Virtual spaces hold
potential for gendered and gender-free play. Mnookin (1996)
calls virtual space "utopian space of possibility", "virgin place,"
"utopian dream-space." It is a place for rebirth and endless
"self-fashioning" of unexplored, and perhaps of "suppressed aspects" of
self. Creation of narrative spaces "has been a purview of those in
power"
(Pearce, 2007). But digital games hold a new promiss. Games can be used
as story telling techniques,
as narrative environments with thier "unique poetic structure[s]"
(Pearce,
2007). Whereas theme parks created spatial narratives, expeience
design, illusion of authenticity, immersion, digital games and networks
create agency, identity, and persistent communities. Cetainly most MMOG
are themed, but those that are not (Second Life, There, Kaneva) a
guests are residents/ citizens and there to stay (Pearce, 2007).
SPORE is a cute
cartoonish game centered around the idea of evolution. While most
strategy games treat space as a "domain to be conquired" (Fullerton,
Morie, & Pearce, 2007), SPORE treats space as endless frontier for
exploration. Space is not a context for combat but a fasinating
landscape of exploration. "Poetics of game space" (how space is
conceptualized as a domain for play) is the universe. However, since
the representation of space does contain the priorities and conceptions
of prevailing culture (Fullerton, Morie, & Pearce, 2007),
the activity of the game is conquest (space as soemthing to be
captured) and hence it is still falls into the traditional Western,
Cartesian, male, God game paradigm. SPORE is slightly different from
toher male-gendered games as it does not have usual organizational
structured and the ways of progressing though the ranks (but secrete
knowledge, tactical mastery, and geographical domination are there).
Being a female, I enjoy playing SPORE, but sometimes wonder what does
gender bring or could bring to this game. Henry Jenkins comment that
"girls need to learn to explore "unsafe" and "enfiendly" spaces;
experience complete freedom of movement; develop self-confidence; learn
to "run witht he wolves" and not just follow the butterflies" is rather
offensive because of the assumptions that he made. Girls ways of
exploration involves pointless following after butterflies? Nonsense!
Just as Jenkins who feels nostalgic about the "spaces of boyhood,"
girls have thier own spaces from childhood. But somehow the game
producers do not know and rather clueless of what those places may be.
Female writers are right on track when they describe those places as
secret places of "removed existence" created for retreat, intimacy,
protection, ability to open portals into alternative universes,
imaginative other worlds. Such worlds "are NOT a matter of "following
the butterflies"" as they challenge "young women in complex ways with
complex characters" (Fullerton, Morie, & Pearce, 2007). Research have shown that girls "like storylines and character development"
(Fullerton, Morie, & Pearce, 2007), and hence they are more likely
to like games that have such features. Constructing community spaces is
another kind of games that attracts girls but that are not even
considered games by some (Second Life, There). Thus,
narrative-performing space can describe the femine features of space.
Being raised in "highly restrictive and confined physical environments
(Jenkins, 1998), children/teenagers flock to online games. I do not
think many women will play SPORE because it lacks "richness,
complexity, and depth" (Morningstar &Farmer, 1991) offered by
multi-user social network environments.
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