Nina Modaffari

We sat down and spoke with Nina Modaffari, an artist working at BonusXP.

QRM: Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do in the games industry?

Nina: I'm a professional concept artist and non-professional gamer. I've been drawing ever since I was a child and from the first time I played a videogame and looked through its concept art book, I was inspired to become a concept artist myself.

QRM: How long have you been involved in the game industry, and what projects have you worked on? What are you working on currently?

Nina: I've been working as a contract artist for about two years, and was an intern at Disney Interactive (working on games such as Frozen Free Fall and Cinderella Free Fall) for about a year. I just recently got a job at BonusXP as an artist working on Hero Academy 2.

QRM: What inspired you to get started in the games industry?

Nina: I was inspired ever since I was a kid to become an artist – the idea of being able to create my own worlds with my own characters and monsters was something that made me happy. I became even more inspired after I learned that not a lot of ladies were working in the industry, or, if they were, that it was not well represented. I've always loved seeing other artists work, and wanted to be able to create characters that people could love and identify as.

QRM: In what ways do you feel your experiences as a queer person manifest in the games you work on, and influence the work you do?

Nina: Most, if not all, of the characters I create are LGBT, unless specified differently by the job itself. I also try and draw more female characters, or characters that identify as female, as they are so desperately lacking in many games currently available. Practical (not boob cup) armor is also a must.

QRM: Do you have a favourite queer character—in games or media more generally? If so, what is it about them that makes them your favourite?
Question asked by @kamienw.

Nina: Billie Lurk (disabled bisexual black woman) is one of my most favorite characters. Dishonored in general has a good, diverse cast of characters, but Billie is one of the most interesting, dynamic female characters, having been in each of the games. She's snarky, no-nonsense and extremely badass, but also empathetic and merciful.

QRM: Have you ever encountered roadblocks in trying to include queer characters in games? What do you think is preventing greater diversity within games?
Question asked by @dustinalex91.

Nina: It can be hard because when you're told to design a character, even if you picture this character to be queer, it ultimately (usually) isn't up to you. That character will be taken and moulded to fit whatever purpose the game designers or writers see fit. It can be a bit disheartening as an artist because you almost mould this character from nothing and may have ideas about his/her/their backstories or lifestyle, and that can all be taken away in an instant.

I think ultimately it's societal expectations and norms that are preventing further diversity. The men in armchairs further up the chain, the ones who deem games successful or not, are the ones who stay in charge while the company that made the 'not so successful game with a female or LGBT character that didn't do so well' (aka didn't sell ten billion copies) are the ones who are shut down. I, as an artist, can only hope that things change from up the chain, but don't feel like there's a lot of power in what I can do except things I do outside of work.

QRM: Why do you think it is important that queer audiences are able to see themselves represented in the games they play, and in the developers who make the games they see? What can we do to improve the industry for queer audiences and devs?

Nina: Because six or seven years ago I fell in love with a character that I later discovered was asexual: Mordin Solus from Mass Effect. Before that time I thought I was broken, that something was wrong with me, until I later learned that it was perfectly normal. When I later discovered that I was also a lesbian, I clung onto characters who were similar to help me feel better about myself. It's so discouraging to play games where only one type (usually white, male, straight) is represented. You feel alone.

QRM: Have you ever mentored somebody in your role in games, or been mentored? If so, what made these experiences worthwhile for you?
Question asked by @pepelanova.

Nina: I always love teaching and talking to other artists within the community. I've helped other artists not only struggling with identity issues, but also depression, and encouraged them to keep going and have always kept my door open to anyone with troubles.

QRM: In what ways can non-queer folk increase and support queer diversity present within games, as well as in the industry more broadly? How can we all work to support intersectional approaches to diversity, and why is this important?

Nina: I'd say try creating characters that are queer, or helping spread characters made by queer (or otherwise) artists. Exposure helps immensely, and helping shout out an amazing queer artist that they found does wonders.

QRM: Is there a message that you would like to share with the queer game players, game studies researchers, and other interested folks who comprise the Queerly Represent Me community?

Nina: Hang in there. A few years ago, I was in a very bad place, thinking I'd never make it, but today I am happy, living with my girlfriend of almost five years in an apartment with a duck pond nearby. It's almost idyllic, something I'd have laughed at if someone had told me years ago that I'd be living [like this]. Feeling isolated and alone can do terrible things to a person's mind, so I'd encourage other queer youth struggling with depression and identity issues to reach out to someone else, and talk about it.

Be strong! You can do it. 😊

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You can find Nina on Twitter and via her website.