Tip about getting female gamers...

[Leopold]

You mean she wants you dead!

6 of 1, 1/2 dozen of the other!! it's all about the love!

Henry said:

Leo, I'm straight, AND I don't know you -- and even I want your bod! You're just that irresistable, darn it!

yeah baby yeah!!! and they even took pictures of me in the klingon jail..come on who wouldn't want this sexy gamer!!! Bring it on!!

Airwold said:
Please see point #1 from Gothmog's post.

pish, who said i follow rules! Where's that NikChik, redhead's rule!

 

[Buttercup]

Let me say up front that I mean no offense to anyone by what I say. I always find these conversations interesting, and a bit bizarre, because they presuppose that women are somehow more elusive, or unfathomable. I mean, I'm a female, and I'm the DM for our group. Of my 5 players, one is a female. I've just about convinced another woman to join us (not sure she has the time), and it looks like I'll be playing in a game of T20 where only the DM and one player will be male. My point is that there are plenty of women out there who are or could become big fans of role playing. But if they get treated like specimens of some rare gourmet food, they'll either be frightened away from the hobby (like I was, for 25 years) or they'll just go off and find a group that behaves more normally.

I think a better question would be, how do I find new players? Here's what I do. I think about the interests of people I know. If someone is interested in SF and fantasy, or theater, or the arts, or history, or archaeology, or mythology, then there's a possibility they would be interested in roleplaying. Do they like LotR? Star Wars? Did they watch Babylon 5? Can they quote Monty Python or Princess Bride? (you gotta know that would get points with me
) If the answer to any of those is yes, then that person might enjoy roleplaying. The person's gender doesn't really have anything to do with it.

 

[Gothmog]

Buttercup, I agree with you- women are no more mysterious or unfathomable than any other person out there. What I meant to address by my post were some common problems I have seen develop over the years when female player joins a predominantly male group. There are a lot of women out there who might be interested in gaming if it were not for the image gamers as a whole have. My point was that in order to make gaming more appealing to women, gamers should be on better behavior themselves- trust me, it helps A LOT. Because lets face it, the stereotype of the overweight, smelly, bad mannered gamer who can barely stammer out five coherent words to a female (gamer or not) is pretty common. And it wouldn't be a stereotype if there were not some truth to it.

Sorry- not trying to start a flame war, just making a jest in good humor.

 

[William Ronald]

I think the key thing is to make a new gamer -- male or female -- welcome to the group and the hobby. A lot of it has to do with respect and not deluging people with information.

Maybe a good way to start a session for a first time player is to have a fair amount of role playing and interaction with the other players and the DM. A little combat, but perhaps do not run the end of the world scenario that night.

There have been a lot of female players in my group over the years. There is one who is semi-active currently. (Over time, people come and go in a long running game.)

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Threatre departments are a great place to find ANYONE for a RPGs. We have 3 girls in our group of 6 right now, and all of them are into theatre--being a drama nerd sort of makes you more willing to expand your nerdiness i suppose That and drama people just know how to have fun.

Everyone makes very good points here about not treating the girl in your group extra special, and sort of trying to provide more roleplaying opportunities.

The key to getting anyone interested in the game is to tell them things that would interest them about the game. Our 2nd newest girl group member was a huge Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter fan, and was talking about it with our first female player and really got her interested. That in turn got the second girl's friend interested--thus our third female player.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Dude, you're a DM?

In Madison?

And you're looking for female gamers?

Well, I can't offer any promises, but if you're anywhere near the UW-Madison campus, I can introduce you to my mostly-female group, if you'd like, come the end of August.

Gimmie an e-mail and we can talk a bit:
superfluousbubbles@yahoo.com

If you're not at the UW, I can still offer some advice: do exactly what you'd do to recruit guys. Look for the intellectual ones, the ones already into fantasy or sci-fi, even tangentally. Find the rare women who are also of the nerd persuasion, and you've probably got someone who just needs to be introduced to the game in a casual, non-"I like your tight shirt!" manner.

Keep it friendly, and make sure the people you're gaming with do too. I'm pretty sure nothing will turn off a campaign faster than the girls being leered at like booth babes. This is a fun social thing they can do, and it shouldn't become an obligation or a requirement or something that requires more work than you can put in in an afternoon. It's something to do other than drinking once a week (hey, spending thursday-sunday intoxicated is a bit much. ), and something that can be a gleeful distraction from studying without resulting in undue stress.

Basically, the same way you'd get guys to do it. Look for the nerdy types, and keep it friendly and raucuous. It may help if you get to know the girls by chilling with them for a while in other ways, so that they know you're not Dr. Creepy Gamer-Geek, nor are you only interested in unsheathing your greatness around them. But, yeah, those should be alright.

Just some random thoughts, anyhoo.

 

[Conservative Cow]

I never really thought about female gamers.

All the groups I have ever been in, was for a guy's night out type of thing. Most players were Married or had serious GirlFriends.

A Girl gamer? Weird.

Ontop of that , I've never been to a CON before.

 

[Humanophile]

How do you gt a girl to join your group? Easily. Either get involved in gamer-friendly activities (like a LARP or a school gaming club, a fantasy/sci-fi club might work too), or else be social on the nights you're not gaming, get to know people who are a little on the nerdy or outcast side, and if these friends seem like gamer material, ask them if they'd like to try sitting around the table. And so long as you don't freeze up and think "eek, a girl", some of these people will happen to be female.

Gothmog makes some good points of things to watch the rest of your group for, and when that happens you should call the offender on it, but the actual getting a girl to your table is pretty much just being friends and asking.

 

[NewbyDM]

Originally posted by Gothmog
3. From my experience, most female gamers like more than just four hours of kill the baddie, take his stuff, kick in the next door. Allow more chance for role-playing, and for interaction with NPCs in your game. I know not all female gamers are more into role playing, and everyone loves to kick butt once in a while, but most female gamers enjoy the chance to solve a problem other than by killing it.

Heh, we had this female gamer in our group... i remember i was trying to talk our way out... when our thief (female gamer on the other side of the hill) was hacking, slashing and drawing blood, while giggling with an insane voice the whole time...
I have to admit, it was fun to see/hear/imagine her ripping/torturing our enemies..
This went on for sessions...
heh, she solved the problem by eliminating it

it was kinda funny

anyway im out.

 

[Ashtal]

A Girl gamer? Weird.

Um, do you know how aweful that sounds?

We're not any weirder than you guys, you know. I'm with Buttercup - somehow these conversations always have a strong streak of unfathomableness about the female condition which are totally out of place.

We game and we're girls. It's not weird, so don't call us weird.

PS: It's not off-topic, either, so I am going to change the title.