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{{Short description|Writer and game designer}}
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{{Article for deletion/dated|page=Whitney &#34;Strix&#34; Beltrán|timestamp=20210329182421|year=2021|month=March|day=29|substed=yes}}
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| name = Whitney "Strix" Beltrán
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'''Whitney "Strix" Beltrán''' is a [[narrative designer]] and the Project Narrative Director at [[Hidden Path Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home|url=http://www.hiddenpath.com/|access-date=2021-03-27|website=Hidden Path Entertainment|language=en-US}}</ref> She has previously worked on [[indie game]]s ''Bluebeard's Bride'' and ''HoloVista.'' She founded the advocacy initiative Gaming as Other to promote inclusivity in the gaming community.
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| occupation = [[Narrative designer]]
| spouse = [[Ajit George]]
| notable_works = ''[[Bluebeard's Bride]]''
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'''Whitney "Strix" Beltrán''' is a [[narrative designer]] and Project Narrative Director at [[Hidden Path Entertainment]]. Her writing and design career includes the [[indie role-playing game]] ''[[Bluebeard's Bride]]''. She also founded the advocacy initiative Gaming as Other to promote inclusivity in the gaming community.


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Beltrán has said she started playing NES at a young age, began playing RPG before she was a teenager, and was running game organizations in her early 20s.<ref name="BGG 2016">{{cite news |title=Interview with the designers of Bluebeard's Bride |url=https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/58741/interview-designers-bluebeards-bride |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=BoardGameGeek |date=October 19, 2016}}</ref> In graduate school, she studied mythology.<ref name="BGG 2016"/> As a PhD student, she conducted research for the game lab at the Carnegie Mellon Human Computer Interaction Institute.<ref name="RPGG 2015">{{cite news |title=Interview with Strix: Myths, minorities, and feminine horror |url=https://www.rpggeek.com/blogpost/40708/interview-strix-myths-minorities-and-feminine-horr |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=RPGG |date=April 7, 2015}}</ref>
Beltrán has said she started playing [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] at a young age, playing [[Role-playing game|RPG]] before she was a teenager, and was running game organizations in her early 20s.<ref name="BGG 2016">{{cite news |title=Interview with the designers of Bluebeard's Bride |url=https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/58741/interview-designers-bluebeards-bride |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=BoardGameGeek |date=October 19, 2016}}</ref> In graduate school, she studied mythology.<ref name="BGG 2016"/> As a PhD student, she conducted research for the game lab at the Carnegie Mellon [[Human-Computer Interaction Institute]], and was advised by [[Jessica Hammer]].<ref name="RPGG 2015">{{cite news |title=Interview with Strix: Myths, minorities, and feminine horror |url=https://www.rpggeek.com/blogpost/40708/interview-strix-myths-minorities-and-feminine-horr |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=RPGG |date=April 7, 2015}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==
Beltrán has written for a variety of video games, including State of Decay 2, Beyond Blue, and Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Macgregor |first1=Jody |title=There's a big-budget open-world Dungeons & Dragons game in development |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/au/theres-a-big-budget-open-world-dungeons-and-dragons-game-in-development/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=PC Gamer |date=February 28, 2021}}</ref> She was the narrative designer for the 2020 Aconite augmented reality ([[Augmented reality|AR]]) game, HoloVista,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ong |first1=Alexis |title=Welcome to HoloVista: a surreal game that explores our relationship with technology |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/17/21223481/holovista-surreal-mixed-reality-game-iphone |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=The Verge |date=April 17, 2020}}</ref> which she described as "a strange ode to post-modernism and Western capitalism, bathed in vaporwave-y aesthetics."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Damiani|first=Jesse|title=Aconite Comes Out Of Stealth And Announces First Game: ‘HoloVista,’ A Stunning Mobile Mixed Reality Experience|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessedamiani/2019/11/20/aconite-comes-out-of-stealth-and-announces-first-game-holovista-a-stunning-mobile-mixed-reality-experience/|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> In March, 2021, it was announced that she would be the narrative director for an upcoming open-world D&D game.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chowdhury |first1=Mahirul Alam |title=New D&D open-world game in development |url=https://gameriv.com/new-dd-open-world-game-in-development/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=GameRiv |date=March 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Marshall |first1=Cass |title=An ambitious open-world D&D adventure game is in the works |url=https://www.polygon.com/2021/3/3/22311738/open-world-dungeons-dragons-hidden-path-entertainment-development |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Polygon |date=March 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Robert N. |title='Defense Grid' Developers Working on New D&D Game |url=https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/defense-grid-developers-working-on-new-dd-game |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=TechRaptor |date=March 3, 2021}}</ref>
Beltrán has written for a variety of video games, including ''[[State of Decay 2]]'' and ''[[Beyond Blue (video game)|Beyond Blue]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Macgregor |first1=Jody |title=There's a big-budget open-world Dungeons & Dragons game in development |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/au/theres-a-big-budget-open-world-dungeons-and-dragons-game-in-development/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=PC Gamer |date=February 28, 2021}}</ref> She was the narrative designer for the 2020 augmented reality ([[Augmented reality|AR]]) game, [[HoloVista]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ong |first1=Alexis |title=Welcome to HoloVista: a surreal game that explores our relationship with technology |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/17/21223481/holovista-surreal-mixed-reality-game-iphone |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=The Verge |date=April 17, 2020}}</ref> which she described as "a strange ode to post-modernism and Western capitalism, bathed in vaporwave-y aesthetics."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Damiani|first=Jesse|title=Aconite Comes Out Of Stealth And Announces First Game: 'HoloVista,' A Stunning Mobile Mixed Reality Experience|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessedamiani/2019/11/20/aconite-comes-out-of-stealth-and-announces-first-game-holovista-a-stunning-mobile-mixed-reality-experience/|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> In March 2021, it was announced she would be the narrative director for an upcoming open-world D&D video game by [[Hidden Path Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chowdhury |first1=Mahirul Alam |title=New D&D open-world game in development |url=https://gameriv.com/new-dd-open-world-game-in-development/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=GameRiv |date=March 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Marshall |first1=Cass |title=An ambitious open-world D&D adventure game is in the works |url=https://www.polygon.com/2021/3/3/22311738/open-world-dungeons-dragons-hidden-path-entertainment-development |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Polygon |date=March 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Robert N. |title='Defense Grid' Developers Working on New D&D Game |url=https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/defense-grid-developers-working-on-new-dd-game |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=TechRaptor |date=March 3, 2021}}</ref> She was also a writer on the D&D campaign guide book ''[[Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft]]'' (2021).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-05|title=The new D&D computer game comes from a surprising studio|url=https://www.geeknative.com/129278/the-new-dd-computer-game-comes-from-a-surprising-studio/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Geek Native|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Beltrán|first=Strix|date=May 18, 2021|title=Guest Blog: Reimagining Valachan in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft|url=https://blog.roll20.net/posts/guest-blog-reimagining-valachan-in-van-richten-s-guide-to-ravenloft/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=Roll20}}</ref>

In July, 2023, it was announced that Beltrán would become the studio director for a new AAA studio, Dawon Entertainment, based in Bangalore, India, "building culturally focused games by Indian developers for Indian players, embracing India's captivating folklore, art, music, and cutting-edge technology sector."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheehan |first1=Gavin |title=Prytania Media Founders Launch Two New AAA Gaming Studios |url=https://bleedingcool.com/games/prytania-media-founders-launch-two-new-aaa-gaming-studios/ |website=bleedingcool.com/ |access-date=19 August 2023}}</ref> However, on May 10, 2024, Dawon announced on LinkedIn that its parent company, Prytania Media, had closed it. <ref>{{cite web |title=Dear friends and supporters of Dawon Entertainment|url=https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dawon-entertainment_dear-friends-and-supporters-of-dawon-entertainment-activity-7194049170658189312-KQfS/ |website=linkedin.com |access-date=22 June 2024}}</ref>


=== Bluebeard's Bride ===
=== Bluebeard's Bride ===
Beltrán wrote and designed the game with Marissa Kelly and Sarah Richardson, based on the [[Bluebeard|Bluebeard fairy tale]].<ref name="IGDN"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Bluebeard’s Bride {{!}} Magpie Games|url=https://magpiegames.com/bluebeards-bride/|access-date=2021-03-25|language=en-US}}</ref> After $130,000 was raised for development,<ref name="Padar 2017" /> and extensive research conducted by Beltrán and her coauthors into classic characters in western horror,<ref name="Baume 2017">{{cite news |last1=Baume |first1=Matt |title=Diving Deep into Gothic Horror in 'Bluebeard's Bride' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bm4dda/diving-through-gothic-horror-in-bluebeards-bride |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Vice |date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> Magpie Games released ''Bluebeard's Bride'' in October of 2017 as a tabletop investigative mystery. In a review for ''Dread Central'', Rachel Beck writes, "The story itself has the elegant simplicity of a fairytale," and it "is an explicitly feminine horror piece, and at its heart it’s a game about systemic social and physical violence towards women."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beck |first1=Rachel |title=BLUEBEARD’S BRIDE Review – No Way Out; Only Forward |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/278886/bluebeards-bride-review-no-way-out-only-forward/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Dread Central |date=July 29, 2018}}</ref> Sharang Biswas at ''Dicebreaker'' writes, "The point is for the players to fail, to experience what failure means. Through this, the game delivers its central ideas of feminist and feminine horror, using powerlessness as a game mechanic and employing supernatural hyperbole of real-world misogyny to highlight anti-feminist thought."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Biswas |first1=Sharang |title=Indie RPGs show roleplaying can - and should - be far more than Dungeons & Dragons |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/roleplaying-game/feature/indie-rpgs-more-than-dnd |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Dicebreaker |date=February 17, 2021}}</ref> Matt Baume, writing for ''Vice'', writes that Beltrán and her coauthors "unpacked centuries of narrative tradition, and eventually distilled their feminine archetypes into Animus, which embodies strength; Virgin, representing obedience; Witch, suggesting sinfulness; Fatale, for sensuality; and a Mother who soothes."<ref name="Baume 2017" />
Beltrán wrote and designed the game with Marissa Kelly and Sarah Richardson, based on the [[Bluebeard|Bluebeard fairy tale]].<ref name="IGDN"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Bluebeard's Bride {{!}} Magpie Games|url=https://magpiegames.com/bluebeards-bride/|access-date=2021-03-25|language=en-US}}</ref> After $130,000 was raised for development,<ref name="Padar 2017" /> and extensive research conducted by Beltrán and her coauthors into classic characters in western horror,<ref name="Baume 2017">{{cite news |last1=Baume |first1=Matt |authorlink=Matt Baume |title=Diving Deep into Gothic Horror in 'Bluebeard's Bride' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bm4dda/diving-through-gothic-horror-in-bluebeards-bride |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Vice |date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> [[Magpie Games]] released ''Bluebeard's Bride'' in October 2017 as a tabletop roleplaying game.<ref name="RPGG BB">{{cite news |title=Bluebeard's Bride |url=https://rpggeek.com/rpg/44438/bluebeards-bride |access-date=31 March 2021 |work=RPGG}}</ref> In a review for ''[[Dread Central]]'', Rachel Beck writes, "The story itself has the elegant simplicity of a fairytale," and it "is an explicitly feminine horror piece, and at its heart it's a game about systemic social and physical violence towards women."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beck |first1=Rachel |title=BLUEBEARD'S BRIDE Review – No Way Out; Only Forward |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/278886/bluebeards-bride-review-no-way-out-only-forward/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Dread Central |date=July 29, 2018}}</ref> [[Sharang Biswas]] at ''[[Dicebreaker]]'' writes, "The point is for the players to fail, to experience what failure means. Through this, the game delivers its central ideas of feminist and feminine horror, using powerlessness as a game mechanic and employing supernatural hyperbole of real-world misogyny to highlight anti-feminist thought."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Biswas |first1=Sharang |title=Indie RPGs show roleplaying can - and should - be far more than Dungeons & Dragons |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/roleplaying-game/feature/indie-rpgs-more-than-dnd |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Dicebreaker |date=February 17, 2021}}</ref> [[Matt Baume]], writing for ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]'', writes that Beltrán and her coauthors "unpacked centuries of narrative tradition, and eventually distilled their feminine archetypes into Animus, which embodies strength; Virgin, representing obedience; Witch, suggesting sinfulness; Fatale, for sensuality; and a Mother who soothes."<ref name="Baume 2017" /> Magpie Games released ''Bluebeard's Bride: Book of Rooms'' in 2018, ''Bluebeard's Bride: Book of Lore'' and ''Bluebeard's Bride: Book of Mirrors'' in 2019, and ''Bluebeard's Bride: Booklet of Keepsakes'' in 2020.<ref name="RPGG BB"/>


==Gaming as Other==
==Gaming as Other==


Gaming as Other is an initiative founded by Beltrán to promote inclusivity in the gaming community.<ref name="Padar 2017">{{cite news |last1=Padar |first1=Jody |title=Kickstart your gaming project: An Interview with Whitney Beltran |url=https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/97968/null |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Voice America |date=March 21, 2017}}</ref> Outreach has included panel discussions, short videos, and written commentary that advocates for inclusion in the gaming industry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gaming As Other ⋆ StrixWerks|url=http://www.strixwerks.com/gaming/|access-date=2021-03-24|website=StrixWerks|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Beltrán |first1=Whitney Strix |title=Why Minority Settings in RPGs Matter |url=https://www.tor.com/2015/04/27/why-minority-settings-in-rpgs-matter/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Tor.com |date=April 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Beltrán |first1=Whitney Strix |title=Gen Con 2016 Sends Clear Message that Gaming is for Everyone |url=https://www.tor.com/2016/05/17/gen-con-2016-sends-clear-message-that-gaming-is-for-everyone/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Tor.com |date=May 17, 2016}}</ref>
Gaming as Other is an initiative founded by Beltrán to promote inclusivity in the gaming community.<ref name="Padar 2017">{{cite news |last1=Padar |first1=Jody |title=Kickstart your gaming project: An Interview with Whitney Beltran |url=https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/97968/null |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Voice America |date=March 21, 2017}}</ref> Outreach has included panel discussions, short videos, and written commentary that advocates for inclusion in the gaming industry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gaming As Other ⋆ StrixWerks|url=http://www.strixwerks.com/gaming/|access-date=2021-03-24|website=StrixWerks|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Beltrán |first1=Whitney Strix |title=Why Minority Settings in RPGs Matter |url=https://www.tor.com/2015/04/27/why-minority-settings-in-rpgs-matter/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Tor.com |date=April 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Beltrán |first1=Whitney Strix |title=Gen Con 2016 Sends Clear Message that Gaming is for Everyone |url=https://www.tor.com/2016/05/17/gen-con-2016-sends-clear-message-that-gaming-is-for-everyone/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Tor.com |date=May 17, 2016}}</ref> Beltrán is also a member of The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI) of the [[Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI) |url=https://www.sfwa.org/member-links/committees/dei/ |website=Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America |access-date=30 March 2021}}</ref>


==Works==
==Works==
* {{cite book |author1=Jessica Hammer |author2=Whitney Beltrán |author3=Jonathan Walton |author4=Moyra Turkington |editor1-last=Zagal |editor1-first=José P. |editor2-last=Deterding |editor2-first=Sebastian |title=Role-Playing Game Studies |date=April 17, 2018 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781317268314 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Role_Playing_Game_Studies/ix9WDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 |access-date=29 March 2021 |chapter=Power and Control in Role-Playing Games}}
* {{cite book |author1=Jessica Hammer |author2=Whitney Beltrán |author3=Jonathan Walton |author4=Moyra Turkington |editor1-last=Zagal |editor1-first=José P. |editor2-last=Deterding |editor2-first=Sebastian |title=Role-Playing Game Studies |date=April 17, 2018 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781317268314 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ix9WDwAAQBAJ |access-date=29 March 2021 |chapter=Power and Control in Role-Playing Games}}
* {{cite book |author1=Whitney Beltrán |editor1-last=Bowman |editor1-first=Sarah Lynne |editor2-last=Vanek |editor2-first=Aaron |title=Wryd Con Companion Book |date=2013 |publisher=[[Wyrd Con Interactive Theater convention|Wryd Con]] |url=https://www.academia.edu/5702677 |access-date=30 March 2021 |chapter=Shadow Work: A Jungian Perspective on the Underside of Live Action Role-Play in the United States}}
* {{cite book |author1=Whitney Beltrán |editor1-last=Bowman |editor1-first=Sarah Lynne |editor2-last=Vanek |editor2-first=Aaron |title=Wryd Con Companion Book |date=2012 |publisher=[[Wyrd Con Interactive Theater convention|Wryd Con]] |url=https://www.academia.edu/4081435 |access-date=30 March 2021 |chapter=Yearning for the Hero Within: Live Action Role-Playing as Engagement with Mythical Archetypes}}


==Honors and awards==
==Honors and awards==
⚫
* 2018 Game of the Year, Best Art, [[Indie Game Developer Network]] (''Bluebeard's Bride'')<ref name="IGDN">{{cite web |title=Previous Groundbreaker Award Winners |url=https://www.igdnonline.com/previous-award-winners |publisher=Indie Game Developer Network |access-date=29 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wieland |first1=Rob |title=These 5 Incredible Indie RPGs Are Groundbreaking (And Award-Winning) |url=https://nerdist.com/article/these-5-incredible-indie-rpgs-are-groundbreaking-and-award-winning/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=[[Nerdist]] |date=August 2, 2018}}</ref>
⚫
* 2018 [[IndieCade]] Grand Jury Award (''Bluebeard's Bride'')<ref>{{cite news |title=2018 INDIECADE AWARDS |url=https://www.indiecade.com/awards5/2018-awards/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=International Festival of Independent Games}}</ref>
⚫
* 2019 [[ENnie Awards]] nominee, Best RPG Related Product (''Bluebeard's Bride: Book of Lore'')<ref>{{cite news |title=Congratulations to all of the 2019 ENNIE Award Nominees and Winners! |url=https://ennie-awards.com/portfolio-item/2019-nominees-and-winners/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=ENNIES}}</ref>
⚫
* 2020 Presenter, 55th Annual [[Nebula Award]]s<ref>{{cite news |title=SFWA Announces the Winners of the 55th Annual Nebula Awards |url=https://www.comicmix.com/2020/05/31/sfwa-announces-the-winners-of-the-55th-annual-nebula-awards/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=ComicMix |date=May 31, 2020}}</ref>
* 2021 [[The Game Awards]] Future Class<ref>{{cite news |last1=McBride |first1=Genevieve |title=The Game Awards Reveals The Inaugural Future Class |url=https://sknr.net/2020/12/10/the-game-awards-reveals-the-inaugural-future-class/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Skewed & Reviewed |date=December 10, 2020}}</ref>
* 2021 [[The Game Awards]] Future Class<ref>{{cite news |last1=McBride |first1=Genevieve |title=The Game Awards Reveals The Inaugural Future Class |url=https://sknr.net/2020/12/10/the-game-awards-reveals-the-inaugural-future-class/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Skewed & Reviewed |date=December 10, 2020}}</ref>
⚫
* 2020 Presenter, 55th Annual Nebula Awards<ref>{{cite news |title=SFWA Announces the Winners of the 55th Annual Nebula Awards |url=https://www.comicmix.com/2020/05/31/sfwa-announces-the-winners-of-the-55th-annual-nebula-awards/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=ComicMix |date=May 31, 2020}}</ref>
⚫
* 2019 [[ENnie Awards]] nominee, Best RPG Related Product (Bluebeard’s Bride: Book of Lore)<ref>{{cite news |title=Congratulations to all of the 2019 ENNIE Award Nominees and Winners! |url=https://ennie-awards.com/portfolio-item/2019-nominees-and-winners/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=ENNIES}}</ref>
⚫
* 2018 Game of the Year, Best Art, Indie Game Developer Network (Bluebeard’s Bride)<ref name="IGDN">{{cite web |title=Previous Groundbreaker Award Winners |url=https://www.igdnonline.com/previous-award-winners |publisher=Indie Game Developer Network |access-date=29 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wieland |first1=Rob |title=These 5 Incredible Indie RPGs Are Groundbreaking (And Award-Winning) |url=https://geekandsundry.com/these-5-incredible-indie-rpgs-are-groundbreaking-and-award-winning/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=Geek & Sundry |date=August 2, 2018}}</ref>
⚫
* 2018 [[IndieCade]] Grand Jury Award (Bluebeard's Bride)<ref>{{cite news |title=2018 INDIECADE AWARDS |url=https://www.indiecade.com/awards5/2018-awards/ |access-date=29 March 2021 |work=International Festival of Independent Games}}</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 36: Line 49:
== External links ==
== External links ==
* [https://www.strixwerks.com/ StrixWerks] (Official Website)
* [https://www.strixwerks.com/ StrixWerks] (Official Website)
* [https://gamasutra.com/view/news/353772/Video_Insights_from_the_GDC_2019_Narrative_Innovation_Showcase.php Video: Insights from the GDC 2019 Narrative Innovation Showcase] (''[[Gamasutra]]'', 2019)


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Latest revision as of 13:33, 12 October 2024

Whitney "Strix" Beltrán
OccupationNarrative designer
Notable workBluebeard's Bride
SpouseAjit George

Whitney "Strix" Beltrán is a narrative designer and Project Narrative Director at Hidden Path Entertainment. Her writing and design career includes the indie role-playing game Bluebeard's Bride. She also founded the advocacy initiative Gaming as Other to promote inclusivity in the gaming community.

Early life and education

[edit]

Beltrán has said she started playing NES at a young age, playing RPG before she was a teenager, and was running game organizations in her early 20s.[1] In graduate school, she studied mythology.[1] As a PhD student, she conducted research for the game lab at the Carnegie Mellon Human-Computer Interaction Institute, and was advised by Jessica Hammer.[2]

Career

[edit]

Beltrán has written for a variety of video games, including State of Decay 2 and Beyond Blue.[3] She was the narrative designer for the 2020 augmented reality (AR) game, HoloVista,[4] which she described as "a strange ode to post-modernism and Western capitalism, bathed in vaporwave-y aesthetics."[5] In March 2021, it was announced she would be the narrative director for an upcoming open-world D&D video game by Hidden Path Entertainment.[6][7][8] She was also a writer on the D&D campaign guide book Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (2021).[9][10]

In July, 2023, it was announced that Beltrán would become the studio director for a new AAA studio, Dawon Entertainment, based in Bangalore, India, "building culturally focused games by Indian developers for Indian players, embracing India's captivating folklore, art, music, and cutting-edge technology sector."[11] However, on May 10, 2024, Dawon announced on LinkedIn that its parent company, Prytania Media, had closed it. [12]

Bluebeard's Bride

[edit]

Beltrán wrote and designed the game with Marissa Kelly and Sarah Richardson, based on the Bluebeard fairy tale.[13][14] After $130,000 was raised for development,[15] and extensive research conducted by Beltrán and her coauthors into classic characters in western horror,[16] Magpie Games released Bluebeard's Bride in October 2017 as a tabletop roleplaying game.[17] In a review for Dread Central, Rachel Beck writes, "The story itself has the elegant simplicity of a fairytale," and it "is an explicitly feminine horror piece, and at its heart it's a game about systemic social and physical violence towards women."[18] Sharang Biswas at Dicebreaker writes, "The point is for the players to fail, to experience what failure means. Through this, the game delivers its central ideas of feminist and feminine horror, using powerlessness as a game mechanic and employing supernatural hyperbole of real-world misogyny to highlight anti-feminist thought."[19] Matt Baume, writing for Vice, writes that Beltrán and her coauthors "unpacked centuries of narrative tradition, and eventually distilled their feminine archetypes into Animus, which embodies strength; Virgin, representing obedience; Witch, suggesting sinfulness; Fatale, for sensuality; and a Mother who soothes."[16] Magpie Games released Bluebeard's Bride: Book of Rooms in 2018, Bluebeard's Bride: Book of Lore and Bluebeard's Bride: Book of Mirrors in 2019, and Bluebeard's Bride: Booklet of Keepsakes in 2020.[17]

Gaming as Other

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Gaming as Other is an initiative founded by Beltrán to promote inclusivity in the gaming community.[15] Outreach has included panel discussions, short videos, and written commentary that advocates for inclusion in the gaming industry.[20][21][22] Beltrán is also a member of The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI) of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.[23]

Works

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  • Jessica Hammer; Whitney Beltrán; Jonathan Walton; Moyra Turkington (April 17, 2018). "Power and Control in Role-Playing Games". In Zagal, José P.; Deterding, Sebastian (eds.). Role-Playing Game Studies. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781317268314. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  • Whitney Beltrán (2013). "Shadow Work: A Jungian Perspective on the Underside of Live Action Role-Play in the United States". In Bowman, Sarah Lynne; Vanek, Aaron (eds.). Wryd Con Companion Book. Wryd Con. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  • Whitney Beltrán (2012). "Yearning for the Hero Within: Live Action Role-Playing as Engagement with Mythical Archetypes". In Bowman, Sarah Lynne; Vanek, Aaron (eds.). Wryd Con Companion Book. Wryd Con. Retrieved 30 March 2021.

Honors and awards

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Interview with the designers of Bluebeard's Bride". BoardGameGeek. October 19, 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Interview with Strix: Myths, minorities, and feminine horror". RPGG. April 7, 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  3. ^ Macgregor, Jody (February 28, 2021). "There's a big-budget open-world Dungeons & Dragons game in development". PC Gamer. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  4. ^ Ong, Alexis (April 17, 2020). "Welcome to HoloVista: a surreal game that explores our relationship with technology". The Verge. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  5. ^ Damiani, Jesse. "Aconite Comes Out Of Stealth And Announces First Game: 'HoloVista,' A Stunning Mobile Mixed Reality Experience". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  6. ^ Chowdhury, Mahirul Alam (March 4, 2021). "New D&D open-world game in development". GameRiv. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  7. ^ Marshall, Cass (March 3, 2021). "An ambitious open-world D&D adventure game is in the works". Polygon. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  8. ^ Adams, Robert N. (March 3, 2021). "'Defense Grid' Developers Working on New D&D Game". TechRaptor. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  9. ^ "The new D&D computer game comes from a surprising studio". Geek Native. 2021-03-05. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  10. ^ Beltrán, Strix (May 18, 2021). "Guest Blog: Reimagining Valachan in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft". Roll20. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  11. ^ Sheehan, Gavin. "Prytania Media Founders Launch Two New AAA Gaming Studios". bleedingcool.com/. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Dear friends and supporters of Dawon Entertainment". linkedin.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Previous Groundbreaker Award Winners". Indie Game Developer Network. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Bluebeard's Bride | Magpie Games". Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  15. ^ a b Padar, Jody (March 21, 2017). "Kickstart your gaming project: An Interview with Whitney Beltran". Voice America. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  16. ^ a b Baume, Matt (March 25, 2017). "Diving Deep into Gothic Horror in 'Bluebeard's Bride'". Vice. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  17. ^ a b "Bluebeard's Bride". RPGG. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  18. ^ Beck, Rachel (July 29, 2018). "BLUEBEARD'S BRIDE Review – No Way Out; Only Forward". Dread Central. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  19. ^ Biswas, Sharang (February 17, 2021). "Indie RPGs show roleplaying can - and should - be far more than Dungeons & Dragons". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Gaming As Other ⋆ StrixWerks". StrixWerks. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  21. ^ Beltrán, Whitney Strix (April 27, 2015). "Why Minority Settings in RPGs Matter". Tor.com. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  22. ^ Beltrán, Whitney Strix (May 17, 2016). "Gen Con 2016 Sends Clear Message that Gaming is for Everyone". Tor.com. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  23. ^ "The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI)". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  24. ^ Wieland, Rob (August 2, 2018). "These 5 Incredible Indie RPGs Are Groundbreaking (And Award-Winning)". Nerdist. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  25. ^ "2018 INDIECADE AWARDS". International Festival of Independent Games. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Congratulations to all of the 2019 ENNIE Award Nominees and Winners!". ENNIES. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  27. ^ "SFWA Announces the Winners of the 55th Annual Nebula Awards". ComicMix. May 31, 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  28. ^ McBride, Genevieve (December 10, 2020). "The Game Awards Reveals The Inaugural Future Class". Skewed & Reviewed. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
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