the mod community for bethesda has consistently improved their games within months of their release. One of the primary reasons I think they allow for it to this day. They've tended to hire so-so graphics teams and programmers that put together a huge game with a lot of story and abilities.. then better artists and programmers come in, play the game, and make mods that fix the game for free.. I just wish they would hire some of these people and have it released correctly the first time around
I mean people are rewriting code that makes the game run faster and look better.. decrease loading times, add better lighting and make it capable of handling more detail. Why couldn't their team of professionals do that in the first place? why do we need to wait months for some actually skilled animator to come in and add what they were too lazy to add? That's been my rant, and the reason I get the PC version each time, despite having played oblivion and skyrim on ps3.. I end up turning around and getting it for pc after so i can get a better experience.. :S
if not for the fact they put a lot of good story work and open world design into the game.. most of the initial work builds that solid base.. the game would probably be ignored. It's the solid foundation that shows it's potential and excites people to improve upon it.
As for getting women into games.. one often has to find the false idea that computers are not for girls, when in fact, computers and females go all the way back to WWII. The first "computers" WERE women.. the reason that we have programming language and computers in our own homes is BECAUSE OF women like Grace Hopper. So it's just as bad as the idea that men can't cook, yet cooking and men go back to the stone age..
Fight the root preconceptions first.. then work on the notion that games provide nothing useful.. bring the understanding that it's interactive entertainment made by and industry which makes anually more than the TV and movie industry combined. That there is a variety of experiences available in game format which can provide just entertainment or even teach skills or enhance your problem solving abilities. Puzzles are good for our brains, and sometimes a little escapism a day can be a healing tool for a stressed mind.. and a lot cheaper than a vacation.
.
