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Pivoting the Player Pivoting the Player A Methodological Toolkit for Player Character Research in Offline Role-Playing Games by Sonia Fizek A thesis presented to Bangor University in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD School of Creative Studies and Media College of Arts, Education and Humanities Bangor University 2012 SUMMARY This thesis introduces an innovative method for the analysis of the player character (PC) in offline computer role-playing games (cRPGs). It derives from the assumption that the character constitutes the focal point of the game, around which all the other elements revolve. This underlying observation became the foundation of the Pivot Player Character Model, the framework illustrating the experience of gameplay as perceived through the PC’s eyes. Although VG characters have been scrutinised from many different perspectives, a uniform methodology has not been formed yet. This study aims to fill that methodological void by systematising the hitherto research and providing a method replicable across the cRPG genre. The proposed methodology builds upon the research of characters performed in video games, fiction, film, and drama. It has been largely inspired by Anne Ubersfeld’s semiological dramatic character research implemented in Reading Theatre I (1999). The developed theoretical model is applied to three selected cRPGs, which form an accurate methodological sample: The Witcher (CD Projekt RED 2007), Fallout 3 (Bethesda Game Studios 2008), and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (Troika Games 2004). The choice of the game genre has been incited by the degree of attention it draws to the player character’s persona. No other genre features such a complex character development system as a computer role-playing game. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Towards the Study of the Player Character 11 1.2 Previous Work 12 1.3 Contribution to the Field and Methodology 13 1.4 Outline of the Thesis 14 1.5 Choice of Examples 16 CHAPTER 2: OFFLINE COMPUTER ROLE-PLAYING GAMES – THEIR EVOLUTION AND SIGNIFICANCE FOR ROLE-PLAY 2.1 Defining Computer Role-Playing Games 19 2.1.1 CRPGs versus Adventure Games 21 2.1.2 CRPGs versus Strategy Games 22 2.1.3 CRPGs versus MUDs and MMORPGs 22 2.2 History of Computer Role-Playing Games 23 2.2.1 Early Contributions – Wargames, Sport Simulations and J. R. R. Tolkien 24 2.2.2 Tabletop Role-Playing Games 27 2.2.3 Gamebooks and Interactive Fiction 32 2.2.4 MUDs and MMORPGs 35 2.2.5 Live Action Role-Playing Games 41 2.2.6 Computer Role-Playing Games 43 2.3 Online versus Offline cRPGs and the Significance of Role-Play 49 2.4 Concluding Remarks 58 CHAPTER 3: EXEMPLARY TRAJECTORIES IN VIDEO GAME STUDIES – STRUCTURALIST AND CULTURAL APPROACHES 3.1 The Place of the Toolkit on the Methodological Map for Video Game Studies 60 3.2 A Preliminary Introduction to the Pivot Player Character Model 65 3.3 Structuralism in Game Studies: In Search of Game ‘Science’ 66 3.3.1 Structural Approaches in Linguistics and Literary Studies 66 3.3.2 Structural Approaches in Video Game Studies 69 3.3.3 Towards a Structuralist Model of the Player Character 76 3.4 Post-Structural Approaches 80 3.5 Concluding Remarks 83 CHAPTER 4: CHARACTER STUDIES IN LITERARY FICTION, DRAMA AND FILM 4.1 Character Studies and Opposing Theories 87 4.2 Literary Fiction 88 4.2.1 Structural Approaches 89 4.2.2 Referential Approaches 94 4.2.3 Woloch’s Distributional Matrix 97 4.3 Drama 99 4.3.1 The Character Grid 99 4.3.2 Postdramatic Character 101 4.4 Film 105 4.4.1 Structural Analysis in Film 106 4.4.2 Cognitive Theory 107 4.4.3 Posthuman Character 108 4.5 Concluding Remarks 111 CHAPTER 5: CHARACTER STUDIES IN VIDEO GAMES 5.1 How to Study Video Game Characters? 114 5.1.1 Characters as Functions and Capabilities 115 5.1.2 Characters as Drivers of Agency 117 5.1.3 Characters Controlled by AI 118 5.1.4 Characters as Representational Gendered Icons 120 5.1.5 Characters as Player’s Embodiment 122 5.2 The Importance of the Player’s Persona 125 5.3 Concluding Remarks 131 CHAPTER 6: METHODOLOGICAL TOOLKIT FOR PLAYER CHARACTER RESEARCH 6.1 Theatrical Character Grid 134 6.1.1 Lexeme 136 6.1.2 Semiotic Set 138 6.1.3 Subject of a Discourse 140 6.2 Introducing the Concept of Space in Video Games 141 6.3 Player Character Grid in Video Games 145 6.3.1 The Pivot Player Character Model 149 6.3.1.1 Player Character Customisation 6.3.1.2 Appearance Customisation 6.3.1.3 Interaction with Props and NPCs 6.4 Concluding Remarks 164 CHAPTER 7: APPLYING THE PLAYER CHARACTER GRID TO THE WITCHER 7.1 The Backstory 166 7.2 Typical Gameplay 167 7.2.1 Character Development System 169 7.2.2 Inventory 170 7.2.3 Map and Journal 172 7.2.4 The Witcher’s Medallion 175 7.3 Case Study 175 7.3.1 Terminology 176 7.3.2 Case Study – Player-Centred Approach 188 7.4 References to Ubersfeld 199 7.4.1 From Actant to Actor 199 7.4.2 Individualising Signs 200 7.4.3 Discourse Analysis 201 7.4.4 Space and its Elements 202 7.5 Concluding Remarks 203 CHAPTER 8: APPLYING THE PLAYER CHARACTER GRID TO FALLOUT 3 8.1 The Backstory 204 8.2 Typical Gameplay 205 8.2.1 Appearance Customisation 205 8.2.2 Attribute Modelling 206 8.3 Case Study 210 8.4 Discussion 223 8.5 Concluding Remarks 225 CHAPTER 9: APPLYING THE PLAYER CHARACTER GRID TO VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE – BLOODLINES 9.1 The Backstory 227 9.2 Typical Gameplay 228 9.2.1 Character Development System 230 9.2.2 The Interface Depicting the PC 233 9.3 Case Study 236 9.3.1 Selected Quests from Santa Monica 237 9.3.2 Selected Quests from Hollywood 240 9.4 Theatrical and Video Game Space 248 9.4.1 Properties and Actors versus Objects and NPCs 249 9.4.2 The Theatrical Audience and the Players 252 9.4.3 Social and Environmental Presence 254 9.5 Concluding Remarks 258 CHAPTER 10: CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS 10.1 Summary 260 10.2 The Applicability of Ubersfeld’s Theory 262 10.3 Possible Methodological Limitations 263 10.4 Future Directions 264 GLOSSARY 267 BIBLIOGRAPHY 271 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Role-Playing Continuum 54 Figure 3.1 Two Exemplary Trajectories in Video Game Studies 64 Figure 3.2 Constraints and Affordances 79 Figure 5.1 Two components of the player character (PC) 125 Figure 5.2 A Venn diagram presenting successful theory of the player according to Aarseth (2006) 126 Figure 6.1 Anne Ubersfeld’s Character Grid. A reprint from Reading Theatre I (1999, p. 79). 135 Figure 6.2 Five analytical planes. A reprint from Michael Nitsche’s Video Game Spaces (2008, p. 15). 143 Figure 6.3 The Player Character Grid in Video Games 148 Figure 6.4 The Pivot Player Character Model 151 Figure 6.5 Individuality Indicators in the Personalised Avatar Construction 155 Figure 7.1 Character Development System in The Witcher (2007) 170 Figure 7.2 Inventory in The Witcher (2007) 171 Figure 7.3 Journal Categories in The Witcher (2007) 173 Figure 7.4 Selected NPCs, objects, locations and emerging scenarios from Chapter I of The Witcher (2007) 181 Figure 7.5 Personalised Avatar Construction in The Witcher (2007) 188 Figure 7.6 Player Character Development Path in Chapter I of The Witcher (2007) 193 Figure 7.7 Temporary and Permanent Changes 194 Figure 8.1 Appearance Customisation in Fallout 3 (2008) 206 Figure 8.2 Karma Value and Assigned Character Types (Howard 2008, p. 29) 208 Figure 8.3 Pip-Boy 3000 in Fallout 3 (2008) 209 Figure 8.4 Personalised Avatar Construction in Fallout 3 (2008) 210 Figure 8.5 Skill Points in Fallout 3 (2008) 213 Figure 8.6 Selected NPCs, objects, locations and emerging scenarios in Fallout 3 (2008) 218 Figure 9.1 The Player Character Sheet in VTMB (2004) 233 Figure 9.2 Personalised Avatar Construction in VTMB (2004) 237 Figure 9.3 Selected NPCs, objects, locations and emerging scenarios in VTMB (2004) 243 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Astrid Ensslin for her most insightful comments, patience and enthusiasm for my ideas in the past few years. I much appreciate all the academic opportunities she opened before me during my stay at the School of Creative Studies and Media at Bangor University. I could not have been offered a more devoted and inspirational supervisor. I would also like to thank Dr Eben Muse for his witty and alert questions which helped me formulate sound arguments. I am thankful for all the beautiful moments I spent in Wales with my NIECI Junta friends (Amy, Maggie, Jenny, Vaughan, Lyle & Paul) and all the academic disputes we led during the meetings of the Research Circle. I also must thank my friend Wojtek for endless crazy escapades into the Welsh wilderness and his enduring belief in my supernatural powers. The calming effect of all the conversations we had over Guinness pints is priceless. I would like to thank the School of Creative Studies and Media and the College of Arts, Education and Humanities for their financial support, without which it would have been a lot more difficult to devote sufficient time to my doctoral research. I appreciate the valuable academic experience I collected during the three years of lecturing and co-operating with the School.
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