Storytelling in the Modern Board Game: Narrative Trends from the Late 1960s to Today - Paperback

by Marco Arnaudo (Author), Matthew Wilhelm Kapell (Editor)

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.

Front Jacket

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.

Author Biography

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. Series editor Matthew Wilhelm Kapell teaches American studies, anthropology, and writing at Pace University in New York.