Interview with Raychul Moore

“There is definitely a difference in cultures between males and females, but I think we can enjoy the same things equally.”

ResumePlay talks to Gamegirl.com’s Raychul Moore about girls in gaming and whats different and not different about gamer girl culture.

— — —

ResumePlay: So to start off, some questions about the website?

Raychul Moore: Sure!

RP: Alright, here’s a generic one for you then. What do you think makes Gamegirl.com different from other websites?

RM: On Gamegirl.com we focus not on being a female but on just being gamers. Never will you find us pushing the fact that we are girls onto you through our articles (even though the name of our site has the word “girl” in it, that’s a whole different story). We write what we are passionate about within the industry and we do it because we love it; not because it’s a job. When hiring, I look for girls who have the knowledge and the passion first and writing ability second.

RP: Do you find that you get a different style of writing or opinion because you have an all female staff?

RM: Honestly, no not at all. The girls on GameGirl are so wildly diverse, we have the hardcore gamer, the competitive gamer, the old-school gamer, the RPG gamer and the all-around everything gamer. We cover anything and everything from hardcore shooters, to casual plat formers.

RP: Do you deal with any unique challenges due to the difference? Not that there really seems to be a difference at all.

RM: I think the only challenges we encounter is being females. At times we get some resistance or hesitation from readers, but that just makes the challenge that more fulfilling when we earn their trust and prove that we are completely gamers.

RP: Do you think that people still generally think that gaming isn’t for girls?

RM: I do, but only a tiny bit. You know, it is still a “man’s” industry and I am completely fine with that.

RP: So do you think theres a difference in gaming culture between males and females?

RM: There is definitely a difference in cultures between males and females, but I think we can enjoy the same things equally.

RP: What would you say are some of the key differences?

RM: Guys tend to be more competitive, although there are tons of great pro female gamers out there, you just see more male pro gamers than females. While there are an impressive amount of female gamers out there you do see a lot more females than males getting into the industry to try to use it to branch out into an acting career instead of being in it for the love of the industry.

RP: Do you think instances like that are becoming more common or less common?

RM: Definitely more common which is a shame. I think right now gaming is such a popular thing to be in that it really is a ticket into fame for the peopleout there that are desperate to get into Hollywood one way or another. I think that this will continue to be the case until gaming is no longer the “in” thing. 

“I love to just run into a room and start firing at anything that moves, especially if it involves zombies. “

Then and only then will we see who is it in for the long run and not just in it for the popular points. Not trying to be negative or anything and not saying every “girl gamer” is in it for the fame, that’s definitely not the case. Just that there is an alarming amount of people who are in it for the wrong reasons and that it’s a shame that it’s the truth.

RP: So you would agree with me if I said that gaming culture is but a shell of what it used to be, before it became “in”?

RM: I completely agree with your statement. It’s so overloaded with smoke and mirrors. Everyone is trying to please the main market, which happens to be the casual market right now, that sometimes the quality of what these developers are making takes an unfortunate turn to crap.

RP: Sort of like a “why make great games if decent will sell better?” sort of deal.

RM: I remember when gaming was about the game and the story, now it’s all about who has the better graphics or who can hold more enemies on the screen. Also with all of these peripherals coming out it makes things even more gimmicky. Just give me a controller and let me play.

RP: Would you blame this on the Wii? To be blunt.

RM: Hahaha, No I wouldn’t say that. The Wii did break new ground and what they are doing they are doing well. Nintendo has always been a more casual or family friendly company and I think they stayed true to their roots. It’s Microsoft and Sony who I think are to blame with their new attempt to make a buck off of the casual market. Nintendo has that covered, I think Microsoft and Sony should just let Nintendo have it and focus more on what their market wants – you know, the gamers who have stayed loyal and who have gotten them to where they are today.

RP: What do you think of  Project Natal?

RM: Honestly, I am very hesitant about it. That kind of stuff always seems great in theory but never works out of the box. Just think of the PS2 Eye Toy or Xbox Live Vision Cam and how anytime you tried to play a game with it it would lock on to the plant behind you or the fan that was running instead. I just don’t think that the technology is there yet. Sure, scrolling the blades on your Xbox might seem cool, but after a while I will just be asking for my controller back.

RP: So 360 or PS3? whats your favorite?

RM: Well it depends on the game really. My 360 definitely wins in the multi-platform war and I prefer playing online on my 360 but the PS3 is finally getting some quality games for it. Games like inFAMOUS and the upcoming God of War 3, Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain are starting to make me a proud PS3 owner.

RP: Favorite game this year?

RM: I would have to go with Resident Evil 5, so far. I am sure that will change if you ask me the same question at the end of the year. Really, Resident Evil 5 was such a great game and the co-op was really what made it for me. I on my 4th play-through and looking for someone to play it on Veteran with me. Any takers?

RP: I really felt that Resident Evil 5 lost the atmosphere of the games.

RM: True, but I am totally into co-op games. I remember “creating” co-op back with Resident Evil 1, me and my friend would call each other and boot up our game at the exact same time. Then we would play RE1 while on the phone with each other. That was co-op before there was such a thing.

RP: Are you a controller thrower at all?

RM: I can be a controller-thrower at times, but I am more of a potty-mouthed pillow-puncher.  Very few games have made me throw my controller. I have a 56” TV so that keeps me very weary about when or where I throw my controller.

RP: Fair enough, and I guess to wrap everything up, are you an achievement or trophy junkie?

RM: Yes…very much so! I am not an achievement sell-out though. Those are the people who will play games they aren’t even interested in just to try to get achievements. I love getting achievements and will work on something over and over again to get one. They are so satisfying!

— — —

You can see more of Raychul at Gamegirl.com, Raychul.com, Myspace, Playfire and Twitter.

Tags: Gamegirl Girl Interview Inteviews Raychul Raychul Moore resumeplay