GaymerX Organizers Kickstart Cyperpunk Game

[roseofbattle]

GaymerX Organizers Kickstart Cyperpunk Game

Read Only Memories is a cyberpunk tribute to '90s games and features queer characters.

GaymerX is a group of people who run the website GaymerConnect [http://www.gaymerconnect.com/] and organize the GaymerX gaming convention. With the mission of educating and driving greater acceptance in gaming, the group is working with MidBoss Games to make its first game, a cyberpunk adventure called Read Only Memories.

In 2064, ROMs have taken the place of mobile technology. The player is a journalist in Neo-San Francisco and receives a beta of the latest ROM and a mysterious note from a friend. Through the game, the player discovers more mysteries surrounding ROMs and Parallax, a company for which the player's best friend worked. Additional ROMs install new personalities in the main character.

Visibility of queer characters is minimal in the whole of games today. MidBoss and Gaymer X write in a day one update, "Thank you for believing in adventure games and creating a world where we can feature characters that normally don't get the spotlight in games." Read Only Memories will have both queer and non-queer characters; GaymerX will speak with the community to elicit feedback on these characters. Two screenshots included in the Kickstarter page indicate the player selects which pronouns he/she/they/"Hey, none of your business!" wishes to use.

Read Only Memories is a part of Ouya's Free the Games Fund. If the crowdfunding campaign is successful, the game will release for Windows PC, Mac, Ouya, iOS, and Android. If the project reaches its first stretch goal at $82,064, a Linux port will be available for free with the Mac and PC versions. The campaign ends Dec. 13.

Should there be no problems, the game will launch Nov. 2014. GaymerX plans to have a playable version ready for next year's convention, GaymerX2 [http://www.gaymerconnect.com/gx2] in July.

Source: Kickstarter [http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gaymercon/read-only-memories-a-tribute-to-90s-adventure-game]

Permalink

 

[Covarr]

As long as that doesn't become the character's sole defining characteristic. I'm sick of one-dimensional gay characters (in all forms of media) for the sake of advancing a cause. Trying to make a point is okay, but not at the cost of fully fleshing out your characters and story.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Frozengale]

While I think their Conventions are stupid and worthless. This is something I can more or less get behind. Though I still think making a game with the express intent of featuring queer characters is a horrible idea. At least this is a step in the right direction, usually it's just people shouting, "we need more characters" and never really doing anything about it.

 

[Reed Spacer]

You know, a lot fewer people would have 'problems' with gays if they'd stop doing the equivalent of jumping up and down shouting "Hey... HEY, LOOK! I'm doing something over here and I'm a homosexual! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!"

 

[Genocidicles]

I really could not care less about queer representation in games, but if it's a good game I'll be sure to have a look when it comes out.

 

[kenu12345]

Sounds cool. Don't know why people are getting up in arms cause this particular game may have gay people in it, but cool. Hopefully theres a demo or a gameplay video or something, so that I can see if its well written. Also side note did they use the word queer or something cause you say it alot in the article and idk it just seems a bit off cause usually people just say gay

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

You know, a lot fewer people would have 'problems' with gays if they'd stop doing the equivalent of jumping up and down shouting "Hey... HEY, LOOK! I'm doing something over here and I'm a homosexual! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!"

Drawing attention is virtually the only way sexual minorities can get their problems solved considering that they only make up roughly 5% of society (that possibly being an overstatement). But then again, it really is just so annoying when the peons beg for the attention of the heteronormative majority. If they're gay men are having such huge issues with people being okay with them sucking penises then "let them eat pussy," I suppose.

OT- Good on them. It sounds like a neat idea. I'll have to look into it as it gets further along.

 

[JazzJack2]

Drawing attention is virtually the only way sexual minorities can get their problems solved

Oh and what problems would those be?

 

[sethisjimmy]

Drawing attention is virtually the only way sexual minorities can get their problems solved

Oh and what problems would those be?

Well if we're talking about the real world: homophobia, hatred, violence, marriage rights, etc.

If we're talking just in gaming: under-representation, misrepresentation, stereotyping, casual homophobia.

 

[JazzJack2]

Well if we're talking about the real world: homophobia, hatred, violence, marriage rights, etc.

I don't really think this game has done anything to bring real issues like those to attention.

If we're talking just in gaming: under-representation, misrepresentation, stereotyping, casual homophobia.

The first three problems are
A)Not really about somesones sexuality, and are a part of general problem with writing in video games.
B)Not really solved by simply drawing attention to them

The last one is one I don't think I have ever encountered myself but there you go.

 

[Draconalis]

But then again, it really is just so annoying when the peons beg for the attention of the heteronormative majority. If they're gay men are having such huge issues with people being okay with them sucking penises then "let them eat pussy," I suppose.

I this the anology falls apart in the end... I don't see the "heteronormatives" getting their heads chopped off.

In other news... thinking of heads being chopped off just made me squirm a little.

 

[Draconalis]

Well if we're talking about the real world: homophobia, hatred, violence, marriage rights, etc.

I don't really think this game has done anything to bring real issues like those to attention.

Acceptance in media is one of the first steps to making something a social norm

 

[JazzJack2]

Acceptance in media is one of the first steps to making something a social norm

We've had gay characters for years now in video games (and broader media in general), I don't see how this game will have any impact on actual issues LGBT people face.

 

[kenu12345]

Acceptance in media is one of the first steps to making something a social norm

We've had gay characters for years now in video games (and broader media in general), I don't see how this game will have any impact on actual issues LGBT people face.

Then whats the big problem with having gay people in the game honestly? How people are acting you think that this game was causing a huge problem

 

[JazzJack2]

Then whats the big problem with having gay people in the game honestly?

Nothing really, but I find it pretty pathetic and off-putting when a game makes a character's sexuality a gimmick they can exploit, feels manipulative and cheap to me.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

But then again, it really is just so annoying when the peons beg for the attention of the heteronormative majority. If they're gay men are having such huge issues with people being okay with them sucking penises then "let them eat pussy," I suppose.

I this the anology falls apart in the end... I don't see the "heteronormatives" getting their heads chopped off.

In other news... thinking of heads being chopped off just made me squirm a little.

More a joke than an analogy.

Drawing attention is virtually the only way sexual minorities can get their problems solved

Oh and what problems would those be?

Things marriage rights, child care rights, medical rights, etc.

This game draws attention to those by drawing attention to the lacking of representation of homosexuals in our media, which, if it were increased, would serve as an excellent way to diminish those other problems.

 

[kenu12345]

Then whats the big problem with having gay people in the game honestly?

Nothing really, but I find it pretty pathetic and off-putting when a game makes a character's sexuality a gimmick they can exploit, feels manipulative and cheap to me.

Honestly who said it was a gimmick? Sure the articles says it has gay people in it, but it never said that was the main focus. Wouldn't you a game by gay people to have gay people in it? Cause you know comfort with what you know

 

[JazzJack2]

This game draws attention to those by drawing attention to the lacking of representation of homosexuals in our media which, if it were increased, would serve as an excellent way to diminish those other problems.

I largely agree that media portrayals of social minorities can be very important in securing rights for said minorities however I feel this game will have little impact and is going about it all wrong. Simply having more LGBT characters won't be a particularly fruitful endeavour, you need be believable and organic characters who's sexuality feels natuaral to them (like Obsidian's Arcade Gannon for example) to whom people will feel attached to. Purposely drawing attention to the fact you have LGBT characters in your game feels, like I said before, gimmicky and cheap, and will inevitably lead to these aspects of the character to be perceived as forced and unnatural.