gamer-in-real-life
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Hi, Doris from HR, I write about dragons on the internet
A little over a week ago, Anne Stickney wrote a post about her experiences trying to explain her life in World of Warcraft to her father, a nearly 83-year-old veteran who has had more real-life adventures than we have had fake ones. Striking a balance between that life we live in the online World of Warcraft and our real lives in the non-virtual world is something that every WoW player has to do, but the degree of our involvement in the game often dictates how hard it is to find that balance. In the gay community, we very commonly describe coming out as a process that you don't only do once. During my day-to-day life, I might meet a new person, have someone from work ask if I'm dating anyone, friend someone from high school on Facebook, or write an article about coming out as a gamer for WoW Insider. Regardless of which situation fits you best, all of these are fairly regular situations that result in needing to come out again. Being gay and being a gamer -- not as different as you'd think I think the experiences of coming out as a gamer and coming out as gay have a few very important similarities. In both cases, they're secrets we tend to guard that aren't outwardly visual. Despite stereotypes, you can't actually know whether someone is gay unless they tell you. Likewise, you can't tell that the woman you just bumped into on the side of the road is actually a three-time Gladiator warrior unless you get into a conversation about it.
SOE's annual G.I.R.L. scholarship program accepting applications
Are you a real girl? If so, you've probably heard that line once or twice during your MMO travels. This time it might be a welcome advance since it heralds the possibility of landing a scholarship to help with your game development-related education expenses. SOE is ponying up for its fourth annual Gamers in Real Life (G.I.R.L.) scholarship, and this year's lucky winner will nab up to $10,000 for tuition and other expenses as well as a paid internship at one of SOE's dev studios. The entry requirements are pretty basic (namely, you must be enrolled in a gaming-related undergrad program, you can't graduate prior to spring 2012, and you have to comply with the program's official rules). Prospective students should fill out an online application and submit two pieces of concept art as well as an essay for consideration. The deadline is April 6th, 2011, and SOE will announce the winner on May 16th, 2011. Head to the official program website for full details.
Sony Online Entertainment announces winner of G.I.R.L. contest
It's almost taken for granted that game design is still a field that's largely oriented toward a male audience. That's changing over time, and the MMO genre has attracted a huge number of female gamers, but there's still a great deal of room for improvement. That's why Sony Online Entertainment has sponsored the G.I.R.L. program, a $10,000 scholarship for women majoring in creative and applied arts with an ultimate eye toward game design. And the 2010 winner of the scholarship has just been announced: Sylvia Liu, an entertainment design student attending Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. The G.I.R.L. program (the acronym standing for Gamer In Real Life) has been running for three years now, with Liu as one of over 200 applicants in this year's contest. Each participant was tasked with creating original concept art for a new creature and area in either EverQuest II or Free Realms, as well as submitting an essay about women in the video game industry. Our congratulations go out to Ms. Liu for her winning submissions. Those interested can take a look at the official site for G.I.R.L., which has her concept art on display as well as a short interview.
