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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Pakistan female game designer on a mission for change | Pakistan female game designer on a mission for change |
| (4 days later) | |
| Gender roles are becoming more fluid than ever in Pakistan - but 29-year-old Sadia Bashir still stands out. | Gender roles are becoming more fluid than ever in Pakistan - but 29-year-old Sadia Bashir still stands out. |
| Although women have become more visible in sports and other areas in Pakistan, video gaming is still overwhelmingly for the boys. | Although women have become more visible in sports and other areas in Pakistan, video gaming is still overwhelmingly for the boys. |
| Sadia was not put off, however. She started not just playing video games, but developing them as well - from the age of 13. | Sadia was not put off, however. She started not just playing video games, but developing them as well - from the age of 13. |
| "My interest in computers began with video gaming, so I just continued to develop it," she told BBC Urdu. | "My interest in computers began with video gaming, so I just continued to develop it," she told BBC Urdu. |
| At one point, she even persuaded her parents to change her school so she could study computing. | At one point, she even persuaded her parents to change her school so she could study computing. |
| Deciding whether to continue her studies at university was also hard, as she knew her family might find it difficult to support her. | Deciding whether to continue her studies at university was also hard, as she knew her family might find it difficult to support her. |
| "Being a female in our society, people generally invest less in girls' education as compared to boys," she says. | "Being a female in our society, people generally invest less in girls' education as compared to boys," she says. |
| 'Mesmerised by CGI' | 'Mesmerised by CGI' |
| But the university decided to offer her a scholarship because of her ability and she completed her graduation. | But the university decided to offer her a scholarship because of her ability and she completed her graduation. |
| She was mesmerised by the beauty of computer graphics. | She was mesmerised by the beauty of computer graphics. |
| "I started making video games from there. My final-year project was to make a game that helps with cancer treatment by mimicking the action of treatments attacking cancer cells in an affected person's body." | "I started making video games from there. My final-year project was to make a game that helps with cancer treatment by mimicking the action of treatments attacking cancer cells in an affected person's body." |
| The idea was to visualise for cancer patients the therapy they are having to help them cope with their illness. | The idea was to visualise for cancer patients the therapy they are having to help them cope with their illness. |
| "Before that the video game was just a source of fun for me. But after this research project, I saw a different aspect to gaming and decided to further work in this field," she said. | "Before that the video game was just a source of fun for me. But after this research project, I saw a different aspect to gaming and decided to further work in this field," she said. |
| Sadia worked in the gaming industry for a year and a half, but felt she wasn't able to achieve what she wanted to do. | Sadia worked in the gaming industry for a year and a half, but felt she wasn't able to achieve what she wanted to do. |
| There are no real centres specialising in video game-making in Pakistan, she says. | There are no real centres specialising in video game-making in Pakistan, she says. |
| "I realised my dream was to learn how to make my own games. That's why I started my master's thesis and tried to know what mistakes are made and what is useful in making video games." | "I realised my dream was to learn how to make my own games. That's why I started my master's thesis and tried to know what mistakes are made and what is useful in making video games." |
| 'Even a housewife can make games' | 'Even a housewife can make games' |
| Sadia realised that whatever she had learned from education and research was not available to many young people. | Sadia realised that whatever she had learned from education and research was not available to many young people. |
| She abandoned her job and started an institution named PixelArt Games Academy, where she trains young people in how to make video games. | |
| "There is no game design concept in the gaming industry in Pakistan. People have great ideas - but how to turn those into good games is the skill they lack. This is what we teach our students." | "There is no game design concept in the gaming industry in Pakistan. People have great ideas - but how to turn those into good games is the skill they lack. This is what we teach our students." |
| Designing is not down to special education or skill, she believes. | Designing is not down to special education or skill, she believes. |
| "We tell people that this can be done by anyone. Whatever your education, even a school student or a housewife can make games." | "We tell people that this can be done by anyone. Whatever your education, even a school student or a housewife can make games." |