(58) Kick Ass Girls

Kyle asked me the million dollar question today that I could barely answer without a million things running through my mind all at once. What would make girls more likely to buy and become apart of the video game culture?
Girls, like guys, are very broad in their interests and hobbies. So there's no direct answer, but I must say I've got a few tips for the men on the video game boards.

Step One: Female leads. Not sidekicks, not dainty bimbo girls, leaders. Don't make the leaders 100% rough and tough like Samus Aron or Lara Croft. Give 'em their own personalities, show some quick backgrounds on their lives as the story develops, maybe give her a boyfriend or romantic interest. Make the gamer like her. But she's still gotta have that rough side too to make her appear strong and independent from the male characters... All while keeping in touch with her feminine side, too ;p
Step One 1/2: Kyle says he read that girls seem to be into customization, which I can personally vouch for. New outfits as the game progresses, or choosing their makeup, hairstyles, and other girly things?

Step Two: In depth story-lines. Make this video game a [highly] interactive story. Initiate character developments, have them establish relationships with other characters, especially their party members. Maybe let them display dramatic emotions when faced with different situations (I.E, full forced adrenaline when faced with the enemy, or sorrow and tears when a comrade/partner/party member/significant character dies or something). Keep the gamer coming back for more-- consistently wondering "What's going to happen to my characters next, and where is this video game world taking me?".

Step Three: Don't lighten it up. Make this story action packed, but filled with step two (that being story). Once the gamer thinks the game is coming to a close, there's a new obstacle or new puzzle standing in the way.

Step Four: As for advertising, sadly, the box, posters, commercials, and all other inquiries must be feminized-- while still emphasizing the girl power aspect of the game. I hate to promote something of the "Pink will sell to girls!" nature, but its probably the only thing that will get the attention it needs. Combined with all the monotone and darkly colored boxes on the shelves of a game store, I'm sure it would stand out in the 360 or PS3 section. Maybe not the Wii though.
Anyway, a bright pink box with some tough, not scantily clad, but fashionably dressed girls on the front with some weapons and makeup on will probably catch the girlfriend's attention while her boyfriend wanders around in Game Stop.
Maybe a blatantly obvious, half funny and half obnoxious tag-line on the back with something along the lines of "This isn't your boyfriend's shooter game" could work.

I guess these are completely basic tips, but then again.... girls games don't need to be an entirely different genre just to fit in with the boys' toys. The problem that would create would be a fine line between "boys games" and "girls games". And we don't want that. We want girls playing Left 4 Dead and Call of Duty. And boys can play the new-wave female lead games too ;p

The best idea I would have as a starter for a girl's gaming revolution is to make something like The World Ends With You. It has fashion, music in the background, a relatively decent storyline, and some pretty good action. I wasn't too impressed with the graphics and especially how the storyline literally repeated itself once you were done with part one, but the whole gist of the game surely would've appealed to more girls who weren't as familiar with games if it was done correctly.
Because of the fashion theme, I'm sure it appealed to girls who were already gamers, but the male lead and the flashy clothes and skeletal figure of Shiki, and Neku too, weren't appreciated too much. Not to mention she ends up in trouble and must depend on the boys coming to her rescue.

Well, I would post an idea of a game I'd make but it sounded totally ridiculous. I'd literally have to write up a script for it to make sense to someone ;p
Basically, high school graduation trip! Plane crash! But don't worry, everyone survives. The crew and everyone is being stupid, so four rebellious-in-nature teen girl friends wander off and hitch hike to the nearest city leaving everyone behind! But they've entered a nightmare world where parasites or contaminated jelly beans or something terrible has affected the town! Rawrrrr defeat the evillllllll. Depend on the use of weapons and magic or some shit to prepare for the battles against towns people and incoming parasites or jelly beans.
But this won't be a shooter game. Something more adventurous like Zelda Ocarina of Time where you travel to different worlds and meet all kinds of people.

This almost makes me want to switch to video game development to see if I could pull it off.