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 papers Not 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 games link on "Documents" page of site

Final Milestone 5-7 pages ( 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 Proposal I may ask you to modify your proposal Not a formal academic paper no footnotes, citations, etc. creative license (within reason)

Peer Evaluation I will evaluation form Fill out and return by Do so after your team is done so 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 Culture What 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 tales fantasy fiction superhero comics pulp science fiction / horror action movies

Case study Female Action Hero

Example 1

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Characteristics Male vs Female

Play activities Simulation Are 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? Monotony limiting 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 MMORPGs some titles more than 60% female players Interestingly Male players skew younger Female players skew older (avg. > 30)

Meanwhile What about Korea?

Wednesday The Game Industry "Death to the Game Industry"