Although the WBC is a newcomer, its adherents are always thinking about how to improve it. Here the MSO's reporter faces up to a problem that plagues much of the game-playing world, from the respected classics to flashy novelties.
Where are the women gamers?
As I mentioned in my previous article, men outnumbered women at WBC by a ratio of 9 to 1. This instantly makes one wonder, where are the women gamers? With this question in mind, I set out and interviewed several women to find answers to my questions.
Q: What do women like about game-playing?
It appears that women enjoy the same aspects of game-playing that men do: connecting with people, mental exercise, player interaction and intellectual stimulation.
I believed that mental exercise was the same as intellectual stimulation,
but was corrected by the Firepower GM (Gamemaster), Judy Krauss of
Pittsburgh, PA who says that mental exercise is different from intellectual stimulation, because mental exercise is keeping the brain in shape whereas intellectual stimulation goes beyond
that.
Q: What do women dislike about game-playing?
Some say that women just are not interested, but I would tend to believe this to be a perpetuation of the same types of lies that women cannot be computer scientists or mathematicians. Others say that women aren't encouraged to play games, so they don't see the fun in them.
As with video games, they are generally designed for men and thus get played more by men. It is a continuous cycle where men play games and then game designers make their games for men, because men play games, especially wargames. Since wargames comprise half the games, it is no wonder why women tend to be scarce.
Another problem mentioned was that men don't have the patience to teach women new games. Since women tend to think differently than men, it is easier for a woman to teach another woman how to play a game rather than a man. Also, it really turns women off from a game when men become too competitive and stop having fun.
Q: How do women becoming interested in game-playing?
Most have said that they became involved through family, but a few admitted friends pulled them into the hobby. Katherine Hitchings from Newark, DE says that if she hadn't started to attend game conventions, then she would have felt like she was leading a completely different life than her husband. Once she started game-playing with her husband at conventions, she started to really enjoy it.
Q: What do men do that annoy women?
Many informed me that men are generally too macho when game-playing and often want to prove they are the best rather than just enjoying themselves and the game. Megan Brennan states that "men know more and they show it."
Another major problem is the "gang mentality" when the men gang up against women for no apparent reason during a game. Another problem is offensive comments, especially during late night games. On the other hand, men are often willing to allow women to take back stupid plays that would have resulted in a miserable game otherwise for them.
Q: How can we draw more women gamers?
So, now we realize we have a problem, but how do we solve it? As gamers, we tend to be inclined to solve problems, so let's start with one within ourselves.
- We need to start seeing more light games where fun is emphasized over competition.
- More time needs to be spent teaching rather than just assuming that people understand the rules, because this often leads to frustration and confusion.
- Men need to generally less macho and women need to recruit other women.
Only with your help will we be able to give women equal ground with men in games.
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