Not a Girl Gamer, just a gamer

It's a bit of a novelty seeing a female play a violent computer game, or any video game at all for that matter.

But, in reality, female gamers aren't allowed to be kids, teens or adults who happen to love games. We're nailed as Girl Gamers.

When other girls are supposedly watching The OC or Grey's Anatomy, we're kicking our partners off the laptop and going straight to Azeroth to kill some Orcs in World of Warcraft.

So, how come we get the Girl Gamer treatment? What happened? I think the gaming industry has a lot to answer for in this regard. Back in the Stone Age of the Commodore, the Amiga, or God forbid, the Tandy, somebody decided that only boys liked computer games. And that's basically how it has stayed.

Look at female characters in games today for an insight into the industry's view of females. The look is known as Boob Armour. You know what I mean some sexy-yet-deadly vixen with gravity-defying cleavage and a big sword.

She either wants to kill you or ravish you.

An alternative is the in-game bar wench: stocky, desperate and deeply unattractive. It somehow doesn't surprise me that this could translate to the stereotyping of females who actually play games.

You have your ideal of the exotic, sexy girl gamer (but only proven to exist in very few cases usually in the context of major gaming events, wearing a sponsor's T-shirt). Or, what is probably thought of as the unseen majority: ugly, no-life weirdos.

But there are many stereotyped sub-groups you may not be familiar with:

The I-only-play-because-my-boyfriend-plays girl ("Honey, your friends on this game are so helpful!").

The Grrl Gamer: "Does this Arcane Robe of the Whale make my butt look fat?" /giggles /does sexy dance.

The I'm-a-girl-but-I-will-still-kick-your-butt girl ("I'm gonna pwn (own) everyone, even my own team-mates!").

But as has been known for many years, stereotypes can be harmful. These may not be up there with "All Asians are bad drivers", or "White people have no rhythm", but it still sucks.

And it sucks because there are a million types of females who just happen to like playing computer games, and they enjoy playing them for all kinds of reasons some for no better reason than games are really, really fun.

In my guild in World of Warcraft (my massively multiplayer online role-playing game MMORPG of choice), is Bimby, a respected senior member. She started playing mainly to keep in touch with her family. That's right.

While some parents are still trying to figure out what on Earth VoIP is, some technologically progressive mothers (and even grandmothers) are playing online because they know that that is the best chance they have of catching up with their son or daughter.

Sure, you might have to help them slay some Horde before they have time to tell you how the new job is going, but you'll get the answer eventually.

If online gaming is a large part of the life of someone you love there is no reason why you, too, can't be a part of it. You might even enjoy it, as Bimby did, and convince your sister, niece, niece's husband and her great-niece to join. It's better than video conferencing.

Gaming is an interactive, multimedia pastime, in which females are in the minority. There is a statistic commonly bandied about that about 90 per cent of female characters in online games are actually played by males.

This would explain the large percentage of female characters that run around in their underwear with names like Clamidia or Hornyy (these are actual examples of players expelled from my guild).

Try being part of a raid group as a female character, and be amazed as all male characters, even noobs, take the chivalrous lead and expect you to wait in safety at the back never mind that you have the most destructive shadow spells or a very vicious raptor for a pet.

And if you do take the lead, you are obviously trying to prove something in the tedious way that Girl Gamers are wont to do.

So, what's the solution? I'm not sure. There does seem to be a movement of the gaming industry to try to be more inclusive of non-target market segments, including females (please note Gaming Executives, this doesn't necessarily mean more games like Nintendogs, but we do appreciate you giving Lara Croft a breast reduction.)

What about more game reviews written by females for a start?

And could I offer this suggestion to gaming retailers: give staff some training. The lesson? When a female customer walks in, don't instantly direct her to the new Sims expansion.

If she is in the FPS section, don't assume she is shopping for her boyfriend. Or, if she walks in with her partner, don't address only him to ask what he is looking for.

There will be many occasions where he takes her in because he needs her help with something.

And if she buys a Warcraft Pre-Paid Card, don't ask with bewilderment "... is ... is this for you?" Yes, it's for me, no I don't have a level 70 yet, and no I am not going to tell you my character's name and which server I am on so you and your friends can try and stalk a verified RL (real life) girl.

Hardcore or casual, Zelda freak or Warcraft lover, young or old, sponsored world gaming champ or just devoted and hopeless if you happen to be female and love playing computer games, you are not a Girl Gamer. You are a Gamer. That's it. And that's cool.

* Aja Trinder is an avid gamer and librarian at The Press.

- © Fairfax NZ News