Keep goin' yeah you don't stop

It's that time again! Portland Retro Gaming Expo is less than 2 weeks away! Last weekend I was at Rose City Comic Con, too busy to make a video though, sorry 'bout that. Probably won't make one for this event either. I will, however, be there with a table and my sick sprites, so come by and check them out. Mention that you follow my blog and I'll give you a free keychain! Also, join the mailing list that I've started for Pixel Art Paradise, to receive notifications on upcoming events, projects, and super pixel deals. There are some exciting things coming up. Some other site wants to re-post some of my articles, but I haven't had time to rewrite my bio yet. Been busy with work stuff. Soon as the convention season is over, I should get back to making some video content. Of course there are tons of food vids you can watch (Mel eats weird stuff), but I'll have some new gaming stuff up soon too. Stay tuned!

Plethora of drank

So I've been spending a lot of time on games, work, and cocktails as of late. I asked if anyone wanted a compilation of my Drunken Moogle cocktails to date and the answer was yes. I don't have much time to post because I have to get up early for work but here are some pics with the links to the recipes. I made it easy too, just click on the pics. Seriously, do it.

The Mudkip

The Bandicoot

The Tanooki Tonic

Not just gaming

So if the last couple months have taught me, it's that no matter what you do, there's no winning the game. What is the game? Is it the game you're playing right now, or is it this game called life? Or is that too dramatic and totally dumb? Who knows, only you can answer that for yourself.

Recently I moved to Portland. It's a really nice city with even nicer people. It's awesome. I'm really enjoying it here so far. My personal life hasn't been too super, but it's all good. I'm dealing with it just fine (I think, anyways). Got a full time job that I enjoy, work on the side, still making and selling my art, broke up with my partner, and still live in a really nice town...But something is missing. That something is, well, I haven't really met that many people that I can communicate with on a level that isn't just passing comments (and friendly ones at that!) or just casual conversation.

You see, the thing about me is that I like to have in-depth conversations. Sure, I love gaming, and yeah, I like the bar scene too, but there's a lot more than that. As far as I'm concerned, that's all pretty superficial. Those are just topics that you bring up in conversation, or that people enjoy together and exclaim, "Oh! We have these things in common!". You know, that's nice, but still, a relationship, friendship or otherwise, shouldn't be based on those things alone. Case and point; Met someone at a con, shared a common interest, that person became interested in me, and then it didn't work out because when it came time to talking about actual life stuff, they couldn't wrap their head around it, or didn't want to hear it. Tough.

I used to think that my own way of thinking was 'off', or that later on I became negative. I wouldn't say that I'm negative so much as I'm a realist. A lot of people, it seems nowadays, can't handle up-front honesty. I am a very straight forward person and I think that intimidates a lot of people (It's also cost me a job or two). I'm not the kind of person that's going to pretend to be this or that just to make someone else happy or to make a dollar. Will I say that I'm sorry? No, because if you can't handle it, then I don't want to be around you. I want to be around people that can challenge me in a way that is ego-free. Someone who can make me think, someone with whom I can share ideas, and make me think about possibilities. Someone to grow with intellectually. This and that will only get you so far. Just talk to me, openly, and see what I mean. I don't care to be in large groups and prefer one-on-ones in terms of conversation because I like to avoid the 'group think' mentality. And sure, all you pseudo intellectuals can say that you're above that, but you're not. Don't even try to kid yourself.

It's not just games, videos, blogs, and all that. I am a person, an approachable one at that, and I like to have conversations about everything. I love to learn and experience and just take it all in. That's what keeps me going. Sure I have short and long term goals, but for me it's always about learning. I love to see how things work and love to learn what it is that makes people tick. It may be my background in psychology, or background in bartending and people watching, or independent studies in philosophy, sociology, and many other topics that has set me out to be this way, but I'm cool with that. Whatever it is that you want to talk to me about, just make sure that it's deep and don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm not offended easily so don't even worry about that. Life's too short to deal with petty bullshit.

"OMG Mel, what about gaming?!" Well, when it comes to gaming, I have no problem playing games. I love games, they're a great pastime. Let's play some multiplayer games. Just so you know, I'm not too good at FPS or Fighting Games (with the exception of Guilty Gear), and I'm really good at puzzle, shmups, and racing games. I rather enjoy co-ops, especially retro games. Mario Bros (proper) and Bubble Bobble, well, those are the ones I've been playing at the arcade recently, are a lot of fun in co-op mode. It's a great way to get a conversation going. Galaga? Not so much. It's one of my favorite games, but too many people get butt-hurt when they play against me. Shouldn't it just be fun? Not just the games, but being in the company of other people and having it not just be about that. Or is that too much to ask for?

-Mel   

Objectiveness Without Objectification

Fuck yeah, EQUALITY!

Can't we all just get along?

I received quite the amount of positive feedback regarding my article on girl gamers and discussion on gender related issues. I'd like to think that it's due to my skill in being able to write in a way that people can sort of understand, but I think it's probably more likely that it's because I try to remain as unbiased as possible when approaching such topics. I try to think and write, objectively rather than subjectively, and only add personal experience where and when necessary to the information being provided. Unfortunately some so-called main stream video game and entertainment sites do just the opposite of that. They insert their opinions and tried to pass them off as facts. I don't much care for this as I can sense bullshit from a mile away. I also don't appreciate people's agendas driving their information when it should be the other way around. You should write around facts, not try to make the information suit your needs. In most instances, and with what I'm getting at here, that need is to write a sensationalist article to stir up people's emotions for monetary gain while at the same time reinforcing unhealthy stereotypes with no intent to be helpful whatsoever.

Case and point; Someone pointed out this article to me earlier today. Oh look, it's the same issues as before, not a big surprise. I won't deny that sexism exists, as it does and has for thousands of years, but it doesn't mean that you have to take it lying down (heheh, see what I did there?). It works both ways. Everyone hates everyone for something, we know that. It's not limited to just gender, but also social status, culture, location, species, etc. The list goes on and on. I've already discussed the issues regarding gender and stuff, so go read my other article if that's what you're looking for. I'll address this particular article later. The rest of this is going to be to discuss the integrity of articles like this and how they effect the masses who don't know that they're being driven by their emotions brought on by toxic, biased as hell, stories from less than trustworthy sources.

Hello, I am a human. I listen to all of the things.

How much of what you read on the internet do you believe to be true? Really think about that for a minute. There are obvious fake stories that float around that are there for the sake of entertainment, and those are easily passed off as false information. Now what about "legit" sources? How do YOU define legit? Is something more believable because someone else said it? Is it more believable because you respect or trust someone? Does that mean that it MUST be true? How often do you think critically as opposed to letting something seem true enough because it just happens to match your opinion on a particular topic? Are you afraid to question logic? Where do you get your news? Do you think that since the majority goes there, that they're that much more credible? They aren't. No one is. It's an elaborate illusion carefully constructed by their marketing department. Influence is a hell of a drug, and the media is your dealer.

Let me break it down for those who don't know. Websites, particularly big media sites, exist not only to share information (true or not) but also to rake in mad ad revenue. Dolla dolla bill y'all. They do this with clicks, page views, online shops, and more. They all do it for the money, it's a job, it's how they make their living. Sometimes big names get paid off to endorse a product, service, or agenda, whether it's right or not is subjective. That's why it's up to you, dear consumer, to go into reading all articles with a sceptic yet open mind. Some articles are very informative and helpful, while others might just be disguising themselves for another purpose. It's up to you to decide that what you're reading is or is not true. It's not about the source of the information, who says what and all that, it's about how you perceive that information and what you do with that information. So how do we go about reading or seeing things more objectively?

Uh, wrong brain...

Well, let's start with the source of what makes us feel that we should justify falsehoods as truth in the media. For one, there's cognitive dissonance. It's a psychological term referring to this thing that happens on a subconscious level where you have two thoughts or beliefs happening at the same time and your brain doesn't know how to deal with it. On the conscious thinking level, it manifests itself as fear, anxiety, irritability, etc, all of which we try to rid ourselves of as soon as possible. For most people, it's the easy route, which is just sticking to what they know. If another thought or fact comes into play, many people have a hard time accepting the truth for what it is. This is where we get the term 'ignorance is bliss'. Sometimes the truth is hard to handle, but isn't learning and growing what life is all about? What we really ought to do is understand underlying factors and look at each piece of information objectively. Take your thoughts, see them as they are (only thoughts) and pick at them until you find the right answer. It won't hurt to try it some time.

Throw away the ego too, it's unnecessary, and only adds to the problem. Some people might jump on the bandwagon because of social influence, that's fine too, just know that no one really cares about your opinion. That might be hard for some people to grasp, but read the above paragraphs again if you missed it the first time. It's all in your head, only you can decide what true and what's not, based on your evidence and facts. Fear, anxiety, oh! And hopelessness! That's the one I was forgetting. You see, you might know what the truth is but then turn away because it puts you in a situation that feels hopeless, or bad, or whatever. The truth is never a bad thing and you should always think for yourself, regardless of how it makes you feel. You are the master of your own emotions, don't let them veer you off the path of seeking the truth. To take on a critical mind, you must not only question your sources of information, but also yourself. Only good things can come of it. 

Your article; Cute, but still a pile of shit

So I suppose you want my opinion now on that article that got me going today. Well, the way I see it, it's an issue that's already been addressed. Many times, from many sources, from many angles. Who was in the wrong there? The men because they were invading the space of the women and being rude? Or the women for bitching about it and not defending themselves when they had every right to do so? Or maybe it's the website who is at fault for putting the blame more towards one gender than the other to perpetuate gender-biased hatred, and then offering no solutions. It's a sensationalist pile of garbage. Was anyone killed, raped, or otherwise irreparably injured? No? So no real harm done then, other than on an emotional bitch-bitch-cry-cry level. Oh, it happened in the gaming industry, what makes that special again?  Oh, it doesn't? I see. So what was the point of this? I'm guessing to get people riled up so they'd share the article via social outlets. Well, it worked. Hope you're happy, you pitiful excuse for a game site. Hope you do something real special for the community with that extra money lining your pocket.

SNK's tough love

It's beautiful, isn't it?

Recently I came into possession of a Neo Geo X Gold. It was a late birthday present from a friend, and I was more than excited to finally catch up on some arcade classics. As far as I knew, SNK is mostly known for their fighting games, most of which I'm terrible at. I'm not very good at fighting games. I played that Ninja Master's game, and I guess I was alright at that one, but this isn't really what this article is about.

SNK games are terribly difficult. But not to the point where you want to rage quit after each gaming session. No, there's a fine balance to it. They games are hard, yes, but you want to keep playing them because the games are such that when you make just a little bit of progress from where you last failed in a given game, you want to keep playing. Like, genuinely keep playing. The games are like crack for the senses. There's the wonderful arcade-y graphics, wonderful soundtracks, and heart-pumping action that just does not let up. You have to focus all of your gamer know-how to get a grasp of some of these games. It's really intense. SNK games, from what I can tell, are not for the casual gamer.

One of the games that I've taken a particular liking to is Alpha Mission 2. It's a shmup! I LOVE shmups! What's more fun than hopping into a space ship and shooting maniacally while dodging a barrage of bullets? Not much, I can tell you that. This game, when you first start off, seems like your typical shoot-em-up thing where you gather power ups, shoot the things shooting at you, and it doesn't SEEM to difficult at first. There aren't that many bullets flying around the screen, and you would think that would make for an easier shmup. NOPE. You need to figure out what's more important, gathering power ups? Dodging bullets? Which enemies should I take out first? And this is all happening at once, in a fairly short period of time, this is also just the first level. Trying to get a handle on things is the midst of the action. Tough love, but you take it and push forward. Just when you think you have the enemies patterns down or maybe if you're doing to well, the game will throw a curve ball at you. Alright! I got passed this part! Crap, where did that stray drone and lone bullet come from?! GAH! And you start over. You WANT to see what comes next.

 

 

That's just the first level boss, it's the other guy I'm worried about.

So far I've been able to make it to the end of the second level. Not bad, I think, for a game that's only 8 levels long. This is one of those games that you'll have to master before actually making any progress. While this might sound frustrating, I think it's a great exercise in patience and reflexes. You have to think fast if want to best some of these baddies. There's more to this game too, than just shooting at drones and other ships. The entire first half of the second level has you taking out pieces of this giant ship, one at a time, by taking out turrets that are shooting at you then shooting the ship's weak point. It's completely obvious too where the weak points are. It you're paying attention to the details you'll see, though as small as they are, the little weak points open up, and then you just fire away (While avoiding other enemies, a constantly moving screen, and stray bullets from who knows where). Also, you'll need to be sure that when your ship is powered up, to not pick up any more power ups from the carriers as they'll actually take power away. (Jerks.) These are the power ups that look like upside down purple letter versions of the regular power ups you get.

I must have played the first two levels of this game a couple dozen times over by now, and I still want to continue to play it. Level two's boss is a bitch though, with circling drones with spreadshots protecting it, having to avoid the wall lasers, and those goddamn homing missiles! The missiles are the worst! There's no avoiding them unless you shoot them, which is hard to do while you're shooting at other stuff and trying to not get hit by them. But I want more! I want to beat it and make my way to level 3! Why is this game so hard?! Why do I love it so much?!

Final Response To Tropes vs Women in Video Games

This has been a horse that's been beaten to death. So many requests for a response, I had to finally get around to making one. While I could have gone over everything else that everyone else already has, I tried to go a different angle and question her motives. If you want better explanations of why the tropes vs women videos are extremely biased and bat shit insane, be sure to check out all the links to the lovely video responses of others that I included in my description for the video. Thanks for watching.

A game by any other name - An Obligatory Bioshock Infinite Rant

Bioshock, Yay!

Do you remember that Mario movie they made back in the 90's? Remember how everyone ranted about how terrible it was? Well, it wasn't that it was a terrible movie, in my opinion, it was a great movie. It was just a terrible Mario movie. It had all the makings of a well paced action flick, awesome special effects, and decent (questionable) acting. If they had called it anything other than Mario Bros, it probably wouldn't get all the crap that it gets today. It would probably still be seen as solid film. Now, just hear me out before you start going all bat-shit in my comments, I want to say that I feel similarly about Bioshock Infinite. It's not a bad game, in fact, it's a really REALLY good game. It's got great gameplay mechanics, great imagery, a decent enough story, and sure it's got the elements to be called a Bioshock game. It's definitely game-of-the-year material, there's no doubt about that. So, I'm not putting the game down at all, I really enjoyed it and recommend it, but there are a couple of things I want to talk about...

So now where to start? How might I go about this without providing any spoilers? I'll try my best to not spoil anything by skirting around topics and...well, maybe just to be on the safe side: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Stop reading now if you're super-sensitive crazy type that loses their shit at the hint of a spoiler. Turn away now. This is your last warning. I'm serious. Still with me? Alright, let's get on with it then.

Pictured: Fan's response to first hearing about Bioshock Infinite after having played Bioshock 2.

Am I the only one that needed a shower after learning the relationship of Booker and Elizabeth? So there you are, playing as Booker, escorting Elizabeth around. What started as a mission to pay off a 'debt' became a struggle to protect her at any cost. Half way through, I started to think (because the story hadn't been spoiled for me yet), "Wow, a strong female character, and an even stronger male character. And he's doing anything he can to protect her! How romantic!" Then the twist happened and I was like "Oh..." (Poker face). "Well, this is embarrassing." I mean, at least it wasn't like that one (spoiler) Korean Film.
In that movie, the damage had already been done, that dude was fucked (no pun intended) either way. In this game? They cut it just short of reaching THAT point. (perhaps too risque for a AA title?) I seriously don't know how I didn't see it coming. Ugh. Maybe it didn't turn out that way because Elizabeth already knew? Or, I don't know, I don't want to think about it anymore.

"A merger of machine and man, that was the 

lesser of man yet the greater of both parties."

"That's what she said..." 

Speaking of character relations, a friend of mine on facebook questioned whether or not Elizabeth was engaging in solo-sexy-time up in that tower of hers. To which I replied with 'giant robot bird cock'. We have strange (fun) senses of humour over there on the facebooks. Don't judge me! The internet could use more robot dickings. But I digress.

So, yes, back to the topics that are canon to the game.
What are the other issues? Well, as another reviewer pointed out, the vigors had no other use than making Bioshock, well, a Bioshock game. They served no purpose for anything other than combat, and you didn't really need them anyways. Not really. Another thing that I think they could have improved on was the usability of the tears. I mean, you have dimension ripping powers, and you used it to what? Conjure cover for battle scenarios. That's it. There was SO much missed potential there! They could have pushed the envelope further with the gameplay but they underwhelmed by playing it safe and limiting the use of tears.

And what of the blaring plot holes? Without going into the whole multidimensional/time travel stuff, I mean, if Elizabeth got out of the tower and was able to use her powers, why didn't they just escape to Paris? SHE OPENED A FUCKING TEAR TO PARIS. (See pic below, which I'm going to lovingly call 'Game Logic')

Seriously, let's go watch French Star Wars right fucking now!

I guess the game might have been way too short if it were that easy. But it could have been an option, I'm just sayin'. Multiple endings could have been a very awesome thing with this game, especially given all the different dimensions, conditions, and other crazy influencing factors.

So here's another question; Was I the only one that thought that the whole zombie ghost part was completely unnecessary? No? Okay, let's repeat this once more before I continue (it's a buffer), I think Bioshock infinite is a GREAT GAME. But...I do feel like the creators might have been fan-pandering a bit. Not to Bioshock fans, but to fans of popular sci-fi media in general. Let's see, what's popular right now? Time travel? Check. Steampunk? Check! What else? "I know, let's throw in some zombies for good measure!" That was probably my least favorite part of the entire game. That whole thing didn't need to happen. And in an entire game with no boss battles, why decide to throw one in right there? It makes me think that maybe the developers and their artists came up with the concept of the siren and didn't know how to fit it in to the story/environment, so they just made something up because they didn't want to scrap their idea. That's what it felt like anyways. It just didn't fit well with the game or story as a cohesive whole.

Google "fancy pineapple"

Earlier I was reading this article about unanswered questions in the game and wanted to point out in particular the pineapple thing. You see, it's not just because the pineapple is full of delicious nutrients to keep your health up that they're so plentiful, it's because back in old-timey days, Pineapples were considered a luxury item denoting wealth and prestige. Back then a pineapple could cost hundreds of dollars because they had to be imported. People would even rent a pineapple for dinner parties and not eat it, just have it there to show off how much stupid money they had. It's a cultural thing I think. A nice little detail they added to the game to show just how indulgently spoiled the rich white folk of Columbia were. Probably to make you despise them even more, but it seems that went over a lot of heads and the point was totally missed by most players. Just wanted to throw that out there.

Those are my main gripes about Bioshock Infinite for now. I don't know if there will be more, probably not since the game is AMAZING. Seriously, I can't recommend this game enough. It is fun and totally worth even a second play through just to explore some more and maybe pick up things that you might have missed on your first play through. There's so much to look at, it's a beautiful game. Even if you watch someone else play it, it's still completely captivating. The good things definitely outnumber the small details, and why are you still reading this and not playing Bioshock Infinite right now?

-Mel

Next Level Perler Art

Very quickly posting to share this. It's my very first perler sprite shadow box! As you can see, it's an underwater themed Mario piece. There are elements from both Super Mario bros and SMB3 and a little splash of extra color (different shades) in the back. The background took the longest to make, of course. I have 3 more boxes so I wonder what I'll do next with them. . .

I will be bringing these completed pieces to the Controllers and Canvas show at the Mesa Bookmans on May 11th, along with whatever stock I had left over from ZapCon and maybe a few new surprises. See you there!

ZapCon video

Did you miss ZapCon in Phoenix? Well, it was amazing. Here's a video showing some of the machines and stuff.

One more show

So there's this thing I got invited to participate in. I was invited over facebook and replied with "maybe". When I got to ZapCon, my name was on the flier for the event. Guess I gotta do it then, huh?! Well, it can't hurt to do another show before I move. That's right, I'm moving away from AZ!  So come see myself, my pixely goodness, and participate in video game trivia May 11th at Bookman's in Mesa. Win some fabulous prizes and hang out with cool gamer types. See you there!

ZAP ZAP ZAP!

This weekend is ZapCon! It's Arizona's premier retro arcade and pinball convention. It's their first year and I'm very excited to be a part of it. Of course I'll be there with a table or two sharing my Pixel Art. Come get some! If you can challenge and beat me at Tetris, I'll give you a prize! :)

Mel Eats Weird Stuff

So here's a preview for our new web series about eating weird foods from around the world.

Questions requiring Answers

Every once in a while I like to do little Q&A things for this site. People want to know things! So I share the things! Here are some of the questions asked by amazing people via my facebook page. I'll answer them in the order which they were received. I hope this doesn't get out of hand...

Q: Will you marry me?
A: No, no I will not. That escalated quickly. Haha. Seriously though, aside from me not knowing you at all, I believe that marriage is a dated institution. No matter how long a relationship, I don't think marriage is necessary.

Q: Do you know the muffin man?
A: Not personally. I'm pretty sure I've eaten his relatives though.

Q: What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow
A: (approx.) 24 mph for the European swallow, apparently. You know how to use google, right?

Q: When is cheese yet?
A: Uh...When aged while?

Q: When will the debut of MEWS take place?
A: For those that haven't been following my posts on the ol' Facebeast, I've been working on a new video series called "Mel eats weird stuff". It's where myself and friends eat strange and unique foods from around the world, some good, some bad. I was going to do a formal post here, but since it's been asked I may as well just let you know now. MEWS will be debuting some time early next month, probably. Maybe even before then. I wanted to time the release with the episode of the web series "Wreckless Eating" where I was a guest for the main show. We ate some pretty terrible stuff. In addition to my show doing food reviews, there will also be trips to local foreign shops, events, and even cooking tutorials. I hope you all tune in to see what's cookin'!

Q: Have you ever played Metal Arms: Glitch in the System?
A: Nope. 

Q: Would you ever do the Harlem Shake?
A: Yes, yes I would. The real question should be, would Sammy (the hedgehog) do the Harlem Shake? I don't think he has many friends so I'm not sure how that might work. 

Q: Which is your favorit pixal art that u have done?
A: This is tough because I've done so many, with various applications. I'd have to say that I really enjoy doing the kirby power-up panels. I think the rustic "MIX" power up pixel art was neat. I also like that Amigo sprite that I made recently. No one bought it, but I kind of wanted to keep it for myself anyways. It's a win-win. On the other hand, my favorite piece of game-related art work I've done was my Katamari Damacy painting entitled "The Smallest Prince", followed closely by those Okami Den brush-god figures that I made. I sold them as a set. Recently I learned how to make molds for the clay that I use so I might end up making a bunch more of them in the near future. 

Q: Ever get turned on sexually by a game or a specific character?    
A: GIANT FIGHTING ROBOTS j/k. This question is funny, because the answer is no, because they are not real. There aren't that many video game characters that are that attractive...wait, I take that back...Snake is hot...Wesker is also hot. Hmmm...that's all I can think of for right now. I don't usually think of game characters like that. Haha. 
edit: Also, Pyramid Head...

Q: Out of the next gen consoles and looking at prices and specs etc, do you think that PC gaming is a making a comeback as the forerunner of the market?
A: Absolutely! The console market has really been dropping the ball as of lately. I think that right now, they're in a position where they're running around, not sure what to do. They keep playing the market like it's the same that it was 10 years ago, which it isn't. They need to stop focusing on their hardware as much, and get back to making games. I think that Sony and Nintendo should stop making consoles, and just stick to games. I think that Microsoft doesn't need another console. I think that it would be much simpler if there were just one universal gaming console, the PC gets pretty close with the exception of exclusives of course. Maybe if there were just one, ever growing console, we might be able to see some better games. The people will choose what games succeed and fail, not the companies that make them and pour too much into their marketing campaigns while their product suffers. 

Q: What do you love most about food?
A: Flavours! Seriously, the phrase "variety is the spice of life" is completely 100% true when applied to food. You need food to survive, so why not make it one of the most enjoyable things imaginable? You know, since you're going to be eating anyways. Every new food is a new experience. I think that's what I find so exciting about it. What do I love most about food? That it's food!

Q: Mel The Office Gamer Girl: The Game...would it be platform, RPG, or sandbox? And what would the premise be?
A: It would be a education game/simulator. You would go around finding characters from obscure games and reuniting them with their creators, then going around telling people about said games. Conversational bits with each of the characters would determine the outcome of their part of the story depending on how you answer questions, etc. There would be mini games based on those games/characters. You could also go to an arcade in-game to play some classics. There would also be some mini games involving food with mini history lessons and cultural trivia attached. I think there would also be some tools like a notepad for taking notes (on games, food, etc), a sketch book for the hell of it, and a system where you could stamp off each of the games you've played or foods you've eaten. Also, there would be patterns included for bead spriting, because I said so. This game would probably be on a handheld system or see a small release cross-platform.    

Q: If you were an 8bit character who would you be? 
A: Dry bones. You can smash me all you want but I'll still get back up.

Q: What do you think cultivated your love of cooking?
A: Well, growing up, I didn't get the chance to eat a lot of different foods. My 'family' (if you could even call it that) grew up poor. Food bank food is no good, and you'd have to get creative with it. When I was in middle school is when I started working. I used the money I earned to purchase ingredients to work with, mainly because I was curious to what I'd been missing out on. It was also around that time that I found an interest in Asian cultures and cuisine. I would check out books from the library and try the recipes that I found to see if they were any good. They were! Later on I met a lot of wonderful people, including exchange students that became some of my best friends back then. I was one of those nerds that would get picked on a lot at school and so, you know, those types of kids usually end up sticking together. I learned a lot from them and some of them even taught me how to cook some of the dishes I know today. Ever since then I've always enjoyed food, cooking, and new flavours, it's only now that I'm getting to share that with anyone who wants to share the experience. :)

Thanks to everyone who asked questions! If you have additional questions you'd like answered, send 'em to mtogg@live.com.

Also, if you dig my pixel art, be sure to grab a piece over at Pixel Art Paradise.

Regarding Girl Gamers

  

Disclaimer

This article is to discuss the role of female gamers and women in the gaming industry in general. It's aim is to be an introduction for those that may not be so familiar with the topic. I'm writing this article for a number of reasons. The first reason being I've had a few people ask me my take on the subject, to which at the time I didn't have a response because I don't see people according to gender, labels, and stereotypes. But since I've got a voice, I may as well use it to discuss various topics related to the subject at hand, in fact it may even be my responsibility to do so. The second reason for writing this article is that I've been inspired to do so by conversing with a couple of influential people, and by recent events that I've witnessed lately regarding women in gaming, some good, some bad. We will get to that, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Melissa. My online persona is “Mel the Office Gamer Girl”. I didn't choose to call myself “gamer girl” for the fact that I'm a gamer girl, but because it was a joke between myself and friends, a sort of tongue-in-cheek reference, not to be taken seriously. I play video games, I make video game-related art. I write video game reviews, articles, and host various local events as well as participate in game-related charities. That's pretty much all there is to know about me as far as the gaming aspect is concerned. Let's get this started then...

Introduction

When you hear the words “gamer girl” what do you think of? If you're someone of sound mind, it shouldn't mean anything other than a girl who plays video games. It's that simple. Unfortunately, in the industry, in online discussion, among marketing departments, among supposed feminists, among both male and female gamers it has become known as a label, often carrying many meanings and implications. I will try to divide this article up by trying my best to explain the different “types” of gamer girls, how they're seen by other groups, the biases held against them, and their own strengths and weaknesses. I will end this article with an explanation of how I think we can go about eliminating some of the differences and how we should go about promoting unity among gamers in general, regardless of gender.

Girl Gamers

The first category I'd like to take a look at is the one that places all the females together. According to recent marketing research from various sources, the same amount of both men and women play games today. 50/50. No joke. They're equal as far as marketing, purchasing, and playing goes. It wasn't always like that though, not in the console scene anyways. There were more guys than girls playing video games on consoles 10, 20 years ago even. I recently saw a video online where some girl was going on about how it was like that even back in the days of video arcades. That's not true. Just as many women as men frequented arcades in the golden age of gaming. It wasn't until consoles came along that there was more of a gender gap in gaming. I'm not exactly sure how or why this was in the initial stages of the home console market, but some people attribute it to the games being mostly marketed towards boys in general. But who is to say that women didn't also find those advertisements appealing? Was anyone asking them? And what of those women that claim that advertisements should have been geared more towards women? I believe that is a matter of opinion influenced by your perceived role in society, which YOU chose to adhere to. I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself, but let's take a look at this group that I've sort of hinted at...

The Pseudo-Feminist Gamer Movement

There are girls who take pride in being girl gamers, and that's fine, but what isn't fine is attacking men in the process, or attacking society as a whole and playing the role of victim. This may sound too straight forward for many females to handle, but that's probably because they might find themselves identifying with this particular group. They are a bunch that choose to seek attention in the media or elsewhere demanding change in the industry, in games, character designs, etc, because they are deemed as inappropriate or sexually objectifying (oh femi-buzzwords!) women. Often times they fail to look at the whole situation, they often disregard conversing about gaming in general (for example gameplay mechanics, story, music, etc) and choose to pick out bits to create meaningless arguments about. They do so under the guise of self-righteous, self-entitled, often ill informed victims of their own devices. At the forefront of this terrible movement is a girl named Anita Sarkeesian. She has a degree in communication studies, which supposedly was to get into media and television, but when she talks about feminism it's extremely conservative and man-bashing. She sounds like a kid who got through school by the books without thinking for themselves and is just regurgitating popular opinion to gain a larger following. Hers, by the way, is something like a confused cult. She started her “career” as the face of the feminist gaming revolution by starting a Kickstarter project for a web series based on her arguments about the objectification of women in gaming. She raised over $150,000 and months later, no videos were to be seen what-so-ever. She then used the angry backlash of gamers as fuel to gain mainstream attention to further push her bullshit agenda. We don't need people like this in gaming. It's easy to see that she knows what she's doing to manipulate the media to get what she wants and really has no respect nor any real compassion for either male nor female gamers. On the subject of feminism in general, I'd like to say that, while there are different types, groups, etc, the main root of feminism is for equal rights, for both genders. It's not to demonize one over the other, or for women to use as an excuse to be lazily passive about social progress, while failing to empower people, both genders included. While she may have a degree in communications, I myself am only a couple credits away from a double major in sociology and psychology, and I know the difference. As an educated individual, why doesn't she? Why doesn't this group? Why are they so offended by designs of women in games? Sure, some characters may be over-sexualized, but these games are made by men (and women) who find the allure of the female body something to be enjoyed (by both genders no less!) and it sells. If any women find this offensive, then they don't have to play said games. No one is forcing them to. And it's their responsibility as decent human beings to logically think before assuming, and acting on emotions. I think they just like to hear themselves talk and maybe they get a high from their ego-feeding, false self-identity forming, petty hatred. Whatever the reason, they also have a problem with the next group I'd like to discuss...

Booth Babes, Models and Cosplayers

There's nothing wrong with being a fan of video games and dressing up as your favorite characters. There's also nothing wrong with modeling as a profession. It's just a job. If that job calls for the models to also dress as characters, they do it, it's a paycheck. The group in the previous paragraph says that models are objectified (I'm guessing that they're also the same conservative folk that think that pornography is objectification. Sex is a part of life, deal with it). These women are not objectifying themselves. If they're professional they understand their job, they understand that they took upon themselves to do said job. They take responsibility for their own actions. It's not their responsibility to cater to your own insecurities. Some other gamers, both men and women, say that they do it for the attention, or that they might not be fans of games. Why does that matter to you as a gamer? How does that affect you personally? It doesn't. Go back to playing your games. Some of these women are fans, some of them aren't. Either way, it's fine. They are a part of the community too and should be respected as people, regardless of their supposed level of fandom. And hey, some of these girls look damn good doing what they do! You all just keep doing what you're doing. Speaking of people who like attention and may or may not be fans, let's not forget about...

Geek Chic and “Fake” Gamer Girls

This one applies to both male and female gamers, but it seems that females seem to do it more than men (though they do it to). I'm not sure when it became the 'cool thing' to like games, but there seems to have been an influx of what people are calling “fake gamers” in the gaming community. People who pretend to be nerds, gamers, geeks, whatever, because it's fashionable. I won't say that it's wrong, because it's not my place to say so. And neither is it the place of other gamers or nerds in general. Again, who cares and how is it affecting you, really? I don't care either way, but just wanted to point it out because it's apparently a thing that exists. Also it goes to show the hypocrisy that exists in the realms of gaming fandom. Let's get into the nicer part of girls in the gaming industry...

Female Pro-Gamers

This is really where female gamers shine. When it comes to professional or competitive gaming, yes, there are more men, but there are girls who game competitively as well. Sometimes these women will get harassed by guys, but guys also get harassed by guys too. The difference between female competitive gamers as opposed to the gamer girls stated above is that they don't let gender-based insults get to them. They are there to play, hardcore, competitive, action. It's a passion, it's a job, and they do it well. They don't let insignificant things such as words and insults get in the way of their victory. They don't care. They practice their skill, the focus on what actually matters, the games. They rely more on their own skill than their social standing. For them, actions speak louder than words. They are making real progress for gender equality in gaming. In fact, even video game giant Ubisoft has a team of all girl pro-gamers they've recruited called Frag Dolls. In addition to playing games professionally, these ladies also host community events, and have quite the following on various social networks. In these social networks, they talk to people like people, never bringing up the gender issue, because for them, it's not an issue. Speaking of progression, another group making great strides is...

Female Video Game Developers

There was recently an incident on Twitter where many men and women who work for various gaming companies brought up the topic of women being harassed in the video games industry. Female employees, that is, being insulted by male employees, getting paid less, etc. The thing is, is that this isn't just the games industry that this is happening in, and also, it's not happening to ALL the women. There were a couple of female developers that wrote articles that resonated with my own beliefs, that if you stop playing the victim, and start doing your job (above and beyond what's expected of you) then you will receive that promotion, that raise, that respect that you so rightfully earned. It does happen in the games industry, women do get ahead. Not because they're women mind you, but because they are stubborn, fearless, and willing to put up with shit to get shit done. I don't know why everyone insists on focusing on the negative when there are positive things happening. The industry is growing and more and more women ARE getting involved, and it's wonderful. We should be praising those that are doing well, encouraging their growth and continuation of progress. Rather than letting insecurities get the best of you and hating them for their success, we should be looking to them as sources of inspiration and cheering them on as the rest of us catch up. Lastly we shouldn't forget about...

Gamer Girl Journalists and Creatives

Writing is a nice hobby to have. Of course both men and women write about video games. Whether it's industry news, the latest game scores and winners, or video game reviews. We're here, and as a games journalist myself, I haven't really encountered much sexism or sexist comments when it comes to writing articles, making videos, or selling my art. That's just my personal experience though. Unless the article is extremely biased (see fem gamers above), an article written by a woman is rarely attacked based on gender alone. Decent writing, is decent writing. If it's informative and/or entertaining, you're doing it right, again, no matter your gender. Not much else to say about this group, really. Most of us just do it for fun or as a volunteer service to our community anyways. Of course, a paycheck is fine too.

On Gender

So that's the rundown of female gamers in general. As stated earlier, some girls say that women are objectified in gaming, but so too aren't the men? Just as most all women don't sport huge tits, itty bitty waists, and miniscule costumes, men aren't all gun-wielding muscle headed fighters who's only purpose in life is to destroy things. Video Games and the characters represented in them are unrealistic because it is fantasy. Most adults, and even most kids, know the difference between reality and fantasy. There are some that may not, but that's simply because they are ill-informed and/or inexperienced. And what of other genders and sexual orientations? There is a fairly large community of gay gamers and they have a voice of their own too. It's great. They seems to be more open minded about the gender issues faced by both genders, opting to be more compassionate and less hateful of their fellow gamers. There's a handful of transgendered gamers as well. Though they aren't as numerous as the other groups, they are there, and they have a voice. There's even a female pro gamer that was formerly a male that has had quite the success. Stories like that make me hopeful for the future of ALL gender equality in gaming and related activities. Lastly there's hermaphroditic gamers. Well, actually I was only able to find one and it was a thread on IGN who's only reply was an insult from another gamer. We should acknowledge them as well if we are to continue the progress for equality. I hope that soon they too find their voice within the community.

Conclusion

While there are social and gender related biases in the gaming community, these are not problems specific to the gaming community. They are found everywhere. It's not a matter of fandom, or video games, or who's who, it's a problem that runs much deeper than just the act of playing and sharing the experience that is video games. There are problems embedded deep within society, things much larger than us as individuals. While it's easy to say that we should just be nicer to each other and let that be that, it's not that easy. I think if we are to make further progress, not just in gaming, but as a world community, it should be through education, self-realization, and exercises in cultivating compassion for our fellow human beings. We need to get to the very root of why labels exist, people need to understand the mind and why their insecurities exist, why hatred exists. In having that knowledge alone, we would make great progress. We could come to the realizations of sameness rather than dwelling on differences. We could simplify our lives and just be more content. We could enrich each others lives and move forward as a whole. I hope that his article has brought to light some information that you may find useful. Thank you for reading.

Note: As far as girls in gaming? What do I know? Who made me an authority on the subject?

Oh right...

 

 

 

Bonus! Here's some music!