Games Institute Podcast
Games Institute
Sid Heeg, and Toben Racicot, co-host the Official Games Institute (GI) podcast. Every episode spotlights a researcher's work that touches upon games and interactive and immersive technologies. Get to know the up-and-coming graduate students in human-computer interaction, engineering, arts, health and more!
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/profi
054: 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 ef
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 C
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 Scho
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
050: Knowledge Translation and Mobilization in Game Studies and Beyond with Dr. Emma Vossen
For our 50th 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
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/GamesInsti
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 Comp
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
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@ucalg
045: 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 adapa
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 collabor
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.h
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
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 Universi
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
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 i
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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
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
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
023: Cooperative Games Panel with Lindsay Meaning, Marcela Bomfim, and Rina Wehbe
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?
022: 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.
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.
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
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.
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).
017: Queer Intimate Fandoms with Elise Vist
Elise Vist guests to discuss hockey, fan fiction, fandoms, and queering academia.
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.
015: 2019 in Review
Marisa and Toben walk back through the guests and topics on The Games Institute Podcast in 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.
014: Wisdom Psychology and Games with Igor Grossmann
Dr Igor Grossmann discusses wisdom, podcasting, and Dungeons & Dragons.
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.
012: Revisiting Player Profiles & Personalization with Stuart Hallifax
Stuart joins us once more to discuss his research conclusions before heading back to France.
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.
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.
009: IMMERSe & Knowledge Mobilization with Krystyna Oakman
Krystyna Oakman discusses her academic journey, working at the Games Institute, knowledge mobilization, and creative play.
008: 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.
007: Public Health Systems 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.
006: User Personalization Research with Gustavo Tondello
Gustavo Tondello joins the show and chats about user personalization research and gamification for health.
005: Video Games & Mental Health with Tina Chan
Tina Chan joins the show to discuss her efforts in mental health and the impact video games have on her life.
004: Virtual Reality Narratives with Alex Fleck
Alex Fleck joins the show to discuss The Games Institute and VR Gaming.
003: Cooperative Gaming with Rina Wehbe
Rina Wehbe joins the show to discuss cooperative gaming.
002: Asymmetric Play with John Harris
John Harris joins the show to discuss asymmetric gaming and his upcoming project The Playful Pixel.
001: 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 f