Lore & Order: A Gaming Podcast | Podcast on RSS.com

Lore & Order: A Gaming Podcast

Lore & Order: A Gaming Podcast

by James Padley & Amrith Eldridge

Games Video Games

Season 1

Perfect Playthroughs: Are We Optimising the Fun Out of Video Games?

Modern gaming gives us more information than ever before. Build guides, tier lists, walkthroughs, and optimisation tools promise to make us better players - but are they also taking away the experimentation and genuine discovery that made us fall in love with games in the first place? In this weeks episode of Lore & Order, we explore the rise of gaming's optimisation culture. From "best builds" and spoiler-filled guides to the psychology behind why our brains crave the most efficient path, we ask whether we're still playing games, or simply following someone else's instructions. We also unpack psychological ideas including Information Foraging Theory, Loss Aversion, Maximising vs Satisficing, and the Generation Effect - and what they can teach us about protecting the joy of discovery. Whether you've ever looked up a boss strategy before fighting it, Googled the "best ending," or spent hours perfecting an overpowered build, this episode is for you, and perhaps serves as a reminder that sometimes the most memorable gaming experiences are the ones nobody told us how to have. 🎮 In this episode: Why games can feel like homework before you've even started playing The psychology behind our obsession with optimisation Why online communities create gaming "meta" cultures The hidden cost of walkthroughs, tier lists and build guides Why discovering something yourself is more memorable than reading about it When optimisation genuinely improves games - and when it can get in the way 📚 Episode Links: Information Foraging - Peter Pirolli & Stuart Card, 1999: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter-Pirolli/publication/229101074_Information_Foraging/links/02bfe50f098acc0ea8000000/Information-Foraging.pdf Loss Aversion, Behavioral Economics, 2024: https://www.behavioraleconomics.com/resources/mini-encyclopedia-of-be/loss-aversion/ Maximizing versus satisficing: happiness is a matter of choice - Barry Schwartz, 2002: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12416921/ Digital bonds: A gamers’ perspective on the role of online gaming communities in fostering social interaction and identity. Kostas Zervas & Kostas Maronitis, 2025: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10126902251349297 The Generation Effect, Jamie Clark, 2026: https://newsletter.jamieleeclark.com/p/the-generation-effect

Digital Tourism: How Video Games Inspire Real-World Curiosity

What if one of gaming's greatest strengths isn't helping us escape the real world - but making us more curious about it? This week on Lore & Order, we're exploring how video games transform us into digital tourists and how they invite us to wander through breathtaking worlds inspired by real history, architecture, myths, cultures and landscapes. Whether you've found yourself wondering if a castle from a fantasy RPG was based on a real place, Googling Greek and Norse mythology after playing God of War, or recognising a real-world landmark because you explored it in a game first, you're not alone. Games don't just let us explore fictional worlds, they encourage us to ask questions about the real one. 🎮 In this episode we discuss: What "digital tourism" actually means How Attention Restoration Theory helps explain our love of wandering virtual landscapes Why authentic architecture, geography and culture make game worlds feel believable How developers borrow from real-world history, myths and places Why games inspire us to learn more about different cultures Games that faithfully recreate historical locations and civilizations How games have inspired real-world tourism around the globe Why video games may be one of the most underrated tools for cultural curiosity 📚 Episode Links: Video Game-Inspired Tourism: A Synergistic Framework - Van Ha Luong & Aikaterini Manthiou (2026): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517725001529 What is Kaplan's Attention Restoration Theory (ART)? - Courtney E. Ackerman (2018): https://positivepsychology.com/attention-restoration-theory/ Attention Restoration Theory: A Systematic Review of the Attention Restoration Potential of Exposure to Natural Environments - Heather Ohly et al. (2016): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10937404.2016.1196155 From Virtual to Physical: The Spillover Effects of Digital Games on Tourist Destinations - Shufeng Lei et al. (2026): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517725002407 📸 Follow us on Instagram & TikTok: @loreandorderpodcast

The Value of Video Games: Price, Ownership & What Games Are Really Worth

Video games have never been more expensive... or have they? This week on Lore & Order, we're asking whether games really are becoming unaffordable - or whether we're measuring value the wrong way entirely. From the looming $130 AAA release of GTA VI, to the incredible cost-per-hour that games offer compared to movies, concerts, escape rooms and other entertainment, we unpack why gaming might actually be one of the best value for money hobbies around. But value isn't just about dollars and hours anymore. As the industry moves towards an increasingly digital future, we're also asking a much bigger question: When you buy a digital game... do you actually own it? 🎮 In this episode we discuss: The difference between cost and value Why game prices have remained surprisingly consistent over the decades Why games are one of the highest-value forms of paid entertainment per hour Why longer games aren't automatically better games The hidden cost of entering gaming as a new player Australia's long history of paying more for games ("The Australia Tax") Why physical game sales are disappearing Digital licenses vs true ownership What happens to resale, preservation and collecting in an all-digital future? Are we becoming more comfortable owning nothing? 📚 Episode Links: The Entertainment Software Association - Data & Insights: https://www.theesa.com/data-insights/ Newzoo - Global Games Market Report: https://newzoo.com/reports/global-games-market-report Circana: Video Game Industry Performance & Market Research: https://www.circana.com/industries/video-games GST on imported services & digital products: https://softwaredevelopers.ato.gov.au/GSTintangibles?utm_source=chatgpt.com AB 2426: New California Law Requires Clear Licensing Disclosures for Digital Goods: https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2024/12/ab-2426-new-california-law-requires-clear-licensing-disclosures-for-digital-goods 📸 Follow us: Instagram & TikTok: @loreandorderpodcast

Backlogged: The Games We’ll Never Play

How many games are sitting in your backlog right now? Ten? Fifty? Maybe hundreds? This week on Lore & Order, we're diving into one of gaming's most relatable problems: the dreaded and ever-growing backlog. So why do we keep buying games we'll probably never have time to play? Why do unfinished games make us feel so guilty? And why does grabbing an incredible bargain often feel just as satisfying as actually playing the game? Join us as we explore: 🎮 When a collection becomes a backlog 🧠 Why our brains love buying games for our "future selves" 💸 The psychology behind sales, bargains, and FOMO 📚 Why unfinished games create guilt (and why they linger in our minds) 🕹️ Side Quest: A practical way to shrink your backlog without feeling like you're missing out Sometimes the hardest part of gaming isn't choosing what to play. It's accepting that we'll never be able to play everything. 🎮 Episode Links: Your Brain Rewards You for Imagining the Future, Julia Weiler, 2026: https://neurosciencenews.com/mental-time-travel-dopamine-reward-30568/ The Joint Effect of Framing and Anchoring on Internet Buyers' Decision-Making, Chin-Shan Wu & Fei-Fei Cheng, 2011: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1567422311000032 The Zeigarnik Effect - Psychology Today, Gary Drevitch, 2025: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/basics/zeigarnik-effect Choice Overload: A Conceptual Review and Meta-Analysis, Alexander C, Ulf B. & Joseph G. 2015: https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/j.jcps.2014.08.002

100%: The Completionist's Conundrum

Why does 99% completion somehow feel worse than 80%? Why can one missing collectible become more important than the final boss? And why do so many of us spend dozens of additional hours ticking off side quests, hunting trophies and achievements, and chasing that elusive 100%? In this episode of Lore & Order, we're exploring the psychology behind completionism in games. From tracking collectibles and platinum trophies, to the Zeigarnik Effect and our deeply human desire for closure, we unpack why games are so good at making us want to leave no stone unturned. Because maybe we're not just collecting digital items. Maybe we're collecting something much more meaningful. 🎮 Episode Links: Zeigarnik Effect - Gary Drevitch: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/basics/zeigarnik-effect Interruption, recall and resumption: a meta-analysis of the Zeigarnik and Ovsiankina effects - R. Ghibellini & B. Meier: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-025-05000-w The Motivational Pull of Video Games: A Self-Determination Theory Approach - R. Ryan, S. Rigby, and A. Przybylski: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2006_RyanRigbyPrzybylski_MandE.pdf

Home Sweet Home: Why We Love Building in Games

Why do so many of us spend hours decorating houses, planting virtual gardens, and arranging furniture in games that no one else will ever see? This week on Lore & Order, we're exploring one of gaming's most universal habits: creating virtual spaces that feel like home. From building painstakingly elaborate Minecraft bases, curating Animal Crossing islands, and transforming Stardew Valley farms into our own personal sanctuaries, players have always found ways to leave their mark on virtual worlds. But why? Why does placing a painting on a wall feel meaningful? Why do we display swords, armour sets, fossils, and collectibles long after we've earned them? And why does a digital space start to genuinely feel like home? Join us as we explore the first game homes we ever built, the psychology behind "place attachment" and how we naturally link personal spaces to our identity, and perhaps, most importantly - what virtual homes can teach us about the real ones we live in. 🎮 Episode Links: Home is where the heart is: The effect of place of residence on place attachment and community participation - Charis E. Anton, & Carmen Lawrence: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494414000954 Is it a sense of autonomy, control, or attachment? Exploring the effects of in-game customization on game enjoyment. - Keunyeong Kim, et al.: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563215001090 From Virtual Worlds to Real Places: A Journey Through Video Game Play, Flow, and Place Attachment. - Ismail Shaheer: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/7/4/99 The Beauty of Life -William Morris, 1880: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/collected-works-of-william-morris/beauty-of-life-1880/677CA3EAAD32B902F6172B65EF27F5B0

Breaking the Rules: The Games We Invent Ourselves

What happens when players stop asking, "How am I supposed to play this game?" and start asking, "How else could I play it?". In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore one of the gaming communities most fascinating quirks: our tendency to ignore the rules we've been given and invent entirely new ones. From Pokémon Nuzlockes, Ironman runs, pacifist playthroughs and speedrunning, some of gaming's most memorable experiences weren't created by developers - they were created by the players. Together, we unpack the psychology of self-imposed challenges. Why risk creates unforgettable stories, how gaming communities continually reinvent the experiences developers create, and why modern studios are increasingly designing games with player-created rule-sets in mind. Because one of the greatest things about games isn't simply that they're interactive. It's that they invite us to make them our own. 🎮 Episode Links Nuzlocke University - The origins, rules and community behind Pokémon's most famous fan-created challenge: https://nuzlockeuniversity.ca/nuzlocke-rules/

Pocket Worlds: How Gaming Escaped the Lounge Room

When was the last time you played a game outside of your house? On the train. At the airport. During your lunch break. Maybe even during a cheeky work poo. Gaming used to be something we did in a specific place. You sat down in front of a TV, turned on the console, and entered another world. Today, those worlds live inside our pockets. In this episode, we explore how gaming escaped the lounge room and became something we can access almost anywhere, anytime. From sneaking a Game Boy under the doona late at night to playing mobile games on smartphones, we unpack how portable gaming transformed not only where we play, but how we play. Along the way we discuss the rise of handheld consoles, the social magic of Pokémon battles with the link cable, the smartphone revolution that turned millions of non-gamers into gamers, and the psychology behind habit-forming game design like daily logins, streaks, and battle passes. Most importantly, we ask: When games are available everywhere, how do we make sure we're still choosing to play them intentionally?

Post Game Depression: The Strange Sadness of Finishing a Great Game

Have you ever finished an incredible game, and instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment, you felt sadness? The music swells. The credits roll. Only to be left with this strange emptiness. You wanted to reach the ending. You spent dozens (sometimes hundreds) of hours building towards it, but when it finally arrived...you almost wish it hadn’t. In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore the curious phenomenon of post-game depression: why finishing a great game can leave us feeling unexpectedly hollow, and what that feeling reveals about stories, relationships, and the worlds we inhabit. Because we’re not just saying goodbye to a game. We’re saying goodbye to a life we briefly lived. 🎮 Articles referenced in this episode: Post-game depression scale - a new measure to capture players' experiences after finishing video games - K. Janowicz & P. Klimczyk: gamesresearchgate.net/publication/400076597_Post-game_depression_scale_-_a_new_measure_to_capture_players%27_experiences_after_finishing_video_games What is Narrative Transportation? - C. Vinney: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-narrative-transportation-5217042 What is post-game depression? A narrative enquiry - P. Klimcyzk: https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/20994

A Healthy Distraction: How Games Help Us Cope

When life gets overwhelming, many of us instinctively reach for a controller. Whether it's before a big job interview, during a stressful week, while recovering from an illness, or simply after a rough day, games have a unique ability to quiet the noise and give our minds somewhere else to focus. In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore why games are such powerful tools for coping with stress, anxiety, pain, and uncertainty. We discuss the psychology of attention, flow state, and distraction, uncover fascinating historical examples of games being used to endure hardship, and examine the difference between healthy escapism and unhealthy avoidance. Along the way, we share personal stories of how gaming helped us through difficult periods, from major life transitions and medical recovery to anxiety, grief, and everyday stress. So come and get distracted with us - because sometimes distraction isn't something to feel guilty about. Sometimes, it's exactly what we need. 🎮 Articles referenced in this episode: Virtual “SnowWorld” Helps Burn Victims Cope with Extreme Pain - Laura Panjawi, 2017: https://www.rdworldonline.com/virtual-snowworld-helps-burn-victims-cope-with-extreme-pain/ Preventing intrusive memories after trauma via a brief intervention involving Tetris computer game play in the emergency department - L. Iyadurai, et al. 2018: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28348380/ Histories, Herodutus, 5th Century BC. Translated by G. C. Macaulay 1890 Distraction with a hand-held video game reduces pediatric preoperative anxiety: Anuradha Patel, et al. 2006: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16972829/

1 of 3