Gaming and Depression

Articles about better playing, Games and Education, RPG's, The RL Comments Off

Sep 282011

Introduction

Well that sounds like a fun topic! I understand that most folks are uncomfortable discussing depression, it can be, well, depressing. So why bring it up at all? And what is depression’s relationship to gaming? First of all, I have depression. Second, I am a gamer and there is a clear correlation between my gaming and my particular level of depression. Third, knowing the symptoms of depression – both personally and professionally – and being familiar with many gamers, I have observed that many gamers may suffer from depression as well; perhaps at a higher percentage than the general population.

What Is “Depression”?

So, just what is depression? It is more than just temporary sadness. In fact, sometimes it is not even expressed or felt as “sadness.” The biggest expression is a feeling of “lack” – a lack of ambition, lack of desire, lack of appetite, lack of worth, lack of hope, lack of focus, lack of energy. We are all too aware of the tragic consequences of prolonged, untreated depression.

How do you know the difference between normal sadness and clinical depression? The key is the prolonged nature of depression. Sadness comes and goes, caused by particular events – from a tear-jerker movie to the loss of a loved one. Depression is always there – sometimes less pronounced, sometimes more so.

What Causes Depression?

What causes depression? The most recent research reveals a strong genetic, biological component. Social influences and particular experiences can exacerbate the underlying tendencies towards negative thoughts and feelings.

Is It Just Weakness?

Isn’t depression just laziness or being weak? No. Is someone with heart disease, cerebral palsy, allergies, acid reflux, or fibromyalgia lazy or weak? No. Can a person with acid reflux simply “will himself” to not feel pain when he eats jalapeño peppers? Can a person with heart disease simply “will” her heart to beat properly? So can we expect someone with depression to simply “will himself” to feel better, to be motivated, to love life? No.

How Do You Fix It?

So what do you do about it? Like so many diseases and disorders, depression is treatable though not curable. Like so many diseases and disorders, treating depression requires a combination of medication and therapy – cognitive, emotional and physical.

To Be Continued . . .

So what does all of this have to do with gaming? I will explore just that in the next part. Depression is a part of my life, and so is gaming. And I believe that gaming can both help, and hinder, one’s experience with depression. Furthermore, I believe that depression is not a death-sentence. Sure, sometimes it sucks; but there is hope, even fun. Join me next time and I promise fun will be had.

Ethics in RPG’s, part 3: Palladium/Rifts

Articles about better playing, Games and Education, Rifts, RPG's Comments Off

Sep 212011

Introduction: The System

Compared to D&D’s alignment system, the one employed in all Palladium products is seemingly simpler. It is a single-axis, or linear, alignment system. So it intertwines both legality and morality into a single spectrum. From “Good” to “Evil” it reads as follows:

The Good: Principled & Scrupulous;

The Selfish: Unprincipled & Anarchist;

The Evil: Aberrant, Miscreant, & Diabolic.

The Alignments

For those unfamiliar with the system I will try to offer some analogies for each alignment.

Principled: Correlates quite closely to “Lawful-Good” or at least “Neutral-Good” in D&D. This is the alignment for the goody-two-shoes type. Honesty, integrity, fairness and justice are held high, as well as respect for authority and a desire to work within the system – be it legal, civil, religious, etc. Examples include: a Paladin (D&D), Superman (comics), and Obi-Wan Kenobi (prequel trilogy).

Scrupulous: Is your “Neutral-Good” to “Chaotic-Good” alignment. This character puts “life and freedom above all else.” Very often a Scrupulous character will live by a moral code, but not as rigidly as the Principled character. The biggest distinction is in the Scrupulous character’s willingness to work outside the law. Examples include: Knight (D&D), Spider-Man (comics), Luke Skywalker.

The Palladium systems defines the Selfish category by stating, “Selfish characters (Unprincipled and Anarchist) are not necessarily evil, but they have their own best interests at heart and their opinions in mind above all others. These are the mercenaries, rogues, vigilantes and anti-heroes of the world.”

Unprincipled: Politically, an Unprincipled character would likely be a Libertarian (which makes the label “Unprincipled” a misnomer). They are sometimes schemers, but good at heart. This is closest to “Chaotic-Good” to “Chaotic-Neutral”. The first distinction being that while a Principled character will work within the law (only going around it when necessary), the Unprincipled character has an inherent distrust and disdain for all forms of authority and institutions, seeing them as intrinsically corrupt. They can be a team player, but it will always be on their own terms. Examples include: Rogue or Bard (D&D), Wolverine (comics), Han Solo.

Anarchist: Very self-centered, indulgent and impulsive. His motivations are entirely personal. Again, to quote Palladium, “The Anarchist is continually teetering between good and evil, rebelling against and bending the law to fit his needs.” Clearly “Chaotic” in regards to law, and “Neutral” in morality. Examples include: Rogue or Bard, The Punisher (on a good day), Lando Calrisian.

Aberrant: The first of the “Evil” alignments. Here the motivation is power. Aberrant has a lot in common with Anarchist, the difference is in the cruelty towards one’s enemies. Honor is important, though this is often corrupted in some way. The other value is loyalty – at least loyalty from his underlings. Perhaps “True Neutral” to “Lawful Evil” is the closest correlation to D&D. But if you’d prefer examples: a Devil (D&D), Magneto (comics), Darth Vader.

Miscreant: Here, we take another step up on the selfishness and megalomania scale. Personal pleasure, power, and wealth are the motives. “This character is a savage misanthrope out for himself” (Palladium). This character would fall somewhere in the “Neutral-Evil” to “Chaotic-Evil” range. My examples would be: King Kaius I (D&D Eberron), Lex Luthor (comics), Jabba the Hutt.

Diabolic: Finally, the lowest-of-the-low. This is as bad as it gets. Not necessarily random and crazy (but don’t exclude that either); they are just twisted. Any of the “Evil” alignments in D&D will work, so long as you put a “Very” in front of “Evil.” Examples: Orcus (D&D), Dr. Doom, Darkseid (comics), Emperor Palpatine.

The Making of a Ranger Costume Part 1

Gaming News, RPG's 3 Responses »

Sep 202011

Halloween is so close I can almost feel the eerie excitement. Every year around this time I wish I had a goood gaming costume. I mean every year I go to these conventions and think how cool some of these costumes are. Every year I say next year I will have one. The problem is to just buy a costume you might spend over a thousand dollars. Well, next year I won’t have a cool one but I sure will be off to a good start.

While there is no limit to what you can do with your imagination when it comes to costuming you have to start somewhere. I have always wanted to make a ranger type of costume. This is something that I will have to do in baby steps, actually my wife will be doing all the work. For the start of the project, which will take a year or two to budget all the time for, I have decided on a shirt and a cape. These items should prove fairly easy to make. The materiel’s needed should also prove to be inexpensive. Continue reading »

Ethics in RPG’s: Part 2: The Ethical Theories in D&D

Articles about better playing, D&D, Games and Education, Pathfinder, RPG's Comments Off

Sep 132011

Introduction: The System

In this second part on Ethics in RPG’s I am attempting to apply the major Ethical Theories to the alignment system of Dungeons & Dragons. I’m using D&D 3.5 as my “base,” but this easily applies to 4th Edition, Paizo’s Pathfinder and any other similar “two axis” alignment system.

What is a “Two-Axis Alignment System”? That’s my label for how D&D 3.5 models their alignment chart. There are two axes: 1) Good-Evil, 2) Law-Chaos to create their well-known alignment chart.

The Purpose however, is to help the reader in creating a fuller, deeper character. To better understand your character’s motivations creates a better role-playing experience for all.

Direct Correlations

I begin with the most natural intersections between the Ethical Theories and particular alignments.

Ethics and RPG’s – Part 1: An Overview of the Major Ethical Theories in Western Civilization

Articles about better playing, D&D, Games and Education, Pathfinder, Rifts, RPG's 1 Response »

Sep 082011

As I taught a college level Ethics course for a local university I began to think about the interactions and relationships between the major ethical theories/viewpoints and the alignment systems of the role-playing games we all enjoy. I like alignment systems, they help define a character. However, these systems can be found to be lacking as is evidenced by the number of arguments generated between players and game masters concerning a character’s actions. These debates can be great. Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good argument. But often such “alignment debates” degenerate into shouting matches without any resolution (other than the GM saying “do that and I’ll kill your character”).

Therefore I am sharing with you a very brief introduction to the major ethical theories. Consider this a supplement to the alignment systems. Once you understand the theories, I’d like you to try and see if and how they apply to your characters. You could even reflect it on your character
sheet. For example, in D&D it could read: “Alignment: Lawful Good (Utilitarian),” or “Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Relativist).”

Each of the following ethical theories attempts to define that which is “good” by creating a philosophical/ethical system that can be applied to various situations. To complicate matters further, one can mix all of this with any number of religious views. In fact, many have grow out of, or in reaction to, a particular religious viewpoint. Nonetheless, I hope that the following helps inform your character generation process, giving you a
deeper background, and informing your choices at the gaming table.

1 2 … 46 47 48