Game Mechanics And Narrative As Symbiotic, Co-Constructive Elements In Tomb Of Annihilation
Game Mechanics And Narrative As Symbiotic, Co-Constructive Elements In Tomb Of Annihilation
Game Mechanics And Narrative As Symbiotic, Co-Constructive Elements In Tomb Of Annihilation
By Mark Hines
March 19, 2023
Summary
Tomb of Annihilation reveals its anticipated audience as predominantly White by playing heavily into these themes, relying upon players' cultural capital in fantasy media depicting colonized spaces.
I borrow from Sicart, who described game mechanics as "Methods invoked by agents for interacting with the game world."37 In the world of D&D, these mechanics are the underlying logic by which players and DMs convert speech acts, die rolls, and rule analysis into narrative fluency.
Again, my point is not that Tomb of Annihilation's emphasized mechanics are inherently problematic, but rather that game design can interweave with stylistic and narrative choices to create a ludonarrative harmony that further imparts on players their roles as exceptional saviors in foreign land.
Again, the descriptions and suggested play styles leave little doubt that writers intended for players to envision their characters as participants in an academic adventure narrative reminiscent of Tomb Raider, The Mummy, or any Indiana Jones film.
This time these encouraged mechanics are localized to the player character, encouraging players to adopt a certain mentality or approach to the world of Tomb of Annihilation.
Considering the differences between these mechanics and those discussed with regards to Tomb of Annihilation, it becomes clear that the mechanics of racial identity are those which infuriate alt-right-leaning players.
In using Tomb of Annihilation as a lens into the rhetoric at hand, I hope to lay the groundwork for further analysis of how players draw from their lived experiences and the game world in creating collaborative, improvisational stories.
Reference
Hines, M. (2023, March 19). Game Mechanics And Narrative As Symbiotic, Co-Constructive Elements In Tomb Of Annihilation. Analog Game Studies. https://analoggamestudies.org/2023/03/thats-just-what-the-book-says-game-mechanics-and-narrative-as-symbiotic-co-constructive-elements-in-tomb-of-annihilation/