Women and Girls in the Game Game - Interviews

Games4Girls will be talking with women and girls in the game business. You might be surprised to find how like you they are!

• Cara Ely of Oberon Media
  
• Alana "Ms X" Reid of girlz 0f destruction
  
• Jamie "Missy" Pereyda of girlz 0f destruction
  
• Michaela of Her Interactive
  
• Marie-Sol Beaudry of Microids
  
• Diane Strack of Simon & Schuster Interactive
  
• Who Makes Nancy Drew?
  
• Sarah Stocker of Stormfront Studios
  
• Mary DeMarle of Presto Studios
  

Name: Cara Ely JobTitle: Producer Company: Oberon Media Games Produced: Dream Day Wedding Dream Day Honeymoon

Casual games have a particular appeal to women gamers - they're non-violent, can be enjoyed in short bursts and often contain subject matter that appeal to women's sensibilities. None more so than Dream Day Wedding and Dream Day Honeymoon. Here, Cara tells us more about how the "Dream" came to be.

G4G: Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into the gaming industry?

Cara Ely (CE): I started at Sierra Online (a division of Vivendi Universal), as an Associate Producer (AP) that was a hands-on education in how casual games are made. I had previously worked as a talent agent and casting director and Sierra hired me (in part) to direct voice actors and scriptwriters, but I worked on game development from initial design to final launch. I was an AP on about 10 externally-developed titles, including several of the You Don't Know Jack games (which I still play!). After that, I moved to the Hoyle Games team (an internal development group), where I eventually became a producer.

G4G: Is Oberon Media your company?

CE: No, I work in the Oberon Games studio in Seattle, but Oberon Media is the parent company that is headquartered in New York; we haveoffices across North America, Europe and Asia. Oberon was founded in 2003 and is currently the world's leading multi-platform casual-games company, with expertise in online games, mobile, and even the interactive television.

G4G: You have designed Dream Day Wedding and Dream Day Honeymoon. How did you get the idea? What is your next one?

CE: Well, I thought about the way that weddings impact so many people - not just the bride and groom, but families, friends, and so on. Plus the fact that so many elements of a wedding are incredibly beautiful to look at - gowns, cakes, flowers, invitations - the theme seemed very compelling. As for the next one - well I am not at liberty to say, but there will definitelybe another chapter in Jenny and Robert's story.

G4G: How did you get your games produced? Find an outlet?

CE: Fortunately, I work for Oberon Games, a leading publisher and developer of mass-market casual games, so getting the game published was not too difficult, once we created a prototype and pitched it to our executive team. Oberon gave me the creative freedom to develop my idea, and see it through to completion. That's definitely rare in this industry and it made a big difference during the development of the game.

G4G: You spoke to many women before you created the games. What specifically did you discover about women gamers?

CE: The answerto that question depends on the gamer! There is a game out there for almost every interest and skill level - that's why this audience continues to grow. I have read some interesting articles about the different ways men and women process and remember information. The gist is that women often prefer (and excel at) visual memory exercises, which may be why the "seek and find" games have such a large female audience. On the Dream Day games, aside from the realization that the theme skewed strongly female, the goal was to make a game that would be fun for everyone.

G4G: What can you say to girls to get them to consider getting into the gaming industry?

CE: Well, the game industry offers unlimited opportunities for talented women and men. Creating casual games takes engineers, artists, project managers, production assistants, marketing specialists, quality assurance testers - it's a fast-paced, creative industry and I highly recommend it! Making a game from scratch and seeing it released into the market is incredibly satisfying for everyone involved.

G4G: You know what a success Ms. Rowling had with Harry Potter. Is there something that you can say to our population of "grandmothers" to encourage them to pick up the mouse and create a game?

CE: Well, great game ideas can come from almost anywhere - you don't need to work in the industry to come up with a compelling design. Take a closer look at the games you already play and enjoy - what do you like and why? How does the game actually work? How do you win or lose? How difficult is the game? What keeps you playing?

G4G: Any final words?

CE: I hope that all your readers will continue playing new games and old favorites. No matter what our age, games have the ability to entertain, educate, relax and excite us. Have fun!

8/07

Name: Alana Reid Job Title: Professional On-Line Game Player Company: VIA Technologies Favorite Game: Quake

The all-female online gaming team girlz 0f destruction will tell you just how much practice it takes, how they support each other in the highly competitive field of online gaming. Excitement and travel are some of the perks of the job.

Alana Reid is a co-founder of girlz 0f destruction, a professional 7-member all-girls PC gaming team representing Canada, China, New Zealand, Spain, Russia, Sweden, UK, and the USA. girlz 0f destruction members participate as individuals in deathwatch style Quake III tournaments, and last year swept the top 3 positions at the inaugural Ms.QuakeCon tournament, claiming US$30,000 in prize money. As professional gamers, the girls prepared for QuakeCon by playing over 10,000 matches, training on average 5 hours a day.

G4G: We don't usual think of females in Quake competitions. How did you get into it?
AR: I always played games, as long as I can remember... but it was always console like Mario games. I never had a computer growing up so I wasn't exposed to PC games until a few years ago when a friend from work showed me.

G4G: What is the excitement, the pull of the game (Quake)? What do you get out of it? What are the advantages, skills and experiences you have gained doing this?
AR: I really like the competitive aspect, and the game overall excites me because when playing on a competitive level there is a lot of mental skill involved and it's a lot of fun, to me it's just like playing any regular sport.

G4G: How important is the "team" in this endeavor?
AR: My team is very important to me, I couldn't imagine always going to events alone and such. We have a really great time together and get along very well. We met on the internet through playing games, and now live together, and I believe we will be friends for life.

G4G: How many hours do you "practice" the game you are in competition on?
AR: It really depends, if there is a tournament coming up then it will be more than usual. It can range from anywhere from 2-10 hours per day! When working and living the average lifestyle it can be pretty difficult to find the time to get in some solid practice but thanks to VIA Technologies we are able to actually live in gaming house where we can play to our hearts desire.

G4G: What is behind your name choice?
AR: Secret ;o)

G4G: Is your base really the House of Chrome in Sweden? Where do you hail from.?
AR: I am currently living in Sweden at the Home of Chrome, but my hometown is Vancouver Canada. My parents are from Scotland so I've also spent some time living there as well.

G4G: How old were you when you first played? What was your introduction to computer games? What other games do you play?
AR: The first game I ever played was Cabbage Patch Dolls on a system called Coleco, and I was about 5 years old at the time. I was totally hooked from there, and couldn't stop playing. I went through all of the Nintendo's, and now I'm stuck on PC games which include Quakeseries, Unreal Tournament series, Wolfenstein, Counterstrike, Warsow -- pretty much any FPS game.

G4G: What do you do when you are not playing computer games -- school, interests, sports?
AR: I like to travel ... it's a passion of mine and I love to visit new places in the world. Besides from that, I like to go back to Vancouver and spend time with my friends and family -- who I do miss!

G4G: Future plans. How do you see yourself five years from now?
AR: Very good question. I know this wonderful lifestyle won't last forever and for now I don't want to think too far ahead into the future. I take things day by day :)

G4G: Are you interested in other opportunities in the game field?
AR: I would love to pursue gaming as a career, it is of course my passion and that's where I would like to spend my time .... I've done the 9-5 working in a cubicle and after this, I really don't know if I could go back to doing something I really don't enjoy.

G4G: Not many girls play games like Quake?. What is it about the game that could appeal to them? Can that game be changed to appeal to a wider audience?
AR: I suppose gaming is like any other sport or hobby. Some love tennis, some love hockey -- every individual is different, and most girl gamers have been introduced by a male influence in their life. But I think anyone that enjoys Mariokart, or any type of game could also really love violent style shooter games like Quake too.

G4G: Is there a career path for girls who want to be involved in the game industry?
AR: I think so, of course it's not something that happens overnight but I myself already have a job in the industry and the more live events you visit and the more people you get to meet. I believe there is definitely opportunities out there for careers. I've always seen it as -- it's not what you know, it's who you know!

Name: Jamie Pereyda Job Title: Professional On-Line Game Player Company: VIA Technologies Favorite Game: Quake

The all-female online gaming team girlz 0f destruction will tell you just how much practice it takes, how they support each other in the highly competitive field of online gaming and how the guys respond to their immense skill when competing from sometimes thousands of miles apart. (Often playing under aliases, it can be a real surprise when the victor is a woman!)

Jamie "Missy" Pereyda is a member of girlz 0f destruction and participates in deathmatch style Quake III tournaments, and this year swept the top 3 positions at the inaugural Ms. QuakeCon tournament, claiming US$30,000 in prize money. Professional gamers, the girls prepared for QuakeCon by playing over 10,000 matches, training on average 5 hours a day. Her advice to girls regarding games is "Don't judge a book by its cover!"

G4G: We don't usual think of females in Quake competitors. How did you get into it?
JP: I first started in Quake as a casual gamer, playing with family and friends, namely my brothers. But I always took it more seriously because I wanted to badly to beat them, and when I finally did, I just kept gaming, and I didn't know about the competitive scene for a long time, I had no idea there were tournaments and people won money! So I started to play even more when Ms Quakecon was announced, since I was new to the game still, it was a good competition for me! And now I compete with all the boys in regular tournaments.

G4G: What is the excitement, the pull of the game (Quake)? What do you get out of it? What are the advantages, skills and experiences you have gained doing this?
JP: It is the competitive factor that keeps me going. I love to duel, those 15 minutes that I have in each duel I am high on adrenaline, and I even sweat a little! I get tense and nervous sometimes because it's so exciting to beat another good player.

G4G: How important is the "team" in this endeavor?
JP: In a duel, the team does not matter, everything is on yourself and you can't rely on anyone else nor blame anyone else for you win or loss. But the events are not all about the individual, if you come to the event with your team you feel much more calm and if you have the jitters, they are there to pick you up. Since girlz 0f destruction is more like a group of friends, it's really important for me to have them all there. I have gone to tournaments alone before, and it's just not fun without all 4 of us!

G4G: Since you play online -- do you know who your opponents are? Can you tell if it is male or female? Who are your main competitors?
JP: Playing online is very random, all you know about your competitor is his name, and the Quake 4 scene is very small right now, so I pretty much know whom I am playing, and usually it's a guy because there aren't many girls that play.

G4G: How many hours do you "practice" the game if you are in competition on?
JP: If there is a tournament coming up, I'll practice as much as possible playing on LAN. All night, all day, as much time as I can dedicate!

G4G: What is behind your name choice?
JP: My gaming name is Missy, just because it's short and sweet and easy. Yes it's girly, but it it's not "princess, flowergirl, sugarcakes", it's just a cute nick name that is not overly feminine which I like. There is nothing wrong picking a girly name, but when the name is something like h0tlegz, it's a bit ridiculous!

G4G: Is your base really the House of Chrome in Sweden? Where do you hail from.?
JP: I am originally from San Jose, California and I attend UC Berkeley. Home of Chrome is my base, although with our schedule from VIA we are traveling all around, Taiwan, Russia, Germany, France, Dallas, we are gone often, but even if we aren't there 24/7, the Home of Chrome is definitely our hub and also a training facility for other top gamers to come visit. It is actually the first and only e-sports training facility at the moment which VIA has sponsored, not only with the house but also the computers inside and hardware. It's great because we have a guest room with extra beds, the house is so big we can fit lots of these international guests.

G4G: How old were you when you first played? What was your introduction to computer games? What other games do you play?
JP: I was about 6 or 7 when I saw my first computer game! The first FPS I saw was Wolfentein 3D and I thought it was scary. My dad and brothers were playing it.

G4G: What do you do when you are not playing computer games -- school, interests, sports?
JP: Right now, as a US citizen in Sweden, I can't work or go to school or do much that requires speaking Swedish, but I would say my main hobby (and all the others too) is traveling!

G4G: Future plans. How do you see yourself five years from now?
JP: Graduated from university with a steady job in a really weird location, and playing PC games in the night when I have free time!

G4G: Are you interested in other opportunities in the game field?
JP: No, I want to play games for fun, when you start to work in the field around it (but not actually gaming) it gets boring and makes games not fun anymore.

G4G:Not many girls play games like Quake. What is it about the game that could appeal to them? Can that game be changed to appeal to a wider audience?
JP: Don't judge a book by it's cover, that's what girls should realize. Upon first glance Quake is a pretty violent game, but that's not the point of Quake. There is strategy involved, it's very a very mental game and in order to outsmart your opponent, it's crucial to predict their next moves. I don't want the game to be changed, it's fine the way it is, it's those who don't play the game who are too judgmental!

G4G: Is there a career path for girls who want to be involved in the game industry?
JP: The gaming industry - yes, but as a gamer, even very very few male gamers can make a "living" from winning tournaments. But anyone who wants to get involved can, game development, programming, tournament directors, marketing for gaming, all of the above!

G4G: We don't usually think of young girls in this field. How did you get into it?
M: I have always had a love for computers and technology, and I had the privilege to attend a school that incorporates the every-day use of laptops in its curriculum for four years. I had started playing the Nancy Drew games while I was at that school, and I tested the Nancy Drew games for Her Interactive. Last summer, I thought that it would be worth a try asking if they did summer internships, and it worked out!

G4G: Tell us about your job?
M: I went to Her Interactive twice a week throughout the summer. While I was there, I helped them with whatever their needs were at the time. I was also given the opportunity to meet with many of the Her Interactive staff and was able to observe the game development process first hand. Her Interactive provided the opportunity for me to experience many different aspects of the workplace in a warm and nurturing environment.

G4G: Would you like to work in the game field and what part would you like to do?
M: Yes, I would love to work in the game field. As far as what I would like to do goes, I would love to work in the 2D or 3D graphics department, and I also think it might be fun to form the storyline of the game.

G4G: What class are you in school? How old are you?
M: I am a tenth grader, and I am 15 years old.

G4G: Do you have favorite subjects?
M: My favorite subjects are probably Humanities, (a mix of English and History), Biology, and Spanish.

G4G: What are your favorite books?
M: I love the author Garth Nix, and I love all of his books. I also like The Da Vinci Code and I love the Harry Potter series!

G4G: What do you do for fun?
M: For fun I play the violin, I love to sing, dance, and act, and of course, spend the day at my computer!

G4G: What kind of games do you play?
M: I play all sorts of games such as Morrowind III: The Elder Scrolls, Syberia, Splinter Cell, and of course, Nancy Drew!

G4G: Do you prefer a certain type of game?
M: I really like Role Playing Games, and I like games that let me think about what I'm doing and why I would do it before I do. I also really like strategy games.

G4G: What kind of games do you think girls would like?
M: There are all different types of girls, with all different interests and appreciations. I think that girls who like Her Interactive's games would also like games like Syberia and the Myst series. However, ideally, I think that one day there should be as many different games for girls as there are girls themselves.

G4G: Do you have an idea for a game?
M: I would really like to explore the limits of games. I think that if I were ever to make a game, I would want it to be an ongoing project. I would always be adding levels or parts to it so that it would stay exciting for the players. As far as what kind of game, I think that I would really be interested in the adventure game section, but I'm open to anything!

Ed. Note: There is no photograph of Michaela to accompany the article. She is a minor and we wish to protect her privacy.

G4G: We don't usually think of young girls in this field. How did you get into it?
M: I have always had a love for computers and technology, and I had the privilege to attend a school that incorporates the every-day use of laptops in its curriculum for four years. I had started playing the Nancy Drew games while I was at that school, and I tested the Nancy Drew games for Her Interactive. Last summer, I thought that it would be worth a try asking if they did summer internships, and it worked out!

G4G: Tell us about your job?
M: I went to Her Interactive twice a week throughout the summer. While I was there, I helped them with whatever their needs were at the time. I was also given the opportunity to meet with many of the Her Interactive staff and was able to observe the game development process first hand. Her Interactive provided the opportunity for me to experience many different aspects of the workplace in a warm and nurturing environment.

G4G: Would you like to work in the game field and what part would you like to do?
M: Yes, I would love to work in the game field. As far as what I would like to do goes, I would love to work in the 2D or 3D graphics department, and I also think it might be fun to form the storyline of the game.

G4G: What class are you in school? How old are you?
M: I am a tenth grader, and I am 15 years old.

G4G: Do you have favorite subjects?
M: My favorite subjects are probably Humanities, (a mix of English and History), Biology, and Spanish.

G4G: What are your favorite books?
M: I love the author Garth Nix, and I love all of his books. I also like The Da Vinci Code and I love the Harry Potter series!

G4G: What do you do for fun?
M: For fun I play the violin, I love to sing, dance, and act, and of course, spend the day at my computer!

G4G: What kind of games do you play?
M: I play all sorts of games such as Morrowind III: The Elder Scrolls, Syberia, Splinter Cell, and of course, Nancy Drew!

G4G: Do you prefer a certain type of game?
M: I really like Role Playing Games, and I like games that let me think about what I'm doing and why I would do it before I do. I also really like strategy games.

G4G: What kind of games do you think girls would like?
M: There are all different types of girls, with all different interests and appreciations. I think that girls who like Her Interactive's games would also like games like Syberia and the Myst series. However, ideally, I think that one day there should be as many different games for girls as there are girls themselves.

G4G: Do you have an idea for a game?
M: I would really like to explore the limits of games. I think that if I were ever to make a game, I would want it to be an ongoing project. I would always be adding levels or parts to it so that it would stay exciting for the players. As far as what kind of game, I think that I would really be interested in the adventure game section, but I'm open to anything!

Ed. Note: There is no photograph of Michaela to accompany the article. She is a minor and we wish to protect her privacy.

Name: Marie-Sol Beaudry Job Title: Project Manager Company: Microids Game Worked On: Syberia Favorite Games: Adventure, The Longest Journey

G4G: It is easy to identify with Kate – she is smart, adventurous, attractive and has a sense of humor. What was the inspiration?
MSB: The day-to-day modern woman. Ambitious, strong but still human. We really wanted to paint a portrait of an actual woman representing the reality of young female of the 21st century. It's an icon, or an image, you don't see a lot in videogames.

G4G: How was it decided to have the protagonist a female human and the secondary character, Oscar, a male automaton?
MSB: It's a bit obvious but it's easier to communicate emotions through a female character than a male character.

G4G: How was the idea developed to have Kate's character grow to where she dumps her controlling boyfriend. This is not a male point of view.
MSB: The whole scenario comes from Benoît Sokal's imagination. The whole scenario is based on the fact he wanted to write about a woman, for women. Kate's personality was developed from his perception of the reality experienced by a 20-something female lawyer driven by ambition but also emotions.

G4G: Can you describe your role in game creation?
MSB: As the project manager, my role is to supervise the production of the game. The team is separated in five different groups: Artists, Animation, Design, Programming, Integration. Each group has a leader reporting directly to me. I also act as a bridge between the author, the other departments and the team.

G4G: Were there women involved in developing the story?
MSB: In terms of the scenario, there were no women directly involved in the creation of the story. But there were a few women who worked on the creation of the game. Apart from me, two of the artists who worked on the environments were women, Johanne Drolet and Melanie Tremblay.

G4G: Does a female market player have any distinguishing characteristics that are different from the general game player. If so, do you make any accommodations for her?
MSB:The main difference between female and male gamers is about the importance of the story. Female gamers pay much more attention to the story. They are asking for a deeper scenario, attaching characters. Action is less of an issue with female gamers. (Obviously, I'm talking generally).

G4G: What prompted the company to embark upon such a female friendly game? It's pace is unhurried, no one gets killed, the environments are beautiful and it has a decidedly feminine point of view. How do you see men approaching this game.
MSB: I don't think the company's decision to develop a game like Syberia was based on the fact it was a female-friendly game. The whole concept was interesting and original. When Microïds got across the preliminary scenario and the storyboard, the company knew it had something special in its hands. Now that the game is out, we saw the reaction of men gamers and it's pretty positive. Not that we had any fear of their impressions but we're happy to see that they enjoy it too.

G4G: Now that this one is out, will there be more? Will Amerzone be reissued?
MSB: Syberia 2 is in the work and Amerzone is still available in some stores…

G4G: Do you have anything to say to girls who might want to plan a career in the game industry?
MSB: Make sure you don't believe it's a man-only industry even if most of the people working in it are men. There's some room for women in this industry. Women will come up with a different point of view. Read a lot, develop a familiarity with a broad range of culture, and play games.

G4G: How did you get to be a project manger?
MSB: Basically I knew someone. It is important to get involved and be around people who are in the industry. Find a mentor. Let people know what you want to do.

G4G: What were you like as a 12 – 13 year old – teenager?
MSB: I was pretty much your average teenager. Liked sports, basketball, soccer, hung out with my friends.

G4G: It is easy to identify with Skye – she is funny, charming adventurous and cute. What was your inspiration?
DS: The designers and producers are huge fans of Buffy. We love the hip attitude, the sly humor, the self-awareness. We love how Buffy is a powerful hero, yet a real person with realistic concerns and problems. Another inspiration was Xena, Warrior Princess – a strong heroine and a show with a wonderful satirical tone.

The success and popularity of these shows was appealing. At its peak, Xena was the top- rated show in syndication and Buffy has been one of the top shows on both the networks it has aired on. We noted the popularity of games like Tomb Raider and its female protagonist. We thought there was an audience out there for this kind of product and this kind of hero. Our working tag line: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Meets Lara Croft!"

G4G: Was it your vision to create a female epic?
DS: If what you mean is an epic specifically geared towards females, that's not what we intended. We wanted a game that would appeal to both male and female players. Shows like Buffy and Xena, have a huge male audience. We know the majority of gamers and consumers of Lara Croft products are male. We know that both males and females will play and enjoy a game with a female protagonist.

We simply wanted to create a game that would both appeal to males and not TURN OFF females. We wanted a smart, resourceful heroine the player could relate to and root for regardless of gender. If she's pretty, or sexy, like Buffy or Lara Croft, that's great, but she's not there to just be eye candy.

G4G: Can you describe your role in game creation?
DS: This question is about defining the role of the producer in a product, how to go back and forth and in between all the various players to make the vision come true. Something like making a movie, with writers, designers, game designers, artists, animators and programmers. All bring a necessary part to the creation and all voices must be heard, balanced, negotiated, balanced again and again while you work it out. Since the story was so important to the adventure and the gameplay, that was a huge focus in the beginning. And of course it took months and lots of revisions to get to where it is now.

During this phase, we looked at a couple hundred conceptual drawings, provided by the developer and his studio of talented artists. At story meetings we'd go through the drawings, using them to bounce off story ideas, puzzles, settings, characters, etc. The artists had some wonderful ideas – really unique visions, and their imaginations ran wild.

Eventually the script was finished and the voice actors were cast. Finding the right actors was important and auditions were held in Boston and New York. The woman who gave voice to Skye was great – a good combination of teenage attitude coupled with strength and intelligence. The actor voiced Draak was hysterically funny – he had us all laughing in the studio.

G4G: How did you put together a game where all the different elements enhance one another?
DS: It's like any kind of art – hard to explain what the process is and all projects have their own unique process. If it's done well, it's just about the parts coming together into a harmonious whole. Good collaboration.

G4G: Did you do other games and will there be more?
DS: Yes, and yes.

G4G: How important is it to have a female protagonist in a game?
DS: Certainly there are plenty of successful games out there with female protagonists. As women, we certainly felt there was room in the world for one more female hero. We think what's important about our heroine is that a: she's smart-mouthed and funny and b: she's intelligent AND attractive.

G4G: Do female market player have any distinguishing characteristics that are different from the general game player. If so, do you make any accommodations for her?
DS: We did some products about 5 years ago based on research that showed there were differences in how girls and boys used computers. Especially girls aged 8-14. The research told us they wanted community, and communication and didn't care about winning, earning points or making their way through the levels of traditional computer games. The products, which were designed as a sort of teen magazine-on-screen, were well received by girls in focus groups, teachers and parents. However, they were not commercially successful. At the same time the Barbie line of products were launched with huge success. It was obvious that girls liked to play on computers the same way they like to play in life. This could include board and other games and many girls even enjoy earning points, being competitive and advancing through levels. We had great success in the girl-games arena with our next series of products, based on the popular TV series Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Sabrina is a strong, attractive heroine with the added advantage of possessing magical powers AND she's a teenager – perfect model for girls and games.

The bottom line is that many girls are into games and if they have characters they like and care about, they'll play the game even more. The same is true for women and games.

G4G: Do you have anything to say to girls who might want to plan a career in the game industry?
DS: Just like any career – if you love it and do it and keep at it, you can find your way.

From the president through artists, scriptwriters, technology officer, producers, production managers to marketing - at every stage of the game there are women. Can you see yourself in one of these positions?

Name: Megan Gaiser Job Title: President Company: Her Interactive, CA Game Working on Recently: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake

At the helm of Her Interactive, Megan has guided a company that has produced games for women and girls since 1995. Even in their early games the company ventured into interactive dialog in McKenzie & Co. and Vampire Diaries. Knowing that women make up the majority of mystery readers, and that there are now at least two generations of Nancy Drew readers, they are on a roll with the Nancy Drew mysteries. The newest one, "Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake" is number six.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
MG: I never intended to get into the interactive gaming field. In fact, I knew very little about the interactive entertainment industry when I started at Her Interactive. When it comes to career matters, I have always followed my heart. Creating interesting content has always been a consistent focus. I've always been drawn to storytelling ... in various forms. I came from the film industry and I enjoyed making films for 11 years before I decided to move from Washington DC to Washington state to find a job creating interactive media. I worked for Microsoft for a few years as a Producer creating content for the web. It was then I became aware of a company that was creating interactive entertainment for girls, Her Interactive. I was excited by the opportunity to work with a creative team to bring the mysteries of Nancy Drew to life via a game experience. I was surprised to learn that at that time, most games were designed specifically for boys. The realization that in 1997, Barbie was about all there was to entertain girls in the form of interactive entertainment was more than enough to spur me on. Working for Her Interactive in 1997 was an opportunity that presented itself rather than a goal I set out to achieve.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
MG: Playful, curious, and mischievous. I loved watching movies, dancing to funky music, putting on plays for anyone who would watch, board games, films, books, TV shows and pretty much all sports. I played tennis, kickball, softball, hockey, pool, ping pong and basketball. Boys were also quickly becoming an interest of mine.

In her role of Chief Technology Officer, Sheri is responsible for driving the bus named software development. She oversees company development strategy, engine architecture, new features, development schedules and testing. And when not doing all that, she is writing code!

G4G: How did you get into the field?
SH: I started working with computers when I was in college studying electrical engineering. After getting a degree in this field, I worked in the area of biomedical engineering. The work I did involved a lot of programming because the processors in the medical instruments needed to be programmed in order to work correctly. Realizing that I enjoyed software more than hardware, I went back to school and got a masters degree in computer science. I worked for many years in developing key applications in the desktop publishing and business productivity arena. After working for big companies, I branched out and started a small children's software company as well as doing consulting. I was also raising a family of four children. When the opportunity to work at Her Interactive came along three years ago, it was a dream job as it allowed me to make creative and intelligent software for girls, something that I passionately believe in.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
SH: When I was 12, my family moved from Hawaii (where I had grown up) to Africa. After a year in Africa, we moved to Australia for a few more years before returning to the US when I was in high school. This traveling gave me an appreciation for other cultures and a fascination for travel. When I was 12, I was an avid reader and had an intense interest in math and science. I wanted to be either a librarian or a scientist when I grew up. Living in warm countries on the water, I was also at the beach almost every day and loved to swim and body surf. When not at the beach or in school, I was most likely in my bedroom with the door locked, deep into a book. All my babysitting money and allowance went into buying books and my library required a few extra boxes when it came time to ship our household goods back to the US! Amongst those books, there were quite a few Nancy Drew mysteries - and they went around the world with me!

Anne came to Her Interactive by way of commercial television. She spent several years in Los Angeles serving as the Story Editor on Vegas and Fantasy Island. After moving to the Seattle area she served as a Story Consultant for Matlock, writing and editing scripts for its entire eight-year, two-network run.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AL: I loved to read when I was growing up - the Black Stallion series, Nancy Drew (of course), science fiction and fantasy - I loved using my imagination. I used to carry on pretend conversations with my favorite TV characters and imagine myself in different situations with them. So I guess without realizing it, I was writing for television even before I knew there was such a thing. Computer games, especially the Nancy Drew games, are a lot like TV shows, in that you have a main character who meets and talks to other characters in the course of solving some big problem. Although technically the two media are quite different, the principles that guide the writing and production of their content are amazingly similar.

I loved horses but, being a city girl, I had to go to camp every summer to ride them. I was very awkward socially; I got along with everyone, but I wasn't part of the really "in" crowd. I didn't have any boyfriends, but I wasn't really ready for that anyway. Besides, at that time few people in real life could compare to my imaginary buddies. And I always knew that all I had to do is hang in there and things would get better. And they definitely did.

At Her Interactive, Jennifer is responsible for coordinating the production of a top quality game. She works directly on building game logic and interface files, manages the overall schedule, and coordinates art, production and development efforts. She also oversees the asset management process and manages focus group, beta, configuration and usability testing.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
JB: When I was 12, I was fortunate enough to get a chance to work with computers at our school. We started with a small Commodore Pet that read data from cassette tapes, and we were very exited when we got an Apple II with a color screen. I enjoyed playing computer games, writing programs, and studying math. Outside of school, I liked to read books, watch movies, and invent games and secret codes with my friends. In high school, I had many different interests, but I always enjoyed mathematics, and kept returning to computing in some form or another.

As lead 2D Artist, Kris is responsible for the illustration of realistic 2D texture maps, hotspot graphics, and puzzles for integration into 3D environments, as well as the design of puzzle layouts and functional prototyping.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
KU: I've always loved to draw, to build, and to fix things. But, it wasn't until I had taken my first art class in high school and received encouragement from respected teachers, that I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the visual arts. I went to college on the East Coast and graduated with a BFA in Illustration -- which, at the time, combined traditional painting, drawing, and graphic design. I soon became interested in digital media and the possibility of combining traditional art methods with newer technology. So, after doing some post-college traveling around the country, I signed up for classes in digital art and design in San Francisco, and worked as a freelance illustrator for children's software companies in the Bay Area. Eventually, I moved to Seattle, began work as a photographic retouch artist with a photography studio, and then, as a 2D digital artist with Her Interactive, where I've worked with a truly inspiring art team for about 4 years, now!

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
KU: Growing up surrounded by peach orchards in South Carolina, I was a true tomboy: I loved all sports (especially soccer and softball), spent hours and hours shooting hoops in the backyard, and wouldn't be caught dead wearing a dress. I was also into jigsaw puzzles, motorcycles, and music. I played the piano, fiddled with my grandfather's archtop guitar, and began playing the clarinet in the school band when I was thirteen. These interests have stayed with me passionately ever since..

As 2D artist, Ayu is responsible for the creation of realistic 2D maps, hotspot graphics, and puzzles for integration into 3D environments. Born in Malaysia, Ayu has been living in Seattle for the past 11 years.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
AO: Although I loved to draw, I never thought I could make ends meet as an artist, so I went on the science track throughout high school until midway through college when I rediscovered my passion for art in my first ever formal art class. I was hooked and, with my mother's support, took the plunge into the art world. I had no idea whether I could make a career out of being an artist but I loved it enough to take the risk. After college, I went and got my associate's degree in Computer Animation but still had no idea what I'd be doing career-wise, whether it was in traditional animation, Flash, games, or illustration. After several months of freelancing and job-searching, I became a contract artist with Her Interactive, eventually coming aboard full time.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AO: I was really into cartoons, comic books, and anything else that had action and science- fiction written all over it. Sitting in front of the TV watching cartoons while drawing was certainly preferable over school, much less my dreaded homework, but I also spent countless hours reading just about everything, from Japanese Mythology to the Song of Beowulf to the latest Tin Tin adventure. Consequently, if I wasn't inside drawing, reading, or watching cartoons, I was out in the yard slaying dragons on horseback or shooting arrows at imaginary goblins or flying robotic lions through the stratosphere.

As Marketing Manager, Amy manages strategic relationships, promotions, online channel sales and online initiatives and develops the Her Interactive web site.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
AJ: I got into the video game industry by accident. I was looking for a part-time, holiday job while in college and came across a "Get Paid to Play Video Games" advertisement by Nintendo for game play counselors. I loved playing the arcade games when I was a teenager (Asteroids, Frogger, Super Mario Brothers, Pan Man and Space Invaders) so I went for it. I had the opportunity to work on several projects at Nintendo, and later worked on the Nintendo web site. I was fascinated by continually observing how video games can open up the technical world to people.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AJ: I was a sports-playing, book-reading Nancy Drew! I was outside, played soccer, softball, volleyball and was on swim team or was inside reading, reading, reading. On the weekends, my sister and I along with other neighborhood kids ran a detective club. We mainly read Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown books and hung out in a special club house (named the Wonder Woman Club House) that my dad built and we painted. There we did not solve that many cases and we did not have the reputation of Nancy Drew, but we were always ready!

Ms. Bickford guides the company's sales and marketing efforts.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
CB: My first introduction to computer games, and to computers in general, was about 15 years ago when I took a job in marketing and advertising for a company called Egghead Software, a chain of software stores. I worked there for seven years, and then moved to a company called Edmark, which made educational computer games for kids Then I found out about Her Interactive, and the Nancy Drew games. I have always been a big Nancy Drew fan, so I jumped at the chance to work here. It's been a fabulous opportunity to spread the word to girls and women everywhere about these fabulous new Nancy Drew games!

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
CB: I was very quiet and shy, but I loved to read and write. I was editor of the school newspaper, and loved writing articles for the paper, especially if they helped people or changed things in a positive way. I was actually quite a rebel -- as long as I didn't have to talk! That love of writing stayed with me. I majored in journalism in college, and then pursued a career in public relations and marketing. Now I get to write about Nancy Drew all the time, which makes me remember how much I loved reading every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on when I was a girl.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
CG: Like most people, I kind of stumbled into the gaming industry. I had just moved from Hawaii and was looking for an office management job when I came across an ad in the paper. I looked up the company online and it blew me away. Instantly it just felt right to me and I try to always follow my instincts and heart. I was so excited because I always read Nancy Drew as a kid and still love mystery books of all types. I loved the message of promoting technology for girls and really clicked with the overall company culture at Her Interactive. I'm so glad that I made the right decision to go into this industry and to work with this company. It has actually changed my life!

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
CG: I was a shy and self-conscious kid at that stage in my life. I loved to read anything and everything from Nancy Drew to Agatha Christie to Nathanial Hawthorne and the classics. I had just picked up the oboe and the saxophone and loved them! I really felt like I could express myself better when I was playing and it gave me an outlet and a release for my feelings. My family moved from San Antonio to Japan when I was 13, so adjusting to that was a bit of a challenge to say the least. New schools are always a little scary, but they definitely get better if you give them a chance. I eventually made great friends and had the time of my life!

An innovative manager who develops staff, motivates teams and improves operating efficiencies.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
LM: Like a lot of people I know in this industry, I pretty much fell into it. My education and first jobs were not what you'd think would have prepared me for this industry. My degree is in clinical psychology and I worked for some time as a counselor at a Juvenile Hall facility. After some time, I found that I loved the sales & business operations management side of businesses but I also wanted to be really excited about the product. Almost 10 years ago, I got a call from a recruiter who told me about an opportunity in a game software company and I jumped!

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
LM: Well, I was certainly inquisitive and I "pushed the envelope" every chance I got. I wouldn't say that I was a really bad kid...but a few days in Juvenile Hall were probably in order for more than one of my stunts!

G4G: How did you get into the field?
AS: A mix of luck, confidence and my personal charm.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
AS: High energy kid who wanted to go around the Earth and protect all unfair offended and abused people and wild animals.

Maureen is responsible for keeping the office running smoothly. She handles all incoming an outgoing mail, answers questions and feedback from our website.

G4G: How did you get into the field?
MC: Pure luck, I was employed in the communication field when I heard about a really intriguing company. It was a software company designing interactive computer games aimed at young woman. I grew up in the Midwest in a very male dominated community, so I am very proactive in anything that promotes equal opportunities for women. I met with Megan and the staff at Her Interactive, and was very impressed. More importantly, I felt comfortable with them right away.

G4G: What were you like as a 12-13 year old?
MC: I grew up with two much older sisters so I learned to entertain myself with books and my own imagination very early. I enjoyed all the adventures and knowledge I could obtain just for opening a book. I also had five surrogate brothers so I got into all the mischief that boys get into. According to my father I gave him all his gray hair, I think it started going gray around that time. I also enjoyed anything outdoors, sports, animals and gardening.

Name: Sarah W. Stocker Job Title: Senior Producer/Asst. Dir. Of New Business Company: Stormfront Studios, CA Game Working on Now: Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor for PC; Legend of Alon D’ar for PSX Favorite Games: Zelda 64 - Ocarina of Time, Magic the Gathering Favorite Books: The Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter

G4G: We don’t usually think of women in this field. How did you get into it?
SWS: When I moved to the West Coast I saw an ad for a game company and sent in my resume. They were working on Dungeons and Dragons titles, so I wrote three chapters of a novel in a Dungeon and Dragons style to show them along with my other writing and poetry. The president liked it - I got the job. Before working in games I’d been a teacher and a journalist.

G4G: What were you like as an kid (8-12)?
SWS: I’ve always been a writer and a voracious reader. I started writing when I was 8. I kept a journal, wrote poetry and read everything I could get my hands on. In the library, when I found a book I liked, I would read through everything in that section, say 808.7 to 808.9. It was like eating candy! The school I was at was very supportive of creative writing. They made me feel that writing was special and valuable.

G4G: What kind of games have you worked on?
SWS: Everything from fantasy RPGs to children’s mysteries. My first game projects were the Eagle Eye Mystery series (Electronic Arts), mystery stories about boy/girl twins, Jake and Jennifer, set in different countries. It’s unusual because of the reversal in roles - the girl is the gadget freak and the boy is the socially adept one. After that, Star Trek, Deep Space Nine (Viacom New Media), Byzantine the Betrayal (Discovery Channel Multimedia), and Starfire Soccer (Purple Moon). I love writing science fiction, it’s very similar to fantasy as a genre. Science replaces magic in the world. Instead of the Orb of Water Fates, you have a laser pistol. The magic carpet becomes a space ship.

G4G: What kind of games do you think girls and women would like?
SWS: Girls play more with their minds than their thumbs. They want games with compelling stories and deep and complex characters - women characters that are risk takers, heroic, gorgeous, smart and powerful. No patsies or victims! I think the huge presence of women in online games has to do with the social interaction and storytelling possibilities there.

G4G: How is writing a story different from writing a game?
SWS: They begin the same way - with characters and stories that you try to make deep and complex. In the fantasy genre, we embrace a mythic and epic saga and give the player the opportunity to become heroic by solving problems. When writing for a game, rather than a book, you must always keep in mind what the player is doing. Always ask yourself, ‘What is the player’s action here?’ The game must provide the player with a clear instance of accomplishment in reaction to successful actions. Goals and information should be clearly given in the backstory. Player should be left with a feeling of achievement.

G4G: Have any advice on how to break into the field?
SWS: Start anywhere. Be willing to take on any task. Be organized, egoless, and motivated. Be part of the solution - people will notice and want you around.

G4G: What do you do for fun?
SWS: Needlepoint, writing poetry, bike riding - I ride to work. And I love fishing!

G4G: Tell me a little of Pool of Radiance.
SWS: It’s a PC D&D role playing game based on the new 3rd edition rules. The story is set in the capital of the ancient fallen empire of the elves, a kind of elven Camelot. The themes are all about the quest for lost glory and ideals. The action is driven by growth of the player characters and their successes in driving out evil and bringing back the remnants of that lost glory. My writing partner on the project is Ken Eklund, writerguy. He’s a wonderful writer and creative partner - and a real gamer. We can’t wait to see it on the shelves!

G4G: And The Legend of Alon D’ar?
SWS: It’s an action RPG for the Playstation 2. I’m the Senior Producer on that one. The writer is Christy Marx. She’s a terrific writer who’s done work for games, television and comic books. The story is an epic saga of good versus evil with themes of redemption and growth. We’re very excited about it.

Name: Mary DeMarle Job Title: Game Designer/Writer Company: Presto Studios, CA Game Working on Now: Myst III, Exile Favorite Games: Gauntlet, Diablo, EverQuest. Role playing games and arcade games. Anything with a strong role-playing component, where I can lose myself in the creation of characters. Favorite Books: Nancy Drew series, Anne McCaffery’s Dragonriders of Pern series

G4G: What is your part in developing the game?
MDM: My part in developing the game is to first come up with the basic gameplay and story idea—that is, what is the glue that is holding this game together? What is the player trying to achieve while playing and why are they trying to achieve it? I don’t do it alone—there’s a team of designers I work with at Presto but the other designers tend to focus on the game’s artistic design, rather than its story. Most of the story-related stuff is up to me to work out. Then, once we have the basic idea and story of the game solidified, I write the scripts for all the live action sequences, and the journals and story related materials that go into it.

G4G: How would you define good game play?
MDM: I has to be fun. You lose yourself and for a period of time you are away from real life and are connected to the story.

G4G: We don’t usually think of women in this field. How did you get into it?
MDM: I have loved science fiction and fantasy since I was a kid. I’ve also wanted to be a writer since I first learned how to spell. I have a lot of friends—some women friends but mostly male, I guess—who shared my interests and knew I really wanted to write science fiction and fantasy stories. So, when a writing opportunity came up at Presto, one of those friends thought of me and, after I went through an initial interviewing process, I ended up here.

G4G: What did you do before working on MystIII?
MDM: I’ve had a really varied work experience. I was a creative director at Hanna-Barbera for a while, working in the marketing and licensing divisions, before leaving to pursue a freelance writing career. Most of my freelance writing has been for the entertainment industry, writing ads and video box packaging. Right before coming to Presto, I worked as a freelance writer/designer for a company that made computer-based instructional training programs. So I picked up a lot of technical knowledge about computer programs and what goes into making them. It was very different than what I’m doing now but I’ve found that everything I’ve done in some way has a bearing on what I do next.

G4G: What were you like as a kid (8-12)?
MDM: I read a lot. I would spend a lot of time locked in my bedroom reading. But I also had four brothers who would drag me outside to go hiking in the woods or play softball or “hot box”. I also had some really great girlfriends to hang out with; we’d talk about our favorite movie stars (Harrison Ford), television shows, and stuff like that. I was a good student and in the academic spotlight a lot because of my grades. I was pretty shy for an achiever and tried to avoid the attention as much as possible. All in all, I was pretty tame as a kid.

G4G: What kind of games did you play?
MDM: Mostly imaginary games. My friends and I would pretend we were the Nancy Drew characters, and solve little mysteries around the house. Then, after becoming addicted to Star Wars and the TV show Battlestar Galactica, we would pretend we were members of the rebel alliance, hunting imperial stormtroopers. I didn’t get into computer games much back then, and it wasn’t until after college that I first played Dungeons & Dragons.

G4G: What kind of games do you think girls and women would like?
MDM: I think girls and women would like a lot of the same games men do—games like Half Life and Quake--but only if these games focused more on cooperation and less on the competitive, “I’m better than you” approach. AND if the gore and violence were tamed down considerably and not such a focus of the game. The gameplay behind these types of games is actually a lot of fun and I think women would enjoy the action, but not in the way it’s currently packaged. Girls multi-task much more that boys do and so they like to do more than one thing. They like to have someone share the fun with them. They like interaction and solving problems.

G4G: What should I study if I wanted to get into making games?
MDM: If you like to write, then read. A lot. If you like art, then take 3D modeling and art classes. Get familiar with computers. I’m not saying you have to be a tech head, but being familiar with a computer and what it can do at even the most basic level is very important in this industry. Get any kind job in the game industry you can - receptionist, mail room, office clerk - and get to know people.

G4G: What do you do for recreation?
MDM: Read, of course. And travel as much as possible. I love seeing new places and cities. I also like to go to plays and movies whenever I can. I’m also an athletic person so I love being active outside. I like tennis, but my favorite outdoor sport is rock climbing.