DOCSLIB.ORG

Magic, Adventure & Social Participation: Tabletop Role

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Magic, Adventure & Social Participation: Tabletop Role-Playing Games and Their Potential to Promote Social Inclusion and Citizenship. Anne M. Goodall A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in Criminology Department of Criminology Faculty of Social Sciences University of Ottawa © Anne M. Goodall, Ottawa, Canada, 2021 Running head: MAGIC, ADVENTURE & SOCIAL PARTICPATION ii Acknowledgments I would like to begin by thanking my supervisor, Professor Alexis H. Truong, whose expertise was invaluable in creating a strong academic thesis. Your insightful feedback helped me “level up” and reach new heights as an academic, and your unwavering enthusiasm helped push me and keep me motivated throughout the long process! I would additionally like to thank my evaluators Valerie Steeves and Eduardo González Castillo for sharing their knowledge and insight to help push my project one step further. I would like to thank all of the participants who shared their knowledge and experiences with me to make this project a reality. It was truly an honour to be privy to your incredible stories and insights. Without you, this project could not have come to fruition or been the success it is. I would like to thank my mom, for supporting me throughout my academic career. Beyond providing me with a roof over my head and keeping my belly full, your unwavering confidence in me and my abilities has been invaluable. I also wish to acknowledge Sebastian Herrera, for being my sounding board, trusty spell checker, and cheerleader. Thank you for helping me push my ideas further, and regularly reminding me of my accomplishments and what I am capable of. Finally, I would like to thank my dad, who although was only present for a short period of my life helped foster my inquisitive nature. Some of my fondest memories are carrying around a dictionary you handed me to look up every word I didn’t know; and every time you asked me “How do you think this works?” or “Why did they do that?” and left me to tinker and think until I figured it out. While my nine-year-old self probably never even thought about postsecondary education, you were giving me all the skills which made this project possible. MAGIC, ADVENTURE & SOCIAL PARTICIPATION iii Abstract Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPG) have faced stigma since their inception in the 1970s, and this stigmatization persists to some degree today, arguing these games teach anti-social behaviours. On the other hand, academics have argued for the benefits of game play. These contradictory discourses have led to the question: What are the learning outcomes associated with tabletop role-playing? This study analyzed qualitative semi-directed interviews with nine individuals who have identified themselves as having experienced hardships on which TTRPGs have had a positive effect. Experiences identified by the participants included incarceration, social exclusion, gender transition and mental health-related challenges. It was found that all participants experienced, to varying degrees, social and societal isolation related to their hardships. However, TTRPGs had perceived benefits—for example, self-development, skill development and achievement—which went beyond the gaming context, and had an effect on different aspects of the participant’s lives. I argue that TTRPGs provided a context which acted as a liminal space, helping players transition away from social and societal isolation towards a form of social participation. This suggests that TTRPGs may help players engage in citizenship. This study expands on current RPG research, by looking at the actual experience of playing these games and the long-lasting impact they can have on players. MAGIC, ADVENTURE & SOCIAL PARTICIPATION iv Table of Contents Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... ii Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... iii “You start in a tavern…”—Introduction ................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: The Book of Time—Literature review .................................................................... 6 1.1 Theorizing roleplaying games .......................................................................................... 8 1.2 What are TTRPGs? ............................................................................................................. 13 1.3 The public’s reception of TTRPGs ..................................................................................... 20 1.4 TTRPGs as leisure and social participation ........................................................................ 30 1.5 Leisure as a tool for social participation ............................................................................. 32 Chapter 2: Drawing the Battle Map—Methodology ............................................................... 39 2.1 Recruitment ......................................................................................................................... 39 2.2 Data collection .................................................................................................................... 44 2.3 Data analysis ....................................................................................................................... 45 2.4 Ethical considerations ......................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 3: Meet our Adventurers—Participants’ experiences and the importance of TTRPGs ....................................................................................................................................... 49 3.1 Participant’s experiences .................................................................................................... 49 3.1.1 Incarceration ................................................................................................................ 52 3.1.2 Social exclusion ........................................................................................................... 57 3.1.3 Gender transition .......................................................................................................... 64 3.1.4 Mental health-related challenges ................................................................................. 68 3.2 TTRPGs, escapism and safe spaces .................................................................................... 73 Chapter 4: The Player’s Handbook and More House Rules—How players Characterize game play ..................................................................................................................................... 79 4.1 Game mechanics ................................................................................................................. 79 4.2 Narrative structure .............................................................................................................. 88 4.3 TTRPGs as a liminal space ................................................................................................. 95 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 104 Chapter 5: You’ve Levelled Up! —How TTRPGs can facilitate social participation ........ 106 5.1 TTRPGs and community .................................................................................................. 106 5.2 TTRPGs and self-development ......................................................................................... 111 5.2.1 TTRPGs and skill development ................................................................................. 112 MAGIC, ADVENTURE & SOCIAL PARTICIPATION v 5.2.2 TTRPGs and achievement ......................................................................................... 119 Chapter 6: “So, what do you want to do now?”—Discussion ............................................... 124 6.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 124 6.2 Citizenship and TTRPGs .................................................................................................. 126 6.2.1 Resources ................................................................................................................... 127 6.2.2 Roles .......................................................................................................................... 129 6.2.3 Relationships .............................................................................................................. 131 6.2.4 Responsibilities .......................................................................................................... 132 6.2.5 Rights ......................................................................................................................... 133 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 135 6.3 Limitations of TTRPGs..................................................................................................... 136 6.4 Future research .................................................................................................................. 138 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • The Resurrection of Permadeath: an Analysis of the Sustainability of Permadeath Use in Video Games

    The Resurrection of Permadeath: an Analysis of the Sustainability of Permadeath Use in Video Games

    The Resurrection of Permadeath: An analysis of the sustainability of Permadeath use in Video Games. Hugh Ruddy A research paper submitted to the University of Dublin, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Interactive Digital Media 2014 Declaration I declare that the work described in this research paper is, except where otherwise stated, entirely my own work and has not been submitted as an exercise for a degree at this or any other university. Signed: ___________________ Hugh Ruddy 28th February 2014 Permission to lend and/or copy I agree that Trinity College Library may lend or copy this research Paper upon request. Signed: ___________________ Hugh Ruddy 28th February 2014 Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to study the the past, present and future use of Permadeath in video games. The emergence of Permadeath games in recent months has exposed the mainstream gaming population to the concept of the permanent death of the game avatar, a notion that has been vehemently avoided by game developers in the past. The paper discusses the many incarnations of Permadeath that have been implemented since the dawn of video games, and uses examples to illustrate how gamers are crying out for games to challenge them in a unique way. The aims of this are to highlight the potential that Permadeath has in the gaming world to become a genre by itself, as well as to give insights into the ways in which gamers play Permadeath games at the present. To carry out this research, the paper examines the motivation players have to play games from a theoretical standpoint, and investigates how the possibilty of failure in video games should not be something gamers stay away from.
  • Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic © 1983 and 2006 by Scott Cunningham

    Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic © 1983 and 2006 by Scott Cunningham

    About the Author Scott Cunningham was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, on June 27, 1956. He learned about Wicca while still in high school and practiced elemental magic for twenty years. He experienced, researched, then wrote about what he learned in his magical training. Scott is credited with writing more than thirty books (both fiction and nonfiction). He passed from this incarnation on March 28, 1993, but his work and his words live on. Llewellyn Publications Woodbury, Minnesota Copyright Information Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic © 1983 and 2006 by Scott Cunningham. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Publications, except in the form of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. As the purchaser of this e-book, you are granted the non- exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. The text may not be otherwise reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or recorded on any other storage device in any form or by any means. Any unauthorized usage of the text without express written permission of the publisher is a violation of the author’s copyright and is illegal and punishable by law. First e-book edition © 2013 E-book ISBN: 9780738716657 Revised Edition Sixth Printing, 2012 First edition, thirty-two printings Book design and layout by Joanna Willis Cover design by Kevin R. Brown Cover illustration © by Fiona King Interior illustrations by Llewellyn art department Revised edition editing by Kimberly Nightingale Llewellyn Publications is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
  • Power Gamer's 3.5 Warrior Strategy Guide

    Power Gamer's 3.5 Warrior Strategy Guide

    The Power Gamer’s 3.5 WARRIOR Strategy Guide The 100% Official Guide to Kicking Monster Butt and Winning the Game! Credits Concept: Joseph Goodman Developers: Josh Sawyer and Robert Schwalb Graphic Design: Andy Hopp Cover & Interior Diagrams: Clayton Bunce Cover Design: Andy Hopp and Thomas Denmark Rules Editor: Rob Baxter Editor-in-Chief & Layout: Joseph Goodman Publisher: Goodman Games Page 1 Table of Contents Introduction: Building the Perfect Warrior............................3 Chapter One: Ability Scores........................................................5 Chapter Two: Races.......................................................................7 Chapter Three: Classes................................................................13 Chapter Four: Skills......................................................................29 Chapter Five: Feats ......................................................................38 Chapter Six: Equipment.............................................................64 Chapter Seven: Combat ..............................................................73 Page 2 Introduction Building the Perfect Warrior Min/maxing gets a bad rap. Sure, there’s little role-play- matter where you are in your campaign, the chapter on ing involved in stat-monsters, and not a lot of back- equipment will always be useful. And then there’s the ground to create an immersive gaming experience. But in gold mine: Chapter 7, Combat. This chapter is all about every gamer lurks the secret munchkin, wanting – even how to kick
  • Status Effects Afflicted with Use the Status Screen to Check Your Unit's Stats and Equipment

    Status Effects Afflicted with Use the Status Screen to Check Your Unit's Stats and Equipment

    Introduction 02 Characters 03 Characters 04 Characters 05 Characters 06 Controls 07 BASIC CONTROLS General Controls Directional buttons / left stick Move cursor DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller Layout X button Select item / Skip text C button Cancel selection / Toggle message window visibility Touch pad S button Display backlog SHARE button OPTIONS button l button / L button Switch pages OPTIONS button Skip event Lbutton Rbutton r button + X button High-speed text display button button l r Map Controls T button C button Switch between world map and town map Directional C button T button Display menu buttons X button S button Display entire map S button Battle Controls PS button Directional buttons / left stick Move character Right stick Left/Right: Camera movement, Up/Down: Camera zoom in/out Left stick / L3 button Right stick / R3 button X button Display battle commands / Skip animation for Summon spells or skills C button Switch to free cursor mode T button Reset character position / Display status (when in free cursor mode) S button Change view angle l button / L button Search for targets (during attack) Touch pad button Auto-battle OPTIONS button Start battle Start Menu 08 STARTING THE GAME NEW GAME Select "NEW GAME" to enter the difficulty selection screen. The difficulty setting does not change the story, obtainable items, or character development. Select a difficulty level to start the game. OPTION Choose a setting and use the directional Place the Summon Night 6 disc into your PlayStation®4 console buttons or left stick to change the values and start it. After the opening movie, the title screen will be with left/right movements.
  • ADVENTURERS' GUIDE to ROLE PLAYING Oogft T and S\(Agic®VII C)Tte Stor1' an Uneasy Peace Has Fallen Upon Erathia

    ADVENTURERS' GUIDE to ROLE PLAYING Oogft T and S\(Agic®VII C)Tte Stor1' an Uneasy Peace Has Fallen Upon Erathia

    ADVENTURERS' GUIDE To ROLE PLAYING OOgft t and S\(agic®VII C)Tte Stor1' An uneasy peace has fallen upon Erathia. When the human king, icolas 6}1t is CJ3ook Gryphonheart, died, .great battles were fought as the elves, hinterland tribes The Adventurers' Guide To Role Playing is written to provide you with an and other factions all made their moves to take advantage of the ensuing 11 introduction to this game-covering the general sorts ot things one should turmoil (This is all resolved in Heroes of Might and Magic III). Things have know about computer role playing and the Migl1t and Magic system. The other settled for the moment, and hopefully for a long time. book, the Player Manual, has all the nitty gritty info about how tlrn interface o longer consumed with mnning a war, Lord Markham has turned lus works, statistical tables, and such. attentions to other pursuits. Among them has been the organizing of a great contest. Scant as it is on information, his invitation has nevertheless proven ~re )Pfa1'in9 in the CWorfd of ~\i9Ftt and ~\.a9ic VII an inesistible draw to a certain small, and slightly down on its luck, party of What is a role playing game? Well, consider this example: adventurers. Gathering their meager equil?ment, they board the sl1ip provided by Lord Markham and set sail to Emerald Island, the site of tlus contest. \ You are a swordsman in a world where magic works and medieval tecl=ology is state of the art. Your king has asked you to deliver a sealed message to his cousin, a baron who rules the mountain territories.
  • Rules of Play - Game Design Fundamentals

    Rules of Play - Game Design Fundamentals

    Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents Rules of Play - Game Design Fundamentals.....................................................................................................1 Foreword..............................................................................................................................................................1 Preface..................................................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: What Is This Book About?............................................................................................................1 Overview.................................................................................................................................................1 Establishing a Critical Discourse............................................................................................................2 Ways of Looking.....................................................................................................................................3 Game Design Schemas...........................................................................................................................4 Game Design Fundamentals...................................................................................................................5 Further Readings.....................................................................................................................................6
  • Gathering of Card Players and Subcultural Expression

    Gathering of Card Players and Subcultural Expression

    THE MAGIC OF COMMUNITY: GATHERING OF CARD PLAYERS AND SUBCULTURAL EXPRESSION Travis J. Limbert A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS August 2012 Committee: Dr. Marilyn Motz, Advisor Dr. Esther Clinton © 2012 Travis Limbert All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Marilyn Motz, Advisor When Magic: the Gathering was released in 1993, it was the first trading card game. It paved the way for the trading card game subculture and market that exists today. This thesis explores the implications of this subculture and the ways it can be thought of as an urban leisure subculture. This thesis also discusses Magic’s unique community, which has been instrumental in the game’s success over the last two decades. Magic’s community is created symbiotically, through official support by Wizards of the Coast, and the parent company Hasbro, as well as the usage and interaction by the fans and players. It is this interaction that creates a unique community for Magic, which leads to the game’s global popularity, including its tremendous growth since 2010. This thesis looks at trade publications, articles written about Magic, player responses collected through online surveys, and other works to create an extensive work on Magic and its community. This thesis focuses on how the community is important to the consumption of copyrighted cultural texts and how this creates of meaning in players’ lives. iv To my parents, James and Jona, who always encouraged me. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my thesis committee, Dr.
  • Cooperative Games As a Pathway for Adolescent Girls in High-Achieving Schools to Be Well and Lead Well

    Cooperative Games As a Pathway for Adolescent Girls in High-Achieving Schools to Be Well and Lead Well

    University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects Capstones 8-1-2020 Set Up to Succeed and Set Up to Play: Cooperative Games as a Pathway for Adolescent Girls in High-Achieving Schools to Be Well and Lead Well Emily M. Entress Clark University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, School Psychology Commons, and the Secondary Education Commons Entress Clark, Emily M., "Set Up to Succeed and Set Up to Play: Cooperative Games as a Pathway for Adolescent Girls in High-Achieving Schools to Be Well and Lead Well" (2020). Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects. 205. https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/205 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/205 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Set Up to Succeed and Set Up to Play: Cooperative Games as a Pathway for Adolescent Girls in High-Achieving Schools to Be Well and Lead Well Abstract Adolescent girls are the future leaders of the world. They are desperately needed and increasingly in pain. Adolescent youth are facing a mental health epidemic caused by many complex factors. High-achieving settings are now considered a high-risk factor for adolescents, along with youth experiencing trauma, discrimination, and poverty. These students face immense pressure to excel, social isolation, and limited relationships. Positive Psychology provides a pathway for school environments to build structures that support adolescent well-being.
  • Deathmatch Rules

    Deathmatch Rules

    Rules - Multiplayer Version 1 Game Overview Introduction Heroes of Karth: Deathmatch™ is a fantasy deck-building card game with lore based on the Heroes of Karth™ book series. When you play a match it feels like you become part of the epic struggle to save the world of Karth. In Heroes of Karth: Deathmatch™ you and your opponent are either part of the Allegiance (Elf) or the Shard (Goblin) faction. Use one of the 12 balanced starter decks to begin playing with a strong deck-build. Advanced players can build their own decks to suit their own particular strategy. Choose 2 hero cards to lead your unit cards! Arm yourself with spell and treasure cards!! Hire and position your cards onto the Battlefield and fight a death match, with victory coming to the player with the best strategy or most luck! Which side are you on - are you Allegiance or are you Shard? Rules Objective This rulebook will teach you how to play Deathmatch in multiplayer modes in either 2v2 Co-operative Play or 3 and 4 Player Free-for-all matches! Audience & Number of Players The multiplayer game is suited for ages 12 and up and can be played with 3 to 4 players. Play Time This game takes between 45-90 mins to play. Object of the Game (2v2) Object of the Game (free-for-all) The first team to accumulate 60 unspent Gold Coins wins the The first player to accumulate 40 unspent Gold Coins wins game. the game. The first team to accumulate 35 Kill Points wins the game.
  • What Happened to Dungeons and Dragons?

    What Happened to Dungeons and Dragons?

    BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | What happened to Dungeo... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3655627.stm Home News Sport Radio TV Weather Languages [an error occurred while processing this directive] Low graphics | Accessibility help One-Minute World News Last Updated: Monday, 26 April, 2004, 12:40 GMT 13:40 UK News Front Page E-mail this to a friend Printable version What happened to Dungeons and Dragons? By Darren Waters In today's Magazine Africa BBC News Online Big beasts Americas How elephants helped to Asia-Pacific In the 1980s millions of teenagers world-wide would battle dragons armed with just dice, paper and pens. D&D became part shape human Europe history, by of youth sub-culture but as the game celebrates its 30th birthday, Middle East David is anyone still playing? Cannadine South Asia Change UK In 1974 two men in the US a-coming England Midwest, Gary Gygax and Dave Justin Webb on America's Northern Ireland Arneson, created Dungeons and love affair with Scotland Dragons, the first ever role-playing progress Wales game. Audience of UK Politics one Would you Education Developed out of war gaming using table-top miniatures, the paperback watch a play Magazine rule books were an instant success, all on your own? Business a genuine phenomenon which Health 7 days quiz spawned an industry and influenced What now for Science & a generation of film-makers, writers Environment Paul the eight- and videogame developers. limbed oracle? Technology Entertainment An estimated 20 million people Also in the news worldwide have played D&D since it Magazine regulars ----------------- was created, with more than $1bn Tweetbook Video and Audio Say goodbye spent on game equipment and to worktime ----------------- books.
  • Encounters at the Imaginal Crossroads: an Exploration of the Experiences of Women in Role-Playing Games

    Encounters at the Imaginal Crossroads: an Exploration of the Experiences of Women in Role-Playing Games

    MIAMI UNIVERSITY The Graduate School Certificate for Approving the Dissertation We hereby approve the Dissertation of Christopher J. Dyszelski Candidate for the Degree: Doctor of Philosophy ________________________________________________________ Roger M. Knudson, Ph.D., Director ________________________________________________________ Karen Maitland Schilling, Ph.D., Reader _________________________________________________________ Ann Fuehrer, Ph.D., Reader _________________________________________________________ C. Lee Harrington, Ph.D., Graduate School Representative ABSTRACT ENCOUNTERS AT THE IMAGINAL CROSSROADS: AN EXPLORATION OF THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN IN ROLE-PLAYING GAMES By Christopher J. Dyszelski This study was a critical, archetypal, feminist ethnography and psychological inquiry into the experiences of women in tabletop role-playing gaming and its culture. Informed by performance ethnographic practice and the spirit of these games, it is written as an adventurous journey into and encounter with these experiences based on participant observation, interviews with gaming professionals, an online questionnaire of 428 gamers, and series of interviews with female gamers. Ethnographically, this study documents the history and experiences of women in the culture of gaming. It presents profiles of a diversity of female gamers and explores historically the ways that women have established themselves as members of this culture and shaped this traditionally male dominated hobby. It also examines a multiplicity of opinions about and experiences of sexism, prejudice, and discrimination of women in gaming. While demonstrating the progress in the games and their culture to become more inclusive and welcoming to women, it shows there is still far to go. It also demonstrates how despite the possibility and creative potential for gaming and its culture to imagine completely new social worlds, the same power dynamics and social structures are recreated in the games, groups, and culture.
  • Converted Classes

    Converted Classes

    optional goodie - - Converted Classes layers and GMs used to the original game and its clones, will have noticed that several of the FH&W core classes are much Pdifferent from the originals. The Assassin, Fighter, Thief and Wizard, although slightly different remain close enough to their earlier incarnations. However, the cleric and druid were discarded; they were replaced by the new Friar, Mystic and Templar, that pray for divine in- terventions rather than get divine spells. Other examples include bards without spells, and paladins that are but Knights who get a few super- natural powers for serving the cause of Law. As such, for the players and GMs who want a true cleric or paladin, or a bard that can cast spells like a wizard, this free supplement is provided. It also proposes a few new classes, though closely based on previously published material, such as the sorcerer (3e), shadow-dancer (3e), or warrior-monk (C&C). Nonetheless, it should be reminded that GMs are the final arbiters on which classes may exist in the campaign world. When there is seve- ral for the same role, it’s probably better for the GM to explain what each of these similar classes represents. For example, if the servants of a widespread monotheistic religion are normally friars, mystics and templars, they should never be of the Agent of the Gods class presented here. On the other hand, it could be appropriate for different faiths to have different character classes. For example, a well organized/structu- red, Christian-inspired religion, may have friars, mystics and templars.