Research on interactive narratives tends to concentrate almost entirely on digital storytelling, as for example in video games. A much higher degree of readers’ or users’ narrative agency can, however, be found in various analogous storytelling formats, such as choose-your-own-adventure books or analogous roleplaying games (rpgs), such as pen and paper rpgs (P&P).
A considerable number of settings for P&P games is based on literary models. Whereas most of them refer to popular literature of the fantasy genre (e.g. The One Ring, the Song of Ice and Fire RPG, Conan, or the many versions of Cthulhu), some P&P systems are based on canonical texts, too, some of them even on realistic fiction.
The proposed course focuses on a selection of these P&P systems (see “Literatur” for the exact titles) and explores the various strategies at work when adapting a literary text for/into the medium of an rpg. How is the story of the pretext transformed into a veritable world generating new stories? Which elements of the original are identified as generic features that help the players to structure their own improvised interactions in a consistent manner? In how far does the rpg system have an impact on the generated stories? How do the gamemaster’s and the players’ narrative agencies manifest themselves, and where are their limits? In how far can one assess a P&P session with narratological tools? Which narrative elements of the literary texts and the rpgs support interaction and immersion? These are only a few of the questions we will discuss in the theoretical phases of the class – but in order to have such a discussion, we must first explore the respective P&P systems in practice.
After establishing a theoretical framework for academically assessing rpgs, each P&P system will, therefore, be scrutinized in three sessions with the following schedule:
- Session A: brief introduction to the literary source [either by me or by course participants]; brief introduction to the P&P system and its modes of character construction [guided by (a) students who have been assigned for the system]
- Session B: playing session in which you will break into groups of 2-5 players plus one student game master, playing the respective system in a one-shot adventure devised by the game master (material for preparation will be provided)
- Session C: critical reflection on your experience with the system, on the stories that have evolved from it, and on how these stories work as interactive transmedia transformations of existing literary texts.
Combining theoretical and practical elements, this course is aimed at students who enjoy an interactive, imaginative engagement with literary texts and storyworlds, and who like to explore new grounds in research, by creatively applying their own previous knowledge and expertise. Due to its project character, it is less suited for students who expect me to present them with ready-made chunks of recordable pieces of knowledge that can be repeated for an exam, and who feel uncomfortable if this is not provided. If this sounds doubtful for students in the “Lehramt” study programmes in view of their MAP, you may rest assured that there will be enough material to fill such an exam (starting with a knowledge of the primary texts); and maybe one ought to remember that roleplaying games are a very important didactic tool.
Previous experience with P&P rpgs is not required (if you have this experience, please send me a short email with the systems you are familiar with). What is essential, though, is your readiness to actively participate in the playing sessions, because this commitment will eventually decide on whether the course will work – and maybe even be enjoyable.
Please remember that this course is a four-hour-unit that cannot be split up. If you want to participate in this course, you must take it as a four-hour-unit (i.e. completing an entire module with the course), even if your Prüfungsordnung or Studienverlaufsplan only requires a 2-hour module element for this semester. After all, students are always allowed to do more than the minimum required by the Prüfungsordnung.
Prerequisites for obtaining credit points
1. Commitment, Participation and Reliability.This course must be taken as a four-hour unit because its practical phases do not work within ordinary 90-minute slots. Students must be willing to go with this schedule, no matter whether their curriculum only needs a two-hour unit for this term. (After all, the curricula only reflect a minimum programme; studying more hours is always allowed)
The course format entirely depends on the participation, interaction and commitment of all participants in the course. If you register for this course, please be aware of that responsibility. You should only register for this course, if you really want to take it, which means: if you are interested in and willing to actively participate in the roleplaying sessions as a player and a gamemaster.
If you simply tick any course on offer during the registration phase, waiting to be assigned a place and intend to look for alternatives during the first week(s) of the semester, you are explicitly asked not to sign up for this course.
If you have been accepted in the course, you must decide whether you are going to take it before or at least during the first session. Dropouts after the finalization of the planning (which will be done in the first session) will heavily affect the entire course and might have to lead to cancellations of entire sessions and even sections.
2. Completion of your BA programme:
Please note that only students who will have fully completed their B.A. by the deadline announced by the Prüfungsamt (usually end of November) can obtain credit points in this course. (It is immaterial, whether they have actively participated in the course by this time, because active participation is generally expected by students taking a course).
Students who have already fully completed their B.A. by the time of their registration will, therefore, given priority in the distribution of course places.
If you are still enrolled in the B.A. by the time of their registration, you will retain the status "angemeldet" until Unisono displays your full admission to the M.A. study programme. If this happens during the second registration phase and enough course places are available, your status will be changed from "angemeldet" to "zugelassen".
If you are still in both programmes by the beginning of the term, interested in the course and places are still available (which is mostly the case), you will be asked to attend the first session, where you may still obtain a preliminary place, depending on availability of places and on your progress with the B.A
If you have been preliminarily accepted, the previous paragraph, regulating who can obtain credit points in this course, still applies to you, as does everything mentioned under "First Requirement". Especially if you have volunteered as a gamemaster, please be ready to continue the course even if your BA remains incomplete and you are signed off from the MA programme in Unisono.
compulsory prerequisite for MA LiWi Module 10.1: MA LiWi Module 1 and at least one other Module of 1-8 must have been successfully completed before the beginning of the term. (Please note that, in MA LiWi 10 you can only take this course for the SL in MA LiWi 10.1 - and not for 10.2 or 10.3).
3. Guests
Depending on the availability of places, ANY student who is interested in the course because of the topic (i.e. irrespective of study programmes, course requirements or credit points) is welcome to participate as a GUEST. In that case, please send an email to the course instructor (subject: RPG course) beforehand, indicating your interest in participating with guest status.
Studienleistung
Depending on whether you will use this 4-hour-course as one or two module elements, you will be expected to do either one Studienleistung (= SL 1) or two (SL 1 + SL 2). For organizational reasons, you must commit yourself to one of the two options in the first session of the course.SL 1:
Regular active participation in the discussions and play sessions
SL 1 will be expected by all participants who need an SL in this course.
SL 2:
a) mastering a one-shot session for one of the P&P systems in a Session B
Further suggestions for SL 2, if necessary:
b) introduction to one of the P&P systems and monitoring the character-construction for it in a Session A
c) compiling and presenting a record of a P&P session as a handout for the discussion in a Session C
SL 2 will additionally be expected by all participants who need a second SL in the course. The exact nature of SL 2 depends on the number of students taking the course and can, thus, only be finalized in the first session of the course. The “further suggestions” will only apply if there are more students who need a second SL than available slots for game masters.
Please remember that this course is a four-hour-unit that cannot be split up. If you want to participate in this course, you must take it as a four-hour-unit (i.e. completing an entire module with the course), even if your Prüfungsordnung or Studienverlaufsplan only requires a 2-hour module element for this semester. After all, students are always allowed to do more than the minimum required by the Prüfungsordnung.
Prüfungsleistung
MA Lehramt: oral exam (MAP), according to your FPO regulations
MA LiWi: Written concept of a one-shot adventure for one of the P&P systems discussed in class (models will be provided in class)
- Dozent/in: Anja Müller