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[Neonivek]

Ok I got into a conversation today and someone said this

I suppose "girls" shouldn't have any games geared toward them then?

And I was about to say "Yeah of course not" and then I started to think about the games that went for a female exclusive crowd and how terrible they often were.

So I am bringing it here for exceptions and I will start things off

-The Nancy Drew Series: Originally marketed exclusively towards girls the series quality actually earned it enough popularity that it entirely removed the "for girls" part in its advertising. Certainly it is the same series that went for a female only audience, but it is one that was so good that it went beyond that. In this game you play as Nancy Drew a young unofficial detective who solves mysteries.

[Vector]

"High-enough quality that boys can play it, too!"

*sigh*

I suppose "girls" shouldn't have any games geared toward them then?

And I was about to say "Yeah of course not"

I'm going to go quietly have an aneurysm.  Goodbye.

[Neonivek]

I'm going to go quietly have an aneurysm

Double negative. (a situation where No means yes AND no)

Of COURSE girls should have games geared towards them.

I am sad that you vector would think I would mean otherwise (well, ok... To admit... You could imagine that I believe games shouldn't go for a gender at all)

"High-enough quality that boys can play it, too!"

*sigh*

You clearly haven't been in the loop of TERRIBLE GAMES marketed towards girls.

I am not looking for a list of games that "boys play too because it is good enough", it is just what happened to the Nancy Drew games. Where they went for a gender specific audience but was just such a good game "In general" that it actually appealed to a general audience.

Since if you are going to talk about women as consumers you need to state that games with them as the prime demographic can work without it just being inexpensive shovelware.

[Vector]

No, I haven't, because I only ever heard of one and it involved Barbies.

[Neonivek]

No, I haven't, because I only ever heard of one and it involved Barbies.

Barby's pony ride? Barby's Genie Adventure? Barby's pet shop? Barbie Adventures?

[Vector]

It was for SNES.  No idea.

[Descan]

Games marketed towards teenage girls tend to be pink, cheery, capitalist/"omgshawpping" slop. :U

[Vector]

I have played a large number of homemade dress-up games, though.  They're kind of fun >_> <_<

[Descan]

I did too. Don't be embarrassed.

Though the ones I played were on newgrounds so maybe I should be embarrassed >________>

[Putnam]

Games marketed towards teenage girls tend to be pink, cheery, capitalist/"omgshawpping" slop. :U

Can confirm.

(The game isn't too bad, from what I've seen, just samey throughout)

[Neonivek]

I will admit also that Barbie's Horses or whatever it is called exactly.

Does have somewhat of an appeal to me story wise. In that you are a girl from the city who needs somewhere to stay while you are studying something (I think it is to be a vet) and you end up on your cousins Horse Ranch.

So you later have to save the horse ranch by riding your horse while also interacting with your family and the town. Allowing you to fall inlove with the town.

Unfortunately that is the best thing I can say about it because the horse riding aspect is so boring.

It was like they had half of a good game and half a terrible game... and wanted to see if they tasted good together... They didn't.

Honestly it is like Deadly Premonition mixed with Michelle Quan Skating.

[NobodyPro]

Honestly it is like Deadly Premonition mixed with Michelle Quan Skating.

I have a sudden urge to play Barbie: Red Seeds Profile.

[penguinofhonor]

I will admit also that Barbie's Horses or whatever it is called exactly.

Does have somewhat of an appeal to me story wise.

Tonight on "Things Only Neonivek Would Ever Say".

[Rolan7]

That reminds me I need to try Secret of the Magic Crystals... been so busy with Payday 2.
I don't know much about it but it looks potentially fun in a tamogotchi-esque way.  I'm also pretty sure I saw badass supernatural hell-horses (possibly nightmares).

I'm worried that it'll be shovelware because of its target demographic ): 

[Max White]

Bechdel test to be supplemented by the "Mako Mori" test--what do you guys think?

So I'm a little late to the party but...
I think it is a pretty poor test for the same reason the bechdel test, a reason I think Neonivek was trying to highlight. People will misuse it. Guaranteed.
Just look at how people use the bechdel test, a single movie fails and they decide they need another, different test that it happens to pass in order to feel good about liking said movie. The correct response should be 'So what? Who cares? The bechdel test is designed to find trends within the industry, not judge a specific movie. The fact that Pacific Rim fails the test says nothing about Pacific Rim itself!', but instead we have some people claiming that having one good movie fail the test invalidates the test and others claiming we need a new test to replace it, and some still saying they should live side by side. The 'bechdel test' that people use is different from the bechdel test.

Here is the bechdel test test. If you are referring to any specific movie for any reason other than in a long list of sources, you are misusing the bechdel test. Perhaps another test for things to fail and get hit with the misogyny hammer isn't the best idea?

I will also note that the mako mori test is even worse for video games than the bechdel test. Most video games only one character gets a story line, so even in the perfect industry (one we do not currently have) about 50% of games would pass. Different media deserve different criteria, you wouldn't judge paintings by the bechdel test, so why should the mako mori test be useful for games?


Finally I do think it is worth pointing out that neither tests are scientific, as neither have a control group. So that is a thing. Not to say they are worthless, but don't give them too much merit.