Author: maggiecruzblog

[vimeo 235273377 w=640 h=360] Website About Me from Magnolia Cruz on Vimeo. Have you ever thought about why rupees fall out of bushes when you cut them in The Legend of Zelda series? Wonder what inspired millions of folks to walk for collectively thousands of miles to hunt for virtual creatures? If you find any of these topics as interesting as I do, you’ll probably enjoy the kind of writing I do here. My name is Magnolia (Maggie, for short); I’m a 22 year old New Media Journalism Master's student who aspires to blab about video games for a living. I’m still not exactly sure what avenue I specifically want to go down (though I do have a dream of working on the Communications team at Riot Games), but in the meantime, I’m going to be all about sharpening up my writing skills by yakking it up about games content associated with marginalized groups. I want to be able to bring people together: in regards to games, I want to help deliver the message that games and the companies that make them want to tell their fans and players. I also would love to sit down and examine different aspects of games under a microscope and get into some juicy analyses all about them. This also goes hand in hand with the topic of marginalized groups; everyone should feel like they are valid and are represented, and I want to equally celebrate good representation and analyze where we can improve on it in media. I first discovered my passion for writing/talking about video games after reading a book called The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy: I Link, Therefore I Am. It was my first exposure to video game analysis; going in depth about the design choice of characters, environments, missions, and so much more. It absolutely enraptured my young mind at the time, and quickly influenced me to want to look at video games in a completely different way. I also received inspiration from Riot Games, the company responsible for the widely successful game, League of Legends. The amount of meticulous detail that goes into each and every region and champion’s lore is mind boggling, and I would love the opportunity to sit down and further analyze some of them myself. Video games as a whole are incredible masterpieces in their own way; they provide storytelling and emotion that we are accustomed to seeing from films and television, only with the unique ability to interact with them ourselves. We feel like we are part of every single decision, every character death, and every victory and failure our characters experience because we were there controlling them through it all. I hope that through my writing, you too will be interested in looking at games and media deeper than simply face value; they truly are works of art, and deserve to be examined and studied as more than sources of fun and entertainment. I will be doing personal essays and pieces on how games have affected me, even saved me at time. I will also be doing analyses of different aspects of games/how they affect the world as a whole, as well as entertaining, engaging pieces on developments in the game industry. So take a seat, pack some snacks and strap in; we’re going on a crazy journey through the expansive, incredible world of gays and video games.

The Communication and Social Media Wizardry of Riot Games

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Every company has its own way of running their communications and social media departments. At the office of Los Angeles based developer Riot Games, communication and engagement with the player community is the number one priority.   Navigating to any of the various social media accounts owned by Riot Games can clearly show two things:… Continue reading The Communication and Social Media Wizardry of Riot Games

You, Me, Her, Him, and Them: Learning about Polyamory

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Interview with Josh, a polyamorous man. Interview with Jason and Ashley, long-time polyamorous couple and event organizers for a local polyamory community group.   The infinity heart, the symbol of polyamory. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.   An editorial illustration created by Allison M. Pottasch for nerve.com. Image courtesy of Pottasch’s website. As defined by the… Continue reading You, Me, Her, Him, and Them: Learning about Polyamory

Pride Month Ends in Central Florida with a Bang with Parliament House Drag Show

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Parliament House sign featuring Saturday night’s event with Sasha Velour. Merely a week after St. Pete Pride was held 100 miles away, Parliament House ended Pride Month with a bang by holding a drag show this past Saturday night. The drag show featured Sasha Velour, the New York based queen who won this season of RuPaul’s… Continue reading Pride Month Ends in Central Florida with a Bang with Parliament House Drag Show

St. Pete Pride 2017 Brings Thousands to West Florida City

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DNP Week 4 Video Assignment from Magnolia Cruz on Vimeo. The yearly St. Pete Pride parade brought in 30,000 attendees this past Saturday, according to St. Petersburg police. St. Pete Pride, a three-day event held in St. Petersburg, Florida, celebrates members of the LGBTQ+ community and brings them together for a variety of events. Former… Continue reading St. Pete Pride 2017 Brings Thousands to West Florida City

Florida State University to Offer Classes on Competitive Gaming

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DNP Week 3 Video from Magnolia Cruz on Vimeo. Florida State University students will now be able to sign up for classes on competitive gaming during the Summer and Fall 2017 terms. The course, PEM 1001: E-Sports and Exergaming, will be utilizing “an interactive gaming system to introduce new methods of participating in sporting games… Continue reading Florida State University to Offer Classes on Competitive Gaming

The Center Orlando Providing Support Groups And Assistance to LGBTQ+ Community In Wake of One Year Anniversary of Pulse Shooting

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DNP Assignment 1 Video from Magnolia Cruz on Vimeo. Many businesses in Orlando have shown their support for both the LGBTQ+ and Orlando communities since the tragic terrorist attack at Pulse nightclub last year. Next week will mark the one year anniversary since the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, but The City Beautiful continues to… Continue reading The Center Orlando Providing Support Groups And Assistance to LGBTQ+ Community In Wake of One Year Anniversary of Pulse Shooting

Does Valve Actually Own Dota 2? A Jury Will Soon Decide

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A federal court will be deciding whether AAA video game giant Valve Software owns the popular multiplayer online battle arena (or MOBA, for short) title, Dota 2. Mobile developers Lilith Games and uCool attempted to create Dota 2 clones for mobile devices (Dota Legends and Heroes Charge, respectively), but were sued by Valve and Blizzard… Continue reading Does Valve Actually Own Dota 2? A Jury Will Soon Decide