[OT] Roleplaying research?

[randomling]

Hi everyone,

I'm an undergraduate studying English Language and Linguistics and I'm quite interested in looking at gaming communities for my dissertation next year. But as far as I know, not many people have looked into this area in the past.

My question is: are there any sociologists or sociolinguists out there who have come across this kind of research? From what I've heard, British studies of gamers tend to be interested in risk management and American studies tend to be interested in young white male culture. I would be interested in the linguistic construction of character identity and the game world (and possibly exclusive vocabularly, like AC, NPC, hit points, etc).

Anyone know of this kind of research having been done before?

Randomling

 

[arwink]

I can remember reading something on this. Was mostly focused on gamers as a culture, but I think there was something in the book on the unique language used and how it influenced the ways game groups came together.

Can't remember the name at the moment, but e-mail me a reminder and I'll let you know when I get around to unpacking the notes.

 

[AngelTears]

Hi I too am a person studying English language, and a closet sociologist as well.

What kind of material do you want?

As for studies I recommend you look into most research done before 1989, since most of that research is serious, done by serious socioligists. A lot of the material published in the previous decade has been rather pop-psychology-ish.

I have a list of academic books I could email you.

 

[Thorntangle]

A quick google search revealed this interesting site:

http://www.rpgstudies.net/

 

[randomling]

Hi I too am a person studying English language, and a closet sociologist as well.

What kind of material do you want?

As for studies I recommend you look into most research done before 1989, since most of that research is serious, done by serious socioligists. A lot of the material published in the previous decade has been rather pop-psychology-ish.

I have a list of academic books I could email you.

Hi AngelTears!

I'm looking for anything that has to do with the language of roleplaying. My idea for my own research is to look into the way roleplayers use language to construct new identities for themselves (as PCs) and to construct the world in which those new identities exist (as both GMs and PCs). If there's been research similar to this I'd need to look at it, but I'd also need to look at any research on the sociology of roleplaying (or of leisure and games in general if it's relevant).

That list of books would be a *fantastic* start, my email is
surrealroom@postmaster.co.uk

Arwink - I'll remember to mail you! Thanks!

And Thorntangle - I just clicked on your link and it looks *amazing*!! Thank you so much! (By the way, what were your Google keywords? I'm looking around various portal sites at the moment.)

 

[Thorntangle]

And Thorntangle - I just clicked on your link and it looks *amazing*!! Thank you so much! (By the way, what were your Google keywords? I'm looking around various portal sites at the moment.)

I used: abstract role playing games research

 

[randomling]

I used: abstract role playing games research

Thank you!

 

[Zander]

I very strongly recommend that you contact CAR-PGa (The Committee for the Advancement of Role-Playing Games). CAR-PGa HQ in Texas has what is probably the most comprehensive archive of material on RPG's.

Contact details for CAR-PGa in the US can be found at the Committee's unofficial site at CAR-PGa.

Hope that helps.

Zander
CAR-PGa UK National Co-ordinator

 

[grodog]

Also get in touch with GAMA's Games in Education newsletter folks at http://www.gama.org/gamesed/index.cfm?fuseaction=home&nodeID=5

They may be able to point you to some more sources. There have been several recent studies on rpg's out of NC: see www.mcfarlandpub.com

 

[randomling]

Thanks Zander and grodog - especially grodog, I'd been trying to get to the GAMA site but no one seemed to have a current link!