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Gamerchicks... Myth or Reality

Myths have always brought a wonder to humanities mind. Can there really be a group of these "Bigfoot" animals living in the western United States? There can’t possibly be a Loch Ness Monster! Are their dinosaurs still living in the remote jungles of Africa? I guess humanity is a superstitious sort. Good thing that doesn’t apply to gamers.

Or does it? Yes, even gamers are not without fault. Gamers have many myths that would take to much time to dissect in this column. However, there is one myth that I have been wondering about myself. Women and video games. Can the two be brought together? Is it possible that there might actually be something called a ... Gamerchick?

If you have ever played Call of Duty 4 or Halo3 online you might have run across one of these rare wonders. You may even be surprised to know that girl gamers are just as deadly as men with a plasma grenade or a Barrett .50 cal.

If you don’t believe that you will be surprised to know that there are clans made up of all women. Pandora’s Mighty Soldiers (PMS Clan) is the largest multi-platform online female gaming group on Xbox, PC, and Playstation.

Now I know what you are thinking. David how dare you! Now that you have brought this to our attention how do we go about finding these women? How do we tell a gamerchick from a regular chick? What do we do to get our girlfriends to play games with us?

I was wondering the same things so I brought in the experts. Three of my friends actually, who are in fact Gamerchicks. LinksQueen, Cheryl O, and Iviera and I asked them the questions that you want to know.

A little background however, is in order when introducing guests. LinksQueen is going to college now which is eating up her game time. Speaking of eating one of her favorite hobbies is cooking. Cheryl O is a photographer and gets in her gaming between work and raising a family. Iviera is breaking into the author scene by writing a book. She also enjoys her watching her husband play video games.

Alright let’s get on to the questions.

How long have you been playing video games?

LQ: Ten years

C: Since I was 12-13.

I: Ever since my mom came home with an NES bundle she bought for $70 at a garage sale. I had to have been six or seven years old.

What first got you into video games?

LQ: My gamer mom and Mario Bros for the Super Nintendo.

C: It’s in my blood. My first game was Pong.

I: My older brother. He was really good at our old NES games and could pretty much get through any level. I was determined to match his skill.

Do people treat you differently online because you’re a girl?

LQ: Yeah, they try not to kill me as much.

C: Absolutely, especially in aggressive games. I think they feel intimidated by the fact that I’m a girl. Most come up with some comment or are intrigued. A lot of the time they are rude.

I: Yes, for most it is a nice surprise that they don't mind voicing. Others, not so much. I certainly receive more sexually oriented insults from male gamers who don't like to have a sticky grenade stuck to their face.

How much time do you spend gaming a week?

LQ: Lately none but it will soon rise again.

C: Too much. I couldn’t even give a number.

I: It depends on what type of game I am playing at the time. If I am sucked into an RPG I could spend just about every waking hour on the game, but if it is a MMO or multiplayer game I can spend up to 8 hours a week.

Why do you think most gamers think that women don’t play video games?

LQ: I believe guys think girls are less geeky and think we would suck at it.

C: I don’t know. I guess it’s not normally a girl thing to do. I grew up with guys so I did what they did, no dolls. Out of my girlfriends, I’m the only gamer.

I: Well, most women don't play video games. So that assumption isn't invalid.

What advice can you give to boyfriends want their girlfriends to play games with them?

LQ: Make it easy, let her win once in a while. Don’t be to competitive at first.

C: Ask her to play. Try it out and see if she likes it. I think that once she plays she’ll get it. She’ll either like it or she won’t.

I: First off, don't make it such a guy ritual thing. You should always invite her into the game if you really want her to take part. If she doesn't seem to take the invitation, challenge her. Any woman loves a good challenge, especially if she knows that you think she is capable of being one.

Favorite games right now? What future titles are you looking forward to?

LQ: Rachet and Clank (PS2), Zelda Twilight Princess, Halo 3. For the future I want a PS3 and the newest Rachet and Clank game.

C: Call of Duty 4, Uno, use to love Halo cause it got me into online play. I’m really looking forward to Call of Duty 5, World at War.

I: My favorite games now are Final Fantasy VII, Mass Effect, Twilight Princess, Smash Brothers Brawl, and Oblivion. Games I'm looking forward too...wow, um, Tomb Raider Underworld, Little Big Planet, Fall Out 3, The Sims 3,Far Cry 2, Mass Effect 2, and Lord of the Rings Conquest.

How do guys find the "elusive" gamer chick?

LQ: Just play online and you should eventually get matched up with one.

C: You have to look for a girl that’s not a "girly-girl." If they don’t hang out with guys a lot that’s a sure sign of not being a gamer chick. Girly-girls are to uptight and would never take all the comments guys throw them online. Also look for girls who don’t like to shop that much.

I: Its tricky. Go to your local arcade dressed as Master Chief, wait a few moments. You will soon have gamer girls all over you.

What do you consider to be your greatest gaming achievement to date?

LQ: Completing two games thoroughly.

C: Achieving Level 55 on 10^th prestige in Call of Duty 4. My new goal is to beat the game on Veteran.

I: It’s a tie between beating Sephiroth with all odds against me, my first time through the battle...or showing off my mad Guitar Hero skills in front of a bunch of soldiers while visiting a military base where my brother was stationed.

How do you think the video game industry represents girls?

LQ: Not very well. More commercials featuring women on more than just the Wii, would help.

C: They don’t, they try to target the boys. They could add more female characters to games so that girls could relate more to the characters. They should be able to become part of the game.

I: Well, sex sells, so just about anytime a female is put into a video game, her figure and features are flawless. But that doesn't bother me as much as it seems to other women. I like the way women are portrayed in video games, its very empowering. Come on, look at Lara Croft, what woman doesn't want to be her.

Thank you ladies for the interview.

Well, there you have it. Straight from the people who know the best. Oh, yeah, by the way guys these girls are taken. Sorry.

If you want to be featured in an article or you want to be heard send a message to me at gamer@northfloridanewsdaily.com or via Xbox Live to Sauria Rex.

If you want to learn more about Clan PMS check out their website at www.pmsclan.com