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Alene I Katakombene – Heltedrømmer I Enbrukerrollespill

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Alene I Katakombene – Heltedrømmer I Enbrukerrollespill Alene i katakombene – heltedrømmer i enbrukerrollespill Tarald Reinholt Aas Masteroppgave i medievitenskap Institutt for medier og kommunikasjon Universitetet i Oslo Høsten 2004 2 3 4 Sammendrag I denne oppgaven skal jeg ta for meg hvordan det databaserte enbrukerrollespillet har utviklet seg fra tradisjonelle penn- og papirbaserte terningrollespill. Et nødvendig steg i denne utviklingen var angivelig å tilpasse den tradisjonelle rollen som før ble innehatt av en menneskelig spilleder til en ny og databasert spilleform. Rollen som spilleder ble langt på vei automatisert og usynliggjort på datamaskinen, men mistet samtidig mye av sitt improviserende vesen. Det vil derfor være interessant å se hvordan transformasjonen fra en analog til en digital verden har innvirket på spillbarheten til de databaserte rollespillene. Med utgangspunkt i spillene Baldur’s Gate (1998) og Morrowind (2001), skal jeg granske hvilke muligheter brukeren har til å skreddersy en spillkarakter og siden anvende denne fritt innen spillverdenen. En dårlig spillbarhet vil etter min mening komme til syne nettopp gjennom begrensninger pålagt denne karakteren. Summary This thesis deals with how the single player-based computer role-playing game have evolved from traditional pen-and-paper-based role-playing games. A crucial part in this development seemingly was to adapt the traditional role of the human game master to a new, computerized playing style. When transferred to the computer, the game master virtually disappeared into game, becoming a robotic force, thus losing much the improvising style contained in a human game master. Therefore, I would like to see how the transformation from an analog to a digital world might have affected the playability of single player computer role-playing games. Based on Baldur’s Gate (1998) and Morrowind (2001), I will examine what possibilities the user has to personalize a character and use this to explore the game world freely. An inferior playability would in my opinion become apparent through the limitations imposed on this character. Takk til – min veileder Ragnhild Tronstad for all hjelp til å komme meg gjennom dette quest-et. – mine foreldre for moralsk støtte. – lillesøster Mari for hyggelig samvær og trivelige kaffeavbrekk. – mine nærmeste på Institutt for medier og kommunikasjon for fine fredagspilser, og alle gode venner ellers. 5 6 Innhold 1. Innledning .......................................................................................................................................... 9 PROBLEMSTILLING ............................................................................................................................................ 10 BAKGRUNN ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 2. Teorier og metoder.......................................................................................................................... 13 2.1. BEGREPSAVKLARING.................................................................................................................................. 13 2.1.1. Dataspill i medievitenskapen.............................................................................................. 15 2.1.2. Remediering........................................................................................................................ 17 2.1.3. Sondering mellom dataspill ................................................................................................ 18 2.1.4. Karakterer og avatarer. ....................................................................................................... 22 2.1.5. Karakterenes systematikk og oppbygning .......................................................................... 24 2.1.6. Databaserte rollespill gjennom historien ............................................................................ 26 2.2. TEORETISKE RETNINGER ............................................................................................................................ 28 2.2.1. Interaktivt drama................................................................................................................. 29 2.2.2. Kybertekster........................................................................................................................ 30 2.2.3. Ludologi.............................................................................................................................. 31 2.2.4. Tidsforløp i dataspill........................................................................................................... 32 2.2.5. Questteori............................................................................................................................ 33 2.2.6. Emergens ............................................................................................................................ 36 2.2.7. Spillernes typologi.............................................................................................................. 39 2.3. METODE ..................................................................................................................................................... 41 2.3.1. Gameplay............................................................................................................................ 41 2.3.2. Erfaring gjennom praksis.................................................................................................... 43 2.3.3. Når brukeren også blir forsker............................................................................................ 45 2.3.4. Et spørsmål om teori........................................................................................................... 46 3. Analyse ............................................................................................................................................. 49 3.1. FRA PAPIR TIL SKJERM................................................................................................................................49 3.1.1. Drivende elementer i spillingen.......................................................................................... 50 3.1.2. Spillederens styrende hånd ................................................................................................. 51 3.1.3. Definisjonsspørsmålet......................................................................................................... 54 3.2. OM UTVALGET ........................................................................................................................................... 54 3.3. BALDUR’S GATE ........................................................................................................................................ 56 3.3.1. Karakterdannelse og moralske veier................................................................................... 59 3.3.2. Gruppespilling .................................................................................................................... 61 3.3.3. Eksempel: En sosiopatisk vending ..................................................................................... 63 3.3.4. Grensesnitt og strategier ..................................................................................................... 64 3.3.5. Hovedoppdraget i Baldur’s Gate........................................................................................ 65 3.3.6. Den ideelle Baldur’s Gate-karakteren................................................................................. 68 3.4. MORROWIND.............................................................................................................................................. 69 3.4.1. Perspektiv i Morrowind ...................................................................................................... 75 3.4.2. Hovedoppdraget.................................................................................................................. 76 3.4.3. Eksempel: “Things to do in Vvardenfell when you’re dead”............................................. 79 3.4.4. Frispilling og oppdagelsesreiser ......................................................................................... 80 4. Sammenligninger............................................................................................................................. 85 4.1. EN STREBEN MOT DET PERFEKTE ................................................................................................................ 87 4.2. MMORPG-ER OG ENBRUKERROLLESPILL.................................................................................................. 89 4.4. EKSPERIMENTER I ENSOMHET..................................................................................................................... 91 Oppsummering og konklusjon........................................................................................................... 93 Litteraturliste og ludografi................................................................................................................. 99 7 8 1. Innledning Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world where dragons breathed fire and magic really worked? Or what it would be like to travel in a starship to distant planets with aliens and robots as friends? Sure, you can imagine what it would be like, or you could read a science fiction or fantasy novel, or go see a film. But that is usually associated
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