Reflective Blog Post 1

For the writing into the day done on January 16, 2013, we were to respond to a video explaining the importance video games have on children and how they're significant to the learning experience of those kids. During the video, the man discussing this information stated that there was an issue with having more girls getting interested with video games.

That caused me to want to challenge certain issues he brought about this.

First off, I am a female and I'm a gamer just like any other male out there - I've been so ever since middle school. The population of female gamers is out there and is also gradually rising from a minority to a large percentage of all gamers. Female gamers have also received acknowledgement to their existence through television shows like G4TV's Top 100 Games

As seen on the television show above, female gamers play the same games as males (the Halo series, Silent Hill, etc.). Therefore, questioning how to get girls more involved into video games is an irrelevant question. What will attract the female population to video games will nearly be the same for males: a wonderfully designed control system, great graphics, amazing character development, incredible plot, and anything else in between these or anything else not mentioned.

However, there's always a variation to what an individual gamer wants in a game. I cannot speak for all female gamers out there, yet I can give my opinion on what I seek out in a game and what I want to see. This could be used in comparison to other female gamers to see if there is an average desire for certain aspects of future games.

I like RPGs mainly. Yet, I like them to be simple in their control system (that way there isn't much I need to learn in that aspect). Also, I want a deep plot - one that dives more into the emotional journey characters (well-developed ones at that) will experience whether the characters are ones that you will create or npcs the player will come across. Though that does not mean I want romance - no that is not what games need to change to (if they need to change much at all)

I have also recently discovered the wonders of a first person game whether it be a shooter or any other type (Thank you Skyrim). Yet, a third person view point in a game is still what I favor most.

The only game that I enjoyed that had romance as a big aspect (at least I thought so) in it was Final Fantasy X and that was because the plot that went into it was well-thought-out and amazing to play through. The other games I have are Mario Kart (don't really like sports games), Kingdom Hearts (it plays to my memories as a child), Batman Arkham Asylum, Assassin's Creed, inFamous, Dance Dance Revolution (the older versions and only because it was good exercise, some good music, and my first set of games I got as a child), and much more.

I enjoy games with a thrill (not too much gore - like I can't stand the slow-motion kills found in the Fall Out series for some reason), with violence, strategy, and humor. There has to be a character that will stand out in my mind (Master Chief, the Joker, Sephiroth, Mario, Nathan Drake, Alucard from Castlevania, Snake, etc.) and one that had me jumping out of my seat.

These are only highlights of what I enjoy in a game. If you're not a gamer, go buy a game that interests you and see if you enjoy it. Once you do, you'll be addicted for life. This is a phenomena that will not leave society for a long time to come (I'm so glad to predict that!).