The Gaming Persona
Welcome to The Gaming Persona, a unique podcast that traverses the exciting crossroads of gaming and mental health. With your host, Dr. Gameology, peel back the layers of the gaming world to discover its profound impact on our cognitive and emotional health. You'll understand how video games, far from being mere entertainment, can act as powerful tools for personal growth, stress relief, and mental resilience. Join fellow gamers and enthusiasts in thought-provoking discussions, unraveling the intricacies of game design, the psychology of gaming, and the surprising ways in which these elements influence our well-being.
Immerse yourself in The Gaming Persona, the one-of-a-kind podcast that seamlessly blends the worlds of video gaming and mental health. Guided by our resident (but not evil) expert, Dr. Gameology, we endeavor to unlock the untapped potential of gaming as a catalyst for enhancing our mental resilience, stimulating personal growth, and promoting stress relief.
For The Gaming Persona is fascinated by the intricacies of game design, exploring the careful balance of challenges, rewards, narratives, and immersion that makes video games captivating experiences. Through engaging discussions, we illuminate the psychological aspects of gaming – the motivations, the emotional connections, and the gratification that players derive from their virtual adventures.
But our exploration doesn't stop there. We also examine the transformative potential of video games on our mental landscapes. Drawing from a wide swath of research, anecdotal evidence, and personal experiences, we highlight how gaming helps shape cognitive abilities, emotional resilience, and social skills.
The Gaming Persona is more than just a podcast. It's a platform for gamers and non-gamers alike to gain a new perspective on gaming - not as a mere hobby or a form of escapism, but as a powerful medium of self-improvement and well-being.
Each episode of our show is meticulously crafted to provide a balanced blend of immersive storytelling, engaging discussions, and knowledge-packed content. We delve into the heart of game design, unraveling the intricate weave of elements that make video games a compelling form of entertainment and a profound tool for personal development.
But we're not just about games. We're about you, the gamer. The Gaming Persona aims to cast a fresh light on the psychological facets of gaming that resonate with players. We decode the motivations, the emotional bonds, and the sense of fulfillment that gamers derive from their digital exploits.
And it doesn't end there. As you tune in week after week, you'll discover the transformative power of gaming on cognitive flexibility, emotional resilience, and social connections. You'll hear from researchers, mental health professionals, game developers, and fellow gamers who share their insights, experiences, and personal anecdotes.
Imagine a podcast that can simultaneously entertain, educate, inspire, and challenge your perspectives. That's The Gaming Persona for you. By making us a part of your weekly routine, you're embarking on a journey of personal growth and self-discovery, all while indulging in your love for video games.
So, if you're ready to challenge the status quo and explore the intersection of gaming and mental health, join Dr. Gameology and a vibrant community of like-minded individuals on this enlightening journey.
So, why wait? Subscribe to The Gaming Persona today. Challenge your perspectives, enrich your mind, and game your way to mental resilience. With each episode, you won't just be playing; you'll be growing, learning, and evolving. Welcome to the community.
Subscribe to The Gaming Persona now, and game your way to a healthier mind.
#gaming #mentalhealth #wellbeing #gameology #gamingpersona #podcast #continuethejourney
The Gaming Persona
Powering Through Life's Quests with Lessons from the Gaming Universe
Life's a game, and we're all players—sometimes leveling up, sometimes facing the final boss in the form of daily challenges. That's the essence we're exploring today, as I recount the rollercoaster of moving into a new home, creating a sanctuary for my gaming passion, and grappling with the bittersweet symphony of Final Fantasy VII's legacy and its rebirth. Meanwhile, Jenny LeBron pulls back the curtain on her own saga, tackling the consistency of Legends of Runeterra amidst navigating the turbulent waters of her professional world and health. Gene Wong offers a breath of fresh air with his musings on the changing of seasons, and we take a moment to shout out to Kaylee Lopez from the Anthropology and Gaming podcast for her invaluable support in keeping our community engaged and our discussions vibrant.
Let's talk pixels and personas as we journey into the intricacies of world-building and side quests, with a focus on Chadley's role in the Final Fantasy VII Remake. As we dissect the shift to 3D open worlds and the strategic play involved in the seemingly mundane tasks that fortify our characters, we also ponder the more controversial aspects, like the omnipresent microtransactions that are reshaping our beloved pastime. For those with their ear to the gaming ground, you'll appreciate my personal anticipation for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth—and the lengths I'll go to avoid spoilers. So power up your consoles, press play on this episode, and join us as we piece together the mosaic of gaming and its undeniable influence on the everyday.
If you would like to support the show and help us unlock additional possibilities for future episodes and projects, this can now be done through Patreon!
Subscribe on YouTube for more content on the Psychology of Gaming or to catch a Live Stream!
For more info, check out DrGameology.com!
More Links Here!
Thanks for Listening, and Continue The Journey!
Welcome to the gaming persona podcast. This is the show that explores who we become when we play games. I'm your host still, dr Gamology, from YouTube and online classrooms across the country, and I'm joined by two of my best friends from my gaming journey, jenny LeBron and Gene Wong. Friends, I still have you. How are you doing this week?
Speaker 2:I'm doing fantastic and I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm doing pretty alright, we're coming out of winter.
Speaker 1:Winter is leaving.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Alright, that's awesome. I have been looking forward just to doing something normal that doesn't have to do with unpacking boxes or assembling furniture and has faces on the screen with me. So thank you so much. Can't wait to do an episode tonight. Before we get started, where can our listeners find us?
Speaker 2:You can find my photography page on Instagram at jlebronphotography or jlebronphotographycom, if you are curious about what a nerdy person's photos look like.
Speaker 1:And I'm Dr Daniel Kaufman. I am Dr Gameology on YouTube, twitch and other social apps mostly threads if you want to send me a message and talk to me, and you can find me on this show every week.
Speaker 3:The Gaming Persona can be found on Apple Podcasts, spotify, google and most anywhere else podcasts can be found. If you are enjoying our content, be sure to leave a review on your favorite listening app.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and we're in the month of March 2024. Wow, this year has been so different than I thought it was going to be three months ago and I just want to give a shout out to our patrons on Patreon. You can also support the show as a membership on YouTube. But we have Kaylee Lopez joining us. She runs a podcast called Anthropology and Gaming and I've really been enjoying listening to it because I've actually been questioning whether counseling was the right field for me, because it turns out I love anthropology because it connects so nicely with philosophy and religion and all the mythology. Just really fun to listen. Thank you so much for supporting the show and, all right, jenny, you're historically the one who answers this question. What are we talking about today?
Speaker 2:I guess we're just talking about life lately. I actually don't know how long since the last time that we podcasted all together and a lot's gone on in our personal lives probably not so much in our gaming lives, but we'll touch on all of it, I'm sure all right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's just look at tonight like it's a great big heaping portion of ordinary world yeah because, uh, it has been busy. There isn't really an academic topic tonight, but, jenny, you're absolutely. Let's do a transition to the ordinary world where we share everyday life through our games. Ha, I remember how to do this. There are more Final Fantasy VII games now than there were the last time we spoke.
Speaker 1:But, unfortunately, I have played the same number of Final Fantasy VII games as the last time we spoke, so that should tell everybody what life has been like in February and March. All right, let's share the spotlight here in February and March. All right, let's share the spotlight here. How have we been doing since the last episode where we were talking about what is Final Fantasy for our third part in the series?
Speaker 2:It seems like a lifetime ago, like I've lived many lives in the month of February and it is the shortest month of the year and I cannot. Video game wise, I will say I have lives in the month of February and it is the shortest month of the year and I cannot. Video game wise, I will say I have the only game that I've been playing consistently, if at all, has been Legends of Runeterra, and I've talked about that game a couple times in the past, but it's a like roguelike card game digitally, like a video game based on league of legends, like that lore. So it's in that world and it's been a lot of fun we are. I play with my boyfriend and he basically controls everything physically, but I tell him what to do most of the time, which is fun. We have just been grinding, leveling up our people, doing our dailies and our weeklies and trying to get new powers and such. So it's been fun.
Speaker 2:I think since the last time we recorded it was announced that they changed the. Either they fired a bunch of people or they just changed the focus of the game to be less PvP and more PvE, which I'm excited about because we don't play PvP, we don't play PvP and so that means there's more attention, more energy on that side of the game. So I'm happy about that. But yeah, that's been my gaming life. We did watch, or start to watch, the first episode of the League of Legends animated show. That's on Netflix, or is it on Netflix? I'm not sure.
Speaker 1:It's on Netflix.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm pretty sure I fell asleep. Excellent yeah.
Speaker 2:Not because it wasn't interesting, but that's just been my life. I've been extremely overworked and health-wise things have been crazy. I was supposed to be on a cruise working photographing but I ended up having to cancel it the day before. Because I was supposed to be on a cruise working photographing but I ended up having to cancel it the day before because I was in the hospital. It was not a good month for me. It's been extremely stressful and I'm pretty sure the stress is what landed me in the situation that I'm in currently. So I'm trying to relax and not overwork myself right now.
Speaker 1:I really hope the podcast doesn't feel like work to you, janet. Sometimes it feels like work to me because I'm thinking about how great the conversation is and then my brain slips into you're going to have to edit this.
Speaker 2:Oh no, oh man.
Speaker 1:But I'm really glad to see you. You, I'm sorry that happened to you. I can't imagine the stress of having to accept that you have to cancel a job like that.
Speaker 2:That was awful. I've never had to do anything like that before and I don't. Oh, so terrible. Thankfully, a photographer friend of mine who was already working with them was able to take over for me, and so that made me feel a lot better. But yeah, it was devastating.
Speaker 1:Cool, cool. I used to think that I'm limitless in terms of what I can do professionally, and I think a lot of that mentality actually comes from whatever happens in my brain as I level up video game characters, and I want to save the world in whatever way I can too, because if these characters can do it and they never stop as long as I'm holding the controller.
Speaker 1:And the last six months or so I've really come to understand that there is a line there where I can't keep going. I really don't remember that line being there.
Speaker 2:I know, yeah, it's definitely an aging thing and it was really hard for me to accept. Like I still, even after being in the hospital, was like I can still do this, like I'll still go, I'll just tell them what's going on and I'll try and be on light duty or whatever. But there is no light duty with that job. It's an extremely demanding week and thankfully I have very understanding bosses and they were like please don't do something that you don't. You don't want to be trapped on a boat while you're really sick. So I would have been in the middle of the ocean for three days before I could get help. So it was not, it was just terrible.
Speaker 1:That's like the plot of a movie.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:Okay, jean, you might be the only person who can recenter our discussion on the gaming Persona. Goodness, no pressure.
Speaker 3:My life hasn't been so bad?
Speaker 1:I don't know.
Speaker 3:I actually got the game, so there's that.
Speaker 1:Are you Final?
Speaker 3:Fantasy VII Rebirth. No, I'm not. So the issue is I started Persona 3 Reload Okay. Issue is I did I started persona 3 reload okay, and that is a monster of again in of itself, which pushed back my start date of rebirth. That's how I finished it and started rebirth. Now I'm only roughly 40 of the way through a rebirth. Maybe I just got the gold saucer in terms of the context of this game and so on, like, I think, the fourth so zone out of 10 zones nine or ten zones?
Speaker 1:yeah, so how many hours do you think they made this game to to be to play it, because I know remake was about 30 ish I would say no, this one's way longer.
Speaker 3:At this point, at the 40, I'm at like 30 hours okay that's a lot more similar to how long my playthrough of persona 5 royal was then yeah, because if you refer, if you compare it to the original final fantasy 7 things like you know the part where you go from midgar to calm and then you just blitz through, get a chocobo and go through the mithril mines, that's a couple hours of gameplay. No, the entire region of calm is full of side quests and things to do. So just going to get your Chocobo and go through Mifflor Mines, that's 10 hours of gameplay. Yeah Well, not 10, but many hours of gameplay, like five or six. And then you get past the mines and before you go up to Junon, there's a whole region down there called Under Junon, and that's another eight hours of gameplay. So it's like they really beefed up each individual section of the game.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I noticed in remake too that there were a lot of instances where something that takes 30 seconds has a whole chapter segment built around it, and they really got a lot out of that first part of the story that way. So it makes sense that they would continue to do that, because this is the part of the story that way. So it makes sense that they would continue to do that because this is the part of the game where the map is open to you. And, yeah, so if you take things that took five minutes and turn it into a one hour thing, you do that enough.
Speaker 3:You get a 100 hour game very easily yeah, and they really took the 3d open world game design inspiration to it, because there's random loot all over the map. You're running around your truck while digging up items. There's this random things to scan and get data on. Yeah, they really went all in on making it a 3d open world game okay are.
Speaker 1:Are you scanning things because of Chad Lee? Yep, that's how you get a lot of yeah.
Speaker 3:So one thing is you can't really not do it. Unfortunately you can, but you'll be weak Because they've added this. It's similar enough-ish to a relationship point system, right when your party has a level, and so when your party gains level, you gain access to more abilities. And so if you don't go around doing random craft for Chad Lee, you don't gain as much party experience.
Speaker 1:I am only on this planet to do whatever Chad he has me to do. If that menu has a number that is not 1 out of 1, 17 out of 17, with a green checkmark, I will not leave the area Right.
Speaker 2:So I'm going to explain to you what Chadley is, because I have no idea what he's talking about is because I have no idea what he's talking about.
Speaker 1:Chadley is an android boy that gives you extra missions that are a complete distraction from the mission of saving the world yeah he claims that he needs to do scientific research to understand humans and stuff. So he's go do things chadley is not someone who I would talk to chadley also gives you a VR headset so you can fight the summon bosses inside your own head and earn them in battle for real. So you defeated Ifrit in your mind, so now you can actually channel him.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, chadley is a little more. He's more annoying, but he's more interesting at the same time.
Speaker 2:This time around, because as you go around scanning things.
Speaker 3:As you go around scanning things, he actually tells you the history of things as, oh, you scanned all the stuff in junon. Let me give you some background information on junon, which didn't exist in original Final Fantasy VII. You're just like, oh, the city's here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so if you want to be a historian, become friends with Chadley.
Speaker 2:Pass.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sidequests give you EXP, better weapons and better gear. Jenny.
Speaker 2:It's a waste of time.
Speaker 3:It's hard to avoid him this time. He's everywhere. He's a menace.
Speaker 1:That's why I asked, because I've already heard a little bit online that people are not into what he brings to the table in this game.
Speaker 3:He's just. He's just like entity, because every 10 feet he's like there again.
Speaker 1:You can learn something from this. You can learn something from that. Find me something from that. Find me five more of these. Defeat 10 more of that. So I guess we're just doing the ordinary world today and I realized that I probably didn't cover exactly what happened to me. I moved, I'm in a new house, I'm in a new office. It's not completely set up yet. I don't have my chair is flickering on my green screen like crazy this whole episode. But you know what A recorded episode is better than an episode that never happened. Here we are.
Speaker 1:I have played one new game since we all talked and that is WWE 2K24. I did hear great things about it. It is so good. They have improved my faction mode so much. They created a system where you spend tickets to play a completely randomized style of matches and they made a debuff system. That really fixed one of the most aggravating problems in tag team matches in the previous game and I'm enjoying it a lot.
Speaker 1:Wwe is ramping up to their WrestleMania season right now in actual life. So playing the game, just checking in each day to get your daily bonus and stuff is fun. I have resisted spending money on their microtransaction store Because it's a scam of the IGCCB, which is for the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board. We are going to have to do a conversation about 2K and their microtransaction schemes in a future episode, because that has to happen Now.
Speaker 1:I have bought microtransactions in WWE games, but the cards that they're offering as the best you can open in the pack it's just a scam. And now they have timers. They're like this pack is only available for three more days. It's, I see, through the lies of not the Jedi of the game studio. So they've added a couple new match types. The roster is amazing. The history of WrestleMania mode is fun and also I feel a lot better picking up a controller and playing one match that could take under six minutes and then going back to work. Or my coffee's done, brewing now, so back to work or unbox something. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth although I bought it as a pre-order and it's on my PS5, I just don't feel like In the midst of all that chaos, is the best time to enjoy that.
Speaker 1:I want it to be. I want it to be a special experience, because Final Fantasy seven is the game. That sort of that triggered all of this for me, and so I just hope I don't get spoiled by the Internet that's. That's a big fear too.
Speaker 3:People are rampant on the internet about Ereth dying.
Speaker 1:Ereth died what 27 years ago. This is not graffiti about that event. It's on the subway in Wreck-It Ralph. So yeah, is on the subway In Wreck-It Ralph, right? So yeah, that's the reference. I went with everybody. That's funny. So I'm getting settled in. Work is going good. The book is going really well. I am going to be At WonderCon At the end of the month in Anaheim. So if anyone's listening that's planning to go to that event, they have all kinds of rules and as of today, march 12th, I'm not allowed to say why I'm going to be at WonderCon. But if you've listened to the history of the show or any of my streams where I'm talking about convention stuff, I recently said during a Final Fantasy XIV stream that there are so many of those that I could go to that there is only one reason why I would ever go to them. I didn't say why I'm going to be there, but you can figure it out Cryptic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, come on. That's.
Speaker 2:I feel, like.
Speaker 1:that's obvious. That's not even Riddler-esque, but the fantasy seven will be fun. And then topics. We're in a we're in a conundrum. We were going to do an episode about pow world yeah it's old news now, and every day that we go beyond this point, another studio seems like it's either closing or getting closed or firing hundreds of employees. So the game industry is not a happy place right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So that's been really big in the news and it's been really devastating as I listened to all of my usual podcast rotation. Just really sad. And also at my school. I'm on this committee to create our game development and game design bachelor's programs and I'm just thinking to myself oh my gosh, if the world keeps going this way, do schools need to have these programs? Ah, negativity. So I hope it turns around. I hope that the games industry stabilizes, because when people make games like the ones we're talking about, it really does make a difference in people's days. So that's everything with me. I got the move, the con.
Speaker 3:I mentioned wwe are you actually moved? Are you still unpacking? I'm in my new office.
Speaker 1:I guess my definition of moved is if I'm in the house but all my stuff is still in boxes, I don't count it. Oh no, we're functional, the furniture is in place and appliances are set up and we can live our day. But when you look around, there's still things like ah, that's not quite the way we want it. Yet what do you like in your house? Oh, I like it a lot. I hope the finance stuff gets you the first of the following month right. We'll see how cheery I feel between.
Speaker 1:April 1st and April 10th I feel between April 1st and April 10th, but yeah, I'm really excited to to see what it's like being here. I don't want to move ever again, so maybe just let's just stay here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I'm hoping I don't have to move again. I need, are you?
Speaker 1:hoping you don't have to move again, Jean. Yeah, I'm having a great time all right, we are now all officially unmovable and silence all right.
Speaker 3:I've just discovered I should have lived in this climate my whole life. I think it's a much more agreeable to me physically than 90 degree, yeah like I can go outside.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, gene, I don't see any grand theft autos being in your state, so okay, yeah, I like to visit up north, but I wouldn't say it's more agreeable I don't know I.
Speaker 3:I like being able to walk around outside without being drenched yeah, that is nice I I used to never go outside and that made me feel icky after a while.
Speaker 2:Yeah that makes sense.
Speaker 1:Right now it's really nice to go outside here yeah, it's 50 in the morning and low mid 80s in the afternoon. It's been very nice. All right, we give our listeners an exorbitant amount of weather information for a video game podcast I know, I think it's funny all right, I think that we are good to wrap up. It's been really nice connecting with all of you talking about what role games have played as we deal with the chaos of life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and yeah, it's definitely like the nights that I get to play runeterra with my boyfriend. Like I get excited for it. It really is. It really is such a good wind down moment for us yeah I agree.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately, I probably have to do work after we're done recording, so I just got to figure it out right? What's the schedule? That I will be happy with that I can actually keep yeah, and then my potential will be unlocked. All right, if these conversations sound fun to you and you're looking for some great people to play Olin games with, check out AIE at aie-guildorg. And I have one last quest for everyone to collect for the day. I don't know what should I say here.
Speaker 2:Find your balance.
Speaker 1:I'm sure I've said that many times. All right, and I have one last quest for everyone to collect for the day Find your balance and continue the journey.
Speaker 2:See you next week.
Speaker 3:Bye, thank you.
