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Help Requested

Started by adrishaw 6 replies 700+ views
Original Post
adrishaw
adrishaw
I’m a graduate student working on research on LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) representation in video games. I am attempting to interview both people in the video game industry and members of the press (mainstream and blog based) who have covered LGBT content in games. My original hope was to interview people involved with specific games (Fable, Bully, Fallout, Temple of Elemental Evil, Fear Effect 2, etc.) which have had notable LGBT content. However I have not found a way to get in touch with those individuals (though if you were involved in these games and are interested in contacting me I would appreciate it), so I have expanded my project to discuss issues of LGBT in-game representation with the broader development community. Interviews will be conducted this summer in the format most convenient to you (phone, IM, email, etc). It is very important to me to speak with members of the industry, as most discussions about game content have been purely based on game content or to some extent audience surveys. I hope to allow members of the industry to speak for themselves on issues of minority representation. If you know any specific people I should contact their info would be hugely helpful. Alternatively you may pass my info on to them and they can contact me on their own. You can either reply directly to this post or email me at ashaw-at-asc-dot-upenn-dot-edu. Respectfully, -Adrienne Shaw PhD. Candidate The Annenberg School for Communication [Edited by - adrishaw on June 28, 2007 12:17:48 PM]
zer0wolf
zer0wolf
No offense, but it sure seems you're asking a lot here. You're asking us to do half your research for you.

If you're having difficulties reaching people then try harder. Have you actually sat down, written down an extensive list of games with "GLBT" representation and contacted every single development team? Most studios' websites have some sort of contact info on them. If it is a general questions e-mail address, more than likely your e-mail will get forwarded to someone who can help you.

For my undergrad senior research project I had to seek professional consultation and mentorship over my game development project, so I had to do exactly what you have to do - send, in my case, a good fifty e-mails out to various companies. People will respond if you explain who you are, what you're doing, how they can help you, and what they would get out of it.
adrishaw
adrishaw
I have sent emails to all the companies who developed the games I'm interested in (at least the companies that still exist) and have received polite no’s or silence.
My main reason behind posting this request to this site (as well as five other discussion forums) was to see if I could get in touch with these developers without going through the corporate email machine.
I am also interested in talking to people who have an opinion (any opinion) about LGBT representation in games, which includes people who were not involved in these specific games.

And while I'm posting, I'll add an amendment I've added to the other places I've posted this request:
As an ammendment to my earlier posting I am not only looking for LGBT identitfied developers. In fact I am interesting in speaking with anyone invovled at any level of the video game industry who is interested in weighing in on a discussion about in-game representation of nonheterosexual sexuality and nontraditional gender identities.
zer0wolf
zer0wolf
Unfortunately, very few professional game developers at large studios actually visit the Lounge on GameDev.net. This site, and particularly the Lounge, is mostly composed of indie developers.

I'd be personally more than willing to answer any questions you have. I am currently in the hiring process with a game company for a game designer position. For my senior capstone project I managed, programmed for, and served as lead designer on a FPS using the Unreal Engine, and I'm currently working with the Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering Department at my university in the development of a sort of Edutainment game.
capn_midnight
capn_midnight
Quote:
Original post by adrishaw
I’m a graduate student working on research on LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) representation in video games?
So... you aren't sure about what you're researching?
adrishaw
adrishaw
Quote:
Original post by capn_midnight
Quote:
Original post by adrishaw
I’m a graduate student working on research on LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) representation in video games?
So... you aren't sure about what you're researching?


typo has been fixed. thank you.
quanmech
quanmech
Feel free to PM me. I can help you out with at least 3 of the titles on that list and possibly a few more.

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