Dear Future Gamer,

I agree with Sarah Presswell's letter saying that more games need a good plot. I think it's something most of the women gamers look for, me included. Quake has no real plot and I can't stand the game for that. Even Half-Life is only marginally better with a slightly more realistic plot.

There has to be more to a game for me to like it than just the big guns. I do play Quake but only on the Net in teams. Deathmatch is an unfriendly sport where people seem to insult everybody and few try to help anybody out with problems. The teamplay scene is much different. Most people are friendly and all the teams are really close. People help newbies and share tricks and tactics.

Another thing. The debate about PCs Vs consoles. Until keyboards come as standard with consoles there will always be PCs. So what if there's a console you don't like? Don't buy it. It doesn't matter whose console is best. What matters is that you like yours.

Elhana

FG: The debate about which games are more appealing to a female audience has been going for years. Your point about enjoying a blast on Quake but only in co-operative team mode where you're part of a gang who strive to reach common goals is interesting. Perhaps there's something in the male psyche that gives men more pleasure if they're acting autonomously and something in the female psyche that gives women more pleasure if they can feel more a part of a community. Would anyone with a better understanding of psychology care to comment? As for your last point, I couldn't agree more.