Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Unreason Press (2012), Edition: 2nd, 720 pages
Description
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.
User reviews
LibraryThing member curiousgene
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
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.
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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.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sben
This book is excellent at what it purports to do: trace the history of Dungeons & Dragons, with a discussion of the games that led to it and a handful of its immediate descendants. Tedious at times but very informative.
LibraryThing member Ranjr
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
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(with plenty of minutiae) behind it all. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
10 inches
ISBN
0615642047 / 9780615642048
Local notes
SS. Signed on p. 592 by Greg Stafford, where he is mentioned in the text.