Information Texts
CST
Informational Texts
In this lesson you will review
elements of informational text
in order to understand the
author’s argument and purpose,
location information and
understand simple devices in
order to prepare for the
Informational Texts
Angry Birds Hits 250th Day At #1 in the App Store
By Bonnie Eisenman on February 18th, 2011
Angry Birds has now been at #1 for 250 nonconsecutive days. We look
back on its roots and explore the phenomenon that is Angry Birds.
Attention, ladies and gentlemen! We gather here today to celebrate a
true App Store milestone: Angry Birds has sat at the #1 spot for a total
of 250 nonconsecutive days. Angry Birds—a juggernaut of a game in
which players sling the titular avians at the fortresses of the opposing
pigs, has seen amazing success. Released on December 11th, 2009,
Angry Birds has jealously guarded its perch at #1 with much success.
In honor of Angry Birds’ amazing success, we’ve decided to take some
space to reflect on the game that has redefined App Store success.
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The Dawn of an Era
Angry Birds launched on December 11th, 2009 to modest success and minor fanfare. The
original game included sixty-three levels and a single world. The story was present from
the beginning: the pigs steal the birds’ eggs, and the birds set out to get their revenge by
destroying the pigs’ castles. (Fun fact: the green pigs were inspired by the then-current
swine flu epidemic.) Originally, there were five kinds of birds; leaderboards and
achievements had yet to be added. Rovio fiddled with the price a little (for about a week,
the game cost $1.99) but the real changes were yet to come.
People liked the original Angry Birds. They laughed. But it wasn’t yet a phenomenon.
Reaching—and Taking—the Skies
The 1.2 update really started the fire. A few months after its original release, the 1.2
update brought forty more levels in two distinct new “worlds,” leaderboards, and more
complex structures, such as (gasp) triangular shapes. Then in April, the 1.2.1 update
added the usual slew of extra levels, “golden eggs,” and the new “boomerang” bird.
Shortly afterward, armed with these improvements, the birds barreled their way to the
top of the charts. I’d say that the rest was history, but that would be implying closure…and
Angry Birds is still chugging away. The chart below graphs the rise of the Angry Birds era.
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Angry Birds took the #1 spot for all paid apps on April 27th, 2010 and has
rarely been knocked from its perch since. How has Angry Birds done so
well? Well, that’s the multi-million-dollar question. Personally I think it’s
simply that Rovio found a “sweet spot.” Angry Birds has the potential for
great depth and complex tower structures, and yet it only takes a few
pictures to demonstrate how to play the game. Each aspect is carefully
crafted and balanced, with new ideas surfacing with regularity. The
charismatic birds and pigs don’t hurt, either. But I think Angry Birds’
success is also a function of Rovio’s careful, relentless promotion of the
game and willingness to experiment. Angry Birds Halloween grew into
Angry Birds Seasons when Rovio saw an opportunity for a companion app,
and they capitalized on the characters by creating plush toys and have
supposedly been working on other merchandise. Most importantly of all,
perhaps, is that Rovio simply hasn’t stood still.
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• Marching (er, Flying) Onward
After reaching #1, Rovio didn’t rest on its laurels. Instead, Rovio has pushed out oodles
of Angry Birds-related developments, both in terms of traditional updates to the main
app and more creative endeavors. We won’t go into too many details, but here’s a small
sampling of Angry Birds developments since the app’s initial peak.
• On April 4th, Angry Birds has sells its millionth copy. Soon, the 1.3 update delivers more
updates and a total of five million sales.
• In fall 2010, Angry Birds goes to its first new platforms. Among the first are Nokia
phones through the Ovi store and webOS. Angry Birds eventually heads to PSP, iPad,
Android Marketplace, Mac, and Windows.
• Angry Birds Halloween is released with themed levels as a separate app. It eventually
becomes Angry Birds Seasons, a companion app to the main Angry Birds app.
• Angry Birds plushies: So many people clearly loved the birds that Rovio decided to
create some tangible plushies. The toy birds and pigs started shipping in December and
can now be bought from Rovio’s online store.
• In celebration of the game’s one-year anniversary, the “Ham ‘em High” update
introduces new levels and the Mighty Eagle. The Mighty Eagle, a one-time in-app
purchase, allows players to blaze through one uncompleted level per hour. It’s the first
in-app purchase from Angry Birds.
• Angry Birds Rio is announced. A tie-in with Rio, an upcoming movie from the creators
of Ice Age, Angry Birds Rio will be an all-new game set in the Rio universe.
• Super Bowl commercial: During the 2011 Super Bowl, Angry Birds made an appearance
in a commercial for the upcoming movie Rio. The ad included a code that unlocks an
extra level in the game.
•
Source: http://www.148apps.com/news/angry-birds-celebration/
Informational Texts
• What kind of information did we find out in the
article on Angry Birds?
• What helped you to know what the article was
about?
• How do pictures help readers know what they
are looking for?
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•What are strategies
we can use to direct
our focus on a test?
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STRATEGIES
•1) Read the questions first.
•2) Skim the article to gather
information.
•3) Use the headings, labels and
pictures to answer questions.