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Polygamer #106: Courtney Garcia of Screen Therapy

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Ken Gagne

Courtney Garcia is the host of Screen Therapy, a blog and YouTube channel about how movies and games can be used to promote mental and emotional well-being. Whether they are putting us in a good mood or fulfilling unconscious emotional needs, video games can be used to help us develop our empathy and emotional intelligence

In this podcast interview, I ask Courtney about the unique role of video games in a pandemic; whether all games fall on a scale of hedonic to eudaimonic; if violence in video games necessarily detracts from its ability to develop empathy; if a game being difficult comes down to gameplay, or if emotional challenges also play a role; the role-playing of Old Man’s Journey; if a degree of emotional development is needed to appreciate Gorogoa or Florence; why some people might enjoy Undertale and Night in the Woods and others might not; and whether emotional intelligence is the sole purview of indie games, or whether mainstream titles such as The Last Of Us Part II.

Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for a transcript and links to resources mentioned in this episode.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 58:42 — 34.6MB) | Embed

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Polygamer #82: Geek Remix’s Stacy & Mari

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Ken Gagne

Stacy and Mari collectively form Geek Remix, a popular YouTube channel in which the two women Let’s Play and analyze mainstream and indie video games. They don’t stray from terrible or problematic games, acknowledging the challenging aspects of gaming and using them as an opportunity to engage in dialogue about how to make them better. Their channel is designed as a safe space, offering both entertainment and social justice.

In this podcast, Ken chats with Mari and Stacy about how they approach playing problematic games such as Detroit: Become Human and Super Seducer; why Mari’s Firewatch theory video is the channel’s post popular video; the role of analytics in determining future content; Stacy’s Instagram cosplay; their collaboration with animator and thumbnail artist Tess Young; interacting with their Twitter and Patreon communities; imposter syndrome; and more!

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:40:46 — 47.0MB) | Embed

Polygamer #55: Twitch streamer SeriouslyClara

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Ken Gagne

SeriouslyClara is a Twitch content creator who focuses on indie games. After being "tricked" into streaming by a friend, she came to love the community and the support they offered her in response to her honesty and authenticity. She now streams to her channel’s 22,000 subscribers several times a week, where she plays indie titles and promotes mental health awareness and body positivity. She recently spoke on the PAX West 2016 panel " So You Think Twitch Isn’t For You? Guess Again" and attended the second-ever TwitchCon.

This week, Clara and Ken talk about their mutual love for Owlboy and Skies of Arcadia; the tradeoff of playing triple-A games for a large audience instead of playing indie games for a more intimate crowd; the differences in performing for a live audience on Twitch vs. a delayed audience on YouTube; the challenges of being an introvert in the gaming community; and the societal expectations thwarted by living a childfree lifestyle.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:02:20 — 29.4MB) | Embed

Polygamer #53: Ian Danskin of Innuendo Studios

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Ken Gagne

Ian Danskin is a freelance animator, writer, video editor, and visual essayist. His YouTube channel, Innuendo Studios, hosts a dozen videos analyzing aspects of gaming culture and media, including how fame manifests itself in the gaming industry, using Phil Fish of Fez as a case study; the evolution and manifestations of Sonic the Hedgehog; and how GamerGate exploited angry gamers to launch a harassment campaign.

In this interview, Ian and I nearly come to blows over who made the better adventure games: LucasArts or Sierra On-Line. We then shake hands and move on to the surprise success of his debut video in 2014, and what it was like to make a video about someone who ended up seeing the video; what Ian was angry about at the age of 15, and what steered him onto the path of being a feminist, atheist, and vegetarian; why he stuck his neck out to make a video series critical of GamerGate; how the GamerGate mentality can be seen in the current political campaign of Donald Trump; how Ian’s Kickstarter and Patreon crowdfunding campaigns have enabled him to produce even more videos, despite his work’s slow gestational rate; and why Ian uses Final Cut Pro 7 (FCP7) instead of Final Cut Pro X (FCPX) or Adobe Premiere Pro.

Links mentioned in this episode:

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:14:43 — 35.1MB) | Embed

Polygamer #34: Violinist Taylor Davis

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Ken Gagne

Taylor Davis is a renowned violinist whose video game, movie, and anime covers have earned her a loyal following. On YouTube, where she has over a million subscribers, her music videos employ stunning backdrops and intricate costumes inspired by the pop culture from which she draws her many tunes. Taylor has released six albums, including a Christmas album and, most recently, a self-titled album of original music. Her music can also be heard in rock band Critical Hit’s first album, as well as in the soundtrack to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Hearts Of Stone.

In this interview, Taylor and Ken discuss her recent debut tour of the United States and her upcoming European tour; how Patreon and Twitter give her direct access to her fans, and vice versa; whether making music for a living makes it feel more like work than play;how licensing rights influences what music videos are shot next; and her cautious optimism for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII remake.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 33:47 — 16.3MB) | Embed

Polygamer #22: Philip Jones, director of Gaming In Color

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Ken Gagne

Gaming In Color is a feature documentary exploring the queer side of gaming. After being Kickstarted in 2013 and enjoying a limited release in 2014, the film had its official debut on May 19, 2015. Featuring interviews with GaymerX organizers and attendees and discussing topics such as representation in video games, Gaming In Color serves as a 62-minute primer on the intersection of sexuality and gaming.

In this interview, Gaming In Color director Philip Jones discusses how they took over the project after its acquisition by MidBoss Games; the documentary’s coverage of transgender issues; the reception the film has received from industry developers and publishers such as Riot Games and Electronic Arts; and why, in a pay-what-you-want distribution model, a customer paying only $1 to stream the movie was evidence the film was reaching its target audience.

Download the audio edition of this interview below or from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 57:43 — 27.3MB) | Embed