Lost in isolation and loneliness, I discovered the world of Gundam. From the model kits, video games, and anime, I found that the characters’ struggles often mirrored my own mental health problems. But Gundam inspired hope. In the words of Banagher and Gundam quotes, I found motivation. And in Gundam Unicorn Anime, I finally discovered the true power of possibility.

What is character development in RPGs, and why is it so important? It gives players a deeper connection to their characters and a more immersive experience. Here's why character development can turn a good campaign into a great RPG. With character development tips to get the most out of your next game.

What is the connection between RPG characters and personal development? While we’re immersed in the game, our characters are impacting our own personalities in ways we may not be aware of. What are the different types of characters we play in D&D, and how do they drive our personal growth? What are the best RPG character creation tips to have fun and while driving our personal growth & understanding?

Welcome to the August 2022 RPG Blog Carnival! This month we are proud to be hosting this unique collaboration across many RPG blogs and gamers. This month’s topic is Character Development. Join our adventure with others as we discuss the role of character development in roleplaying games.

Anger begets anger. Our brains radiate their emotional condition outward, much like a wizard casting an area of effect spell in D&D. Looking at Dungeons and Dragons for clues on personal development, is our anger really like casting the Radiance of the Dawn? And are we damaging others when casting our personal anger spells or is it just an emotional radiance that causes no harm?

There are many positive health effects of video games. Playing video games is fun and makes us feel happy. But it’s more than mashing buttons that bring us joy. What does science say about our gaming and happiness? And can we use these elements in other aspects of our lives to bring us greater happiness overall?

Who is your favorite hero? From movies, to books, to gaming, we are surrounded by heroic figures in our lives. What is a modern hero? These figures that motivate, encourage and inspire us. Each of us has one that stands above the rest as our personal favorite. What do your heroes say about you?

There are many benefits to playing tabletop games. But does it make a difference if it’s analog vs digital gaming? There are unique benefits and disadvantages to each. How can we make our gaming experiences the best possible, whether it’s together around the table or tabletop gaming online? Here are 12 tips to make the most of your next tabletop experience.

There are many benefits to playing games. When we put down the controller or pack up our dice, the values we learned in playing games stay with us. From video games to tabletop roleplaying games, playing games teaches us about life. Here are the ten most important life lessons that I learned from gaming.

From that first booster pack, I became a fan of Pokemon TCG. But with the release of new sets, I became Pokemon obsessed. I was afraid of missing out and my passion led to intrusive thoughts. My mind was always on ways to buy and collect Pokemon cards. But I needed to learn how to deal with obsessive thoughts. Here are practical tips on what I learned in my journey in how to overcome obsession.

Many games let players personalize their character’s development through a game skill tree. Different combinations allow for a great variety in gameplay and player engagement. What are different player types on RPG skill trees? What about real-life skill trees? How to manage our goals through levels of experience and how we can create our own skill tree for real life?

Whether it’s in a game or in real life, stress happens from the unexpected and things outside of our control. But when faced with difficult situations in RL, we can’t turn it off and walk away. What can we learn from video games and TTRPGs like D&D about stress management and dealing with anxiety in a crisis? Here are 14 techniques to reduce anxiety and stress management for geeks and gamers.

Have you ever enjoyed huge RPGs like Skyrim, Fallout 4, or The Witcher 3 with numerous side quests? Side quests can be a great addition but they can also distract from the main story. What about in real life? The side quests in life often distract from our real-life main quest too. How can you find a balance between working on your dreams and completing those real-life side quests?

Over a third of gamers have experienced anxiety and stress-related issues. Stress happens to most of us but there are times that it is too much and we feel overwhelmed. Here are 12 techniques to center ourselves for when stress and anxiety have sent our minds spinning.

“Life is a game.” Gamification is a powerful tool to motivate us by making tasks more fun and enjoyable. Companies have used it for over 100 years to encourage us to buy their products and schools have found great success gamifying education. But what is the science behind gamification and how does it work?

Most tabletop role players would tell you of the camaraderie and self-confidence they gain through playing games like D&D.  But researchers have taken notice as well.  Beyond the entertainment value, TTRPGs are a healthy habit to form, granting many benefits for improved mental health and encouraging our personal development.

Quests in games provide goals, help us progress our story, and develop our character. What if we could do earn experience points and complete quests in real life? There are plenty of real quests that we can take to improve our stats and have some fun along the way.

Here is a list of 25 real-life quests for nerds, geeks, gamers, and would-be adventurers to get you started on your adventure.

Whether video games or tabletop games, we enjoy the immersion, interesting questlines, and magical creatures of role-playing games. But next to it, our reality may feel anything but an adventure. Boring responsibilities, difficult challenges, and some days life is anything but fun. 

But what if we thought about real life as an RPG?   While it may seem like a novel idea, changing our mindset and thinking about life as a game can produce real benefits to our lives. 

Gaming has been blamed for a variety of negative impacts with studies showing a correlation between gaming and mental health issues. But as a gamer myself dealing with anxiety and depression, I’ve always felt that gaming made me feel better, not worse. More recent studies have shown that while there may be a connection between gamers and higher levels of anxiety, it is not necessarily causation. And in fact, gaming has been shown to be beneficial and help symptoms of anxiety and depression in many people.

The holiday can be a wonderful time of the year. But this time of year can also be a great source of anxiety.

And as a gamer, I find that I would much prefer to spend those cozy winter days online in a dungeon than participating in the festive season. And I am far from alone in seeking this Scrooge-like escape. Here are some ways to use gaming and other tips to help with holiday anxiety.