What Matters: December 2001
What’s So Great about Computer Games?
By Tammy Yap '99, MNG '99
Think of computer and video games, and one thinks of boys (and overgrown male teenagers), lost in their fantasy worlds—testosterone-filled contests of speed, strength and firepower. Then there is the anomaly of me, the young, female MIT graduate who gets a bigger thrill from programming games than playing them.
Working in games may seem frivolous compared to my peers, who became high-powered consultants or are making important contributions to military or scientific research. Certainly, it caters mainly to the members of society that has the least political or financial clout; otherwise, it is an industry much like any other.
The first thing that any potential game programmer or designer is told is that this industry is fiercely competitive. Many a game player at some point thinks that he could write a better game. Games may seem like fun, but the technical skill that goes into creating one is no different from that which is needed for any large-scale software project. MIT's Laboratory in Software Engineering (6.170) certainly understands that principle when it assigns a game as the final project to be done in groups. Projects in today's game industry may even be more difficult than most to work on, because programmers, designers and artists are all involved. And I have noticed that left-brained and right-brained folks do not always communicate well with each other. But this is not an elitist industry; it is the flood of unqualified job applicants that get rejected that gives the false impression of an exclusive, impenetrable realm.
The business of computer games bears some similarity to the start-up culture with which MIT is familiar. Game companies are volatile; success is sometimes based on luck. Without a large publisher, projects may run out of money or expertise before completion. Some large number of games that are worked on never make it to store shelves. Even established game companies can falter. A prominent example is Looking Glass Studios, the creator of the popular "Thief" games, who closed shortly after the release of Thief II.
As I applied to various game companies, I received a heartwarming response, in the form of several job offers. It was difficult, though, to tell which played a larger role in getting me hired—graduating from MIT, or being female. One question that I was asked without fail, was "Why games?"
People who write games love games. I was seeking a dynamic, hardworking environment like the one I knew at MIT. It appears that I have truly found paradise. The work is a constant challenge, because we push ourselves to make the game better; we incorporate every algorithm and trick we ever learnt. We want to make this a success, and we want to see it through to the end.
In the old days of game programming, a game could be the product of a single person sitting down to program the game, single-handedly developing the design and creating the graphics along the way. By the time the project I am working on is ready for release, a team of four programmers, five designers and ten digital artists would have worked for two years towards that single goal. It may be ironic that progress in computing hardware has made making games more difficult, but it is also understandable. Game worlds today look realistically 3-D instead of flat and blocky. Computer controlled characters are intelligent and responsive instead of being predictable patsies. The list goes on.
Increased computing power and storage space opened up the realm of possibility and gamers now demand more of each new game—more special effects, unique game designs, smarter artificial intelligence, more interactive environments. This demand in turn helps drive the consumer demand for improved hardware. This is especially visible where games play a large role in the momentum of the PC hardware market.
In the short year that I have spent working in video games, I am repeatedly struck by the gender imbalance. At the risk of oversimplification, "Girls don't play games, because girls don't make games." As I mentioned, the game industry, creators and players alike, is male-dominated. Currently, a number of successful game genres such as sport and driving simulators, role-playing games and first-person-shooters, cater exclusively to the mostly male need for adrenaline-fueled escapism. Granted, there exist other genres such as adventure quests, strategy and puzzle games that challenge the intellect. Games from the classic Tetris and King's Quest (and all their derivatives), to the more recent Sims and Civilization series are equally successful with both genders. However, there are no games really cater to the feminine sensibilities.
There is a lack of able female game designers. Roberta Williams was a pioneer in her field. She was the designer of the first graphic adventure game, and her King's Quest series sold more than three million copies, making her one of the best-selling designers ever. Her husband, Ken Williams, programmed her original design and founded the company known today as Sierra On-Line. Since then, no other woman has stood out as prominently in the field of games, and until such time, games for girls will most likely remain represented by fare such as Barbie Fashion Designer. But I quote an exchange from a comic (Wiley's Non Sequitur 5/24/1998) that sums it up nicely:
"These computer games all seem to be just boy-oriented…why can't they design some with feminine sensibilities?"
"Perhaps the answer is for women to get into computer programming and develop the games they want rather than whine and expect men to fix it for them."
At the time of this writing, the game industry has been reporting increased sales, because people are going out less, and turning more to various forms of home entertainment. Christmas is approaching, and new game consoles such as the Game Cube and X-Box are coming on the market. Things are only going to get more interesting.
About the Author
Tammy Yap grew up in Singapore and first came to the United States to attend MIT. Her time at the Institute was devoted either to schoolwork or to the MIT Ballroom Dance Team. She graduated in 1999 with an SB and MNG in electrical engineering and computer science. She returned to Singapore for a year to write war games for the Ministry of Defence, but eventually realized that she was far more interested in commercial games. She is now working with Check Six Studios on an as-yet unannounced Playstation 2 game. Since her job satisfies her programming and gaming addictions, she actually now has time to devote to her other hobbies of dancing, scuba diving, and photography.
What Matters is a guest opinion column written by a different MIT alumnus or alumna. The views expressed are entirely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Alumni Association or MIT. Interested in writing a column? Email whatmatters@mit.edu.
