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Girls In The Game Chair
The site The Game Chair, which does interesting experiential reviews of game titles, has up an editorial from new reviewer Maggie. She once again brings up the oft-discussed topic of women in gaming, and tries to throw some new light on the subject. From the article: "I always bristle a bit at the idea of creating a game that 'appeals to women.' After all, no one game appeals to all people - so why in the world would one game appeal to all women gamers? Each of us is looking for different things in a game, regardless of sex. I don't play first person shooters because the movement of the camera makes me feel nauseous - not because I'm a girl."
The big problem with discussing women in video game is the word "Sex". Why can't this topic be discussed using the word "Gender". That's where the big problem start or that's where the problem is.
I agree. There should be no gaming lines as far as gender goes. We (female gamers) are not as rare as society seems to think we are and by creating a game or games aimed at a female audience would just be supporting an annoying stereotype.
I hate Pod 6!
1.) Targetting Women is nothing big, they target blacks whites, christians, homosexuals etc.
It's a nod to your purchasing power and catering to you, if it feels like what they make is degrading perhaps you should be re-evaluating your presence in the group.
2.) Nausea - Several girls I know had this, there is talk of spacial awaareness. Claiming a weak stomach doesn't get your gender off the hook. WE WANT TO FRAG YOU COME ONLINE!.
3.) You aren't novel for being a girl who plays RPGs no one cares! Your boring! There are tonnes of you! You are a significant portion of the market, no one cares that girls play the sims no one cares they play RPGs (Except game production companies. A ratio of 1/5th RPG players isn't a problem a ratio of 1/50th of FPS and RTS players? Now that's a problem!
4.) Makeup, girls in the gaming age demographic spend TRILLIONS each year on cosmetics! The cosmetic companies are trying to get men involved in this shitpile but we resist (Axe body spray?, Men's Lipstick?, Expensive shirts? Etc... Ptuey! If we all look like bums they will break against us!)
Stop making games for girls make cosmetic purchasing, testing, organizing software! This could be a GENRE it even needs cutting edge hardware!
5.) " diversity and thinking outside the limits of games that are currently available" You're a FREAKING GENIUS let me bow down!
These girls who write these articles are all braindead, there are smart girls out there, let them make the games produce the critiques, draw the art, create the characters, define the gender roles and battle the sexist majority to bring gaming to women... It's not hard, make a mod or something. These evangelical feminist gamers are trying to get hits.
I hope your ego was worth wasting our time and adding rhinestones to your movement.
"I don't play first person shooters because the movement of the camera makes me feel nauseous - not because I'm a girl."
:)
Okay, the inner sarcastic bastard (picture Dave Foley on News Radio) just has to say this: Maybe you just feel nauseous playing FPS games *because* you're a girl?
Okay, I'm done--mod me down please. I'm gonna go back to being a responsible adult now. I just couldn't pass a set-up like that.
It reminds me of a move made by the Lionel toy train company back in the sixties. They made a train set where the locomotive and cars were molded in pastel colored plastics. They overlooked the possibility that the type of girl who would play with model trains probably didn't want them in exceptionally unrealistic pastel shades.
As a husband to a wife addicted to both Halos and PoP, I can say that there are plenty of women attracted to video games for the same reason your average slashdotter is.
(Or maybe I just got really really lucky...yeah, that's it).
The Secret of Life: Proteins fold up and bind things.