Communication and the culture of fantasy in role-playing games /

behavior while playing these games. Gamers use multiple

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Barry, P. J. (Patrick)
Format: Thesis eBook
Language:English
Published: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified] ; 1995.
Subjects:
Online Access:Link to OAKTrust copy
Description
Summary:behavior while playing these games. Gamers use multiple
conception of "text," as elucidated in the popular culture
conducted at the research site. Both the field notes and the
fictional characters the players portray, and the real world
found to be highly complex, as is their communication
frames is a defining characteristic of experienced members of
Goffman called them, to guide their communication while
interviews serve as the data base which support the claims
is desirable for obtaining a thorough description of the
made in this study. Role-playing games are popular culture
non-discrete styles of play, and a clear and consistent
of the culture as data are collected. Detailed field notes
of the role-playing game subculture in a Texas college town.
of this and potentially other forms of interactive text.
Over a sixteen month period, data were gathered by a
participant observer who became a full member of the culture.
participating in a collaborative act with the other members
playing game phenomenon, certain elements in the current
playing, as they alternate between the fantasy world which
popular culture models are useful in understanding the role-
progression of play styles is described. Although current
provides the setting for the game and the home of the
research site, and that the researcher in such a role is
situational definitions or "frames", as sociologist Erving
subculture. The consumption patterns of this subculture are
texts primarily consumed by a mostly white male urban
The methodology applied herein espouses that this membership
the subculture. Players exhibit a number of different though
theory of John Fiske, prove to be too limiting. An addition
they themselves inhabit. The ability to shift between these
This is an ethnographic study of the communication behaviors
to existing theory is presented which captures the qualities
were taken by the researcher, and interviews of members were
Item Description:"Major subject: Speech Communication".
Vita.
Physical Description:vii, 129 leaves ; 28 cm.
Also available online.
Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references.