Tag: serious games

I apologise in advance to anyone who I may offend in writing this.  It’s just my opinion, which I’m entitled to, but you’re also allowed to disagree 🙂

The first thing is this “Women in Games,” thing.  Don’t get me wrong, I want more women in the games industry.  Two of the most important books that I’m referring to for my Honours project are both written by women (I’ve also noticed that women who write on games are likely to have a background in theatre too, oddly enough!).  But the very idea that somehow girls need to have an equal representation in games sickens me.  That’s not gender equality.  That’s gender bias.  I do not want to see a wave of women and girls entering the industry and being given positions because they are female.  I also don’t want to see the same happen to men.   Are interviewers so incapable of guaging whether a person is capable, seperate to their gender?  I agree that people may have skills that happen to align with the assumed traits of their gender- I know I do.  So what’s the big deal?  I certainly shouldn’t therefore be “female” and only do “female” things.  But I shouldn’t not do “female” things, just because I am “female.”  I’m not against networking with other women or anything like that, but I just hate that we have to segregate in order to integrate.

The other thing that annoys me is this, “Serious Games Movement.”  Okay, I get it.  Developers have an ethical responsiblity for what they produce.  But that doesn’t mean we should neuter the fun, indulgent side of games.  There’s been a lot of discussion on this lately, a lot of which I agree with.  It’s not like I’m not doing anything that will challenge the gamer’s morality.  It might!  It might not!  Maybe it has another purpose…  But whatever the purpose of Tragedy, I will find it.  But back on Serious Games…  I just find the whole thing so navel-gazing.  They all tend to be activities, not games.  And the ones that are games seem to be kinda… ranty.  You know, like they’re making sure you’re aware you’re learning something.  Same thing with “Edutainment.”  Obviously you’re going to learn from the entertainment!  So why do we have to make it obvious, the focus, which only serves to turn us away from how much we’re enjoying things?