Storytelling in the Modern Board Game: Narrative Trends from the Late 1960s to Today (Studies in Gaming)

Storytelling in the Modern Board Game: Narrative Trends from the Late 1960s to Today (Studies in Gaming)

Over the years, board games have evolved to include relatable characters, vivid settings and compelling, intricate plotlines. In turn, players have become more emotionally involved--taking on, in essence, the role of coauthors in an interactive narrative. Through the lens of game studies and narratology--traditional storytelling concepts applied to the gaming world--this book explores the synergy of board games, designers and players in story-oriented designs. The author provides development guidance for game designers and recommends games to explore for hobby players. “An excellent addition to the nascent contemporary study of analog board games...an eminently readable exploration of an under-examined facet of contemporary boardgaming.”― Analogue Game Studies . Over the years, board games have evolved to include relatable characters, vivid settings and compelling, intricate plotlines. In turn, players have become more emotionally involved--taking on, in essence, the role of coauthors in an interactive narrative. Through the lens of game studies and narratology--traditional storytelling concepts applied to the gaming world--this book explores the synergy of board games, designers and players in story-oriented designs. The author provides development guidance for game designers and recommends games to explore for hobby players. Marco Arnaudo is a professor at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he teaches classes about game design, simulations, military history, mystery fiction, and Italian literature. He is a well-known reviewer of board games, with over 1,000 video reviews. Matthew Wilhelm Kapell teaches American studies, anthropology, and writing at Pace University in New York.