Poll: Female gamers like to shop, play support roles, says developer

[Dragonpit]

It doesn't work. It's a good idea to reach out to female gamers, but this isn't the way to do it. There are plenty of women who prefer fighting on the front lines of supportive roles. Likewise, not all men like the idea of being on the front line themselves. They need to balance things out a bit more for both genders or things could get mess for them later.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

...I don't really like the idea. I always saw myself as a Tanker (My best characters in fighting games tend to be the giant ones. Iron Tager, Hulk, Sentinel, etc)...but then I played Vindictus for a while and I realized that I actually like support roles.

Besides, not all girls like to shop and not all guys like to punch shit in the face.

not like to...punch shit in the face?

 

[Chemical Alia]

It looks like just about every female who responded here is upset by these gender-based limitations. All the reason it just makes more sense to allow all gameplay styles and genders, but simply let the player choose what they want to fit their own personality.

 

[PhiMed]

Meh, if you want to play a certain way couldn't you always just choose the other gender?

It doesn't help anything though, if women mostly wanted to play support roles then they would just choose that themselves. I don't really like tank roles myself, but shopping is a boring terrible experience.

That's part of the actually innovative part of it (it's in the article). This game will have multiple levels of interaction, including a hard-core strategy multiplayer, a minigame buff for teammates, and a social gaming aspect that is linked to social networking accounts. Thus, signing up for the game and linking it to your facebook (or whatever) account will register you as the gender listed there.

Then how is it innovative if I can't actually choose to be the other gender? Echo Bazaar is linked with my Facebook and even though I am a girl It LET me choose which gender I wanted to be and I ended up choosing a genderless character. Forcing any girl who wants to play in support and shopping is absurd.

And I actually like shopping in games,

Yes, but Echo Bazaar pretty much has one central "game". This has several different contributing games. I never said I thought these guys were on the right track. Mostly what I was saying was that they heard critics saying that developers don't address female concerns, and this is what they came up with. They might be on the wrong track, but at least they're listening.

Saying developers "don't address female concerns" carries an implication that females are fundamentally different than men. If you follow that implication through, I can see how you could take a wrong turn and end up where they did.

Plus, he said female characters lean towards support. He didn't say there wouldn't be any variety in there. And the shopping aspect was just an example he threw out there on the fly.

Yes TRYING to get into girl interests is innovative and new, but should they even be trying if they are going to do it wrong like this?

I mean I actually do play Support roles and like to shop in games, heck my favorite weapon in Halo is the Rocket Launcher because you can shoot from a distance and not get injured as much, but if you are going by stereotypes then aren't you not appealing to everyone? Especially if you are forced into being a gender? I pick my gender based on what I want, some sites I'm a girls, others I am a boy, and it all depends on the look of the avatar options and what skills they offer me.

For instance just this week on Facebook I chose a male character because he had better stats that appealed to me than the female.

If I forced into being the female, then doesn't that restrict the fun one can have?

Yes, they should try. Experimentation is defined by trial and error. This is a trial. If it is an error, then they will change their approach and try again. No one else is even making a serious effort. (That's right. I said NO ONE.)

 

[PhiMed]

It looks like just about every female who responded here is upset by these gender-based limitations. All the reason it just makes more sense to allow all gameplay styles and genders, but simply let the player choose what they want to fit their own personality.

That's exactly the approach designers use today. And they're being criticized for not catering to female sensibilities.

 

[Woodsey]

Shopping in real life isn't the same as shopping in a game, just like fighting isn't.

Someone's gone full retard here. And its the designer(s).

 

[Chemical Alia]

It looks like just about every female who responded here is upset by these gender-based limitations. All the reason it just makes more sense to allow all gameplay styles and genders, but simply let the player choose what they want to fit their own personality.

That's exactly the approach designers use today. And they're being criticized for not catering to female sensibilities.

What female sensibilities? Female casual gamer preferences, hardcore, social? I think it's a great idea to explore ways to include a broader gamer base by drawing in women, but I don't think treating us like children is the way. Non-gamer females grow up around hardcore games that the developers clearly had no intention of marketing towards them, and for many women it's hard to get past things like overt male-oriented sex appeal and hostile multiplayer communities. A sense of inclusion is fine, but what's even better for enticing new audiences to try video games is to make them not feel alienated and awkward.

 

[miketehmage]

To be honest I think this sounds quite cool. Obviously though some changes would need to be made, 2 males go hunting and 2 females go shopping? Seriously? That's really just asking for a verbal kicking. And I can understand why females would be upset at that. However I really do like the initial idea at least.

Also on a totally unrelated side note: In six years of playing WoW I've never ever came across a female tank. And even melée dps is rare. But I see plenty of ranged and some brilliant female healers.

 

[PhiMed]

It looks like just about every female who responded here is upset by these gender-based limitations. All the reason it just makes more sense to allow all gameplay styles and genders, but simply let the player choose what they want to fit their own personality.

That's exactly the approach designers use today. And they're being criticized for not catering to female sensibilities.

What female sensibilities? Female casual gamer preferences, hardcore, social? I think it's a great idea to explore ways to include a broader gamer base by drawing in women, but I don't think treating us like children is the way. Non-gamer females grow up around hardcore games that the developers clearly had no intention of marketing towards them, and for many women it's hard to get past things like overt male-oriented sex appeal and hostile multiplayer communities. A sense of inclusion is fine, but what's even better for enticing new audiences to try video games is to make them not feel alienated and awkward.

Look, I'm not that one criticizing game developers. I agree with some of the points, but I'm not the one constructing the critique, so if you're interested in debating the finer points of what constitutes "female sensibilities", you've picked the wrong opponent. Try the Extra Credits guys.

 

[Akytalusia]

... this kind of backward-thinking kinda makes me nauseous. i only play male characters in multiplayer games, and i also only play the healer role. i'd probably be too sick of the game to play it if my support abilities were gimped because of my sex.

 

[badgersprite]

In regards to this developer:

Well, looks like there's one game that isn't going to do very well. Here's a thought for you: most people who buy a game involving fantasy, action, fighting, and defeating evil are probably interested in fantasy, action, fighting and defeating evil. Not shopping.

 

[AtheistConservative]

Either way, everyone can eventually unlock everything through in-game currency."
So no need to get upset.
I think this is a great way to get more women involved in gaming, as so far the industry has had problems. Although I'm not really sure what people want from the industry, while many women here at the Escapist like frontline characters, it seems that most women don't like CoD or Halo. I personally don't think the industry can really do right in many people's eyes.

 

[veloper]

Makes sense. In eastern europe they don't have to worry about such political correctness.
They can talk traditional shit, because everyone around them will agree. No trolling.
I'll laugh if their scheme actually works too.

 

[Savagezion]

Makes sense. In eastern europe they don't have to worry about such political correctness.
They can talk traditional shit, because everyone around them will agree. No trolling.
I'll laugh if their scheme actually works too.

It is actually getting positive marks from females and males alike in other places than the escapist. The escapist seems too overly sensitive on this subject. I bet that this isn't even a main focus of the game but some trivial side bit anyways. There is a lot of generalizing about what this article actually contains in this thread. 5 pages of making a mountain out of a molehill.

"Either way, everyone can eventually unlock everything through in-game currency."
So no need to get upset.
I think this is a great way to get more women involved in gaming, as so far the industry has had problems. Although I'm not really sure what people want from the industry, while many women here at the Escapist like frontline characters, it seems that most women don't like CoD or Halo. I personally don't think the industry can really do right in many people's eyes.

QFT.