Tracing the evolution of fantasy gaming from its origins in tabletop war and collectible card games to contemporary web-based live action and massive multi-player games, this book examines the archetypes and concepts within the fantasy gaming genre alongside the roles and functions of the game players themselves. Other topics include: how The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings helped shape fantasy gaming through Tolkien's obsessive attention to detail and virtual world building; the community-based fellowship embraced by players of both play-by-post and persistent browser-based games, despite the fact that these games are fundamentally solo experiences; the origins of gamebooks and interactive fiction; and the evolution of online gaming in terms of technological capabilities, media richness, narrative structure, coding authority, and participant roles.
Acknowledgments ix
Preface 1
Introduction 5
1 The Lord of the Rings 23
2 Collectible Card Games and Miniature Wargames 47
3 Tabletop Role-Playing Games 59
4 Play-By-Post and Browser-Based Games 92
5 Gamebooks and Interactive Fiction 100
6 Multi-User Dungeons 111
7 Computer Role-Playing Games 134
8 Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games 162
9 Live Action Role-Playing Games 181
Conclusion 200
Glossary 203
Sources 207
Index 217
Overview
Tracing the evolution of fantasy gaming from its origins in tabletop war and collectible card games to contemporary web-based live action and massive multi-player games, this book examines the archetypes and concepts within the fantasy gaming genre alongside the roles and functions of the game players themselves. Other topics include: how The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings helped shape fantasy gaming through Tolkien's obsessive attention to detail and virtual world building; the community-based fellowship ...