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Games4Women will be talking with women in the game business. You might be surprised to find how like you they are!
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Name: Marie-Sol Beaudry Job Title: Project Manager Company: Microids Game Worked On: Syberia Favorite Games: Adventure, The Longest Journey |
G4W: It is easy to identify with Kate – she is smart, adventurous, attractive and has a
sense of humor. What was the inspiration?
MSB: The day-to-day modern woman. Ambitious, strong but still human. We really
wanted to paint a portrait of an actual woman representing the reality of young female of
the 21st century. It's an icon, or an image, you don't see a lot in videogames.
G4W: How was it decided to have the protagonist a female human and the secondary
character, Oscar, a male automaton?
MSB: It's a bit obvious but it's easier to communicate emotions through a female
character than a male character.
G4W: How was the idea developed to have Kate's character grow to where she dumps
her controlling boyfriend. This is not a male point of view.
MSB: The whole scenario comes from Benoît Sokal's imagination. The whole scenario
is based on the fact he wanted to write about a woman, for women. Kate's personality
was developed from his perception of the reality experienced by a 20-something female
lawyer driven by ambition but also emotions.
G4W: Can you describe your role in game creation?
MSB: As the project manager, my role is to supervise the production of the game. The
team is separated in five different groups: Artists, Animation, Design, Programming,
Integration. Each group has a leader reporting directly to me. I also act as a bridge
between the author, the other departments and the team.
G4W: Were there women involved in developing the story?
MSB: In terms of the scenario, there were no women directly involved in the creation of
the story. But there were a few women who worked on the creation of the game. Apart
from me, two of the artists who worked on the environments were women, Johanne
Drolet and Melanie Tremblay.
G4W: Does a female market player have any distinguishing characteristics that are different
from the general game player. If so, do you make any accommodations for her?
MSB:The main difference between female and male gamers is about the importance of
the story. Female gamers pay much more attention to the story. They are asking for a
deeper scenario, attaching characters. Action is less of an issue with female gamers.
(Obviously, I'm talking generally).
G4W: What prompted the company to embark upon such a female friendly game? It's
pace is unhurried, no one gets killed, the environments are beautiful and it has a
decidedly feminine point of view. How do you see men approaching this game.
MSB: I don't think the company's decision to develop a game like Syberia was based on
the fact it was a female-friendly game. The whole concept was interesting and original.
When Microïds got across the preliminary scenario and the storyboard, the company
knew it had something special in its hands. Now that the game is out, we saw the reaction
of men gamers and it's pretty positive. Not that we had any fear of their impressions but
we're happy to see that they enjoy it too.
G4W: Now that this one is out, will there be more? Will Amerzone be reissued?
MSB: Syberia 2 is in the work and Amerzone is still available in some stores…
G4W: Do you have anything to say to girls who might want to plan a career in the game
industry?
MSB: Make sure you don't believe it's a man-only industry even if most of the people
working in it are men. There's some room for women in this industry. Women will come
up with a different point of view. Read a lot, develop a familiarity with a broad range of
culture, and play games.
G4W: How did you get to be a project manger?
MSB: Basically I knew someone. It is important to get involved and be around people
who are in the industry. Find a mentor. Let people know what you want to do.
G4W: What were you like as a 12 – 13 year old – teenager?
MSB: I was pretty much your average teenager. Liked sports, basketball, soccer, hung
out with my friends.
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Name: Diane Strack Job Title: Producer Company: Simon & Schuster Interactive Games Worked On: Darkening Skye, Sabrina the Teenage Witch |
G4W: It is easy to identify with Skye – she is funny, charming adventurous and cute.
What was your inspiration?
DS: The designers and producers are huge fans of Buffy. We love the hip attitude, the sly
humor, the self-awareness. We love how Buffy is a powerful hero, yet a real person with
realistic concerns and problems. Another inspiration was Xena, Warrior Princess
– a strong heroine and a show with a wonderful satirical tone.
The success and popularity of these shows was appealing. At its peak, Xena was the top- rated show in syndication and Buffy has been one of the top shows on both the networks it has aired on. We noted the popularity of games like Tomb Raider and its female protagonist. We thought there was an audience out there for this kind of product and this kind of hero. Our working tag line: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Meets Lara Croft!"
G4W: Was it your vision to create a female epic?
DS: If what you mean is an epic specifically geared towards females, that's not what we
intended. We wanted a game that would appeal to both male and female players. Shows
like Buffy and Xena, have a huge male audience. We know the majority of gamers and
consumers of Lara Croft products are male. We know that both males and females will
play and enjoy a game with a female protagonist.
We simply wanted to create a game that would both appeal to males and not TURN OFF females. We wanted a smart, resourceful heroine the player could relate to and root for regardless of gender. If she's pretty, or sexy, like Buffy or Lara Croft, that's great, but she's not there to just be eye candy.
G4W: Can you describe your role in game creation?
DS: This question is about defining the role of the producer in a product, how to go back
and forth and in between all the various players to make the vision come true. Something
like making a movie, with writers, designers, game designers, artists, animators and
programmers. All bring a necessary part to the creation and all voices must be heard,
balanced, negotiated, balanced again and again while you work it out. Since the story was
so important to the adventure and the gameplay, that was a huge focus in the beginning.
And of course it took months and lots of revisions to get to where it is now.
During this phase, we looked at a couple hundred conceptual drawings, provided by the developer and his studio of talented artists. At story meetings we'd go through the drawings, using them to bounce off story ideas, puzzles, settings, characters, etc. The artists had some wonderful ideas – really unique visions, and their imaginations ran wild.
Eventually the script was finished and the voice actors were cast. Finding the right actors was important and auditions were held in Boston and New York. The woman who gave voice to Skye was great – a good combination of teenage attitude coupled with strength and intelligence. The actor voiced Draak was hysterically funny – he had us all laughing in the studio.
G4W: How did you put together a game where all the different elements enhance one
another?
DS: It's like any kind of art – hard to explain what the process is and all projects have
their own unique process. If it's done well, it's just about the parts coming together into
a harmonious whole. Good collaboration.
G4W: Did you do other games and will there be more?
DS: Yes, and yes.
G4W: How important is it to have a female protagonist in a game?
DS: Certainly there are plenty of successful games out there with female protagonists. As
women, we certainly felt there was room in the world for one more female hero. We
think what's important about our heroine is that a: she's smart-mouthed and funny and b:
she's intelligent AND attractive.
G4W: Do female market player have any distinguishing characteristics that are different
from the general game player. If so, do you make any accommodations for her?
DS: We did some products about 5 years ago based on research that showed there were
differences in how girls and boys used computers. Especially girls aged 8-14. The
research told us they wanted community, and communication and didn't care about
winning, earning points or making their way through the levels of traditional computer
games. The products, which were designed as a sort of teen magazine-on-screen, were
well received by girls in focus groups, teachers and parents. However, they were not
commercially successful. At the same time the Barbie line of products were launched
with huge success. It was obvious that girls liked to play on computers the same way they
like to play in life. This could include board and other games and many girls even enjoy
earning points, being competitive and advancing through levels. We had great success in
the girl-games arena with our next series of products, based on the popular TV series
Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Sabrina is a strong, attractive heroine with the added
advantage of possessing magical powers AND she's a teenager – perfect model for girls
and games.
The bottom line is that many girls are into games and if they have characters they like and care about, they'll play the game even more. The same is true for women and games.
G4W: Do you have anything to say to girls who might want to plan a career in the game
industry?
DS: Just like any career – if you love it and do it and keep at it, you can find your way.
From the president through artists, scriptwriters, technology officer, producers, production managers to marketing - at every stage of the game there are women. Can you see yourself in one of these positions?
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Name: Megan Gaiser Job Title: President Company: Her Interactive, CA Game Working on Recently: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake |
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At the helm of Her Interactive, Megan has guided a company that has produced games for women and girls since 1995. Even in their early games the company ventured into interactive dialog in McKenzie & Co. and Vampire Diaries. Knowing that women make up the majority of mystery readers, and that there are now at least two generations of Nancy Drew readers, they are on a roll with the Nancy Drew mysteries. The newest one, "Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake" is number six.
G4W: How did you get into the field?
MG: I never intended to get into the interactive gaming field.
In fact, I knew very little about
the interactive entertainment industry when I started at Her
Interactive. When it comes to
career matters, I have always followed my heart. Creating interesting content has always
been a consistent focus. I've always been drawn to storytelling ... in various forms. I
came from the film industry and I enjoyed making films for 11 years before I decided to
move from Washington DC to Washington state to find a job creating interactive media.
I worked for Microsoft for a few years as a Producer creating content for the web. It was
then I became aware of a company that was creating interactive entertainment for girls,
Her Interactive. I was excited by the opportunity to work with a creative team to bring the
mysteries of Nancy Drew to life via a game experience. I was surprised to learn that at
that time, most games were designed specifically for boys. The realization that in 1997,
Barbie was about all there was to entertain girls in the form of interactive entertainment
was more than enough to spur me on. Working for Her
Interactive in 1997 was an
opportunity that presented itself rather than a goal I set out to achieve.
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
MG: Playful, curious, and mischievous. I loved watching movies, dancing to funky music,
putting on plays for anyone who would watch, board games, films, books, TV shows and
pretty much all sports. I played tennis, kickball, softball, hockey, pool, ping pong and
basketball. Boys were also quickly becoming an interest of mine.
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Name: Sheri Hargus Job Title: Chief Technology Officer |
In her role of Chief Technology Officer, Sheri is responsible for driving the bus named software development. She oversees company development strategy, engine architecture, new features, development schedules and testing. And when not doing all that, she is writing code!
G4W: How did you get into the field?
SH: I started working with computers when I was in college studying electrical engineering.
After getting a degree in this field, I worked in the area of biomedical engineering.
The work I did involved a lot of programming because the processors in the medical instruments needed
to be programmed in order to work correctly. Realizing that I enjoyed software more than hardware,
I went back to school and got a masters degree in computer science.
I worked for many years in developing key applications in the desktop publishing and business
productivity arena. After working for big companies, I branched out and started a small children's
software company as well as doing consulting. I was also raising a family of four children.
When the opportunity to work at Her Interactive came along three years ago, it was a dream job
as it allowed me to make creative and intelligent software for girls, something that I passionately believe in.
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
SH: When I was 12, my family moved from Hawaii (where I had grown up) to Africa. After a year in
Africa, we moved to Australia for a few more years before returning to the US when I was in high school.
This traveling gave me an appreciation for other cultures and a fascination for travel. When I was 12, I was
an avid reader and had an intense interest in math and science. I wanted to be either a librarian or a scientist
when I grew up. Living in warm countries on the water, I was also at the beach almost every day and loved
to swim and body surf. When not at the beach or in school, I was most likely in my bedroom with the door
locked, deep into a book. All my babysitting money and allowance went into buying books and my library
required a few extra boxes when it came time to ship our household goods back to the US! Amongst those
books, there were quite a few Nancy Drew mysteries - and they went around the world with me!
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Name: Anne Ludwick Job Title: Scriptwriter/Producer |
Anne came to Her Interactive by way of commercial television. She spent several years in Los Angeles serving as the Story Editor on Vegas and Fantasy Island. After moving to the Seattle area she served as a Story Consultant for Matlock, writing and editing scripts for its entire eight-year, two-network run.
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AL: I loved to read when I was growing up - the Black Stallion series, Nancy Drew (of
course), science fiction and fantasy - I loved using my imagination. I used to carry on
pretend conversations with my favorite TV characters and imagine myself in different
situations with them. So I guess without realizing it, I was writing for television even
before I knew there was such a thing. Computer games, especially the Nancy Drew
games, are a lot like TV shows, in that you have a main character who meets and talks to
other characters in the course of solving some big problem. Although technically the two
media are quite different, the principles that guide the writing and production of their
content are amazingly similar.
I loved horses but, being a city girl, I had to go to camp every summer to ride them. I was very awkward socially; I got along with everyone, but I wasn't part of the really "in" crowd. I didn't have any boyfriends, but I wasn't really ready for that anyway. Besides, at that time few people in real life could compare to my imaginary buddies. And I always knew that all I had to do is hang in there and things would get better. And they definitely did.
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Name: Jennifer Beers Job Title: Program Manager |
At Her Interactive, Jennifer is responsible for coordinating the production of a top quality game. She works directly on building game logic and interface files, manages the overall schedule, and coordinates art, production and development efforts. She also oversees the asset management process and manages focus group, beta, configuration and usability testing.
G4W:
What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
JB: When I was 12, I was fortunate enough to get a chance to work with computers at our
school. We started with a small Commodore Pet that read data from cassette tapes, and
we were very exited when we got an Apple II with a color screen. I enjoyed playing
computer games, writing programs, and studying math. Outside of school, I liked to read
books, watch movies, and invent games and secret codes with my friends. In high school,
I had many different interests, but I always enjoyed mathematics, and kept returning to
computing in some form or another.
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Name: Kris Ulmer Job Title: Lead 2D Artist |
As lead 2D Artist, Kris is responsible for the illustration of realistic 2D texture maps, hotspot graphics, and puzzles for integration into 3D environments, as well as the design of puzzle layouts and functional prototyping.
G4W: How did you get into the field?
KU: I've always loved to draw, to build, and to fix things. But, it wasn't until I had taken my
first art class in high school and received encouragement from respected teachers, that I
knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the visual arts. I went to college on the East
Coast and graduated with a BFA in Illustration -- which, at the time, combined traditional
painting, drawing, and graphic design. I soon became interested in digital media and the
possibility of combining traditional art methods with newer technology. So, after doing
some post-college traveling around the country, I signed up for classes in digital art and
design in San Francisco, and worked as a freelance illustrator for children's software
companies in the Bay Area. Eventually, I moved to Seattle, began work as a
photographic retouch artist with a photography studio, and then, as a 2D digital artist with
Her Interactive, where I've worked with a truly inspiring art team for about 4 years, now!
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
KU: Growing up surrounded by peach orchards in South Carolina, I was a true tomboy: I
loved all sports (especially soccer and softball), spent hours and hours shooting hoops in
the backyard, and wouldn't be caught dead wearing a dress. I was also into jigsaw
puzzles, motorcycles, and music. I played the piano, fiddled with my grandfather's
archtop guitar, and began playing the clarinet in the school band when I was thirteen.
These interests have stayed with me passionately ever since..
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Name: Ayu Othman Job Title: 2D Artist |
As 2D artist, Ayu is responsible for the creation of realistic 2D maps, hotspot graphics, and puzzles for integration into 3D environments. Born in Malaysia, Ayu has been living in Seattle for the past 11 years.
G4W: How did you get into the field?
AO: Although I loved to draw, I never thought I could make ends meet as an artist, so I went
on the science track throughout high school until midway through college when I
rediscovered my passion for art in my first ever formal art class. I was hooked and, with
my mother's support, took the plunge into the art world. I had no idea whether I could
make a career out of being an artist but I loved it enough to take the risk. After college, I
went and got my associate's degree in Computer Animation but still had no idea what I'd
be doing career-wise, whether it was in traditional animation, Flash, games, or
illustration. After several months of freelancing and job-searching, I became a contract
artist with Her Interactive, eventually coming aboard full time.
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AO: I was really into cartoons, comic books, and anything else that had action and science-
fiction written all over it. Sitting in front of the TV watching cartoons while drawing was
certainly preferable over school, much less my dreaded homework, but I also spent
countless hours reading just about everything, from Japanese Mythology to the Song of
Beowulf to the latest Tin Tin adventure. Consequently, if I wasn't inside drawing,
reading, or watching cartoons, I was out in the yard slaying dragons on horseback or
shooting arrows at imaginary goblins or flying robotic lions through the stratosphere.
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Name: Amy Janas Job Title: Marketing Manager |
As Marketing Manager, Amy manages strategic relationships, promotions, online channel sales and online initiatives and develops the Her Interactive web site.
G4W: How did you get into the field?
AJ: I got into the video game industry by accident. I was looking for a part-time, holiday job
while in college and came across a "Get Paid to Play Video Games" advertisement by
Nintendo for game play counselors. I loved playing the arcade games when I was a
teenager (Asteroids, Frogger, Super Mario Brothers, Pan Man and Space Invaders) so I
went for it. I had the opportunity to work on several projects at Nintendo, and later
worked on the Nintendo web site. I was fascinated by continually observing how video
games can open up the technical world to people.
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AJ: I was a sports-playing, book-reading Nancy Drew! I was outside, played soccer, softball,
volleyball and was on swim team or was inside reading, reading, reading. On the
weekends, my sister and I along with other neighborhood kids ran a detective club. We
mainly read Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown books and hung out
in a special club house (named the Wonder Woman Club House) that my dad built and
we painted. There we did not solve that many cases and we did not have the reputation
of Nancy Drew, but we were always ready!
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Name: Carolyn Bickford Job Title: Vice President, Marketing & Sales |
Ms. Bickford guides the company's sales and marketing efforts.
G4W: How did you get into the field?
CB: My first introduction to computer games, and to computers in general, was about 15 years
ago when I took a job in marketing and advertising for a company called Egghead
Software, a chain of software stores. I worked there for seven years, and then moved to a
company called Edmark, which made educational computer games for kids Then I found
out about Her Interactive, and the Nancy Drew games. I have always been a big Nancy
Drew fan, so I jumped at the chance to work here. It's been a fabulous opportunity to
spread the word to girls and women everywhere about these fabulous new Nancy Drew
games!
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
CB: I was very quiet and shy, but I loved to read and write. I was editor of the school
newspaper, and loved writing articles for the paper, especially if they helped people or
changed things in a positive way. I was actually quite a rebel -- as long as I didn't have to
talk! That love of writing stayed with me. I majored in journalism in college, and then
pursued a career in public relations and marketing. Now I get to write about Nancy Drew
all the time, which makes me remember how much I loved reading every Nancy Drew
book I could get my hands on when I was a girl.
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Name: Charity Garner Job Title: Office Manager |
G4W: How did you get into the field?
CG: Like most people, I kind of stumbled into the gaming industry. I had just moved from
Hawaii and was looking for an office management job when I came across an ad in the
paper. I looked up the company online and it blew me away. Instantly it just felt right to
me and I try to always follow my instincts and heart. I was so excited because I always
read Nancy Drew as a kid and still love mystery books of all types. I loved the message
of promoting technology for girls and really clicked with the overall company culture at
Her Interactive. I'm so glad that I made the right decision to go into this industry and to
work with this company. It has actually changed my life!
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
CG: I was a shy and self-conscious kid at that stage in my life. I loved to read anything and
everything from Nancy Drew to Agatha Christie to Nathanial Hawthorne and the
classics. I had just picked up the oboe and the saxophone and loved them! I really felt
like I could express myself better when I was playing and it gave me an outlet and a
release for my feelings. My family moved from San Antonio to Japan when I was 13, so
adjusting to that was a bit of a challenge to say the least. New schools are always a little
scary, but they definitely get better if you give them a chance. I eventually made great
friends and had the time of my life!
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Name: Laurie Mendez Job Title: VP of Sales Operations |
An innovative manager who develops staff, motivates teams and improves operating efficiencies.
G4W: How did you get into the field?
LM: Like a lot of people I know in this industry, I pretty much fell into it.
My education and first jobs were not what you'd think would have prepared me
for this industry. My degree is in clinical psychology and I worked for some
time as a counselor at a Juvenile Hall facility. After some time, I found that I loved the
sales & business operations management side of businesses but I also wanted to be really
excited about the product. Almost 10 years ago, I got a call from a recruiter who told me
about an opportunity in a game software company and I jumped!
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
LM: Well, I was certainly inquisitive and I "pushed the envelope" every chance I
got. I wouldn't say that I was a really bad kid...but a few days in Juvenile
Hall were probably in order for more than one of my stunts!
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Name: Alena Saunders Job Title: Production Assistant |
G4W: How did you get into the field?
AS: A mix of luck, confidence and my personal charm.
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AS: High energy kid who wanted to go around the Earth and protect all unfair offended and
abused people and wild animals.
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Name: Maureen Carroll Job Title: Administrative Specialist |
Maureen is responsible for keeping the office running smoothly. She handles all incoming an outgoing mail, answers questions and feedback from our website.
G4W: How did you get into the field?
MC: Pure luck, I was employed in the communication field when I heard about a really
intriguing company. It was a software company designing interactive computer games
aimed at young woman. I grew up in the Midwest in a very male dominated community,
so I am very proactive in anything that promotes equal opportunities for women. I met
with Megan and the staff at Her Interactive, and was very impressed. More
importantly, I felt comfortable with them right away.
G4W: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
MC:
I grew up with two much older sisters so I learned to entertain myself with books and my
own imagination very early. I enjoyed all the adventures and knowledge I could obtain
just for opening a book. I also had five surrogate brothers so I got into all the mischief
that boys get into. According to my father I gave him all his gray hair, I think it started
going gray around that time. I also enjoyed anything outdoors, sports, animals and
gardening.
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Name: Kelly Standard Job Title: Computer Artist Company: Presto Studios, CA Game Working on Recently: Myst III, Exile |
G4W: if you were designing a game that would appeal to women - what would you
pay attention to?
KS: My female instinct would have me paying a lot of attention to the look and feel of
the graphics. I like to be visually stimulated in this area of entertainment. If a game is
ugly, I won't play it. I'd also tend to incorporate quite a bit of story and symbolism since
the meaning of things (the over analyzing of things) tends to be a female trait. I'd aim for
something relatable. I'm not much of a shoot 'em up kind of gal.
G4W: Tell us a little bit about working on Myst III: Exile. What is your part in
producing the game?
KS: I have never been a part of something so anticipated, which brings to this experience
ample amounts of excitement and pressure. I've been a texture artist on the Age of
Edanna on the Myst III project. I was all by myself in the Veggie Age, and what a grand
time I've had of it! It was a challenge to make things look organic, but it was a challenge
I grew to love instantly. I also took over what we call the 'greeble pass', which involves
extra little pieces of eye candy, simple modeling, and anything to help sell the
environment as authentic, natural. One challenge after the next; it’s really kept me on
my toes...
G4W: How has the game industry changed with women entering the field?
KS: Perhaps this industry is changing with women entering in on the fun. I'm not aware
of what things were like before I got here, but for whatever reason, I think the industry is
growing up. Perhaps with women in the mix, the work place is more like real life. I
suppose it offers a bit of reality to the otherwise fantastic, virtual world. Women in the
industry satisfy the eternal balance of things.
G4W: How did you get into the game industry?
KS: I fell backwards into this industry---- and I thank God every day for it. I've been an
oil painter since I was a wee tike, and got my degree in fine art from U.C. Santa Barbara.
After college, I helped run a really great gallery downtown, but I got tired of just scraping
by. Reluctantly after those two years, I chose a different career direction. I was working
through a temp service, doing some accounting and other horrible, non-artistic things
with the sad impression that my passion would have to take a back seat to the reality of
paying rent. But then it happened. I ran into an art director for a local game company
(literally ran into her in the lobby of the building before lunch one day), and she knew I
was a painter. She invited me upstairs to take a look around their studio because they'd
been looking for artists. She took a great big chance on me; she said it was easier to
teach an artist how to use modeling and drawing software than it was to teach an egghead
to have a vision. I learned volumes in a very short amount of time; I kind of surprised
myself. You never stop learning in this industry. Things move and change so quickly,
and there's so much competition. Never a boring moment. I love it.
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Name: Sarah W. Stocker Job Title: Senior Producer/Asst. Dir. Of New Business Company: Stormfront Studios, CA Game Working on Now: Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor for PC; Legend of Alon D’ar for PSX Favorite Games: Zelda 64 - Ocarina of Time, Magic the Gathering Favorite Books: The Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter |
G4W: We don’t usually think of women in this field.
How did you get into it?
SWS: When I moved to the West Coast I saw an ad for a
game company and sent in my resume.
They were working on Dungeons and Dragons titles, so I wrote three chapters of
a novel in a Dungeon and Dragons style to show them along with my
other writing and poetry.
The president liked it - I got the job.
Before working in games I’d been a teacher and a journalist.
G4W: What were you like as an kid (8-12)?
SWS: I’ve always been a writer and a voracious reader.
I started writing when I was 8.
I kept a journal, wrote poetry and read everything I could get my hands on.
In the library, when I found a book I liked, I would read through
everything in that section, say 808.7 to 808.9.
It was like eating candy!
The school I was at was very supportive of creative writing.
They made me feel that writing was special and valuable.
G4W: What kind of games have you worked on?
SWS: Everything from fantasy RPGs to children’s mysteries.
My first game projects were the Eagle Eye Mystery series (Electronic Arts),
mystery stories about boy/girl twins, Jake and Jennifer, set in
different countries.
It’s unusual because of the reversal in roles - the
girl is the gadget freak and the boy is the socially adept one.
After that, Star Trek, Deep Space Nine (Viacom New Media), Byzantine
the Betrayal (Discovery Channel Multimedia), and Starfire Soccer (Purple Moon).
I love writing science fiction, it’s very similar to fantasy as a genre.
Science replaces magic in the world.
Instead of the Orb of Water Fates, you have a laser pistol.
The magic carpet becomes a space ship.
G4W: What kind of games do you think girls and women would like?
SWS: Girls play more with their minds than their thumbs.
They want games with compelling stories and deep and complex characters - women
characters that are risk takers, heroic, gorgeous, smart and powerful.
No patsies or victims!
I think the huge presence of women in online games has to do with the
social interaction and storytelling possibilities there.
G4W: How is writing a story different from writing a game?
SWS: They begin the same way - with characters and stories that
you try to make deep and complex.
In the fantasy genre, we embrace a mythic and epic saga and give the player
the opportunity to become heroic by solving problems.
When writing for a game, rather than a book, you must always keep in mind
what the player is doing.
Always ask yourself, ‘What is the player’s action here?’
The game must provide the player with a clear instance of accomplishment
in reaction to successful actions.
Goals and information should be clearly given in the backstory.
Player should be left with a feeling of achievement.
G4W: Have any advice on how to break into the field?
SWS: Start anywhere.
Be willing to take on any task.
Be organized, egoless, and motivated.
Be part of the solution - people will notice and want you around.
G4W: What do you do for fun?
SWS: Needlepoint, writing poetry, bike riding - I ride to work.
And I love fishing!
G4W: Tell me a little of Pool of Radiance.
SWS: It’s a PC D&D role playing game based on the new 3rd
edition rules.
The story is set in the capital of the ancient fallen empire of the elves,
a kind of elven Camelot.
The themes are all about the quest for lost glory and ideals.
The action is driven by growth of the player characters and their successes
in driving out evil and bringing back the remnants of that lost glory.
My writing partner on the project is Ken Eklund, writerguy.
He’s a wonderful writer and creative partner - and a real gamer.
We can’t wait to see it on the shelves!
G4W: And The Legend of Alon D’ar?
SWS: It’s an action RPG for the Playstation 2.
I’m the Senior Producer on that one.
The writer is Christy Marx.
She’s a terrific writer who’s done work for games, television and
comic books.
The story is an epic saga of good versus evil with themes of redemption
and growth.
We’re very excited about it.
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Name: Mary DeMarle Job Title: Game Designer/Writer Company: Presto Studios, CA Game Working on Now: Myst III, Exile Favorite Games: Gauntlet, Diablo, EverQuest. Role playing games and arcade games. Anything with a strong role-playing component, where I can lose myself in the creation of characters. Favorite Books: Nancy Drew series, Anne McCaffery’s Dragonriders of Pern series |
G4W: What is your part in developing the game?
MDM: My part in developing the game is to first come up with the
basic gameplay and story idea—that is, what is the glue that is holding
this game together?
What is the player trying to achieve while playing and why are they
trying to achieve it?
I don’t do it alone—there’s a team of designers I work with at
Presto but the other designers tend to focus on the game’s artistic design,
rather than its story.
Most of the story-related stuff is up to me to work out.
Then, once we have the basic idea and story of the game solidified,
I write the scripts for all the live action sequences, and the journals
and story related materials that go into it.
G4W: How would you define good game play?
MDM: I has to be fun. You lose yourself and for a period of time
you are away from real life and are connected to the story.
G4W: We don’t usually think of women in this field.
How did you get into it?
MDM: I have loved science fiction and fantasy since I was a kid.
I’ve also wanted to be a writer since I first learned how to spell.
I have a lot of friends—some women friends but mostly male,
I guess—who shared my interests and knew I really wanted to write science
fiction and fantasy stories.
So, when a writing opportunity came up at Presto, one of those friends
thought of me and, after I went through an initial interviewing process, I
ended up here.
G4W: What did you do before working on MystIII?
MDM: I’ve had a really varied work experience.
I was a creative director at Hanna-Barbera for a while, working in the
marketing and licensing divisions, before leaving to pursue a freelance
writing career.
Most of my freelance writing has been for the entertainment industry,
writing ads and video box packaging.
Right before coming to Presto, I worked as a freelance writer/designer for a
company that made computer-based instructional training programs.
So I picked up a lot of technical knowledge about computer programs and what
goes into making them.
It was very different than what I’m doing now but I’ve found that
everything I’ve done in some way has a bearing on what I do next.
G4W: What were you like as a kid (8-12)?
MDM: I read a lot.
I would spend a lot of time locked in my bedroom reading.
But I also had four brothers who would drag me outside to go hiking in the
woods or play softball or “hot box”.
I also had some really great girlfriends to hang out with; we’d talk about
our favorite movie stars (Harrison Ford), television shows, and stuff like that.
I was a good student and in the academic spotlight a lot because of my grades.
I was pretty shy for an achiever and tried to avoid the attention as much as
possible.
All in all, I was pretty tame as a kid.
G4W: What kind of games did you play?
MDM: Mostly imaginary games.
My friends and I would pretend we were the Nancy Drew characters, and solve
little mysteries around the house.
Then, after becoming addicted to Star Wars and the TV show Battlestar Galactica,
we would pretend we were members of the rebel alliance, hunting imperial
stormtroopers.
I didn’t get into computer games much back then, and it wasn’t until
after college that I first played Dungeons & Dragons.
G4W: What kind of games do you think girls and women would like?
MDM: I think girls and women would like a lot of the same games men
do—games like Half Life and Quake--but only if these games focused more
on cooperation and less on the competitive, “I’m better than you”
approach.
AND if the gore and violence were tamed down considerably and not such a focus
of the game.
The gameplay behind these types of games is actually a lot of fun and I think
women would enjoy the action, but not in the way it’s currently packaged.
Girls multi-task much more that boys do and so they like to do more than one
thing.
They like to have someone share the fun with them.
They like interaction and solving problems.
G4W: What should I study if I wanted to get into making games?
MDM: If you like to write, then read. A lot.
If you like art, then take 3D modeling and art classes.
Get familiar with computers. I’m not saying you have to be a tech head,
but being familiar with a computer and what it can do at even the most
basic level is very important in this industry.
Get any kind job in the game industry you can - receptionist, mail room,
office clerk - and get to know people.
G4W: What do you do for recreation?
MDM: Read, of course. And travel as much as possible.
I love seeing new places and cities.
I also like to go to plays and movies whenever I can.
I’m also an athletic person so I love being active outside.
I like tennis, but my favorite outdoor sport is rock climbing.
