This semester I worked on building an annotated bibliography on the topic of gender and gaming. This blog holds entries with my reactions to each article/book chapter that I’ve read on the issue this semester.
What happens with the bibliography? Where do I go from here?
First, I’ll be continuing the blog with more reading responses and other insights on the industry. I’ll not only focus on video games, but also board games. I’ve definitely fallen back in love with analog games over the past year and think much of the reading and research that I’ve been doing ties into the analog world, as well. I’ll be attending a couple board gaming conventions (Geekway and Gen Con) this spring and summer and will be blogging about my experiences.

Second, I’ve been putting together a rulebook for what diversity in gaming looks like to me — how games can be diverse and how gaming communities can be inclusive. While the rulebook is not fully complete, you can access it here and leave feedback. I am hoping that it will be a living document for me as I continue my research and collaborate with others.
I will be finishing my degree at Loyola in the Fall, so you’ll be able to find me hanging around the SIMLab throughout the rest of the year.
Other projects to lookout for:
Make sure you check out the work that my labmate, Pat Davet, did with his Digital Paladins project this semester, as well. Here’s what Pat has to say about his project:

In the 21st century, religion and technology have become inseparable entities. Both the Dalai Lama and the Pope have Twitter accounts. Scientology earns millions of dollars from “tech-based examinations of conscience.” Every major religion has offered statements examining the digital worlds that video games offer. What do games have to say back? Video games have been critically examining religion since the early 1980s. Today, mega-hits like Dragon Age and Assassin’s Creed offer criticism and praise for religious institutions both real-world and fictional. Other games like The Binding of Isaac and Journey examine faith through gameplay. Through this SimLab project, I will investigate the form and function of religion in video games.