New women-led game design program at Mohawk College to focus on ethics and inclusion
New women-led game design program at Mohawk College to focus on ethics and inclusion
New women-led game design program at Mohawk College to focus on ethics and inclusion
By Kate McCullough
October 29, 2022
Summary
She grew up playing action and adventure video games on Atari, Commodore 64 and Nintendo DS, and has continued as an adult, using them as a "Motivational tool" in research and writing.
Lisa Funnell said some of the games, in particular a remake of a 1990s Lara Croft game, were "Triggering and off-putting." "The opponent threatened to sexually assault Croft and, as a player, I had to press a series of buttons in a particular order to survive the attack," Funnell, Mohawk College's associate dean of creative industries, told The Spectator in an email.
Funnell failed the first time, and watched her character be "Brutally murdered on screen." "It was so disturbing that I didn't want to continue playing the game," she said.
"It made me question, who green-lit this portion of the game?" Funnell hopes a new Mohawk game-design program with a bent toward ethics will help change the way games are developed.
The program, which will host its first cohort next fall, will have "a unique focus on breaking down barriers and creating gaming content that better reflects today's more diverse and inclusive society," reads a recent release.
The three-year advanced diploma was developed in response to a "Fast-growing" industry, and will teach design, technical and artistic skills involved in game production, along with ethics in both game content and the workplace.
Reference
McCullough, K. (2022, October 29). New women-led Game Design program at Mohawk College to focus on ethics and inclusion. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2022/10/29/new-women-led-game-design-program-at-mohawk-college-to-focus-on-ethics-and-inclusion.html