文档介绍:The Creation of
Narrative in Tabletop
Role-Playing Games
This page intentionally left blank
The Creation of
Narrative in Tabletop
Role-Playing Games
JENNIFER GROULING COVER
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Cover, Jennifer Grouling.
The creation of narrative in tabletop role-playing games /
Jennifer Grouling Cover.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-4451-9
softcover : 50# alkaline paper
1. Fantasy games. 2. Board games. 3. Role playing—
Social aspects. I. Title.
2010
'2—dc22 2010016058
British Library cataloguing data are available
©2010 Jennifer Grouling Cover. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
Cover imagery ©20¡0 Shutterstock
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Je›erson, North Carolina 28640
To my husband, Scott,
for introducing me to D&D
and to the wonderful worlds he creates.
Contents
Abbreviations, Terms, and Transcription Symbols ix
Preface and Acknowledgments 1
Introduction: Defining the Tabletop Role-Playing Game 5
1. Early Models of Interactive Narrative 21
2. Role-Playing Game Genres 38
3. A Transmedia Tale—The Temple of Elemental Evil 54
4. The Reconciliation of Narrative and Game 72
5. Frames of Narrativity in the TRPG 88
6. Immersion in the TRPG 106
7. Levels of Authorship—How Gamers Interact with Texts
and Create Their Own 124
8. The Culture of TRPG Fans 148
9. Conclusions, Definitions, Implications, and Limitations 165
Appendix: The Orc Adventure at Blaze Arrow 179
Chapter Notes 191
References 197
Index 201
vii
Abbreviations, Terms, and