Role-Playing Game Studies

Sebastian Deterding is a Reader at the Digital Creativity Labs at the University of York (York, UK). He has been an RPG player and designer for more than 20 years and has published ethnographic portraits of the German pen-and-paper RPG subculture. He is founder and organizer of the Gamification Research Network and co-editor of The Gameful World (MIT Press, 2015), a book about the ludification of culture. He holds a PhD in media studies from Hamburg University. See also: http://codingconduct.cc/. José P. Zagal is an Associate Professor with the University of Utah’s Entertainment Arts & Engineering program. He wrote Ludoliteracy (2010) and edited The Videogame Ethics Reader (2012). In 2016, he was honored as a Distinguished Scholar by the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) for his contributions to the field of game research. He also serves as the Editor-In-Chief of DiGRA’s flagship journal Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association (ToDiGRA). He received his PhD in computer science from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2008. See also: http://www.eng.utah.edu/~zagal/.

"Multivocal, robust, and, indeed, compelling....Role-Playing Game Studies is an excellent resource and starting point for a great many research projects touching on RPGs, and a welcome addition to the game studies literature."--Alex Chalk, First Person Scholar"An incredibly wide-ranging look at role-playing games from multiple angles, this book is set to become the authoritative work on the subject for years to come. If you’re looking to learn more about RPGs, whether as a player, researcher or designer, there’s something – many somethings! – in here for you." - Richard Bartle, MMO pioneer, co-creator of MUD, author of Designing Virtual Worlds"The sheer, massive range of subjects that are covered in Role-Playing Game Studies makes it a must-have for any serious scholar in the field. Especially the interdisciplinary texts are worth diving into - since this is, at its heart, an interdisciplinary field." - Claus Raasted, CEO of Dziobak Larp Studios, Chairman of Rollespilsfabrikken, Co-founder of The College of Extraordinary Experiences"Given the sheer number of perspectives compiled within this volume the editors skilfully enable and maintain a coherent narrative whilst allowing for different voices and viewpoints to develop and flourish. It is a generous and yet congruent approach that is to be applauded. In summarising over four decades of research, whilst encouraging an interdisciplinary attitude and introducing the reader to current issues (that should serve as inspiration for future studies), this book should be considered as essential reading for any scholar wanting to incorporate RPGs of any variety into their research." - Sam Illingworth, Games Research Network

• 1 The Many Faces of Role-Playing Game StudiesSebastian Deterding and José P. ZagalPART I: DEFINITIONS2 Definitions of "Role-Playing Games"José P. Zagal and Sebastian DeterdingPART II: FORMS3 PrecursorsJon Peterson4 Tabletop Role-Playing Games William J. White, Jonne Arjoranta, Michael Hitchens, Jon Peterson, Evan Torner, and Jonathan Walton5 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 GamesDouglas Schules, Jon Peterson, and Martin Picard7 Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games Mark Chen, Riley Leary, Jon Peterson, and David W. Simkins8 Online Freeform Role-Playing GamesJessica Hammer9 The Impact of Role-playing Games on CultureEsther MacCallum-Stewart, Jaakko Stenros, and Staffan Björk PART III: DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES10 RPG Theorizing by Designers and PlayersEvan Torner11 Performance Studies and Role-Playing GamesSarah Hoover, David W. Simkins, Sebastian Deterding, David Meldman, and Amanda Brown12 Sociology and Role-Playing GamesJ. Patrick Williams, David Kirschner, Nicholas Mizer, and Sebastian Deterding13 Psychology and Role-Playing GamesSarah Lynne Bowman and Andreas Lieberoth14 Literary Studies and Role-Playing GamesDavid Jara and Evan Torner15 Learning and Role-Playing GamesJessica Hammer, Alexandra To, Karen Schrier, Sarah Lynne Bowman, and Geoff Kaufman16 Economics and Role-Playing GamesIsaac Knowles and Edward Castronova17 Science and Technology Studies and Role-Playing GamesRafael Bienia 18 Game Design and Role-Playing GamesStaffan Björk and José P. Zagal19 Communication Research and Role-Playing GamesWilliam J. WhitePART IV: INTERDISCIPLINARY ISSUES20 Worldbuilding in Role-Playing GamesKaren Schrier, Evan Torner, and Jessica Hammer21 Role-Playing Games as Subculture and FandomEsther MacCallum-Stewart and Aaron Trammell22 Immersion and Shared Imagination in Role-Playing GamesSarah Lynne Bowman23 Players and Their Characters in Role-Playing GamesSarah Lynne Bowman and Karen Schrier24 Transgressive Role-playJaakko Stenros and Sarah Lynne Bowman25 Sexuality and the Erotic in Role-PlayAshley ML Brown and Jaakko Stenros 26 Representation and Discrimination in Role-Playing GamesAaron Trammell27 Power and Control in Role-Playing GamesJessica Hammer, Whitney Beltran, Jonathan Walton, and Moyra Turkington