Are there any female SE4 players?

[SamuraiProgrammer]

My Wife plays this and other games. She prefers RPGs such as Baldur's Gate and the Might & Magic series. She has also played mucho grande hours of Heroes of Might & Magic.

She enjoys strategy games much better than tactical as she is a bit of an empire builder. She does complain that wishes the games didn't always come down to fighting, but I keep explaining to her that unfortunately, force is the final answer when survival is at stake.

She does like Quake, however, because, as she says, "it is very satisfying to blow my husband up with a grenade launcher." I don't know what to say about that. I'm torn..... to shreds (if you get my drift).

But anyway... she is working on her skills and is getting used to the idea of venturing out to PBW against opponents other than myself. She has played a few games in a tight group of local friends.

She would make the observation that "more women would play if they knew about it".

I would make the observation that women generally enjoy the exploration and expansion but most pale at the thought of backing up their policy with force.

If you want to introduce a member of the better gender to this (or other games), start by setting ground rules that prevent armed conflict. At the very least, they will have the opportunity to learn the workings of the game (and have a chance to build an addiction) before they are forced to learn strategy and tactics the only way they are effectively taught... by getting stomped.

For the record, we are both on the other side of 40 years old & one of the reasons I married her was because she understood my hobby.

P.S. --- we also play bridge... the best wargame around (believe it or not).

[President_Elect_Shang]

Lady woman girl how do you know which is which? I don’t know. The only thing I am sure of is that my wife all woman. How can I tell you ask? It is something you just know, same as I know that I love her more ten years later. We can each give our own differing descriptions of what a woman is and maybe not come out with two views alike. I believe that we all would agree that you (and only you) know for sure she is a woman for the same reason you know you love her.

[Skulky]

i don't doubt hte bridge comment, btu could you please explain? O, and i'm working up an idea for a non-violent pbw game/mod. Just dont' have the time to type it out now. off to sleep thank god.

[Mephisto]

Originally posted by Stone Mill:
I noticed you hail from Germany. Gryphin mentioned playing with a German lady as well...
Hmmmmmm... Is this a German woman gaming thing?

I dunno. I have meet ladies who hated computer games and others that love it. I play Shadowrun, The Black Eye and Mechwarrior (RPGs) with the two ladies here, too, and it is always a joy as the are ROLEplaying it, not just whacking opposition. In general I think ladies like the building part of a game more. Further, when you introduce one to a game you like, don't come of with all the neat tricks you already know. They want to explore the game just as you did when you started it and it is just no fun to have a wiseass in front of you telling you the way your empire should be run.

[SamuraiProgrammer]

We play bridge. The card game made popular by the likes of Culbertson and Goren.

I play it because it is one of the best strategy games I can find. Also there are regular organized tournaments - probably 9 or 10 a year within driving distance.

Imagine if there was a gamers convention almost every month.

In fact, of the group of 6 Space Empires players that I play with locally, 4 of them are avid bridge players as well.

[LazarusLong42]

Originally posted by Stone Mill:
Without meaning to offend anyone by making a generalization based on my personal experience:

Women don't really care for role-playing games that much either, which is too bad, bacause they add a great dynamic.

Women and Sci-Fi: kind of like BigFoot. I've heard of them and seen some pictures (like at Sci-Fi conventions) but I've never personally encountered one up close.

Whoa, whoa, what universe are you living in?

I am on the convention committee for a local SF convention, which is chaired by a woman, vice-chaired by a woman, and half the committee are women.

My SF/fantasy writer's group includes three women and was started by a woman.

The Star Trek role-playing club (OK, it was more interactive fiction than role-playing, but still) I used to belong to included perhaps thirty percent women, with similar representation at the leadership levels.

Um. Shall I continue?

[Stone Mill]

Originally posted by LazarusLong42:

Whoa, whoa, what universe are you living in?

Well, mine seems to be much different than yours. Yours sounds pretty refreshing, though. I have never been to a SciFi or gaming convention either; although I always toyed with the ideas amongst my friends.

My universe involves the mundane drudgery of East Coast suburbia. Women around here like to talk about puppies, babies, and clothes. They like expensive restaraunts and NYC outings, plays, social escalation activities, and home decorating (which does not involve Star Wars posters).

I almost fell over when I told a Yoda joke to my 18 year-old sister-in-law, and she looked at me with a blank stare. "You don't know who Yoda is?" I asked. She had never seen any of the Star Wars movies.

Now, that's a drastic example. But I find Sci-Fi and women a rare combo in my circles, with only rare exceptions.