Finding the Feminine Side of Gaming

Inside the Mind of a Female MMO Player

Anyone who has been around the Non-Gameplay Discussion area of the forums for more than five minutes is very aware of who Savanja is.

Her influence in NGD is irrefutable, and when she posts in seriousness, it's required reading.  She's been referred to as Mistress, a Vixen, or Goddess (for those of us who know her really well) but behind that fun loving, sexy persona lies the mind of an intelligent woman and gamer.  

While any conversations with her are always fun and interesting, a serious conversation is always a real treat.  She agreed to the interview in a neutral location which I was fine with, but I really wasn't expecting the squad of security guards that surrounded her or the cavity search by "Helga" but I'm dedicated to my interviews.  I was sat down facing away from her as not to be distracted by her "hawtness" so I began my questions.

The Roots of a Gamer Girl

RadarX: I really appreciate you taking the time from your schedule to do this..  Why don't we start out with you telling us a little bit about your gaming experience.

Savanja:  Doh..This question will show my age!!  It started long ago and far away with a Atari 2600 and a lil game called Phoenix.  I was never that big into platform gaming, but my brothers were, so I'd just fiddle with em when I was bored.  And other than a scary addiction to the game "Oregon Trail" (still have that, and play it, btw) I didn't start PC gaming until adulthood, and that started with my first MMO.

RadarX:  Oh yeah Phoenix!  I loved after that fourth wave how you'd you have to kill the mothership and...I mean that sounds like a really old game that I've never heard of.  I do remember Oregon Trail and sadly I might have a copy laying around here somewhere underneath my copy of Fallout.   Some games just can't be tossed out despite their age. What was your favorite game growing up?

Savanja:  Super Mario Brothers.  That was the only platform game I could play endlessly.  I sometimes catch myself humming the tune that plays in the castle.

RadarX:  That's definetly a classic.  I...I surely don't have the theme song as a ringer on my cell phone.    So obviously you transitioned into playing MMO's at some point.   Tell us how you got there.

Savanja:  My brother, and my husband started playing UO.  I'd hang out and watch and thought it looked pretty cool, so I made a char and started messing around in game, and found that I really dug the evolving life of a MMO character.  The world sucked me in, and I was immediately hooked.

After UO, I played Dark Age of Camelot for a while.  Then one day when I was running around in The Sims Online beta, I met a guy that was a avid fan of Everquest and he talked me into trying it with him, and EQ became my new passion.  After that, I did a lot of MMO hopping until I landed on the EQII forums awaiting a hopeful beta invite.

RadarX:    Most people would agree that UO was ground breaking in the MMORPG industry.  What made it so special?

Savanja:  Ultima Online was really the first game of this kind.  It wasn't simply a multi-user game, it was an expansive world that allowed for an amazing amount of players to interact in a virtual world.  Being my first MMO, I have a serious soft spot for UO.  It was quirky as heck, but I LOVED that about it.  Ultima Online had a true sense of danger when you wandered through out the lands.  Getting pick pocketed at the bank or getting PK'ed between cities.  *sighs dreamily*  'Course they nerfed it all to heck, but that's inevitable.  *grin*

RadarX:   Ah the good old days of "griefing."   There is nothing in the world like being brand new and getting PK'd.   I still owe you Grimlor!  I haven't forgotten you!  Sorry.   You mentioned you played Everquest 1 like many of us.   What are some of your fond memories?

Savanja:  Just like any of the MMOs I play, all my best memories involve the people that I played with more than just the game itself.  Hanging out in the PoK and BSing with pals.  Running through Everfrost and dropping the good Shaman buffs on the Barbarian newbs.  Sneaking up behind clandestine couples cybering in spacial chat out in the Karanas for a giggle...uhh, not that I'd be mean enough to actually do that.  *shifty*

RadarX:  Heh I'm sure you would do nothing like that, and neither would I.   What do you miss about EQ1 in EQ2?

Savanja:  I miss the ability to really help out fellow players.  I know and understand the technical reasoning behind the limits on grouping, heals, buffs, etc.  But I still miss being able to help out a lower level friends.  I also miss the expansiveness of EQ.  I'm sure that EQ2 will slowly build the same feeling of a unlimited world, it takes time and all that, but Norrath seemed soo much bigger in Everquest.

RadarX:  They've made some progress by unlocking encounters and allowing heals outside your group but I know exactly what you mean.

The MMO World in Her Eyes

RadarX:  Lets move on to the MMO industry    MMORPG's are known to have a considerably high male to female ratio.  Is there any time it really bothers you)?  

Savanja:  Haha.  Oh Radar.  You know me well enough to know that I thrive in a male dominated arena.  Seriously, there are times when it does bother me.  Those rare occasions when I pick up a lil stalker friend that makes gaming life slightly uncomfortable for a bit.  And some boys don't always understand the line between flirting and obsessive come ons.  Flirting=good.  Following me out to Everfrost and watching me play for hours while throwing out severe innuendo=bad.  =D

Quite honestly though, while gaming is still heavily a male hobby, more and more females are finding their way in.  In our own guild, we have a very decent population of females (engineered by you horn dogs no doubt) and I'm seeing far more women in gaming than I did when I started UO nearly 8 years ago.  Which makes me happy.  I dislike male/female stereotypical roles, and whenever those can be shattered, I cheer.

RadarX:  I'm incapable of any type of engineering.   Hopefully, having an inn room in the same building as you doesn't constitute stalking.     Do you feel that MMO's are designed more towards males?  

Savanja:  No.  I really don't.  There isn't that big of a difference between the male and female gamers.  And I've never felt at any time that something was geared towards men.  The aspects of the game that I see are more of a casual vs. hardcore gamer, and I would venture a guess that most women tend to be casual players.  But EQ2 has done a rather smashing job of keeping both sides of that coin, happy.

RadarX:  I'd agree although I have on occasion met a few hardcore female gamers.  Do you feel you are taken as seriously and valued as highly in the game as a male would be?

Savanja:  Sure.  When I bother to say something that isn't sexual innuendo, I do believe that my words carry as much weight as anyone elses.  Every now and again, you might find me actually saying something game related, and I do know my games.

Shaolin Savanja

RadarX:  When you are playing, what race and class do you play the most frequently?

Savanja:   My main is a Barbarian Monk.  She was decided upon after many tries with other race/class combos.

RadarX:  Unique racial choice, but intimidating!  Do you think they are balanced?

Savanja:  Yes I do!   I think that the Monks are one of the luckier classes that have always been pretty even and haven't required a whole lot in the way of tweaking.

RadarX:   So nothing serious you really feel needs correcting?

Savanja:  None that I can see.  Quite honestly tho, if there were, I may overlook them.  I don't get hung up on stats, dmg output, and ability numbers.  The Monk class is fun to play, and that's all I really care about.

RadarX:  Does a monk stand up as a "tank" class?   Can  you handle the stress of a "main tank?"

Savanja:  I spend nearly all of my grouping time as the main tank, and I think I do pretty good at it.  You'd probably know better than I would, since you'd be my healer.  *wink*  But as we have noted in our private convos, my Monk as MT is just as workable as our resident SK and Zerker.

RadarX:   I can say firsthand you hold up as well as any tank I've grouped with, but more importantly you laugh at every tenth joke I crack so that makes you one of my favorite tanks.  I've noticed you use 2 single handed crush weapons versus a 2 hander.   Is there any special reason?

Savanja:   Yes.  1.  I like the graphic effects from the duel batons, and 2.  I've compared my batons with good 2-handed weapons, and my batons always come up with better stats.  At the moment I'm equipped with pristine imbued cedar fighting batons.  I'm looking to upgrade to the pristine imbued ironwood batons..so, if there are any crafters on Neriak willing to hook me up, give Satinka a /tell.(That was shameless, wasn't it?)

RadarX:  Totally shameless!  You completely forgot the /auction!  What would you say would be your ideal group?

Savanja:  As in classes?  I'm not picky when it comes to groups..obviously or I wouldn't group with the AF fools.  A perfect group happens when there is lotsa fun, and occasionally a lil exp.  I think our regular trio of a Necro, a Monk, and a Templar works out well.  We manage to tear through plenty of stuff, and I can usually make some awesome progress that way..Assuming that the, uhh, Templar isn't bringing adds.  *cough*

I believe grouping has far more to do with gaming style than anything else.  When you find a group of people that you mesh well with, working together becomes instinctual and makes the grouping process so much easier.  I think that is something that we, as a guild, are very lucky to have.

RadarX:  I completely agree.  Speaking of that, I hear a lot about this sweet guild on Neriak that you are in.  Tell us a little bit about the Aggro Fish and what kind of members it has?

Savanja:   lol.  I came into Aggro Fish by the way of Homeslice and Promise from the forums.  Homeslice is one of the few people that I knew of pre-release.  He's an adorable and fun guy, and I knew that any guild that him and his gorgeous woman had made, would be a great one.  And it is!  AF is rather casual, more like a family than just a guild.  It's members are all freaking nuts, and we have lots of good times.  We, of course, have our plans for world domination, and I believe that we will be starting with the NGD(RadarX:  Non-Gameplay Discussion).  But ya didn't hear that from me!

Savanja:  Gah!  You've said way too much!  You may be punished and not in a good way.

There is no Illuminati!

RadarX:  You have almost a celebrity status in the NGD area.   In fact, you have a forum title of "Mistress of Posting."  Where did that originate from?

Savanja:   Mistress of Darkness now thankyouverymuch.  And get on your knees when you address me boy!

*giggles*

Our friendly forum moderator Raijinn (aka Joel) went on a lil title changing rampage.  He asked me if I had any requests, and I asked for something that included Mistress or Goddess, he used Mistress of Posting up until Halloween, when it was changed to Mistress of Darkness.  I believe my dearest girlie Kiara requested that it was left that way, and no man will deny her, her wishes.

And I do believe that the title suits me.  I've been known to wield my whip around the NGD, and tuck naughty boys into cages.  Speaking of which, how did you get out again?  *calls for the dogs*

RadarX:  I apologize Mistress.  It won't happen again.  How much time would you say you spend on the forums every day?

Savanja:  Oh man.  Can I just say a scary amount, and leave it at that?  I have a page open to the forums all day while I work.  When I get bored, I'll refresh and browse, and sometimes post.  Basically, if I'm at my desk, I'm looking at the forums.  I may need help.

RadarX:  So basically as much time as I do.  We have a support group right?  It's not a habit!  It's cool!  I feel alive.... What do you feel the majority of your posts accomplish?  Are they more for entertainment, to make a statement, or to provide assistance to people?

Savanja:  The majority are most definitely for entertainment.  I enjoy being a active member in the community, getting to know people, and bringing general amusement to the forums.  Out of respect, I keep it to the NGD and let all the seriousness happen on the other forums.  Once in a rare while, you might catch me posting something serious.  I try not to let that happen too often, as I do have my fans to think of.

RadarX:  Heh you're serious posts are always worth reading but I can really say that about your entertaining ones too.  Anybody you'd like to say hello too guild/forum wise as we wrap this up?

Savanja:  Ha.  The list is too long to name names.  But heyas to the NGD, Neriak Server, and Aggro Fish peeps, ought to cover it.

RadarX:   Thats a ton of folks but I'm sure your fans appreciate it.  Final question    I've heard serious allegations from Neriak that you can be seen sitting outside the bank in Graystone or in the canyon in Sinking Sands for many hours on end.   Your dedication to meditation amazes me.  What is your goal in this? 

Savanja: You just HAD to go there, didn't you?  *grins*
 
Why Radar, I am so honored that you realize my dedication to meditation.  It is true, I will take time out from my busy schedule of thrashing unsightly monsters from the face of Norrath, to simply sit and ponder lifes meanings.  Perhaps take a deeper look into myself, and feel around that part of my being that doesn't get examined nearly enough. 

I believe this to be a crucial part of being a Monk, without my meditations, I'm afraid that I would be unbearable to be around.

And if you'll excuse me, I think I need to meditate now.  Thank you.

Thanks again to Savanja for being so awesome and taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions.