Update

I sent an email off to ESA, particularly to the email linked in the article. I honestly did not expect a reply, or if I did get one I expected something telling me they couldn't help me.

But, I am pleasantly surprised!

Jennifer, a gamer is any person who plays computer or video games on games consoles, the Internet, handheld devices, or on their PCs. Gamers are folks who play these games more than one hour a week. Enthusiast gamers play more than 10 hours a week.

Let me know if I can be of further help.

Best -
Dan

So while my suspicions WERE correct, I'm happy that I got an answer. I sent back an email asking what % of fems are enthusiast gamers. I'm less hopeful for this one, even if this Dan character is more helpful than most.

Stay tuned for further developments! Same Geek Time, Same Geek Channel!

40%

According to a new article released by the ESA (Entertainment Software Association), 40% of gamers are women. Before you start rejoicing though, they don't release their definition of a gamer, so someone who only plays solitaire on the computer may be a gamer.

Perhaps I'm old fashioned too, but I don't consider those who play The Sims, Bejeweled or whatever Pretty Pretty Princess game is new, gamers. Hell, I don't even consider myself a gamer (I'm pretty sure getting killed by the first goomba takes away all cred). I'd like to see a survey done with realistic, and transparent, definitions. I'm not sure the best way to do that without bias. Perhaps when more people start reading this I'll organize something?

Also, your ADD queen found this half way through writing this post. It's a goomba mouse. It looks exceedingly uncomfortable, but I bet it'd look awesome on a wall.


(hotlinked out of spite. Who turns off right clicking in this day and age?)

Wall-E

Due to a lack of original content in this brain, I'm going to talk about my new favorite movie. I thought about doing a bit on sewing, but ehn.



How can you not love the cuteness!

In all seriousness, the movie WAS adorable, but it was also good! The sparse dialog was well written and well voice acted. Political themes were there, but not OMG LOOK AT ME I'M A POINT. You came out of the movie with a slightly altered point of view of the world.

I have NEVER heard a theater go so silent as during some parts of this movie. You honestly could hear a pin drop, people weren't even chewing. I, being the ADD queen, noticed this but it held my attention so much that I didn't even consider breaking the silence, let alone moving!

I've read reports from others saying the same thing, AND saying that people spontaneously cheered for parts of it. I don't count the cheering at Snakes on a Plane, and other than that I can't think of the last movie I was at that held peoples' emotions so well that they'd cheer.

I don't want to get into the plot, I hate it when movies are spoiled. No matter who you are, where you are, what subset of culture you subscribe to, GO SEE THIS MOVIE.

One friend of mine put it best when he called it "the only great Science Fiction Movie to have come out in recent memory". Yea some decent remakes of books have come out, but nothing original! (Note to self, rant about downfall of scifi later)

Ok, must go pay the bills. I leave you with more cuteness:
You can find icons and fan stuff here: LJ Group: buy_n_large

Bad Linker

I love Project Wonderful. I really do. They're WAY better than google ads and I just use the money I make with it to post more ads, nice and recursive.

But while browsing through what sites are linking to me I came across one particularly one... I have a banner ad up on a flash site, and I guess he decided to post it to his other sites to up views. No biggy. 'cept this was full frontal nudity. The file name? emo_girl_boobs. Right below it: a link to Double X Geeks. I can only imagine what that person thought they were gonna see.

I have nothing against people who like being naked, but given the /b/ written on her chest, this was nothing short of some kid wanting attention, and that's not good for the self esteem.

Anyway, I'll post some more content soon. Being a geek is expensive, and working a minimum wage job sucks. However, I can afford some more DnD books :D Next stop: DM guide!

Fonts

I really am a geek of all trades.

I started on this particular path of geek a while ago, but it's gotten worse since I started doing some marketing jobs.

I... am a font geek.

Yes, I love fonts. I love going through pages of fonts to find the exact right one to use for my poster/logo/banner ad.

I discovered while making posters for a firefly showing that there are people out there who's hobby is figuring out what font is used for these things! (fyi, firefly uses Papyrus) It seems like a lot of fun, and the debate is pretty friendly for being on the internet.

There are a LOT of free fonts out there! They rank up there with photoshop brushes for toys for me to play with.

But yes, back to fonts. Since becoming a minor font geek, I have learned the horror that is comic sans. They even have a website dedicated to the ban of this font. Ok, it has it's place in some places, but posters are not it. With so many free fonts out there, there is no excuse for it.

Yes this post has nothing to do with girls. My blog, my rules :D

DnD 4.0

Now, I only have minimal DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) experience, and my friends range from much to no experience. I have played with 3.5 only, with a great DM. A friend asked if I'd think about DMing for him using 4.0. Well, I went out and bought a shiny new 4.0 Players Handbook (a nice contrast to my falling apart 3.5), and started to read through it.

My first shock: No barbarians! Now, it does make a BIT of sense. Barbarians were highly prone to min/maxing (you can read about min/maxing here, which was annoying for RPing. However, a good DM can ensure that doesn't happen, and the barbarian could be a rich character.

Also removed: Pets! Now as DM I made an executive decision to allow pets that are 1/1 (one HP, 1 in each stat, one skill maybe?), however it sucks that they're gone. Again, they added a lot of dynamic to a group.

They also switched up alignments a bit, but I can't really complain about the new ones as they work, and there's no reason you can't make up your own alignment.

This is what I love about DnD, and something that so far they have mostly persevered in 4.0: The rules are more of a suggestion than a rule. You as a group can make decisions about mechanics (or rather, you as DM tell your group), and still have the game work. Hell, if you wanted to you could add in barbarians from 3.5, people mixed 3.5 and 3.0 all the time so I can't see why it wouldn't work.

One thing that kind of annoys me but doesn't mean anything: They added half-elves as a race. In the past you used to have to use the mixing system for being half whatever, but so many people want to be cool half elves I guess.

There are a number of new classes and races, but I haven't dug deep into them yet.

I had read that there was greater emphasis on using miniatures and spacial locations during the game, but I haven't found it to be a major problem. That might be because my old DM was big on doing that anyway?

There is one thing that tips the scales in favor of 4.0 for newbies. It's simple to understand! Things are laid out in a logical format, clearly written, and very few assumptions.

All in all, I give 4.0 a thumbs up. The problems such as missing classes can be worked around, but an easy to understand book is key.

And like I say about a lot of things: If you don't like it, don't buy it!