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accounts for the exaggeratedbodies and inflated assets offemale characters.

“The developers are boysand design what they want tosee,” she says.

“You see the same thing incomic books. I don’t think itputs girls off, but it probablydoes stop them getting tooinvolved.”

Roxanne is working onsomething that couldcounteract the stereotypes.

Her team is developing agame about a man and awoman who die and go to helland heaven respectively. Thetwo characters battle to savethe other and, in doing so,undergo some complexcharacter development.

“I feel like I want to make agirl character with depth andan interesting background,”Roxanne adds.

“In our game, she starts offas a goodie, but after fightingher way through hell, shebecomes a little bit morebad-ass.”

Roxanne’s concept art forthe game shows how thecharacter’s look changes toreflect the changes in hercharacter arc.

The game, called Duality, isbeing designed to play on a PCand they hope to sell it to amajor developer.

In TV and film there is athing called the Bechdel test. Itasks if any two femalescharacters talk to each other

about something other than aman. There is no such test incomputer games and you sensemost, if not all, mainstreamtitles would fail.

Between us, Roxanne and Istruggle to name more than ahandful of female gamingcharacters, but can reel off lotsof male titles.

“It’s strange how we discussmagazine covers and films,”Roxanne says.

“But, if you think about it,games could be having evenmore effect on us because weplay them and interact withthem. They are not justpassive.

“I think things really need tochange and move in a morepositive direction.”

STEREOTYPES ON SCREEN...Types of female computer gamecharacter, as identified byYouTube bloggerFeministFrequency.1. THE DAMSEL IN DISTRESS:She is imprisoned in a block of ice,a giant monkey cage or petrified instone, sitting the game out whilethe heroic male lead characterbattles to save her.Examples: Princess Peach inSuper Mario Bros, Princess Zelda.2. THE MS-MALE: In order toappeal to female gamers,designers began taking theirpopular character and adding afeminising, sometimes sexualising,

features. These reductive “feminineindicators” included a pink bow orred lips, cleavage or hearts.Examples: Ms Pacman, Amy Rosein Sonic the Hedgehog.3. BACKGROUND DECORATION:Insignificant, non-playablecharacters, usually scantily clad,passive sexual objects. You cansee them strewn across sportscars in racing games and violentlyinteract with them in the GrandTheft Auto series.Examples: Harley Quinn inBatman: Arkham Asylum, GrandTheft Auto series, most racinggames.

LARA CROFTThe most recognisable femalecharacter in gaming history,spawning a franchise in TombRaider.Lara was created by Toby Gard,who grew up in Chelmsfordand studied at SouthendCollege.While some saw her as a butt-kicking feminist icon, she was,in truth, more famous for herphysics-defying breasts andtiny khaki shorts.

In the latest game, Lara’sphysical attributes were toneddown and her character fleshedout by writer RhiannaPratchett.

But the reboot still has Lara,minus inflatable boobs, as anattractive, alarmingly youngand under-dressed girl at perilin a man’s world.

PRINCESS ZELDADespite having a populargaming franchise named afterher, Princess Zelda is oftenreduced to a damsel in distress.

Lead character Link battlesfantastical beasts in a missionto save her. At best, she floatsalongside the playable hero,casting spells to open doors.

PRINCESS PEACHA character in Nintendo’sMario franchise and sometimelove interest.

Peach is decked in pink andis rarely a playable character.She is often imprisoned in thefirst act, with Mario and Luigitasked with rescuing her.

MS PACMANWith Pacman bringing gamersto arcade in hoards in theEighties, developers wantedsomething to appeal to femalegamers.

They took Pacman’s basicdesign and added “feminine”indicators, such as a pink bowon her head, pronounced make-up and eye-lashes.

Ms Pacman was born. Theadverts for the game featuredher with womanly legs, heelsand a feather boa, singing in aseductive cabaret style. Fighting the female corner – games designer Roxanne Palmer Picture: SEANA HUGHES CO103687_01

GAMES HEROINES...THE GOOD, THE BADAND THE OFFENSIVE

Echo Monday February 9, 2015 23echo-news.co.uk /newwoman