Aleks Krotoski - Q&A May 2004

Do you feel that gender affects the way we play games? Are there fundamental differences that affect not only what we play, but how we play?
I’ve been doing a lot of reading on this subject recently ‘cause I’ve made this a bit of a crusade.  There’s an argument that women and men do NOT play games differently, and that people who say they do are perpetuating a dominant patriarchal paradigm etc etc. Well, to be honest, in the research I have done for academia and in off-the-record conversations I have had with women who play, it seems the common thread is that we women like to be immersed in a game world through an engaging story, without having to battle with interface. We like games that emphasise communal goals, that enhance social networks, that utilise our lateral thinking and problem solving and aren’t just about sitting in a chair fighting a baddie for 3 hours in order to level up. Personally, I get bored and turn off the game.  We’re not as fastidious as men in that regard.  We don’t trainspot or collect baseball cards in the real world, why should we like things like that in a game?


Do you think that being a female in a male-dominated industry has helped you, hindered you, or not really had any impact at all?
It’s helped and hindered.  It’s easier to get noticed if you’re a bit of a freak, and women in gaming are still freaky to most men, especially if we’re not getting paid to wear next-to-nothing and hang out at a games conference. The flip side to that is that many men don’t take you seriously until you’ve beat them in 12 rounds on the box. Also, the games industry is such a sexist environment it helps to have a tough skin.

What hooked you into gaming?
I just like the things, really. I played with my dad when I was a kid (I particularly liked text-based adventures) and used to get addicted to the games. There’s a great buzz associated with success, and games offer lots of little successes!

If you could be one videogame character who would it be, and why?
I’d like to be the frog in parappa the rapper. He’s chilled, man. Not a worry in the world.

Do you think that gaming going mainstream has had a positive or negative impact on the industry?
Always positive.  Why must we be so exclusive? The more people who play games, the more people who’ll throw their two cents in to the design of games, from their perspective. That’s always good. Variety is the spice of life!

What are your thoughts on the greater development costs needed to produce even a marginal game, and the impact this has on 'backyard deveolpers'.
Grassroots games companies are the real creative side of the games companies, and if the ideas that exist there aren’t allowed to thrive we’ll get too much of the same pap on the shelves and in our consoles.  Good games don’t need to have loads of money spent on them. Eye candy is not necessary. Some of the games with the simplest graphics are the best: Vib Ribbon, for example. Rez. Fantavision. Entertainment pure and simple.

What is your first gaming memory?
Running into the ghosts in pac man ‘cause my dad told me I had to eat them. Didn’t realise I had to wait until they blinked….

What do you think will be the next revolution in game design? A truly 3D controller? Greater online capabilities? Player created content?
Online online online. Loads of different people play online games, and the communities and social networks that exist there encourage new systems of creativity and gaming that will change offline game design. I suppose that bleeds into player-created content, doesn’t it?

What are your thoughts on the consoles becoming more PC-like as they 'mature'.
Nah, they’re much easier to control! Why not have a machine that’s wholly dedicated to playing games? Most folks aren’t going to mod or invest in a gaming PC, let them have a box in their living room that saves and adapts vast amounts of interactive information, and spits it out in an entertaining format?

Do you still encounter bias from male gamers despite being established in the industry as a knowledgable female gamer?
Lordy yeah! They either want to challenge you or marry you. Strange creatures.

Can you forsee a day when the gaming industry as a whole, finally recognizes the female gamer as an equal to her male counterpart and not just a plaything to help sell games?
In the not-so-distant future, the next generation will grow up. They’ve been exposed to the internet and mobile phones and gaming appliances as part of their normal lives (and not just a boy’s toy). Gaming will just be something that everyone does.  We shall then have the same status as the male gamer.  They will take us seriously.  Oh yes.

In reference to the previous question... If equality ever does become a reality, how can/will IT be accomplished?(In your opinion)
Technology is currently a very “male” thing, but that is changing rapidly.  Most women have mobile phones. That wasn’t the case 5 years ago, the mobile phone was a man’s status symbol. Women were introduced to the mobile phone technology and adapted it to their use, for their specialised purpose.  The same will apply to the computer games problem.  Women who are introduced to gaming by a male friend or family member tend to like what they see. Lots continue to play.  Many introduce the games to their female friends. They set up networks, social groups, interactions around their communal hobby. Some take it one step further and get interested in getting more involved with the development of games. These women end up making games that are more rounded and appealing to a wider audience. They become role models. Girls and women discover gaming as a career option. The whole thing becomes viable.

What is your favorite game genre?(ex:Fighting,RPG,Sports,etc.)
Hmmm, it really depends on the day of the week!  I don’t like driving games or beat ‘em ups.  I like games that are novel in some way. I like quirk. I’ve see so many games over the years that I’m a bit jaded against the run-of-the-mill.  Something that sparkles will really get my attention, and then I’ll play through to the end. It doesn’t matter what it is, it just has to be good.

Do you prefer PC or Console gaming and why?
I’ve become a real console gamer, though my background is as a PC strategist. I think the console fits in with my life right now – it’s easy to pick up, it means “leisure”. My pc has become a thing of work for me. I’m on the verge, however, of signing up for a number of online games, which means that I expect things to change drastically very soon.

How important is the 'social' aspect in games (not just online games - getting your mates around for a bit of console head-to-head, LAN gaming, or just watching over your shoulder and giving suggestions)? How can this social aspect be encouraged through a games design?
It’s really important to me. I’m training to be a social psychologist, so of course I think social gaming is a good thing! Also, I think my social gaming tends to be an introduction to women who don’t game.  I get friends around to play SingStar or Mario party or Monkeyball because they don’t play games themselves. I use the social aspect to share the wealth, as it were! I also like single player games as joint-effort. I have a low attention span and need someone else to get enthusiastic about a project to keep me going.

How can this social aspect be encouraged through a games design?
I love cooperative mode. I think it is the best thing about modern games. Light-hearted competition is also good. EyeToy is excellent for that.

Will game piracy ever be defeated? Technology supporting 'gaming as a service,' like Valve Software's Steam system, is on the rise and is beating back pirates; do they think it will be successful?
Nah, there will always be pirates just like there will always be hackers. Some folks see The System as an affront to their independence and humanity and they must defeat it. Not a personal urge, but for some it is their little protest.

Who is the most interesting industry person you have met? What were they like?
I really liked meeting Peter Molyneux. He was very calm. Warren Spector was an incredible dude. Really switched on. It was very cool to hear some of the things I think about the future of the gaming industry come out of such a smart guy’s mouth.  He’s spot on with his theories on the importance of academia to the industry, to the importance of women in the industry.  He’s just a really cool dude. I liked Lorne Lanning as well.  He’s got an interesting agenda and a clever way of putting it forward.  There’s something great about people who’ve come to games from other backgrounds.  They offer so much more because of their different perspectives. I’m looking forward as well to meeting Sheri Graner Ray at the women in games conference in Portsmouth. She’s seen a lot, and has learned a great deal about how the industry works. I’m going to corner her and ask about her experience with the girl games initiatives, and why she left.  Interesting stuff.

Seeing as video-gaming has become mainstream big-business making more money than the movie business, why aren't there more quality TV programs on the TV aimed at the 18-30 age group???
TV has many more politics than the games industry (you wouldn’t believe). I think it’s probably because most of the people involved in the commissioning of the programming aren’t in the 18-30 age group!

Fav developer / publisher and why?
It still must be rare and Nintendo. Rare are incredible at consistently producing titles that are innovative and enjoyable. Nintendo do not release rubbish. If you get a Nintendo game you know it will be quality. I hate wasting my time on pap. It makes me mad.

Has you ever worked in video game retail?
No, actually. I worked in coffee and I worked in videos, but never games.

BITS RELATED QUESTIONS:
(For our non UK members 'Bits' was a Television show about gaming on which Aleks was one of the presenters)

Who came up with the idea of Bits? Did you and the other presenters take it to a TV studio, or was the idea proposed to them and they accepted?
The producer/director of the show came up with Bits after he dreamed up Vidz, also a late night staple of in the stable of 4later. I think we all have a man named Stevan Keane to thank for that; he was the commissioning editor and was willing to take a chance on irreverence. Huzzah!

Was there anything you wanted to include in the show but couldn't, for whatever reason? If so, why wasn't it allowed?
We tried to swear more at the beginning, but we were never allowed to. To be honest, I don’t think it would have been appropriate. I liked the show we did about censorship in games. There were a couple of titles we weren’t allowed to broadcast. I wish we’d done more of those feature-type bits.  They got into the real meat of what was going on in the culture of gaming. The best thing about Bits was that we were a tiny team of 8 people. Myself and the Emilies wrote the whole thing with the director. It was our baby. Quite a disturbing baby, but a baby nonetheless.

If you were offered to present another series of bits would you do it? And would you change anything about the original concept or keep it roughly the same?
Why not, eh? There’s too little games coverage on TV that captures the sheer idiocy of the gaming culture. It all takes itself way too seriously! I think the show would change. We’d do more of the features, like I mentioned, we’d possibly jump around less (though still keep the fabulous hi-tech special effects). We’ve all grown up a bit and have focussed on different paths, but I think we could bring that new knowledge to the table and make something more interesting to watch. Personally I would include more grannies. They’re always good on tv.

What was your favourite feature you did on bits?
Like I said, I loved the censorship episode. There’s some mental stuff out there, and it was great to gather it together. It was also interesting to find out what other countries ban and why. Tapped into my social psychology. Geez, there could be hours on the subject and we only had 30 minutes! I also liked the one where my arms got blown off by emily newton dunn a la kingpin. That’s the stuff of home videos, eh?

Many thanks to the lovely Aleks for her time and effort! Really Interesting Stuff.