The Postmodern Joy of Role-Playing Games

Agency, Ritual and Meaning in the Medium

René Reinhold Schallegger (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

258 Seiten

2018
McFarland & Co Inc (Verlag)
978-1-4766-6493-4 (ISBN)

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Historian Johan Huizinga once described game playing as the motor of humanity's cultural development, predating art and literature. Since the late 20th century, Western society has undergone a "ludification," as the influence of game-playing has grown ever more prevalent. At the same time, new theories of postmodernism have emphasized the importance of interactive, playful behavior.

Core concepts of postmodernism are evident in pen-and-paper role-playing, such as Dungeons and Dragons. Exploring the interrelationships among narrative, gameplay, players and society, the author raises questions regarding authority, agency and responsibility, and discusses the social potential of RPGs in the 21st century.

René Reinhold Schallegger is an associated professor for British-, Canadian-, and game studies at the University of Klagenfurt (Austria). Series editor Matthew Wilhelm Kapell teaches American studies, anthropology, and writing at Pace University in New York.

Table of Contents

Preface: Joyful Games of Meaning-Making

1 ■ The Power of Words: Postmodernism in a Nutshell

2 ■ Homo Ludens: Theories of Play and Games

3 ■ Of Dice and (Wo)Men: What Are Role-Playing Games?

4 ■ Generations: The Origins and Development of RPGs

5 ■ Constructing Understanding: RPG Theory

6 ■ Metalanguage: Critical Literature on RPGs

7 ■ Reframing: Alternative Theoretical Perspectives

Conclusion: Making Connections

Abbreviations Used

Chapter Notes

Bibliography

Index

Erscheinungsdatum	13.06.2018
Reihe/Serie	Studies in Gaming
Zusatzinfo	notes, bibliography, index
Verlagsort	Jefferson, NC
Sprache	englisch
Maße	152 x 229 mm
Gewicht	318 g
Themenwelt	Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Freizeit / Hobby ► Spielen / Raten
ISBN-10	1-4766-6493-5 / 1476664935
ISBN-13	978-1-4766-6493-4 / 9781476664934
Zustand	Neuware