I Endorse: IAMGAMER'S Game Jam

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Progress looks like  a Saint Valentine's decoration?

  I want to support IAMGAMER's  Gamejam going down this weekend, July 12-14 2013 in Vancouver Canada, which has laid out the challenge: to create a game starring a strong female character. But I must confess the reasons for this are more ego driven  than  anything else. I like female characters. I want more of them, whether they are  bikini barbarians or more conservative ones.  I am not a feminist.  Not as long as I have Netto Strip Fighter IV I am not. I don't know if liking THIS helps me any, though.

And also, the challenge itself, I love it. I am an artist at heart, and as an artist one of my goals is to try and do things that are not as common.Because trying to succeed at creating what already exists merely puts you in equal footing to more experienced creators of what already exists. Regardless of whether you think there is  an issue of representation in videogames (hey, I think so, since a couple of years one the second largest racial group in America had 0% representation in mainstream videogames, even with an incredibly high consumption rate of the things!), I think the future will belong to those who can expand the reach of the medium. We want videogames to be art, right? Well art is best served by a variety of voices and ideas participating.

I don't know that one can create a classic in 48 hours. EA spends more resources than we have trying to create durable, marketable IP. But if things go right the products out of this Jam won't look  and feel like the games EA is doing now, but perhaps the opposite will eventually be partly true true.

I will not be able to directly participate. Too much water between me and Canada. But if things go right I'll participate remotely by making a game over here and documenting the game. But if you can, come on and Jam. And tell 'em the Best Geek Ever sent you!


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