Social Media & Role Playing Games
Dragons, & The Dungeons They Live In
This April marked the death of Dungeons & Dragons co-founder, David Lance Arneson. It was only last year I remarked on the loss of the other, perhaps more profiled co-founder, Gary Gygox. Rest in piece, mate.
Listening to a recent podcast by the games publisher, Wizards of the Coast, one theme consistently came up: that both Dave and Gary wanted the game to be shared and evolved. This where I think we can learn a lot about our social interactions online from role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.
Firstly, role playing games are - at their core – a means for collaborative story telling – where it is up to the participants come together to guide the events and activities.
Secondly, an essential element to the game is multiple participants. By bringing together a group of people it dramatically changes the dynamics of communication and discussion. It suddenly takes a story or quest into a public space, and forms a micro-community with highly engaged participants.
And finally, role playing games, regardless about the medium (Dungeons & Dragons versus Call of Cthulhu) – or in social media’s case, the technology/platform – it’s about the people. The people sharing their passions with one another.
For the love of dice, keep rollin’.
Please note I fully understand the lack of dates that may occur since filing this post.
3 Comments
Ha! Fighters FTW!
D’you know if anyone’s started a campaign via twitter, in the public domain? Could work out surprisingly well having to break everything down to 140 character instructions.
Wasn’t 4th Ed DnD supposed to incorporate a bunch of online collaboration tools for GMs and Players to interact with one another without needing the board, etc? Or am I just getting that impression from the general MMOishness of 4th Ed?
Totally man. Check out: http://dndaustralia.ning.com/
What I’m building is a way for people to communicate between games – its all very beta beta. But will let you know when it’s closer to being finished.
It was built with knowledge that people would adapt the rules. People have always adapted the rules from D&D, and their just preempting that this time around with more distinctive rules.
I’ve just begun two campaigns, one as DM and another as a player. Very exciting.
You play I take it?
Um that image is seriously creeping me out