Brief description: The game will be a multi-player wargame with significant role-playing, economic and diplomatic aspects. The game is set in a fantasy milieu. The player character takes the role of the ruler of a small village in a vast world. There are 6 races (Human, Elf, Dwarf, Orc, Goblin, Ogre) and 5 classes (Warrior, Knight, Ranger, Priest and Mage) that the player can choose to be. He starts out with a follower character (henchman) and a small army of 50 soldiers from 5 unit types (Infantry, Mtd. Infantry, Cavalry, Bowmen, Mtd. Bowmen). Each of the cities vies with the others to attempt to increase their power and influence in the world through Diplomacy, Intrigue and Battle. The role-playing aspects of the game are implemented with a script system that presents messages to the player, and sometimes allows him to make choices that will lead to other messages and consequences good or bad, depending on many possible factors. <hr/> Given the above description, I'd like to try to make this game somewhat appealing to women. I know that will be an uphill battle (pun intended), but I think with a lot of more personal interaction, that might be possible. Any idea how this might be accomplished?

This may not be the helpful advice you were looking for, but it's advice nonetheless.

Don't try to design a wargame for women. Design it for wargamers. If it's fun, it will be played by men and women alike. If it deviates from fun in order to superficially appeal to one group or another, then nobody will play it,

A better question may be in the contrapositive "How can I not make the game unappealing to women?"

You can find a plethora of common complaints here:

Gamegirl Advance
Grrl Gamer

Edit: Didn't [link][/link] used to do something?

[Edited by - erissian on January 10, 2007 12:31:40 AM]

Don't forget to include some pink units. For woman-appeal, you can't go wrong with pink.

where does the for women part come in? Sounds like a newer version of Heroes of Might and Magic.

Quote:

Original post by King of Men Don't forget to include some pink units. For woman-appeal, you can't go wrong with pink.

Heh heh heh... That will do it. ;)

Quote:

Original post by Talroth where does the for women part come in?

That's my question. What do women want? My first guess is non-battle interactivity. Perhaps romance and interpersonal interactions of other sorts?

Quote:

Original post by Talroth Sounds like a newer version of Heroes of Might and Magic.

I should look at that game, some day. They must have ripped-off my game ideas.

Quote:

Original post by ID Merlin That's my question. What do women want? My first guess is non-battle interactivity. Perhaps romance and interpersonal interactions of other sorts?

I will assert again that what women want from games is a fun experience. How is a tacked on romantic plot going to appeal to a woman who decides to play a war game?

Does your game have females in key roles? That's good.
Are they wearing a steel thong and bustier that can barely contain their DD chest? That's bad.

It doesn't take much, really. If you're trying to appeal to a female audience, then include females in the game. Don't make them look like strippers. If you include trite romantic subplots into a wargame, then it's going to turn off wargamers. If you try to appeal to women by including ponies as war mounts, then you're going to fail.

Quote:

Original post by ID Merlin That's my question. What do women want? My first guess is non-battle interactivity. Perhaps romance and interpersonal interactions of other sorts?

I think that's exactly the sort of mindset that KoM was lampooning. A woman isn't going to be turned off by a lack of romance in a wargame, anymore than a man is going to be turned off by a lack of muscle cars in a football game.

Dude some girls like to play video games, and the way to "target" them is to make the game fun. Are you trying to target the audience of girls who don't like games? Why bother, they aren't interested.

Maybe if you make a game about amazon warrior women where the men are traded like currency, the demographics of whose playing will be more women than men. Of course, it could just as easily be all creepy older men.

Quote:

Original post by Funkymunky Dude some girls like to play video games, and the way to "target" them is to make the game fun. Are you trying to target the audience of girls who don't like games? Why bother, they aren't interested. Maybe if you make a game about amazon warrior women where the men are traded like currency, the demographics of whose playing will be more women than men. Of course, it could just as easily be all creepy older men.

I could be a creepy older man.