Panels I attended at GXE17
Saturday:
The Great Chasm of Nonbinary Content and How We Can Fill It
Speaker gave examples of types of nonbinary characters in existing video games, and how to implement nonbinary options for players. Audience discussed how to write nonbinary characters without offending nonbinary gamers. One audience member pointed out that people who identify as nonbinary don't necessarily look or act any differently from people who identify as male or female, so not all nonbinary people look androgynous or whatever (I especially loved this comment, because I identify as nonbinary but am not interested in changing how I look or dress or fuck). Another theme was -- writers often use gender identification as a shortcut, expecting readers to fill in the blanks based on gender, instead of writing deep and unique characters without relying on gender stereotypes.
Subversive Games
Some independent game designers, including two from Canada who receive government funding, spoke in a disorganized way about their own games and what it means to them to create subversive games outside of the for-profit capitalist system. (I was really glad to see this panel, because at past events I felt like nobody was challenging the for-profit capitalist system in which nearly all US game developers operate.)
[Nap break w/ Brian]
[Played Carcassonne w/ Brian]
Mental Health and Game Mechanics: Systems that Strike a Nerve
These panelists discussed a few mental illness diagnoses, such as social anxiety, depression, and chronic adjustment disorder, and how certain game design mechanics can trigger negative reactions in players. (I found this intersection between clinical psychology and game design fascinating, and I also learned more about chronic adjustment disorder, which was the diagnosis my therapist used for our sessions.)
Sunday:
[We3 took our time arriving, skipped first set of panels]
Reclaiming my OoT: How Gaming Saved Me from Compassion Fatigue
This was an unusually emotional panel. People spoke about how living in the world as compassionate people can drain us, and how many people find gaming and gaming-related social networks as spaces in which to retreat, rebuild, and support each other.
[I took a break to prepare for our own panel]
Grey Wardens: gaming, aging, and building community (our panel)
I wrote about our panel in a previous post
[Brian and I left to find alcohol because I was finished]
The Great Chasm of Nonbinary Content and How We Can Fill It
Speaker gave examples of types of nonbinary characters in existing video games, and how to implement nonbinary options for players. Audience discussed how to write nonbinary characters without offending nonbinary gamers. One audience member pointed out that people who identify as nonbinary don't necessarily look or act any differently from people who identify as male or female, so not all nonbinary people look androgynous or whatever (I especially loved this comment, because I identify as nonbinary but am not interested in changing how I look or dress or fuck). Another theme was -- writers often use gender identification as a shortcut, expecting readers to fill in the blanks based on gender, instead of writing deep and unique characters without relying on gender stereotypes.
Subversive Games
Some independent game designers, including two from Canada who receive government funding, spoke in a disorganized way about their own games and what it means to them to create subversive games outside of the for-profit capitalist system. (I was really glad to see this panel, because at past events I felt like nobody was challenging the for-profit capitalist system in which nearly all US game developers operate.)
[Nap break w/ Brian]
[Played Carcassonne w/ Brian]
Mental Health and Game Mechanics: Systems that Strike a Nerve
These panelists discussed a few mental illness diagnoses, such as social anxiety, depression, and chronic adjustment disorder, and how certain game design mechanics can trigger negative reactions in players. (I found this intersection between clinical psychology and game design fascinating, and I also learned more about chronic adjustment disorder, which was the diagnosis my therapist used for our sessions.)
Sunday:
[We3 took our time arriving, skipped first set of panels]
Reclaiming my OoT: How Gaming Saved Me from Compassion Fatigue
This was an unusually emotional panel. People spoke about how living in the world as compassionate people can drain us, and how many people find gaming and gaming-related social networks as spaces in which to retreat, rebuild, and support each other.
[I took a break to prepare for our own panel]
Grey Wardens: gaming, aging, and building community (our panel)
I wrote about our panel in a previous post
[Brian and I left to find alcohol because I was finished]