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"Dominant Ideology"

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Mon 12/11/01 at 17:37
Regular
Posts: 787
Is what shapes society and what we are expected to do in it. For example a Man would become a mechanic a Women a Hairdresser. Although there are exceptions to the rule this is the main stereotypical trend but why? Well thanks to the Media and in some cases history we are brought up to feel this way Women shouldn’t become Mechanics it’s the dominant idea this is called Dominant Ideology (those who study Media will know what I mean).

So what in the blue hell has this got to do with Computer games? Well I’ll put you to the test how many of you know a Female Computer game player other than Mystique? You may know a few but generally it is a male thing to do. Ok then why, why is it the Dominant Idea that women don’t play computer games? Is it because it is filled with Violence and racing, could be but then again the interaction in RPG’s would surly appeal to Women I personally feel the industry has offered enough to suit every gamer male or female so then any other reason?

Well lets face it Computer Games are male orientated they always have been, the obvious being the Zelda advert “Will thou get the girl or shall thou play like one?” an absolute disgrace but that isn’t the only thing Zelda is guilty of when it comes to alienating females from the game industry. They’re three main characters in Zelda, Ganondorf, Link (or whoever you called him) and Zelda herself. Each of those three hold a piece of the Tri-force Ganondorf holds the Tri-Force of power meaning he’s the strong one, Link holds the Tri-force of courage meaning he is the brave one and Zelda holds the Tri-force of Wisdom meaning she’s the clever one. Another point here is how Zelda sends Link to do the adventuring and to save Hyrule while she waits helplessly similar to Mario where the Peach is seen as a vulnerable target.

With the women stuck in these stereotypical roles in computer games is it no wonder few play or even make them? Women are the vulnerable, clever ones who stays at home whilst the man becomes the brave hero who saves the girl etc… etc… what utter rubbish. A few would argue girls are in Computer games look at the new Pokémon for example, Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark. Ok Pokémon maybe a nice idea but just look at the characters in Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark, Lara in particular have you noticed how her stomach has got smaller and her breasts have got larger???? Exactly both Joanna and Lara are designed to get the boy interested it isn’t to try roping in more girls into the industry.

Now some games particularly Resident Evil offers you something different that games such as Jet Force Gemini and Pokémon Crystal allows you to do. You can choose out of a male and female character so depending what sex you are you get a wide choice but lets look at Resident Evil 2 and you get another Female Stereotype. The idea of having a male and female is so the man can play as the man and the woman as the woman so then how would you feel to discover Clare Redfield Resident Evil 2’s female character is in fact an easier character to play as, this is evident from the very start as Leon (the male character) has to fight through a hoard of Zombie’s with a Knife whilst Clare has a handgun.

So even with these improvements in games to provoke female interest there is still major drawbacks. But quite oddly it’s working the Gameboy Advanced had more Females buy it than men and more Women are cropping up in the industry such as Nintendo UK’s Shelly Friend and N64 magazine’s old editor Andrea Ball. So games will soon need to treat women as equals to men not as inferior games players and not in the stereotypical roles that existed during the Victorian era’s. A good sign of things to come is the return of Metroid and for those who don’t know the main character if Metroid (Samus Aran) is female, to be honest you often forget as her gender due to her suit isn’t directly evident and her actions are what you expect from a man (slapped wrist for that one- women can be more violent than men but universally it is generally thought men are the more rash, rugged and violent type whilst women are the nicer, caring, maternal type again this is due to Dominant Ideology, would you give your son a doll if not why not?).

If we see more games like this in the future we will pull more and more women into the gaming market and at last girls might find me interesting J

Dringo.
Tue 13/11/01 at 13:50
Regular
"*Plonk*"
Posts: 330
The Game wrote:
> Ooh... De-Ja Vous!

You mean Déjà vu, yeah? lol
Mon 12/11/01 at 21:51
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Yes but the last Dominant Ideology post got deleated.
Mon 12/11/01 at 20:27
Regular
"Fishing For Reddies"
Posts: 4,986
Ooh... De-Ja Vous!
Mon 12/11/01 at 17:37
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Is what shapes society and what we are expected to do in it. For example a Man would become a mechanic a Women a Hairdresser. Although there are exceptions to the rule this is the main stereotypical trend but why? Well thanks to the Media and in some cases history we are brought up to feel this way Women shouldn’t become Mechanics it’s the dominant idea this is called Dominant Ideology (those who study Media will know what I mean).

So what in the blue hell has this got to do with Computer games? Well I’ll put you to the test how many of you know a Female Computer game player other than Mystique? You may know a few but generally it is a male thing to do. Ok then why, why is it the Dominant Idea that women don’t play computer games? Is it because it is filled with Violence and racing, could be but then again the interaction in RPG’s would surly appeal to Women I personally feel the industry has offered enough to suit every gamer male or female so then any other reason?

Well lets face it Computer Games are male orientated they always have been, the obvious being the Zelda advert “Will thou get the girl or shall thou play like one?” an absolute disgrace but that isn’t the only thing Zelda is guilty of when it comes to alienating females from the game industry. They’re three main characters in Zelda, Ganondorf, Link (or whoever you called him) and Zelda herself. Each of those three hold a piece of the Tri-force Ganondorf holds the Tri-Force of power meaning he’s the strong one, Link holds the Tri-force of courage meaning he is the brave one and Zelda holds the Tri-force of Wisdom meaning she’s the clever one. Another point here is how Zelda sends Link to do the adventuring and to save Hyrule while she waits helplessly similar to Mario where the Peach is seen as a vulnerable target.

With the women stuck in these stereotypical roles in computer games is it no wonder few play or even make them? Women are the vulnerable, clever ones who stays at home whilst the man becomes the brave hero who saves the girl etc… etc… what utter rubbish. A few would argue girls are in Computer games look at the new Pokémon for example, Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark. Ok Pokémon maybe a nice idea but just look at the characters in Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark, Lara in particular have you noticed how her stomach has got smaller and her breasts have got larger???? Exactly both Joanna and Lara are designed to get the boy interested it isn’t to try roping in more girls into the industry.

Now some games particularly Resident Evil offers you something different that games such as Jet Force Gemini and Pokémon Crystal allows you to do. You can choose out of a male and female character so depending what sex you are you get a wide choice but lets look at Resident Evil 2 and you get another Female Stereotype. The idea of having a male and female is so the man can play as the man and the woman as the woman so then how would you feel to discover Clare Redfield Resident Evil 2’s female character is in fact an easier character to play as, this is evident from the very start as Leon (the male character) has to fight through a hoard of Zombie’s with a Knife whilst Clare has a handgun.

So even with these improvements in games to provoke female interest there is still major drawbacks. But quite oddly it’s working the Gameboy Advanced had more Females buy it than men and more Women are cropping up in the industry such as Nintendo UK’s Shelly Friend and N64 magazine’s old editor Andrea Ball. So games will soon need to treat women as equals to men not as inferior games players and not in the stereotypical roles that existed during the Victorian era’s. A good sign of things to come is the return of Metroid and for those who don’t know the main character if Metroid (Samus Aran) is female, to be honest you often forget as her gender due to her suit isn’t directly evident and her actions are what you expect from a man (slapped wrist for that one- women can be more violent than men but universally it is generally thought men are the more rash, rugged and violent type whilst women are the nicer, caring, maternal type again this is due to Dominant Ideology, would you give your son a doll if not why not?).

If we see more games like this in the future we will pull more and more women into the gaming market and at last girls might find me interesting J

Dringo.

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