tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86616080652185060842024-03-08T12:20:53.890-08:00Girl InformerSarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-34954045111596557412014-10-17T13:12:00.002-07:002014-10-18T00:44:14.145-07:00Why gaming needs some serious CSR <span style="font-size: small;">Hello world, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I find it difficult to begin this particular blog post due to the negative reaction it will surely create. I've never let the opinions of others stop me from expressing my own, but the current state of gaming is anything from friendly right now. Regardless, I've felt the need to speak up for some time but wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to approach this topic. If you hadn't guessed already, I'm talking about GamerGate. Please keep in mind, I'm not looking to dissect the controversy. Instead, I'd like to offer a call to action to some major industry stakeholders that have remained shamefully silent in the last few weeks.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAGSEPk6iGs/VEFnl2wChSI/AAAAAAAAA6s/p11TSRjXPBM/s1600/brianna.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAGSEPk6iGs/VEFnl2wChSI/AAAAAAAAA6s/p11TSRjXPBM/s1600/brianna.png" height="320" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/brianna-wu-gamergate"><b>Brianna Wu</b></a> was one of the developers <br />
most recently driven out of her home </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">If you're unfamiliar with GamerGate, I suggest taking a look at the extensive write-ups all over the Internet right now. I'd personally suggest this <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/10/14/the-only-guide-to-gamergate-you-will-ever-need-to-read/"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">piece</span></b></a> from Caitlin Dewey, who writes for the Intersect blog at the Washington Post. While I wouldn't call this article neutral by any means, it gives you a general overview recent of events with implications for not just the game industry but society at large. Essentially, GamerGate started out as a movement to correct ethics in game journalism. It has since morphed into a toxic campaign set on harassing and disenfranchising critics of an increasingly outdated and male-dominated gaming culture. These attacks have been aimed primarily at women in often frightening ways. Each time I log onto Twitter, my stomach drops at the news of yet another female game developer driven out of her home due to death threats. I've considered myself a part of the video game community for a long time, but I did not sign up for any of this. The current environment is not reflective of the world that I've come to know and love. Something needs to change. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">With the situation escalating and GamerGate clearly not going away, I can't help but wonder - where have the major players been all this time? I'm talking about game developers, publishers and studios. You know, the big names like EA, Activision, Ubisoft etc. The radio silence has been disappointing to say the least; most notably because these companies have the highest stake in whether gamers tear each other apart. In light of this, the Entertainment Software Association, a trade organization that represents many of the previously mentioned companies, released a <span style="color: #674ea7;"><a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/227857/Amid_GamerGate_controversy_ESA_speaks_out_against_harassment_in_game_industry.php"><b>statement</b></a> </span>this week addressing GamerGate: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Threats of violence and harassment are wrong. They have to stop. There is no place in the video game community - or our society - for personal attacks and threats." </blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">While it's certainly a nice sentiment, I just don't think it's enough. The problem here is that it's very hard to motivate game companies to enter such a controversial debate unless it offers some return on investment. That's where corporate social responsibility (CSR) comes in. CSR involves the integration of social and environmental concerns into a business operation. To save you from any more fancy jargon, it basically means that an organization makes a conscious effort to "do good" in the context of the community it serves. Let me give you a couple of examples. One of my favorites would have to be the <a href="http://www.itcanwait.com/learn"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">It Can Wait movement</span></b></a> from AT&T, which encourages individuals to use cellular products in a "safe and responsible manner." While it might seem strange that a phone carrier would ask customers <i>not</i> to use its cellular services, it actually makes a lot of sense. Through this campaign, AT&T ensures that the community understands the dangers associated with texting and driving. As a result, the company enhances its brand image and hopefully spots a nice little increase in profit margins (remember how I mentfioned return on investment?). </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eFH3Ok3WJaI/VEF2DInnSyI/AAAAAAAAA7M/FT0bGnlkO8A/s1600/sk.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eFH3Ok3WJaI/VEF2DInnSyI/AAAAAAAAA7M/FT0bGnlkO8A/s1600/sk.png" height="158" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image via <a href="http://edtechtimes.com/2012/06/01/houghton-mifflin-harcourt-and-sk-telecom-partner-to-create-education-platform/"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">EdTechTimes</span></b></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Next, let's look at a case more relevant to the topic at hand. South Korea is known for a strong mobile and online culture (particularly in gaming). Unfortunately, this culture has led to unhealthy behavior in the digital sphere, including smartphone addiction, personal anxiety and online bullying. When mobile carrier <b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><a href="http://www.sktelecom.com/"><span style="color: #674ea7;">SK Telecom</span></a> </span></b>reached an audience of one million on social media, it teamed up with global PR firm <a href="http://www.edelman.com/"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Edelman</span></b></a> to create the <a href="http://www.edelman.com/work/sk-telecom-calling-for-positive-online-communities/"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Social Relay for Clean Online Communications</span></b></a>. For the campaign, five "social media mentors" participated in "missions" that encouraged individuals to make positive contributions online. The relay fostered an important dialogue on taking responsibility for words and actions online in addition to shifting perceptions regarding healthy Internet use.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">So what does all of this mean? Well, I believe that the concepts behind CSR reign true for any industry and gaming could certainly use some help. Last month, game developer Andreas Zecher wrote an <a href="https://medium.com/@andreaszecher/open-letter-to-the-gaming-community-df4511032e8a"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span id="goog_1475660580"></span>"Open letter to the gaming community"</span></b></a><span id="goog_1475660581"></span> calling for an end to the destructive behavior stemming from GamerGate. It has since been signed by more than 2,000 developers. So here's my proposition: why can't a major game company follow suit with a similar initiative? Names like Sony and Rockstar carry such weight with gamers and employ teams who could easily come up with creative ways to get loyal fans on board. It's time to end the hate and vitriol behind GamerGate, but there needs to be an organized and sincere effort to get us there. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Until next time,<br />
-Sarah</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-42287227818537102862014-09-01T13:08:00.003-07:002014-09-01T13:11:08.214-07:00GI: Japan Episode 6 - Welcome to Tokyo<span style="font-size: small;">Hi friends!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zcVcoQ4yQxM/VATQsvDLUvI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/jc_qqh1rW7U/s1600/me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zcVcoQ4yQxM/VATQsvDLUvI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/jc_qqh1rW7U/s1600/me.jpg" height="192" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I am back to blogging from home sweet home in the states. Now that I'm finally over jet lag and back to my old routine, I decided to throw together one last video from my time in Japan. My apologies for not getting this up sooner, but this last semester of graduate school has already got me nice and busy. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">For my last episode, I kept things short and sweet! All of the footage below was taken during my two different side trips to Tokyo. If you aren't familiar with the layout of the city, Tokyo is split into many different neighborhoods. I pieced together some interesting tidbits from Akihabara, Asakusa, Harajuku and Shinjuku. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Tokyo is a weirdly wonderful city with so much to offer people from all walks of life.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4jIh_TFhTas" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It's a little bittersweet that I will no longer be posting content from Japan, but I sincerely thank everyone who has taken the time to follow my journey. Also, if you have any questions about where I went and what I did, feel free to ask in the comments. Between this summer and my trip in 2012, I actually feel pretty confident about helping others get the most out of their own adventures. After all, I've got that Yamanote Line down to a science! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Until next time :)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-Sarah</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-48159548226872670082014-07-31T07:47:00.003-07:002014-07-31T07:52:18.617-07:00GI: Japan Episode 5 - Sado Holiday<span style="font-size: large;">こんにちは</span>! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RULRHb5Bqkw/U9pUi1uU5NI/AAAAAAAAA54/qGlH9fetBbc/s1600/Tokyo+1+&+Sado+365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RULRHb5Bqkw/U9pUi1uU5NI/AAAAAAAAA54/qGlH9fetBbc/s1600/Tokyo+1+&+Sado+365.JPG" height="260" width="180" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">I'm back with non-stop riveting video action from the land of the rising sun. This time, you get to see footage from outside Niigata! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.crosscurrents.hawaii.edu/content.aspx?lang=eng&site=japan&theme=cal&subtheme=PUBLICHOL&unit=JCAL006">Marine Day</a></b></span> or "Umi no Hi" is a (fairly new) national holiday in Japan that celebrates the ocean and its important role in Japanese society. Since I was lucky enough to have the day off, I set off on an adventure to <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.visitsado.com/en/">Sado Island</a></b></span> with our lovely guest star, Rumi. Sado is a short(ish) ferry ride north of Niigata. You can get there in a flash if you're willing to pay extra, but we decided to go with the cheaper option, which took about three hours. It didn't end up feeling very long, because I managed to take a solid nap on the way there and back. Rumi's friend, Taketo-san, grew up on Sado and graciously volunteered to act as our tour guide once we reached the island. I really can't imagine tackling Sado as a lone tourist, since everything is so spread out and driving is the best way to see it all. Basically, we were extremely lucky to have some help! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In the video below, I've pieced together parts of the day using a combination of the YouTube editor and Sony Movie Studio. I really wish that I could produce much fancier material right now, but my camera is subpar to begin with and my computer regularly sounds like it is going to jet off into outerspace. Hopefully you can all still appreciate Sado for its beautiful and peaceful environment. Weirdly enough, my brain couldn't stop making connections to video games as we travelled throughout the island. Some of my comparisons might seem like a bit of a stretch, but since it's my imagination (and my blog!), I'll do as I please. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/G6GiN7QDamM" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">If you have any questions about the different spots we visited, feel free to ask in the comments. Also, I'm sad to report that my cat friendship couldn't make it all the way. Long-distance relationships are just too hard :P </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">またね</span>,<br />
-Girl InformerSarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-80017421754942312372014-07-20T06:18:00.001-07:002014-07-25T05:31:21.354-07:00Take control online, land the gig offline <span style="font-size: small;">Hi friends!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I hope you've been enjoying my summer blogging thus far. I decided to take a quick break from the videos but no need to worry! I'll be back with my goofball self very soon. For now, I'd like to write up my response to an interesting question posed by the community manager at <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.webucator.com/">Webucator</a></b></span>:<span style="color: #351c75;"><i><b> </b></i></span><i><b> </b></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>What skill do you think is essential for success in today's job market? </b></i><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></i></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dpE5WTA34fQ/U8u22LWCarI/AAAAAAAAA4c/ttyGCEWLqu0/s1600/gotjob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dpE5WTA34fQ/U8u22LWCarI/AAAAAAAAA4c/ttyGCEWLqu0/s1600/gotjob.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image via <span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="http://www.collegetimes.tv/advice-for-college-graduates-class-of-2010/">College Times</a></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c7mpb1ea6pw/U8u2avUCpiI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/1s1BINtU9XE/s1600/hire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: small;"><i>*Full disclosure: Webucator is an online learning company. They asked me to contribute to their "Most Marketable Skill" blogging campaign for current and future job seekers. While I've never used the company's services, I absolutely commend anyone looking to expand their skillset, particularly in the technology sector. Besides, I'll be diving full force into the job hunt very soon, so this couldn't have come at a better time. Please note that I did not receive any sort of compensation for this post. Not even cookies! ^_^</i> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Of course, I have to answer this question in the context of the video game industry, since it's where I personally plan to make a living. However, I think my answer is applicable to just about any other field. To abruptly break the suspense, I would have to go with a <i><b>strong online presence</b>.</i> Big surprise coming from me, right? I literally eat, sleep and breathe social media. So let's go ahead and explore why I think your online identity is so important, particularly in the realm of gaming. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">My first argument is sort of generic but fairly obvious when it comes to the job search. Whether you chose to believe it or not, <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-p-joyce/job-search-tips_b_4834361.html">employers</a></b> </span>will be looking for you online once you begin to show interest. It's painfully easy to do a quick Google search and find out if 1) the person on your resume and cover letter actually exists in the way that you have written them and 2) your past behavior or current activity falls in line with company values (i.e. time to dump the Facebook party photos or at least use the appropriate privacy settings). And these are just the bare minimum of what an employer might investigate using the internet. We can say it's not right but that doesn't mean it's not going to happen.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_06hsyoJYE/U8u4qOAk56I/AAAAAAAAA4o/IHE5CrFJKmo/s1600/twitter+egg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_06hsyoJYE/U8u4qOAk56I/AAAAAAAAA4o/IHE5CrFJKmo/s1600/twitter+egg.png" height="106" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Do you really just want to be an egg? </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">So if someone is looking for you online, why not give them the absolute best impression possible? I think this is <i>insanely</i> important if you aim to work in any creative or media-related industry. Especially when many openings now call for "social media" on the list of required or preferred skills. As Schawbel with <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2011/02/21/5-reasons-why-your-online-presence-will-replace-your-resume-in-10-years/">Forbes</a></b></span> points out, your online profile might soon replace a resume altogether. I've already seen moves toward this trend. For example, many applicant systems allow users to pull information from various social media platforms. It's one reason that I use my LinkedIn profile as a pseudo-digital portfolio. I've heard others argue that simply having zero presence
is sufficient, but I have to respectfully disagree. Actually, I have to adamantly disagree. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IoYDCKHbADE/U8u-9p-JVLI/AAAAAAAAA5U/j71zWuvMXnM/s1600/wecanstreeet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IoYDCKHbADE/U8u-9p-JVLI/AAAAAAAAA5U/j71zWuvMXnM/s1600/wecanstreeet.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image via <span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="http://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/08/celebrate-25-years-of-street-fighter/">Kotaku</a></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">It all comes down to opportunity, and this is where things really tie back to the industry in which a potential job candidate plans to work. Without a well-crafted online identity, you miss out on the chance to <b><i>share your voice</i></b> and become a <i><b>subject-matter expert. </b></i>As an individual who hopes to leave a big mark in games, I've really had to develop a thick skin. From a small argument
(maybe the best installment in the Final Fantasy series) to serious
issues that get your blood boiling (just read the comments on any
article covering gender representation in games), people are going to
disagree with you. Despite this, I've actually felt empowered by sharing
my thoughts or joining the conversation via social media. I know that my voice is valid, and I can hold my own with people in this industry. In many cases, this online confidence actually makes offline interactions, such as a job interview or networking event, feel much more natural.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-size: small;">While I think people are increasingly starting to recognize that taking control of your online self is a worthwhile cause, they forget that it can also be an enjoyable experience. Recently, I attended a gaming panel on "breaking into the industry" where one of the speakers mentioned that hopefuls should be "making" something every single day (note: I believe it was <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/04/28/ed-fries-and-jordan-weisman-to-speak-at-momocon.aspx">Ed Fries at Momocon</a></b></span>,
but my memory is a little fuzzy since he was a guest at both this convention and the DICE Summit). If you're not a game developer or artist like me, social media is the ideal place to turn. You can write, you can share and you can <i><b>show your passion</b></i> in a vibrant space with like-minded individuals. I can guarantee that this enthusiasm will give you an edge in the hiring process. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Big thanks again to Bob at Webucator for the bit of blogging inspiration! It's quite an interesting campaign they've got going, and I encourage you to check out the other contributions on <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/webucator">Twitter</a></b></span>. You can also hop on over to their site for <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="https://www.webucator.com/tutorial/index.cfm">free tutorials</a></b></span>. According to my conversation with Bob, these tutorials feature some of the most important aspects of the company's self-paced and instructer-led courses. Plus, the company runs an ongoing <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.webucator.com/go/course-of-the-month/">free course promotion</a></b></span> focused on different programs within Microsoft Office. Again, I can't personally testify to these services, but the courses appear to be very thorough and free is always awesome! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Until next time,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-size: small;">-Girl Informer</span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-10036553734625951442014-07-05T07:27:00.001-07:002014-07-19T23:46:25.272-07:00GI: Japan Episode 4 - Vintage toys and lots of noise <span style="font-size: large;">こんにちは! </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rl7KqcQeLDM/U7gDNYNlWOI/AAAAAAAAA2c/UEyIFBibd5M/s1600/Japan+cont+119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rl7KqcQeLDM/U7gDNYNlWOI/AAAAAAAAA2c/UEyIFBibd5M/s1600/Japan+cont+119.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">I've got a few more quick videos for all of you. First, my inner dork had a minor freakout over all of the cool toys being housed at Niigata's <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201304190061">Manga Animation Museum</a></b></span>. While the actual museum was closed at the time we stopped by, I was still able to gawk at all of these goodies. Feel free to take pleasure from my nerdiness :) </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/d-UTSTsvOr8" width="500"></iframe> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3KgZq-ZaYY/U7gDBBSXdYI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/v77wJAELIGg/s1600/Japan+cont+097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3KgZq-ZaYY/U7gDBBSXdYI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/v77wJAELIGg/s1600/Japan+cont+097.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zMTa_9FnG8g/U7gCzeD42BI/AAAAAAAAA2A/93SOIsS51Uw/s1600/Japan+cont+116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zMTa_9FnG8g/U7gCzeD42BI/AAAAAAAAA2A/93SOIsS51Uw/s1600/Japan+cont+116.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Second, I've got an unexpected video of some good old fashioned fireworks (let's call it a belated Fourth of July homage). A few weeks ago, I visited <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://maigc.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/a-local-symbol-shines-bright/">Bandaibashi</a></b></span> - a famous bridge in Niigata. It's a fantastic local spot and luckily some sort of event also made things very festive.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/21A9QappkvI" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h21sa_rayp8/U7gKHYXB7jI/AAAAAAAAA2w/D9ixNds32uE/s1600/Bandai+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h21sa_rayp8/U7gKHYXB7jI/AAAAAAAAA2w/D9ixNds32uE/s1600/Bandai+059.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J3o7ftDMsvE/U7gKCg0HHMI/AAAAAAAAA2o/dwlwh80948s/s1600/Bandai+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J3o7ftDMsvE/U7gKCg0HHMI/AAAAAAAAA2o/dwlwh80948s/s1600/Bandai+075.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Next weekend, I'm actually headed to Yokohama for a music festival. I'm ridiculously excited and can't wait to share the experience with everyone soon. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Jpan headword">またね,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Jpan headword" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Girl Informer </span></span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-10688934825489504962014-07-05T06:07:00.000-07:002014-07-19T23:45:52.261-07:00GI: Japan Episode 3 - Good health, good fortune... good marriage? <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">こんにちは!</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Things have been plenty busy on my side of the world, but I've still got lots of video to share. We've even got a special guest this time around - my friend Rumi! The two of us ventured to a local shrine in Hakusan and took advantage of the beautiful scenery. It was actually really relaxing to be in such a calm and peaceful environment compared to the hustle and bustle of my daily commute. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/o0ZmkCdKeDI?list=PLLTEr4Vh4oyby3idS2t5OD8_qWzhFozTK" width="500"></iframe></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M3SrQo7lJQQ/U7f2cOZcf9I/AAAAAAAAA1g/VjkwVERwuQk/s1600/Japan+cont+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M3SrQo7lJQQ/U7f2cOZcf9I/AAAAAAAAA1g/VjkwVERwuQk/s1600/Japan+cont+024.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ejmWepgpHI/U7f2jP7wejI/AAAAAAAAA1o/OiK_cSIgyS4/s1600/Japan+cont+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ejmWepgpHI/U7f2jP7wejI/AAAAAAAAA1o/OiK_cSIgyS4/s1600/Japan+cont+027.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I didn't get the chance to show off this area, but the lotus pond was amazing. So many flowers were just itching to bloom! </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4VQXhRpgG2s?list=PLLTEr4Vh4oyby3idS2t5OD8_qWzhFozTK" width="500"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9inuaTl6hGs/U7fzPjuD-MI/AAAAAAAAA08/-6S3LNHwaoY/s1600/Japan+cont+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9inuaTl6hGs/U7fzPjuD-MI/AAAAAAAAA08/-6S3LNHwaoY/s1600/Japan+cont+048.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OU02_1WXWiQ/U7fzWcwXaCI/AAAAAAAAA1E/J40xpLN1MY4/s1600/Japan+cont+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OU02_1WXWiQ/U7fzWcwXaCI/AAAAAAAAA1E/J40xpLN1MY4/s1600/Japan+cont+034.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">It was a little difficult to find information on this purification ritual online, but you can check out this <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="https://thetwistedrope.wordpress.com/tag/chinowa/">blog</a></b></span> for more details. Here's hoping it will bring good health and fortune to my life (and those around me!) for the rest of the year :) </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xGP-iDDCR4U?list=PLLTEr4Vh4oyby3idS2t5OD8_qWzhFozTK" width="500"></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />Last but not least, I tried my absolute best to get this routine down correctly. Hopefully I paid my respects well enough. Hakusan Jinja (Shrine) is home to the god of marriage, after all :P </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Make sure to keep an eye out for more videos!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Jpan headword" style="font-size: large;">またね,</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-Girl Informer</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-65189655885346972502014-06-12T06:24:00.003-07:002014-06-12T06:24:30.020-07:00GI: Japan Episode 2 - The daily grind<span style="font-size: small;">Hello again friends! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I'm excited to share two more video installments for my GI: Japan series. In the first video, I show you my morning walk to the neighborhood train station, while the latter follows my trek from the office to Niigata Station. Before you take a look, I wanted to give a quick disclaimer that I did not intend for any of my videos (past, present or future) to be fancy in any form. My technical capabilities are very limited here, and my goal is simply to give a "slice of life" glance at Niigata. Other than that, enjoy the silliness!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/39LO1-Ipzes" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/N_YcNtJ4IvI" width="560"></iframe> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I have some more videos in the works and should post them within the next two weeks. However, uploading has been much more of a pain than I expected, so please excuse any sort of delay. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> Stay tuned :) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-Girl Informer </span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-75229099193782493842014-06-06T06:51:00.001-07:002014-06-06T06:53:13.823-07:00GI: Japan Episode 1 - Faith in humanity restored<span style="font-size: small;">Hello friends!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I've officially posted the first episode for my Girl Informer in Japan series. It was certainly not the subject matter that I was expecting to cover in my inaugural video, but that's how things usually seem to work out.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lJV16vrt_dE" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">As mentioned in the video description, I was able to snap some pictures with/of my saviors. Pics or it didn't happen, right? Well you can check out the adorable duo below :) </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--oqrwYX9tYM/U5HFkAkSbDI/AAAAAAAAA0U/4XYp-9DV1Hs/s1600/Japan+1+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--oqrwYX9tYM/U5HFkAkSbDI/AAAAAAAAA0U/4XYp-9DV1Hs/s1600/Japan+1+056.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YfffM17Jhwg/U5HFTR6d_0I/AAAAAAAAA0M/8teJxzBWfHI/s1600/Japan+1+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YfffM17Jhwg/U5HFTR6d_0I/AAAAAAAAA0M/8teJxzBWfHI/s1600/Japan+1+055.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I've already recorded some more short episodes and will try to upload them as soon as possible. For now, it's the weekend and I'm going to enjoy myself. Maybe even check out a local festival? Stay tuned! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Until next time, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-Girl Informer</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-6553280763587226752014-06-04T14:53:00.000-07:002014-06-04T14:53:07.115-07:00Girl Informer in Japan <span style="font-size: small;">Hiya folks! </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XdCt7S21vjk/U4-Uw929GfI/AAAAAAAAAz8/cbJ8flxcNFE/s1600/tsugi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XdCt7S21vjk/U4-Uw929GfI/AAAAAAAAAz8/cbJ8flxcNFE/s1600/tsugi.png" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I
am currently writing to you from the beautiful city of Niigata, Japan! I
will spend the entire summer here as a marketing intern for <span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><a href="http://www.tsugi-studio.com/"><b>tsugi</b></a></span>,
a software development studio that provides smart tools for creative
professionals, particularly within the video game industry. I'm
incredibly excited for the opportunity and while jet lag has been hard
to get over, I think it's going to be a fantastic summer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In
lieu of my normal Girl Informer posts, I will be uploading video
content relating to my various experiences in the country. Full
disclosure - these posts are not going to carry the same sort of
critical or analytical perspective that you've come to expect from me (or however you want to define my writing style). Instead, I'll be focusing on the lighter side of things to hopefully provide a genuine look at my time here. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Simply keep an eye out for my "GI: Japan" posts and let me know what you think! :) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Yours truly,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-Girl Informer (in Japan!) </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qZlQK5xRoGU/U4-TrPLBOrI/AAAAAAAAAz0/VaPYLbfhbQw/s1600/Japan+1+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qZlQK5xRoGU/U4-TrPLBOrI/AAAAAAAAAz0/VaPYLbfhbQw/s1600/Japan+1+001.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-45865465213827536962014-03-13T13:33:00.000-07:002016-12-22T18:54:39.340-08:00I'd like to thank the Academy: DICE 2014<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hello friends!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's been quite a long time. The past two months have been insanely busy, so I apologize for my absence. February in particular was a whirlwind, as I attended the <b><a href="http://www.dicesummit.org/">2014 DICE Summit</a> </b>thanks to the amazing people at the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. I mentioned my scholarship award in a previous post, but I'll quickly sum things up for context.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lJw96ysQHHg/UyIRYxpWrKI/AAAAAAAAAzA/VKugZ1UPFnA/s1600/academypass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lJw96ysQHHg/UyIRYxpWrKI/AAAAAAAAAzA/VKugZ1UPFnA/s1600/academypass.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My fancy badge for the event</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">In September, I received the <a href="http://www.interactive.org/foundation/scholarships.asp"><b>Mark Beaumont Scholarship</b></a>, an award started in honor of former COO of Capcom North America and Europe who passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack in 2010. To honor this industry veteran, the Academy established a scholarship aimed at students pursuing careers in the business of interactive entertainment. In addition to financial assistance for school and endless bragging rights, the Academy graciously offered DICE passes to the scholarship recipients, including the Randy Pausch Scholarship winners. As a result, I flew out to Las Vegas on Feb. 5 for an experience that would completely change my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Now, the Academy didn't simply plop us into the conference without any support. The organization set up an incredibly warm welcome to help us acclimate ourselves and network with industry professionals. DICE is a very exclusive event, with only about 500 video game insiders in attendance, which is a stark contrast to an event such as GDC (Game Developers Conference). In other words, this was a huge opportunity for any student striving to work in the field. Industry legends <a href="http://www.daglowslaws.com/about-don-daglow.html"><b>Don Daglow</b></a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Warren_Spector"><b>Warren Spector</b></a> served as at-large mentors for the scholarship recipients, also known as "Academy Scholars." In addition to providing general guidance, Don paired each scholar with a personal mentor in line with our professional interests and future place in the industry. I'll talk about these amazing individuals in just a moment. First, I want to give a general recap of the different sessions that I was lucky enough to attend.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d7W8bbyLDSA/UyH9jXRB6GI/AAAAAAAAAy0/UesGWUPrqw4/s1600/Facebook-20140313-024659+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d7W8bbyLDSA/UyH9jXRB6GI/AAAAAAAAAy0/UesGWUPrqw4/s1600/Facebook-20140313-024659+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>DICE lounge and arcade - a great place to meet people between sessions</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The main feature of DICE was centered around keynote speakers. The bill was quite impressive, with industry names such as Mark Cerny, Ed Fries, Keiji Inafune, Eugene Jarvis and Ted Price (just to name a few). The 2014 theme focused on "The New Golden Age of Gaming" and each speaker seemed to take this in their own unique direction. But to be honest, I noticed a much different theme that genuinely surprised me -<b> <i>the personal story</i>. </b>These brilliant creators framed their talks in a way that really helped you understand who they were as people. In quite a few instances, this level of intimacy was powerful beyond words. I never expected to come out the presentations feeling such an emotional connection with the person on stage. Whether it was Robin Hunicke on the value of games made by people who actually <i><b>care</b> </i>about other people, Rami Ismail on the notion that <i><b>everyone</b> </i>should be able to make games, or Ed Fries and his father teaching us <i><b>how to fly</b></i>, I felt personally affected. I highly recommend watching the presentations from this year on the <a href="http://www.dicesummit.org/video_gallery/dice_summit_2014_videos.asp"><b>Academy website</b></a>. I can guarantee that they will <b style="font-style: italic;">motivate</b><i>, </i><b style="font-style: italic;">excite </b>and<i> <b>inspire you</b>.</i></span><br />
<br />
<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F113255211302818621485%2Falbumid%2F5990189088662650241%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCMSMqbKV5Pi_Dw%26hl%3Den_US" height="300" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://photos.gstatic.com/media/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="565"></embed><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Now DICE isn't only about guest speakers. It is also a fantastic networking event, as the close-knit nature of the conference allows for greater access. To help on this front, Don matched me with two incredibly talented women in the industry - Perrin Kaplan and Connie Booth. Perrin, who now runs Zebra Partners with fellow powerhouse lady Beth Llewelyn, worked as VP of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nintendo of America for nearly 16 years. Perrin was able to give me a great behind-the-scenes look at DICE, since her agency ran most of the event. She also offered invaluable career advice based on her own expertise and knowledge of the field. It can be a little overwhelming to figure out your true place in the industry, but her reassurance reinvigorated me to take the world by storm. I will always remember one important thing from Perrin - <i><b>you have to follow your heart.</b></i></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Msl60aD0bBo/UyITTBc-LCI/AAAAAAAAAzM/g-xXWV8PB2U/s1600/conniebooth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Msl60aD0bBo/UyITTBc-LCI/AAAAAAAAAzM/g-xXWV8PB2U/s1600/conniebooth.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Connie and myself at the DICE Awards</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Next, there's Connie Booth. How do I begin to describe Connie Booth? Let's start with her day job. Connie currently serves as VP of Product Development at Sony Computer Entertainment America. Her involvement with the company spans 20 years and countless major releases, including a series that defined my childhood - <i>Crash Bandicoot</i>. Her accomplishments are a true inspiration to any young woman looking to leave a mark on the gaming world. In fact, I hugged Don multiple times for making such a perfect match! I ended up spending a great deal of time with Connie, meeting countless interesting professionals and soaking up as much wisdom as I could. Despite her wealth of knowledge, Connie was the most humble person I have ever met. While her colleagues throughout the industry shared their positive thoughts on her work, Connie refused to take a single second to brag about herself. She always found a way to turn it back around to her team. It did not take long to learn that Connie was not only a leader in the games profession but a phenomenal human being. She taught me that to thrive in the industry, <i><b>you must be gracious</b></i>, <i><b>you must be humble</b></i> and <i><b>you must be true to yourself.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">She also helped shift my perspective in a very positive way. While our professional backgrounds were a little different, she shared a universal law for working in video games - <i><b>you must understand the game creators.</b></i> In the business world, it is easy to become secluded from the people actually making your company's product. This separation is much more dangerous when blood, sweat and tears go into the final creation. Connie taught me to consider the game industry from all sides. Shamefully, I had never really thought of it that way. By building relationships with developers and learning more about what motivates them, I'm confident that I'll be able to effectively communicate on behalf of their works of art.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPspcrK6GNk/UyITfdzRVOI/AAAAAAAAAzU/6CEShoQp1oo/s1600/diceevent+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPspcrK6GNk/UyITfdzRVOI/AAAAAAAAAzU/6CEShoQp1oo/s1600/diceevent+(3).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The big show - 2014 DICE Awards</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The final hurrah of the week was bittersweet - <a href="http://www.interactive.org/news/17th_annual_dice_awards_winners.asp"><b>the DICE Awards</b></a>. The award ceremony celebrates the best in gaming from indie productions to major AAA releases. I don't know what it is about reflecting on the year's leading titles, but the environment was absolutely infectious. Naughty Dog's <i>The Last of Us</i>, a story-driven zombie apocalypse game that I absolutely loved, swept most of the categories. I happened to be seated behind the table of "Dogs," and it was a beautiful sight each time the studio jumped to their feet in celebration. From the perspective of a fan, I felt absolutely blessed that I was able to share in this joy just by being in the same room. I actually teared up a bit in front of Don, who essentially became a father figure for me at DICE, as we looked back on the night as a whole.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rPS0KNGzHuY/UyIUWVSloyI/AAAAAAAAAzc/JB5NXUi75hg/s1600/dicegroup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rPS0KNGzHuY/UyIUWVSloyI/AAAAAAAAAzc/JB5NXUi75hg/s1600/dicegroup.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Academy Scholars with Don Daglow and Warren Spector</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">While I'm hopeful that I'll be able to attend similar events in my professional future, I don't know that I'll ever again experience them in this particular way. As a student, I definitely looked at the week from a special lens. It became all about self discovery. I went into DICE knowing that others believed in me, but this doesn't necessarily mean I fully believed in myself. I left DICE knowing that all of my hard work had paid off. <i><b>I can be successful in this industry.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">To finish, I would like to sincerely thank all of the amazing people who not only helped make my DICE experience possible (particularly the brains behind the entire operation - Don Daglow) but were willing to share their infinite wisdom or simply chat with me about games! It can be intimidating to be present among such greatness, but the DICE community made me feel at home. I can't wait to go back on my own accord in the very near future.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">As always, until next time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">-Girl Informer</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-2712037193219143192014-01-06T23:57:00.000-08:002014-01-07T10:58:00.775-08:00RWBY: Hope you're ready for a revolution<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello friends, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Long time no see! I survived my first semester of graduate school and pulled off a perfect 4.0 across the board. I've been rewarding myself this winter break by catching up on a backlog of games, working on cosplay projects, and watching lots of anime. Aside from making costumes, I barely have to leave the couch! I'm hitting new levels of laziness and it is just wonderful.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kT2s0d45_x8/UsuYZXyywLI/AAAAAAAAAts/42o1KFydRlA/s1600/roosterteeth.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kT2s0d45_x8/UsuYZXyywLI/AAAAAAAAAts/42o1KFydRlA/s1600/roosterteeth.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Rooster Teeth logo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the midst of this geekery, I finally got the chance to watch a new anime that one of my friends introduced me to earlier this fall - RWBY. The web series was created by Rooster Teeth animator Monty Oum. I wasn't very familiar with Rooster Teeth prior to learning about RWBY. The production studio specializes in various web-based content including videos, animated series and podcasts. Rooster Teeth is most widely known for Red vs. Blue, an award-winning comedic scifi series that uses the machinima technique of production with game footage from Halo. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
The premise of RWBY is pretty simple. We initially follow the life of Ruby Rose, a young warrior who dreams of being a huntress. Following an interesting turn of events, Ruby gets the opportunity to attend the prestigious training school Beacon and join a team of fellow ambitious and feisty ladies. The show mainly focuses on the unique powers and abilities of Ruby, Blake, Weiss, and Yang as they prepare to protect the world of Remnant. The single biggest downside to RWBY is the episode length. Most episodes are five to ten minutes, while the premiere, middle, and finale portions usually extend to 12 or more. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="320" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pYW2GmHB5xs" width="565"></iframe> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">However, the writers at Rooster Teeth still manage to pull of an amazing amount of character development. It is very refreshing to see such a diverse and engaging female cast. Of course, it's not just about the main cast consisting of primarily female characters. I find it much more important that the show portrays both sexes in a positive light without being stereotypical or demeaning. Jaune Arc is a great example. He is not the traditional male hero. In fact, he is a clumsy and goofy underdog. We often find that his female team member, Pyrrha, must come to the rescue in times of need and teach a few lessons along the way. Through interactions with his team and other students at Beacon, the writers are able to create an impressive amount of growth for Jaune without resorting to a <span class="st">cliché</span> archetype involving masculinity or aggression. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-14u1x09TQgU/UsxNQbmajrI/AAAAAAAAAuE/yTx8TLcW7R4/s1600/rwbycute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-14u1x09TQgU/UsxNQbmajrI/AAAAAAAAAuE/yTx8TLcW7R4/s1600/rwbycute.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Fan art via <a href="http://untoldmage.deviantart.com/art/RWBY-fanart-380524565">UntoldMage</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I also find that RWBY presents an interesting sister relationship that you just don't see within a lot of mainstream anime. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the brother dynamic is pretty popular in the medium (case in point, Blue Exorcist, Fullmetal Alchemist, Naruto, etc) and tends to promote positive ideals of friendship and camaraderie (although it is noteworthy that some of these themes originally emerge from sibling-based conflict). As the youngest of three sisters, I love to see that Ruby and Yang genuinely encourage and support each other. While the show could easily rely on stereotypical plot lines involving competition between the two young girls, RWBY handles their relationship in a much more natural way. You can easily argue that this also extends to all members of the RWBY team. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think we can attribute RWBY's unique approach in character diversity to the show being created and distributed by an private entity. The move toward online content allows for greater freedom in programming and production. Creative minds can call the shots when they aren't at the mercy of a larger network. I simply can't stand this whole notion of a network defining who the audience should be and dictating which individuals should enjoy and consume their content. A shocking example comes from writer and television producer <b><a href="http://io9.com/paul-dini-superhero-cartoon-execs-dont-want-largely-f-1483758317?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow">Paul Dini</a></b>. In an interview with Kevin Smith, Dini notes that TV executives aren't interested in female viewers, because they believe that girls and women won't buy toys associated with animated shows. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I can't even come close to understanding this logic, especially when it comes to the money aspect. RWBY has been incredibly popular among all different types of anime fans. If you don't believe me, just take a look at the ridiculous amount of RWBY cosplay and merchandise this convention season. People will buy products associated with the shows that they love, regardless of gender. Honestly, these executives are missing out on huge financial opportunities by casting off the female demographic as irrelevant. Still, I'm hopeful that shows like RWBY will set an example for the mainstream television community. It's just going to take a little longer than many of us might want. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="320" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/9wCBvBfCwyg" width="565"></iframe> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Overall, RWBY is off to a fantastic start. I am confident that the show has a whole lot more to offer, and I'm pretty sure that Rooster Teeth is just getting started :) </span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i>This will be the day we've waited for.<br />
This will be the day we open up the door.<br />
I don't wanna hear your absolution;<br />
Hope your ready for a revolution.</i></b></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-<b><a href="http://rwby.wikia.com/wiki/RWBY_Soundtrack/This_Will_Be_The_Day">This Will Be The Day</a></b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">RWBY opening theme</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Until next time,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-Girl Informer</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-46714184602959670372013-11-07T09:10:00.000-08:002013-11-11T18:00:55.064-08:00Girl Infomer in grad school<span style="font-size: small;">Hello there faithful friends! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">It's been far too long. I have quite a few updates that I'd like to share with you. Life has been pretty wonderful as of late, especially in terms of my progress on making my mark on the game industry. Get ready for one longggg blog post.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Comics Bulletin</b></u> </span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BXBhG_a-XOs/UnvJ55NKCmI/AAAAAAAAAtE/AEOkmqI_NQI/s1600/comicsbulletinlogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BXBhG_a-XOs/UnvJ55NKCmI/AAAAAAAAAtE/AEOkmqI_NQI/s200/comicsbulletinlogo.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">When starting this blog for my undergraduate mass communication class, I never imagined that it would turn into my baby. I am incredibly proud of all of the content that I've produced, and it made me happy just to know that one person appreciated my thoughts. Last May, Nick Boisson, games section editor at Comics Bulletin, reached out to me regarding my last post on the Nintendo Play As You Are campaign. I actually mentioned Nick in my post, since he did an excellent write-up on the story. First off, I was floored that someone even noticed my blog. Second, I was beyond excited to learn that Comics Bulletin wanted me to contribute to the games section of the site. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I accepted the opportunity and the rest is history. While I've only written a few articles for the site, it has been an amazing learning process to write for a much wider audience. My favorite article on Comics Bulletin would definitely be my coverage of Brosie. I'd prefer that you read the article for yourself, but the story basically revolves around a female employee at publisher Meteor Entertainment. The employee pulled a
prank on her boss by switching out a sexist piece of video game art
with an ironic male counterpart. The stunt helped illustrate that it is
possible to discuss gender in an open, honest, and comical manner. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nsTOFmCEWBQ/UmtcvNzFL_I/AAAAAAAAApY/ubKrG7pFaR0/s1600/ScreenHunter_76+Oct.+26+02.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nsTOFmCEWBQ/UmtcvNzFL_I/AAAAAAAAApY/ubKrG7pFaR0/s320/ScreenHunter_76+Oct.+26+02.09.jpg" width="320" /></a>The absolute best part of all this is that the woman who initiated the prank, and subsequently facilitated a whole lot
of important dialogue on the subject, actually reached out to me on
Twitter and said that she loved my analysis! I had a complete dork moment when this happened, because it is just so refreshing to know that your voice has been heard and respected. Check out my contributions to Comics Bulletin thus far: </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.comicsbulletin.com/columns/5730/why-brosie-restores-my-faith-in-gaming-gender-relations/">Why Brosie Restores My Faith in Gaming Gender Relations</a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/5829/cb-games-bundle-reviews-humble-indie-bundle-8/">CB Games Bundle Reviews HUMBLE INDIE BUNDLE 8</a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.comicsbulletin.com/columns/5853/into-the-trenches-with-the-company-of-heroes-2-beta/">Into the Trenches with the COMPANY OF HEROES 2 Beta</a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I'm currently on hiatus from Comics Bulletin as I orient myself to the first semester of graduate school and as the site overhauls the video game section. I'm hoping to return to some form of writing outside this blog around December, so be on the look out!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>KSU MAIGC</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NsfEPzgaRVU/Um7N4ezcHiI/AAAAAAAAAqk/ilEqL1m0OH8/s1600/maigc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NsfEPzgaRVU/Um7N4ezcHiI/AAAAAAAAAqk/ilEqL1m0OH8/s200/maigc.jpg" width="200" /></a>I recently moved to the greater Atlanta area to start my master's program at Kennesaw State University. It seems like some people get intimidated by the technical name of my degree, <b><a href="http://www.kennesaw.edu/maigc/">Masters of Art in Integrated Global Communication</a></b>, but I'm basically expanding my communication knowledge into the international realm. I am absolutely loving it so far. My professors and surrounding faculty are experts in the field and challenge me every single day. The best part is that the program is incredibly personalized. I am constantly encouraged to pursue my specific interests by tailoring the program content to the field I plan on working in - gaming. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I am currently formulating my research questions for future semesters and my international study abroad in Japan. While research proposals can be fairly stressful, it is so exciting to see your ideas come together and find out what you are most interested in. My fellow cohort members poke fun at me, because I seem to know exactly what I want to study and where I want to study it. This isn't completely the case, though. I've actually had an epiphany on quite a few fronts. I knew that I wanted to study the portrayal of women within the games industry, but I've decided to expand this research into gender studies at large. I just don't think I'll be able to fully understand gender issues in the field if I'm only looking at it from one perspective. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kVQgDNvzAFs/Um7OA5lo7kI/AAAAAAAAAqs/GtGWloYjtcM/s1600/socialsciences.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kVQgDNvzAFs/Um7OA5lo7kI/AAAAAAAAAqs/GtGWloYjtcM/s200/socialsciences.jpg" width="200" /></a>This process has also made me realize that my research interests are inherently tied to reputation management and corporate social responsibility. This terminology goes back to my public relations roots. While it might just seem like just a bunch of jargon, these areas are extremely important for video game developers and publishers. As our society becomes increasingly concerned about gender equality, this will have serious implications for the industry. In a sense, video game characters represent their parent companies. These companies are becoming much more responsible for creating characters that combat stereotypes in order to not only satisfy the bottom line but society at large. This responsibility isn't necessarily something that is going to appear overnight, but I definitely believe it is brewing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I will be conducting part of this independent research in Japan during my semester abroad. I find it very important to understand issues in the Japanese market as a way to understand our problems at home. Japan is essentially the birthplace of gaming, after all. Interestingly enough, part of our grade for the summer program involves blogging! I can definitely say that I've got that one in the bag ;) </span><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>AIAS Scholarship</u></b></span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oyK4zdcT-5A/UnsiD6KJOZI/AAAAAAAAAsU/y72IJTqi96Y/s1600/markbeaumont.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oyK4zdcT-5A/UnsiD6KJOZI/AAAAAAAAAsU/y72IJTqi96Y/s1600/markbeaumont.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">While applying to my graduate program, I started doing research on potential video game scholarships. It can be a little difficult on my end, because I am not actually developing the games. It is rare to stumble upon an industry-related scholarship that focuses on the business and communications side of gaming. Thankfully, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences sponsors two different scholarships each year - the Randy Pausch and Mark Beaumont Scholarship. Mark Beaumont, former COO of Capcom North America and Europe, <b><a href="http://kotaku.com/5478643/mark-beaumont-capcom-coo-dies-suddenly-%5Bupdate%5D">passed away unexpectedly</a></b> from a heart attack in 2010. To honor this industry veteran, the AIAS established a scholarship aimed at students pursuing careers specializing in the business of interactive entertainment. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I was so ecstatic to find a scholarship that recognized the other side of gaming, because I think people often forget that there is a whole sector of professionals who keep the industry running. I was even more excited when I received the email informing me that I was being awarded the scholarship! To be honest, this scholarship has been a blessing for me. I've faced some financial difficulty in the last year that nearly affected my ability to attend graduate school. It is incredibly reassuring to receive not only financial, but motivational support, that let's you know you've made the right decision. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vniz6lb352U/Unsiy0St0jI/AAAAAAAAAsk/DQe42DwXpH8/s1600/dice2014.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vniz6lb352U/Unsiy0St0jI/AAAAAAAAAsk/DQe42DwXpH8/s200/dice2014.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">The scholarship isn't just a big deal in connection to Mark Beaumont. The <b><a href="http://www.interactive.org/">Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences</a></b> is also a big name in the industry. A nonprofit organization interested in the advancement of interactive arts, AIAS is best known for hosting the <b><a href="http://www.dicesummit.org/">D.I.C.E. Summit</a></b> and Interactive Achievement Awards. As a part of my scholarship win, the academy has offered a complimentary pass to D.I.C.E. Along with three other recipients, I will be traveling to Las Vegas in February for the event. This is a huge opportunity to network with some of the industry's best and learn more about the most innovative achievements in gaming. In fan girl speak, yeeeeee I can't believe I get to go!!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I was also asked to participate in an interview with the AIAS as a part of the scholarship. I really feel like it's a good reflection of who I am and where I want to go in games, so I've included it as a page on this blog! Make sure to take a peek, and be on the lookout for my commentary on the summit once February comes along. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Cosplay & Conventions</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sUxbP81UnQs/UmtbKZUfalI/AAAAAAAAApE/CkfxdIcal3E/s1600/AWA+2013+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sUxbP81UnQs/UmtbKZUfalI/AAAAAAAAApE/CkfxdIcal3E/s320/AWA+2013+125.JPG" width="320" /></a>As I've mentioned previously, my addiction to gaming and anime conventions goes far back to my father taking our family to cons at a young age. It's difficult to attend cons without becoming even a little bit interested in the world of cosplay. I've always wanted to learn how to sew, since the skill runs deep in my blood (both of my grandmothers were seamstresses). I started taking sewing classes about a year ago to develop the basics for creating costumes. It has been a great, and at times frustrating, learning experience that has helped me realize how much I love the con world. I put on a costume for the first time at Momocon last March and couldn't believe the awesome feedback. Dressed as Rukia from Bleach, it was so fulfilling to see that I was able to make other people happy with just one picture.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BlGd-V7yvE/Umtbi1Hr3DI/AAAAAAAAApM/96n19b30nWw/s1600/yuffiegroupcosplay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BlGd-V7yvE/Umtbi1Hr3DI/AAAAAAAAApM/96n19b30nWw/s320/yuffiegroupcosplay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">I've been pretty hooked ever since that moment and continue to practice the craft every chance I get. My cosplay of Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII went over pretty well at Dragon*Con in August. My absolute favorite part of her costume was constructing the shuriken from the bare minimum of parts. I'm in the process of creating many more cosplays, including Cid from Final Fantasy VII for my boyfriend and a gender bend of Rin Okamura from Blue Exorcist. I would definitely still consider myself to be an
amateur, but I'm pretty confident that I'll come up with some great
stuff by Momocon 2014. Keep up with my Twitter and Tumblr feeds for lots
of progress on that front. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Parting Words</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Well, that's all for now, friends. I apologize for being away from the blog and my likely hiatus until December. I'm determined to do my absolute best in this graduate program, which means school comes first. I will try to post some shorter entries, or at the very least, update everyone on my research progress.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">As usual, until next time! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-Girl Informer </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><u> </u></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-51076527305058603122013-04-12T13:51:00.001-07:002016-12-22T19:18:18.544-08:00Diversity in development<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hello friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BugqpuY_i2k/UWS05SI1wGI/AAAAAAAAAkM/539sq4MHEMI/s1600/gdc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BugqpuY_i2k/UWS05SI1wGI/AAAAAAAAAkM/539sq4MHEMI/s200/gdc.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wow, it's been so long. I've got some great news to share with all of you, but first, let's talk games. Specifically, game development. It was a big week for the industry last month. GDC, the <b><a href="http://www.gdconf.com/">Game Developers Conference</a></b>, was held in San Francisco at the end of March and attracted more than 22,000 gaming professionals. The conference features lectures, panels, tutorials and round-table discussions relating to industry issues and development topics. The conference is also known for networking opportunities and award shows, including the Independent Games Festival and Game Developers Choice Awards. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm not planning on summarizing the entire conference for you, because it would take <i>wayyy</i> too long, and you have the rest of the internet for that. I wanted to focus in on a particular issue currently plaguing the industry. One of my Facebook friends shared an article from <b><a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/03/29/bioware-david-gaider-sex-in-video-game/">PC Gamer</a></b> that detailed a discussion from BioWare Senior Writer David Gaider. The talk was titled "Sex in Video Games" and covered how sex and gender are portrayed in games and what role the industry has in messaging to specific groups. Whenever I go to conventions, I love attending panels like this, because they offer great insight into current events and the state of the industry. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6xAKFYFnimQ/UWcLs2KgZRI/AAAAAAAAAks/QGMdvXwVJzk/s1600/dgaider1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6xAKFYFnimQ/UWcLs2KgZRI/AAAAAAAAAks/QGMdvXwVJzk/s1600/dgaider1.jpg" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BioWare Senior Writer <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gaider">David Gaider</a></b></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now, I wasn't able to find a video of his talk on the interwebs, but some gaming news sources provide a good summary of his main points. Basically, Gaider states that it is up to the industry to stop repelling women and minorities and take responsibility for sexist or homophobic gaming environments. Gaider offers a fresh perspective by criticizing some of his earlier decisions with his studio, with many of these decisions being determined by an incorrectly perceived audience. It is frustrating enough that mainstream society doesn't seem to understand that it isn't only straight, white males playing video games, but it is even more frustrating when the game companies are in denial about gamer demographics too. I did a lot of research on this for case studies in college, and the statistics are surprising. For example, 47 percent of all players are women, and women over 18 years of age are one of the industry's fastest growing demographics, according to the Entertainment Software Association. You can learn more about game player data <b><a href="http://www.theesa.com/facts/gameplayer.asp">here</a></b>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gaider addresses the lack of diversity (gender, race, sexuality) in gaming by talking about the concept of privilege. He explains it best himself: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><i>“Privilege is when you think that something’s not a problem because it’s
not a problem for you personally. If you’re part of a group
that’s being catered to, you believe that’s the way it should be. It’s
always been that way, why would that be a problem for anyone?"</i></b></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It just so happens that some of the comments for the article provide a perfect example of this: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4Ji84u5r4g/UWhyTUQvVWI/AAAAAAAAAlk/R4YSPXDnrhw/s1600/ScreenHunter_52+Apr.+12+16.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4Ji84u5r4g/UWhyTUQvVWI/AAAAAAAAAlk/R4YSPXDnrhw/s1600/ScreenHunter_52+Apr.+12+16.44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IXXPcf3ibVA/UWcMf0N-bVI/AAAAAAAAAk0/-cGgwknn1xs/s1600/femshep.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IXXPcf3ibVA/UWcMf0N-bVI/AAAAAAAAAk0/-cGgwknn1xs/s320/femshep.jpg" width="187" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mass Effect's FemShep</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I can't tell you how many online arguments go this way. It is a shame that so many gamers feel threatened by the growth of gaming itself. Gaider is not stating that the industry needs to stop using male leads and replace them with female or black protagonists. This would be a silly and insincere move. It's about making a genuine effort to welcome others into the gaming sphere. Yes, this may include making those individuals a more integral part of the games themselves, but I think it goes much further than that. As Gaider says plainly, we can at least try not to repel women.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The business side of gaming and false industry standards play a large role in
this phenomenon. Many claim that female protagonists simply do not sell, but if
there are so few examples to compare these sales to, how are we
even able to support this assumption? The gaming community as a whole - those who play the games and those who create them - need to face the reality that everyone can be a gamer. Let's start acting upon that knowledge. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The reason that this article caught my eye in particular is it's connection to my future research plans for graduate school. Please excuse my sweet brag, but I have officially been accepted to Kennesaw State University for the Master of Arts in Integrated Global Communication. My graduate applications have kept me pretty busy and away from the blog, but this article helped refuel the creative fire. In order to be accepted into my program, I needed to outline my study plans and really think about what I want to contribute to the gaming world. My ultimate goal is to hold a leadership position with a major video game developer/publisher as a communications professional. In this role, I hope to bolster the reputation of the industry and influence decisions</span></span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QSzTXjYbr2U/UWcLKoxd-vI/AAAAAAAAAkc/QGtt1fDYncU/s1600/kennesaw.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QSzTXjYbr2U/UWcLKoxd-vI/AAAAAAAAAkc/QGtt1fDYncU/s1600/kennesaw.png" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> on how companies can portray gaming as a positive outlet for society. I do not believe that this can be accomplished unless the issues of sex and diversity are addressed. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In all honesty, I am most interested by these topics due to my personal experiences with gaming. At times, I feel accepted by my gaming peers, but on other occasions, I feel like an outsider. I want to make sure no one has to feel that way, so I plan to eventually tackle it from the top! The most difficult part of fixing this problem will be communicating that efforts toward inclusiveness are in good faith. Yes, it will make the industry look good, but it's also the right thing to do. I don't have all of the answers for you right now on how exactly to accomplish this, but I'm hoping that my graduate work will help me provide some of them soon. Stay tuned for these academic adventures! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks for reading :)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">-The Girl Informer</span></span><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-5207310270820862862013-01-24T21:02:00.001-08:002013-01-25T10:26:26.110-08:00Games are mine<span style="font-size: small;">Hi friends!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I've been on a documentary kick lately thanks to Netflix, and I wanted to talk about a film that I watched recently - Indie Game: The Movie. This Canadian documentary chronicles three different indie games through past, present and future development. So, some of you might be thinking - what is an indie game anyway? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">According to <a href="http://killscreendaily.com/">Kill Screen</a> Editor Chris Dahlen: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"Independent games are any game that a small team or an individual creator worked on to their own vision, something that they just felt like making and coding and finishing." </i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWNhyJbnB48/UP3l_IA7nUI/AAAAAAAAAgs/zCs61pOexnI/s1600/nes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWNhyJbnB48/UP3l_IA7nUI/AAAAAAAAAgs/zCs61pOexnI/s320/nes.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Directed by James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Well... that's pretty simple. One huge difference between indie games and major releases, such as Call of Duty or Mass Effect, is that blockbuster titles are made with the intention that they will make tons of money and get millions of people playing. I'm certainly not saying that this is all these games are good for, but indie games are often just the direct result of one person's big idea. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">The documentary provides fantastic insight into this industry for those who may be unfamiliar with it. I got a small taste of this during my college internship at Trendy Entertainment, the independent studio that created <a href="http://dungeondefenders.com/">Dungeon Defenders</a>. During my time at Trendy, I learned about press relations, digital distribution (Steam, Xbox Live, PSN) and how a team works together from all different fronts - design, programming, communications - to produce a game.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Yet, I don't think I ever really had the chance to learn the personal stories of the creative minds behind the studio. That might be my biggest regret coming out of my internship, because this documentary really opened my eyes to just how much indie developers rely on personal expression and fulfilling a vision. The people behind each game is what made the film so interesting. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">It was clear from the film that all of the featured developers and designers are individuals who grew up with games, just like you and me. According to Kill Screen Founder Jamin Warren: </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> "The generation that indie game developers are coming
from, and I'm part of this generation also, we're the first generation
that grew up with video games but not as an active purchasing choice. For anyone that grew up basically after 1975, 1980 or so we were the first generation to grow up with our parents giving us games and for us to grow up with games as a natural and relevant part of our everyday existence."</i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">I really clicked with Warren when he referred to games as a "natural and relevant part of our everyday existence." I could not agree with him more. I find it so funny when I encounter people that are so perplexed by my gaming hobby. To me, it's all I know. Ever since my father set me up with a Playstation and Final Fantasy VII, I've been playing games. As Revision3 Host Anthony Carboni says: </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"Since
I was a part of that generation that grew up with it, I feel an
ownership of it. <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Games are mine</b></span>, so this is not a weird kid
activity for me, this is not like some strange, nerdy past time - this
has been a part of my life."</i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0oOQg2HnZak/UQH7Xd1cJXI/AAAAAAAAAhI/mOnpv0U1Gqc/s1600/braid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0oOQg2HnZak/UQH7Xd1cJXI/AAAAAAAAAhI/mOnpv0U1Gqc/s1600/braid.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The concept of time is central to Braid</span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Since I found myself connecting with the developers on this level, it was easy to celebrate their triumphs and agonize over their tribulations. First, let's talk about Jonathan Blow, the creator of Braid. The puzzle/platformer received immense praise and went on to be the highest critically-rated title on Xbox Live. Despite his success, Blow found that many people didn't really understand his vision. He believed that he wasn't able to create a true connection with his audience. As an artist, this must be incredibly frustrating. I wonder if he was too insular in expressing himself, and that's where he faltered. While Blow felt that he was very vulnerable in making the game, others got the impression that he was too <a href="http://www.gamesradar.com/is-braid-pretentious-creator-jonathan-blow-answers-his-critics/">pretentious</a>. Probably <i>not </i>what he was going for. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Next up, we have Team Meat. I gotta say, these guys were just so damn likeable. In the film, we follow Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes as their platformer, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/meat-boy/reviews/super-meat-boy-review-6282520/">Super Meat Boy</a>, is on the verge of release. There was something about these two that just made me happy to be a gamer. They reminded me that games are meant to communicate a larger message, and we are meant to feel something for them. It was also nice to see that both designers had supporitve family members, which can be pretty refreshing in an industry that isn't always easily understood. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"My whole career has been me trying to find new ways to communicate with
people, because I desperately want to communicate with people, but I
don't want the messy interaction of having to make friends and talk to
people, because I probably don't like them." </i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BmVbVa5Khmk/UQH_DGYh--I/AAAAAAAAAhk/jXURXv9xfG8/s1600/teammeat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BmVbVa5Khmk/UQH_DGYh--I/AAAAAAAAAhk/jXURXv9xfG8/s320/teammeat.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">top: Edmund | bottom: Tommy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"It's
why a writer writes I guess, it's because they can, it's the most
effective way they can express themselves. A video game is the most
effective way I can express myself."</i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OIwenhvilfk/UQIEEHoG0GI/AAAAAAAAAiA/omrMPLdCRCI/s1600/fez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OIwenhvilfk/UQIEEHoG0GI/AAAAAAAAAiA/omrMPLdCRCI/s1600/fez.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fez features gorgeous artwork and level design</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Lastly, I turn to the most divisive man in the film - Phil Fish. We meet Fish as he is struggling through development hell for his first title, Fez. In 2008, Fish announced the game and turned into an indie rockstar. However, as the game took longer and longer to release, gamers got angry. Fish is personally attacked online by this "army of assholes" and vents quite a bit about it on screen. Honestly though, you've got to give the guy a break. As he says himself, major games with 1000 different collaborators took just as long as Fez. His team only has two!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I also found Fish to be incredibly relateable. In the process of making the game, his life went to shit. He suffered the loss of a loved one and his funding, was left by his girlfriend, and had a falling out with his business partner. I think it shows that the individuals who make the games we love are real human beings that deal with just as many problems as we do. While you do not get to see the release of Fez in the film, I can tell you now that it was a <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/04/11/fez-review">major success</a>. Fish mentions in the film that Fez "...[became his] identity" and although the man is still bombarded with plenty of criticism, this "identity" has received nothing but praise. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Onvo32qNjk/UQIOEyDlvSI/AAAAAAAAAi4/TiVf8saMQvc/s1600/philfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Onvo32qNjk/UQIOEyDlvSI/AAAAAAAAAi4/TiVf8saMQvc/s1600/philfish.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fish playing Cyber Vision</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Looking at the group as a whole, the developers in Indie Game: The Movie had a lot in common. Each title seemed to honor or pay tribute to games of the past in some form. In a way, I think it goes back to the concept of games as ownership. When you grow up with games, you want to protect them and ensure that the industry thrives. The film helped me realize that this is why I want to work in the industry. In fact, Fish hits the nail on the head in this quote:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"I don't know, to me games are like the ultimate art form, it's just the
ultimate media. I mean, it's the sum total of every expressive medium of
all times, made interactive. Like, how is that not... it's awesome! I want to be part of it. I want to have a say of what becomes of video games."</i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;">If you haven't checked out the movie yet, you can catch it on Netflix. It is a great documentary that isn't just about games - it's about people. You don't even have to be a gamer to enjoy it, although you may not understand all of the references. Either way, it's a refreshing look at a new generation of artists. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Until next time :)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-The Girl Informer</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-14445568919894294702012-12-28T20:11:00.001-08:002014-01-07T00:04:20.551-08:00What's this game doing in my anime?<span style="font-size: small;">Hi friends<span style="font-size: small;">, </span></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o_5SA-PH2cA/UN5xO4h3kbI/AAAAAAAAAgU/5t2BK_WwVXI/s1600/anime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o_5SA-PH2cA/UN5xO4h3kbI/AAAAAAAAAgU/5t2BK_WwVXI/s200/anime.jpg" height="200" width="143" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">As you may or may not know, my love for all things Japanese is not exclusive to video games. I'm also a big fan of anime and spend a lot of my spare time exploring this world. I usually discover anime by talking to friends and browsing on the interwebs. When a friend told me about a new anime that incorporated gaming into the plot, I knew I had to check it out and share some thoughts with all of you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Last week, I watched the last episode of <b><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/sword-art-online">Sword Art Online</a></b>, an anime series that began airing in July on Japanese network Tokyo MX. SAO follows a light novel series centered around players that are trapped in a Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) in the year 2022. Players access the world using advanced technology called Nerve Gear, which allows each individual to control an avatar using their mind. It's high stakes for the players, because it is said that death in game constitutes death in real life. The main character, Kirito, and his friends set out to beat the game and help all of the players escape Aincrad.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZDX4987HAc/UN5lJ6AnpcI/AAAAAAAAAe0/ApfsDvYVCU8/s1600/saopretty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZDX4987HAc/UN5lJ6AnpcI/AAAAAAAAAe0/ApfsDvYVCU8/s320/saopretty.jpg" height="320" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kirito and Asuna via <a href="http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&global=1&q=sword+art+online#/d5hlbhv">urusai-baka</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">An anime <b>about gamers?</b> <i><b>Seriously?</b></i> Sounds like a little piece of heaven to me. But as my boyfriend kindly pointed out, it isn't completely unprecedented. The series .hack//Sign did it first. I just wanted to acknowledge this fact, because a lot of hipster otakus love to rub this in the face of SAO fans. I'm not saying SAO is the greatest anime ever made. I simply chose to discuss it, since I found it incredibly entertaining and addicting. Plus, I plan on watching .hack//Sign now that I've been introduced to it's premise. Like I said, I tend to watch anime once a friend makes a recommendation!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">As you can probably tell from the above paragraph, SAO seems to be a polarizing anime. Many people hype it up to be the greatest anime in years, while others claim that it is grossly overrated. The arguments run the gamut, but I felt that Kotaku had one of the most compelling and accurate reviews. I'm not going to reiterate the author's points, because that would be boring. Just know that I wholeheartedly agree with his argument regarding the faults of the second half of the series compared to the first. You can check out the first review <b><a href="http://kotaku.com/5947171/sword-art-online-is-the-smartest-anime-ive-seen-in-years-and-its-only-half+done">here</a></b> and the second <a href="http://kotaku.com/sword-art-onlines-second-half-isnt-quite-as-brilliant-5971194"><b>here</b></a> <b>(be aware of spoilers, especially in the latter!)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">The single thing that sold SAO for me was it's connection to the words of Jane McGonigal. If you've followed my blog for some time, you probably stumbled across a previous post titled <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://girlinformer.blogspot.com/2011/02/harness-your-gaming-power.html">Harness your gaming power</a></b></span>. The post includes a link to <b><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html">McGonigal's TED talk</a></b>, which discuss how gamers have the ability to make positive impact in the real world through the skills they use in the virtual world. You should watch the entire video, but you can jump ahead to 3:32 to understand how this relates to some of the themes present in SAO: </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FA2kK9PSj0I/UN5l_Puj3EI/AAAAAAAAAfA/GO3KBRPZPRQ/s1600/jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FA2kK9PSj0I/UN5l_Puj3EI/AAAAAAAAAfA/GO3KBRPZPRQ/s200/jane.jpg" height="174" width="200" /></a><i>"We feel that we are not as good in reality as we are in games.
And I don't mean just good as in successful,
although that's part of it.
We do achieve more in game worlds. But I also
mean good as in
motivated to do something that matters,
inspired to collaborate and to cooperate.
And when we're in game worlds
I believe that many of us become
the best version of ourselves, the most likely to help at a moment's notice,
the most likely to stick with a problem
as long as it takes, to get up after failure and try again.
And in real life, when we face failure,
when we confront obstacles, we often don't feel that way.
We feel overcome,
we feel overwhelmed,
we feel anxious, maybe depressed, frustrated or cynical.
We never have those feelings when we're playing games,
they just don't exist in games."</i></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">I felt a strong connection with Kirito in regards to this quote. In the first half, he feels validated by his success in the virtual world. I couldn't help but feel envious of his position. As a gamer, I've always dreamed of what it would be like to take the place of my favorite characters in these fantastical worlds. To be honest, it's a form of escapism for me and countless others. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ke-6Ptr2s2s/UN5lGxNTWyI/AAAAAAAAAes/LgMbfeg4m7A/s1600/saocosplayers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ke-6Ptr2s2s/UN5lGxNTWyI/AAAAAAAAAes/LgMbfeg4m7A/s320/saocosplayers.jpg" height="213" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SAO cosplayers via <b><a href="http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&global=1&q=sword+art+online#/d5guo11">multipack223</a></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Interestingly enough, Kirito finds out he is not immortal in the second arc. It's a thought-provoking and humbling experience for the character and viewer, and it makes you contemplate perfection. As McGonigal says, we tend to like ourselves better in games, but what about the potential for failure in these virtual worlds? A major part of me fell in love with this series for the absurd notion that this story could really happen. And if so, would I be able to cope with the chance that the virtual world may have just as many problems as the real world? Talk about a psychological dilemma. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Enough of my rambling, do I recommend SAO? Of course! It's a thoroughly entertaining anime with plenty of action, colorful animation, and a wonderful romance. Most importantly, it delves fairly deep into the sociological and psychological issues of living in a virtual world. It's particularly fun to watch as a gamer, because you'll understand a lot more of the terminology and references. My top five favorite anime list is pretty competitive, but I'm pretty sure I've got room for this one :) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Signing off,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">-</span>The Girl Informer</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-3748331475369539592012-11-30T20:59:00.003-08:002014-01-06T23:56:42.372-08:00You can't take the sky from me<span style="font-size: small;">Hi again friends,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Sorry for the short hiatus. I got a little behind with work and some medical drama, but all is well now! I'm really stoked to share an awesome experience I had with my boyfriend this past month. It isn't necessarily gaming related, but it is directly linked to fand<span style="font-size: small;">o</span>m and nerd culture. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Let me just start off by saying that I love being a nerd. I love being hopelessly obsessed with fictional characters in games, film and media. I consider these passions to be a very positive part of my personality. I really think that people who don't care about something so strongly are fairly boring. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g7VJLSkA0_U/ULj6GqTYaeI/AAAAAAAAAdI/dE0fxiVWs1k/s1600/firefly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g7VJLSkA0_U/ULj6GqTYaeI/AAAAAAAAAdI/dE0fxiVWs1k/s320/firefly.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">Two weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went to a bar in the Plaza Midwood area of Charlotte. This might not seem very eventful, but we weren't simply there to grab a drink. We met up with a group of about 40 fans and watched the 10th anniversary <b><a href="http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/11/11/firefly-browncoats-reunion-joss-whedon/">Firefly documentary</a></b> on the<b> <a href="http://science.discovery.com/tv-shows/firefly">Science Channel</a></b>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I found out about the event from the social networking site <b><a href="http://www.meetup.com/">Meetup</a></b>. Basically, you search interests and join groups with people that share the same ones. I currently belong to the Charlotte Anime/Manga Society and the Charlotte Geeks. This is only the second meetup I've ever attended and although I've experienced a little bit of cliqueyness, it's so nice to be around a group of people that love and laugh at the same things you do. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Growing up, I attended a fantasy/sci-fi convention in New York every year called <b><a href="http://www.iconsf.org/">I-CON</a></b>. One year, I was able to catch a viewing of Galaxy Quest with a huge group of fellow attendees. It was absolutely hilarious to watch that movie in a room full of geeks! They understood every single joke and made the experience ten times funnier. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It had a similarly enjoyable experience at the documentary viewing. Not only did it feel like a reunion among friends (ones that don't necessarily all know each other), but it was also a fantastic time to reminisce. Many members honored Hoban Washburne with a variety of Hawaiian shirts<span style="font-size: small;">, </span>and the group organizers even put on Firefly trivia. I'd say that half of the group was over 40, while most were in the<span style="font-size: small;">ir</span> early thirties. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8m6dVRNax7w/ULkGdwP2zII/AAAAAAAAAdg/pd3WPG7-xs8/s1600/AWA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8m6dVRNax7w/ULkGdwP2zII/AAAAAAAAAdg/pd3WPG7-xs8/s320/AWA.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">It just proves to me that fandom never dies. I think that's why people continue to love cons, even though outsiders find them to be such a strange phenomenon. Honestly though, there's nothing really weird about attending a convention. Let's use an example to illustrate. You love to run, so you run a 5K. Yes, you run it for the exercise and the self fulfillment, but it also provides a fun and friendly environment to meet people who also care about being healthy and active. It's the same idea with conventions. It's a way to connect with people who share the same interests and meet those you might not normally b<span style="font-size: small;">e able to otherwise.</span> Since most cons are <span style="font-size: small;">fairly ne<span style="font-size: small;">utral <span style="font-size: small;">environments, you don't really have to worry about being judge<span style="font-size: small;">d.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Still, it can become difficult to grow older and continue to love these mediums. During <b><a href="http://www.awa-con.com/">Anime Weekend Atlanta</a> </b>in Septemeber, my boyfriend and I attended a panel called "Anime Fandom as an Adult." While I'm only 22 years old, it was such an enjoyable panel for me. The hosts made it a very welcoming, discussion-based environment. We talked about the trials and tribulations of staying up to date with anime while juggling real-life responsibilities. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sMAUX72P0NY/ULmMdAtTjcI/AAAAAAAAAd4/DMPtS6cXE6g/s1600/sarahpika.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sMAUX72P0NY/ULmMdAtTjcI/AAAAAAAAAd4/DMPtS6cXE6g/s200/sarahpika.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pika pika!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Whenever I return from a convention or some other type of nerdy excursion, I just feel reinvigorated. It is very refreshing to see other people appreciating the things that you are sometimes ostracized for. Maybe that's a strong word, but you get what I mean. While I've never been bullied for my interests, I'd definitely say that people poke fun at them. What about you guys? Do you ever receive negative comments toward your passions? I'm curious to hear your experiences. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Now before I sign off, I want to make an exciting announcement. I've now entered the Tumblr universe! I find it awkward to include very short posts on this blog, so you can simply <b><a href="http://girlinformer.tumblr.com/">follow me on Tumblr</a></b> to access additional media related to my posts. I promise you'll find lots of quirky content to meet your nerdy needs :) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Until next time!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-The Girl Informer</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-42454236475414409782012-11-14T19:16:00.001-08:002014-01-06T23:55:52.581-08:00Girl at play: Ocarina of Time 3D<span style="font-size: small;">Hello gamers,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Last month, I finally beat The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (3DS version). This momentous occasion marked my first time ever beating a game in the Zelda series. I've played around with a few titles, but I never owned my own Nintendo console or handheld until the current generation of systems. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I'm a little late to the party, but you can rest assured that I will never leave it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">**Now before I discuss my reactions to the game, I'll give you forewarning that this post will contain minor <u><b>spoilers</b></u><i><b>. </b></i>I'm pretty sure that this is fair territory since most people have played the game, but don't say I didn't warn you!**</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9JbJEj7ERwY/UKRb6PFTHrI/AAAAAAAAAco/Mwf2RmO-9m8/s1600/zelda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9JbJEj7ERwY/UKRb6PFTHrI/AAAAAAAAAco/Mwf2RmO-9m8/s200/zelda.jpg" height="157" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">art cred ~Coi-Zeld</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a on <b><a href="http://coi-zelda.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Zelda-Skyward-swordThe-fair-maiden-Zelda-288496862">deviantart</a></b></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">I had a major realization after beating the game that made me very happy as a member of the lady race. If you've been following this blog for awhile, you probably know that I tend to stand up for women as gamers and in games. One reason I never gravitated toward the Zelda series to begin with was due to the fact that it simply seemed like the same old damsel-in-distress narrative. While these types of stories have been around for centuries, they aren't exactly a shining example of feminist ideals and p<span style="font-size: small;">rinciples. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing male characters in video games. I personally find it to be an interesting form of escapism that I couldn't experience otherwise. However, it can get pretty old pretty quickly when you're constantly protecting or saving the helpless little girl. Ok, this might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it is a recurring theme in many popular video game franchises (Aeris in Final Fantasy VII, Ashley in Resident Evil 4, Kairi in Kingdom Hearts - just to name a few). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-keezgPxbRZQ/UKRZ5YWhsrI/AAAAAAAAAcY/ngSSw5GPGgM/s1600/sheikh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-keezgPxbRZQ/UKRZ5YWhsrI/AAAAAAAAAcY/ngSSw5GPGgM/s320/sheikh.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sheik Zelda cospla<span style="font-size: x-small;">y | Momocon 2011</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">The thing is, Zelda isn't a damsel. In fact, she's kind of a badass. In Ocarina of Time, Link is tasked with saving Hyrule <i>by</i> Princess Zelda. While it does seem that she is shielded due to her royal upbringing, she is still able to escape during Ganondorf's overrule. Zelda is the one supplying Link with wisdom and guidance - not the other way around. Her disguise as a member of the Sheikah clan is cunning and smart. The only r<span style="font-size: small;">eason Zelda gets captured in th<span style="font-size: small;">e first place is because she lets her guard down to he<span style="font-size: small;">lp Link.</span></span></span> At the end of the game, Zelda aids Link in fleeing the castle and delivering the final blow. </span>Frankly, Link could not have completed his journey without the princess. <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HNIZks_t1ec/UKRbFr9eueI/AAAAAAAAAcg/coGqH-qFX2k/s1600/hayao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HNIZks_t1ec/UKRbFr9eueI/AAAAAAAAAcg/coGqH-qFX2k/s200/hayao.jpg" height="200" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hayao Miyazaki<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nintendo </span>definitely broke the misconceptions I had toward t<span style="font-size: small;">his</span> game. It's just an observation, probably one that I'm looking into a little too much, but it makes <span style="font-size: small;">me appreciate the series a whole lot more and eager to play other installments. In fact, I can't help <span style="font-size: small;">but think about my main man Hayao Miyazaki.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The creative genius behind Princess Mononoke, Spirited
Away, and Howl's Moving Castle is known for his incorporation of ladies
taking charge and changing the world. We can save that particular
discussion for another time, but my point is, it's nice to see a strong femal<span style="font-size: small;">e lead <span style="font-size: small;">every once in a while. </span></span></span></span></span>I'm not saying that game developers or movie producers should force it, because that's how really mediocre characters are created, but it can be refreshing in a male-dominated industry. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">While I don't necessarily believe that<span style="font-size: small;"> games need to be tailored only to men or only to women,</span> Lisa Bru<span style="font-size: small;">nette, </span>n</span>arrative d<span style="font-size: small;">esigner at Big Fish Games<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> put it poignantly when discussing how to make games that appeal to women in <b><a href="http://gamasutra.com/view/news/179173/Respecting_women_players_without_girling_it_up.php#.UKPyT4az4yg">thi<span style="font-size: small;">s</span></a></b> Gamasutr<span style="font-size: small;">a article</span>: </span></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">"Respect them, don't pander to them, don't talk down to them, and don't
give them stereotypes," she says. "Craft strong storylines with
the right themes, and don't forget to evolve." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">More ramblings soon! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">-The Girl Informer</span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-91325933588896255432012-11-02T12:36:00.001-07:002014-01-07T00:05:46.472-08:00Use the force, Mickey<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So this afternoon, my best friend sent me this text:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q8OvnAw51ns/UJQbdVRaXdI/AAAAAAAAAbA/o713pKx8Wzk/s1600/starwars.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q8OvnAw51ns/UJQbdVRaXdI/AAAAAAAAAbA/o713pKx8Wzk/s320/starwars.jpeg" height="290" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While this legitimately made me giggle, it also reminded me that I never addressed the <b><a href="http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/10/disney-buys-lucasfilm/">Lucasfilm acquisition</a> </b>on this blog. Let me start off by saying that I've never been a huge fan of Star Wars. I enjoy different pieces of the series, but I actually grew up watching Star Trek thanks to my dad. However, I found this news<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8661608065218506084"> </a>to be very interesting. What do you guys think Disney will do with the Star Wars franchise?</span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGGp12MKfYk/UJQdZPfuVqI/AAAAAAAAAbI/lodm3fKuvjA/s1600/jedimickey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGGp12MKfYk/UJQdZPfuVqI/AAAAAAAAAbI/lodm3fKuvjA/s320/jedimickey.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Image via Pinterest</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's been reported that there will be a new movie in 2015, but I want to know your opinions on a deeper level. Could the creative brainpower at Disney add a fresh perspective to the series or would you consider this a move that is solely motivated by money? A new Star Wars film would help Disney rack in a lot of cash, but what about maintaining or increasing the quality of the series itself? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Either way, if this means we'll see a lightsaber keyblade and possible Yoda cameo in a future Kingdom Hearts title, I think I'm down :P</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-The Girl Informer</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-38889531955105478382012-11-01T12:58:00.001-07:002014-01-07T00:10:26.998-08:00Cross-platform blogging<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hey friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I hope everyone had a safe Halloween. I just wanted to throw out a reminder to follow me on Twitter <b><a href="https://twitter.com/sarahcatconde">@sarahcatconde</a></b>. In my last <b><a href="http://girlinformer.blogspot.com/2012/10/girl-at-play-ico.html">Girl at play</a></b> post I talked about my experience with Ico. I finished the game yesterday morning, and let's just say it's now on my top five favorite games list.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Anyways, as opposed to compiling a post on my reactions and risk throwing out some spoilers, I posted shorter thoughts on my Twitter feed. I've already talked about my love affair with Twitter on this blog, but I don't know that I mentioned it's functionality in relation to <b><a href="http://readwrite.com/2007/09/06/10_micro-blogging_tools_compared">microblogging</a></b>. By posting these short and sweet pieces of digital content, I can keep you guys in the loop.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSknXryZKVw/UJLQkno0DvI/AAAAAAAAAao/4yxaFmRDuz4/s1600/ScreenHunter_17+Nov.+01+15.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSknXryZKVw/UJLQkno0DvI/AAAAAAAAAao/4yxaFmRDuz4/s400/ScreenHunter_17+Nov.+01+15.36.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/sarahcatconde">@sarahcatconde</a></span></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I like to think of this blog and my Twitter feed as partners in crime. Digital media makes it way easier for me to pull off cross-platform blogging. So don't forget to check Twitter for more of my adventures in the gaming world!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Until next time,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-The Girl Informer</span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-22880092923737280072012-10-31T12:09:00.003-07:002014-01-07T00:12:15.008-08:00Lights, camera, action!<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi friends,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I stumbled across this fun <b><a href="http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20336031_20436271_21231214,00.html">gallery</a></b> via Entertainment Weekly the other day on Twitter. EW is a big fan of numbered lists, and this time they've compiled 21 video games begging to be movies. I especially enjoy the fact that the writer included cast picks and details on possible Hollywood production.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dBJT6Ot07Rc/UJF1IvsByaI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/aKrDmoM9vtE/s1600/hollywood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dBJT6Ot07Rc/UJF1IvsByaI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/aKrDmoM9vtE/s200/hollywood.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>Many of the picks are pretty obvious, such as Bioshock, Uncharted, Halo and Metal Gear Solid. I'll admit that I've considered some other ones on the list - Zelda and Grand Theft Auto, for instance - but I'm doubtful that these titles could translate to the silver screen.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've always wondered why Hollywood hasn't touched Zelda. Honestly though, I think it would turn out really badly. Since Link doesn't have any real dialog in the series, some writer would have to come up with an entirely original script. I don't know that I can even imagine Link talking. I'd also be really nervous that Hollywood would transform Zelda into a cheesy experience as opposed to an epic one.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As far as Grand Theft Auto is concerned, I just don't buy it. EW claimed it would inspire an interesting storyline for a crime drama, but no one plays the GTA games for the plot. Hollywood could never translate GTA into a movie without losing all of
the elements that make it fun (I was always a pretty big fan of running people over myself). I asked my boyfriend what he thought and what was his reply?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujJfSfWHWyM/UJF0b6F3fVI/AAAAAAAAAaI/1gGXDVe8zQQ/s1600/grand+theft+auto+rocket+launcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ujJfSfWHWyM/UJF0b6F3fVI/AAAAAAAAAaI/1gGXDVe8zQQ/s320/grand+theft+auto+rocket+launcher.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"I use as many cheats as possible to get the rocket launcher and blow sh*t up."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">...my thoughts exactly :P </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's the big question: which games would you choose for possible film adaptations? I had two initial ideas. First off, Chrono Trigger. If you've played the game, you know the storyline relies heavily on time travel. With a strong cast and solid director, we'd get quite the fantastical adventure.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Second, I'm a little surprised that Hollywood doesn't have a live-action Professor Layton series in the works. Sherlock Holmes has been an incredibly successful franchise (in film and on TV), and Layton could follow a similar path. It might even be a great movie for both kids and adults. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What do <i>you</i> think? With so many crappy adaptations, some of you may not even want to see your favorite games turned into movies, and I don't blame you. Either way, thoughts, comments and criticisms are appreciated :) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-The Girl Informer</span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-39307046354210869542012-10-29T14:22:00.000-07:002014-01-07T00:13:12.967-08:00Girl at play: Ico<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Greetings gamers, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is such an amazing feeling to become deeply immersed in a good game. Last Christmas, my parents bought me the Ico/Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection for PS3. I had never played either of the games before but had heard such phenomenal things about both titles. Many have debated that these creations from Team Ico should be considered modern pieces of art (see: <b><a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/07/okay_kids_play_on_my_lawn.html">Roger Ebert</a></b>, <b><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2011/10/the-video-game-art-of-fumito-ueda.html">New York Times</a></b>, <b><a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/01/the-great-debate-are-games-art.aspx">Game Informer</a></b>). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I started with Ico on Christmas day. I'm a little more accustomed to traditional RPG elements, but I liked the puzzle-solving mechanics. The best thing was the fact that my dad became engrossed in the gameplay, as well. As I was trying to figure out how the hell to get Yorda to follow me (you don't get any sort of tutorial at the beginning), it was genuinely thrilled to see my dad join in. I grew up watching him play Resident Evil 3, because I was too scared to play by myself. We worked through all of the puzzles together, while he took down bad guys like Nemesis. It felt just like old times. </span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4g4RxgAMG8s/UI70xnMOsNI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/s51iMJqLA_0/s1600/icoyorda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4g4RxgAMG8s/UI70xnMOsNI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/s51iMJqLA_0/s1600/icoyorda.jpg" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">art cred ~psuke76 on <b><a href="http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&global=1&q=ico#/d1wd8k1">deviantart</a></b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I think that certain genres appeal to certain individuals, but a truly moving game can resonate with anyone. My brother-in-law even started shouting at the TV, "wait, try moving that block!" Now, I'm a bit of a slow gamer, so it sometimes takes me a little while to get hooked. I took a break from Ico and finally picked it back up again seriously this month. I'm almost done (it's a relatively short game) and don't really want to be.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There is something so invigorating (and at the same time, a little lame :P) about having a good game on your mind. All I can think about at work is going home and finishing Ico. Figuring out exactly how to lead Ico and Yorda around the castle can be frustrating at times, but I desperately want to know what happens. While it doesn't seem like the type of game that will have a definitive and explanatory ending, I still need to get to that finish line.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'll make sure to let you know once I do ^_^</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-The Girl Informer</span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-49630690417669433342012-10-29T14:21:00.000-07:002014-01-07T00:06:54.191-08:00New series: Girl at play<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To kick off my return to the
blogosphere, I'm starting a new series of posts called "Girl at play."
Simply put, these posts will cover my current adventures within
different video games. It is so much fun to just sit down and nerd out
with friends about certain titles, so I decided to start doing it on
this blog. Let me know what you think :) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">-The Girl Informer</span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-17108531143805836022011-11-15T21:29:00.000-08:002014-01-07T00:07:16.679-08:00Tweet, tweet gamers!<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm back!!1!!1! And I have a confession to make... I'm in love with Twitter. If I could marry the social network, I would. No, really, I'm almost serious.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Well, my obsession came as a surprise, because I used to be a nonbeliever. I'm going to quote my good friend @ohthewits here:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Y9LMl44R7o/TssuqRTKxXI/AAAAAAAAAXU/yfmW2rcFjps/s1600/christinetweet.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Y9LMl44R7o/TssuqRTKxXI/AAAAAAAAAXU/yfmW2rcFjps/s320/christinetweet.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677683058963826034" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 310px;" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I used to be that person. I thought Twitter was for annoying people who wanted to let everyone know about every single second of their mundane lives, including yes - using the bathroom. But, more and more people (including myself) are realizing that Twitter really is <span style="font-style: italic;">so much more</span>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So why am I talking about Twitter on a gaming blog? Well, the platform plays such a huge role in media relations for the game industry, as well as other fields. I'll share what I mean exactly in relation to what I do at my internship.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gHVWSIAMdU/Tsst4e9EiuI/AAAAAAAAAXI/7Db6C4Jjba0/s1600/new_bird.png"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gHVWSIAMdU/Tsst4e9EiuI/AAAAAAAAAXI/7Db6C4Jjba0/s200/new_bird.png" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677682203635780322" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 114px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>From the perspective of a game studio, Twitter helps you connect with fans of your game and turn them into "brand evangelists." You can build a great community of players - and it's not just about them becoming your followers. Fans will retweet your content about the game and spread it through their own network of friends. Some will even talk about your game on their own, without you facilitating the conversation. Nothing is more powerful than word of mouth, and Twitter is by far the strongest online word of mouth.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While you can control your own content, it's even more awesome to see how others promote on your behalf. I will note here that some people criticize Twitter, among other social media, for this. What if people start saying bad things about you? The thing is, choosing not to participate is even <span style="font-style: italic;">worse</span>. People are going to talk about you whether you like it or not. It's a much better idea to jump into the conversation, contribute and attempt to fix people's misconceptions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJSk1o9JcIY/TssvCHXvegI/AAAAAAAAAXg/65TD1bpStZA/s1600/sarahtweet.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJSk1o9JcIY/TssvCHXvegI/AAAAAAAAAXg/65TD1bpStZA/s320/sarahtweet.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677683468615514626" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 140px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 226px;" /></a>Another awesome thing about Twitter is how it connects you to people within the industry. My job at Trendy sometimes involves contacting game journos about game news, launches, updates, etc. and trying to build relationships with them. By the way, I don't know why I picked up this "game journo" abbreviation, so I'll apologize upfront for abusing the crap out of it :P</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uef2WHbjj5c/TssvNfFVArI/AAAAAAAAAXs/pZhebf8cbok/s1600/petetweet.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uef2WHbjj5c/TssvNfFVArI/AAAAAAAAAXs/pZhebf8cbok/s320/petetweet.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677683663959294642" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 141px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 234px;" /></a>Anyways... when <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">GamePro</a> originally gave our game a pretty unfair and crappy review, a cool guy named Pete Davison, a contributing editor for the site, was given the task of re-reviewing it. I was able to show him the Trendy love for such a solid review via Twitter, and he showed some appreciation in return. It's that simple!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I mean, sometimes the power of Twitter amazes me. I'm friends with Greg Hutto, a PR manager who works over at our publisher. One day, I retweeted some Dungeon Defenders praise from Patrick Lindsey, managing editor over at <a href="http://pixelsordeath.com/" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">Pixels or Death</a> that was retweeted by Mike Potts, the associate news editor. Greg noticed that the website had not written a review for us yet and mentioned it to Mike over the social platform. Upon looking into it further, he found that Pixels or Death was not on his PR list and immediately got Mike hooked up. Greg tweeted very humorously after the fact, and it really fit the situation perfectly:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zsNbsbDsYpw/TssvkP12QiI/AAAAAAAAAX4/UMP6Lth3mQM/s1600/gregtweet.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zsNbsbDsYpw/TssvkP12QiI/AAAAAAAAAX4/UMP6Lth3mQM/s320/gregtweet.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677684055004824098" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 180px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 296px;" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-th2dAWRs8w8/TssTT7fn8hI/AAAAAAAAAV0/M2p4soV7rww/s1600/ScreenHunter_13%2BNov.%2B20%2B19.20.gif"><br /></a>Plus, Twitter is just plain fun! You get to put all of your interests in one place, and when it comes to gaming, that makes for some entertaining conversation.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So if you want to work in the video game industry, or just plain interested in the world, create a Twitter account. Also, check out Complex's feature "<a href="http://www.complex.com/video-games/2011/10/the-25-raddest-games-journalists-to-follow-on-twitter" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">The 25 Raddest Game Journalists to Follow on Twitter</a>" to get started. If you'd like even more<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>people to follow, look into who those journos are following.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sntvSlsnsOY/TssVksCkNMI/AAAAAAAAAWM/jwLCiPmqUvs/s1600/ScreenHunter_16%2BNov.%2B20%2B19.29.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sntvSlsnsOY/TssVksCkNMI/AAAAAAAAAWM/jwLCiPmqUvs/s200/ScreenHunter_16%2BNov.%2B20%2B19.29.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677655475272037570" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 60px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>There really are some personalities out there, and honestly, it's awesome insight. You can find out what journos are playing, what they are reviewing and what they care about. Game journalists are traditional reporters in the sense that they are constantly reporting on news 24/7, but they also tend to greatly embrace social media and are much more informal. Twitter is also a good place to monitor the latest news, conflict and criticism. I can't tell you how many Twitter storms I've seen go down.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6S9Wwv8zDnM/TssVyV-N-TI/AAAAAAAAAWY/Yf8tXR9wJf4/s1600/ScreenHunter_17%2BNov.%2B20%2B19.32.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6S9Wwv8zDnM/TssVyV-N-TI/AAAAAAAAAWY/Yf8tXR9wJf4/s200/ScreenHunter_17%2BNov.%2B20%2B19.32.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677655709866391858" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 58px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>One of the people I really enjoy following as of right now is #3 on the above list - @JimSterling. Damn that guy has some opinions. And he's not afraid to say them. I also personally recommend @leighalexander, particularly if you are interested in gaming culture and equality trends.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Also quick tip: if you use Twitter as a resource for work, I highly recommend <a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">TweetDeck</a>. It lets you monitor multiple accounts and track different trending terms and searches through a multiple column format. Just another way to be even more of a creep :P</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Oh and you can follow me @trendyentsarah or @girlinformer ;) Hope to see you in the Twitterverse!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Girl Informer</span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-1689569285888228742011-10-18T11:31:00.000-07:002014-01-07T00:07:55.568-08:00Where in the world is Sarah Conde?<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's been too long. I need to explain myself a little bit. You see, I've been having a rough time the past month or so, and that's why I haven't been keeping up with my posts. Managing school, longer work hours, a new internship and some personal issues has been taking it's toll.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To be completely honest, I was considering calling it quits. I'm super proud of this blog and everything I have written, but I always ask myself if I'm really reaching anyone. Well, today in class I got some perspective. I'm taking Communication on the Internet this semester which is a course that teaches you basic XHTML and CSS skills that I planned on eventually applying to this blog. Our first assignment, a personal website with four pages, was due last week. Our professor played a funny <span style="font-weight: bold;">*cough*cruel*cough*</span> game today that involved picking random names out of a hat and critiquing the website of whoever was chosen in front of the entire lecture class. With me being the lucky person I am <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">all</span> the time, I got picked -_-</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Alright, so it didn't go that horribly actually, and I got some extra credit for the humiliation. What makes this story really interesting is what happened after. A woman came up to me as class let out and said she has actually found my website while browsing through all of the projects (our professor put them all up on the class website). She found this blog, which I linked to nearly every page of my website, and showed her son who is an avid gamer. She said she just had to tell me how excited he was that someone else found gaming as important as he does and how much he appreciated it. She said he loved the blog and congratulated me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have to say, I would never have expected this to happen in a million years. It may seem very insignificant, but I was extremely flattered. I was already having a bad day, and this just made me smile! It also made me realize that it's important that I keep up with this blog. While I may only have a few readers, I feel like what I'm doing still makes a difference, even if it is a very small difference. Gaming has made me who I am today, so I want to keep representing it in the best way possible. I'm sorry to get so mushy and personal, but the incident really gave me a reality check. While I'm not quite caught up with everything in life to start blogging regularly again right <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">now</span>, I will be back soon. That's a promise! :)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Also, in case you're wondering, the internship I just started is for an independent game studio located here in Gainesville called Trendy Entertainment. The team makes an awesome game called <a href="http://dungeondefenders.com/" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">Dungeon Defenders</a> that is a mix between tower defense and action RPG. It comes out on PSN tomorrow and XBLA/PC on Wednesday. Please excuse the shameless plug, but I am just so incredibly happy to be working there. I'm trying to put a lot of time and effort into it, since this is exactly what I want to be doing for my career after all. It's a great company, and I love being part of the growth. So while things are busy, things are also going fantastic!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'll be back as soon as I can!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Girl Informer</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">P.S. It's pretty amazing that I can't even keep a post about why I've been so absent lately to a single paragraph. What can I say? I love to talk! :P</span></span>Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661608065218506084.post-41997222792083036442011-09-12T20:24:00.000-07:002014-01-07T00:08:18.415-08:00The Great Big Gamification Debate<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N6m14Zaxrrc/TnIyxMLVpWI/AAAAAAAAASw/iyo9bxD-LuU/s1600/bogost.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N6m14Zaxrrc/TnIyxMLVpWI/AAAAAAAAASw/iyo9bxD-LuU/s200/bogost.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652636302967154018" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 179px;" /></a>Tonight I wanted to talk about a trend that has been quite a controversial topic in the gaming industry - gamification. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">Gamification</a> refers to applying gaming mechanics to non-game applications to engage audiences in different ways and for different purposes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Two interesting articles came out last month debating the subject. The first was published on The Atlantic by Ian Bogost, a professor, game designer and critic. In <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/08/gamification-is-bullshit/243338/" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">Gamification is Bullshit</a>, Bogost argues that the tool is used by big business as a marketing ploy. He goes on to assert that it is deceptive and takes away from the integrity of games themselves.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KkLeHAs_h7M/TnIzSgzi1BI/AAAAAAAAAS4/S1HrpxUZaUU/s1600/gabe_headshot_1.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KkLeHAs_h7M/TnIzSgzi1BI/AAAAAAAAAS4/S1HrpxUZaUU/s200/gabe_headshot_1.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652636875440182290" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 144px;" /></a>Author, entrepreneur and Gamification Summit chair Gabe Zichermann shares an opposing view on Kotaku.com. In <a href="http://kotaku.com/5833631/" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">Gamification is Here to Stay (And it's not Bullshit)</a>, Zichermann discusses the immense benefits that can come from gamification that most critics overlook. He highlights the ability for the trend to tackle social issues such as obesity, education, sustainability and more.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So who is right? Well, I encourage you to read both articles to learn more about each side. I don't really think it's possible to pick just one since each argument has a variety of implications. I personally lean toward Zichermann, but I understand where Bogost is coming from. I just think he is looking at the trend very superficially.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm going to provide an example. At my internship this summer, I sat in on a brainstorming session for a major client (sorry, I can't actually divulge who or I will get in trouble). The purpose of the meeting was to come up with a way to add gaming mechanics to a client's product website. Gamification in the flesh! Well, I was excited and supported the initiative, because it made sense. The product was a training tool for employees, and it was <span style="font-weight: bold;">BORING</span>. Why not try something different and use a platform that is perfect for engagement?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KSbSLv57C7g/TnI-AKart5I/AAAAAAAAATI/-UUp_XTLE8o/s1600/fourbadges.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KSbSLv57C7g/TnI-AKart5I/AAAAAAAAATI/-UUp_XTLE8o/s200/fourbadges.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652648654820587410" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>Bogost talks about gamification becoming a automatic check mark on a list for corporate strategy. I really don't have a problem with this if it <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">fits</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>the strategy of a campaign. Plus, I think it's really cool that game strategy is now being considered by big business, and it shows how mainstream games are becoming. Companies shouldn't just "gamify" for the sake of doing it or because everyone else is doing it, though. It should follow a case-by-case basis, and the benefits to the audiences and organization must be considered thoroughly. That doesn't mean gamification isn't abused, and I think that is what concerns Bogost the most.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We also need to talk about gamification in terms of public interest communications - a field I am studying in depth this semester. Public interest communications (PIC) basically boils down to communication for some social good. PIC is done for reasons that transcend an organization itself. I think Zichermann's argument comes into play here. He talks about the potential for gamification to make the world a better place overall if used in the right way. This is a pretty bold statement. Check out this video from G4 host and editor Adam Sessler that correlates well. It focuses on getting a job in the video game industry, but if you watch 3:14-3:52 he makes some insightful comments about gamification and how it is spreading into our world.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="380" id="VideoPlayerLg55198" width="540"><param name="movie" value="http://www.g4tv.com/lv3/55198"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.g4tv.com/lv3/55198" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" name="VideoPlayer" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="380" width="540"></embed></object></span></span><br />
<div style="color: #ff9b00; margin: 0pt; text-align: center; width: 480px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.g4tv.com/" style="color: #ff9b00;" target="_blank">Video Game</a> - <a href="http://www.g4tv.com/e3-2012/" style="color: #ff9b00;" target="_blank">E3 2012</a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Zichrmann points out that gamification isn't only used for marketing. It can help children learn to read, teach consumers recycling techniques and assist employees in losing a couple of extra pounds. It's all about disclosure, though. The message and purpose needs to be clear. I think this aligns with the principles of PIC. If a company is using gamification for the sole purpose of selling something or making money, it is a lot harder to take the program seriously.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I will say that I think Zichermann overlooks some of the organizations that are abusing the practice. And in all honesty, I think Bogost has a problem with the field of marketing more than anything else. Either way, I really don't think gamification is going anywhere, at least for a little while. As Jane McGonigal has said, <a href="http://girlinformer.blogspot.com/2011/02/harness-your-gaming-power.html" style="color: #6633ff; font-weight: bold;">games can make us better</a>. What's wrong with that? <span style="font-style: italic;">Sigh...</span> I think I just want everyone to be a gamer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Keep reading!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Girl Informer</span></span><br />
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><br />
<div id="refHTML">
</div>
Sarah Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16572327639003403152noreply@blogger.com0