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From: sunny@sun.uucp (Sunny Kirsten)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Jenny of the Prairie
Message-ID: <1857@sun.uucp>
Date: Sat, 8-Dec-84 02:45:13 EST
Article-I.D.: sun.1857
Posted: Sat Dec  8 02:45:13 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Dec-84 01:38:11 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Lines: 96

"In our play we reveal what kind of people we are." -Ovid, The Art of Love

From the 20November - 3December Bay Area Computer Currents:

"The words of Ovid ring true when we look at computer games and the people who
play them.  Some games are violent; they involve killing or destroying.  Many
games are competitive; they involve points, high scroes, and often "opponents".
Still other games are traditional multiperson games which now can be played by
a single person "against" the computer.

Who plays these games?  For the most part it is boys and men.  Indeed, these
games are a traditional introduction to computers for males.  And these games
are one of several reasons why it is mainly males who use and play with
computers.

People who study differences in how girls and boys play discover that these
differences mirror differences in values between girls and boys.  Boys value
competition; they will resolve a dsipute during a game to continue with the
game to determine a winner.  Girls value relationships; they will stop playing
a game when a dispute over the game threatens the relationship between the
participants.

The emphasis in most computer games is on competition, which means these games
will appeal to boys more than to girls.  Similarly, girls tend to adopt a more
pragmatic attitude toward rules, changing them when it makes sense, the
computer's rigid insistence on the rules makes playing a game against the
computer less enjoyable for them.  As well, girls play games as part of
relating to people rather than in order to win.  A "solo" game against the
computer holds little attraction to them.

Generally, boys are taught to value might.  Girls are taught to value and
protect life.  It is time we said the obvious - the female values which revere
creation and protection of life are values we should all learn, both boys and
girls, men and women.  And there is now a computer game that encourages these
values.

"Jenny of the Prairie" is one of several "Computer Games for Girls" published
by a company called Rhianon (named after a Celtic moon goddess).  These games
generally affirm and value life.  They have an appeal that should attract many
girls and some boys.  

"Jenny" involves a girl who is crossing the prairie in a wagon train when she
becomes separated from the rest of the party.  The game begins in summer and
Jenny needs to provide food, shelter, warmer clothing, and wood before winter
comes.

She has two choices for shelter - building a lean-to in a clearing or living
in a cave.  The cave is occupied by a fox.  Jenny must make friends with the
fox by patiently waiting until it takes an apple from her.  They then share the
cave.  In a more traditional computer game, you would probably kill the fox.

Survival, particularly by yourself ona prairie, is not easy.  And the game
reflects this harshness.  You can get attacked and killed by a rattlesnake or
a coyote.  Even here, though, Jenny avoids getting killed by running away from 
the danger, not by attacking and killing.

Jenny has several choices of foods - berries, apples and wheat - which are
available just by picking them.  She can also catch fish as they pass by in a
stream.  This is one of the few cases where the game requires hand-eye
coordination.

To stay warm during winter, Jenny must gather firewood.  She must first find
an ax and then chop trees.  She then has to carry wood to her cave or lean-to.
Jenny must also gather rabbit fur for the cape which keeps her warm during the
winter.  If she wishes to avoid killing rabbits, however, she can gather
extra wood.  This option particularly shows how we can often make choices that
do not result in killing, even when killing might otherwise appear justified.

As you would expect, survival alone is not the only goal.  Jenny can also pick
flowers to decorate her cave or lean-to.  However, this only occurs if she has
done the necessary survival chores of wood gathering, cape making, and food
storage.

The game does not have high scores.  It does hava score keeping mechanism to
keep track of whether enough wood, food, and cape materials have been gathered.
There is no bonus for gathering extra material.  And the goal is clear - to
survive the winter.  This goal, while challenging, is not too difficult to
achieve; and it can be done without harming the chances of others doing it.
Indeed it can be done cooperatively - [players can work together, rather than
playing against each other.]

Other games in the series include Chelse of the South Sea Islands, about a
19th Century girl stranded on a small Pacific island; Cave Girl Claire, about
survival in the prehistoric times; and Laureen of the 25th Century, about a
woman assigned to a reclamation project which threatens fragile life forms
in the area.

The games are available for $34.95 from: Rhianon, 3717 Titan Drive, Richmond, VA23225"

Bay Area Computer Currents is available by first class mail for $22/6mos. or
$40/year to US or Canada.  Subscriptions mailed bulk rate for $18/year or $32/2.
Center Productions, 2550 9th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 (415)848-6860
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