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Loading... Playing at the World (original 2012; edition 2012)by Jon Peterson (Author)
Work InformationPlaying at the World: A History of Simulating Wars, People and Fantastic Adventures, from Chess to Role-Playing Games by Jon Peterson (2012)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Very dry survey of the history of wargaming and how it evolved into tabletop RPG's then a brief epilogue into computer RPGs & Choose-Your-Own-Adventure type books. Only really recommend it if you're very curious about the evolution of roleplaying games and where it has led to so far and the history (with plenty of minutiae) behind it all. ( ) The title of this book may be a bit broad. Though it does cover the history of wargaming, and does dig into the history of Chess and its many variations, it is all in the service of giving you the history of Dungeons & Dragons. This is very much a history of how the Fantasy RPG (and D&D in particular) came to be. In light of that, there's a certain demographic that will definitely enjoy this book. If you once played, or currently play, Dungeons & Dragons or other Fantasy RPG, and you enjoy well-researched, heavily-footnoted historical texts, you will enjoy this book. That's an "and", there, not an "or". I think you would really need to meet both of those criteria or you'll stop caring somewhere in the middle of section 2. I really enjoyed it, though. It has some sections that are less interesting than others, but still, every RPG fan should consider reading this great book! http://www.weberseite.at/buecher/playing-at-the-world/ no reviews | add a review
Explore the conceptual origins of wargames and role-playing games in this unprecedented history of simulating the real and the impossible. From a vast survey of primary sources ranging from eighteenth-century strategists to modern hobbyists, Playing at the World distills the story of how gamers first decided fictional battles with boards and dice, and how they moved from simulating wars to simulating people. The invention of role-playing games serves as a touchstone for exploring the ways that the literary concept of character, the lure of fantastic adventure and the principles of gaming combined into the signature cultural innovation of the late twentieth century. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)793.93The arts Recreational and performing arts Indoor games and amusements Other indoor amusements Adventure and fantasy gamesLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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