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

BBC - Newsbeat - Concern for consoles as spending on video games drops

I have listened to this article on the radio today, which is quite apt to my studies: BBC - Newsbeat - Concern for consoles as spending on video games drops. I do need to become more aware of all the various consoles available, & there is now a new one in the form of a tablet with touch screen controls as one of the updates:

 Wii U console

Yet to try!

Frocked de la Vallière

Seeking advice from other colleagues on using PowerPoint for my presentation, I realised I hadn't thought of a theme, style, or colour scheme. I knew I wanted a muted greyscale with blast of pink or other colour to portray the subtle dark masculine over feminine bright, then saw this image on one of my Facebook accounts. 

Inspirational image: colours for my presentation.

My ongoing study has involved research & inspiration from images I save to specific themed folders on my Pinterest account. Below are shown a selection of images that I see these opposites yet similarities that can work in balance together; just look at nature!

Feminine - Masculine
Harsh yet Warm Sun. Strong & Cold Metal:
Both strong & valuable yet with their own invaluable characteristics, that work alongside each other & help build our living environment & world we live in.

Light trapped - shines through the gaps!

Shine comes out on top!

Not pink, but has the contrast of bright & subtle-masculine.

Not pink, but has the masculine dark greys.

Conclusion: working in harmony & balanced!

Sexism Rampant In Gaming Industry

Colours & Textures - Dissertation image: storm brewing in a glass.

Is the arguement on the lack of women working in the gaming industry gathering momentum: #1ReasonWhy Reveals Sexism Rampant In The Gaming Industry reveals more. Social Media is helping to promote & generate discussion & feedback; some obvious, some not so & a conclusion?

More links:

 #1ReasonWhy: Women Take to Twitter to Talk about Sexism in Video Game ...

 #1reasonwhy tweets expose sexism in the video-game industry

 #1reasonwhy - Devs join forces to tackle sexism in gaming

 Women in Gaming Tweet About Sexist Industry With #1reasonwhy

 Women use Twitter to expose video game industry sexism

 #1ReasonWhy Talking About This Matters

 #1ReasonWhy Women Avoid The Sexist Tech Industry

 Women explain the #1reasonwhy the games industry is tough on women

 Twitter Hashtag Highlights Sexism in Games Industry

 '#1ReasonWhy' Hashtag Explains Why There Are Few Female Games Developers

An extremely useful article to come across at this time for me....I am delving deeper!

Historical Reconstruction | Chat Noir Productions Ltd

I have been in contact with a film production company, & have been discussing the differences between the usage of Maya & Cinema4D.

After watching this eye-opening sample of using Cinema4D Historical Reconstruction | Chat Noir Productions Ltd, I followed up with further research for answers/viewpoints from other users. I will post links.

VIMEO

Introduced a tad more to VIMEO & have now registered!

MAYA

Autodesk Maya: "Create breathtaking 3D with production-proven tools for 3D animation, modelling, visual effects and rendering" 
After umpteen failed attempts this last couple of weeks, I have now downloaded the free Education software package of Maya. I was introduced to this extremely extensive piece of software in my Friday afternoon sessions with Simon. My objective now, is to grasp the basics further & then continue to develop my skills to produce a reel, showing cloth dynamics; profficient in 'ncloth' is my goal.

My Google searches for research into cloth dynamics & 'ncloth' using Maya, has shown various links & short video's, which has led to extending my search keywords to include 'cloth simulator'. I came across this video by recent graduate of Anglia Ruskin University, & it has helped me focus on my initial objective; to utilise & build upon my knowledge in fashion. Enjoy...


NCLOTH SHOWREEL SPRING 2012 from Henry Watson on Vimeo.

Mixamo

Simon & Ian showed us Mixamo in this afternoon's session; I have registered.


This is an online software programme to help with 'free' rigging, which illustrates how easy my designs could be presented on a model, & shown with movement. Pretty impressive, although this has definitely confirmed that I have lost the 'fashion design' focus in my projects.....

Keyboards are for typing not cutting! | Chat Noir Productions Ltd

Keyboards are for typing not cutting! | Chat Noir Productions Ltd

Interesting point of view, although from a 'filmer' point of view, is to think the UI for Photoshop may actually transpire to be touchscreen!

ELLE Sketched Faces

Not quite Games - but worth looking at for sketching & the development of facial/make-up for my characters:

ELLE.uk.com

WIGI Notes on Facebook

Looked at this - helpful to know, but not much to assist me: WIGI

Pink Moth

Pics of the Pink Moth

Email

Had a lovely e-mail back from a new contact - apart from the cold :( & wow, we have such a similar agenda - exciting. We speak on Friday & I can imagine I will glean so much information but am hoping I can offer snippets of help too :) Best get back to my mindmapping & questionnaire!

Waiting to hear back from another Games Industry insider contact today, but still got others to locate & contact - both here & abroad!

WIGJ

Had another lovely chat with Aurelie at Women In Games Jobs today, following up with an email to Gina Jackson, CEO & see what help & information I can obtain. I have also asked if there are any new developments, or discussions current to today!

Art of Guerra

Watched this today: Art of Guerra Sketching video link of digital sketching on Facebook

"I've been asked many times by many of you on this page that you would like to be able to watch me draw. Well seeing that I've taken to draw digitally more often than I normally would. I thought I'd record this little video to show you how I work. I'll do more of these in the future with my voice explaining what I'm doing." Art of Guerra

Art of Guerra FB

Art of Guerra FB

1 of my fellow students follows this Games Artist, & although I may not like all his work, or rather not all my style, I think I can learn from his sketches; they show technique, development & a process.

"A little experimentation." Art of Guerra

"Doing some doodling of some of characters I have for a future comic." Art of Guerra

"Some quick gestures." Art of Guerra

"I was playing around with trying different exaggerated body types." Art of Guerra

"These are some quick studies from reference. Some were a few minutes and the last 20 minutes. I'm going to be doing more of these, probably twice a week. I feel like I have to work on many of weaknesses. But from that I can only improve."  Art of Guerra

"This a random doodle. I was letting my brain drift and it sort of settled on this image. I think I may at some point do some more studies and make this into a digital painting." Art of Guerra

"A doodle that I did in between inking pages of Super Corporate Heroes." Art of Guerra

test pic from Frocked Pinterest

399164_407050419348895_8017644_n.jpg (500×500)

WIGI Nov 2012 Newsletter - FB

Read the Women in In Games International Nov 12 Newsletter, & although it would be interesting to visit & learn more on the topic of the image of women portrayed in Games, I realise my Dissertation is on 'Women in the Work Place', & my time would be better tailored to this topic.

"GDC 2013 news! WIGI is in the second proposal phase for a GDC 2013 panel session featuring the results of the Healthy Media Commission on Positive Images of Women and Girls in the Media. If all goes well, Healthy Media will be the WIGI theme for GDC 2013."

Women in Games International (wigi) Nov '12 Newsletter

Books To Help

My fellow students have really helped with advice on what games, books, companies to look at, the different styles, genres, keywords & gamers-speak terminology; positively highlighting how much I have to learn.

Suzi wonderfully brought me a sackful of books in, I skim read them all & chose 2; this book was so helpful in that it covered all the basics, giving me a real grounding & overview of the processes involved that I bought my own. I did some research into it & other publications, but as an all round book for me at this time, what this book can provide is exactly what I am looking for......& bought for a very good price!

Thanks Suzi - perfect book for me!

Edge

Advised to buy a games magazine - shocked at the cost! 

My New ArtVenture - Games

This week, I stepped my Designer foot in the morning door of Glyndwr University! Just the start to my wish of getting a Degree by next Summer.

Everyone was pretty helpful - even the chatty taxi drivers & smiley train guys, which only enhanced my own smiles of the day.

I met lecturers Marisse, Ian & Stewart, with  fellow, albeit far more experienced than I, friendly students all congregated around the tables, oh & Claire in the Cafe to get my coffee's. I sat in  my first lecture, & was mistaken for Staff...yep, had already guessed a mature student may get that crop up, & the International Students were very friendly; 1 gave me a present.

I have taken on a lot, & have a lot to learn....but I have started my Degree!