Through more than five years of extensive, participatory research the writer became a fully integrated member of the World of Warcraft community he set out to study. By actually living the grounded practices that constitute the everyday life he concludes that the mundane, often repetitive practice has very little to do with the cyber-utopian claim that one can flee the body and become who they want on the Internet. Instead this doctoral thesis argues that the constant transitions of the borders between offline and online, virtual and real, body and avatar, play and work, player and producer are best described with the concept of leakage. Using leakage to describe the perforated borders that surrounds the game not only allows an understanding of World of Warcraft as a powerful site for production of meaning and culture but also places it far from the traditional understandings of separated fun, play and games. Play as an activity has traditionally been described with three intrinsic features: it is separable from everyday life, in particular from work; it is safe, meaning that it isn’t productive nor does it carry consequence and finally that play is pleasurable or fun. World of Warcraft doesn’t easily admit to these features and should not be understood as neither innocent utopia nor as a devoured mimesis, but rather as an expansion of the life space where players repeatedly and deliberately stretch beyond the producer’s intentions and create a world consisting of work, unwritten social norms, creativity and friendship. Players are social laborers that produce the core of what makes World of Warcraft what it is: a serious game.

Der vorliegende Beitrag setzt sich mit den Möglichkeiten problemorientierten Lernens in kollaborativen virtuellen Umgebungen am Beispiel eines Mock-Trial-Trainings in der OpenSim-basierten Virtual Learning World auseinander. Ausgangspunkt der Auseinandersetzung stellen die Motivation des Einsatzes virtueller Trainings und grundsätzliche Handlungsangebote kollaborativer virtueller Umgebungen einschließlich ihrer Potentiale aus bildungstheoretischer Perspektive dar. Bestehende Mehrwerte und Herausforderungen beim Einsatz virtueller Trainingsumgebungen werden anschließend anhand einer empirischen Untersuchung, die im Rahmen der Entwicklung eines Mock-Trial-Trainings durchgeführt wurde, aufgezeigt und diskutiert.

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This thesis explores the possibilities of employing a dynamic difficulty adjustment system in a role playing video game. The purpose is to aid developers in designing games that can detect and lead players into their own flow zone. We have developed theories and ways on how a system could do this, and then proceeded to make our own prototype to see if the theories would work. We then applied this to a game prototype to explore how this affects other game design choices. Results show that role playing games can adopt the system in different ways, that are all personal and individual to each game, but that the system in the end always should provide aid in game balance, and ultimately, leading the players towards their flow zone. It also resulted in some serious issues and loopholes that would require much attention if it is to be deployed in a commercial product. / Denna uppsatsen utforskar möjligheterna av att använda ett dynamiskt svårighetsgradssystem i digitala rollspel. Syftet med arbetet är att ge utvecklare stöd med att designa spel som kan finna och hjälpa till att leda sina spelare till deras respektive flow-zon. Vi har utvecklat teorier och tillvägagångssätt för hur ett system skulle kunna göra detta och sedan fortsatt med att göra en egen prototyp för att vidare utforska hur det påverkar andra val i speldesign. Resultaten visar att rollspel kan anpassa sig efter systemet på ett antal olika sätt, där alla olika sätt är unika till spelet i fråga, men att systemet alltid ger stöd i spelbalansering och i slutändan leder spelaren till dess flow-zon. Det resulterade också i ett antal allvarliga problem som kräver mycket uppmärksamhet innan systemet kan användas för kommersiellt bruk.

Dans les jeux vidéo de rôle japonais (JRPG), si le héros est généralement un personnage masculin hétérosexuel se battant à l’arme blanche pour sauver le monde, le personnage de soutien principal est une jeune femme éprise du protagoniste et dotée de divers attributs associés au féminin (apparence soignée, mais peu adaptée au combat, tendance à occuper un rôle de soutien…). À partir du constat selon lequel la plupart des analyses féministes occidentales ne prennent pas en considération le contexte culturel spécifique japonais qui voit naître les JRPG, ce mémoire construit un cadre conceptuel pour mieux décrire et comprendre les tendances historiques de l’évolution des personnages féminins de ces objets vidéoludiques. Il fait appel au concept de l’agentivité, utilisé à la fois en études du jeu et en études féministes littéraires, pour établir des liens entre le genre d’un personnage et la jouabilité qui lui est associée, puis à des travaux japonais sur les phénomènes otaku pour s’assurer d’intégrer un point de vue non-occidental sur ces objets culturels. ll se termine par une analyse des rôles en combat et dans le récit des personnages féminins de la série Tales of. / In Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs), if the typical protagonist is a male brunet swordsman saving the world, the typical support character is a young good-looking woman, enamored with the protagonist, and whose fighting style focuses on supporting him rather than offense. From the observation that most occidental feminist analysis in game studies do not take into consideration the specific cultural context in which JRPGs are born, this master thesis builds a theoretical framework to allow a deeper understanding of the historical dynamics that have guided the evolution of female characters in these videogames. This thesis examines the uses of the concept of agency in both game studies and literary gender studies, in order to bridge gameplay and gender. It then integrates Japanese perspectives of female characters in otaku cultural objects, such as mangas and animes. The thesis ends by depicting of the evolution of female characters in the Tales of series, more specifically their combat roles and importance in the story.

This paper presents a comparative study on two Tabletop Roleplaying Games, Dungeons & Dragons and Blades in the Dark. This paper takes a look at the narrative differences within the two systems. More specifically investigate if Blades in the Dark is more playerdriven than Dungeons & Dragons. The two tested as closely as possible and will be compared with each other. This is a close reading on the rules and player agency rather than a one-on-one comparison. The comparisons were made regarding the mechanics and narrative differences within the systems rather than quality of the story. This study was conducted by running two sessions, one for each system, played by separate groups with the same game scenario and premise. Meaning that the background for both games, character and plot for the session were the same. Comparisons were made by observing player decisions, situations that arose and the influence that the gamemasters had on the game. It was found that there is a clear difference between the two systems, this difference regarding whether the players were reacting to the gamemaster, or the other way round. In Dungeons & Dragons, it was observed that the players reacted and acted according to what the gamemaster explained and played out, whereas in Blades in the Dark it appeared to be the opposite. Here we found that it was the Gamemaster who was reactive to the players instead. The paper concluded that Blades in the Dark is the more player-driven system. This short study could later be built upon and used by game developers to keep in mind and plan their future game systems around. Taking these observations on emergent narrative in Tabletop Role-playing Games into account can be used to create more player-centric and player-driven games. Meaning that the players are more in influence and decisions to make in the story and game. / I detta papper presenteras en jämförande undersökning av två rollspelssystem, Dungeons & Dragons och Blades in the Dark. Det här papperet kollar på skillnaderna när det kommer till spelar-drivet berättande inom de två spelen. Mer specifikt så utreds om Blades in the Dark är mer spelar-drivet än Dungeons & Dragons. De två kommer att testas så likt som möjligt och jämföras med varandra. Detta är en noggrann läsning av reglerna och spelarnas påverkan på spelets berättande, där vad som undersöks är spelets funktioner och skillnader i hur de berättas och presenteras, snarare än kvalitén på spelen eller berättelserna. Denna studie genomfördes genom att hålla två sessioner, en för varje system, spelad av separata grupper men med samma scenario och förutsättningar. Jämförelser gjordes genom att observera spelarbeslut, situationer som uppstod, samt det inflytande som spelmästare hade på spelet. En tydlig skillnad blev synlig mellan de två systemen var gällande huruvida spelarna reagerade på spelmästaren eller tvärtom. I Dungeons & Dragons observerades att spelarna reagerade och agerade enligt vad spelmästaren förklarade och spelade ut. I Blades in the Dark studerades en motsatt effekt, här upptäcktes att det var spelmästaren som reagerade på spelarna istället. Med denna undersökning kom vi fram till att Blades in the Dark är det mer spelar-drivna systemet. Den här studien kan i framtiden användas och byggas på av spelutvecklare för att göra nya spelsystem, med dessa observationer som framkom, kan komma till användning för att göra fler spel med mer spelar-drivet fokus. Vilket innebär att spelaren har mer inflytande på historiens som berättas och spelet i sig.

The Japanese role-playing games attract players worldwide. Though, this is not necessarily due to a fascination with Japanese culture. While considering recent research on video games in Japanese Studies, especially the monograph by Rachael Hutchinson, this thesis puts an emphasis on Game Studies, as represented by Espen Aarseth. Accordingly, it asks whether the attraction of Japanese video games is primarily due to their game ‘play’, or their stories and narrated themes. In Game Studies this issue is known as the controversy between ‘ludologists’ and ‘narratologists’. Taking Atelier Shallie (2014–2020) as its main example, this study studies the different experiences provided by the ludic (gameplay) and the scripted parts (cutscenes). Ultimately it arrives at the conclusion that the combined theory of Ludonarratology has the greatest potential to account for all narrative factors in a video game such as Atelier Shallie. This includes possibilities for future interdisciplinary research. / この論文では、Espen Aarseth（エスペン・アーセス）に代表されるように、ゲーム研究に重点を置いています。 したがって、日本のビデオゲームの魅力は、主にゲームの「遊び」によるものなのか、それとも物語やナレーション付きのテーマによるものなのかを調べていきます。 ゲーム研究では、この問題は「ludologists」、所謂ゲームを研究する者、と「narratologists」、所謂ストーリを研究する者、の間の論争として知られています。例としてシャリーのアトリエ（2014〜2020年）を取り上げ、この論文はゲームプレイとストーリによって提供されるさまざまな体験を研究していきます。 最終的には、Ludonarratologyという結合理論がシャリーのアトリエを始めとする様々なのビデオゲームのすべてのナラティブを分析し説明を可能とする重要なツールであることだという結論に達します。これには、将来の学際的研究の可能性も含まれます。 / De Japanska rollspelen, också kända som JRPG (Japanese Role-playing Games), tilltalar konsumenter över hela världen. Dock så begrundar det sig inte nödvändigtvis på ett övergripande intresse för Japansk kultur. Med inspiration av ny forskning inom Japanologi som på senare tid har studerat sagor och berättelser inom datorspel, med synnerlig åtanke på monografin av Rachael Hutchinson, så fokuserar den här studien på Spelstudier (i.e. Game Studies), på så vis som Espen Aarseth förespråkar det. Således ställs frågan över hur narrativ inom Japanska datorspel uttrycks i de berättelser som berättas av spelmediet, och hur själva spelandet, alltså “gameplay”, förhåller sig. I spelstudier så kännetecknas debatten för dessa två synsätt av disciplinerna ‘ludologi’, som främst studerar spelande, och ‘narratologi’, som studerar författade berättelser inom spel. Med Atelier Shallie (2014–2020) som exempel så utforskar den här studien de olika erfarenheterna som ludik, alltså spelande och interaktivitet, samt de författade delarna, alltså textrutor och filmsnuttar (i.e. cutscenes), kan bidra med på tu man hand, och tillsammans. Slutsatsen är att den kombinerade teorin som kallas för Ludonarratologi möjliggör noggrannare studier av narrativ och berättande i datorspel.

. a. by the plurality of "worlds" the players operate in, and pertinent plurality of roles adopted frame analysis (see Fine 2002), describes three of these "worlds of meaning": the frame of the "the frame of the storytellers". Ad playing games resemble "storytelling events" (Georges 1969), and how this fact differentiates this genre from "classical" games. This framework broadens the understating of players d with the storyteller's agenda and expectations linked to this role. This unique form gaming world in the primary framework of the "real"

Der vorliegende Beitrag setzt sich mit den Möglichkeiten problemorientierten Lernens in kollaborativen virtuellen Umgebungen am Beispiel eines Mock-Trial-Trainings in der OpenSim-basierten Virtual Learning World auseinander. Ausgangspunkt der Auseinandersetzung stellen die Motivation des Einsatzes virtueller Trainings und grundsätzliche Handlungsangebote kollaborativer virtueller Umgebungen einschließlich ihrer Potentiale aus bildungstheoretischer Perspektive dar. Bestehende Mehrwerte und Herausforderungen beim Einsatz virtueller Trainingsumgebungen werden anschließend anhand einer empirischen Untersuchung, die im Rahmen der Entwicklung eines Mock-Trial-Trainings durchgeführt wurde, aufgezeigt und diskutiert.

Women represent 45% of the entire workforce in the United States, but only comprise 26% of the high-tech industry. Early introduction and interest in video games, contributes to computer literacy and self-confidence in terms of computing skills. Socially pervasive gender stereotypes, found in ubiquitous software, specifically games, factor in the alienation of young girls from active participation in computing. Currently marketed gaming software perpetuate this societal bias in the guise of overly-sexualized game avatars, and fail to adequately address documented female gaming preferences. Gender inclusive design is more a pragmatic approach to ameliorating gender bias, than creating a pink box “girl’s game.” Such games cater solely to stereotypical “female” interests, and are uncomfortably close to the concept of “separate but equal.” In the scope of this research a gender inclusive computer role playing game (CRPG) interface was designed and evaluated. The advantage of a CRPG is that it may be played individually or single player mode, as in the prototypic interface, or allow collaborative game play within a smaller group (2-12) when migrated to a multiplayer online environment. Small groups, involved in CRPG collaborative play, may reduce the incidence of online harassment or intimidation by male players, often encountered by experienced female gamers when engaged in Massively Online Multiplayer games. The Xanthia: A Fae’s Battle CRPG, was designed with the intent of studying key female preferences outlined in this research. The design utilized a stylized “cute” but strong female protagonist, featured a compelling storyline, and a backstory narrative. The game broached real world environmental issues with an underpinning of moral dilemma in the guise of good versus evil. Competitive but not combat-centric play was utilized in the game design, which enabled leveling up without the demise of the central protagonist. Fantasy-themed conflict resulted in transformations of both protagonist and antagonists when a change of state occurred during battle, thus eliminating the violence of gory death scenarios. This formative study endeavored to examine the underlying reasons for female underrepresentation in the high-tech and computing fields. The CRPG used in the study, incorporated key gender inclusive game elements found in current literature, in order to acquire insight into female gaming preferences. Two survey instruments were utilized to gather data from 35 female Barry University students, who had disparate gaming experience, comfort with computers, and academic majors. A pre-game questionnaire pertained to motivations for play, level of gaming expertise, and self-perceived comfort with computing. Additional data were gathered regarding access in early childhood to a gaming console or computer in the participants’ childhood homes and the incidence of tinkering. The female sample pool provided CRPG feedback post-game engagement. Examination of survey responses indicated that identification with the central female protagonist was a key element in positive game engagement for the majority of the study’s participants. In general, experienced gamers were more apt to tinker with the hidden features of the game. Experienced gamers also enjoyed competiveness and challenge more than their inexperienced or non-gamer counterparts. The primary component of positive engagement for this female sample group was “fun.” Social interaction was a key motivator for engagement in video game play for the majority of the participants. Empirical data collected from survey instrumentation suggested that individuals who had the easiest access to video game consoles and computing equipment, participated at greater rate in tinkering in childhood. The participants who tinkered, had a higher self-perception of comfort with computing.