The Evolution Of Fantasy Role-playing Games - Michael J. Tresca

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.