Games Institute Podcast
The Games Institute (GI) Podcast is currently on indefinite hiatus due to a lack of funding and resources to support the platform. The GI Podcast began as a way of delivering conversations about current research in games and immersive technologies by spotlighting emerging and established scholars. Hosted by GI graduate students and supported by GI administrative staff, the podcast offered a more personal look into the lives of researchers and chronicled their inspiration for pursuing research in games and immersive technologies. The podcast also covered a broad range of topics, including but not limited to: media studies, human-computer interaction, artificial...
Wed, April 02, 2025
057: Discovering Rhetorical Figures with Citizen Science with Adeshola Ogunsanya, Drake Dong, Nathan D’Silva, and Dr. Randy Harris
On this episode of the GI Podcast, co-hosts Sid Heeg and Dr. Emma Vossen sit down with the Rhetoricon Team. Led by Dr. Randy Harris of the English Language and Literature department at the University of Waterloo, the Rhetoricon project is the longest running project at the Games Institute. Dr. Harris' project examines rhetorical figures in language for the purposes of building ethical language learning models and utilizing citizen science to contribute to the database. Joining the conversation are three students on the project Adeshola Ogunsanya, Drake Dong, and Nathan D’Silva, who provide their expertise from working on the database and explore how working on this interdisciplinary project has impacted them. Links https://rhetoricon.uwaterloo.ca/ https://gofigure.uwaterloo.ca/ https://uwaterloo.ca/english/profiles/randy-harris
Fri, March 07, 2025
056: Diversity and Inclusion in Social Virtual Reality with Dr. Eugene Kukshinov
In this episode of the GI Podcast, co-hosts Toben Racicot and Sid Heeg sit down with postdoctoral fellow Dr. Eugene Kukshinov and his work in social virtual reality and exploring the concept of presence within VR environments. Bio: Dr. Eugene Kukshinov is a media psychology and HCI postdoctoral researcher. He got his PhD in Media and Communication from Temple University, USA. His focus is on understanding psychological processing of media and technology. This includes immersive experiences and their interrelationships in different contexts such as (Social) VR, video games, or storytelling. Links: Dr. Kukshinov's website: https://eugenekukshinov.com/ Kukshinov, E. (2024). It’s (not) me: Dynamic Nature of Immersive Experiences in Video Game Play. Human Studies . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10746-024-09768-9
Fri, February 14, 2025
055: A Year in Gaming - 2024 Review
This month, hosts Sid Heeg and Toben Racicot are joined by Pamela Maria Schmidt and Dr. Emma Vossen as they discuss the games they've played in 2024 and are looking forward to in 2025. Catch the latest details about their experiences with Balatro, It Takes Two, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. All this and more on this special edition of the GI podcast! Stay in touch with the Games Institute! LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/the-games-institute Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thegamesinstitute.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegamesinstitute/ Links: "Playing as the Princess: Nintendo, Gender Roles, and Echoes of Wisdom" <span
Fri, June 07, 2024
The Future of Recreational and Competitive Esports with Dr. Luke Potwarka and Greg Mittler
Co-hosts Toben Racicot (English Language and Literature) and Sid Heeg (Environment) interview Dr. Luke Potwarka (Recreation and Leisure) and Greg Mittler (Athletics and Recreation). Together they are the founders of UWIN aka the University of Waterloo Interdisciplinary Network for Esports. Sid and Toben chat with Greg and Luke about Esports sustainability, the possible inclusion of Esports in the Olympics, and their recent trip to the University of Warwick for future collaborative research efforts on Esports development and research. Bios Dr. Luke R. Potwarka Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of the Spectator Experience and Technology Laboratory aka the SEAT Lab. His research involved thinking critically about sports spectatorship and consumer behaviour and wellbeing. Greg Mittler is the Esports and Gaming Coordinator in the Department of Athletics and Recreation and an alumnus of Waterloo’s Recreation and Business program. Greg has been involved in many parts of Camps and Athletics at UW for almost 20 years. Shownotes <a href= "https://uwaterloo.ca/recreation-and-leisure-s
Fri, May 10, 2024
053: Non Playable Characters and Believable Emotion Design with Dr. Geneva Smith
This month co-hosts Toben Racicot and Sid Heeg interview incoming GI Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Geneva Smith about her research into NPC emotional believability in games. Links: G-ScalE Lab at McMaster University. https://gscale.cas.mcmaster.ca/ “Start Your EM(otion En)gine: Towards Computational Models of Emo-tion for Improving the Believability of Video Game Non-Player Characters” - http://hdl.handle.net/11375/28699 “GLaDOS: Integrating Emotion-Based Behaviours into Non-Player Characters in Computer Role-Playing Games” - http://hdl.handle.net/11375/21369
Tue, April 02, 2024
052: Equity in Games Research and Design with Dr. Gerald Voorhees
This week co-hosts Toben (English Language and Literature) and Sid (Environment) interview faculty member Dr. Gerald Voorhees (Communication Arts), about his past, present, and future research on race, decolonization, whiteness, and masculinity in games. Voorhees reminisces on past research about masculinity and “Dadification” in games, and discusses his research in eSports examining the performance of gender, whiteness, and masculinity. He also talks about joining the GI and First Person Scholar over a decade ago and leading the ADE speaker series that was held at the GI last year. Links: Daddy Issues: Constructions of Fatherhood in The Last of Us and BioShock Infinite Masculinities in Play Performing Neoliberal Masculinity: Reconfiguring Hegemonic Masculinity in Professional Gaming <p class=
Fri, March 01, 2024
051: Mechanically Achievable Gameplay with Sasha Soraine
Co-hosts Toben Racicot (English Language and Literature) and Sid Heeg (Environment) interview Computing and Software PhD candidate Sasha Soraine (McMaster University) about her experiences with games and games research. Sasha is part of the interdisciplinary Gaming Scalability Environment (G-ScalE) Lab at McMaster. Fun fact, G-ScalE was a part of the IMMERSe network that helped establish the GI! For our 51st episode, Sasha goes in-depth about the concept of "mechanically achievable gameplay" and how it could help the game industry. This concept systemically evaluates if the target demographic will be able to play the game that is being developed. Sasha explains, “If we are building a game that we know we're going to target kids eight to nine [years old] or adults fifty to sixty [years old], are we, in our design thinking, in our design stage, when we're planning out the games, is that actually something they can even engage with or is it something that, in our design, is so far out of the realm of what they can do?" In addition, Sasha shares her experiences from the G-ScalE lab and why she sought out a more interdisciplinary style of research. Links IMMERSe Grant Game Sca
Fri, February 02, 2024
050: Knowledge Translation and Mobilization in Game Studies and Beyond with Dr. Emma Vossen
For our 50 th episode, Toben (English Language and Literature) and Sid (Environment) interview OG GI member Dr. Emma Vossen about her academic life with games before becoming the GI’s Research Communication Officer. She discusses how she got into games as a kid, her time as EIC of First Person Scholar, and how much game studies has changed since she started her PhD in 2012. Links First Person Scholar Emma’s FPS essay about GG Katherine Cross’ essay about GG Emma’s dissertation Steve Wilcox Steve’s writing about middle-state publishing Historiographies of Game Studies: What it Has Been, What it Could Be - ***Not “Game Studies Historiographies” as Emma said*** Adrienne Shaw CBC Documentary Doppelganger by Naomi Klein Lost Girls by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie 25,000 Years of Erotic Freedom by Alan Moore Ducks by Kate Beaton It’s a Good Life if you Don’t Weaken by Seth Pentiment Night in the Woods <a href= "https://store.steampowered.com/app/1182310/The_Excavation_of_Hobs_Ba
Fri, January 05, 2024
049: A Year In Gaming - 2023 Edition
This month, hosts Sid Heeg and Toben Racicot are joined by Pamela Maria Schmidt and AC Atienza as they discuss the games they've played in 2023 and are looking forward to in 2024. Catch the latest details about their experiences with Tears of the Kingdom, Baldur's Gate 3, and some exciting indie games. All this and more on this special edition of the GI podcast! Stay in touch with the Games Institute! LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/the-games-institute X: https://twitter.com/GamesInstitute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegamesinstitute/
S1 E48 · Fri, December 01, 2023
048: Adapting Player Experience with Joe Tu
This week we are joined by Joe Tu, who is a PhD student and GI member pursing a degree in Systems Design Engineering. Follow along as we discuss Joe's experiences with gaming, his educational journey at The University of Waterloo, and his experiences/work at the GI. Further, we dive into the insights of Joe's recent project on incorporating heartrate monitors into gaming, and his goals for potential future projects. In addition, we reminisce about Joe's experiences at CHI Play ( Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction ), and gaming in his free time. Email: joseph.tu@uwaterloo.ca Or find Joe's desk at the GI (It has a Christmas tree)
S1 E47 · Fri, November 10, 2023
047: Theatre and Narrative Games with Shawn Desouza-Coelho
This month we are joined by Shawn Desouza-Coelho, who is GI alumni, U-Waterloo Graduate with a Masters in English - Experimental and Digital Media, avid gamer and theatrical performer. Follow along as Shawn discusses topics around the amazing impacts of gaming in games like Final Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons, Baldurs Gate, and plenty more. Shawn also explores his experience’s in the early days of The Game Institute, the projects he worked at the GI and how they relate to digital games and modern cinema. In addition, Shawn discusses his love of theater and his current research in how racialized performers navigate and negotiate theatrical space in the southern Ontario theater industry. Links: Email: shawnddc@yorku.ca
S1 E46 · Fri, October 06, 2023
046: Home-Away-Home with Dr. Derritt Mason
This month we are joined by Dr. Derritt Mason, who is a associate professor in English at the University of Calgary. Follow along as Dr. Mason discucsses topics surrounding their love of video games, queer representation in games, and coming of age stories in gaming. Dr. Mason additonal dives into how adolescent roles are displayed in horror games, the unique aspects of "bildungsroman" in gaming, and his book “Queer Anxieties of Young Adult Literature and Culture”. Email: derritt.mason@ucalgary.ca Website: https://derrittmason.com/ Book: Queer Anxieties of Young Adult Literature and Culture University Profile: https://english.ucalgary.ca/profiles/derritt -m
Fri, September 01, 2023
Lord of the Rings and Adaptation with Dr. Neil Randall
Dr. Neil Randall is not only the Executive Director of the Games Institute Research Facility at the University of Waterloo, but also an avid guide and participant in the fellowship of the Lord of the Rings universe. Here, he discusses interesting particulars in how the Lord of the Rings franchise has reconfigured itself through decades of adapatations. Alongside the scope of adaptation, our three experts touch on the importance of medium in adaptation, the specific cultures affiliated with adapatations, and issues surrounding the importance of source text. More information: Phrase "LOTRO": Lord of the Rings Online LOTRO: Play Lord of The Rings Online Dr. Niel Randall: See his bio here
Fri, August 04, 2023
044: Serious Games for the Aging Population with Dr. Lili Liu and Dr. Hector Perez
Dr. Lili Liu, Dean of Health at the University of Waterloo, and Dr. Hector Perez, Postdoctoral Fellow, discuss the concept of serious games and their application in research for the aging population This includes how Drs. Liu and Perez have used games in their research such as exercise games, games for memory, social interaction, and cognitive thinking. Their work has been used to with the intent of decreasing the effects associated with older adults living with dementia, and has led to collaborative research and design processes with First Responders in First Nations communities in Quebec, Canada. Check out their work with the Aging and Innovation Research Project (AIRP): https://uwaterloo.ca/aging-innovation-research-program/
Fri, July 07, 2023
043: Living History and the DMZ Project with Dr. Daria Ho
This month, the GI podcast is joined by Dr. Daria Ho, who is a professor in History at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Daria Ho talks about her passion for history, her childhood with gaming, and the importance of performance and choice in teaching. Using avant garde teaching techniques, Dr. Ho talks about the incredibly creative and diverse experiences she and her students have shared through the implication of realism and role-play in the classroom. Teams : Daria.ho@uwaterloo.ca Email : Daria.ho@uwaterloo.ca DMZ Project Trailer : https://youtu.be/dr1KJpAdHrI DMZ Project Documentary : https://youtu.be/E5pV4oSgoak If you are interested in learning to play Gō with Dr. Daria Ho, please reach out through the above email.
Fri, June 09, 2023
042: Social Media and Activism with Dr. Brianna Wiens
Co-hosts Sid Heeg and Toben Racicot talk with Dr. Brianna Wiens and her involvement in social media activism campaigns, as well as her fresh take on integrating media theory into graduate and undergraduate level courses. Show Notes: DOHR (Digital Oral Histories for Reconciliation): https://dohrprojectca.wordpress.com/ MeToo: https://metoomvmt.org/ FTT (Feminist Think Tank): https://www.feminist-think-tank.com/ qLab (q collaborative): https://www.qcollaborative.com/ Dr. Brianna Wiens' Socials Instagram: aesthetic.resistance Twitter: https://twitter.com/biwiens
Fri, May 05, 2023
041: Social Consensus and Empathy with Dr. Steve Wilcox
Co-hosts Sid Heeg and Toben Racicot speak to Dr. Steve Wilcox about accessibility in gaming, First Person Scholar (FPS), Gamergate, his academic trajectory and social impact games! Shownotes: Allergory: https://praxisgames.itch.io/allergory Factorio: https://www.factorio.com/ Learn more about FPS: http://www.firstpersonscholar.com/ Check out the projects Dr. Steve Wilcox undertook at the GI: https://uwaterloo.ca/games-institute/steve-wilcox Check out Dr. Steve Wilcox's Wilfrid Laurier University profile: https://www.wlu.ca/academics/faculties/faculty-of-human-and-social-sciences/faculty-profiles/steve-wilcox/index.html Dr. Steve Wilcox's Socials Personal website: https://www.helloworlds.ca/cv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevemwilcox?lang=en
Mon, April 10, 2023
040: Haptic Experiences with Oliver Schneider
Dr. Oliver Schneider joins the GI Podcast to talk about custom board games, the origins of the Haptics Experience Lab (HX Lab), haptics and accessibility, Disney Research, and much more with hosts Toben Racicot and Sid Heeg! Shownotes: Learn more about DualPanto: http://oliverschneider.ca/dualpanto/ Check out CanHaptics: http://canhaptics.ca/ CanHaptics training course (CanHap 501 or MSCI 720 at the University of Waterloo): https://wiki.canhaptics.ca/ One of Oliver's Disney research projects: https://la.disneyresearch.com/publication/tactile-animation/ FeelCraft: <a class= "fui-Link ___1qmgydl f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1hu3pq6 f11qmguv f19f4twv f1tyq0we f1g0x7ka fhxju0i f1qch9an f1cnd47f fqv5qza f1vmzxwi f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids
S2 E1 · Fri, March 03, 2023
039: Board Game Design with AC Atienza
AC Atienza joins Toben and Sid to discuss their pathway to becoming a board game designer and consultant, as well as their experiences in those roles. Learn about the board game industry, design philosophies, and the importance of hands-off playtesting. Other topics covered include: Why are there fewer resources for learning board game design as opposed to video game design? How does one get a job in the board game industry? What are the secrets to success with a board game Kickstarter? What is the difference between input and output randomness in design? Why are some games more fun to design than play? How do you identify systemic problems while playtesting? And what is Gen Con, the largest tabletop game convention in North America, really like? SHOWNOTES: Learn more about Wiggles 3D here: https://wiggles3d.com/ Check out Captain's Gambit: Kings of Infinite Space : https://www.cloudfallstudios.com/captainsgambit About GenCon: https://www.gencon.com/aboutus Who is Tom Vasel? https://www.dicetower.com/team-members/tom-vasel Stardew Valley Board Game: https://shop.stardewvalley.net/products/stardew-valley-the-board-game Azul: https://www.boardgamehalv.com/azul/ Cats: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/257814/cats Contacts: AC is reachable at: https://www.cloudfallstudios.com/ AC Atienza's Twitter: https://twitter.com/acatienz You can learn more about the Games Institute at https://uwaterloo.ca/games-institute/
S2 E1 · Fri, February 03, 2023
038: Welcome Back to Season Two
Toben returns to the podcast studio with new co-host Sid Heeg. They talk pandemic pasttimes, Sid's new academic trajectory, and what games have kept them busy throughout the COVID lockdowns. To learn more about Sid Heeg: https://uwaterloo.ca/school-environment-enterprise-development/people-profiles/sid-heeg Hear more from Sid on the Games Institute Podcast: https://gamesinstitute.libsyn.com/010-farming-simulators-and-achievement-hunting-with-sid-hee https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/010-farming-simulators-achievement-hunting-sid-heeg/id1465789684?i=1000451821829
S1 E38 · Tue, December 28, 2021
037: So Long and Thanks For All The Fish with Marisa Benjamin
Marisa Benjamin, co-host of the Game Institute Podcast, has moved on to other career endeavours. As a farewell, she guests in this exit interview episode to reflect on the experience of building the podcast and what comes next.
S1 E37 · Tue, December 07, 2021
036: Anti-Colonialism and Academia Adventures with Lindsay Meaning
Lindsay Meaning talks examining colonialism in games and the games industry as the focus of her dissertation. From single-player RPGs like Assassin's Creed to board games like Settlers of Catan and Spirit Island, Lindsay has lots to say about colonialism's presence.
S135 Enull · Tue, November 23, 2021
035: Maker Groups and Inclusion with Cayley MacArthur
Cayley MacArthur joins the podcast to discuss her research into systems of inclusivity and human computer interaction. From knitting groups, to online gaming groups, technology brings people together, just like this podcast, and Cayley's research draws out interesting conclusions as to how digital gatherings can be improved and why they were so vital during COVID years.
S1 Enull · Tue, June 29, 2021
Dungeons & Dragons One Shot: Cryptid Nature Conservatory
Join DM Toben as he guides players Lindsay Meaning, Betsey Brey, Boris Ulyanskiy, and Leonid Moyzhes through an adventure during the International Conference on Games and Narrative's online sessions. The party receives an anonymous invitation to the Cryptid Nature Conservatory and have no idea what awaits them!
S1 E34 · Thu, June 24, 2021
034: Animal Studies and Untitled Goose Game with Nicholas Hobin
Nicholas Hobin, English PhD researcher, has devoted his research to understanding the portrayals of animals in video games. Until recently, animals in games has been an understudied topic in Game Studies. Nicholas is working hard to fill this gap, but there's still so much space to explore. Listen to him trace the roots of his work with Animal Studies, to close analyses of Red Dead Redemption 2 and, most recently, Untitled Goose Game. No animals were harmed in the making of this episode, nor in the playing of the games that we played to prepare!
S1 E33 · Thu, May 20, 2021
033: Narrative Structures and Gameplay in Role-Playing Games with Sabrina Sgandurra
Sabrina Sgandurra is the Editor in Chief for First Person Scholar and an English PhD researcher. This episode is a whirlwind! In under an hour, we discuss immersive narratives, role-playing games, experiential games research, live streaming, First Person Scholar, and Assassin's Creed.
S1 E32 · Wed, May 12, 2021
032: The Origin Story of the HCI Games Group with Dr. Lennart Nacke
Join us as we talk with Dr. Lennart Nacke, Associate Professor of HCI and Director of the HCI Games Group, about all things game design, gameful thinking, and user experience. Lennart shares his own origin story and the origin of the HCI Games group. He plants seeds for interested researchers to take up intriguing projects and even puts out a call (or two!) for students to find out how they can get involved with his lab.
S1 E31 · Thu, March 18, 2021
031: Child Computer Interaction and Games for Health with Alessandra Luz
Alessandra Luz, PhD student from the HCI Games Group, joins us to discuss using technology to develop games-based optometry treatments for children. Alê shares her experience working in advertising in Brazil, England, and Japan, and a Master's in England, leading up to starting her PhD at the University of Waterloo in May 2020 just after the pandemic lockdowns began. Hear Alê talk about what it was like to join the Games Institute's community exclusively online and get inspired by her commitment to bring gender, racial, and disability equity into her interdisciplinary research.
S1 E30 · Thu, March 04, 2021
030: Haptic Research and the Haptiverse with Pelisha Samithamby
Pelisha Samithamby discusses her graduate research in haptics. As a graduate researcher in the Haptic Computing Lab at the Games Institute, Pelisha is developing the Haptiverse, an online library of haptic feedback samples. See more about the Haptiverse here: haptiverse.com
S1 E29 · Mon, February 01, 2021
GI Podcast 029: VR Exergames and Social Robotics with John Muñoz
Postdoctoral Fellow, John Muñoz, joins the show to talk about his many projects covering: VR exercise games (exergames), game design and development, Human Robotic Interaction, and music!
S1 E28 · Tue, December 15, 2020
028: Competitive Cultures and WoW with Jenn Rickert
Jenn Rickert closes out 2020 with insights into World of Warcraft raiding and guild culture, stories from BlizzCon and her academic adventures, and shares her love for the Games Institute. To contact Jenn: jennrickert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennrickert/ https://twitter.com/JennRickert
S1 E27 · Thu, November 05, 2020
027: Apocalyptic Video Game Narratives with Pamela Maria Schmidt
Pamela Maria Schmidt joins the show to discuss her Master's MRP researching apocalyptic narratives in video games, technologies, maintaining one's culture through games, and why the Witcher is so important to her.
S1 E26 · Thu, October 29, 2020
026: COVID Update
Hosts Toben and Marisa join up online to catch up about their activities during COVID, research, and things they're looking forward to whenever normalcy returns.
S1 E25 · Wed, October 28, 2020
025: Five Nights at Freddy's Panel with Betsy Brey and Pamela Maria Schmidt
Game Institute researchers Betsy Brey and Pamela Maria Schmidt discuss all facets of Five Nights at Freddy's in this special Halloween event.
Wed, October 28, 2020
Board Games & the Magic Circle Minisode
Co Host, Toben Racicot, was interviewed on CBC Radio Calgary, The Eyeopener with David Gray, about board games, D&D, and his research at the Games Institute.
S1 E24 · Wed, July 29, 2020
024: Horizon Zero Dawn Multidisciplinary Panel with John Harris, Nicholas Hobin, and Karina Arrambide
We’re rewinding time to 2 years ago when we hosted this panel live at the Games Institute. Moderated by Marisa Benjamin, our panelists explore Horizon Zero Dawn from the perspectives of their research fields. We get into feminism, animal studies, player experiences, game design, and much more. Host: Marisa Benjamin - marisabenj.com
S1 E23 · Tue, July 21, 2020
023: Cooperative Games Panel with Lindsay Meaning, Rina Wehbe, and Marcela Bomfim
Our speakers brought in their unique perspectives and expertise to discuss the co-operative games Spirit Island (2017; board game) and Overcooked 2 (2018; video game).We used these games as a springboard for a larger discussion about the genre of co-operative games: What are these games all about and why would people play them? How are they different from one another in form, content, and player experience?
S1 E22 · Tue, April 28, 2020
Merging Form and Content with Justin Carpenter
Justin Carpenter talks form and content in games and literature, working to master challenges in games, and the death (or rebirth) of the author/designer.
S1 E21 · Tue, March 17, 2020
021: Gameful Solutions with Maximilian Altmeyer
In this episode, we expand our knowledge on the processes behind personalized gamification, previously introduced in our episodes with Gustavo Tondello and Stuart Hallifax. Max also shares some innovative applications he’s worked on using gamification strategies... spoiler alert: he talks about a game for washing your hands.
S1 E20 · Thu, March 12, 2020
020: Game Poetics and Iterative Design with AC Atienza
AC leaves us speechless in their explanation of game poetics: novel game studies research to end all ludology/narratology debates. We chat about how iterative design through Energize and Captain's Gambit bolsters AC's research. To support AC's kickstarter for Captain's Gambit please visit: http://kck.st/2TAEEeh
S1 E19 · Thu, February 27, 2020
019: Destiny & Cross-Disciplinary Interactive Experiences with Lia A. Black
Lia Black discusses Destiny, Cross-Disciplinary Interactive Experiences, her many research projects, and the potential of a triple crown: three degrees from uWaterloo.
S1 E18 · Thu, February 13, 2020
018: Responsible Research and Ethical Innovation with Grace Wright
Grace talks ethics in research and innovation, and explains her work with UW’s new Council for Responsible Innovation and Technology (CRIT).
S1 E17 · Thu, January 23, 2020
017: Queer Intimate Fandoms with Elise Vist
Elise Vist guests to discuss hockey, fan fiction, fandoms, and queering academia.
S1 E16 · Thu, January 09, 2020
016: Systems of Discovery with Neil Randall
Neil Randall, Executive Director of the Games Institute joins Marisa and Toben to discuss board games, simulation, teaching philosophy, and the origins of the Games Institute.
S1 E15 · Tue, December 31, 2019
015: 2019 in Review
Marisa and Toben walk back through the guests and topics on The Games Institute Podcast in 2019.
S1 E15 · Tue, December 31, 2019
Dungeons & Dragons 5e One Shot: The Isle of Caire Ankrah
Dungeon Master Toben runs The Isle of Caire Ankrah, a homebrew one shot, for a group of GI members.
S1 E14 · Fri, December 06, 2019
014: Wisdom Psychology and Games with Igor Grossmann
Dr Igor Grossmann discusses wisdom, podcasting, and Dungeons & Dragons.
S1 E13 · Fri, November 22, 2019
013: Comic Book Scholarship with Three Panel Contrast
Hosts of Three Panel Contrast, Dr. Anna Peppard, Dr. J. Andrew Deman, and Dr. Michael Hancock join the show to talk about comic book scholarship, carving a place for discussion themselves, and adapting comic books for the screen--both movies and games.
S1 E12 · Thu, November 07, 2019
012: Revisiting Player Profiles & Personalization with Stuart Hallifax
Stuart joins us once more to discuss his research conclusions before heading back to France.
S1 E11 · Thu, October 17, 2019
011: Variantology: Video Games and Comic Books with Michael Hancock
Michael Hancock guests to talk RPGs, his dissertation research, gaming books, and branching into comic scholarship.
S1 E10 · Mon, September 30, 2019
010: Farming Simulators and Achievement Hunting with Sid Heeg
Sid Heeg joins the show and discusses their love of farming, its importance in modern society, surrounding rhetorics, and achievement hunting.
S1 E9 · Tue, September 17, 2019
008: IMMERSe and Knowledge Mobilization with Krystyna Oakman
Krystyna Oakman discusses her academic journey, working at the Games Institute, knowledge mobilization, and creative play.
S1 E8 · Wed, August 28, 2019
Player Profiles & Customization with Stuart Hallifax
Stuart Hallifax joins the GI for the Summer 2019 semester to continue research into player preferences, customizable gaming objectives, and user research. We talk in depth about his study, D&D, and games that bring weighty choices to the forefront.
S1 E7 · Mon, August 19, 2019
HCI Interventions for Shared Decision Making with Marina Wada
Marina Wada joins the show and chats about her user research study exploring how rheumatoid arthritis patients and their physicians can be better supported in shared decision making and how digital decision aid tools can help mediate the interaction.
S1 E6 · Thu, July 18, 2019
Gamification and Personalization with Gustavo Tondello
Gustavo Tondello joins the show and chats about user personalization research and gamification for health.
S1 E5 · Tue, July 09, 2019
Games and Mental Health Support with Tina Chan
Tina Chan joins the show to discuss her efforts in mental health and the impact video games have on her life.
S1 E4 · Thu, June 06, 2019
VR Futures with Alex Fleck
Alex Fleck joins the show to discuss The Games Institute and VR Gaming.
S1 E3 · Thu, June 06, 2019
Games for Change with Rina Wehbe
Rina Wehbe joins the show to discuss cooperative gaming.
S1 E2 · Tue, May 28, 2019
Asymmetric Cooperative Play with John Harris
John Harris joins the show to discuss asymmetric gaming and his upcoming project The Playful Pixel.
S1 E1 · Tue, May 28, 2019
Games Institute: Meet the Hosts
Our introductory episode where we introduce ourselves, the Games Institute, and our vision for the podcast. Sit down with the researchers and learn what's happening behind the scenes. What games are they playing? What games are they studying? and What are the implications of their findings? Researchers rarely have opportunities to talk about their work without worrying about word counts, time limits, or wordy jargon. The GI Podcast is a place where researchers can express their successes - and failures - and discuss where they hope to go next.
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