WallCat Games - Building Games For Different Genders

Independent Developers Blog: "Demographics Make me Cringe – Building Games for Different Genders" My research has brought this topic up, & I enjoyed some points made here, & can relate to certain statements of opinion; although I do ask "what is normal?".

Gamasutra - Features - The Designer's Notebook: Triple-A Games for Women? Seriously?

Gamasutra - Features - The Designer's Notebook: Triple-A Games for Women? Seriously?

GDC donates IGDA Student Scholarship passes for GDC 2013 - GameCareerGuide.com

GDC donates IGDA Student Scholarship passes for GDC 2013 - GameCareerGuide.com

Vancouver Film School offering Women in Games scholarship - GameCareerGuide.com

Vancouver Film School offering Women in Games scholarship - GameCareerGuide.com
This article includes a Salary Survey from 2011. (I need to subscribe to see the full piece.)
"Supporting the growth of women in games is something that I feel strongly about," says Vancouver Film School's Game Design head Dave Warfield. "It benefits the industry to gain new perspectives, creativity, and passion that is reflective of how gaming has changed and expanded in the past 5 years."  Dave Wharfield Vancouver Film School

How I Completely Misunderstood Feminism « Ginger Wookiee

A more modern-to-today look at feminism, & one I keep coming across of late: How I Completely Misunderstood Feminism « Ginger Wookiee

Game Career Guide

Found a downloadable 125pg career guide magazine from Game Developer Magazine:  - Game Career Guide. I have skim read some, & carried out searches, including 'women', which came up with some old information, but also some from this year that I am following up....but best save the rest for another day's reading!
Link: Game Career Guide

Setting The Score With Metal Gear Solid Composer Rika Muranaka - GameCareerGuide.com

Read about another female working in games after following link on Facebook. However Rika Muranka is a music composer, & also workd for film & more: Setting The Score With <i>Metal Gear Solid</i> Composer Rika Muranaka - GameCareerGuide.com

Making the Jump from QA to Game Design - GameCareerGuide.com

Interesting read for me, although jumping from fashion to games is obviously a bigger jump, I am sure I can learn something here: Making the Jump from QA to Game Design - GameCareerGuide.com

Update

Read various pages online & in my notes today, & did tons of research for my Neg1 & prep work ready for my meet-up review next week. Jumped back over onto my presentation this evening, although I have to admit I tackled some bits & pieces throughout the day & had already planned to dedicate tomorrow through the weekend to work on my presentation. I will need more paper tomorrow, & so hope it is a dry walk into town, but the fresh air will  help clear & digest & winnow the thoughts in my full-of-information head; the coverage of women working in the games industry has amassed a great following of active women, & men, posting online & creating.

Just a few of the latest links I have looked at this evening - bookmarked a lot today:

• Developing a list of women running studios Gina Jackson of WIGJ
• After the Twitter discussion on 1ReasonWhy the 1ReasonMentors hashtag begun, with offers for mentoring. I've been compiling them on Storify via Person & Role hope this helps someone
• storify.com/pixelsprite/1reasonwhy-mentors-resource
• Fantastic idea, I made another comment here.
• LinkedIn.com GUESTBOOK / NEW MEMBERS This is a page to introduce ourself to the group, & interest in helping to recruit more women into the games industry; I added my comments/intro.
• LinkedIn Emma Bywaters is looking for women to help her with a London Indie Development project.
• Thewomensroom.org.uk A website for women experts to promote as such, however I could not see Gaming or Fashion!
• gamesindustry.biz I have registered.
• Gamesaid.org
• londongamesconference.com & their Facebook page. This was in Nov & I missed it, but had some well known companies there: 

  London Games Conference 2012 

  
  

  15:15 – 16:00 Registration and Tea/Coffee 

  16:00 – 16:05 Welcome – James Binns, Conference Chairman

  16:05 - 16:35 Keynote Address – Building the future of entertainment - 
  Phil Harrison, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft EMEA

  16:35 – 16:40 Yogscast: From playtime to primetime - 
  Mark Turpin, Business Development Manager at Yogscast  

  16:40 - 17:00 Sega: How to build a digital business with Steam - 
  John Clark, Vice President - Digital Distribution (PC) at Sega 

  17:00 - 17:20 Google: What gamers want to know - 
  Warren Mills, Industry Manager - Entertainment at Google UK

  17:20 – 17:25 Qinqo: Connecting clicks & bricks -
  Jeremy Wigmore, SVP Europe at Qinqo 

  17:25 - 17:45 Keynote Address - The good and bad sides of the F2P business model -
  Sean Decker, VP and Head of EA Play4Free at Electronic Arts   

  17:45 – 17:50 PlayMob: How to link your good game with a good cause – 
  Jude Ower, Founder & CEO at PlayMob 

  17:50 - 18:10 IGN: The expert within - Rich Keen, International Publishing Director at IGN Entertainment

  18:10 - 18:40 Coffee Break 

  18:40 – 19:00 Disney: Old tricks for new dogs - what can the "new" games economy take from the "old" publishing model - 
  Matt Carroll, Commercial Director - Digital Games at The Walt Disney Company EMEA  

  19:00 – 19:05 Microsoft: Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 game apps: how can Microsoft help you with development, publication and discovery? 

  Andrew Webber, UK Marketing Lead for Indy Game App Builders, Microsoft

  19:05 - 19:25 Digital Transition: The Heroes and Zeroes - 
  Nicholas Lovell, Founder, GamesBrief 

  19.25 – 19:30 6Waves: Global Opportunities for Social & Mobiles Games - 
  Rex Ng, CEO at 6waves 

  19:30 - 19:50 Twitter: What gamers are talking about - 
  Bruce Daisley, UKSales Director at Twitter

  19:50 – 19:55 Heaven Media: How eSports is changing your market – 
  Mark Reed, Chairman at Heaven Media  

  19:55 – 20:05 IHS Screen Digest: Key metrics from the games market - 
  Piers Harding-Rolls, Senior Principal Analyst, Head of Games Research at IHS Screen Digest 

  20:05 – 20:25 Panel: The future of the games machine
  Moderator: Dr Jo Twist, CEO, UKIE

  Simon Little, Managing Director, ISFE / PEGI SA 
  Roger Walkden, Senior Director, Business Development, EA Origin
  Nick Button-Brown, General Manager Games, Crytek 
  Barclay Deeming, VP of Games, NaturalMotion 
  Rex Ng, CEO, 6waves 

  20:25 – 20:40 Keynote Address – Hawken and Transmedia - 
  Mark Long, CEO at Meteor Entertainment

  20:40 – 20:45 Closing Remarks – James Binns, Conference Chairman 

• Webinar on social media Freemium Games

I communicated via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc, adding new contacts & following others.

I also sent my link to my questionnaire to more industry people.....tomorrow is here already, & so I retire ready for my mammoth printing, filing & writing day tomorrow, pulling all my research together, & selecting the most pertinent points to use, & hopefully gleaning some more stats from my survey.

Bon nuit from me :)

LGC: Did you miss anything? | Games industry news | MCV

London Games Conference was on in November, 2012, & here is a synopsis they kindly put up for those who were not 1 of the 300 who made it: LGC: Did you miss anything? | Games industry news | MCV

Questionnaire

My questionnaire is at last published online. Extensive research into using Google, & researching the help pages on SurveyMonkey; I chose the latter. This is my first survey, it took longer than anticipated, & once uploaded I promoted it on LinkedIn, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook contacts, etc & had a very prompt response. This prevented me from being able to amend questions; invariably I wanted to add & amend some but was unable to as people were already completing it. My list of questions is longer than I originally planned, but having to work to SurveyMonkey guides, & not wanting to pay to Upgrade, I have had to spread them but cannot add a couple of other questions I wanted to....I have been creative & have input them!

You can follow the link to complete via my Blog Questionnaire Page.

LinkedIn & Twittered Out

Day of research yesterday, reading, & following up, & also filing info & pics. So much new & current opinions on the topic of lack of women working in the gaming industry; I have added/followed a number of  people on Twitter & LinkedIn, introduced myself to a couple of forums & e-mailed some follow-ups.......a lot to digest!

Women in Games Jobs (WIGJ) for more women in gaming.

Women in Games Jobs (WIGJ) for more women in gaming.

From a Label to a Game!

It has taken me some time to get my head around being back in study after previously running a fashion label, seeking employment & choosing a new path; far longer than I anticipated. Fortunately for me, an invaluable friend had forewarned me that it might, from her own recent experience doing her Masters, & so I was prepared - a little!

One of my Graphics from my Fashion Label

However, last week I was doubting myself, questioning  if I can really do this, or even if I am on the right path with so much to learn & show. Common sense should have prevailed at this time, & realisation that I was coming down with flu under a full moon, & thus to STOP fretting!! The positive result though is that it made me divulge my worries to Simon & Ian whilst we were looking at Maya & my projects, & this helped me to analyse & put some things back into perspective; see what I had already achieved, & brought me back to fashion & simplifying projects.

Copyright Frocked - My Frock Sketches

Copyright Frocked - Changing the Original to see the Other Side!

I have a myriad of ideas for games, concept etc & amass inspiring things daily, taking notes upon notes to refer to & follow up.....but suddenly reminded myself that this is an ‘Art’ degree & I need to do more sketching, more 'visual's' as Marisse kindly pointed out to me, & do it daily. This concerned me initially but I understand that some days I CAN sketch & be happy with my drawings yet other days - well those sketches get hidden!

My Lovi-Bug Doodles: Kids Games

I was also trying to bring everything I thought about, every game or character idea into an original fashion context, & basically some of those ideas do not fit fashion, & being original can be tougher on oneself! I was simply trying to build on what I already have, to help create that niche, & produce an amazing portfolio building on, without losing, the fashion & design I already possess! This created another mammoth task, & I struggled thus making it harder for myself but now have a clearer head & am looking at all my research I have done/doing to submit for Neg 1, which will invariably lead me to produce a reel on Maya ‘ncloth’ to show cloth dynamics for my Neg2...I have a feeling the sea will have some part in it.

Shared on Pinterest via FB, & quite apt wording!

This may not be as exciting as all my other ideas, but is more concise, building a niche skill & portfolio, & also more do-able in my time frame...

Awards Features by ImaginaryRosse on deviantART

Although I am not a follower; more independently unique, I found this to be a good source of online artwork, where I can view images of others work & see what can be achieved.

 ImaginaryRosse deviantART Gallery:
Art - community of artists and those devoted to art. Digital art, skin art, themes, wallpaper art, traditional art, photography, poetry / prose. Art prints.

Frocked de la Vallière

The creativity & artistry in Robert Coppa's photography - from his original unique style & mood, colour selection & shades, to the styling....the whole concept! He is most certainly a photographer I would trust with my fashions, & his images inspire & re-ignite my inner fashion designer.

Robert Coppa Bronze Award Photo's

Photography & Editing |- Robert Coppa © 2012.
Styling |- P.S. I Love You - Penny Adams
Dress |- Monique Kate Wardley
Hair |- Andrea de Deugd