Well it's not really your writing style, I don't know the difference in male and female writing styles, if there is any. There was just nothing that screams out, 'I'm a woman' in your writing. I tend to auto-assume whenever I go on a board that everyone there is a guy unless they say something to show otherwise. Not quite sure why, maybe it's just my own stereotypes.

And the Windhammer Prize is probably nothing to do with why Ulysses hasn't posted. He(/she? whatever) just has an entry in Windhammer and that's just the first reason that came in my head.

bcyy
Thu Sep 20 03:10:26 2012

@Robert Douglas:

Well, I assume that anyone who's named "Robert Douglas" would be male, and although it is possible that females could use that alias, I still prefer to think of you as male for no good reason.

Robert Douglas
Thu Sep 20 21:38:39 2012

Yes, you're both correct. You win a prize of goodwill via telepathy (as Yaztromo would say)!

Haoie
Fri Sep 21 10:50:27 2012

Women who like gamebooks? No such thing! You can count the number of gamebooks with a female main character on one hand.

C-Star
Fri Sep 21 15:28:29 2012

There's probably one. Just one......

C-Star
Fri Sep 21 20:29:09 2012

A female fan, I mean. There's probably another book other than Bad Moon Rising that has a female protagonist. Somewhere.

bcyy
Sat Sep 22 08:04:58 2012

@ Haoie:

Are you sure that logic is sound? An overwhelming majority of fiction seems to consist of stories with a male protagonist, yet with tons of female fans. But I agree that there probably aren't many female fans out there.

@ C-Star:

I sincerely hope, for the sake of your sanity, that you're not trying to use this as a dating site. Your chances of success are about 1 in 194758234. :-)

C-Star
Sat Sep 22 08:14:17 2012

Ha don't worry, I'm not that crazy! I just wanted to see what you guys all thought on the subject. Lol when Ulysses gets back he's going to think I've lost it!

Robert Douglas
Sat Sep 22 10:38:31 2012

We've all probably gone a bit made here - which is no bad thing in this case - but it's true you don't get any female protagonists in gamebooks, let alone main characters. As for computer games...in quite a few you can customize your character, ie: gender, along with hair-styles, tatoos, eye/hair/skin colour, shape of face, etc. Oblivion, Fallout 3, KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights 2, Deus Ex - Invisible War, Mass Effect, all at least allow the player to choose character gender.

In the 80's (and this may sound harsh) it was widely accepted that Fighting Fantasy, amongst other activities, were male-orientated. It's true that some girls were/are tomboys enjoying the idea of slaying monsters, battling wizards, casting spells, finding treasure, and solving puzzles, in dark, perilous dungeons, castles, haunted forests, and treacherous swamps. But intriguingly - and frustratingly for the girls - not one gamebook featured a female protagonist.

Historically, the only women I can think of who took up arms alongside men are Amazons and Celts (let me know if I've missed anyone out). In more modern-times, we're getting beyond all that 'fairer' sex attitude, some girls are now playing soccer (although hockey is even more brutal in my opinion - OUCH!). In movies we have Lara Croft (created by Ian Livingstone's Tomb Raider BTW), and a western which I can't remember the title of (it starred the late Ernest Borgnine) featuring a widow who took up the gun in revenge for her murdered husband. Laura Dern also showed some survival instincts in Jurassic Park.

But, I can't remember many girls being into FF at school during the 80's.

Robert Douglas
Sat Sep 22 10:46:42 2012

I missed out: female soldiers serving Russia during WWKII

bcyy
Sat Sep 22 15:30:10 2012

With due respect, I'd say you missed out on quite a lot - you can rarely find a military organization composed entirely of males since 1900. Today, almost every NATO country deploys female commandos, while China has an entire fighter squadron composed entirely of women, from mechanics to pilots. Lots of middle eastern countries train female body guards who also double as either secretaries or interpreters.

Also, a few isolated females fought during the middle ages, though not systematically (e.g. Joan of Arc).

C-Star
Sat Sep 22 19:49:54 2012

I always wondered why videogames and more 'hardcore' gaming is associated with males and not females. Maybe women just have better social lives or something?

Robert Douglas
Sun Sep 23 00:09:35 2012

Interesting about the Chinese fighter squadron - and yes, I'd forgotten about Joan of Arc.

You're probably right: generally-speaking, women can talk/socialize much better than men. Gaming is a hobby, but also a form of escapism. I get lost in my reading, writing, gaming, history, and I often go walking for miles along roads where you seldom meet people. This gives me time to think without all the peripheral noise.

Glen
Sun Sep 23 19:32:35 2012

Gaming is certainly great escapism: I also do it primarily for this reason. Over the years I tried to convert my female friends but it typically didn't take. Good research topic :).

bcyy
Mon Sep 24 06:05:13 2012

What research topic? How to get girls to be interested in FF? Where will we get funding for that?

Might be worth an Ig Nobel, though. They awarded the physics prize to pony tail research this year.

Robert Douglas
Mon Sep 24 10:37:09 2012

@ bcyy,

No. The research would be on why many girls don't like gaming - not to convince them. The only people who can convince them is themselves. But women like chattering (and I think they're cute when they do!) and I envy them for it. I still wouldn't stop gaming though!

C-Star
Mon Sep 24 19:33:55 2012

I'm married to Monster Hunter. Final Fantasy is my mistress. Call of Duty is my one night stand.

Glen
Tue Sep 25 13:58:18 2012

@bcyy, @Robert

Indeed, the research would be on the relative lower uptake of primarily escapist pursuits by females as compared to males. I don't think the difference is huge, mind you, but it is marked and measurable. One could most likely even get a research grant for this (from any number of agencies).

Glen
Tue Sep 25 14:04:20 2012

@C-Star

Final fantasy is certainly demanding, for just a mistress!

Robert Douglas
Tue Sep 25 14:37:17 2012

I see gaming as a friend there for me during times of trouble.

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