Current Article and Book projects:
Blerd: The exploration of Blackness in gaming spaces, fan-interpretations, and creation of counter publics. An article published in HyperHiz: New Media Cultures, that considers how fanfiction and modding communities interpret and add to existing narratives and create a collaborative individual experience. and how including these interpretations of game media complicates the players understanding and interaction with the game as a technological artifact
Shame Works: How game developers and fan communities renegotiate representation and content in video games, an article that centers a collaboration based approach within fan communities and game developers around race and representational content. Further complicating the shift in to the culture and impact that games have on everyday life in and out of virtual spaces.
Bold Roast Podcast: Mental health, Video games, and Creative Resilience, in conversation with roger Malina and the ArtSci Lab to examine maker spaces and hackathons as a good step into the future of collaborative educational space. while questioning how these spaces find their audience, include diverse voices, and fostering heterogeneous approaches instead unconsciously excluding people from the conversation and thus creating a continuous conundrum.
Blerd: The exploration of Blackness in gaming spaces, fan-interpretations, and creation of counter publics. An article published in HyperHiz: New Media Cultures, that considers how fanfiction and modding communities interpret and add to existing narratives and create a collaborative individual experience. and how including these interpretations of game media complicates the players understanding and interaction with the game as a technological artifact
Shame Works: How game developers and fan communities renegotiate representation and content in video games, an article that centers a collaboration based approach within fan communities and game developers around race and representational content. Further complicating the shift in to the culture and impact that games have on everyday life in and out of virtual spaces.
Bold Roast Podcast: Mental health, Video games, and Creative Resilience, in conversation with roger Malina and the ArtSci Lab to examine maker spaces and hackathons as a good step into the future of collaborative educational space. while questioning how these spaces find their audience, include diverse voices, and fostering heterogeneous approaches instead unconsciously excluding people from the conversation and thus creating a continuous conundrum.
Blerd: The exploration of Blackness in gaming spaces, fan-interpretations, and creation of counter publics.
December 2022
An article published in HyperHiz: New Media Cultures, that considers how fanfiction and modding communities interpret and add to existing narratives and create a collaborative individual experience. and how including these interpretations of game media complicates the players understanding and interaction with the game as a technological artifact
December 2022
An article published in HyperHiz: New Media Cultures, that considers how fanfiction and modding communities interpret and add to existing narratives and create a collaborative individual experience. and how including these interpretations of game media complicates the players understanding and interaction with the game as a technological artifact
Shame Works: How game developers and fan communities renegotiate representation and content in video games
MPCA 2021
Shame works is an article that centers on a collaboration based approach within fan communities and game developers around race and representational content. Further complicating the shift in to the culture and impact that games have on everyday life in and out of virtual spaces.
MPCA 2021
Shame works is an article that centers on a collaboration based approach within fan communities and game developers around race and representational content. Further complicating the shift in to the culture and impact that games have on everyday life in and out of virtual spaces.
Mental health, Video games, and Creative Resilience
| The Bold Roast Podcast: The Affirmation Game |
Negative thoughts plague is self-conscious and effect how we proceed throughout our days. To relieve the constant battle between my consciousness the idea for my video game was born. My name is Diamond Beverly and I am an artist, video game developer, and computer programmer based in Dallas, Texas. Through individual and collaborative projects, I discovered the power environmental storytelling and transformative properties of a well-designed game. I am interested in the intersections of culture, communication, representation and narrative storytelling through the medium of digital games. I have developed skills in computer programming, film production and game development as a result of these personal and academic interest.
I am currently working on a project that utilizes video games as a medium to explore the relationship between negative thoughts and positive affirmations. The motive of the game is to fight your negative thoughts with positive affirmations in the style of a retro fighting game. I plan to continue a career in the video game industry and higher education. This game concept is based on my personal practice I utilize regarding my mental health. I’ve always been passionate about the way Video games brings and connects cultures and conceptual ideas.
I find maker spaces and hackathons a good step into the future of collaborative educational space. A question that persists however is how these spaces find their audience? And by this I mean how do we go about including diverse voices and fostering heterogeneous approaches instead unconsciously excluding people from the conversation and thus creating a continuous conundrum.
With the ArtSci Lab at The University of Texas at Dallas, Diamond Beverly in conversation with colleague Roger Malina discussed the affirmation game, mental health, and representation in video games.
I am currently working on a project that utilizes video games as a medium to explore the relationship between negative thoughts and positive affirmations. The motive of the game is to fight your negative thoughts with positive affirmations in the style of a retro fighting game. I plan to continue a career in the video game industry and higher education. This game concept is based on my personal practice I utilize regarding my mental health. I’ve always been passionate about the way Video games brings and connects cultures and conceptual ideas.
I find maker spaces and hackathons a good step into the future of collaborative educational space. A question that persists however is how these spaces find their audience? And by this I mean how do we go about including diverse voices and fostering heterogeneous approaches instead unconsciously excluding people from the conversation and thus creating a continuous conundrum.
With the ArtSci Lab at The University of Texas at Dallas, Diamond Beverly in conversation with colleague Roger Malina discussed the affirmation game, mental health, and representation in video games.
TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN VIDEO GAME
DIAMOND BEVERLY, DR. JASON LATOUCHE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL AND FINE ARTS, TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY
This research was presented at both the Texas A&M Pathways research symposium as well as the Tarleton State Research Conference.
Abstract
Video games are a 100 Billion dollar industry whose narrative content has wide reaching global influence. Modern video games are often highly plot driven and contain significant representations of social norms, roles and structures. As such they have a strong cultural influence and impact in our society. Past research has shown that underrepresented groups in video games are often oversexualized and stigmatized by negative stereotypes and tropes. This study examines representations of characters’ race, gender, and sexual orientation in the top 10 grossing mass market video games and top 10 indie video games of 2016. It was hypothesized that indie video games would offer more numerical diversity and more balanced representation of these underrepresented groups due to the fact that indie video games often have less standardized corporate structures and more creator diversity. Results show that Indie games are more likely to feature traditionally underrepresented groups and more likely to show these groups exhibiting complex character structure and integration into the main plot of the video game. Comparatively, top grossing mass market video games that have more strict editorial guidelines and less diverse corporate structures tend to have less numerical and more stereotypical representation of underrepresented groups.
Video Game Research - DEBP
Download File
VIDEO GAME MEDIA
Mass media is responsible for setting a society’s values and perception of traditional gender roles, as well as the
general perception of specific cultural and ethnic groups, video games share this influential power equally if not
more so. “Video games have in fact surpass television in terms of time spent among some populations” - (Sherry et al.,
2006). Video games have an expansive reach that can has the power to influence and effect real life world decisions.
VIDEO GAME CENSUS (Past research)
Past research has shown that underrepresented groups in video games are often oversexualized and
stigmatized by negative stereotypes and tropes. In a study titled : The virtual census: representations of gender, race and age in video games, The outcome of the study shows a disproportional systematic over-representation of white, adult, males. when results were compared to traditionally underrepresented groups there was a great deal of systematic under-representation of these groups
STUDY HYPOTHESIS
This study examines representations of characters’ race, gender, and sexual orientation in the top 10 grossing mass
market video games and top 10 indie video games of 2016.
Studying if compared to Mass Market video games, indie games will have more numeric diversity of characters based
on race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Some of the categories observed (21 overall categories) : Race, Death, Love Interest, Incarceration, Gender Identity ,Sexuality, Personality traits, Morality
SCOPE OF THE INDUSTRY
Video games are a $99.6 Billion dollar industry, as of the end of 2016 data. The narrative and content of video games have wide
reaching global influence. According to the data report compiled by NewZoo on the Global Games Market in 2016 including the Report Premium, the global game market was worth $99.6 Billion in 2016 and will likely increases by at least $6.9 Billion by the end of 2017
DEMOGRAPHICS
The demographic for the average Gamer has expanded exponential in regard to race, gender and age. According to new zoos research 2017 Sales, Demographic and usage Data the average gamer is 35. Specifically women age 18 or older represent a significantly greater portion of the gaming population than men under 18, male identifying person that play video games are on average 33 years old. 65% of households own a device used for playing video games
In this Study I took the Top 13 Mass Market Video Games as well as the top 13 Indie games to compare
and contrast the characters interactions and correlation to the main story narrative through cut scenes.
a cut scene is an in-game cinematic that serves to further the plot or point the player toward a
specific narrative influenced by the interaction of other characters and the surroundings.
An Indie Game (independent video game), is a video game created by a single or small group of
individuals, without significant support from a video game publisher.
Mass Market (AAA) are games with the highest development budgets and levels of promotion
these games are expected to be a high quality game and to be among the year's bestsellers.
Works Citied
Lotz, A. D., & Lotz. (2011). Television. In D. Southerton, Encyclopedia of consumer culture. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Retrieved from https://zeus.tarleton.edu/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sagecc/television/0?institutionId=5155
Moe, H., Poell, T., Dijck, J. Rearticulating Audience Engagement: Social Media and Television Television & New Media (2016), Vol. 17(2) 99–107
Kaiser, R. (2014, July 20). The Curse of the Scruffy White Male: Why Representation Matters in Video Games. Retrieved October 29, 2017, from http://www.indiewire.com/2014/07/the-curse-of-the-scruffy-white-male-why-representation-matters-in-video-games-23990/
Anderson, M. (2015, December 17). Views on gaming differ by race, ethnicity. Retrieved October 29, 2017, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/17/views-on-gaming-differ-by-race-ethnicity/
June 2016.What is the Market Size of Gaming Industry - Digital Asif. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2017, from https://www.bing.com/cr?IG=379FA177B21047F7A1281E81755CA456&CID=3252D44017DC64E03A84DF6A16DA650A&rd=1&h=80XK86kapLH9LrJ7mSxKtVruo4Iq_SoBdAeV4MBYdnE&v=1&r=https%3a%2f%2fwww.digitalasif.com%2f2017%2f07%2f06%2fmarket-size-gaming-industry%2f&p=DevEx,5045.1
Video games are a 100 Billion dollar industry whose narrative content has wide reaching global influence. Modern video games are often highly plot driven and contain significant representations of social norms, roles and structures. As such they have a strong cultural influence and impact in our society. Past research has shown that underrepresented groups in video games are often oversexualized and stigmatized by negative stereotypes and tropes. This study examines representations of characters’ race, gender, and sexual orientation in the top 10 grossing mass market video games and top 10 indie video games of 2016. It was hypothesized that indie video games would offer more numerical diversity and more balanced representation of these underrepresented groups due to the fact that indie video games often have less standardized corporate structures and more creator diversity. Results show that Indie games are more likely to feature traditionally underrepresented groups and more likely to show these groups exhibiting complex character structure and integration into the main plot of the video game. Comparatively, top grossing mass market video games that have more strict editorial guidelines and less diverse corporate structures tend to have less numerical and more stereotypical representation of underrepresented groups.
Video Game Research - DEBP
Download File
VIDEO GAME MEDIA
Mass media is responsible for setting a society’s values and perception of traditional gender roles, as well as the
general perception of specific cultural and ethnic groups, video games share this influential power equally if not
more so. “Video games have in fact surpass television in terms of time spent among some populations” - (Sherry et al.,
2006). Video games have an expansive reach that can has the power to influence and effect real life world decisions.
VIDEO GAME CENSUS (Past research)
Past research has shown that underrepresented groups in video games are often oversexualized and
stigmatized by negative stereotypes and tropes. In a study titled : The virtual census: representations of gender, race and age in video games, The outcome of the study shows a disproportional systematic over-representation of white, adult, males. when results were compared to traditionally underrepresented groups there was a great deal of systematic under-representation of these groups
STUDY HYPOTHESIS
This study examines representations of characters’ race, gender, and sexual orientation in the top 10 grossing mass
market video games and top 10 indie video games of 2016.
Studying if compared to Mass Market video games, indie games will have more numeric diversity of characters based
on race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Some of the categories observed (21 overall categories) : Race, Death, Love Interest, Incarceration, Gender Identity ,Sexuality, Personality traits, Morality
SCOPE OF THE INDUSTRY
Video games are a $99.6 Billion dollar industry, as of the end of 2016 data. The narrative and content of video games have wide
reaching global influence. According to the data report compiled by NewZoo on the Global Games Market in 2016 including the Report Premium, the global game market was worth $99.6 Billion in 2016 and will likely increases by at least $6.9 Billion by the end of 2017
DEMOGRAPHICS
The demographic for the average Gamer has expanded exponential in regard to race, gender and age. According to new zoos research 2017 Sales, Demographic and usage Data the average gamer is 35. Specifically women age 18 or older represent a significantly greater portion of the gaming population than men under 18, male identifying person that play video games are on average 33 years old. 65% of households own a device used for playing video games
- 59% of Americans play video games
- 51% of all American households have a dedicated video game console
- 58% of all American adults have a smartphone
- 71% of players are over age 18
- 81% of young adults ages 18-29 play games
- 23% of seniors over age 65 play games
- 48% of players are girls or women
- 36% of players are women over age 18
- 17% of players are boys under age 18
- Sources: Nielsen, Pew, and the ESA.
In this Study I took the Top 13 Mass Market Video Games as well as the top 13 Indie games to compare
and contrast the characters interactions and correlation to the main story narrative through cut scenes.
a cut scene is an in-game cinematic that serves to further the plot or point the player toward a
specific narrative influenced by the interaction of other characters and the surroundings.
An Indie Game (independent video game), is a video game created by a single or small group of
individuals, without significant support from a video game publisher.
Mass Market (AAA) are games with the highest development budgets and levels of promotion
these games are expected to be a high quality game and to be among the year's bestsellers.
Works Citied
Lotz, A. D., & Lotz. (2011). Television. In D. Southerton, Encyclopedia of consumer culture. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Retrieved from https://zeus.tarleton.edu/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sagecc/television/0?institutionId=5155
Moe, H., Poell, T., Dijck, J. Rearticulating Audience Engagement: Social Media and Television Television & New Media (2016), Vol. 17(2) 99–107
Kaiser, R. (2014, July 20). The Curse of the Scruffy White Male: Why Representation Matters in Video Games. Retrieved October 29, 2017, from http://www.indiewire.com/2014/07/the-curse-of-the-scruffy-white-male-why-representation-matters-in-video-games-23990/
Anderson, M. (2015, December 17). Views on gaming differ by race, ethnicity. Retrieved October 29, 2017, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/17/views-on-gaming-differ-by-race-ethnicity/
June 2016.What is the Market Size of Gaming Industry - Digital Asif. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2017, from https://www.bing.com/cr?IG=379FA177B21047F7A1281E81755CA456&CID=3252D44017DC64E03A84DF6A16DA650A&rd=1&h=80XK86kapLH9LrJ7mSxKtVruo4Iq_SoBdAeV4MBYdnE&v=1&r=https%3a%2f%2fwww.digitalasif.com%2f2017%2f07%2f06%2fmarket-size-gaming-industry%2f&p=DevEx,5045.1
