Description
This handbook collects, for the first time, the state of research on role-playing games (RPGs) across disciplines, cultures, and media in a single, accessible volume. Collaboratively authored by more than 50 key scholars, it traces the history of RPGs, from wargaming precursors to tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons to the rise of live action role-play and contemporary computer RPG and massively multiplayer online RPG franchises, like Fallout and World of Warcraft. Individual chapters survey the perspectives, concepts, and findings on RPGs from key disciplines, like performance studies, sociology, psychology, education, economics, game design, literary studies, and more. Other chapters integrate insights from RPG studies around broadly significant topics, like transmedia worldbuilding, immersion, transgressive play, or player–character relations. Each chapter includes definitions of key terms and recommended readings to help fans, students, and scholars new to RPG studies find their way into this new interdisciplinary field.
Table of Contents
1 The Many Faces of Role-Playing Game Studies
Sebastian Deterding and José P. Zagal
PART I: DEFINITIONS
2 Definitions of "Role-Playing Games"
José P. Zagal and Sebastian Deterding
PART II: FORMS
3 Precursors
Jon Peterson
4 Tabletop Role-Playing Games
William J. White, Jonne Arjoranta, Michael Hitchens, Jon Peterson, Evan Torner, and Jonathan Walton
5 Live-Action Role-Playing Games
J. Tuomas Harviainen, Rafael Bienia, Simon Brind, Michael Hitchens, Yaraslau I. Kot, Esther MacCallum-Stewart, David W. Simkins, Jaakko Stenros, and Ian Sturrock
6 Single-Player Computer Role-Playing Games
Douglas Schules, Jon Peterson, and Martin Picard
7 Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games
Mark Chen, Riley Leary, Jon Peterson, and David W. Simkins
8 Online Freeform Role-Playing Games
Jessica Hammer
9 The Impact of Role-playing Games on Culture
Esther MacCallum-Stewart, Jaakko Stenros, and Staffan Björk
PART III: DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES
10 RPG Theorizing by Designers and Players
Evan Torner
11 Performance Studies and Role-Playing Games
Sarah Hoover, David W. Simkins, Sebastian Deterding, David Meldman, and Amanda Brown
12 Sociology and Role-Playing Games
J. Patrick Williams, David Kirschner, Nicolas Mizer, and Sebastian Deterding
13 Psychology and Role-Playing Games
Sarah Lynne Bowman and Andreas Lieberoth
14 Literary Studies and Role-Playing Games
David Jara and Evan Torner
15 Learning and Role-Playing Games
Jessica Hammer, Alexandra To, Karen Schrier, Sarah Lynne Bowman, and Geoff Kaufman
16 Economics and Role-Playing Games
Isaac Knowles and Edward Castronova
17 Science and Technology Studies and Role-Playing Games
Rafael Bienia
18 Game Design and Role-Playing Games
Staffan Björk and José P. Zagal
19 Communication Research and Role-Playing Games
William J. White
PART IV: INTERDISCIPLINARY ISSUES
20 Worldbuilding in Role-Playing Games
Karen Schrier, Evan Torner, and Jessica Hammer
21 Role-Playing Games as Subculture and Fandom
Esther MacCallum-Stewart and Aaron Trammell
22 Immersion and Shared Imagination in Role-Playing Games
Sarah Lynne Bowman
23 Players and Their Characters in Role-Playing Games
Sarah Lynne Bowman and Karen Schrier
24 Transgressive Role-play
Jaakko Stenros and Sarah Lynne Bowman
25 Sexuality and the Erotic in Role-Play
Ashley ML Brown and Jaakko Stenros
26 Representation and Discrimination in Role-Playing Games
Aaron Trammell
27 Power and Control in Role-Playing Games
Jessica Hammer, Whitney Beltran, Jonathan Walton, and Moyra Turkington
