The Women of Quake

When did you first learn of Quake?

<Ylara> when I started working here. At Underground Onramp.

<GoddessUA> when i first played qtest at my work :)

<PMSaurora> February 26th (or 24th) when all my friends were sitting in IRC waiting for the Q-Test to be put online

<SS|Tessa> During my DOOM2 days. I’ve read Romero’s interview about quake in the DOOM2 strategy guide.

<KillCreek> well…I used to play Doom and Doom II with all my guy friends. When Qtest came out, we started playing over a LAN at my boyfriends house. I haven’t stopped since.

<PMSanna> when we got the test maps at theunderground onramp cafe and the kids all started playing

What about Quake attracted you to play the game?

<Ylara> It was bloody, I could kill other people that I knew without getting thrown in jail! :)

<GoddessUA> the adrenalin rush :) i got it from doom, and i knew it would be even better in quake.. killing people without actually hurting them is fun :). Im totally anti-violence in real life, but on the puter.. anything goes :)

<PMSaurora> The attraction: The guys who I know teased me about being a female and said I *couldn’t* play :). So I started playing, and lo and behold found I actually enjoyed the DM aspect of it.

<SS|Tessa> The realism of the 3D world is amazing, but it’s the ability to play against other people all around the world that really attracted me.

<KillCreek> I have always loved video games period, and quake is by far the most fun. It is a terriffic release of agression. I love just being able to run around, blow people to bits, scream, and just get my mind off of life for a while.

<PMSanna> i was hesitant to try it, but everyone was so excited about it and i was being asked questions daily about how to play I decided that it was time i gave it a try, see what all the hype was about.

How did you startup your clans? or join them?

<Ylara> I just got initiated, cause I’m a girl at the place where most of us hang out or work.

<GoddessUA> me and aurora started PMS because there were no all-female clans in the world yet :) we wanted to show the world that girls can play quake too.. about a month after starting it, i left thought because i couldnt handle all the email

<PMSaurora> For the PMS clan, it was a natural thing. For the most part all of us girls in it all know each other and live in the city (although we have picked up a couple from other places now)

<SS|Tessa> I had been playing Quake on the Internet for about two weeks, and regularly for about a week. One day I did particularly well in a game, and not one but two clans invited me to join, right there during the game.

<KillCreek> Well, all of the members of my clan, Impulse 9, are friends of mine. We all go to the University of Kansas and most of us live in the same house. Most of all, my boyfriend is a member. We all though it would be fun to form a clan. We had no idea we would be as competitive as we are!

<PMSanna> some of the guys strated up ELM and the girls were feeling quite left out, the guys seem to think that they are the only ones who play quake, but we wanted to be involved too. I think it was Aurora and Goddess (who is no longer with us) who came up with the idea.

How do you ladies go about playing in clan matches?

<GoddessUA> well, usually we log on the IRC< setup times and servers.. and then play on the net.. its pretty simple :). All it takes is some communication, planning, and a bit of skill :) clan games are a lot of fun when they get going right :) its amazing working with people all over the world to get the most frags against others :)

<KillCreek> As far as choosing who will play in any given match, we just draw straws. We are all of equal talent, so it would bee too hard to pick the four best. On game day, we all go to Spleenripper’s office and hook up to the T1s there.

<PMSaurora> We e-mail another clan (usually one who is in the same level in the clan wars ladder) and wait for them to accept it. Then we try a couple Quake servers to get fair ping times and set up a match. :)

<SS|Tessa> Well, my clan tries to get me to play in as many clan matches as possible, because it seems that losing to a girl is particularly humiliating to the other clan. :)

<GoddessUA> tessa: hehe.. yeah.. guys dont take it well when a girl kicks their ass :)

<PMSaurora> Tessa: that’s a good thing. No one would let us play… another reason we
started our own.

<PMSanna> we get a lot of email from people looking for matches. I think their is added intrest becassue we are all women. I cant tell you how many times i have seen email that says “are you really all chicks”?

<SS|Tessa> Actually, very few people took me seriously, even my own clan mates, until they had a chance to play against me… essentially, I had to earn their respect by beating them.

<GoddessUA> Tessa: Yeah, its hard getting respect from people who’s first reaction is “HAHA.. a girl?!?! playing quake?!?” :)

Is there any Quake players out there you idolize?

<PMSanna> idolize? hmmmm, let me think. From what i hear, and i seem to think that listening carefully down at the cafe i have my ear to the “goings on of quake”, kiljoy is the man to beat. Although i have never played against him i dont really know.

<Ylara> Uh.. no

<GoddessUA> I totally idolize robs from the Unholy Alliance and Disruptor from the Revolting Cocks and Starkweather from SlayCo.. they’re amazing players.. i wish i could be as good as them :)

<KillCreek> Haha…well, I absolutely idolize Tokay. No one can come near him. That guy is a maniac. I also fear playing Entropy from Impulse 9. We never get to play against each other unfortunately because we share a computer. Besides that, I really like Disruptor and Dnormlguy of RevCo.

<SS|Tessa> I idolize Goddess… <laugh> :) Now that I’ve proven myself, I find I have the opposite problem: my clan keeps telling others about me, and now I find I go onto servers and people tell me “Hey I’ve heard of you!” Not that fame was ever a problem… :)

<GoddessUA> No doubt, Tessa.. its weird going on a server and having people say “Hey.. you’re that girl from <insert clan name here>” :). Fame is awesome… although i let it get to my head a bit :)

<Ylara> The worst thing about being a female player is having some jerk call you names when you start to play, and have him insult you all through the game..

What do your friends think about you playing Quake so much?

<SS|Tessa> Well, my boyfriend says I yell and scream at the computer too much. :)

<GoddessUA> All my friends think its cool.. most of my friends I’ve met *through* the game, though.. so.. :). I get teased by my parents, though.. they think I’m obsessed :)

<SS|Tessa> It’s funny because the people I know in the “real world” are not very much into Quake. Then again, they were never into DOOM2 as much as I was either, so I guess I can see a trend developing. :)

<KillCreek> They think I am a total freak! I cant even talk about it without getting razzed a bit. Its all in good fun of course.

<Ylara> They don’t care.. And I really don’t play quake all that much.. in fact, I usually only do when doing a tourniment, or when I’m here all alone with nothing to do.

<PMSanna> they think it is hillarious. some of them have come out and tried it and most of them have had a really good time, but i dont think that they understand the totally rush of getting out there and playing a clan game.

<PMSaurora> Most of my friends Quake too. I get teased a lot at work by some
though.

What goes through your mind when playing a quake match?

<PMSaurora> “Jump on their head!!!”

<GoddessUA> what’s usually going through my mind is something along the lines of “grr.. that guy stole my grenade launcher.. he’s dead” :)

<KillCreek> KILL KILL KILL. Thats about it. Of course I always go after the best known players with a vengence.

<PMSaurora> Agreed, when you play it’s like this “kill or be killed feeling” Or it’s like “I *HAVE* to get that 100 health!!! It belongs to ME”!

<SS|Tessa> I tend to act very immaturely when I get my hands on the Quad damage. :)

<PMSanna> first thing: get my hands on some armour and a double barrel shot gun.then: where are my teammates and who is in trouble.lastly: how can i get some quad dammage, kill a few dozen enemy and not fall in the goo!

<Ylara> “MY ROCKET LAUNCHER!! You son-of-a-bitch!” That’s ’bout it.

Do you play single player mode at all or just stick with Deathmatch?

<Ylara> Deathmatch

<KillCreek> Well, I dont like to play single player too much. Its too tedious. I am addicted to deathmatch. Its so much fun to bring a guy to his knees with your rocket launcher!

<PMSanna> i never liked to play with the monsters, there is something *magical* about getting onto a machine and watching people that i know (often in real life) blow up into little bits. Sometimes i wonder if that is a really weird attitude.

<PMSaurora> I played single player mode once, just to look at the good monster
graphics..

<GoddessUA> I don’t play single player often, its not as much fun.. no adrenalin.. but I have beaten it on the second hardest difficulty :)

<SS|Tessa> I have to admit, I have a particular affinity for those fiends… :) They are simply the coolest monster ever made in a PC game.

<PMSaurora> Most definately. The monsters are to be applauded.

<GoddessUA> Deathmatch is just way more fun than single player.. single player seems so boring and uninteresting after you’ve had the thrill of blowing someone up from half way across the world..

If you had to rate Quake as a game, what would it be? Out of a possible 10, 1 being poor, 10 being excellent

<GoddessUA> an 11. :) Quake is by far the most fun game I’ve ever played.. there’s no game out there that can match the primal adrenalin feeling you get when you play.. its like Aurora said.. kill or be killed.. nothing else matters :)

<PMSaurora> I’d give it a 9. I couldn’t go to 10 because there isn’t a female option for the player. Even with making skins, you still LOOK like a guy :)

<Ylara> uh.. don’t really know.. never rated it before… 6?Well.. I’ve never really been good at rating things..

<SS|Tessa> I would give quake a 9… simply because I was slightly disappointed by the lack of story. Plus, as aurora says, we need a female player model who’s far slimmer than Mr. Quake. :)

<KillCreek> 10. I cant imagine a game better than quake. I will never get sick of this game.

<PMSanna> quake is the *only* game i play so i would have to give it a…. uhhhh ….. *10*, full marks if it can get me hooked

Now i expect an honest answer. Who realy is better at quake? Men or Women?

<Ylara> Women. Because we have alot of aggression, and killing alot of males is a good way to get it out.. therefore, since we do it alot, we’re awesome at it..

<KillCreek> Women by far, just ask the men I have whipped around. :) They fear me!

<PMSanna> men have raw instinct but women have something to prove. I think when it comes down to it, there is no gender in quake, only +100 health, +200 armour and power-ups if you are lucky and fast

<SS|Tessa> Hahaha… this may get me expelled from my clan… :)

<PMSaurora> There is no difference (shhh…. don’t tell the men that though). It depends on skill, not sex in all honestly.

<GoddessUA> That’s tough. :) Its more based on skill.. on the whole, I think men are better than females but that’s only because most girls are too scared to play.. :) And the teasing you get from being a girl kinda gets your morale down.. if you know you’re going to lose, there’s no point.. if you think you’re going to lose, you will.. and guys like to give us the impression that we’re GOING to lose.. although lately i’ve noticed more and more acceptance of girls in Quake.. guys are getting used to the idea that “girls can play quake too”

<SS|Tessa> Goddess: yeah, I find that women are less likely to have casual interest in computer games… either they are really into games or they’re not into them at all.

<GoddessUA> wow that was a long sentance :)

<PMSaurora> A lot more acceptance. People aren’t laughing as much :)

<SS|Tessa> Guys tend to respect women who can compete with them. :)

<GoddessUA> can i just say one more thing? :)

<G_Aaron> surely

<GoddessUA> The gaming world wasn’t ready for this at all.. I think us female Quakers have knocked the socks off of everyone.. we’re amazing, and that’s something everyone’s gonna have to get used to :)

https://web.archive.org/web/20000301115807/http://www.gamesmania.com:80/english/quake/women.htm