I was playing Soldier of Fortune: Payback for GrrlGamer for two days; that's all it took to beat it. Two days at about two hours a day. :P On top of that, the bosses at the end were a strange mix of hard and easy. Most people would assume that if a high calibur machine gun unloading 100+ rounds into a person wouldn't kill them, stabbing them with a knife certainly wouldn't.

Not in SoF's world. Bullets are for stunning, knives are for killing. The game was pretty bad, for the most part anyway, but the end boss stuff just made it absolutely rediculous.

Oh, for those that actually may read this at some point, I decided to make this kind of a gaming journal sort of thing. Since I barely posted anything other than the initial stuff, clearly long posts are something that just aren't gonna happen. So this will be something where I make quick posts about a game, well, like this post is.

That is all. :P :D

Read this BBCNews article first.

I'm glad someone high up realizes we don't just want pink games.  I think what he failed to address is to make games that are typically aimed at male audiences more accessable to female.  For example, including a strong female character in the cast somewhere, preferably playable.  Or in games where the character is pretty much a blank slate, include two version of the character, female and male.  FInally, just more female protagonists in general.  A significant amount of games that come out feature a male protagonist, and many could easily be done with a female in the place.  The biggest problem is, in games like Doom and Dead Rising could easily have a female version without too much difference in the story or game.

Games like the Sims win out because male and female characters are on an even playing level, it's also the same reason why MMO's are more diverse, the characters are on equal playing ground.  I don't know whether the social part really has merits.  We're reputed to be the more social of the two genders, but honestly I find that broad statement to restrictive and just as harmful as "girls don't play video games".

Many of the games that do feature a female protagonist show an unrealistic and unrelatable person.  More often than not, the character is made for the base satisfaction of the male audience than the inclusion of the female.

Once game companies stop treating us like some odd and unknown entity and start putting out quality games that give equality in design and characterization of the genders.  Like, howabout more practical clothing/armor for women?

 I don't know about anyone else, but I am sooooo not going into battle with a metal bikini and high heels.  Oh, and seriously, the rescue the princess routine, it really needs to stop.

I saw this on a comic blog I read, showing clearly preferential treatment to her guy friend at one comic shop because she's a woman.  She also shows that it isn't a standard and I wouldn't expect it to be.  I've had similar experiences myself when I collected comics (I stopped because I'm poor. )

However, I have more recently experienced it in gaming stores, especially after moving to Madison.  I've gone in a few times alone to different stores (Gamestop and EB World) and have had one of two different experiences.  The first isn't necessarily because of my sex, which is just being ignored.  Some of the clerks just suck at service and will ignore you unless you wave money in their face.  That's a lot harder to attribute to my sex than the second.

The second is I'm treated like an absolute moron.  The best example is the more blatant one.  Last year I was buying a game for a friend for Christmas; it was the Star Wars: Republic Commando game.  The first guy to help me out was nice enough, but he certainly wasn't treating me like he would a guy.  People treat the genders differently, that's obvious, but he was more interested in helping me, even overly helpful.  Honestly, though, that wasn't really the issue and is more superfluous commentary that really has nothing to do with what I'm writing.

What is relivant is that when I went to buy the game, the clerk behind the counter was very condescending.

"You know this is a first person shooter right?"
"Uhm...yeah." <slight sarcasm in my voice>
"Does he like first person shooters?"
"Yes." <sharply and annoyed>

This really was the only thing he said to me.  I could, of course, just be overreacting, but I very much doubt it was small talk or something he'd say to a male customer.  While it was Christmas, there's no guarantee that I wasn't treating myself, or that it wasn't for a female friend or relitive.  On top of it, he was treating me like a moron who doesn't know a thing about the games she buys.

I've worked in electronics, I've come across women and men who have no idea what they're doing.  I think, though, the clerk should wait until the person talks before making a judgement.  You can usually tell pretty quickly whether or not the person has at least some idea of what they're talking about.  This guy just made a judement either because of how I look or my gender (both, likely).

I've had other similar incidents, either with a guy or alone, most end up that I'm either ignored or treated like an idiot.  It's really frustrating and often insulting.  It's actually why I tend to go to big stores like Best Buy, because I haven't gotten any treatment like that.

Although I am interested in testing this, actually trying several game specialty stores and showing the divide.  It would make a good article for GrrlGamer.

As of me writing this blog, my rank is "paper boy".  I can't say I'm too surprised, since most gaming sites out there (Including this one if you couldn't tell by the Maxim magazine offer) caters overwhelmingly to males.  I'm not the first to complain, I'm sure, but still!!!  Level two was journeyman. Could they at least find less gender specific ranks?  It's so frustrating that it keeps happening.  You don't have to lose one part of the market by opening up to another.  Toning down the sexist/overly male directed crap and opening up to a gender that makes up the majority of this planet's population seems like a good idea to me. 

Obviously rankings aren't the issue, it's a pretty small thing in comparison.  I'm just ranting about it because it's one more thing that bothers me.

Why even be here?  Honestly, I don't really want to, I'm not fond of the site overall.  However, I am hoping on the small off-chance some people will read my profile and blog and see something they hadn't thought about.

I have delusions of grandeur, so sue me. ;)

I like zombie movies and games. Well, some zombie movies and games. Right now there's Dead Rising on the Xbox 360 which I would love to play. I can play it when I'm over at my boyfriend's house, but that's not often enough! I would so love to get a 360, I have since it came out. Dead Rising makes me want it even more. The gameplay is soooooo much fun, it's just a blast to play. It's what I always wanted a zombie game to be like. I doubt I'd be able to get a 360 for...probably Christmas if I'm really lucky. I doubt it though. Ahh, the plight of the poor gamer girl. :P

I decided to make a blog here at gamespot as a place to rant about gaming.  I suppose I may talk about games in non-rant form form time to time.  However, there are some thoughts I'd like to get out there in blogdom about games, sexism, and just my general frustrations with a lot of games in the industry.  Even if people don't even read this.  Which they probably won't.  Anyway, I'm just getting this set up and so far there itsn't much to it.  A better avatar and other images to come later.