Girls and Quake - posted by d3sp on Tue 19 June 2001 10:54:39

It's been a busy week, and I almost didn't have time to finish what I wanted. But now IRC is b0rked, and it seems that it's right time to complete what I started. (actually it took even more time, but nevermind)

What I wanted to talk about is Quake and (yes!) girls. I don't know about other Quakers, but I feel great respect to girls that play amongst us. They love Quake, they love competition, they have kick-ass skillz, they are great, and yes, they are VERY pretty and handsome. But, stop, you think you can chat them up, don't you? I woudln't advise even to think about it. How did they actually come to Quake? Uh? Right, these ladies have boyfriends, who shared the addiction to Quake with their girls. And the result is - we have more and more girls in our *cough*great*cough* Quake community.

I took my time and talked to some really nice and interesting girls from Allstar Girlz clan - snout and the team captain - powergirl. Thanks to Le1a for pointing to my mistake :-)

Here we go:

d3sp: - could you please introduce yourself, snout?
AllGz|snout: Let's see if I can
AllGz|snout: I'm Helena Jones, a swedish female Quake-addict

d3sp: how long have you been playing quake?
AllGz|snout: since the Q3-demo came out
AllGz*p0wgrl:: I started play quake3 in october 2000, then I got my own computer.

d3sp: so, you play only quake 3?
AllGz|snout: At the moment, yes. I have of course tried other games too.
d3sp: do you play TDM/Duels or CTF?
AllGz|snout: I was only playing FFA when the nuns-clan came and sucked me in to TDM
AllGz|snout: I'm not very good at duels

d3sp: so, snout, how long are you "clanned"?
AllGz|snout: Let me think... I don't have a very good grip of time
AllGz|snout: 7 weeks with allgz and about 3 with nuns
AllGz|snout: (Had to check the calendar!)

d3sp: p0wrgrl, you have a professional clan that has very nice girls, what is your main goal as a clan?
AllGz*p0wgrl:: The goals with our girlteam are - have fun - gibb boys - influence other girls start playing.

d3sp: how did you discover quake3? and how much time do spend playing during the week?
AllGz|snout: Haha! Almost embarassing, but it was when my boyfriend moved in and showed the game to me, I just decided I would get better than the boys in my class!
AllGz|snout: Now that I have broadband I think I play 2h a day in average, will be less in the summer
AllGz*p0wrgrl: I met my boyfirend a little more than 3 years ago, he started QW and put some bots in on DM2 and then I was hooked :)

d3sp: snout, and what was the result? did you beat them in quake? :)
AllGz|snout: Sure! It's only my boyfriend who still beats me of the classmates...

d3sp: do you think grils have a future in gaming?
AllGz|snout: Of course we have!

d3sp: do you think girls have more advantages or disadvantages in gaming community?
AllGz*p0wgrl:: I dont see any advantages to be a gamergirl right now. Disadvantages are that we dont play that serious as boys, because the girlscene is not so tough yet.

d3sp: are you competing in any online leagues?
AllGz|snout: no, not yet. The clan is only practising atm, but we keep getting better, so we'll soon try!

d3sp: did you get any negative reaction from guys when you played online?
AllGz|snout: yes some, but there were more positive reactioons
AllGz|snout: I hate comments like "you played good to be a girl!"
d3sp: i know what you mean!
d3sp: "it's embarassing for a guy to get beaten by a girl", isnt it? :)
AllGz|snout: why should it be?
d3sp: because i think most of q3 community used to think that only guys are playing quake seriously
AllGz|snout: hmm... used to. They better think again!

d3sp: do you think you can compete on high levels and be best girls clan?
AllGz|snout: we ARE a pro clan! but we are a pro clan under development :-) And of course our goal is to be the best girl clan!
d3sp: wow! what do you think about earning money by playing games? :)
AllGz|snout: I think it would be a great way to make a living!
AllGz|snout: I just hope it will develop further and TV will start sending Q3-matches like they do with Brood Wars in Korea!
d3sp: they already do - there's NOW TV (http://www.now.com/) that broadcasts CTF matcehs over satellite
AllGz|snout: but that is only ctf and not the kind of TV I'm thinking of, but it is a good start!

d3sp: would you consider playing CTF as well, because it seems that top TDMers start pay proper attention to this mod?
AllGz|snout: I don't know if that game type suits me, but I am open for suggestions!
AllGz*p0wgrl:: do they? :).

d3sp: what would you like to say to all girls who play quake? :)
AllGz|snout: Keep doing it and teach your female friends how to play too! ;-)
AllGz*p0wgrl:: Keep on gibbing! weeeee.

d3sp: what's your favorite drink?
AllGz|snout: *thinking*
d3sp: *waiting*
AllGz|snout: milk chocolate! AKA Oboy in Swedish
d3sp: and favorite color? :)
AllGz|snout: Green!
d3sp: what kind of music do you like? :)
AllGz*p0wgrl:: Trance, goa and Wyclef Jean.

d3sp: who is the most adorable/favorite quake3 player for you?
AllGz|snout: That is a tough one!
AllGz|snout: I tend to separate the actual player from the way they play...
AllGz|snout: but if I have to say just one whom I have met and like and who is a damn good Quaker; All*Treble
AllGz*p0wgrl:: My 2 boyfriends, wizz and LakermaN ;).

d3sp: do you visit LANs to meet other quakers?
AllGz|snout: I just got my computer, so this summer I'm going to my first LAN!

d3sp: are you planning to compete on international championships (organized by CPL/WCG)?
AllGz*p0wgrl:: Yes, if my manager in Allstars think the prices are ok on next CPL, you will se me there kicking some.

d3sp: anything to say for Quakenation readers? :)
AllGz|snout: hum...
AllGz|snout: err...
d3sp: thanks :)
d3sp: lol
d3sp: :)
AllGz|snout: okay, don't treat a female quaker as if she is something else than a quaker!

d3sp: do you think you can make a living playing games? :)
AllGz*p0wgrl:: No, not how it feels now, but I wish it :)

Now I think it's clear for everyone- Don't treat a female quaker as if she is something else than a quaker!
I wouldn't (or would I?) :)

However some girls don't like too much attention to them and prefer to keep low profile. The real reasons of this is sort of abuse they get from persistant male quakers. There was a very good column on XSR written by NightStrike. He writes about his cousin that got abused on RA3 server by some immature teen quakers. He poses the question:

"It got me thinking, why are women and/or girls treated in such a way? On a personal level from playing on public servers I have always found female players to be nicer to play against."

You can read whole article and following comments here.

Oh yes, I am surely not the first one who writes about female quake3 players :) There was coverage of competitions in America like Female Frag Fest and of last CPL competition in Holland too. But somehow I feel lack of news or even attention to female quake3 scene. Only sometimes you can see a bit of information about girls in press, like in Sunday Times article:

Alice Taylor, 29, is DemonicCore's only female member. Known as Crystaltips, she takes gaming very seriously.

Not really much :) But if to look at bright side, it is only the beginning.
I don't think there's a sort of discrimination here. It's just the fact that girls usually don't play First Player Shooter games. The top computer game for my girlfriend is Lines, and I had to explain her that I do not waste my time playing Quake, I take it seriously, and I believe that there's a future in cybersports. I doubt however that she will ever play Quake *sigh*.

Do you have any comments/suggestions? Post it!
Are you a girl and you don't know where to find other quake-addicted girls? Join #girlpowah on irc.quakenet.eu.org