Game characters

Write two game character names on the index cards

Pass to front

Culture / Gender

Robin Burke

GAM 224

Outline

Admin Culture / Gender

Admin

Play papersNot finished grading (sorry)Overall better

• more As

Biggest problem• bottom-up description

Design Final Milestone

Culture paper

Strongly recommended reading Escapist Issue 17

entirely about women and gameslink on "Documents" page of site

Final Milestone

5-7 pages (1200-1800 words) Concept document

sell your game! make the reader want to play

(Actually considerably shorter than a full concept) Due 11/21

may not be late for any reason Value

most of the 20% value It must be clear from the design

that you really understand the original game's core mechanic

not just in its general outline, but in its details

Outline

Introduction A vivid description of the experience of the player.

Genre Background in terms of its genre, and relation to other

games. Narrative aspects

Aesthetics Overall aesthetic and thematic elements of the game.

Mechanics How your (borrowed) mechanic works. Any other important mechanics

Key Elements (optional) A few key elements.

• Levels, environments, objects, characters or avatar abilities.

Notes

ProposalI may ask you to modify your proposal

Not a formal academic paperno footnotes, citations, etc.creative license (within reason)

Peer Evaluation

I will email evaluation formFill out and return by email

Do so after your team is doneso you can report on everyone's

contribution If you don't turn it in

you get no vote on the efforts of your team

Characters and categories

Gender

Sexual identity, especially in relation to society or culture.

Usage note [The distinction between usage for "sex" and

gender"] is supported by the practice of many anthropologists, who reserve sex for reference to biological categories, while using gender to refer to social or cultural

categories.

Gender

The question of how biological categories are given cultural

meaning And how

the cultural categories that relate to gender affect our perception of biology

Some facts biological categories are (mostly) clear-cut cultural meanings vary widely between

cultures and times

Gender in games

Games have no biology there are no biological facts to discover

about game characters Games are cultural products

rich ground for looking at gender not just appearance but also activity

Some games encourage expression of identity gender identity necessarily included

Questions

CultureWhat cultural stereotypes about

gender show up in games? Play

What gendered play activities appear in games?

Worst case scenario?

Game features

Characters Texas cowgirl female ninja disciplinarian school teacher naughty school girl deviant nurse latex-sporting S&M slave

Features locker-room cam

Oops forgot to make it fun to play

Result total flop

Compare to male version

What are the differences?

Gender stereotypes

Action/adventure video games (typically) draw gender stereotypes from myths / fairy talesfantasy fictionsuperhero comicspulp science fiction / horroraction movies

Case study

Female Action Hero

Example 1http://www.us.playstation.com/Content/OGS/SCUS-97316/Site/

Example 1, cont'd

Example 1, cont'd

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

Example 5

Example 6

Example 7

Example 8

Example 9

Characteristics

Male vs Female

Play activities

SimulationAre the simulated activities strongly

gendered ones? Narrative

How does gender figure in the story?

Simulation

What player roles do games simulate?

Constructing the player

How does the game envision the player?

Narrative

Example

Does this matter?

Monotonylimiting the space of design

possibilities Appeal

50% of possible consumers Harm

promulgation of stereotypes

Market opportunity?

Girl games Barbie Mary-Kate & Ashley etc.

Not perceived as an important market fewer buyers / lower profit low investment low production values

This is not progress

But

MMORPGssome titles more than 60% female

players Interestingly

Male players skew youngerFemale players skew older (avg. > 30)

Meanwhile

What about Korea?

Wednesday

The Game Industry "Death to the Game Industry"