The Psychology of Megaverse Heroes, According to an AI

As of earlier today, Perplexity AI was tasked with trying to identify the psychological makeup of some major Dozerfleet characters, and analyze likely diagnoses. The results were not entirely surprising; yet insightful all the same. The following characters were sampled, with the following results:

Extirwraith

Diagnosis: Psychopath, with impulsivity issues

Poor Anda Hirano! She landed Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) right off the bat!

The AI noted the following about her:

• Lack of empathy: In her activities as Extirwraith, she all too often shows little to no remorse for her violent actions.
• Impulsivity and sensation-seeking: According to Perplexity, her "constant search for amusement, and chaotic behavior," are indicative of "a high level of impulsivity, and a need for stimulation."
• Disregard for social norms and laws: Her methodology as an anti-hero clearly demonstrates that she has very little sense of obligation to conform to key social norms. Her attempt to seduce Black Rat into a one night stand, even when he was uncomfortable with it and doubted she was of legal age, and her few other one night stands, also suggest a total disregard for propriety.
• Manipulative behavior: She uses a grudge ghost impersonation to both physically and psychologically torment her targets. However deserving of some form of punishment they are, she does it just as much for her own amusement as out of a misguided sense of justice.
• Boredom and emptiness: In her early years, Anda had a "constant need for amusement, to stave off feeling 'empty'." According to Perplexity, this is "a characteristic often associated with ASPD."
• Lack of long-term goals: She wandered the Earth directionless for years, often "without a clear purpose beyond seeking amusement." This "indicates a lack of realistic, long-term goals."
• Recklessness: Trying to stop a Brazilian serial killer from killing again by killing him first may be an extreme vigilante act, but it was her willingness to do it by turning his legs into gummi worms that truly illustrated her total disregard. She laughed at the truck that hit the man as he was struggling to carry himself after she turned his legs into gummi candy. Showing a lack of concern for the driver's safety.
• Childhood trauma: Loss of family is a textbook factor in her condition's development.

The AI also believes she's a psychopath due to "her calculated and manipulative behavior, as well as her apparent lack of emotional depth beyond seeking amusement." It went on to say that: "Her willingness to be captured by police for the sake of novelty suggests a bold and fearless personality, which is also associated with psychopathy."

Lemon Witch

Diagnosis: Borderline Personality Disorder, comorbid with sociopathic tendencies and impulse control issues

Candace had quite a few red flags, even before she got Xomified!

• Impulsivity: Candace didn't even hesitate to use her abilities to foil a robbery, when she had little idea of the consequences.
• Intense and unstable relationships: Her willingness to fistfight bullies in order to protect her brother suggests that her interpersonal relationships can be rather intense.
• Emotional instability: She's not nearly as happy and bubbly inside as she often pretends to be on the outside.
• Identity disturbance: Her reliance on fruit puns after being labeled "Lemon Witch" by others.
• Inappropriate anger: Her lack of empathy for either the store robbers or for the school bullies that threatened her brother is common in BPD.
• Disregard for social norms: Her willingness to turn victims into fruits, unconcerned about the pain and embarrassment it causes, shows a slight antisocial element to her.
• Lack of remorse: The fact that she's more concerned about turning someone by accident that may not have deserved it, rather than the pain she can cause someone when turning them intentionally, and even greater fear of not being able to change them back later, suggests a certain anti-social self-centeredness.
• Use of humor as a defense mechanism: This is her primary means of coping with and hiding emotional pain. Not always a healthy method.
• Ethical ambiguity: She spares Barry and Carly's future relationship potential by turning Barry into a fruit before he can embarrass himself by prematurely proposing to Carly. In spite her good intentions, her method of saving Barry from himself is highly questionable, suggesting she has highly flexible morals.

Plum Bixie

Diagnosis: C-PTSD, co-morbid with Dissociative Identity Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder

Zize has so many issues, each one gets its own list!

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Prolonged exposure to traumatic events: She was abducted by Kai Yun's men at an early age, sexually abused, and exploited in many different ways.
• Difficulty with emotional regulation: Her intense anger and resentment all but consume her at times.
• Negative self-perception: When she begins to see herself as a monster.
• Distorted perceptions: She sees the Hebbleskins almost as extensions of Yun's evil will for her life, and that she needs to kill them by the hundreds to undermine him.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

• Presence of other: Inner Fox
• Gaps in memory or consciousness: Her selectively mute episodes.
• Identity confusion: Why she wears the fox mask later on, especially when Inner Fox assumes control of her body.

Borderline Personality Disorder

• Intense and unstable relationships
• Impulsivity and risk-taking behavior
• Chronic feelings of emptiness
• Difficulty controlling anger

Additional considerations:

• Trauma bonding: Her choosing Gary after he rescued her, her feeling closer to him after rescuing him back, their mutual longing to escape the Hebbleskins, and her need to prove that she isn't who her abusive previous boss made her out to be demonstrates that trauma has informed her decision-making process.
• Survivor's guilt: She doesn't feel that everyone who has died on account of her or her former superiors entirely deserved it. She is bothered by how many the Hebbleskins killed before she was there to do anything about it. And by how many she failed to save in the end.
• Hypervigilance: She is constantly on guard, perceiving endless threats to herself and her loved ones.

Perplexity recommended the following treatments for her:

• Trauma-focused therapy: Perplexity recommended EMDR and cognitive behavior therapy to deal with her C-PTSD.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Her issues with emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness suggest that this treatment could benefit her greatly.
• Specialized treatment: Integration therapy was recommended to erase Inner Fox from existing. That a Kritchaboloid Biroot then tried to seize the opportunity to assume Inner Fox's identity, and prey on Zize's religious doubts to keep Inner Fox alive as a separate identity within Zize's mind, led to a possession dilemma. Yet, this proved to be that biroot's Achilles Heel, as this move made Inner Fox vulnerable to Cherinob. Much to the dismay of Gum Arabic doctors, allowing Cherinob and Inner Fox to fight each other on another plane for the fate of Zize's soul proved to be exactly the medicine she needed to complete her integration therapy.
• Psycho-education: Relating to the effects of childhood trauma and exploitation.
• Supportive therapy: Her self-esteem is ruined. This is necessary to address, so that she can learn how to develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Inner Fox, the literal demonic possession angle notwithstanding, is fueled in dark ambiance by all of Zize's underlying psychological sources of distress. Multiple cultural and clinical perspectives come into play:

• Dissociative Identity Disorder: Inner Fox first got in because Zize needed an alternate in order to cope with her trauma. Fear of losing control to the alternate is consistent with this pattern.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Auditory hallucinations of Inner Fox whispering suggestions to her can be an extreme PTSD symptom. Her unresolved hatred for Kai Yun fuels the argument.
• Cultural influence: In spite her field codename of "Plum Bixie," with a bixie spirit in Chinese folklore being known to viciously attack impure spirits, Kai infused in her mind association with the huli jing - an impure fox spirit. Leading to a strong sense of moral confusion within her. The fox mask she finds is more Japanese than Chinese in structure, but this is in keeping with the kitsune. Kitsune possession, called kitsunetsuki, was traditionally ascribed as a way to describe erratic behavior and personality changes. According to Perplexity, these cultural influences would taint Zize's perspective of reality, and inform her auditory hallucinations.
• Symbolic representation: Inner Fox is a symbolic manifestation of Zize's repressed anger, resentment, and desire for revenge against her abusers. It also represents parts of herself that she struggles to integrate.
• Psychotic feature: In severe cases, the hallucinations are possibly stress-induced psychotic episodes.

Complex holistic treatment is needed when dealing with her. She has a traumatic backstory, a cultural background requiring special research and consideration, and other worrisome symptoms.

Volkonir

Diagnosis: PTSD, Social Communication Disorder, Adjustment Disorder, and arrested development

• PTSD: Vinny has numerous intrusive thoughts and ruminations about past failures. He experienced severe trauma over the loss of his kingdom, coupled with 400 years of feeling largely isolated. He illustrates hypervigilance with and preoccupation over the need to prevent future harm. Living alone and avoiding neighbors can also be seen as symptoms, along with any other avoidance behaviors he may exhibit.
• Social Communication Disorder: His struggle to understand certain social cues, struggles with appropriate social sharing, and occasional misinterpretation of others' intentions (like Kayla's flirting) are all textbook symptoms.
• Adjustment Disorder: Earth culture and societal norms confuse him sometimes. He also shows emotional and behavioral symptoms in response to identifiable sources of stress.
• C-PTSD: He spent 400 years as an enchanted toy. He has extreme bitterness toward the Gwirdons, even if most of it is justified. He also suffers relationship problems, and struggles with forming healthy connections with others.

Perplexity noted that his being from another world, and suffering from a magical transformation, "make it challenging to apply standard diagnostic criteria fully." His social impairments are believed to be due to his prolonged isolation. A psychologist, it notes, "would likely focus on addressing Vinny's PTSD symptoms." HanomCorp giving him social skills training would also go a long way toward helping him integrate better with society.

A multidisciplinary approach involving traditional psychologists and social workers may be needed to truly aid his journey.

The AI speculated that his prolonged isolation could lead to eating disorders in a more realistic setting. It was also concerned with his "bizarre emotional outbursts," particularly his threatening to rip out Hiktomoph's eyes. It also correctly predicted he might talk to himself to an abnormal degree in toy form, also as a symptom of isolation.

In summary, magical transformation plus 400 years of loneliness have made it hard for him to adapt to new settings.

Ciem

Diagnosis: C-PTSD, comorbid with severe depression and borderline personality disorder

• C-PTSD: The loss of her parents, the sexual harassment she got constantly in school, sexual abuse she endured as a child, and a general lack of emotional support are believed to have layered upon each other to produce her melancholy state. Her emotional irregularity as a symptom is also concerning, which includes her rage outbursts and constant self-doubt. Her negative self-concept (questioning her value) is also noteworthy. Likewise, it noted the disconcerting reality of the fact that she would compare Cincinnati to Hell, and question if that's what she deserved. This expressed that, if it hadn't been turned into a literal war zone, she could be seen as holding distorted views.
• Depression: Perplexity noted her "persistent feelings of sadness and worthlessness." Her willingness to be incarcerated at the end of Ciem: Inferno also doesn't seem to be solely done out of selfless sacrifice to protect Imaki, but out of a selfish surrender due to loss of interest in activities. Her difficulty coping with miscarriage was also noted as a concern.
• Borderline Personality Disorder: She holds intense and unstable relationships, such as how quickly she became attached to Danny Loffin. She also illustrates impulsivity, given her ignoring house rules and engaging in risky behavior. Her longing to start a replacement family also betrays "cronic feelings of emptiness." This could all go double for Miriam, who in spite not having the same level of ambition to start a replacement family, is even more prone than Candi to risky behavior.

Perplexity noted additional considerations:

• Attachment issues: Candi can't trusting others easily. And when she tries, she doesn't seem capable of forming very many secure relationships.
• Hypervigilance: Her vigilante activities indicate being conditioned to a constant state of high alert.
• Survivor's guilt: She survived. Much of her family didn't. And those who died the minute she got even a little distracted? That weighs heavily on her.

If Madison is serious about treating her in-universe, a multi-faceted approach was recommended:

• Trauma-focused therapy (e.g., EMDR, CBT) to address her C-PTSD.
• Dialectical behavior therapy to help her with emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Cognitive processing therapy to address negative self-perceptions and guilt.
• Supportive therapy to rebuild self-esteem and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
• Antidepressants(?)

Perplexity noted that her superhero activities make her psychological profile even more nuanced. The extraordinary circumstances she endures would make her trauma and mental health symptoms worse: "Her tendency to self-sacrifice and take on excessive responsibility might be addressed as part of her treatment plan."

Entering the world of 3D AI

Dozerfleet Studios now has a double-camera setup for shooting backgrounds and video in 3D. The setup doesn't quite have all its bugs worked out yet, but enough of a double image was able to be produced to result in anaglyph experiments demonstrating the strengths and drawbacks of using AI to make post-processing conversions to 3D.

For posters that mostly consist of AI-generated assets in the first place, it's very difficult to combine native and post-processed assets together to make a believable composite. Depth map manipulation to improve Photoshop layer pixel displacement on a flattened copy of a file - with all assets added before flattening of layers - is the most practical way to do it.

This is most evident in the 3D version of the main book cover / official poster for The Tale of Plum Bixie:

However, while post-processing can speed up the editing process, and is usually pretty reasonable, it has nothing on the power of a wisely-chosen setup of native 3D shooting - something not possible with most AI art generators that are equipped to only do so-so with generating 2D assets.

Some 3D glasses are needed to truly see the difference, but here's a sample image of a Christmas village that was post-processed using the app Owl 3D:

By contrast, this is that same village when two different cameras' feeds were overlapped to produce native 3D:

The depth detail is simply amazing; and the depth maps involved with Owl 3D, as good as they are, cannot hope to match the sheer power of a proper parallax reconciliation.

Granted, achieving this latter image took a little more work. The right eye camera was a Canon PowerShot ELPH 135. The left eye camera was a Vivitar Popsnap VEC S124. Stabilizing either camera without a tripod splitter was an exercise in splitting hairs. To make matters worse, macro photography like this pushed the limits of what both cameras could do. When it came to color recognition, the Canon definitely had better chrominance range than the Vivitar.

As a consequence, the resulting composite image is a fraction of what was originally possible. Regardless, the point was made.

This was also demonstrated when The Amazing Spider-Man first hit theaters in RealD 3D, and was shot natively. The result was a far-better-looking world than the MCU, which released The Avengers with post-processed 3D. Native 3D clips of TASM are hard to find now, with most YouTube clips featuring badly-washed-out post-processed 3D that's difficult to watch. Clips of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 suffered for this format, however, as it made more obvious than ever when Andrew was web-swinging against a greenscreen - a similar problem to that which plagued The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Viewers of

The Avengers didn't have that issue, since the 3D made available is the original post-processed result, just switched from RealD 3D to anaglyph per the limitations of most home monitors.

What does this mean for Dozerfleet 3D?

• Whenever possible, backgrounds and props that can be shot in native 3D can and should be done so. With a few tweaks, the Vivitar's current limitations may be overcome gradually. A tripod splitter will further aid the two cameras in communicating with each other to achieve an ideal parallax angle.
• If The Mutt Mackley Show ever made a comeback, an upgrade to the SD card setup for the Vivitar would enable Mackley videos to be shot in 3D. A different puppeteer might be needed, since the director / camerman would have to manage two cameras as the same time. This would allow future Mutt Mackley entries to be in native 3D.
• If location doubling is possible, backgrounds for story covers / posters could have 3D equivalents. Some clever blending of post-processed AI-generated foreground assets and native-shot assets would make better-looking 3D possible.
• Where such location doubling isn't possible, post-processing would be necessary to take full advantage of environments that are AI-generated from wholecloth.
• For Blood Over Water 3D for the remake, action shots that are complicated enough would be post-processed. Simpler shots could be done in The Sims 4 with carefully-handled trucking of the in-game camera to the right. The front and back covers, however, would have to be post-processed.
• So far, with regard to the machinomics, only Blood Over Water TS4 is being planned for a release some time in 2025 or 2026 with a 3D release. Readers will be encouraged to have or else order pairs of 3D glasses when reading Blood Over Water TS4 3D. All the other remaining machinomics are being planned for 2D only.
• From there, anaglyph work will be in limited supply, on an as-neede basis. Some anaglyphs are included in the official handbook for The Sims 4: Magic of Movies and Memes Stuff, though these are post-processed.
• Projects that are deemed passionate enough, or where there is enough demand, will then use native 3D as much as possible, and post-processed 3D whenever native 3D capture isn't possible. Most projects, for the sake of time, however, will still be 2D-only releases.