than the less intense color. For example, yellow can be naturally louder, more chromatic, than violet. However, if a loud color were to have its chroma lowered (by turning it into a shade, tone, or tint of that original color for example) a color that originally has less chroma than the tainted color could become louder than the result of the change. For example, natural violet could become louder than a shade of yellow since the yellow would have considerably lost a great deal of its original chroma/intensity becoming a shade. Note that in the image above, yellow and orange are extremely loud colors, and less chromatic colors are not as noticeable as the yellow, orange, and red flashes. One might think that warm colors are louder than cool colors; this speculation is wrong...

Examining the image above the burst of cool blue overpowers the patches of red in the image. Clearly the explosion of the cool color is louder than the warm color. The reason for this, as stated before is Chroma. Whichever color is the most intense will be loudest when placed side by side.

Conceptual Dimension of Color cont. 4

Blue- Blue is a soothing, intellectual, enlightening color. Associated with wisdom and knowledge, the color has many conceptual uses. In the game examined (Morrowind), blue is the dedicated color for the Keeper of the Museum of Oddities. Knowledge is the conceptual path chosen for this color in this scenario. The game developers further link this conceptual use of the color blue to other wise Orders within the game.

The Order of Heretics within Morrowind (shown above), who rebel against the oppression of the game's Mad King/God and seek to create a new realm that isn't ruled by madness, use the color blue as their order's official color. In this facet, blue is conceptually used for enlightenment, as an emotional indicator of peace and hope.

Conceptual Dimension of Color cont. 3

Yellow- Yellow is a warm, exuberant, and cozy color. Conceptually it can be linked to many comforting things: sunlight, flowers, gold/wealth, and fire. The emotions that these things dredge up in one's consciousness can be extended to video games and conceptually used in their settings. In the image above, a cold, secluded, night-time environment is depicted, conceptually barren and sparse. Countering this isolated cool space, game developers chose to place a lamp above an open, welcoming tavern (circled in white), a lamp which radiates a warm yellow glow. The placement of the conceptually placed color guides the players off the dark street and toward the populated area, the tavern, lead by the conceptual warmth and comfort or the color yellow.

Conceptual Dimension of Color cont. 2

Orange- Orange is a bright, vibrant, warm color which can be conceptually linked to being emotionally jubilant, flamboyant, and lively. In the image above, game developers chose to use orange as a stimulus to offset the cold stone walls of a castle within the game. Although the long halls are mostly dark and solely lit by few fire basins, developers chose to use the warm sun-like color to stretch the luminance of the small fire.

Conceptual Dimension of Color cont. 1

Violet- Violet is a color used to pronounce mystery, assert the regality of nobility, convey richness-either monetary or mental, and is also associated with the occult. In the image above, violet is the official color of the game's Mad King's attire; in this case developers clearly utilize it for the concept of royalty.

In the image above, the game uses violet for a priceless (using in-game currency) mystical device, linking its conceptual use to witchcraft and the occult. The sorcerer who it belongs to, just so happens, by the game developer's conceptual whim, to be clad in mystical, mysterious violet as well.

Conceptual Dimension of Color cont.

Green- Green can be a comforting color, representing health, nature, and growth, but there are alternate conceptual uses for the color green in video games as well. "You're looking a little green," is a common term used by people in response to sickness and in the game that was examined, similar negative conceptual uses for the color green were found. Green is prevalent in toxic swamp regions in the game. Green in the dedicated color of poison and paralysis spells in the game (shown and circled in white above). Green is the color worn by some characters who are driven by greed or are, in some instances, mad. The image below depicts the attire of a character who lives in the City of Madness; note that the entire outfit, from boots to bracers, originates from the color green.

Conceptual Dimension of Color

Color can be used conceptually in video games due to the emotional response generated by a colors presence. In the following posts, color choices in games will be analyzed in terms of conceptual uses. (The game examined for the Conceptual Dimension of Color was Morrowind; The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion)

Red- Red is a passionate color; if enough white is added it becomes a feminine pink, and if enough black is added it becomes a blood-like crimson. It is both a male and female color and can represent love, romance, royalty, and power. In the image shown above, game designers chose to make the bedspread of this particular bed red as opposed to more muted colors which are common in other houses and on other beds in the game. Not so surprising then is it to find that the virtual character that the house belongs to is programmed to flirt with game player. In this conceptual situation, love and passion are the driving role of this color choice. (Also note the harmony generated in the image above, due to the complimentary color scheme chosen by the game developers)

In the image above, red is used to symbolize power. The seats shown are chairs, reserved in the game-world's imperial palace, for royal and politically affluent characters.

Further reinforcement to the conceptual use of red for power and royalty, in another country in the game world, red is also used in a royal setting; for the royal table of that kingdom's castle and also cushions the head of the table, the seat of power.

Physiological Color Cont. 4

Orange- Orange is between the two primary colors yellow and red on the color wheel; two loud, highly chromatic colors. Orange is interesting, bright, and evokes a response similar to its attention getting and cautionary cousins red and yellow. In the game evaluated, orange shows up only a handful of times, and when it does it is for the purpose of furthering the plot or action. In the image above, orange is used in the game for a type of plant behind the fashioning of a deadly virus (Relevancy: stopping the virus is the purpose of the game). The color, set against its low chroma surroundings, pops out visually, and draws the player's attention. The limited occurrence of this color in the game assures that when it is seen, it is visually striking and stimulating. When the color is shown at critical storyline points in the game, the game gets progressively harder; eventually the sight of orange or the orange plant itself, prepares the player for changes in the games difficulty. The color's close proximity to red and yellow allows the color to be used as a physiological device to build tension for the gamer. Of further note, detrimental events, such as explosions in the game are orange as well.

Orange also appears upon the video game's cover (shown above), blended in with the colors red and yellow. The image reads well due to the shift from red to orange to yellow, and embodies all three physiological reactions for marketing. The red stops you in the store and raises your heartbeat, the yellow prepares the consumer/game player for action, and the orange subtly builds up tension. If you mentally edit out the text on the cover, you'll note that half of the image is strictly color, the other half contains content. Even the text itself contains color, primarily red and orange. Bright physiologically stimulating colors can speak louder than words.

Physiological Color Cont. 3

Please Note: The closest white oval (blue and violet) marks the visual contrast of the further back white oval (red).

Blue and Violet: Blue and violet are intellectually stimulating colors. They are soft and not as abrasively active as red or yellow. In the game that was examined, the presence of blue and violet is rare, and when they are present, they are usually together, as beacon that glows softly above an in-game reward such as gold, jewels, or similar treasure. Blue and violet in the game examined are used as concentration devices, appearing only after a player has defeated an enemy or surmounted a difficult task. The color serves as a rejuvenating mental reward that subconsciously is meant to Guinea pig the player into pressing through the next level, fighting the next hoard of grisly enemies, picking up red flashing ammo and constantly green health, so that maybe, just maybe, some blue and violet illuminated treasure may be waiting at the end of the run. Which of course it will, since, in this case, the developers are using it for such a motivation. At some moments the game just gives you a reward when you reach the end of the level; it'll be there waiting for you in a prestine glowing blue and violet box, conveniently right before the game asks you if you wish to proceed to the next level. In this game these two colors serve as a concentration ploy and a means of mental manipulation.

Physiological Color Cont. 2

Green- Green is a "feel good" color. It produces a state of calm in a player as it is very earthen and can be mentally linked to growth and nature. Green in video games, in many cases, is the color of life. When a player sees green, the physiological change can be less threatening or demanding than other vibrant colors. There is less cause to panic or stay on high alert when green is introduced to the visual field and the effect is calming as well as reassuring. In the image above, green is used for an herb, an item used to restore one's health/life circle/meter. It's presence can relieve and calm, for example, a player whose health may be flashing dire red or cautionary yellow. Of further note, when a player's health is full, in the game that was examined, the color of the health circle is a solid, reassuring green. The bulletproof vests and melee vests, which offer protection in the game, are green as well. The color serves to calm and reassure players that they are safe.

Physiological Color Cont.

Yellow- Yellow acts as warning, widely accepted as a cautionary color. In the image above, previously shown for red's ability to create tension and demand immediate action, we will now examine the second prevalent color in this image, yellow (The presence of it is indicated by the lowest white arrow). While in the game red is acting as a dire indication of one character's proximity to peril, the second health/life circle is yellow, indicating that another character's health is near the red/dying zone as well, serving as a warning that the end is nigh. Yellow can make one anxious and undo a person's state of calm. When this color appears on the screen, the player tends to stop taking risks or rather seeks shelter at the color's cautionary note. Yellow is a warning that serves as a median to calm and restlessness.

Physiological Aspect of Color

Please note: Images may substantially suffer a drop in chroma due to the camera's image reproduction process involved in capturing an image from a lit LCD screen. If a loss occurs, the author of the following posts will state whether or not the original image was high or low in chroma.

Note: The game examined for all of the Physiological Aspect of Color posts will be Resident Evil 5 (XBox 360 version).



Color in video games can be used to affect a people physiologically; in this regard color can elicit a physical response from people, one that is produced by its mere presence, use, and intensity. In the following examination of color, images from games will be brought up and examined in terms of the physiological effects that may have been intended by the game developers to produce a stimulating and interacting game experience for the targeted players.

(The image above has suffered a loss of chroma, the red in the image was originally quite high in chroma)

Red- Red is a vibrant color which can be startling and intense. The color is visible throughout daily life constantly, from stop signs to sports cars, red is an attention getter. Red can be used in video games for this exact purpose; to grab one's attention. Red can physiologically effect a player in terms of quickening their heartbeat and raising blood pressure. The color is meant to put a player on edge and single out their attention. In the image above, the color red is used as a vertical pulsing beacon for a box of ammunition. On the scale of other objects present or actions occurring within the game, although the box may be small and easy to miss amidst game play, the pulsing red is visible from afar, even if the object emitting the beacon is not. Red is what you see far before you know what you are seeing. It stops you, creates a physiological change, and redirects your attention.

Of further note, the area in the image above (indicated by white arrows) reinforces the use of red as an attention grabber as well as a cause for physiological response. The character in the image above has been shot, and as a result the circle of his health/life (indicated by the top arrow) rapidly changes from green to red. Once red, it starts brightly flashing, an indication the character is close to death. If this is the player's main character, the color can elicit a panicked response, rapid heartbeat, and heightened blood pressure as they attempt to avoid another wound. Note that there is no warning flashing across the screen saying "Careful! You are about to die!" The color red alone conveys that message and creates a response.

Thesis

The purpose of this blog is to demonstrate and expose correlations between video games and the thoughtful, purposeful use of primary and secondary colors in video games. The uses covered will encapsulate the use of color physiologically, color used to associate with items, environments, sounds, and tactility, the use of color conceptually, and the implementation of color symbolically. Images will be supplied for visual aid and as examples of explanations. Multiple games will be used for this analysis, either within singular topics or throughout the entire examination.

-Brian Shafer